Ranking the top NCAA seniors in the country based on NBA draft stock

For the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft, seniors may have an advantage because they have the largest sample size of game film to show front offices.

Most other years, prospects have opportunities to boost their draft stock in the NCAA Tournament or during team workouts and the NBA Combine. But with at least some and potentially even all of those scouting events canceled this year due to the coronavirus, upperclassmen are arguably more valuable than usual due to increased exposure.

With that in mind, we broke the top prospects who have elapsed their college basketball eligibility and as such are thus automatically eligible for the 2020 NBA Draft.

1. Cassius Winston, Michigan State

Guard, 6-foot-1, 21 years old

During his four seasons at Michigan State, Cassius Winston averaged 13.0 assists per 100 possessions. Meanwhile, his career assist rate (43.1%) ranked as sixth-best among all NCAA players since 2009-10. While a bit undersized, he had always been incredibly productive in college and is arguably the most NBA-ready of the seniors who will be in this draft class. Winston is already an incredibly capable finisher and distributor out of the pick-and-roll, which will help his game translate to the next level. He has also been productive as a shooter off the catch, off the dribble and off screens. In fact, he shot above 40.0 percent from 3-point range on each of those attempts. Winston became the second consensus All-American in Michigan State history, also earning All-American honors back-to-back seasons.

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2020 NBA Draft Big Board: Latest updates after NCAA regular season

With the near conclusion of the 2019-20 NCAA Men’s Basketball Regular Season, it is worth taking another look at the 2020 NBA Draft prospects.

With the conclusion of the 2019-20 NCAA men’s basketball regular season fast approaching, it’s worth taking another look at the 2020 NBA Draft prospects.

While quite a bit will change on big boards and mock drafts following the conference tournaments and March Madness, some of the top players have already convinced NBA teams that they deserve serious consideration when the draft rolls around on June 25, 2020.

Others still have plenty of time to improve their draft stock on the floor and in workouts and interviews. For what it is worth, former top prospects coming into their freshman campaigns who could go back to school for their sophomore campaigns (for example, Florida’s Scottie Lewis and Duke’s Wendell Moore) were not included on this list.

Note that statistics are pulled from Synergy Sports Tech, Bart-Torvik.com, KenPom.com, RealGM or Sports-Reference.

1. LaMelo Ball, USA

(Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

Guard, 6-foot-7, 18 years old

The main reason to believe in Ball as the top player in the 2020 NBA Draft is because of his ridiculously high upside. With his unique size, he can put up a triple-double on any given night. Even when Ball was playing against much older professional competition in Australia’s NBL, Ball nearly averaged a triple-double per 36 minutes. Meanwhile, his defensive stats were also much better than expected, and his basketball instincts are strong. It is difficult to find an accurate read on Ball, given how many different teams he has played for in recent years. However, there should be enough to like about him for a team to select him with one of the first few picks.

2. Onyeka Okongwu, USC

Big, 6-foot-9, 19 years old

While he’s a bit undersized at 6-9, he can play bigger than his height, given his 7-foot-2 wingspan. For example, his block percentage (10.0%) ranks among the top five of all freshmen this season. He is more celebrated for his defensive ability, but the offense is there, too. Okongwu is averaging 1.14 points per possession as an offensive finisher, per Synergy, which ranks in the 98th percentile among all NCAA players. Put it all together, and the USC big man currently has the best box plus-minus in college basketball. Even if there might not be as much star potential as a player such as Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, he feels much closer to a sure thing in the NBA.

3. Anthony Edwards, Georgia

Wing, 6-foot-5, 18 years old

Under head coach Tom Crean, the University of Georgia freshman has been a revelation in transition offense. Edwards ranks among the top five nationally in total scoring on these plays, per Synergy, averaging 5.7 points per game. He looks his best when his shot attempts come closer to the rim, especially considering his 6-foot-9 wingspan. Farther from the basket, meanwhile, more than half of his 3-pointers have been unassisted. This shows he is capable of creating his own shot. Edwards, however, is shooting just 30.3% from beyond the arc on the season. But the reason to like him as a top-three pick is more about flashes of greatness, and he is averaging 21.8 points per game in February.

4. Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State

Guard, 6-foot-5, 20 years old

Haliburton is a skinny, lengthy guard measured with a 7-foot wingspan though and 170-pound frame. But most important is his valuable 3-and-D skill set. Before his injury, his 3-point percentage (41.9%) and steal percentage (3.8%) were both among the best in the NCAA. As a distributor and lead ballhandler, despite an unusually low usage rate, his assist rate still ranks in the top 10 among all underclassmen at high-major programs. Haliburton has been productive enough to suggest he can take over as the starting point guard in the NBA as soon as next season. There may be a low ceiling, but there is also a very high floor.

