RADIO
The 2020 NBA Draft is drawing near and one of my favorite yearly rituals is reading about young players I typically forgot watching in NCAA games in mock drafts. Mock drafts are fun because they allow for a world of possibilities with players and teams alike where we each have our own individual vision on either and either get proven right or wrong each year on how things end up and more often than not, it does not matter because we did not have any modicum of control/investment anyway.
I took the liberty of watching as much as I possibly could on these players listed along with dissecting as much Basketball Twitter as possible in hopes of coming to a fair conclusion on everyone. My team analysis is my own from watching/following basketball so any and all takes there are mine and mine alone.
Just as a disclaimer, this is not meant to be predictive, every pick is one I would make rather than any expected situation. Drafts are such a crap-shoot that there is no reward for guessing right and it is more fun to imagine situations you like. Follow me on Twitter @RotoSurgeon to yell about any specific pick or take on player(s) situations. Enjoy the read!
Featured Promo: Get any full-season NBA Premium Pass for 50% off. Win big with our exclusive DFS lineup tools, matchup rating projections, powerful Research Station, Lineup Optimizer, daily DFS lineup picks/cheat sheets and more! Sign Up Now!
2020 NBA Mock Draft: The Lottery Picks
1) Minnesota Timberwolves - SF/PF Deni Avdija, Maccabi Tel Aviv
Trying to chase in the draft for the next Luka Doncic would be an utter mistake. That's how you end up with a top-5 Dragan Bender a year after Kristaps Porzingis. What Deni Avdija provides is not a primary scorer but a do-it-all wing who can play very well next to all-stars like Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell and elevate their games by providing inside-out defense, secondary-ball handling and spacing. Deni is not the most athletic or best shooting player in this draft but he might be the smartest when it comes to helping on defense and making the right pass or play.
You don't draft Deni to be your star but to help you win games, which is essentially the point of sports, no? He is multi-positional as not only a swing-forward but also a creator who can bring the ball up the court when Russell is taking a breather and can position himself well in the paint when KAT is outside to take threes. The most notable flaw in Deni's game is his shooting where he was around 30% from three and 50% from the free throw line but the shot itself is not bad. He has worked on his feet a good bit over the past year and improved from the perimeter. If he can maintain at least a league-average percentage from three early on, the Wolves will be in good hands.
2) Golden State Warriors - SG/SF Devin Vassell, Florida State
3) Charlotte Hornets - PG LaMelo Ball, Illawara
The Charlotte Hornets cannot pass up a sliver of upside and no one in this draft presents more than LaMelo Ball. As things stand, the Hornets do have some modicum of pieces but nothing too valuable that can't be sold off in order to operating as efficiently as possible with Ball at the center of things. Devonte Graham, P.J. Washington, and maybe Miles Bridges(?) are their current "young corps" and while this is not bad, it is not very good either. The Hornets, by all means, are still a very bad team even if they hit on Ball. $60 million in salary (half of their cap) for 2020-2021 is sunk into Cody Zeller, Terry Rozier, and Nic Batum. They have no way to compete for a playoff spot without an unlikely jump to stardom from multiple pieces in their current roster.
LaMelo's handle and passing acumen are by all means in a tier of their own within this draft class; that is an extremely value skill-combo to possess. He is by all means a talented basketball player but one that may or may not be fatally flawed. The big questions on Ball are his perimeter shooting and defense. His shot did not translate well overseas and his defense is questionable at best in translating to the NBA. His lanky frame at 6'7" sub-200lbs is sub-optimal if it does not come with the threat of spacing given that defenses can maul him into submission when they close in. While he is capable of driving and finishing through contact with his length, Ball could be at a major disadvantage if his shooting away from the basket does not progress. Fortunately, defense can be taught and in a vacuum, guard defense is unimportant, but when you shrink the floor on one end, it helps to not be a turnstile on the other.
4) Chicago Bulls - PG/SG Killian Hayes, Ratiopharm Ulm
Foreign prospects are often considered risky given the lack of exposure to US competition which provides a clearer frame of reference in comparison along with potentially skewed statistics due to usage and league difficulty. However, Killian Hayes could be considered one of the safer picks in the draft as a whole. Hayes has a very friendly, modern style where he plays smart on both ends of the court. He is often privy to help on the defensive end while also making the right pass on offense and pushing the ball around. He will take shots when necessary and is solid from range. Hayes could arguably be the best player in this draft and we don't know for sure because he unfortunately was not putting up massive numbers overseas nor did he play in the NCAA.
