Nov. 18 (UPI) — Twenty-six of the NBA’s 30 teams are scheduled to make selections in the league’s 2020 virtual draft starting at 8 p.m. EST Wednesday on ESPN.
The event will be held on ESPN’s main campus in Bristol, Conn., with NBA commissioner Adam Silver and deputy commissioner Mark Tatum in the studio and draftees featured in virtual appearances as a safety precaution because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball of Australia’s National Basketball League, Memphis center James Wiseman and Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton are among the top prospects in the class.
Here are my predictions for the team’s that own the first 30 selections in the draft order:
NBA Mock Draft
1. Minnesota Timberwolves — Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia
2. Golden State Warriors — James Wiseman, C, Memphis
3. Charlotte Hornets — LaMelo Ball, PG, Illawarra Hawks
4. Chicago Bulls — Deni Avdija, F, Maccabi Tel Aviv
5. Cleveland Cavaliers — Obi Toppin, PF, Dayton
6. Atlanta Hawks — Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State
7. Detroit Pistons — Killian Hayes, PG, France
8. New York Knicks — Isaac Okoro, SF, Auburn
9. Washington Wizards — Onyeka Okongwu, C, USC
10. Phoenix Suns — Devin Vassell, SF, Florida State
11. San Antonio Spurs — Patrick Williams, SF, Florida State
12. Sacramento Kings — Saddiq Bey, SF, Villanova
13. New Orleans Pelicans — Kira Lewis, Jr., PG, Alabama
14. Boston Celtics via Memphis Grizzlies — R.J. Hampton, G, New Zealand Breakers
15. Orlando Magic — Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina
16. Houston Rockets via Portland Trail Blazers — Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky
17. Minnesota Timberwolves via Brooklyn Nets — Precious Achiuwa, PF, Memphis
18. Dallas Mavericks — Desmond Bane, SF, TCU
19. Brooklyn Nets via Philadelphia 76ers — Jaden McDaniels, PF, Washington
20. Miami Heat — Josh Green, G, Arizona
21. Philadelphia 76ers via Oklahoma City Thunder — Grant Riller, PG, College of Charleston
22. Denver Nuggets via Houston Rockets — Cassius Stanley, SG, Duke
23. Utah Jazz — Leandro Bolmaro, SF, Argentina
24. New Orleans Pelicans via Milwaukee Bucks — Aaron Nesmith, G/F, Vanderbilt
25. Oklahoma City Thunder via Denver Nuggets — Tre Jones, PG, Duke
26. Boston Celtics — Aleksej Pokusevski, F, Greece
27. New York Knicks via Los Angeles Clippers — Jalen Smith, F, Maryland
28. Oklahoma City Thunder via Los Angeles Lakers — Cassius Winston, SG, Michigan State
29. Toronto Raptors — Theo Maledon, PG, France
30. Boston Celtics via Milwaukee Bucks — Vernon Carey, Jr., Duke, C
