Tag: NBA Draft

NBA Draft Rewind: Warriors select Michigan’s Jordan Poole in 2019 first round

When they were on the clock in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors landed Michigan product Jordan Poole.

Although there is playoff action underway inside the Orlando Bubble, it’s officially shifted to draft season in the Bay Area. Instead of making a selection at the back end of the first round, the Golden State Warriors are slated to be on the clock with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 edition of the NBA Draft.

Before Bob Myers and Steve Kerr make their highly anticipated draft-day decision, Warriors Wire is rewinding through Golden State’s draft history to highlight some of the most memorable selections — trades, surprises, busts, sleepers and everything in between.

With their first-round pick from the 2019 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors picked a player with March Madness lore on his resume.

June 20, 2019

The New Orleans Pelicans opened the 2019 NBA Draft by selecting Duke’s highly touted prospect, Zion Williamson with the first overall pick. Following Williamson, the Memphis Grizzlies added future Rookie of the Year Ja Morant out of Murray State with the second pick.

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Fast forward to the third to last pick of the first round, and the Golden State Warriors were on the clock. With the No. 28 selection in the 2019 draft, the Kerr and Myers duo landed Jordan Poole out of Michigan.

In his sophomore season in the Big Ten, the young wing made 37 starts, averaging 12.8 points on 43.6% shooting from the field with 3.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals per contest. In his final season with John Beilein, Poole shot 36.9% on 5.5 attempts from beyond the arc.

In the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament, Poole earned legend status in Ann Arbor after hitting a thrilling buzzer-beater. In a matchup with the Houston Cougars, Poole buried a game-winning 3-pointer as the clock hit zero to send the Wolverines to the next round.

Watch Poole’s memorable game-winning 3-pointer via YouTube:

At the start of his rookie season, the 21-year-old struggled with consistency and confidence, leading to shooting slumps. However, after a rough start, Poole benefitted from a move into more of a playmaking role. The rookie guard scored in double-figures in 12 of his final 13 games. During that span, Poole earned a spot in the starting lineup in five games.

To finish his season on a promising note, Poole tallied 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting with three assists, a rebound and a steal in 26 minutes against the playoff-bound Los Angeles Clippers.

Poole capped off his rookie campaign averaging 8.8 points on 33.3% shooting from the field with 2.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game.

Watch highlights from Poole’s rookie season via YouTube:

Along with Poole, Morant and Williamson, other notable members of the 2019 draft class included Villanova’s Eric Paschall, North Carolina’s Coby White, Kentucky’s Tyler Herro, Washington’s Matisse Thybulle, Gonzaga’s Brandon Clarke, and Rui Hachimura.

Undrafted rookie free agents from the 2019 class included Boston College’s Ky Bowman, UCF’s Tacko Fall, Arizona State’s Luguentz Dort and Ole Miss Terence Davis.  

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Warriors land Deni Avdija at No. 2 in The Ringer’s NBA Mock Draft 1.0

In The Ringer’s NBA Mock Draft 1.0, Kevin O’Connor pens Israel’s Deni Avdija to the Golden State Warriors with the second overall pick.

While the league inches closer to the NBA Finals inside the Orlando Bubble, the Golden State Warriors are turning their attention to the draft. After landing the No. 2 overall selection in the NBA Draft Lottery, Bob Myers and Steve Kerr can officially map out their plan for draft day.

Before the Golden State Warriors hit the clock on Nov. 18, mock drafts are beginning to build predictions for what Myers and Kerr will do with the second overall pick. Along with wings Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, big men James Wiseman and Onyeka Okongwu have been popular selections for the Warriors in NBA mock drafts.

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In the first edition of The Ringer’s mock draft, Kevin O’Connor penned Israel’s Deni Avdija to the Warriors with the second pick. According to O’Connor, Avdija makes “logical sense” for the Warriors.

Via The Ringer:

Avdija makes logical sense as a highly experienced player who projects as a versatile 6-foot-9 forward with playmaking skills. Ideally, the Warriors would be able to trade down for him since two bigger-name prospects are still on the board.

View O’Connell’s complete mock draft here.

Despite only being 19-years-old, Avdija has built a resume filled with high caliber hoops experience. At age 16, Avdija signed a professional contract with international powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv.