5. Killian Hayes, Ratiopharm Ulm

Guard, 6-foot-5, 18 years old

Much like Ball, there is a lot to like about Hayes due to his size and overall upside. He can be a lead ballhandler and has been measured with a 6-foot-7 wingspan. Hayes led France to the silver medal in 2018 at the U17 World Cup, averaging 21.4 points and 4.4 assists with 3.6 steals per 36 minutes. He is shooting 39.0% from beyond the arc in Eurocup action and has been able to produce well as a scorer as he has grown into a bigger role.

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Nevada puts their 5-game winning streak on the line at BYU

Nevada at BYU: Game Preview, Prediction, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More Wolf Pack look to continue their recent offensive explosion Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire With both teams fielding scorers aplenty, be ready for a shootout in …

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Nevada at BYU: Game Preview, Prediction, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More

Wolf Pack look to continue their recent offensive explosion

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

With both teams fielding scorers aplenty, be ready for a shootout in Provo

GAME DETAILS

WHO: Nevada (7-3, 1-0 MWC) vs. BYU (7-4, 0-0 WCC)

WHEN: Tuesday, December 10 — 7:00 P.M. MT / 6:00 P.M. PT

WHERE: Marriott Center, Provo, UT

WATCH: ESPNU

LISTEN: TuneIn

ALL-TIME RECORD: BYU leads the series, 13-7

ODDS: BYU -7, per KenPom

GAME PREVIEW

If it feels familiar to see BYU taking on a Mountain West foe, fret not. The Cougars really are on a tour through the conference, with tonight’s game against Nevada being the fourth of five total games against the league for Mark Pope’s side.

While the games against Boise State and San Diego State didn’t break the Cougars’ way, BYU looked like the best version of themselves over the weekend as they took down UNLV, 83-50. The win was a righting of the ship, as BYU was coming off an overtime loss to Utah on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Nevada’s offense went out and had themselves a monster week, scoring 98 against Santa Clara and 100 against Air Force.

The Wolf Pack have bounced back beautifully after a disappointing 2-3 start to the year. The season’s low point so far was a 20-point loss to Davidson. That loss looked—at the time—like it might signal a rough first year for new head coach Steve Alford, but Nevada has now won five straight games.

And though it shouldn’t diminish the accomplishment too much, none of those wins came against likely NCAA Tournament participants. Bowling Green is probably the most likely of the five, to give some context.

But they’ve got a chance to reel in a big fish when they travel to Provo.

The Cougars have had their struggles, to be sure. The losses to Boise State and Utah aren’t great. But BYU has also beaten Houston, Virginia Tech, and UCLA on the year, in addition to the haymaker they landed on UNLV.

Long story short, BYU can play.

Thankfully, so can Nevada.

The combination of Jalen Harris, Jazz Johnson, and Lindsey Drew is starting to mesh really well. They’ve demonstrated the ability to take turns carrying the scoring load, with the trio combining for eleven 20-point games so far.

Most recently, it’s been Harris taking the lead. The former Louisiana Tech guard has been lighting it up. He’s averaging 24 points per game over the last three contests, including a 31-point performance against Air Force on Saturday. Harris is making a very strong case for All-MWC honors in the early going—and could even find his way into the POY conversation.

If you’re a fan of high-scoring basketball, look no further. This game pits two effective offenses and against two pedestrian defenses. BYU has gone for 83 or more points in its last three games. Nevada has scored more than 84 in three of its past four.

This could end up being the most exciting games of the evening.

BY THE NUMBERS

On Nevada’s offensive possessions…

Steve Alford should continue to ride the horse that got him to this five-game winning streak, putting the ball in the hands of his guards early and often. The Wolf Pack have been an excellent shooting team and they protect the ball as well as just about anyone in the country. But their shooters are going to have to get it right on the first try, because BYU has been great at limiting second-chance opportunities by opposing offenses. Also, don’t expect Nevada to get much from the line, as the Cougars don’t foul much.

On BYU’s offensive possessions…

The performance against UNLV was exactly what this BYU offense wants to do night in and night out. We know that the Cougars have shooters galore, but having the dominant interior presence of Yoeli Childs back should take their efficiency into uncharted waters. Johncarlos Reyes and KJ Hymes haven’t been terrible in the low post for the Wolf Pack, but Childs might be the best post player they’ll face all year (apologies to Neemias Queta). Aside from contesting his shots, Nevada will also need to limit second-chance points better than they’ve done so far on the season.

