2020 Nba Draft Lottery Prospects

It's not totally unfair to posit that Barnes is the closest any prospect has come to fitting the Draymond Green mold, from his unique defensive versatility, intelligence and playmaking skills down to his iffy jump shot. While his shooting is likely to be an impediment to some extent, his ability to handle the ball and make plays for teammates should allow for creative offensive deployment that masks some of his weaknesses. Barnes isn't an elite run-jump athlete, but he's strong, coordinated, and his basketball IQ is off the charts.

He's matured a lot over the past couple years and learned to channel his competitiveness, and it's easy to see NBA decision-makers falling in love with him pretty quickly. Barnes is one of the more unique prospects in the draft, and should be fully-showcased at Florida State in a more obvious way than lottery-level predecessors Patrick Williams and Devin Vassell. His overall floor game is sound—he's an underrated passer, understands how to be effective without dominating the ball, and has shown solid awareness on the defensive end, where his size and length are a plus.

These issues predate his time in college, and will ultimately be a crucial piece of the eval for teams. I have little doubt he'll hold down the No. 1 spot on this board from now until whenever the draft actually takes place. Cunningham's plus-plus size, sublime basketball IQ, mature shot selection, ambidextrous, visionary passing and strong defensive chops make him as well-rounded a teenage guard prospect as you'll find. He checks the right boxes off the floor, and is well-suited to assume leadership of a winning team early in his career. The Luka Doncic comparisons are obviously unfair—the Mavericks star is a generational, MVP-caliber player at age 21—but the fiber of Cunningham's game is not dissimilar.

He's not an explosive athlete in tight spaces, but his internal clock and ability to process gameflow in the moment surpasses that of any college freshman in the past decade, at least. There is obvious All-Star potential here, with the worst-case floor being a highly capable starting guard. His decision to join the G League Ignite program rather than attend UCLA added another layer of complexity to the eval.

But Nix has a chance to really solidify lottery status as scouts are eventually allowed more access to him, boasting great positional size, immense feel and competitive tendencies, and high-end passing skills and vision. He's built thickly for a point guard yet isn't physically dominant, but Nix has unusually nimble feet and quick hands that give him an advantage creating off the dribble as well as defending the perimeter. He processes the floor at a high level already, delivering accurate passes with both hands from different spots on the floor. His finishing at the rim and his jumper have to improve a bit—mechanically, he's more of a set shooter—but Nix has all the makings of a starting-caliber point guard.

He should be the second one off the board in this draft if all goes well from here. Mobley is almost certain to be the first big off the board in this draft, gifted with impactful length (he's measured with a 7'4" wingspan) and timing as a shot-blocker and a budding face-up game. He's the galvanizing force for an otherwise underwhelming USC team, and his ability to wipe away a segment of the floor as a mobile rim protector has been a pretty big equalizer at the college level so far. Mobley is also a plus passer and ball-handler at his size and has some basic shooting ability, giving him some extra perimeter value operating as a screener and eventually, as a secondary playmaker.

He's athletic but not crazy explosive, and needs to add more strength to his narrow frame, but rarely do you find gifted rim-protecting prospects with such projectable offensive versatility. His play was up and down as a high school senior, which saw him cede the top spot in most recruiting rankings, but at the end of the day, Mobley fits the bill as a top-five prospect. And as recent drafts have shown, the changing nature of the center position isn't stopping NBA teams from investing in high-ceiling bigs anytime soon. It became clear coming into the season that Johnson would need to shoulder the load for Duke's group to fulfill its potential.

Prospects with his combination of body type and skill set are few and far between, and rarely last long on draft night. Johnson is an exceptional passer and is at his best playing in transition, where his vision, strength and ability to change speeds make him difficult to stop. There aren't many athletes his size at any level with the same caliber of creativity as a playmaker, and if he can begin to make it work more effectively in the halfcourt, where he plays more away from the ball, all the better. Johnson's jumper has never been a strength and remains a key to fully unlocking his ability, but at a glance, his shot does look a bit better mechanically than it has in the past. Defenders will start to sag off if Johnson can't keep them honest, but his sheer size is a major equalizer that should allow him to get into the paint and create for others effectively. When he's fully engaged, Johnson tends to impact gameflow positively with small, intelligent plays on both ends of the floor.

NBA teams have expressed maturity concerns in the past, but a strong year at Duke would go a long way. A freaky athlete who has begun to make a name for himself at youth levels, Begarin's physical tools and improving skill level make him a fascinating long-term prospect and potential first-round talent. He competes hard, can play above the rim, has open-floor speed and has major defensive potential with his length and lateral agility.

I watched him live at Basketball Without Borders in February and came away concerned with his loose handle and iffy jump shot. As a result of those issues Begarin isn't a consistent scorer in the halfcourt, nor is he a very creative player, and he projects better as an energy wing than a legit scorer at this point. You can see a clear pathway to the NBA for him if his feel and skills improve, and he's young enough that there's plenty of time for that to happen. He's raw, but the type of project a team could easily justify bringing over early to develop.

