Tracking latest players to declare for 2020 NBA Draft

With the NBA season on hold and college basketball essentially being canceled, prospects are beginning to declare for the 2020 NBA Draft. The first to do so was potential No. 1 overall pick Anthony Edwards, the scoring guard out of Georgia. While the League is on pause, we certainly are not, so we’ll be keeping an eye on every prospect that has declared for the 2020 NBA Draft. Here’s the tracker below:

Saddiq Bey, F, Villanova

Date Declared: June 9
Draft Range: Mid-to-Late First Round

LaMelo Ball, G, Illawarra Nighthawks (NBL)

Date Declared: April 28
Draft Range: Potential No. 1 overall pick

Analysis: Overnight in the least surprising news, Ball officially declared for the 2020 NBA Draft. The Ball brother is expected to go No. 1 overall in the draft to whoever wins the lottery. It isn’t set in stone, but Ball is easily the most talented player in this year’s draft class. He played this season overseas in Australia in the NBL. Ball may come with the family circus, but his talents far outweigh any potential negative Lavar Ball could carry to any team.

Cole Anthony, G, North Carolina

Date Declared: April 17
Draft Range: Lottery-First Round

Analysis: Anthony was projected as going in the top 5 or even as high as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. The issue is he spent most of this season with UNC injured and underwent surgery in January to repair a torn meniscus in his knee. Usually pre-draft knee surgery is a killer for prospects’ draft stock that year. Thus, Anthony could drop down on boards, though he’s got top 5 talent.

Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington

Date Declared: April 15
Draft Range: Lottery-First Round

Analysis: McDaniels is the latest freshman to be one-and-done after a canceled NCAA Touranment. ESPN has McDaniels projected to go somewhere in the middle of the first round. McDaniels is an athletic wing who should fit in nicely in the NBA. The issue is he’s still very young and unpolished. McDaniels will need a lot of coaching and to bulk up so he fits more as a 3-4 hybrid rather than trying to fit in as a long, oversized 2-guard.

Josh Green, F, Arizona

Date Declared: April 10
Draft Range: Lottery

Analysis: Green is the third freshman from Arizona to declare for the draft, joining Nico Mannion and Zeke Nnaji. Green is a long 6-foot-10 with a wide wingspan, so he’s got your prototypical wing body for the NBA. Thus why he’s got lottery appeal in a weak draft. Green could develop into a solid 3-and-D wing in the League.

Ty-Shon Alexander, G, Creighton

Date Declared: April 10
Draft Range: First Round

Analysis: Alexander, a junior guard, was the leading scorer for a top 10 Creighton squad that had title aspirations before the NCAA Tournament was canceled. He averaged 16.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game this season. Alexander is an Oak Hill alum, though he opted to head to the Big East to play for the Bluejays. At 6-foot-4, Alexander projects as a combo guard of sorts. He’s a bit undersized for the 2 spot but isn’t a traditional PG.

Luke Garza, F/C, Iowa

Date Declared: April 10
Draft Range: Second Round/Undrafted

Analysis: Garza is a junior at Iowa and will maintain his senior eligibility by opting not to hire an agent.

Robert Woodard II, F, Mississippi State

Date Declared: April 9
Draft Range: First Round

Cassius Stanley, G, Duke

Date Declared: April 7
Draft Range: Second round

Nico Mannion, G, Arizona

Date Declared: April 7
Draft Range: Late lottery pick

Analysis: Mannion just completed his freshman season at Arizona and was a highly touted prospect out of high school. He’s going to be a 1-and-done for the Wildcats and is considered to be one of the stronger point guards in a weak draft class.

Jordan Nwora, G/F, Louisville

Date Declared: April 6
Draft Range: late first round

Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky

Date Declared: April 6
Draft Range: Lottery

Analysis: Maxey was a freshman at Kentucky, so this isn’t a very surprising decision from the NBA factory. He averaged 14 points and 3.2 assists per game this past season with the Wildcats. Maxey is an intriguing prospect, but the real appeal here is the UK ties. Kentucky players have notoriously been successful in the NBA over the past decade or so. Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Julius Randle, De’Aaron Fox and Bam Adebayo to name a few.

— Zweiman

Remy Martin, G, Arizona State

Date Declared: March 30
Draft Range: Second Round/Undrafted

Analysis: A polished point guard, if not fantastic, Martin was on his way to making the NCAA Tournament for the third time in three years. With 19.1 points per game and 4.1 assists in 2019-20, he’s more of a scorer than a playmaker, which can be tough at his generous 6’0 height. Only a career 33.2% shooter from three-point range, as a junior he would still have the ability to go back to the Sun Devils if he didn’t like his grade after the draft process. — Sherwin

Isaiah Livers, G/F, Michigan

Date Declared: March 30
Draft Range: Second Round/Undrafted

Analysis: Livers averaged 12.9 points and 4.0 rebounds in 21 games last season, missing 10 due to injury. He’s a solid three-point shooter at 40.2% from downtown, but lacks some of the elite athleticism required at the next level despite some highlight reel dunks. Right now he’s projected most places as a second-round pick or to be an undrafted free agent. — Sherwin

Patrick Williams, F, Florida State

Date Declared: March 27
Draft Range: First round

Analysis: Williams was the ACC sixth man of the year, averaging 9.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in his only year of college basketball. He only shoots 32% from three-point range, but he brings plenty of energy and athleticism that projects well at the next level. Probably not a lottery pick, but could still land in the first round as a long and bouncy rim protector.

