Fien's Final 2020 NBA Draft Big Board and Prospect Comparisons

The NBA Draft is tomorrow! It's time for my official, end all be all, big board. This is not a ranking system trying to predict draft order, that can be found in my mock draft. This is a ranking system based upon my personal opinion. I did one of these exactly two months ago, so pay attention to my risers and fallers.

1. Lamelo ball, PG (Usa/Illwara)

The younger brother of former 2nd overall pick Lonzo Ball, LaMelo Ball has all the same instincts as his brother as a passer and is exponentially a better scorer. Standing at 6'8" with a 7'3" wingspan, LaMelo has a rare combination of size and athleticism at the point guard position. He also has an elite handle, good finishing skills around the rim with a deep bag of tricks, and an above average jumpshot with deep range. With his combo of size, length, and speed, it's also possible he can become a valuable perimeter defender.

Ball skipped college and elected to play in New Zealand, where he played very well against grown men. There is definitley questions with his game, though. The first is effort. On the defensive end especially, he seems disinterested and lost. There's also questions about his jumpshot and shot selection. His shooting percentages were really bad. He's going to have to be better from 3 in order to unlock his full potential.

NBA Comparison: 6'8" Jason Williams

2. Anthony Edwards, SG (Georgia)

Anthony Edwards is a strong and freakishly athletic guard with a serviceable jump shot. That's not easy to find. Although he's only 6'4", his 6'9" wingspan and elite strength allowed him to lock up taller wing players in college. His best skillset is his ability to use his strength and finish around the rim, but he also has a good looking jumpshot that shows he can improve on his shooting percentages from college (29.4% from 3) with a little work. He was asked to handle a lot of the offense at Georgia, and often he got in his own way with bad shot selection and settling for jumpers far too often. He's also learning the game still. He wanted to be a football player and really only locked in to basketball as a high school junior. He's picked up a lot quickly, but he's still is a little slow as a decision maker on offense. At the end of the day, he's a guy with high energy, jaw dropping athleticism, and a shot that can be developed. Edwards should contribute right away.

NBA Comparison: Donavon Mitchell

3. Onyeka Okongwu, C (USC)

The biggest concern for Okongwu is his ability to play center in the NBA at only 6'9", but what he lacks in height he makes up for with elite athleticism. Okongwu dominated this year for USC, averaging 16.2 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and a whopping 2.7 BPG while shooting 62% from the field. He's an amazing leaper, showing a good vertical and a really good sense of timing to block shots. Onkongwu's got really quick feet and moves well laterally, and he's got loads of potential as a versatile pick and roll defender who has the ability to stay in front of guards. A product of the Ball Brothers Chino Hills offense, Okongwu is used to running the floor and playing in a fast paced system. He showed a little range with some mid range jumpers, but he probably wont be an effective floor spacer for a few years. His rim protection, pick and roll defensive versatility, and athleticism are enough to make him a top 3 talent to me.

NBA Comparison: Bam Adebayo

4. Deni Avdija, SF/PF (ISRAEL)

Playing in Israel, Avdija has flown up draft boards in some of the same ways that Luka Doncic did. Avdija lead Israel to a U20 FIBA Championship at 18 and was named the tournaments MVP and that put him on NBA scouts radar. He's been playing professional basketball since he was 15 and that really shows in his game. He has elite basketball IQ and instincts. He is also very crafty with the ball in his hands and that helps him create his own shot an elite level. His signature stepback would already be one of the best stepbacks in the NBA. He's got a very good shooting touch and could easily shoot 40% from 3 in the NBA. He's got good size at 6'8" but does have short arms. He gives good effort on the defensive end, and as an okay athlete he should be serviceable on that end. The biggest question with Deni is his shooting ability. He shot an okay percentage from 3 this year, but a bad percentage from the line has some scouts scared of his catch and shoot ability.