His fit with the Bulls would be perfect as a lead-ball handler acting as a complement to Coby White in the backcourt, working an offense with an established front-court in Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. Hayes would allow White to play more to his strong-suit as an off-ball guard who can move around and spot-up and play more as a secondary ball-handler. Hayes would also give the offense more life with improved movement. His size would allow for White to take on weaker offensive players from opposing teams as well given Hayes defensive presence. Overall, this kind of addition could make Chicago a playoff team sooner than later thanks to the all-around offering presented.
5) Cleveland Cavaliers - C/PF Onyeka Okongwu, USC
This would probably be viewed as a redundant move to the fan-base in Cleveland after having acquired Andre Drummond for cheap this past season but there is a reason they got Drummond for so cheap in the first place, he is a monolith that does not fit the modern NBA. Not only can he not shoot, but Drummond struggles to defensively outside of the paint. You can't ask him to act as a Gobert who can climb the court and defend the perimeter along with the interior. Drummond is a relic from the past who does possess an elite skill/trump card, his rebounding, that will keep him in the league for a long time but for Cleveland to progress as a franchise, they need to look elsewhere for help.
Okongwu fits the near-perfect archetype for modern NBA centers. The way Okongwu operates inside and out as a defender is a marvel for basketball on that end of the floor. He is not the tallest player on the court at 6'9" but possesses a wingspan of 7'1" along with plus athleticism to get up and contest shots. He is a good rebounder who is switchable and smart when shadowing on D, playing like he has eyes in the back of his head.
Despite not shooting many threes in college, he did average over 70% from the free throw line in college, indicating that his shot is not broken beyond repair and offers potential to expand to three. Okongwu could fill the role left open by Tristan Thompson in Cleveland for the time being and then take over in a year or past the mid-way point if Drummond is flipped for some asset. Okongwu's fit with the young corps in Cleveland allows for a decently well rounded future team of him. Darius Garland, and Kevin Porter Jr.. There is still much to be seen of 2019 first-round pick Dylan Windler and while Collin Sexton did take a step forward this past season, he might be better off elsewhere.
6) Atlanta Hawks - PG/SG Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State
Atlanta's biggest need would have been center but they might have filled that with adding Clint Capela last season. While they should still explore options to back Capela up, their current situations allows more wiggle-room than a flat-out hole. The most important thing Atlanta needs to do this offseason is find a secondary ball-handler who can play not only next to Trae Young but also when Young is off the court and the offense needs to flow. At the moment, the team is built with a ton of wings whose roles are not established in Kevin Huerter, Cam Reddish, and Deandre Hunter along with John Collins who is an all-star level power forward but requires someone to get the ball to him.
Tyrese Haliburton makes the most sense here for a team in need of not only a back-up PG but also a guard to play next to Young who can handle off-ball and move around. Haliburton's 6'5" frame is stronger than it appears on paper and will allow him to take on larger opponents in the back-court akin to Killian Hayes with Coby White mentioned earlier. Haliburton is a plus defender who has shot well from the college three-point line and seen a massive uptick in free-throw percentage from just below 70% as a freshman on limit opportunities to 82% on two attempts per game. His shot is not perfect and is more spot-up than pull-up but with an offense centered around Trae Young, those opportunities will present themselves. With Haliburton on hand, the Hawks can run out a plethora of lineups mixed with their versatile wings, Young, Collins and Capela. Most importantly, it would make for some fun, winning basketball down in Atlanta.
7) Detroit Pistons - SF Anthony Edwards, Georgia
This by no means is a critique of Edwards solely because of his gaudy percentages from the field or his rumored work ethic. Edwards is a fantastic athlete with great length and a smooth-looking shot but the knock on him seems to be that he just does not know how to play basketball at a high-level yet. Obviously, due to being one of the younger players in the class, growing pains can be expected. However, when you are arguably the top prospect coming out of high school and not someone who came overseas and learned the game four years ago, it is harder to defend.
Year-in and year-out with basketball prospects we see failures on the part of players (and early-career coaching) to kick habits that got them by for years at lower levels versus extremely weak competition. Dominating your opponents for so many years because you are bigger, stronger, and faster than them can work wonders for only so long. Edwards shot-making is poor and he is slow to react on the defensive end. While both of those aspects of the game can be taught, not everyone can operate at a high-level on the floor while not solely relying on athleticism to get them by.We saw Edwards struggle at Georgia in a good bit of games as the primary guy. But in his defense, there is not much you can really say about the team around him. It was clear and obvious that he was who defenses would key-in on due to Edwards' pedigree and usage.
