Some notes in our second look since the Draft Lottery, which saw the Minnesota Timberwolves land the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Remember, the Consensus Mock Draft is a compilation of the best mock drafts around the web. We bring them together to come up with a good estimate of how the Draft could play out (last update: Sept. 29, 11:44 p.m. ET):
• Since our first look, five of the 10 mock drafts (The Ringer, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, Tankathon and CBA Sports) have been updated, giving us a more recent idea of what teams are going to do. There hasn’t been a lot of change, but three players, in particular, have seen their stock rise – Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith and Patrick Williams.
• As mentioned, Obi Toppin has seen a considerable jump, thanks in part to CBS Sports and The Athletic both bumping him up to No. 5. Dayton’s athletic big man is still likely to go anywhere from No. 3 to No. 6, but now his lowest estimate is 8th. He’s a lottery lock, and likely won’t make it past No. 6.
• It’s still not a complete consensus at No. 1, but pretty close. Seven of our 10 mock drafts envision the Minnesota Timberwolves taking Georgia’s Anthony Edwards with the No. 1 pick. Pairing Edwards with D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns could make for a solid trio for years to come. The three mock drafts not going with Edwards are ESPN, The Athletic and NetScouts – they all think the Wolves will take LaMelo Ball.
• Speaking of LaMelo Ball, there’s still no real consensus with the dynamic playmaker who spent last season in Australia playing with the Illawara Hawks. He’s spread pretty evenly between the top 4 picks, but only one mock (SI.com) has him slipping past No. 3.
• Things could get interesting with the No. 2 pick. The Warriors will have stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson back from injury, so will they want to add a young player to the mix, or could they look to deal the pick for a more proven, established star? Whatever they do, they’ve got options, and most mocks (6 of 10) think the Warriors will grab Memphis big man James Wiseman. Having an athletic big man could be an enticing addition, but another option would be to add LaMelo Ball to the backcourt and let him run wild with Curry and Thompson. Wiseman is an interesting prospect — while he is most likely to go No. 2, he is lower than Ball in our calculations, thanks to two mocks dropping him as low as No. 6 (Yahoo Sports) and No. 7 (SB Nation).
• Deni Avdija is likely going to be the first-ever Israeli player drafted in the lottery, as most still see him going either to the Cavaliers at No. 4 or the Bulls at No. 5 (shows up four times here). The Ringer went so far as to bump him to No. 2 to the Warriors, and his stock could continue to rise as teams get more info on the Maccabi Tel-Aviv product.
• Florida State still looks likely to have two players drafted in the Lottery. Devin Vassell shows up on all 10 mock drafts, going as high as No. 8 and as low as 11th. Patrick Williams, meanwhile, also appears on all 10 mocks, but also saw his landing spot go up in all five of the mock drafts that have updated. Outside of Edwards going No. 1, Williams to the Spurs at No. 11 is the pick that most mock drafts agree upon. Six of the 10 see him in San Antonio, but The Ringer also sees him actually going to the Knicks at No. 8.
• One random name that shows up high in one mock draft is Kira Lewis, Jr. CBS Sports sees the Alabama point guard going to the Knicks at No. 8, but only one of the other nine mocks (Net Scouts, who have him at No. 14) see him being picked in the Lottery.
• Ten players appear on all 10 mocks we survey: Edwards, Wiseman, Ball, Avdija, Onyeka Okongwu, Toppin, Isaac Okoro, Tyrese Haliburton, Killian Hayes and Patrick Williams.
MOST COMMON PICKS
No. 1 (Timberwolves): Anthony Edwards (7)
No. 2 (Warriors): LaMelo Ball (4)
No. 3 (Hornets): James Wiseman (4)
No. 4 (Bulls): Deni Avdija (3)
No. 5 (Cavaliers): Deni Avdija, Obi Toppin (4)
No. 6 (Hawks): Onyeka Okongwu, Tyrese Haliburton (3)
No. 7 (Pistons): Killian Hayes, Onyeka Okongwu (3)
No. 8 (Knicks): Devin Vassell (3)
No. 9 (Wizards): Onyeka Okongwu (3)
No. 10 (Suns): Aaron Nesmith (3)
No. 11 (Spurs): Patrick Williams (6)
No. 12 (Kings): Precious Achiuwa,Saddiq Bey, Aaron Nesmith, Devin Vassell (2)
No. 13 (Pelicans): Saddiq Bey (4)
No. 14 (Celtics): Cole Anthony (3)
Most common (above): Pick at which the player is most commonly projected, with number of mock drafts in parentheses. For example, Anthony Edwards is projected to go 1st in seven of the 10 mock drafts listed below.