NBA Comparison: Hedo Turkoglu

5. Isaac Okoro, SG/SF, (Auburn)

Okoro is strong and athletic wing who is very good at finishing around the rim and excels at finishing through contact. Measuring at 6'6" and 220 lbs, he's got the prototypical size for an NBA wing. He's probably the best perimeter defender in the draft and he's got very good fundamentals on the defensive end and that project him as a great individual and team defender. He's only 19 and is very raw offensively. He'll struggle to create his own shot in the NBA if he doesn't develop more of a consistent jumper (28% from 3 this year). At the very worst, Okoro is a rotational player that'll give you good wing defense and slashing ability. At the very best, he's a two way star like Kawhi Leonard. For Okoro it all comes down to the development of his jumper.

NBA Comparison: Young Andre Iguodala

6. James Wiseman, C (Memphis)

Wiseman, the highest ranked high school player in the country in 2019, ultimately chose to play for the University of Memphis... but he only played 3 games there due to off the court legal issues stemming from illegal benefits that he received from Memphis. In a small sample size, Wiseman truly looked elite as a scorer. In his 3 games he averaged 19.7 PPG and 10.7 RPG on 77% shooting. Wiseman is a legit 7'1" and possesses elite athleticism for his size. He's a good leaper, and that helps him catch lobs at the rim and block shots at an elite level. He's got some range, but he's not a floor spacer quite yet. This is lower for Wiseman than you're probably used to seeing, so you might be asking why I have him so low. I have serious concerns with his mental game. He settles for bad jumpers far too often, he's not a good passer or decision maker, and he's an undisciplined defender that falls for pump fakes and get lost in rotations. Wiseman is going to have to be coached up, and teams taking him in the top 3 are banking on improving his instincts on both ends.

NBA Comparison: Prime DeAndre Jordan

7. Killian Hayes, PG (France/Ratiopharm ulm)

Hayes is a tall (6'5") left handed point guard who has all the tools to be great. He's very crafty in more ways than one. He's got a good handle with a complete arsenal of dribble moves that allows him to consistently beat his defender and create his own shot. His left handed stepback and sidestep jumpers jump off the screen and remind you a lot of James Harden or Manu Ginobili. He's got good vision, and especially excels in the pick and roll. He's got great feel for the game and can make any pass, and that should translate into high assist numbers at the next level. He's also active and involved as a defender, but my biggest knock on Hayes is that he's not an incredible athlete. His lack of even average athleticism will probably cap his ability to guard quicker guards. While his stepbacks are pretty, he goes to it a lot and he misses a lot. His 3 point % was poor, and that can be contributed to shot selection and settling. His catch and shoot game is going to be crucial.

NBA Comparison: Manu Ginobili

8. Devin Vassell, SG/SF (Florida State)

Vassell is an athletic and versatile wing that can contribute on both ends of the court right away. He had a few highlight reel dunks this year at Florida State and is definitely a high flyer. Not only is he a high flyer, but he was also elite from 3 point range in his two years at FSU. He shot 42% from 3 in both of his seasons. At 6'7" 200 lbs, he possesses the size that makes him valuable as a defender guarding 2-4, especially given his athleticism. He doesn't create a lot of offense for himself and struggles in isolation situations, and that's what lead to him having 6 games this year where he was held to single digits in points. He doesn't have the upside of the guys ahead of him. I don't think he'll ever be a 20 PPG scorer, but he doesn't have to be to become an effective player and one worthy of a top 10 pick. I think he'll be a really good glue guy for years to come.