Killian Hayes, PG, Germany

Date Declared: March 27
Draft Range: Lottery
Potential NBA Destinations: Wizards, Bulls, Kings, Pelicans

Fatts Russell, G, Rhode Island

Date Declared: March 27
Draft Range: Second Round/Undrafted

Onyeka Okongwu, F/C, USC

Date Declared: March 25
Draft Range: Lottery
Possible NBA Destinations: Pistons, Knicks, Suns, Wizards

Analysis: Okongwu was the highest ranked center in the 2019 recruiting class, and he leaves USC after just one season. He’s got a huge motor, and averaged 16.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game for the Trojans. His total game isn’t there yet, but he’s got plenty of elite skills to develop, especially on the defensive end and on the boards. He’s a more traditional center that might struggle in a five-out system, but could develop into a nice piece on offense and a terrific rim protector.

— Collin Sherwin, CBB Deputy Editor

Obi Toppin, F/C, Dayton

Date Declared: March 25
Draft Range: Lottery
Possible NBA Destinations: Spurs, Pelicans, Wizards, Hornets

Analysis: It’s either Luka Garza or Toppin for 2020 National Player of The Year, and Toppin is very unlikely to fall out of the lottery. He’s a perfect evolution of what you want in the modern NBA: a shooter that has freaky athleticism. He’s a classic “stretch 4” that can either be on the perimeter or catch everything thrown to him in the dunk spot.

The key will be his defense, as at Dayton he didn’t show a ton of appetite for that or rebounding. But that can be coached at the next level.

— Collin Sherwin, CBB Deputy Editor

Kenyon Martin Jr., F, IMG Academy

Date Declared: March 24
Draft Range: Second Round/Undrafted

Analysis: Forward Kenyon Martin Jr., son of former NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin, has declared for the 2020 NBA Draft, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported late Tuesday night. Martin was doing a post-graduate season at IMG Academy, thus allowing him to be eligible for this year’s draft. He had previously committed to Vanderbilt before deciding to skip college and prepare for the NBA.

Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State

Date Declared: March 24
Draft Range: Top 10-15
Potential NBA Destinations: Spurs, Suns, Wizards

Analysis: Haliburton was averaging 15.2 points, 6.5 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game in his sophomore season for the Cyclones. He went down due to a fractured wrist in February and we’ll see if that has any impact on his 3-point shot. Haliburton was a career 43% 3-point shooter for ISU over two seasons. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the news.

Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia

Date declared: March 20
Draft Range: Top 5
Potential NBA Destinations: Knicks, Cavaliers, Hawks, Warriors

Edwards is a freak athlete, and plays with great defensive intensity. But we’re not telling tales out of school by mentioning he can’t shoot. Only 29.4% of his three-point attempts went in this season, and a lot of that was because there was no one else on his team that could score (or do much of anything). He also had to take 7.7 per game because the offense was a lot of teammates watching him dribble. But he can do this:

And he can get after it defensively and be a real on-ball and off-ball menace. He’s not an All-Star unless he finds a jumper that’s at least league-average, but the tools are there and don’t forget he’s just 18 years old until August.

— Collin Sherwin, CBB Deputy Editor

Daniel Oturu, C, Minnesota

Date Declared: March 23
Draft Range: Second Round

Analysis: Oturu expressed his intention to enter the 2020 NBA Draft, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday afternoon.

Devin Vassell, G, Florida State

Date Declared: March 23
Draft Range: Top 20

Analysis: Vassell does what all guards at FSU are forced to do; defend at a high level. It shows how committed Leonard Hamilton is to defense in that he had a potential lottery pick not start a game his freshman year in Tallahassee because he wasn’t ready to guard people in the ACC.

But his 6-9 wingspan and active hands, with his ability to put the ball on the deck and score, aren’t what make him an NBA player. It’s the 41.7% shooting percentage from three-point range in two years of college basketball. And that projects really well to the NBA.

— Collin Sherwin, CBB Deputy Editor

Elijah Hughes, G/F, Syracuse

Date Declared: March 21
Draft Range: Second round

Analysis: Hughes averaged 19.0 points 4.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game for the Orange this season. He transferred from East Carolina after the 2016-17 season and sat a year in residence before starting all 66 games in his Syracuse career.

— Collin Sherwin, CBB Deputy Editor

Tre Jones, PG, Duke

Date Declared: March 21
Draft Range: First round

Analysis: Jones was named ACC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year for the Blue Devils. He averaged 16.2 points, 6.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 36.1% from 3-point range this season. Jones is the brother of Memphis Grizzlies PG Tyus Jones, who also played at Duke, helping them win a National Championship in 2015.

— Ben Zweiman, NBA Deputy Editor