Top 14 (below): To calculate the consensus, we award 14 points for every mock draft in which the player went first overall, 13 for second, continuing to one point for the final lottery pick. The player with the highest point total represents the top overall selection, which is as follows:
1. Anthony Edwards | Minnesota Timberwolves
Georgia | Position: G | Height: 6-5
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 1 (7)
Athletic scorer has the ability and explosiveness to score in transition or as a spot-up shooter; should contribute immediately and eventually become a franchise-changing star
2. LaMelo Ball | Golden State Warriors
Illawarra Hawks (NBL)| Position: G | Height: 6-7
Status: International
Most Common: 2 (4)
Dynamic ballhandler with innate passing ability who can step in immediately as a team’s point guard. Will need to work on his shot, but Ball is a franchise-changing guard
3. James Wiseman | Charlotte Hornets
Memphis | Position: C | Height: 7-1
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 3 (4)
Skilled big man has the size combined with athleticism to potentially become a dominant force on both ends of the floor
4. Deni Avdija | Chicago Bulls
Maccabi Tel Aviv | Position: G/F | Height: 6-9
Status: International
Most Common: 5 (4)
Plays like a guard, but has the size and length to give defenders fits; Aggressive, competitive playmaker with a great feel for the game
5. Obi Toppin | Cleveland Cavaliers
Dayton | Position: PF | Height: 6-9
Status: Sophomore
Most Common: 5 (4)
Dynamic athlete who was National Player of the Year thanks to big dunks and ability to shoot from the outside; combination of size and athleticism make him an intriguing option
6. Onyeka Okongwu | Atlanta Hawks
USC | Position: C | Height: 6-9
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 6, 9 (3)
Raw, athletic big man has size and agility to become major finisher above the rim; Long wingspan and quickness make him potentially elite rim protector
7. Tyrese Haliburton | Detroit Pistons
Iowa State | Position: G | Height: 6-5
Status: Sophomore
Most Common: 6 (3)
Scoring guard put up good numbers (50.4% FG, 41.9% 3FG) in college; has the size and wingspan who can defend on the other end
8. Killian Hayes | New York Knicks
Ulm, France | Position: G | Height: 6-5
Status: International
Most Common: 7, 10 (3)
American-born lefty shooter who played overseas has raw talent and playmaking ability, but needs to improve on shooting
9. Isaac Okoro | Washington Wizards
Auburn | Position: F | Height: 6-6
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 5, 7, 9 (3)
A difference maker on both ends of the floor; can shut down opposing guards with a unique skillset, but needs to work on offensive game
10. Devin Vassell | Phoenix Suns
Florida State | Position: G/F | Height: 6-7
Status: Sophomore
Most Common: 8 (3)
Multifaceted, athletic wing with all-around game that should translate well to NBA; Has explosiveness and leaping ability who can also shoot well from the outside
11. Patrick Williams | San Antonio Spurs
Florida State | Position: SF | Height: 6-8
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 11 (3)
Young big man has all the physical tools to become a lockdown defender; raw on offensive side of the ball, but showed flashes of a midrange game
12. Aaron Nesmith | Sacramento Kings
Vanderbilt | Position: F | Height: 6-6
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 11 (3)
Possibly the best shooter in the draft, one who can score off the dribble, catch-and-shoot or in transition; has the size and length to become an elite player on both ends of the floor
