2020 NBA Draft: Edwards, Wiseman go 1-2; Ball at 3

Georgia point guard Anthony Edwards heads to the Minnesota Timberwolves as the first pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

“It is an indescribable feeling. I can’t even describe it, ”Edwards said in an ESPN live interview moments after the selection was announced. “My family is excited. I’m sure when I get out of here I’ll be excited. “

Edwards, who turned 19 in August, is scheduled to receive a four-year contract worth $ 44.2 million under the terms of the existing collective agreement.

With the 1st pick of the @NBADraft, the @Timberlobos select Anthony Edwards (@ theantman05)!

2020 #NBADraft Presented by State Farm on ESPN pic.twitter.com/8fIzqgodnO

– NBA (@NBA) November 19, 2020

It was the 11th consecutive draft in which the best player was only at the college level.

Another college freshman, 7-footer James Wiseman from Memphis, was selected in second place by the Golden State Warriors. Wiseman played just three games for the Tigers before an NCAA suspension led him to the NBA.

Golden State reached the NBA Finals five years in a row before leading the league in losses last season. The pick came the same day the Warriors learned that guard Klay Thompson, who missed last season with a torn left anterior cruciate ligament, injured his right leg in a pickup game.

Anthony Edwards (@ theantman05) analyzes becoming the number 1 general election of the @Timberlobos in the NBA Draft.#NBADraft 2020 Presented by State Farm on ESPN pic.twitter.com/VDUKAGUqWA

– NBA (@NBA) November 19, 2020

“Being coached by Penny Hardaway and Mike Miller, he was already in an NBA system,” Wiseman said.

Edwards joins 2015’s No. 1 pick, Karl-Anthony Towns, with the Timberwolves, who posted 19 wins in 2019-2020. He averaged 19.1 points per game at Georgia.

Point guard LaMelo Ball, the 6-7 younger brother of New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball, was selected third by the Charlotte Hornets. Lonzo Ball was the second pick (Los Angeles Lakers) in the 2017 NBA Draft.

LaMelo Ball (@ MELOD1P) is selected third overall by @hornets!

2020 #NBADraft Presented by State Farm on ESPN pic.twitter.com/1HkrLD63FG

– NBA (@NBA) November 19, 2020

In fourth place, the Chicago Bulls surprised with forward Patrick Williams of Florida State, the Sixth Man of the Year from the Atlantic Coast Conference last season. Williams, 19, is one of the youngest players in the draft and is considered a great pick on the rise. He averaged 9.2 points for the Seminoles last season. Florida State teammate Devin Vassell, a 6-5 guard, was selected 11th overall by the San Antonio Spurs.

Two more freshmen were fifth and sixth. Auburn’s only defensive dynamo, Isaac Okoro, was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Central Southern California Onyeka Okongwu, a teammate of the Ball brothers in high school, joined the Atlanta Hawks.

“I don’t even know what to say at the moment,” Okongwu told ESPN after the selection was made. “I feel so blessed. I worked so hard to be here.”

New York native Obi Toppin, the National Player of the Year in Dayton last season, made his dream of playing for the Knicks come true when he was chosen with the eighth pick after French guard Killian Hayes left the board against the Detroit Pistons. . Toppin was one of the Flyers’ best dunks, recording 107 dunks last season.

Toppin, a 6-9 forward, became the first draft pick of new Knicks president Leon Rose.

The Washington Wizards used the ninth pick on Israeli forward Deni Avdija 6-9. Another 19-year-old prospect, he has played more than 100 professional games internationally.

“It means a lot to me, to me to represent my country and to be in the highest place possible, this is incredible,” said Avdija, who played professionally at 16.

Maryland power forward Jalen Smith was selected 10th by the Phoenix Suns, joining a front row that includes 2018 top pick Deandre Ayton.

The Sacramento Kings took on Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton, a projected top-five pick, at No. 12 to join the talented hybrid guard with point guard De’Aaron Fox, the fifth pick in the 2017 draft.

