There is no shortage of opinions about the NBA draft.
While the only ones that ultimately matter are those of people connected to the Association's 30 franchises, the most interesting to track, for now, are those of media experts.
They know these prospects. They know how those in the hoops community feel about the class. And even if they don't know specifics about where these players will land, they have a good approximation of their values.
Their opinions are worth checking out, and that's what we're doing here. After laying out our latest mock draft, we'll check where three different experts—B/R's Jonathan Wasserman, ESPN's Jonathan Givony and SI.com's Jeremy Woo—have three of the top prospects in this class landing.
2020 NBA Mock Draft
1. Golden State Warriors: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia
2. Cleveland Cavaliers: Deni Avdija, SF/PF, Maccabi Tel Aviv
3. Minnesota Timberwolves: LaMelo Ball, PG/SG, Illawarra Hawks
4. Atlanta Hawks: Isaac Okoro, SF/PF, Auburn
5. Detroit Pistons: Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State
6. New York Knicks: Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina
7. Chicago Bulls: James Wiseman, C, Memphis
8. Charlotte Hornets: Obi Toppin, PF/C, Dayton
9. Washington Wizards: Onyeka Okongwu, PF/C, USC
10. Phoenix Suns: Killian Hayes, PG, Ratiopharm Ulm
11. San Antonio Spurs: RJ Hampton, SG, New Zealand Breakers
12. Sacramento Kings: Precious Achiuwa, PF/C, Memphis
13. New Orleans Pelicans: Aleksej Pokusevski, PF/C, Olympiacos
14. Portland Trail Blazers: Jaden McDaniels, SF/PF, Washington
15. Orlando Magic: Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky
16. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Brooklyn Nets): Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt
17. Boston Celtics (via Memphis Grizzlies): Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona
18. Dallas Mavericks: Josh Green, SG/SF, Arizona
19. Milwaukee Bucks (via Indiana Pacers): Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, Villanova
20. Brooklyn Nets (via Philadelphia 76ers): Devin Vassell, SF, Florida State
21. Denver Nuggets (via Houston Rockets): Patrick Williams, PF, Florida State
22. Philadelphia 76ers (via Oklahoma City Thunder): Theo Maledon, PG, ASVEL
23. Miami Heat: Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama
24. Utah Jazz: Leandro Bolmaro, SG/SF, Barcelona
25. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Denver Nuggets): Robert Woodard, SF, Mississippi State
26. Boston Celtics: Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington
27. New York Knicks (via Los Angeles Clippers): Tre Jones, PG, Duke
28. Toronto Raptors: Vernon Carey Jr., C, Duke
29. Los Angeles Lakers: Jalen Smith, PF/C, Maryland
30. Boston Celtics (via Milwaukee Bucks): Jahmi'us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech
Expert Predictions for Top Prospects
Anthony Edwards Goes No. 1
If this class has a consensus top prospect, it's Anthony Edwards.
Our experts' mocks were published at different times, so the draft order is different. Two have Golden State selecting first; the other has Cleveland. But all three have Edwards going No. 1, and a fourth expert thinks that's the way it should be.
"Scouts would like to have seen more efficiency and defensive intensity, but when he was fully engaged, he looked like the clear No. 1 pick," ESPN's Mike Schmitz wrote. "In a draft that lacks star power at the top, Edwards has arguably the most complete resume and should be considered the front-runner to hear his name called first."
If Edwards reaches his peak, he'll be a dynamic, three-level scorer at one end and a multipositional stopper at the other. That's the most interesting combination of skills in this class.
LaMelo Ball Lands in Top 4
While there isn't quite a consensus opinion on LaMelo Ball, he's clearly one of the best prospects in this class.
Woo is highest on Ball, slotting him second overall. Givony is lowest, with Ball going fourth. If you're reading between the lines, then you've already figured out Wasserman has Ball as the third pick.
The 6'7" playmaker can liven up an NBA attack. But as Woo noted, Ball's development in the other areas will determine what kind of career awaits him:
"It's easy to see him being a starting-caliber guard based off his size and truly special passing gifts, but he's going to have to work himself into a better perimeter shooter and learn how to better facilitate winning basketball. ... His future NBA employer will have to feel comfortable investing in his ability to become a long-term floor leader rather than plateauing as a high-usage, empty-calorie guard."
Ball doesn't wow with strength or explosiveness, and he's prone to defensive indifference. But when he locks in as a defender and finds his shooting touch, he looks like the perfect fit as a modern floor general.
Wide Range for Obi Toppin
Obi Toppin caused the widest split among the experts, although timing may have played a part.
Woo's mock was written first and had Toppin at the lowest selection (10th). Givony's came a few days later and moved the scoring big man up a spot (ninth). Wasserman's was nearly a month later and launched Toppin all the way up to the fourth overall selection.
The timing is important here, as Wasserman cited Toppin's strong closing stretch as the reason behind his climb up the board:
"At this stage, Toppin has become too compelling after finishing his last five games at Dayton averaging 23.4 points and 3.0 assists on 67.7 percent shooting and 7-of-13 from three. While known for his explosiveness around the basket, he's started to separate from the late-lottery pack with flashes of shooting, face-up moves and passes."
Toppin is an ace scorer who dazzled with both volume (20 points per game) and efficiency (63.3/39.0/70.2 shooting slash). He probably doesn't have the highest ceiling as a 22-year-old, but his high floor and polished skills suggest he can handle a sizable role in an NBA rotation as soon as next season.
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March 31, 2020 at 10:33PM
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NBA Draft 2020: Expert Mock Predictions for LaMelo Ball and Top Prospects - Bleacher Report
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