13. Saddiq Bey | New Orleans Pelicans
Villanova | Position: G/F | Height: 6-8
Status: Sophomore
Most Common: 13 (3)
Prototypical 3-and-D player who can score in a variety of ways and defend multiple positions
14. Precious Achiuwa | Boston Celtics
Memphis | Position: PF | Height: 6-9
Status: Freshman
Most Common: 8, 12, 13, 14 (1)
High-energy, athletic defender who has the size and athleticism to guard several positions; Explosive on offense, but needs to work on offensive skillset
Last updated: Sept. 29, 2020 (11:44 p.m. ET)
MOCK DRAFTS
ESPN.com
1. LaMelo Ball
2. Anthony Edwards
3. LaMelo Ball
4. Obi Toppin
5. Deni Avdija
6. Onyeka Okongwu
7. Tyrese Haliburton
8. Isaac Okoro
9. Precious Achiuwa
10. Aaron Nesmith
11. Devin Vassell
12. Saddiq Bey
13. Patrick Williams
14. Killian Hayes
Last updated: Aug. 21
The Ringer
1. Anthony Edwards
2. Deni Avdija
3. LaMelo Ball
4. James Wiseman
5. Isaac Okoro
6. Obi ToppinDevin Vassell
7. Killian Hayes
8. Patrick Williams
9. Onyeka Okongwu
10. Tyrese Haliburton
11. Devin Vassell
12. Precious Achiuwa
13. Jalen Smith
14. Aleksej Pokusevski
Last updated: Sept. 14
The Athletic
1. LaMelo Ball
2. Anthony Edwards
3. James Wiseman
4. Deni Avdija
5. Obi Toppin
6. Tyrese Haliburton
7. Isaac Okoro
8. Killian Hayes
9. Onyeka Okongwu
10. Devin Vassell
11. Patrick Williams
12. Aaron Nesmith
13. Saddiq Bey
14. Aleksej Pkusevski
Last updated: Sept. 3
SI.com
1. Anthony Edwards
2. James Wiseman
3. Obi Toppin
4. LaMelo Ball
5. Onyeka Okongwu
6. Tyrese Haliburton
7. Isaac Okoro
8. Deni Avdija
9. Devin Vassell
10. Killian Hayes
11. Patrick Williams
12. Aaron Nesmith
13. Saddiq Bey
14. Theo Maledon
Last updated: Aug. 20
Yahoo Sports
1. Anthony Edwards
2. LaMelo Ball
3. Obi Toppin
4. Tyrese Haliburton
5. Deni Avdija
6. James Wiseman
7. Onyeka Okongwu
8. Killian Hayes
9. Isaac Okoro
10. Aaron Nesmith
11. Patrick Williams
12. Devin Vassell
13. Precious Achiuwa
14. Cole Anthony
Last updated: Aug. 20
Bleacher Report
1. Anthony Edwards
2. LaMelo Ball
3. James Wiseman
4. Deni Avdija
5. Obi Toppin
6. Onyeka Okongwu
7. Tyrese Haliburton
8. Devin Vassell
9. Isaac Okoro
10. Killian Hayes
11. Patrick Williams
12. Saddiq Bey
13. Jalen Smith
14. Cole Anthony
Last updated: Sept. 23
NetScouts Basketball
1. LaMelo Ball
2. James Wiseman
3. Anthony Edwards
4. Onyeka Okongwu
5. Dani Avdija
6. Obi Toppin
7. Killian Hayes
8. Devin Vassell
9. Tyrese Haliburton
10. Isaac Okoro
11. Aaron Nesmith
12. Cole Anthony
13. Patrick Williams
14. Kira Lewis, Jr.
Last updated: Aug. 20
Tankathon
1. Anthony Edwards
2. James Wiseman
3. LaMelo Ball
4. Killian Hayes
5. Deni Avdija
6. Onyeka Okongwu
7. Isaac Okoro
8. Obi Toppin
9. Devin Vassell
10. Tyrese Haliburton
11. Aaron Nesmith
12. Precious Achiuwa
13. Saddiq Bey
14. Patrick Williams
Last updated: Aug. 28
CBS Sports
1. Anthony Edwards
2. LaMelo Ball
3. James Wiseman
4. Deni Avdija
5. Obi Toppin
6. Tyrese Haliburton
7. Killian Hayes
8. Kira Lewis, Jr.
9. Onyeka Okongwu
10. Aaron Nesmith
11. Patrick Williams
12. Devin Vassell
13. Saddiq Bey
14. Isaac Okoro
Last updated: Sept. 15
SB Nation
1. Anthony Edwards
2. LaMelo Ball
3. Onyeka Okongwu
4. Killian Hayes
5. Obi Toppin
6. Deni Avdija
7. James Wiseman
8. Devin Vassell
9. Tyrese Haliburton
10. Tyrese Maxey
11. Patrick Williams
12. Isaac Okoro
13. Aleksej Pokusevski
14. Cole Anthony
Last updated: Aug. 20
* * *
ESPN Insider: Jonathan Givony
The Ringer: Kevin O’Connor
The Athletic: Sam Vecenie
SI.com: Jeremy Woo
Bleacher Report: Jonathan Wasserman
Yahoo Sports: Krysten Peek
NetScouts Basketball: Carl Berman
CBS Sports: Kyle Boone
SB Nation: Ricky O’Donnell