NBA Comparison: Kelly Oubre

9. Obi Toppin, PF (Dayton)

Toppin's got a great story. A 0 star recruit, he was forced to redshirt his freshman year at Dayton, then earned Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year in his first season, then earned National Player of the Year this past year as a redshirt sophomore. He is 22 years old, but his unique skillset may convince teams to take him very highly anyway. Toppin is 6'9" and super athletic. His good leaping ability allowed him to collect 7.5 RPG and 1.2 BPG for the Fylers this season, while also leading the nation in dunks. That leaping ability along with his quick feet make it easy to project him as a versatile pick and roll defender. Toppin's most valuable asset though may be his ability to stretch the floor. He shot 39% from 3 on almost 3 attempts per game this year. His age is the big reason for his fall on my personal board and I think NBA teams may be thinking the same way. He also doesn't move well laterally, at all. It's hard to explain, but on tape he just moves "clunky". He's a fluid athlete in terms of vertical leap, but nowhere else. Still, I think an NBA team looking to contend would be salivating at a versatile defender with great athleticism who can also knock down the 3.

NBA Comparison: Kenyon Martin with a jumpshot

10. Tyrese Haliburton, PG/SG (Iowa State)

Haliburton is probably the most well rounded and safest prospect in this draft. He doesn't do anything at an elite level, but there are zero holes in his game. He's got good size at 6'5" and also has long arms that help him defensively. He's also a very smart basketball player with good instincts. He's a good passer and also moves well without the ball, allowing me to belive he can be a lead guard or play off the ball in the NBA Perhaps the biggest question mark with Haliburton is his jumpshot. Although he did make 43% of his 3s (over 4 3PA per game) in his two college seasons, his shooting form is unorthodox and very slow, and may have to be tweaked in the NBA to be effective on contested shots. Haliburton is also not an elite athlete in terms of speed or explosiveness, and that may limit his NBA ceiling.

NBA Comparison: Lonzo Ball

11. Kira Lewis, PG (Alabama)

Lewis may be the fastest player in the draft and he uses his speed well to beat defenders off the dribble and push the pace on the break. He's only 6'3" but his long arms help a lot with his ability to finish around the rim. He's got a good floater and a good pull up mid range game that should translate into buckets at the NBA level. His speed jumps off the screen and he's got a noticeable smoothness to his game. My worries about Lewis are that he might struggle to be impactful in an established NBA system without having the ball in his hands. He doesn't move well without the ball and wasn't great in catch and shoot situations in his two years at Alabama. I think he could be a great secondary playmaker and good spark plug off the bench early on, with potential to grow into something special if he can create offense for himself.

NBA Comparison: Darren Collison

12. Saddiq Bey, SF/PF (Villanova)

Bey is a versatile forward who has a vast skillset and may be one of the most NBA ready contributors in this class. Standing at 6'8", he's got the size to guard both forward positions and has the skillset to play either position offensively. Bey is an elite catch and shoot perimeter player. He shot 45% from 3 this year for the Wildcats (made 2.5 3's per game). He is limited in his athletic ability, though. He's not an explosive leaper and he's not twitchy laterally. He is a sound fundamental defender who gets by with intense effort and hustle. He's smart and finds easy buckets for himself offensively too. Like Haliburton or Vassell, it's hard for me to see a way that Saddiq Bey isn't an impactful rotation player in 5 years. I'm just not sure how much upside he has.

NBA Comparison: Jae Crowder

13. Jalen Smith, PF/C (Maryland)

Smith would've been a fringe first round pick if he had come out after his freshman season last year, but he decided to return to college for a 2nd season and improved his draft stock by doing so. He's got a unique set of skills for a 6'10" big. He's a very capable 3 point shooter as he shot 37% from 3 this season. . His best asset is his athleticism and 7'1" wingspan that allows him to block shots at a high volume. He had 2.4 BPG this season and seemed to contest every shot at the rim. The knock on Smith is that he only weighs about 200 lbs and may struggle to handle strong NBA 4s and 5s, both offensively and defensively. A floor spacing rim protector is something every team wants, making Smith a lock for the top 20 on draft night.