DPI PROJECTION: BYU 79.87, NEVADA 79.56

Normally I would round the scores off, but I think it’s important to show just how close these two are. The system is projecting this to be a wildly even game, with less than half a point separating the two teams. In the end, though, the DPI projects that the Cougars will defend their home court. But Nevada has every chance in the world to win this game.

If the Wolf Pack have any hope at an at-large bid—a slim prospect, most likely— they need to seize this opportunity on the road.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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UNLV Basketball Heads to Salt Lake City to Do Battle with BYU

UNLV vs. BYU: Game Preview, Prediction, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More UNLV aiming to give BYU an 0-3 mark against MW schools Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire Rebels looking to win back-to-back games for the first time under T.J. …

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UNLV vs. BYU: Game Preview, Prediction, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More

UNLV aiming to give BYU an 0-3 mark against MW schools

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Rebels looking to win back-to-back games for the first time under T.J. Otzelberger

DETAILS

WHO: UNLV (4-6, 1-0 MWC) vs. BYU (6-4, 0-0 WCC)

WHEN: Saturday, December 7 — 12:00 P.M. PT / 1:00 P.M. MT

WHERE: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, UT

WATCH: BYUtv

LISTEN: TuneIn

ALL-TIME RECORD: UNLV leads the series, 18-16

ODDS: BYU -10, per KenPom

GAME PREVIEW

The Rebels head to Salt Lake City to take on home-state favorites BYU at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Saturday afternoon. UNLV should be in high spirits after Tuesday’s 81-80 win in double overtime against Fresno State.

The Rebels put a good foot forward to open their Mountain West Conference campaign by snatching a victory from the jaws of defeat. According to Ken Pomeroy’s win probability tracker, UNLV had just a 5.9% chance of winning the game with under two minutes to play. But a game-tying layup from Bryce Hamilton with eight seconds remaining forced the game into overtime, where the Rebels eventually prevailed.

It was the fourth overtime game of the season for UNLV and their second in a row, but just the first time they came away with a win.

Speaking of overtimes, BYU is coming into this game off the heels of an overtime game of their own. The Cougars were already in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night to take on Utah. The Utes have looked like a very solid team at times this year and the game against BYU was a good example. The Cougars fell in overtime by a score of 102-95.

But they still had reason to celebrate.

That’s because star big man Yoeli Childs was finally back in action after serving out a suspension for improperly filed paperwork this offseason. The senior exploded for 29 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including going 3-for-3 from downtown. It was a promising first performance of the year for the NBA prospect.

Also promising was that BYU shot well over 50% as a team from the field and hit on 12 of their 24 three-point attempts. Jake Toolson, last season’s WAC Player of the Year at Utah Valley, continued to thrive under his old head coach, Mark Pope. Toolson scored 27 in Wednesday’s loss.

The return of Childs could make this an extremely difficult game for the Rebels. At full strength, BYU might have fared better against the likes of San Diego State and Boise State. The Cougars have an outside chance at an at-large bid in March, but those odds took a hit with the loss to Utah.

UNLV, on the other hand, is just trying to get their heads back above water as they attempt to get their record closer to .500. After today’s game, the Rebels have three more tuneups at the Thomas & Mack Center before Mountain West play resumes on December 1, when they host Utah State.

BY THE NUMBERS

*DPI Four-Factor Grades (Source: Dieckhoff Power Index)*

On UNLV’s offensive possessions…

The Rebels’ shooting is starting to get a little better, but they still put up only average numbers in that department. They will need to score well on Saturday to keep up with BYU’s offense. UNLV is one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country—thanks largely to the efforts of Cheikh Mbacke Diong—but the Cougars have protected the glass well, even without their star big man. TJ Otzelberger’s main concern must be those turnovers. BYU doesn’t boast the most opportunistic defense, but the Rebels have made a habit of shooting themselves in the foot this year.

On BYU’s offensive possessions…

The Cougars are one of the best shooting teams in the country with four players shooting over 40% on at least two 3-point attempts per game. And that doesn’t even include TJ Haws, who has been battling a cold spell throughout the start of the year. But for as good as they are from the field, BYU struggles to get to the line and convert. The Rebels crash the boards well compared to what BYU has done so far on offense, but keep in mind that these numbers reflect a mostly Yoeli Childs-less team. With Childs in the fold, Diong will have a harder time trying to maintain the Rebels’ advantage in this area.

DPI PROJECTED SCORE: BYU 77, UNLV 72

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