Exclusive Official 2020 Draft Thread

When our pick comes up, Yardbarker has Bey, Vassell, and Nesmith all on the table. Hard to believe, but if it was true, who would you pick?

It is close for me, but I would lean Vassell. Bey would not make me cry. Nesmith I just don't don't trust. 11 games with a hot shooting touch isn't enough in my book.

On a separate note, am I the only person who has trouble believing that Payton Pritchard is starting to get first round buzz?

 

Pat Williams is rising fast.

He has the potential to be the best player from this draft but he’s so raw — the biggest boom or bust player aside from Pokusevski.

 

Viewed as a second-round pick for most of the season, Bane has been making a strong impression on teams since March despite limited opportunities.

"Incredible kid; he was one of our top interviews so far," one scout told Bleacher Report. Another team with a mid-first-round pick told me his team was very high on the senior guard who shot over 42.5 percent from three for the third consecutive season and registered a career-high 26.0 assist percentage.

Bane told Bleacher Report earlier in the draft process that Joe Harris was the player he's been comparing himself to when asked by NBA teams. Between his shooting, passing, defensive IQ and self-awareness, he's put together a persuasive role-player profile that could earn him a spot in the late teens

 

1. 
   16. Portland Trail Blazers: Aleksej Pokusevski (Olympiacos II, PF, 2001)
   
   One team figures to find Pokusevski's potential worth the risk, and we're hearing Portland could be interested. At 7'0", he projects as a forward with unique shooting and passing skills, as well as active shot-blocking ability
   
   —-Bleacherreport

 

Bey or Vessell ok with me and I Payton will go mid second round, but he's going to be a decent player for a long while.

 

By the time the Blazers pick, you hope one of the three (Bey, Vessell and Nesmith) will still be on the board. I'd be very happy for any of them, but I'm skeptical any will be around. If they are all gone you either go offense (Bane) or defense (Green). Honestly, I'd definitely go Green in that scenario because of the atrocious D the Blazers had in the bubble.

 

Sunday marks the deadline to withdraw from the NBA draft, and a handful of international players have reached their decisions. The date doesn’t affect college players because the NCAA set an Aug. 3 deadline for players to remove their names from the draft and retain their eligibility.

• Lithuanian guard Arnas Velicka has decided to take his name out of the draft, tweets Nicola Lupo of Sportando. Velicka currently plays in France.
• Belgian guard Joel Ekamba is skipping this year’s draft, a source tells Lupo. The 19-year-old also plays in France.
• Brancou “Papi” Badio of Senegal has decided to withdraw, according to Lupo. The 21-year-old guard is playing his first season on the senior team for FC Barcelona.
• Also removing his name from the draft is Greek guard Nikos Rogkavopoulos, Lupo adds. Rogkavopoulos is playing this season with AEK Athens.
• Greek shooting guard Georgios Kalaitzakis is withdrawing, agent Marius Rutkauskas confirmed to Lithuanian basketball writer Donatas Urbonas (Twitter link). Kalaitzakis is ranked 90th on ESPN’s list of the top 100 prospects.
• Lithuanian center Marek Blazevic is pulling out of the draft, sources tell Urbonas (Twitter link). He currently plays for Zalgiris Kaunas of the Lithuanian Basketball League.
• Deciding to remain in the draft is Adrian Bogucki, a 20-year-old center from Poland, according to Lupo. The 7’1″ Bogucki is playing in Poland and has been part of the U16, U18 and U20 Polish national teams.

More international prospects have pulled their names out of the draft ahead of today’s deadline, according to Nicola Lupo of Sportando. Nikola Miskovic, Marko Simonovic and Darko Bajo, all of ABA Liga, have all withdrawn. At No. 70, Simonovic was the only one in ESPN’s list of the top 100 prospects. Serbian big man Filip Petrusev (story link), who is 59th on ESPN’s list, and Lithuanian guard Rokas Jokubaitis (story link) are also skipping this year’s draft. On Saturday, we shared decisions from seven other overseas players.
https://www.hoopsrumors.com/

 

Whenever I see news of international prospects withdrawing, I’m reminded of this guy named Kostja Mushidi. He was a fairly decent prospect like three years ago, was one of the better players at the hoop summit in Portland, and probably would’ve been drafted. He ended up withdrawing, and last I heard he was getting kicked off his team in Germany. It’s kinda trippy if you’re a big draft nerd, as most these dudes will never be heard from again unless you go looking for it.

 

I do like Green he’s a very good defender.

 

Skal and Nas on line 2...

It's all about youth potential. Once that potential evaporates into wishful thinking with slight aging, it's onto the next hopeful prospect.

 

NEW DRAFT PROFILES:

Deni Avdija


Killian Hayes

 

Givony update

 

Bey
Nesmith




Vassell

 

Draft comparison (Bane to Gary Trent Jr. is funny):

https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-draft-comparisons-james-wiseman-lamelo-ball-anthony-edwards/

 

Both tough good college shooters but Trent is has proven to be a solid defender in the pro's. Bane could very easily too.

 

If Bane had any kind of post-up game: =Bonzi Wells.

His build is crazy for a wing.

 

....ironically, he has no wing(span).

 

One site has us taking Lewis from Alabama due him might be the best available player at 16.

 

I wouldn’t be against a point guard at 16, but in reality it probably just depends on how Olshey views Simons. If he views him as more of a two, I could see it.