Begarin will spend another year playing at a low level in France's Pro B, where he'll take on a larger role and have a chance at the first round. A native of Congo, Kuminga has been a somewhat elusive player to scout over the past year, with scheduled appearances at various events often scuttled by injury and unavailability. His long-term success is largely tied to the progress of his jump shot, but as a strong, explosive combo forward who can handle and playmake, Kuminga offers quite a bit to work with. His chiseled frame and ability to get into the paint and finish off one or two dribbles are strong selling points, and he's worked hard on his perimeter game over the past couple years.

On the other hand, his tendency to play bully-ball rather than beat defenders with skill does raise some concern about translation, and stresses a need to improve his handle . He might be best suited at power forward in the NBA, where he could theoretically space the floor, create athletic mismatches and switch defensively. Kuminga may be a less fully-realized player than some of his peers, but he's come a long way in a relatively short period of time.

He'll need to win teams over in the next few months, but his ceiling should be extremely attractive. The Texas sophomore didn't start playing organized basketball until he was 15 years old, but he's blossomed into a 6'11 forward with tantalizing flashes of long-term potential his short time with the Longhorns. Jones still doesn't start for his college team, but it's impossible to miss his talent when he is on the floor. Oozing with elite physical tools, Jones as a combination of length and quickness that can't be taught. He spent the offseason trying to become more of a catch-and-shoot threat, and he's hit 8-of-18 shots from deep so far.

His best basketball remains far in front of him, but Jones' natural talent could have some team gambling on him in the lottery. Garuba has earned a rotation role with Real Madrid as a teenager based on the strength of his outstanding athleticism, defensive versatility, mature frame, and advanced understanding of his role. Born in Spain to Nigerian parents, Garuba has been in Real Madrid's program from an early age and has become a decorated youth player for Spain's national team. As a result of being on the European fast-track, he's been on the NBA's radar for some time.

Garuba has shown dynamic ability as as a rim protector and switchable defender, possessing unusual degrees of lateral movement, change of direction and vertical explosiveness. Offensively, he's a solid finisher and plus passer, but concerns surrounding his jump shot, overall skill level, and that he may have been an early-bloomer. Regardless, he has a chance to anchor lineups defensively and add value as a rim-runner and roller. He's regarded as the top international prospect in this group, and if he can answer some of the offensive questions this season, he'll have a good shot at the lottery.

Florida State freshmanPatrick Williamshas been climbing in the aggregate mock draft rankings. He ranked No. 35 overall as recently as January and jumped up to No. 20 overall back in April. Williams, who won ACC's Sixth Man of the Year, is a versatile scorer who has been an effective shooter both off the catch and the dribble. But standing at 6-foot-8, the most exciting part of his game is that he has also been efficient as the ball handler in pick-and-roll sets.

With an NBA system behind him, Williams is someone teams view as the player with the most upside. Boston's flashes of tight ball handling and impressive pull-up shooting off the dribble at the high school level looked so tantalizing that we put him at No. 2 overall in our preseason mock. His freshman season at Kentucky has proven that hype was premature on our part. Boston has struggled badly trying to find consistency as a scorer, posting just 43.5 percent true shooting to start the season. The threat of his jump shot has pretty much disappeared as he's started the year 9-of-50 from three-point range.

Still only 19 years old, a team that focuses on getting him stronger could have a talented offensive wing down the line. Kispert was one of the better prospects to return to college, and his scorching start to the season will vault him squarely into the early mix as a mid-to-late first round option. He's likely to be one of the best shooters available (he made 43% of his threes on legit volume last season), with deep range, easy mechanics and natural touch from distance that should play up right away.

He can do damage running off screens or spotting up, remains a willing ball-mover, and should be a seamless fit as a floor-spacing wing. Crucially, Kispert's strong build should enable him to get by on defense, as well. His shooting figures to come back to earth eventually, but he's been unbelievably locked in so far, and there's not all that much to nitpick. Kispert profiles as a high-end shooter and bankable role player, at worst. With COVID-19 complications having delayed the start of Tennessee's season Johnson has yet to actually appear in a college game. He'll debut with high expectations, after fully breaking out at USA Basketball last summer, showcasing a gritty, versatile game and making an impact on both ends.

Johnson is a highly disruptive defender, with elite acceleration, instincts and hands that allow him to fly around and insert himself in plays. He's the type of player who doesn't need heavy touches to be valuable, and excels more in transition, where his athleticism and smarts become evident, than in halfcourt situations, where his weaknesses crop up a bit more. Johnson lacks a true calling-card skill on offense at this point, but he's an exceptional leaper who can play above the rim and slash downhill, despite the lack of an advanced handle.

