2020 Nba Draft Lottery Projections

Based on his production last season, Butler should be on teams' radars as a lottery pick. He averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds and two steals in 30 games last season, earning All-Big 12 first-team honors as the Bears claimed the national title. He also shot 41.6% from 3-point range on 6.2 attempts per game.

However, Butler was referred to the Fitness-to-Play panel by the NBA and must now be cleared from a heart condition in order to play or practice. With so much uncertainty regarding his future, teams may be wary about selecting him, but they still have plenty of time until the draft to gain additional information on his health. Of course, basketball takes a back seat to a potential heart condition, but the situation is incredibly unfortunate for the 20-year-old.

Killian Hayes is an American-born lead guard who was raised in France. So he's technically an American-born international prospect, one who has been playing professionally in Germany. But, despite that, he has a high basketball IQ and reputation of somebody who just really knows how to play. Early this past season, Hayes turned the ball over a little too much, which is less-than-ideal for a lead guard.

But his assist-to-turnover ratio improved as the season progressed. So his ability to take care of the ball is not a real issue. But if he improves on that, and the guess here is that he will in time, Hayes will have a chance to live up to the hype — hype that has him likely to be picked in the lottery. Not all legitimate NBA prospects who return for their sophomore seasons actually help themselves from a draft-stock perspective — but Smith definitely did.

The 6-10 big added strength, improved his field-goal percentage by 4.6 points, his 3-point percentage by 8.0 points and averaged more points, rebounds and blocks than he did as a freshman. The result was Maryland winning a share of the Big Ten title and Smith solidifying himself as a real first-round option. Given the way basketball is played in the NBA these days, It'll be crucial for Smith to land in the right spot, with the right organization, and with the right coach and right players around him. But if he does, he has the talent to be in the NBA for a very long time. Aaron Nesmith only played 14 games as a sophomore at Vanderbilt before suffering a season-ending foot injury. So the sample size is on the smallish side, which isn't ideal.

But it can't be ignored that the big-scoring guard made 52.2% of the pointers he attempted last season. That's an incredible percentage that should translate well at the next level, where perimeter-shooting has never been more valued. So he can maybe guard three different positions at the next level — though his lateral quickness would need to improve for that.

And his ability to create shots on his own, to be an effective shot-creator, needs to improve as well. But a player with size who can really, really shoot it is an attractive option in the modern-NBA And that's why Nesmith has a chance to be a top-15 pick in this draft. R.J. Hampton's decision to skip college and play professionally for a team based in New Zealand last season contributed to the G-League creating a program for elite prospects — and then aggressively pursuing them.

So he's already made an impact on the sport, for better or worse. And let the record show the former 5-star recruit was respectable in the NBL. He averaged 8.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. So Hampton skipped college, made a little money, and now he could be, and arguably should be, a lottery pick based on his ability to play either guard spot and beat opponents off the dribble with a great first-step. And if Hampton becomes a reliable shooter, at 6-5, he could be one of the steals of this draft.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti once again worked his trade magic to acquire this pick as the organization will have three first-round selections. Viewed as one of the best defenders in the class, Springer could step in and help give the Thunder a strong stopper on a defense that ranked 26th in the league. He averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 25 games with the Vols and proved to be a solid offensive player. He is viewed as one of the most NBA-ready prospects, and with plenty of development opportunities available in OKC, Springer could be an option. Barnes, who was named the ACC Freshman of the Year, averaged 10.3 points, 4.1 assists, four rebounds and 1.5 steals in 24 games with the Seminoles. He emerged as a very good playmaker with FSU and had plenty of flashy passes throughout the season.

Because of his defensive ability, and overall willingness to do the little things, Barnes has drawn comparisons to Draymond Green. He measured a 7-foot-2 wingspan at the combine, which should certainly intrigue teams. His offensive game still needs some work and was very inconsistent as a shooter, only converting on 27.5% from beyond the arc last season. There is a bit of a drop-off between the first five picks of the draft to Barnes here, but his versatility on defense and wingspan should be something that intrigues the Thunder. Anthony Edwards is a big, strong and athletic guard who is one of at least four players who could reasonably be selected first overall. The 6-5 freshman averaged 19.1 points and 5.2 rebounds in his one season at Georgia — but only shot 40.2% from the field and 29.4% from 3-point range.