For a team stuck in basketball limbo like the Pistons, they can absolutely take a chance on Edwards and pray that he is the second-coming of Michael Jordan or whatever while also understanding that they are not in a position to win games right this instant and can afford to bust on a prospect with the back-up of failing backwards into the top of the 2021 draft for a different potential star.
8) New York Knicks - SG/PG Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky
Tyrese Maxey has slipped a bit in draft discussions after a decent year with the Wildcats but this by all means is a mistake. Maxey is an advanced guard with a Swiss-Army skillset. He can shoot, pass, defend and push the ball up-court. He is a menace on the attack and would be the perfect complementary guard to last year's third-overall pick, R.J. Barrett.
Maxey is a true combo-guard with solid enough size to handle opposing backcourts and agility to keep up with shiftier players. The Knicks desperately need players who can defend, space the floor and are unselfish. Maxey is exactly that and more, he could even end up the best guard there by the end of year one.
9) Washington Wizards - PG Cole Anthony, North Carolina
It's difficult to truly project the Wizards given the uncertainty of Bradley Beal. Despite signing an extension prior to this past season, he is still frequent in trade mocks around the league. Without Beal, the Wizards do not have much of an identity. John Wall is set to return from his long road back from compounded injuries yet is likely to play like garbage given how severe the injuries were along with his already declining skill-set prior. Wall is an electric passer who should retain that aspect of the game but if he loses his explosiveness, a major key in his ability is lost. Wall without the ability to attack the rim or defend the opposite end is a terrible player. His contract is already considered one of the worst in the league as an albatross on the Wizards' payroll for years to come.
The Wizards roster outside of their back-court presence promise for the next generation but there is no real star power. They need to take a shot at someone like former top-prospect Cole Anthony. Anthony disappointed in his first college season and dealt with injury but he is just about one year removed from high school and did happen to play next to a bunch of scrubs.
10) Phoenix Suns - PF Patrick Williams, Florida State
Williams is rumored to have a "promise" from the Detroit Pistons if he's there at seventh overall but this mock is not meant to be realistic anyway and that could just be smoke. Williams came off of the bench for every game of his rookie season at FSU and was an impact player on both ends of the floor. He averaged one block and one steal while playing roughly 22 minutes per game. His three point shot wasn't perfect at 32% on 50 attempts but that is not too shabby for a big man in his first season. The 84% free throw percentage on nearly three a game is more impressive if anything. Williams has good touch and is very athletic. He is a keen defender on the floor as well.
Williams' fit on the Suns would be interesting given that they have their franchise center in Deandre Ayton. Williams can play off of him and space the floor but given that Ayton is not much of a threat from the perimeter, it could be a bit clunky at times having two bigs on the floor if Williams' shooting is not prolific. Williams could be best utilized as a primary back-up C who starts at PF with Ayton and gets staggered with him throughout the game. That would allow the Suns to have a talented 5 on the floor at all times with different skill-sets to mix-and-match with their back-court along with shooting-specialist, Cam Johnson at the four.
11) San Antonio Spurs - C James Wiseman, Memphis
This is probably very low for your typical James Wiseman mock selection. He was one of the top prospects out of high school and dominated in the three games he played at Memphis. Fortunately for him, and unfortunate for internet "analysts" like me, he was able to show his strengths versus some weak competition in limited minutes and was not asked to play against many versatile, talented teams that could have exposed weaknesses in his game. Wiseman is mostly a prototypical back-to-the-basket big. He can shoot and potentially expand his range to the three point line but that's not where he's comfortable.
He had two fouls in the first five minutes vs Oregon in a game the Tigers lost and even attempted to steal the ball from his own teammate on a rebound. One game is not much of an indictment on any player but he was not particularly good against the only comparable competition he faced at Memphis. He plays like Hassan Whiteside with a mid-range jumper. He's big, strong, and athletic but there are legitimate concerns to be had as to whether he only got this far as a prospect on those attributes rather true basketball skill. He's smart with screens and rolling to the bucket but most of his shots are tips/dunks off of misses. Wiseman's handle is poor so he can't act as a ball-handler attacking the rim from too far or kicking out and he is not one to pass. He is still very young and some of this can be coached but from what we have seen thus far, Wiseman is not a true impact player, just one that can put up empty statistics. Any team drafting him is buying the body and hoping to mold it into a legitimate contributor. The Spurs make as much sense as any team given the prolific bigs that have played with Coach Popovich along with their fantastic player development system. It is hard to trust 80-90% of the teams in the league to truly coach up Wiseman.