NBA Comparison: Chris Boucher

14. Aaron Nesmith, SG/SF (Vanderbilt)

Nesmith is by far the best shooter in the draft. He played 2 years at Vandy and in his 2nd year he shot 52.2% from 3 on 8.2 attempts per game. Although it is a small sample size (Nesmith only played 13 games due to a season ending injury), it is significant enough to show that he can be a good shooter at the next level. His jumpshot is quick and fundamentally sound, and he knocked down a few shots well beyond NBA three point range. He's got a good stepback jumper and shoots pretty well off the dribble overall. He's also a solid and smart defender. The main concern for him would be injury. I'm not sure that he'll be ready to start the season. His game is also a little one dimensional, he's not much of a passer and showed little inside scoring ability.

NBA Comparison: Danny Green

15. Patrick Williams, SF/PF (Florida State)

"Coming out of Florida State at 6'7" and 215 lbs, Williams brings a combo of size and athleticism that could have NBA scouts drooling." I wrote that two moths ago. It's safe to say I was correct. Williams has been gaining stem as a top ten pick and has been rumored to be on the shortlist for a couple teams in the top ten. The word "project" is fitting for Williams, as he needs to add a little bit to his offensive game. The excitement comes from his potential as a defender, both on the perimeter and on the inside. He's got the tools to potentially guard 1-5 in the NBA. With a little bit of work, he could be a good shooter as well. Williams has one of the highest ceilings of any prospect in this draft, but he also has a low floor if his offense doesn't develop.

NBA Comparison: OG Anunoby

16. RJ Hampton, PG (USA/NZ Breakers)

Much like LaMelo Ball, Hampton elected to go the overseas route instead of college and ended up playing in New Zealand. Hampton is a 6'4" ball dominant guard and has good size, length, and physicality for the either guard spot. Hampton's best asset is his elite ball handling skills. He's got a deep bag of moves and regularly beats defenders off the dribble. He's super shifty with the ball in his hands and his crossover lets him change direction very quickly. Hampton's potential downfall could be his scoring ability. He's okay, not great, from 3 and doesn't have much of a mid range game either. He'll be a good playmaker off the bench right away, and has potential to develop into something greater if he can improve as a shooter.

NBA Comparison: Dante Exum

17. Precious Achiuwa, PF (Memphis)

The second Memphis player on the big board, Achiuwa took over as the Tigers best player after Wiseman got suspended then withdrew from the program. Achiuwa has good size (6'9", 225 lbs) for an NBA 4 and potentially could see a Montrezl Harrell role as a small ball 5. He's got long arms and quick feet that project well as a defender at the next level. Achiuwa is really athletic. Not only can he jump out of the gym, he's very twitchy. He's got a noticeable quickness to his game. He's an effort player who plays fast and with loads of energy. He's not a great ball handler or shooter, nor is he great in the post. He's really a "tweener" who should get minutes due to his effort and athleticism.

NBA Comparison: Montrezl Harrell

18. Aleksej Pokusevski, PF (Serbia)

Pokusevski burst onto NBA scouts' radar this year playing in Greece, as the 7'0" 18 year old showed flashes of excellence and a unique skillset offensively. He dribbles and shoots like a guard, moves like a wing, and protects the rim like a center. He's a basketball unicorn. So what's the downside for Poku? Well, let's start with the fact that he played in Greece's sub-division where he faced less than formidable talent. He also is not a natural basketball player in terms of IQ and feel for the game. He sometimes does too much and dribbles into trouble or takes bad shots. He's got a sky high ceiling, but could ultimately be limited by his poor instincts. He's also very frail, weighing in at just 185 lbs. It's hard to imagine him defending bigs at the next level. He is the ultimate NBA Draft project.

NBA Comparison: Kristaps Porzingis

19. Cole Anthony, PG (North Carolina)

Cole Anthony is undoubtedly the biggest question mark in this draft. Coming in as a 5 star top recruit, Anthony severely disappointed in his only season at UNC. He shot 38% from the field on 16 shots a game, and also had a major turnover problem (3.5 TO, 4 AST). He's quick and twitchy with the ball, but often times dribbles himself into trouble. He's a great athlete and controls his body well in the air to finish around the rim. Anthony also has an okay jumpshot, but the problem is that he's never met a shot he didn't like. The physical tools and skills are all there, it's the mental side of the game that's going to be the problem for him. He's got to go to a team that's going to be firm in coaching him, while also allowing him to be himself in order for it to work.