So he was incredible in spots, but largely up and down and inefficient, for a team that was projected to miss the NCAA Tournament. Remember, Edwards won't even turn 20 years-old until August 2021 — but he already has a mature body that can endure contact in the paint. The explosiveness he possesses, especially in transition, will serve him well while playing on or off the ball.

And the special combination of size and quickness should allow him to guard three positions and, perhaps, develop into an impactful two-way star. Colorado junior Tyler Bey averaged 13.8 points, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game this season. After winning Pac-12 Most Improved Player of the Year in 2019, he won Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2020.

He was pulling down 9.0 rebounds per game, too, far more than expected for a player his size. In fact, his defensive rebound percentage ( 27.7%) ranked fourth-best among all players 6-7 or shorter. Bey would be a solid option on the wing for Oklahoma City, potentially replacing Terrance Ferguson in the starting lineup at some point. How high will a true center get picked in this year's draft? It's tough to say as the value in drafting a big man has seriously lost its luster in recent seasons, but James Wiseman has the chance to make a team break the trend and pluck him high in the lottery.

The moment Wiseman steps on an NBA floor he's going to be one of the most athletic players in the league and at 7-foot-1 with solid defensive instincts he'll be expected to bring dominance on the defensive end. While he might be considered a defence-first player he's got great touch around the rim and will punish teams that switch ball screens just by being so big and athletic around the rim. It's tough to say what importance teams will place on drafting a true center in the 2020 draft but Wiseman's physical gifts will make him awfully enticing. We did our first mock draft for this class the day after the 2020 NBA Draft. International players like Josh Giddey and Alperen Şengün have emerged as likely lottery picks after great seasons in pro leagues overseas.

The end result is a 2021 draft class that feels extremely talented within the top-four and then becomes something of a grab bag throughout the rest of the lottery. Devin Vassell is a long wing that is capable of playing the shooting guard or small forward positions, effectively. On the offensive end, he reminds me of Jeremy Lamb of the Indiana Pacers.

He's a capable shooter from outside, has a good mid-range game, and can finish around the rim as well. On the defensive end, he uses his length and instincts to be a high level defender. Overall, Vassell is a solid, well-rounded player, that does not make many mistakes. BYU Cougars senior Yoeli Childs was easily one of the most underrated players in college basketball this season, averaging 22.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game while shooting a stunning 22-for-45 (48.9%) on 3-pointers. The forward played a crucial role in helping BYU finish with a top-10 offense nationally this season, per KenPom. Among all Division I players who had as many pick-and-pop possessions, according to Synergy, only one was more efficient.

Meanwhile, his defensive rebound percentage ( 28.2%) was the best in the West Conference Conference. Payton Pritchard, who won four consecutive Oregon state titles at West Lynn High School, had been one of the top college players in the country. He averaged 20.5 points with 4.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 41.5% from 3-point range. Pritchard won Pac-12 Player of the Year and the Lute Olson Award for the most outstanding non-freshman in the nation.

He was Oregon's first consensus first-team All-American in 80 years. He is a low-ceiling, high-floor kind of player who may be able to make an impact as soon as next season on a two-way deal or and end-of-bench roster spot. Duke freshman Cassius Stanley is one of the most versatile offensive players in the 2020 draft class. He can play anywhere one through three, including moments as the primary ballhandler both in pick-and-roll and in transition. Stanley is an outstanding athlete, as he broke the school record for vertical leap set by Zion Williamson.

Stanley is one of the most electrifying prospects to come out of Los Angeles. He would be a great addition to his hometown Lakers, especially considering the organization does not have many draft picks over the next few years. Meantime, our two-round mock draft accounts for potential fit for every team that currently owns picks. Some teams, such as the Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Pelicans and Boston Celtics, have enough picks to trade up or turn them into higher picks for future years. Others, such as the Golden State Warriors, may want to trade down to select a player based on roster fit. Tyrese Haliburton battled injuries in his final year of college but it didn't slow him down enough to hide his lottery potential.

Standing 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, he looks like a wing but he plays the point, and does it extremely well. One of the best passers in college basketball he knows how to use his long arms to hook passes around defenders or see over the top of them to throw a skip. His jumper is one of the stranger releases that you're going to see from a prospect this year but he hits 3s at an incredible clip, finishing his college career at 43% from behind the arc at over four attempts per game.