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Over 26 games in the Israeli League, Avdija averaged 13.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and one block per contest. Prior to entering his name in the NBA Draft, Avdija earned the honor of Most Valuable Player in the Israeli League for 2020.

Avdija added four points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 26 appearances in the EuroLeague for Maccabi Tel Aviv.

As he develops his long-range jumper, Avdija could bring some stability to Kerr’s second unit. With his ability to handle the ball and create, the 6-foot-9 forward could serve as a lead playmaking option with Eric Paschall off the bench in his rookie season.

If he lands in the Bay Area, Avdij could slide next to Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green to potentially form a potent small-ball lineup with versatile options at every label.

Golden State will have the next two months to continue doing homework on the 2020 draft class.

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Blecher Report ranks Kira Lewis Jr. 12th best player in NBA 2020 Draft

Jeremy Woo of Bleacher Report sees the former Alabama point guard as the 12th best player in the 2020 NBA Draft class.

Kira Lewis Jr. continues to improve and impress. So much so that even Jeremy Woo of Bleacher Report sees the former Alabama point guard as the 12th best player in the 2020 NBA Draft class.

Analysts continue to applaud Lewis’ speed, ability to move the ball and his ability to make big plays. Many mock draft have Lewis between the No. 15-25 overall pick of the draft. This continues to be a trend for Lewis. Some analysts say Lewis could sneak his way closer to the top 10 as the NBA Draft gets closer.

Dec 14, 2019; University Park, PA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Kira Lewis Jr. (2) shoots the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half at the Bryce Jordan Center. Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Here is what Woo had to say about Lewis:

“Lewis made nice strides this season in a favorable offensive system at Alabama, which allowed him to showcase his blazing speed and kick the ball out to willing shooters. As a young sophomore, it was the type of leap he needed to solidify himself as a top-20 prospect, and there’s a chance he sneaks into the back part of the lottery based on upside. Lewis is slight of build and still learning how to run a team, but he’s already a good shooter and can put a lot of pressure on defenses in transition. He may get picked on a bit defensively, and there will be a learning curve as the game speeds up around him and he learns to attack set defenses, but his long-term potential is attractive, and sets him apart from the other guards in this range.”

There’s no doubt that Lewis’ NBA career will be exciting to watch.

In his two years with the Crimson Tide, Lewis averaged 34.5 minutes and finished with a field goal percentage of 44.7 percent, 1,031 points, 260 assists and 183 turnovers.

He averaged 18.5 points per game, 5.2 assists per game and made 37-percent of his 3-pointers.

Lewis announced his entry into the NBA draft at the end of March by a heartfelt post on Twitter.

The NBA draft is now scheduled to be held on November 18th, but Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on any changes that may occur due to the ongoing coronavirus.

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Potential Nets 2020 pick RJ Hampton sees himself as ‘a franchise changer’

Draft experts think RJ Hampton will slip to the Brooklyn Nets in the 2020 NBA Draft. The guard thinks he should go higher in the draft.

Right now, RJ Hampton is expected to slip outside the 2020 NBA lottery. For the longest time, though, he was viewed as a Top-5 pick for this year’s trade.

Hampton’s drop in stock comes after he spent a year overseas, rather than play at the college level in America.

While playing for the New Zealand Breakers, Hampton averaged 9.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game while logging 21.3 minutes a night. He also shot 29.4% from deep and 41.7% overall.

But Hampton isn’t concerned about the numbers he posted. His goal was to prepare himself the best he could for the NBA, which he still feels he did.

“I went overseas, I learned a lot, I didn’t have superior numbers and I was kind of forgotten about,” Hampton told Ian Begley of SNY. “The message that I was trying to get across is, ‘I’m still that same player. I’m still that player that can get you 20-25 points, 6-7 assists, be that lead guard and a franchise changer.'”

If Hampton is right about what he can bring an NBA team, the Nets may be in line to get a steal at No. 19 as mock drafts continue to project the guard will make Brooklyn his home.

RELATED: Nets 2020 NBA mock draft radar: New Zealand Breakers guard RJ Hampton

RELATED: Nets mock draft radar: Which prospects are linked to Brooklyn most

BREAKING: NBA announces the draft will now take place on November 18th

Once again, the NBA has announced a new date for the 2020 NBA Draft. This time, the draft has been moved to November 18th.