Alabama point guard Kira Lewis Jr. was the New Orleans Pelicans’ pick with the 13th pick as a possible replacement for Jrue Holiday. The Pelicans reportedly agreed to trade Holiday to the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this week, and the trade has yet to be finalized. Lewis was rated the fastest player in the draft by ESPN.

The Boston Celtics, who entered Wednesday with three first-round picks, used the last lottery pick (No. 14) to add Vanderbilt sniper Aaron Nesmith. Nesmith shot 52.2 percent from 3-point range and averaged 23 points per game in 14 games as a sophomore last season before a foot injury ended his college career.

North Carolina first-year point guard Cole Anthony, the son of former NBA guard Greg Anthony, was selected 15th by the Orlando Magic.

The first announced trade of a draft pick on the night came when the Detroit Pistons moved to 16th in a proposed deal with the Portland Trail Blazers to take Washington forward Isaiah Stewart.

Pistons first-year general manager Troy Weaver wasn’t done. Detroit acquired the 19th pick in a proposed trade between the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers to select Villanova forward Saddiq Bey.

The Timberwolves’ second pick of the night was forward Aleksej Pokusevski at No. 17, but the 7-footer Serbian was supposed to be traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Dallas Mavericks’ 18th pick was point guard Josh Green, a 6-6 Australian who played one season in Arizona.

Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat acquired Memphis first-year forward Precious Achiuwa with the 20th pick before the Philadelphia 76ers chose Kentucky’s Tyrese Maxey at No. 21. Maxey, a guard, has coached with LeBron James and 76ers All-Star point guard Ben Simmons.

NBA DRAFT 2020

First round

1. Minnesota Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia

2. Golden State Warriors, James Wiseman, C, Memphis

3. Charlotte Hornets, LaMelo Ball, PG, Illawarra Hawks (Australia)

4. Chicago Bulls, Patrick Williams, SF, Florida State

5. Cleveland Cavaliers, Isaac Okoro, SF, Auburn

6. Atlanta Hawks, Onyeka Okongwu, C, Southern California

7. Detroit Pistons, Killian Hayes, PG, France

8. New York Knicks, Obi Toppin, PF, Dayton

9. Washington Wizards, Deni Avdija, SF, Israel

10. Phoenix Suns, Jalen Smith, PF, Maryland

11. San Antonio Spurs, Devin Vassell, SG, State of Florida

12. Sacramento Kings, Tyrese Haliburton, PG, State of Iowa

13. New Orleans Pelicans, Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama

14. Boston Celtics, Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt

15. Orlando Magic, Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina

16. Portland Trail Blazers, Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington (allegedly traded to Detroit via Houston)

17. Minnesota Timberwolves, Aleksej Pokusevski, PF, Serbia (allegedly traded to Oklahoma City)

18. Dallas Mavericks, Josh Green, SG, Arizona

19. Brooklyn Nets, Saddiq Bey, PF, Villanova (reportedly traded to Detroit through LA Clippers)

20. Miami Heat, Precious Achiuwa, PF, Memphis

21. Philadelphia 76ers, Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky

22. Denver Nuggets, Zeke Nnaji, PF, Arizona

23. New York Knicks, Leandro Bolmaro, SG, Argentina (allegedly traded to Minnesota)

24. Milwaukee Bucks, RJ Hampton, PG, New Zealand Breakers (supposedly traded to Denver via New Orleans)

25. Oklahoma City Thunder, Immanuel Quickley, PG, Kentucky (allegedly traded to New York)

26. Boston Celtics, Payton Pritchard, PG, Oregon

27. Utah Jazz, Udoka Azubuike, C, Kansas

28. Los Angeles Lakers, Jaden McDaniels, PF, Washington (reportedly traded to Minnesota via Oklahoma City)

29. Toronto Raptors, Malachi Flynn, PG, San Diego State

30. Boston Celtics, Desmond Bane, SG, TCU (supposedly traded to Memphis)

Field media

Read next