Some teams will see him as a matchup problem at the point and some will see him as a secondary ball handler on the wing but however you slice it, he looks the part of an NBA starter. He's a physical point of attack defender who knows how to use angles to plug up dribble penetration and can use his long arms to deter dribble-drives or get into passing lanes when he's guarding away from the ball. Teams are going to fall in love with the maturity of his game that lacks sloppy turnovers or ill-advised gambles on the defensive end and he's someone that you can easily imagine in an NBA rotation. This year's draft lacks some star power and high-end talent and when it gets to this point in the lottery teams might value a safe 3-and-D pick like Vassell over taking a swing at a boom-or-bust guy. More and more NBA teams are looking for versatile defensive wings that can switch onto anyone on the floor and in Isaac Okoro, a team is going to get a player considered to be the best defender in the class.

He has a body that's NBA ready and a motor unlike any of his peers and any team in the league could find a place in their rotation for a wing with his defensive excellence. His jumper could use work and he's not someone who is ever going to be the first, or second, or even third most important offensive player on a floor but his defence and energy level will endear himself to GMs. With a stacked roster, the Nets could use the draft to add some defensive help. Henry enters the draft as perhaps one of the top defensive options, earning Big Ten All-Defensive team honors.

He averaged 15.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocked shots in 28 games last season. He measured in with a 6-foot-10 wingspan at the combine and would give Brooklyn added length on defense. He is considered by most to be a late first-rounder to early second-rounder, so the Nets likely wouldn't be reaching too much here.

Jackson was named to the SEC All-Defensive team after averaging 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots in 25 games as a freshman. He led all SEC players in blocks while he ranked 15th in the nation, recording at least three blocks in nine games. Certainly, his 7-foot-5 wingspan was on full display last season and that could be highly intriguing for the Knicks here.

Jackson recently withdrew from the NBA draft combine, fueling speculation he has received a promise from a team. Duarte was named to the All-Pac 12 first team after averaging 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals in 29 games as a senior. He was one of only two Division I players to average at least 17 points and 1.9 steals on 50% shooting from the field.

He is rumored to have a first-round draft promise after skipping the combine, and his ability to play both guard positions would be a welcomed addition to the Hawks. He led the Pac-12 in steals and would give Atlanta a strong defensive option. The Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year projects to fill a few needs as a player that can defend the paint and space the floor. He averaged 8.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in 26 games last season on 38.2% from 3-point range.

Plus, his ability on offense in the paint would make for a good pairing with Ja Morant as an instant lob threat. Depending on how you rank some other bigs, Jones has the potential to be behind Evan Mobley as the second-best in this draft class. Mitchell, who led the Bears to the national championship, was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 14.1 points, 5.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.9 steals 30 games.

He also became the first player in program history to be named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Mitchell projects to be one of the most NBA-ready players with his defensive ability and shot-making after converting on 44.7% from 3-point range on 4.7 attempts per game. The Warriors are certainly in win-now mode and his explosiveness and skills as a ballhandler will be a welcomed addition, on top of his potential to be the best defender in this draft.

External video 2020 NBA Draft Lottery Drawing, NBA's official YouTube channel. August 20, 2020.The NBA draft lottery is held annually to determine the draft order for the teams that did not make the playoffs in the preceding season. Every NBA team that missed the NBA playoffs holds a chance at winning a top-four pick, but teams with worse records have a better chance at winning a top-four pick, effective as of the 2019 draft. After the lottery selects the teams that receive a top-four pick, the other teams receive an NBA draft pick based on their winning percentage from the prior season.

As it is commonplace in the event of identical win-loss records, the NBA performs a random drawing to break ties for not just lottery teams, but also for playoff teams with equal records. This year, the Sacramento Kings won a tiebreaker for the draft lottery over the New Orleans Pelicans despite having a better overall record to conclude the regular season, bubble games included. At the start of this year's draft combine, only 60 prospects were confirmed to participate in this event. J. Hampton was also invited as an automatically eligible draft prospect for this year, both representing Australia's NBL as outsider Rising Stars for different teams. Like with prior years, players still held the option to either sit out the combine or have only limited participation there, such as with LaMelo Ball doing interviews with teams only.