Category: NBA Draft Blog

NBA Draft blog

LaMelo Ball plans to stick with his current shooting form

LaMelo Ball is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2020 NBA draft. Here’s the Charlotte Observer with an update:

In a 24-minute media session Monday, Ball said …

He doesn’t need to fix his shooting form, which was widely criticized from his play last season in Australia.

He is a fit for any NBA team — from the title contender Golden State Warriors to a starless one (such as the Hornets).

He “doesn’t really care” about numerous perceptions of him and his family, which once was the subject of a reality show.

As far as his bombastic father, LaVar, he said this in regard to dad calling the Warriors, with the second pick, a bad fit:

“I’m my own man. He’s his own man. He has his opinions. I have mine,” Ball said. “I feel like I can play on any team, and do good anywhere I go.”

All eyes will be on Ball throughout the entire process. He’s one of the league’s most fascinating prospects in years.

2020 NBA Draft Combine has been reformatted and rescheduled

The NBA announced today that the 2020 NBA Draft Combine will been reformatted, and will be conducted both in NBA team markets and virtually.

It will take place in phases, beginning September 28 and continuing through early to mid-November. The goal of the reformatted Combine remains the same: to help provide NBA teams evaluate draft prospects.

“NBA Draft Combine is an essential part of the pre-draft evaluation process,” said Byron Spruell, President, NBA League Operations. “While the circumstances surrounding this Combine are unique, we’re excited to creatively deliver a valuable experience for our teams, who have remained flexible through the process, and for prospective draftees who are just beginning their NBA journeys.”

NBA Draft Combine 2020 will give players the opportunity to participate in league and team interviews, both conducted via videoconference from Sept. 28 through Oct. 16. Players will also take part in an individual on-court program consisting of strength and agility testing, anthropometric measurements, shooting drills and a “Pro Day” video, all conducted in October at the NBA team facility nearest to a player’s home or interim residence. Medical testing and examinations will be performed by NBA-affiliated physicians in the same market.

The 2020 NBA Draft is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Nov. 18 and will air on ESPN. The date remains subject to change as circumstances warrant.

2020 NBA Draft date rescheduled to November 18

The date of the 2020 NBA Draft has been rescheduled to Wednesday, November 18. It will be televised on ESPN.

The revised date gives the league 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.

The date remains subject to change as circumstances warrant.

2020 NBA draft may take place in November instead of October

The NBA draft usually takes place in late June, but due to the coronavirus pandemic it was tentatively pushed back to October. But now reportedly may take place in November. Here’s the Bay Area News Group reporting:

The Warriors will have to wait to make the No. 2 pick in the upcoming NBA draft, as the league plans to delay the current Oct. 16 date by as much as a month.

Sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the NBA informed teams Wednesday that the draft will be pushed back, potentially to Nov. 18, though negotiations between the league and Players’ Association are ongoing. A decision could be made as soon as this week.

Pushing the date of the draft back from Oct. 16 allows the league more time to hold a virtual combine, and for teams to gather crucial information on this draft class. It also allows the NBA to formulate a potential start date for next season — which Commissioner Adam Silver said won’t be Dec. 1 as initially intended after the league went on hiatus — and for the NBA and NBAPA to negotiate a new salary cap for 2020-21.

A guess is that the 2020-21 NBA regular season may start in late December, but we won’t be surprised at all if it tips off a bit later.

But, there’s no reason to think too much about that right now. We’re in the playoffs. The Eastern conference No. 1 seed Bucks got eliminated yesterday. And the Raptors are playing a must-win game against the Celtics in a few hours. Enjoy the action.

A look at NBA draft prospect Anthony Edwards

Here’s the San Jose Mercury News with a look at top NBA draft prospect Anthony Edwards. The Warriors have the No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft, so of course they’ll have familiarized themselves with Edwards:

Before Anthony Edwards began his lone season at Georgia, head coach Tom Crean sat down with the freshman and told the 18-year-old that he would be entrusting him with the offense, but that he had to become more consistent and efficient.

A year later, Edwards leaves Georgia as one of the nation’s highest scoring freshmen and among the most productive in program history — but he was dogged by inconsistency. Despite those struggles, Edwards, now 19, is considered a potential No. 1 overall pick because of his 6-foot-5, 225 pound frame, unique skill set and ability to put up eye-popping numbers.

Scouts and draft analysts can point to Edwards’ production (19.1 points per game) as evidence that he can develop into a go-to scorer at the NBA level, but his efficiency numbers (40.2% overall and 29.4% on 7.7 3-pointers per game) raise questions about whether or not he can be impactful in a lesser role as a rookie.

Some top prospects in the 2020 draft include Edwards, LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman. There are obviously other names worth mentioning but we’ll get into that in other posts.

The Warriors are in a great position, having a top lottery selection available to them despite having an already super-competitive roster that had major health issues last season but should be fine and of playoff caliber going forward.

A few players the Bulls might like to draft

The Bulls have the No. 4 pick in the 2020 NBA draft. Here’s the Chicago Sun-Times looking at a few of the many possible routes the team might wish to take:

With Otto Porter Jr. expected to opt in at $28.5 million for the 2020-21 season, the small forward will be playing for his next contract. A contract that undoubtedly won’t be with the Bulls.