12) Sacramento Kings - SF Isaac Okoro, Auburn
Isaac Okoro is a great fit on this Kings's roster that is desperate for not just perimeter defense, but any at all. The Kings traded for Harrison Barnes then foolishly paid him two years ago thinking that they had fixed their problem on the wing when in fact they just laid some scotch tape over it and called it a day. Okoro can come in and play solid minutes from day one, providing plus net value despite offering little offensively. He is a great glue-guy for a team like the Kings that is talented to a certain degree with franchise pieces in De'Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic (assuming they pay him) and Marvin Bagley. Okoro fits right in between them on their future lineup even if he is not a starter as a rookie due to the egregious amount being spent on a non-factor like Barnes.
Okoro's offense is certainly worrisome. He often was left wide open at Auburn and deferred the basket when in possession on the perimeter. He is a solid finisher around the basket but that won't get you very far in this league without a shot. Luckily, the Kings should be fairly spaced with their pieces along with hopefully good coaching.
13) New Orleans Pelicans - PF/C Aleksej Pokusevski, Olympiacos B
This is a name not too many outside of twitter/the draft world are familiar with. Aleksej Pokusevski is a recent riser in draft discussions due to his size, movement ability, ball handling, and particularly, his shooting. He profiles extremely well for where the game is today and could become a valuable piece on a winning team if he continues to grow as a player and into his body.
Poku's frame is very thin and lanky, he looks like he might fall over if the wind hits him at the wrong angle. However, he is the youngest player in the draft at only 18 years old. There is plenty of room for growth and even if he does not gain too much weight, his game will likely be mostly away from the basket offensively thanks to his shooting. There remains a very high floor for a player like this thanks to that singular aspect mixed with his size.
14) Boston Celtics - PG Kira Lewis Jr., Alabama
One word to describe Kira Lewis Jr.? QUICK. Lewis is a lightning bolt to the basket and a good finisher at that. He has a solid handle and is a good passer but mostly is good at creating offense for himself. His shot is clean as he improved from the three-point and free-throw line from his freshman to sophomore season while playing against solid SEC competition.
Lewis Jr. would be a great back-up to an offensive-minded guard like Kemba Walker and would get to play net to defensive stalwarts on Boston's wing who could cover his defensive deficiencies along with Marcus Smart, arguably the best guard-defender in the league. If Walker were to get hurt again or get traded (as is somewhat rumored) Lewis Jr. is seasoned enough to potentially start in the league as soon as his rookie year which is perfect for a team built to win and play deep into the postseason.
15) Orlando Magic - SG/SF Josh Green, Arizona
The Magic are a team that is not good enough to win it all but not bad enough to tank. They have a legitimate, all-star level center in Nikola Vucevic who is signed through the next three seasons, a budding star in Jonathan Isaac who is unfortunately injured at the moment, a moveable, but usable piece like Aaron Gordon, and the mystery box that is Markelle Fultz. They will likely lose shooting guard Evan Fournier to free agency assuming that he opts out of his contract soon which would leave a hole in the backcourt they cannot fill in-house.
Josh Green is an interesting name who was highly rated out of college but had a mostly quiet season at Arizona depsite playing with another pedigreed prospect in Nico Mannion. Green should end up as a solid 3-and-D player if developed properly but there could be more to his game. Green is a decently unknown commodity at the moment whose shooting percentages from three and free-throw were very solid in college as a freshman. His frame is very sturdy at 6'6" 215 and on tape it looks like you can play him as a swing-man between shooting guard and small forward.
16) Houston Rockets - PF Obi Toppin, Dayton
Excuse me for not being in love with the 22-year old sophomore who is a very good scorer in his own right but might not translate to the league as a legitimate contributor. Obi Tobbin's size and movement skills are very interesting but he is a poor defender who can shoot, but the question is how WELL can he shoot? If it is at a league average rate, he will not be a very good player in the league, if it is above so, then he becomes a lot more enticing.
Right now, he doesn't come across as anything more than a Julius Randle type who is incredible at scoring around the rim and rebounding but not good enough, or willing enough as a facilitator to improve his team offensively. The Rockets might lose everything this offseason and the best move for the sake of their franchise is just going best player available and not worrying about fit. Toppin is that and maybe he is good enough to build around.