Once again, the NBA has announced a new date for the 2020 NBA Draft.

This time, the draft has been moved to November 18th.

Here’s what the NBA had to say:

“The National Basketball Association announced today that the date of NBA Draft 2020 presented by State Farm has been moved to Wednesday, Nov. 18 and will air on ESPN. The date remains subject to change as circumstances warrant.

The revised date allows additional time to conduct the 2020 pre-draft process, gather more information about the potential start date for the 2020-21 season and advance conversations between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association regarding related Collective Bargaining Agreement matters.”

Of course, this is due to the coronavirus that has taken the world by storm.

The only player from the Crimson Tide in the draft this year is Kira Lewis Jr.

The latest mock draft  by CBS Sports has Kira Lewis as the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft.

There’s no doubt that Lewis’ NBA career will be exciting to watch.

In his two years with the Crimson Tide, Lewis averaged 34.5 minutes and finished with a field goal percentage of 44.7 percent, 1,031 points, 260 assists and 183 turnovers.

He averaged 18.5 points per game, 5.2 assists per game and made 37-percent of his 3-pointers.

Lewis announced his entry into the NBA draft at the end of March by a heartfelt post on Twitter.

The NBA draft is scheduled to be held on Friday, Oct. 16, but Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on any changes that may occur due to the ongoing coronavirus.

Roll Tide Wire will keep you up to date with the very latest.

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Woj: NBA officially selects November 18th as new date of the 2020 NBA Draft

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA has selected November 18th for the new date of the 2020 NBA Draft.

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The 2020 NBA Draft was originally scheduled to take place on June 25th. Obviously, with the NBA Playoffs still taking place down in Orlando, Florida as I write this, those plans have been changed, like pretty much everything else in our world. The NBA Draft plans have been unconfirmed since the season was altered, until now.

On Tuesday night, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that, according to his sources, the NBA has selected November 18th as a new start date.

This should be of major interest to Michigan State Basketball fans as Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman should both hear their names called on draft day this year.

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Xavier Tillman, at this point, seems like a lock to me to go in the first round, at some point. Cassius Winston has recently been projected to go as high as the late first round in some mock drafts, but should at least go by the end of the second round.

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Latest CBS Sports NBA mock draft has Kira Lewis as 8th overall pick

CBS Sports released its latest mock draft and has Kira Lewis as the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft,

Yes.

You read that correctly.

CBS Sports released its latest mock draft and has Kira Lewis as the No. 8 pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft, which has been postponed until October.

This is the highest projection EVER for Lewis in any 2020 NBA Mock Draft.

Alabama basketball-Kira Lewis-USA Basketball
Photo Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Analysts continue to applaud Lewis’ speed, ability to move the ball and his ability to make big plays. According to this mock draft by CBS Sports, Lewis would be drafted by the New York Knicks in the 2020 NBA draft.

Here’s what CBS Sports has to say about Lewis:

“I can’t imagine the Knicks not selecting a guard in the first round. So if they don’t move up to get one of Hayes or Ball, Kira Lewis Jr. could be in play here. He’s a super-speedy, downhill point guard who is still just 19 years old and has major upside as an offensive weapon. By the time we get to the draft we’ll be talking about him as a consensus lottery talent.”

here’s no doubt that Lewis’ NBA career will be exciting to watch.

In his two years with the Crimson Tide, Lewis averaged 34.5 minutes and finished with a field goal percentage of 44.7 percent, 1,031 points, 260 assists and 183 turnovers.

He averaged 18.5 points per game, 5.2 assists per game and made 37-percent of his 3-pointers.

Lewis announced his entry into the NBA draft at the end of March by a heartfelt post on Twitter.

The NBA draft is scheduled to be held on Friday, Oct. 16, but Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on any changes that may occur due to the ongoing coronavirus.

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Cassius Winston a first-round draft pick in Bleacher Report writer’s 2020 NBA Mock Draft

Michigan State basketball Guard Cassius Winston is projected as a late first-round draft pick in a new Bleacher Report 2020 NBA Mock Draft.

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Bleacher Report writer Jonathan Wasserman released an updated version of his 2020 NBA Mock Draft. In this mock draft, he projects former Michigan State basketball guard Cassius Winston as a late first-round pick.