NBA Comp: Less composed Jamal Murray

20. Tyrese Maxey, SG (Kentucky)

Maxey is an explosive athlete with elite speed and good strength for his size. He's a little small for NBA 2 guard standards, but he's not good enough of a playmaker to be an NBA point guard either. He's an excellent shooter- good on the catch and shoot, and has also an elite pull up mid range shot. He's a good athlete and that helps him defensively and on the glass as well. The big question mark with him is consistency. He seemed to disappear in some games, and had some games where he shot very inefficiently.

NBA Comparison: Steve Francis

21. Josh Green, SG (Arizona)

Green is one of the best perimeter defenders in this draft. His 6'5 200 lbs frame and good athleticism allowed him to regularly lock up the opposing team's best player in college. He's got that "dog" in him on the defensive end and plays very physical. He's also got good feel for the game as a playmaker and is a serviceable jump shooter. He is often over aggressive on the defensive end and gets into foul trouble or beat on backdoor cuts. He also needs to develop more offensively in terms of creating his own shot. Ultimately, he should be a solid role player for a contender.

NBA Comparsion: Josh Richardson

22. Theo Maledon, PG (France)

The second French point guard on the list, Maledon's claim to fame is his defense. He's very reminiscent of former French PG, and top 10 pick in 2017, Frank Ntilikina. With that being said, Maledon has far more offensive potential than Ntilikina. Most of that offensive potential I see is because of Maledon's IQ. He's always playing under control and hardly ever gets rattled from on ball pressure. He didn't shoot the ball that well, but he's got good mechanics that show promise and potential to be developed. Maledon's good handle allows him to get to the paint frequently and he's working on ways to capitalize on that. He's got a good floater but not much else around the rim. He's got to learn to be more physical on both ends of the floor, especially because he's not a great athlete. Scouts could be afraid his scoring ability might hold him back at the next level.

NBA Comp: Frank Ntilikina

23. Jaden McDaniels, PF (Washington)

McDaniels impressed NBA scouts at Washington with his physical tools, but his play on the court as a freshman left much to be desired. He's tall at 6'10" with great length, quickness, and athleticism.. but he just couldn't seem to put it all together to score efficiently. He put up 13 PPG, but only shot 40.5% from the field and 34% from 3. He was a good defender in college, and his physical profile shows that could translate to the NBA. Overall he's a very raw prospect who will need to hang his hat on his defensive ability. If his scoring ability can be developed, he could turn into a good NBA player.

NBA Comparison: Jonathon Isaac

24. Leandro Bolmaro, SG/SF (Argentina/FC Barcelona)

With good size for an NBA wing at 6'7", Bolmaro showed promise this season playing in Spain for Barcelona. He's a smart "heady" player with good natural basketball instincts and a deep bag of tricks on the offensive end. He's got a good looking jumpshot and often was quick to pull up off the dribble. He didn't shoot all that efficiently, but that's somewhat to be expected for an 18 year old playing against grown men. He also showed his ability to playmake well. He's definitely a project and may be a "draft and stash" candidate, but with a little more work on the offensive end, he could be an impactful NBA scorer.

NBA Comparison: Evan Turner

25. Tre Jones, PG (Duke)

Tre Jones is a player that can be plugged into any system and be impactful. He's a coach's dream backup point guard. He's got quickness, playmaking ability, and a serviceable 3 point shot. My favorite part about Tre Jones's game is his defense. He really takes pride in his defense and his defensive intensity often elevated the play of his teammates on that end. He averaged over 2 steals a game, and he got those from picking the pockets of his man and by being attentive in jumping passing lanes. I don't think he'll ever be a bucket getter, and his offensive value depends entirely on his ability to knock down catch and shoot 3s. Overall, he's a guy that'll bring leadership and grit to a second unit.