17) Minnesota Timberwolves - PF/C Jalen Smith, Maryland
Jalen Smith played the five at Maryland this past season due to center Bruno Fernando's departure and he was phenomenal. Smith's shooting numbers went up across the board and he developed into one of the more dominant defensive presences in college basketball as a sophomore.
His game is inside-out as a big, which would allow him to mesh well with an established star like KAT who needs to play with someone who can hold their own next to him defensively. KAT is a good shot blocker but a poor rim-protector, having Smith on the block to cover for him and clean up would be ideal. Smith's shooting and general offensive style would allow him to play cohesively on that end of the floor with KAT who spreads his time evenly between the perimeter and painted area.
18) Dallas Mavericks - SG/SF Aaron Nesmith, Vanderbilt
The Mavericks will be starting this season without Kristaps Porzingis but given the breadth of their front-court depth, could choose to ignore a big in the first. Aaron Nesmith is not the most versatile guard in the world but he does have one thing going for him worth selecting this early, shooting. He is a smooth shooter with good range who could do well replacing Tim Hardaway Jr. (if THJ chooses to opt out of his deal).
Nesmith is not a great defender but with the pieces in place for the Mavericks he does not need to be. A shot-making wing from three is valuable for any team, even if they cannot do much else. Nesmith unfortunately did not play much serious competition this past season prior to injuring his foot, which makes his very favorable stat-sheet with a 52% three-point and 69% true-shooting a bit skewed. He only managed to play one conference game which, to his credit, he did play well in versus a tough opponent.
19) Brooklyn Nets - PF Tyler Bey, Colorado
*Disclaimer: This pick is most likely getting traded in any potential deal for James Harden*
Bey is a hell-of-a player who works well on both ends. He's definitely a piece that can be added to any team regardless of fit and that's especially important on a roster with multiple superstars like Brooklyn. Bey can attack the rim, pull-up to shoot in the paint, take open threes, and defend across the floor. He is very mobile on the floor and contorts his body well through contact to finish.
While he may lack upside due to his three-year stay in college, Bey, even as a "known" commodity increased his three-point attempt rate and free-throw rate considerably throughout his time in Colorado. His steal rate was above two percent and his block rate around four is very solid as well. Bey can play next to Kyrie, KD, or both at the same time without shrinking the floor significantly and be given space to operate.
20) Miami Heat - PG/SG Leandro Bolmaro, FC Barcelona
Leandro Bolmaro can either come in and take on a chunk of Goran Dragic's role in Miami (assuming he does not re-sign) or, Bolmaro could get stashed overseas. Miami has a good bit of their current corps returning next year but definitely will need bodies to provide depth after a long finals run and shortened offseason.
Bolmaro presents them with the versatility of a combo guard who is a good shooter and skilled ball-handler. He may be questionable defensively but that can be covered given Miami's personnel and efficiency on that end.
21) Philadelphia 76ers - SG Desmond Bane, TCU
Desmond Bane was arguably the best shooter in college basketball last season and that is exactly what the 76ers need if they are running back their team as assembled. They will not need to rely on Bane as a creator despite him being capable of it. He is pro-ready as a four-year starter out of college and can play either the two or three in between Simmons and Embiid to provide the necessary spacing to operate an offense that is much too reliant on individuals rather than the team.
The 76ers have some depth that positionally overlaps with Bane in Josh Richardson, Matisse Thybulle and Zhaire Smith but none can shoot at the level he can and luckily he is capable of holding his own on the defensive end even if his game there is not perfect. The 76ers can mix and match these swing-men and try to come up with the best lineup possible.
22) Denver Nuggets - C Xavier Tillman, Michigan State
With Paul Millsap's contract expiring and Jerami Grant opting out, the Nuggets need some help in the front-court next to Nikola Jokic. Tillman is a stud defender who can move inside and out to protect that end of the floor. He is ready to contribute but still presents some upside if his shooting improves.
Tillman began taking threes at a solid rate as a junior but hardly hit much. He went 13-for-50 last year putting him at 21-for-77 on his college career. His free-throw shooting numbers are not terrible but they are not good and they were worse on more attempts between his sophomore and junior seasons. What's most important though is that Tillman is a smart player on the floor who can make the right play on either end. He's a healthy addition to a team with several budding pieces and a superstar big-man. They just need a true defensive presence to operate the team as efficiently as possible.