The depth at small forward has been an issue since Jimmy Butler was traded in 2017, and former first-round pick Chandler Hutchison has shown very little in easing the concerns with that position.

That’s why picking a Deni Avdija or Isaac Okoro would result in the fewest waves to the current roster.

Both are small forwards — obviously with different strengths — and would be groomed to take over when Porter leaves.

And another option:

Wendell Carter Jr. wants more playing time at the four, and the drafting of the 7-foot James Wiseman could give him that.

This year’s offseason may be extremely short by NBA standards. It’ll be a fun ride. And the Bulls have tough decisions to make.

New date for 2020 NBA draft reportedly may be October 16

Here’s the New York Post tracking the latest reports regarding the rescheduled NBA draft:

NBA prospects now have a date they can attach to their dreams, but it will entail waiting nearly four more months for that memorable evening.

The 2020 NBA Draft will be held Oct. 16, according to multiple reports, four months after it was originally scheduled.

The cutoff date for early entries will be Aug. 17 – though the date for college players to withdraw from the draft is Aug. 3…

International and non-college players have until Oct. 6 to withdraw from the draft.

The NBA hopes to resume play in late July, using Disney Wide World of Sports as their single-site location. Right now, their competitive plan regarding the structure of the remaining games and playoffs is set, but nothing else is official yet.

It seems likely that once the new 2020 draft date gets set in stone, it won’t change. Because it can be done remotely, with all parties operating from their homes if needed. And the draft does have to happen — presumably.

No matter what happens with coronavirus cases in sports or the world, the league can stick with the rescheduled draft date should they decide they must. So our guess is, once the league makes the draft’s new date official, they’ll probably stick with it.

NCAA sets date for basketball players to withdraw from 2020 NBA draft

NCAA BASKETBALL STATEMENT

Men’s basketball student-athletes will have until 10 days after the NBA draft combine or Aug. 3, whichever comes first, to withdraw from the postponed 2020 NBA draft and retain their eligibility.

Due to the uncertainty of the NBA’s pre-draft process brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Division I Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee decided Aug. 3 allows a reasonable amount of time for all men’s basketball student-athletes to make a choice about starting a professional career.

This option provides student-athletes up to two months beyond the original withdrawal date of June 3 to decide.

The goal of the decision is to match the intent of the current rule, which offers players the opportunity to be evaluated by and seek feedback from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee and to participate in team workouts and the draft combine if invited.

The Division I Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee worked collaboratively with the National Association of Basketball Coaches to ensure that these changes support a player’s decision-making process related to professional opportunities, while also protecting their collegiate eligibility.

Since it is undetermined what the NBA pre-draft process and timeline may be this summer, the oversight committee believes this is the most equitable alternative available in these unprecedented circumstances.

“This provides the utmost flexibility to student-athletes testing the waters to make the most informed decision about their future during this uncertain time,” NCAA Senior Vice President for Basketball Dan Gavitt said. “And by deciding before classes start for the fall semester, it also encourages student-athletes who choose to return to school to be fully engaged in their academic pursuits and the tremendous experience and opportunity to play college basketball.”

Some strengths of draft prospect Isaiah Stewart

Here’s NBC Sports Washington listing some strengths of 2020 NBA draft prospect Isaiah Stewart, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward originally form Rochester, New York who averaged 17.0 points and 8.8 rebounds shooting 57% FG in one season for the Washington Huskies:

One of the strongest built players in this draft class, Stewart is a bruiser on the boards and on the block. He was a force in college, bullying his way to the rim with little resistance. His game is currently best-suited for the interior, as he lacks an outside shot. But he has been effective at every level of basketball so far playing that style, and his high motor will help his chances in the NBA.

Stewart is one of the best rebounders in this class, averaging 8.8 per game including 2.8 on the offensive end. He was a bit inconsistent in that area, however. Seven times he grabbed five or fewer rebounds in a game, while 10 times he had 11 or more. He had 19 boards in a game against Oregon in January.

The draft is scheduled for June 25, but the date is very subject to change due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Kings 2020 NBA draft glance

Here’s the Sacramento Bee with a glance at the 2020 NBA draft, currently scheduled for June 25 but subject to change due to the global coronavirus pandemic, with the Kings in mind:

The Sacramento Kings have a lot to consider between now and the 2020 NBA draft. Questions are more plentiful than ever with the season on hold, including where the team’s first selection will end up.

It appears Sacramento’s first-round pick will be in the lottery. The exact position of the draft slot would be determined by chance. All teams that fail to make the playoffs will have a shot at picking at the top of the draft, with the best odds going to the teams with the worst records.

As it stands, Sacramento would have a 1.3 percent chance at the first overall pick and a 6.2 percent chance of landing in the top four. It’s also possible the teams behind the Kings in the standings could jump into the top four, bumping Sacramento down. The current chance the Kings pick 13th is 7.6 percent and the chance they fall to 14th is about 0.1 percent.