As was expected, Georgia’s Anthony Edwards was selected No. 1 in the 2020 NBA Draft, which took place a few months later than normal.
The coronavirus crisis, which forced a four-month layoff during the 2019-20 season, forced the draft to be held Nov. 18. The draft was held virtually from the ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn.
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NBA fans and bettors have much to look forward to in the 2020-21 season.
No Surprise
There was some pre-draft speculation that LaMelo Ball could sneak up the draft board and go No. 1. That didn’t happen as Minnesota landed the SEC Freshman of the Year in Edwards.
At 6-5, Edwards is athletic, explosive player who has high long-term upside. Being surrounded by Karl- Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell will allow Edwards to develop his game. He’ll need to become a more consistent shooter and prove he is capable of making decisions on both ends of the floor.
The Timberwolves also drafted Leandro Bolmaro and Jaden McDaniels, which is why the team’s odds to win the 2021 NBA title – +20000 – may improve in the near future.
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Sixers Score Big
Philadelphia, listed at +3000 to win the 2021 NBA title, definitely improved the roster when GM Daryl Morey went to work. First, he dumped Al Horford’s contract and acquired Danny Green once again. Then, he traded Josh Richardson and got Seth Curry, who is a better fit with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.
In the draft, Morey got Kentucky guard Tyrese Maxey at No. 21 and Theo Maledon in the second round. Maxey should be able to contribute early, especially if teams start the new season by limiting starters’ minutes.
The Surprises
Likely the biggest surprise of this year’s NBA Draft was Patrick Williams. The ACC’s Sixth Man of the Year did not start one game at Florida State last season. The 6-8 Williams averaged 9.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game for the Seminoles before being selected No. 4 by the Chicago Bulls.
The other big surprise of the 2020 draft was the lack of trade-ups. There was some speculation that Minnesota might look to trade out of the No. 1 spot. The most likely scenario had the New York Knicks trading up into the top-3 to take Ball. That, of course, did not happen as there really wasn’t a player worth trading up for. The Knicks did wind up with Naismith Player of the Year Obi Toppin though.
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Where Were the Bluebloods?
Each year, NCAA programs such as Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, and North Carolina routinely produce elite talent that gets scooped up among lottery picks in the NBA draft. In 2020, that didn’t happen.
The first player selected from one of college basketball’s powerhouse programs was North Carolina point guard Cole Anthony who went No. 15 to the Orlando Magic.
Possibly more surprising were the two players drafted in the first eleven picks from Florida State. While Williams went fourth, his teammate Devin Vassell, a 6-7 shooting guard, went at No. 11 to the San Antonio Spurs.
