Who says NBA Draft prospects can't improve their stock during a pandemic? James Wiseman, who slipped all the way to No. 8 during the first CBS Sports HQ NBA Mock Draft Monday of 2020, made a massive resurgence in this week's re-draft.
CBS Sports basketball analyst and former NBA coach Avery Johnson took Wiseman No. 1 overall in the second CBS Sports HQ live NBA mock draft of the year on Monday. Dayton's Obi Toppin went No. 2 overall and Anthony Edwards went. No. 3 overall.
Johnson played the part of the Warriors' front office while making the selection and praised the promise of Wiseman, who played just three games at Memphis in the 2019-20 season before withdrawing from school amid NCAA eligibility issues in order to prepare for the draft.
Wiseman's rise meant that LaMelo Ball took a tumble. The younger brother of Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball slipped to the Knicks at No. 6 in Monday's mock draft after he was taken No. 1 overall in May's mock draft. The Ball family in New York? That has some serious reality TV potential. And it's a steal for the Knicks as Ball would pair nicely with R.J. Barrett to provide the franchise with one of the most talented young backcourts in the league.
Here is how the first round of the draft played out, as selected by our team of experts.
2020 CBS Sports HQ NBA Draft
Pick | Team | Player | School/Country |
---|
1 | Warriors | James Wiseman, C | Memphis |
2 | Timberwolves | Obi Toppin, PF
| Dayton |
3 | Pistons | Anthony Edwards, SG
| Georgia |
4 | Hawks | Onyeka Okongwu, C | USC |
5 | Cavaliers | Deni Avdija, SF
| Israel |
6 | Knicks | LaMelo Ball, PG
| Australia |
7 | Bulls | Isaac Okoro, SF | Auburn |
8 | Hornets | Killian Hayes, SF | France |
9 | Wizards | Isaiah Stewart, C
| Washington |
10 | Suns | Tyrese Haliburton, PG
| Iowa State |
11 | Spurs | Patrick Williams, SF
| Florida State |
12 | Kings | R.J. Hampton, SG
| New Zealand |
13 | Pelicans | Precious Achiuwa, PF
| Memphis |
14 | Trail Blazers | Aaron Nesmith, SF
| Vanderbilt |
15 | Magic | Tyrese Maxey, F
| Kentucky |
16 | Timberwolves (via Nets) | Devin Vassell, SF
| Florida State |
17 | Celtics (via Grizzlies) | Theo Maledon, PG
| France |
18 | Mavericks | Aleksej Pokusevski, C
| Serbia |
19 | Bucks (via Pacers) | Kira Lewis Jr., PG | Alabama |
20 | Nets (via 76ers) | Jalen Smith, C | Maryland |
21 | Nuggets (via Rockets) | Tre Jones, PG | Duke |
22 | 76ers (via Thunder) | Nico Mannion, PG | Arizona |
23 | Heat | Jaden McDaniels, PF | Washington |
24 | Jazz | Jahmi'us Ramsey, SG | Texas Tech |
25 | Thunder (via Nuggets) | Xavier Tillman, PF | Michigan State |
26 | Celtics | Josh Green, SG | Arizona |
27 | Knicks (via Clippers) | Vernon Carey Jr., C | Duke |
28 | Raptors | Cassius Winston, PG | Michigan State |
29 | Lakers | Zeke Nnaji, C | Arizona |
30 | Celtics (via Bucks) | Cole Anthony | North Carolina |