23) Utah Jazz - PG Grant Riller, Charleston
Utah needs help in their backcourt next to Donovan Mitchell. Mike Conley is a free agent after this season and given his injury history and performance last year, he is not a reliable contributor even when rostered. Grant Riller presents an option that can mesh well due to his very solid shooting ability and savvy play-style. Riller, a four-year starter at the College of Charleston, is not only a solid shooter but an incredible finisher. He averaged 22 points per game over the past two years and has shot 60% from two-point range throughout college. He increased his free throw attempts each year in school and shot 80% from there on good volume for his career.
Riller lacks pedigree but makes up for it in offensive performance, albeit against consistently weak competition. He is a poor defender but with how well constructed and taught the Jazz or on that end, his deficiencies can be made up for. He's worth a shot for any team at this point in the draft. If anything, Riller's role can be as a sixth-man scoring guard on this team given that they are losing Jordan Clarkson to free agency.
24) New Orleans Pelicans - PG/SG Tyrell Terry, Stanford
The Pelicans needs shooters, Terry is that. He is very small and likely to get lost on defense in the league but he can be used as a bench shooter/sixth-man potentially to space the floor for an offense in desperate need of it. He shot over % from three and 89% from the free-throw line on 3.5 attempts per game.
Terry's fun to watch and extremely efficient but his game is limited as he is more of a scoring guard first than anything. He'd be ideal to play in lineups next to someone like Lonzo Ball or Eric Bledsoe who can cover for him defensively and especially Zion who will draw attention away from defenses.
25) Oklahoma City Thunder - PF Saddiq Bey, Villanova
The first of OKC's 17 first-round picks over the next seven years. Bey is lower here than in usual mocks because I have concerns about his playstyle translating to the NBA. Obviously, that has not been much of an issue for Villanova prospects in years past but Bey's game is very unappealing, at least visually. His shooting form is poor and when he attacks the rim, he often runs right into defenders rather than trying to work around them. The driving here is worrisome because he will get called for plenty of charges if that continues.
Defensively, he needs work and likely will not contribute much on that end but if he can just be neutral on that end, it will be a win. Nevertheless, he was a very productive college player with good size and that is worth taking a shot on here for a team that is essentially ripping things apart. He could even see solid minutes as a rookie all things considered.
26) Boston Celtics - PF/C Precious Achiuwa, Memphis
Precious Achiuwa is an interesting prospect. Lost on the James Wiseman eligibility issue was that we missed out on seeing this potentially dominant college duo play much together and that is a shame for Memphis fans and the rest of the country. Achiuwa was very productive as a freshman in sole possession of the front-court but his stock dropped a bit from early projections in the top-10.
He shot just 60% from free-throw on six attempts per game and only shot 40 threes on the year at a relatively low clip. Achiwua is built well and could play either the four or five but requires a cohesive partner at least early-on to cover for him around the rim. The Celtics have that in Grant Williams and Robert Williams, both of whom could benefit from playing net to Achiwua and vice-versa.
27) Los Angeles Clippers - PG Tre Jones, Duke
28) Oklahoma City Thunder - C Zeke Nnaji, Arizona
Steven Adams will not be a member of the Thunder much longer if any of the moves this organization has recently made are indicative of anything. Adams is a very solid center but he presents little outside of defense where he is merely above-average and then offensive rebounding on the other end. He is generally a black hole on offense and that can not be on the floor as much as he usually is in today's game.
Nnaji is a more modern center than Adams and has solid size and movement skills on the floor. He shot poorly from three as a freshman but the fact that he at least shot threes is promising, especially with a 76% free-throw on just over six attempts per game. He still has a lot to work on in his game and probably won't contribute much in year one but there is good clay to mold here for a Thunder team in need of a future big.
29) Toronto Raptors - PG/SG R.J. Hampton, NZ Breakers
30) Boston Celtics - PF/C Killian Tillie, Gonzaga
This is a shoot-for-the-moon pick at the back-end of the first-round. Killian Tillie has been riddled with injuries throughout his college despite playing somewhat in all four seasons of his Gonzaga career. The upside with Tillie is a big-man that can space the floor at a high-level and defend multiple positions as well. He has been an incredible player when on the floor and healthy but that has just has not been the case for the most part.
Injuries he suffered at Gonzaga include: knee surgery, a torn ligament in his foot, a stress fracture in his ankle, numerous sprained ankles, a broken finger and a hip pointer. He is as "injury prone" as they come but he is also the exact type of player you want on the court right now. He'd fit perfectly in the Celtics' lineup and allow them to get very creative with the players on their roster.
More Fantasy Basketball Analysis
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!