His jumper has historically been inconsistent, and he's not huge for a wing—he's best suited as an off-ball player, and whatever progress he makes in that area will be critical. Still, his athleticism, feel and overall profile are highly promising, and a breakout season would likely solidify him as a lottery pick. For now, Green's athletic gifts and physical profile set him apart from a number of gifted scoring prospects in this draft. He boasts a terrific frame, quick-twitch burst, and the ability to consistently create separation and generate open looks for himself. Some of his bad high school habits manifested as a result, and he's often been a little too in love with his jumper and less effective than you'd hope operating in traffic.

Green did show some positive signs during his senior year, with flashes of strong passing ability and secondary playmaking potential. He has the balance and lateral quickness to be a strong perimeter defender. He's still a streaky shooter, and refining his decision-making away from hero ball and toward a team concept will be crucial. His time with the G League program, playing alongside veterans and gifted peers, should hopefully excise some of those issues.

If everything clicks, he may be the type of scorer to which you can hitch a winning offense. There's really not much holding Green back besides himself at this point, and he appears ticketed for a top-five selection one way or another. Butler has been arguably the best player in college basketball and on one of the two best teams in college basketball so far this season. The 6'3 junior guard has made massive improvements as an outside shooter over his three-year career, and has hit 42-of-93 (45.2 percent) deep shots to start his career. He's having the best playmaking season of his career (31.5 percent assist rate) and is scoring more efficiently inside the arc than ever before by making 52.4 percent of his two-point attempts. Butler's size may limit him to a one-position defender in the league, but he's been wrecking havoc in the passing lanes all year with a monstrous 4.5 percent steal rate for the No. 3 ranked unit in the country.

One of the best pure athletes in the class, Johnson is an explosive leaper and high-upside defensive prospect who is still learning how to pick his spots on the floor. Johnson is mostly an off-ball player for Tennessee as a freshman, looking for cutting lanes to the basket and attacking closeouts off spot-ups. Johnson's above the rim finishing will be his offensive calling card, and it's helped him make more than 50 percent of his two-point field goals so far.

Strangely, he's ranking only in the 14th percentile in transition opportunities, which is curious for a player with his physical gifts. The NBA team that takes him will have to work to develop his outside shot. Days is kind of an intriguing sleeper for the small ball era, with a near 7-foot wingpan, relentless motor, and quickness getting off the floor. He's been an elite offensive rebounder for some time, and should get a slight bump in minutes this season with Emmitt Williams gone. Days is tenacious fighting for the ball, has the athleticism to live under the rim, and is a streaky but able three-point shooter.

Due to size and skill constraints, his offensive role may be a bit limited, and his game is pretty simple. Days is a fringy prospect, but could be interesting on a two-way as a potential glue guy. Hukporti looked like the best prospect at this year's Basketball Without Borders Global Camp, where he won MVP and left a strong impression playing front of numerous NBA decision-makers.

Born in Germany to Togolese parents, Hukporti will spend this season in Lithuania after winning MVP of Germany's Under-19 league with Ludwigsburg. He's also a solid finisher with touch in the paint, and has above-average ball skills and some shooting potential. Scouts have had questions about Hukporti's motor over the years, and teams will track his development closely to see how he adjusts to playing older competition. If he continues trending in a positive direction, he'll have a real shot at the first round. The top returning college prospect on our list, Bouknight has shown positive growth in the earlygoing and is on his way to affirming himself as a first-rounder.

While he mostly flew under the radar from a draft perspective, he begin breaking out toward the end of last season and was drawing interest from NBA execs who paid careful attention before he decided to return to UConn. Bouknight is an athletic slasher with a solid jump shot, and couples a nice all-around skill set with deliberate decision-making and demonstrable effort at all times. He'll have to keep improving his handle and working on getting separation when creating shots for himself, but there aren't many pronounced holes in his game. Bouknight manages to be high-volume without being selfish or ball-dominant, and has an advanced understanding of how to pick his spots and limit mistakes.

There's a lot to like here, and he should become a more popular name in league circles in the coming weeks. No player has used the first few weeks of college games to his advantage more than Suggs, who was generally viewed as more of a back-half lottery talent and is certainly trending up. It's only December, and Suggs has benefitted from a favorable team context, but his all-around athletic package and improved floor game have shone through in the earlygoing.

Suggs isn't particularly long, but he's laterally agile and covers ground quickly from a standstill, making him an obvious plus on the defensive end and in transition, where he loves to advance the ball with the pass. Teams will track the progress of his jumper closely — he's looked a bit better mechanically, but he's looked like an inconsistent shooter in the past, and has room to improve creating off the dribble. But it's hard to be too critical of anything Suggs has done so far, and even if he's more hyper-athletic utility guard than high-usage playmaker, there's plenty to like. His fearlessness and competitive engine are an added bonus, and point to a reliable floor. No one had a bigger fall than UNC's Cole Anthony when looking at the first aggregate mock draft projections (No. 2 overall) last year until now.