FILE - In this Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019, file photo, Memphis' James Wiseman pauses during a timeout in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Bradley, in Memphis, Tenn. Wiseman is the headliner of the big men in the NBA draft on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020, and is expected to go in the top three picks. (AP Photo/Karen Pulfer Focht, File)

Countdown to the 2020 NBA Draft

Dreams become reality tomorrow night at the 2020 NBA Draft.

Will there be surprises?

There always are.

And this year’s no different.

The Start of Something Special.

Watch the 2020 #NBADraft presented by State Farm tomorrow (11/18) at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN!https://t.co/yaHXzqNYzI pic.twitter.com/YiyQO1e0Mz

— NBA (@NBA) November 17, 2020

Without a consensus top pick, Wednesday night might just be the most interesting draft nights in years.

What You Need To Know

We’ll see plenty of movement during this year’s draft. The NBA’s transaction moratorium was lifted on Monday, which means teams are able to trade picks — and players — during the draft, per ESPN+.Two questions remain.Which teams are primed to make a move?
Which teams will hunker down and cling to their future assets?

There are no easy answers as most front offices, teams and fanbases remain divided on how to proceed.

https://twitter.com/NBCSWarriors/status/1326600986287362049

This year’s draft will be virtual due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will still announce the draft picks on television but will be doing so from ESPN’s Studio E in Bristol, Connecticut without any players or fans in attendance, according to News Opener.

LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman and Anthony Edwards: a Big Three

NBA Draft, Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, LaMelo Ball — *2020 NBA Draft Top Prospects via ClutchSports*

Barring a stunning change of events, three prospects — LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman and Anthony Edwards —are projected to be taken 1-2-3 in what has turned out to be a highly debated order.

Though the 19-year-old Ball has positioned himself as the frontrunner, some front-office heads view Edwards as the safer choice in the top three, a less-risky option than Ball and Wiseman, per ClutchPoint’s Bruno Manrique.

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1328822505914691586

He’s not the perfect prospect.

But with his rare athletic ability that often lends itself to explosive bouts of athleticism, it’s enough to warrant top selection.

The 6-foot-5-inch guard creates good mid-range looks, is capable of hitting the step-back jumper and is a great one-on-one scorer.

https://twitter.com/hoopfiends/status/1270841481151078409

He can also cut to the rim and run the lane on the fast-break.

To some, however, the upsides to his game are still not good enough to overlook his lack of engagement on the defensive end or his inconsistency at the three-point line (he’s hit just 29.4% of his 3-pointers as a freshman at Georgia).

But for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are still contemplating whether to keep their No. 1 pick or trade down, it might just have to do.

Two things are clear here.

It’s no longer 2015 and there is no clear-cut top pick like there was that year when Minnesota selected Karl-Anthony Towns first overall.

As is the case with tomorrow night’s NBA Draft and all other sporting events of this year, 2020 is nothing like we’re used to.

Category: Basketball, College Basketball, NBA