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NBA Simulated Draft: Obi Toppin Climbing to No. 2 Best Pick
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Calling my Babe Ruth-style opportunity at this stage of the draft on something definitive will almost certainly backfire in no time, considering how much of the process has yet to unfold and how likely it is that opinions will change in the months before the draft . However, here I am, keyboard directed, ready to shoot these shots. I am your sacrificial scribe.
Today, I have ordered my keyboard to produce words about who I think are the best players in the NBA 2020 Draft, arranged by each position. It was a harder exercise than I thought. Several of the best prospects in the class are likely to be able to play multiple positions in the NBA. But I have solved everything and done the preliminary work. Now is the time to distribute my infallible and impossible to reject opinions that will surely age with grace.
Base: LaMelo Ball
CBS Sports Big Board Rank: No. 1
Number 1 on the CBS Sports Big Board, and number 1 on our list here among base prospects, is LaMelo Ball. I recently went into detail explaining why you are heading this year’s class, but the TL version; DR: It has the things you can’t teach. The vision, the feel, the play skills – they are all top notch for an 18 year old. He is a prodigy.
It can be argued that the two point guards behind him in my ranking, Killian Hayes and Tyrese Haliburton, have safer floors than Ball. Hayes is not as talented as a passer, but he is a good game creator with a developing jumper that is rapidly emerging. Haliburton is long, stocky, and a member of All-IQ – feel and efficiency are off the charts.
But if I’m hitting the No. 1 pick, it’s Ball. He has the things you can’t teach and the things you can teach, the shooting, the decision making, everything can be arranged while he finds his balance in the NBA.
Other considerations: Killian Hayes, Tyrese Haliburton
Shooting guard: Anthony Edwards
CBS Sports Big Board Rank: Number 5
I have Anthony Edwards lower on my board than most raters, at number 5. But there is no denying that he is one of the most intriguing prospects in this class. His combination of explosive athletics and shooting, all at age 18, are two key gifts that teams likely hope they can work on. I am very skeptical that their efficiency, decision making, and impact can be improved, but it is still the escort I would take if that is the position I am looking to improve with my first choice.
The gap between him and the other escorts of this class is quite considerable. While the point guard is full of top-notch talent and depth, there is a real shortage of shooting guards, perhaps underpinning Edwards’ value a bit in this draft.
I like Josh Green from Arizona as a Type 3 and D role player, and I am very excited that Jahmi’Us Ramsey is a high level Catch and Shoot guard. But they also don’t have Edwards’ high-end result potential. It’s almost a block to accumulate 20 points per game and profiles as a leading / potential All-Star scorer on the line. If you can fix some of its shortcomings, I would feel confident to rank it as the No. 2 clearing in this class.
Other considerations: Josh Green, Jahmi’Us Ramsey
Little forward: Deni Avdija
CBS Sports Big Board Rank: No. 4
Can I tell you a secret?
I am in love with the draft. And his name is Deni Avdija. He is a very, very good basketball player.
The 6-foot-9-inch Israeli star is a player perfectly built to fit into the modern NBA. He has great positional size, play skills that stand out for any player, let alone a 6-9 lead, and he has room to become a lead type player at the next level. He can grab boards and pause, he can cut and cut defenses, and when he attacks, he can be a creative finisher.
I recently screened him to the Golden State Warriors in my last simulated project. I think his selfless style of play would fit well into a selfless system where the pace, space and movement of the ball are prioritized. But if your shot improves even a little, and Maccabi Tel Aviv’s first returns are that your shot is improving, then it’s an easy and safe choice for almost any team in the top 10.
Other considerations: Isaac Okoro, Aaron Nesmith
Power forward: Obi Toppin
CBS Sports Big Board Rank: No 6
Am I concerned that Obi Toppin’s defense is a liability? Yes. Am I concerned that it is offensively limited as an access option that may not be able to generate its own offense? Yes.
But I know what I get with it. It is a pogo stick athlete that ends around the hoop. Much. Hell, he led the whole university basketball last season in mates. That should be his role in the NBA: an over-the-edge finisher who can affect victory as an efficient scorer, who is also able to stretch the floor and make smart passes on the short shot. That’s all I want in my power today, and with Toppin, that’s what you get.
Other considerations: Xavier Tillman, Precious Achiuwa
Cross: Onyeka Okongwu
CBS Sports Big Board Rank: Number 3
There are no more polished center perspectives in this class than Onyeka Okongwu. He is an efficient scorer around the rim, he is cunning in punctual situations and will absolutely protect the rim at all costs. The way you can defend yourself from post to perimeter is where your enamel really stands out.
If you want more potential in this class, there is plenty to have outside of Okongwu, which is as sure a prospect as they are. James Wiseman is a physical monster that, in theory, can be a floor spacer and a large tire. And Aleksej Pokusevkski has the physical skills to act like a rare 7-footer player who can execute an offense with his ball handling and creating shots. But Okongwu is my journey or death: the player I trust to have an immediate impact and have a sustained production of constant production from the center.
Other considerations: James Wiseman, Aleksej Pokusevski