NBA Comparison: Tyus Jones mixed with Jevon Carter

26. Tyler Bey, PF (Colorado)

Bey was the PAC-12 player of the year at Colorado, and his defensive versatility is eye popping on tape. He's got incredible leaping ability and timing that allows him to block and alter shots at the rim. He moves pretty well laterally too, making him a candidate to be a potential versatile defender. We've talked about Bey's athleticism, so he'll be a good pick and roll lob threat and transition rim runner, but offensively he's going to have to hang his hat on his 3 point shooting ability. He shot 42% for Colorado this year and if he keeps that up, he could see significant NBA minutes rather quickly. The problem with Bey is that he will not be able to create offense for you. If he's not catching lobs or catching and shooting wide open 3's, he's almost useless on that end. Still, a player that can do those things offensively and play defense like he does is definitely intriguing.

NBA Comparison: Young Shawn Marion

27. Malachi Flynn, PG (San Diego State)

Malachi Flynn is someone I've been rising on for the simple fact that he has probably the most entertaining tape of anyone in the draft. He's got a killer crossover, deep range, and a twitchiness to his game as a ball handler. He's also a pretty good playmaker and showed above average playmaking ability. The translatable skills are there for Flynn, so what's the issue? Well he is on the older side at 22, but the main concerns are with his body and athletic ability. He's a bit undersized for an NBA point guard at 6'2" 185, and very undersized if you consider that he's a well below average athlete. He's got subpar leaping ability and isn't blowing anyone away with his speed or lateral quickness either. He's got potential as a spark plug scorer, but his lack of athleticism probably caps his NBA ceiling at that.

NBA Comparison: Seth Curry with handles

28. Desmond Bane, SG/SF (TCU)

A 4 year player at TCU, Bane is already 22. His claim to fame and the reason he's worthy of being a 1st round pick is his elite shooting ability. He shot 42% from 3 as a senior and has a career 3 point shooting percentage above 40%. He's got good size for an NBA wing, and has elite strength for the position. The hope is that he can be developed into a 3 and D player, but Bane has some hinderances on the defensive side of the floor. The first being that he has short arms. Like really short arms. His wingspan is actually shorter than his height, something that's almost unheard of for NBA players. He's got good strength, but doesn't use it enough. He could stand to be more physical. He's gonna have to be lights out from 3 in order to get significant minutes.

NBA Comparison: Alec Burks

29. Isaiah Stewart, PF/C (Washington)

The upstate New York product was a 5 Star recruit and lived up to the hype by dominating his freshman year at Washington. He average 17 PPG and 8 RPG on 57% shooting this year for the Huskies. His scoring ability is unpolished and doesn't really have any go-to moves or skills to bank on, as a lot of his buckets were results of lobs at the rim, putbacks off misses, or hustle plays. He does posses elite strength and a humongous 7'4" wingspan, which make up for him being an undersized center at only 6'9". He blocked over 2 shots a game and showed great instincts on the defensive end. Though he's not very athletic or mobile for a big, he could contribute in the NBA as a high motor glass cleaner.

NBA Comparison: Zach Randolph

30. Xavier Tillman, PF/C (Michigan State)

Another defensive player of the year, Tillman is a 1st round talent for me solely because of his work on that end. He's small for an NBA big at 6'8", but he uses all 250 pounds of his weight well and throws himself around down in the paint. He's got really good motor and effort, as well as decent athleticism. He blocked shots at an elite level, and even showed his ability to guard on the perimeter as well. Offensively, his game lacks any real ability outside of catching lobs and setting screens. I will say that he is a pretty good decision maker with the ball in his hands and always makes the right play. He's got defensive skills you can bank on.

NBA Comparison: Daniel Theis