Wasserman predicts the Los Angeles Lakers pick Cassius Winston with the No. 28 pick. Check out what Wasserman had to say about Winston below, courtesy of Bleacher Report:

Looking for an immediate contributor, the Lakers should be eyeing Winston, who’s worth betting on to overcome athletic limitations based on his skill, production and intangibles.

Wasserman is presenting an ideal situation for Winston in my opinion. Winston will play on a winning team. He will contribute immediately off the bench, and he can learn from veteran point guard Rajon Rando.

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Xavier Tillman a first-round pick in CBS Sports 2020 NBA Mock Draft

Michigan State basketball Forward Xavier Tillam is projected as a late first-round draft pick in a new CBS Sports 2020 NBA Mock Draft.

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We still have some time before the 2020 NBA draft, which means plenty of new mock drafts. Colin Ward-Henninger of CBS Sports has updated his mock draft which features Xavier Tillman as a late first-round pick.

Ward-Henninger predicts Xavier Tillman will be drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the No. 25 pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

Read what Ward-Henninger had to say about Tillman below, courtesy of CBS Sports:

OKC’s backup center spot could be vacant this offseason, and Tillman is ready to step in and fill it right away. He certainly won’t stretch the floor at this point in his career, but he’s a good finisher around the rim with his 7-1 wingspan, and is also a capable playmaker from the high post.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in an interesting spot. They could keep this current roster together and just add new pieces but will likely trade away Chris Paul to a win-now team. On the Thunder, Tillman could play along with high-upside point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, which could result in a formidable pick-and-roll game.

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Warriors select high-flying forward in latest NBA Mock Draft from CBS Sports

In the latest mock draft from Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, the Golden State Warriors landed Dayton’s high-flying prospect Obi Toppin with the No. 2 pick.

With more teams being eliminated from the 2020 edition of the playoffs, draft season is beginning to heat up outside of the Orlando Bubble. Following the lottery, mock drafts are rolling in with predictions for how the board will read in November.

After the first overall selection by the Minnesota Timberwolves, eyes immediately shift to what Bob Myers and the Golden State Warriors will do at No. 2. With the championship core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green still in place, the Warriors are in a unique situation for a team on the clock early in the draft.

If they don’t opt to trade the pick, Myers and Steve Kerr could look for a prospect that can contribute to Golden State’s climb back to the playoffs as soon as next season.

In Matt Norlander’s latest mock draft for CBS Sports, Dayton’s Obi Toppin lands in the Bay Area. According to Norlander, Toppin’s “all-around repertoire, and stellar reputation” make him a tough prospect to pass on at No. 2.

Via CBS Sports:

You’ll see other mocks slide James Wiseman here, and I can see that, but I’ll stick with Obi Toppin. He’s far from polarizing, but I do think opinions drift interestingly on Toppin, who is 22 years, and that could be used against him. I think Toppin’s range is No. 1 to No. 6 in this draft. His all-around repertoire, and stellar reputation, has turned him into the kind of prospect that general managers will find hard to pass on…

View Norlander’s full breakdown of Toppin to Golden State and the rest of the CBS Sports Mock Draft here.

In his final season at Dayton, Toppin averaged 20 points on 63.3% shooting from the field with 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assist, 1.2 blocks and one steal per contest. As a redshirt sophomore, the 6-foot-6 forward flashed glimpses of a long-range jumper, shooting 39% from beyond the arc on 2.6 attempts per game. Toppin’s performance at Dayton earned him AP National College Player of the Year honors.

The Brooklyn native came in as the No. 7 prospect on the Warriors Wire 2020 Big Board.

Toppin’s tenacious athleticism would immediately add another high flyer alongside Eric Paschall and Marquese Chriss in Golden State’s frontline. Toppin’s finishing around the rim would give Curry and Green another lob threat on the floor in Kerr’s fast-paced offense. As he continues to develop his 3-point shot, Toppin could fit in next to Paschall and Jordan Poole to create a youth movement off the bench in Golden State.

If the Warriors decided to go small, Toppin could slide in alongside Green at center or power forward in Kerr’s rotation. Toppin could benefit from being on the court next to a player with the defensive prowess of Green.

 

With the draft slated to move back to November 18, Myers and Kerr will have time to do their homework on Toppin and the rest of the 2020 draft class.

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