The 2020 NBA Draft is now in the books and despite the lack of a true #1 superstar prospect, plenty of teams and fans left satisfied. Despite the lack of a generational prospect, the event wasn't without its share of possible future All-Stars and NBA 2K favorites.
Between LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, and James Wiseman it was unclear how the top of the draft would shake out. Now that it's over it's time to look at 10 NBA rookies who were seemingly drafted by the perfect team that fits their talent, skill, and playstyle.
10 Tyrese Haliburton (Kings)
Every year it seems that the NBA Draft is host to one or two players falling in the draft and becoming steals for teams. The Sacramento Kings were shocked that Tyrese Haliburton from Iowa State fell to them with the #12 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He's a rock-solid teammate who shot 40% from the 3-point line and was one of college basketball's best passers. If Haliburton can continue to grow the Kings could have a stellar backcourt with Haliburton and their newly extended superstar point guard De'Aaron Fox.
9 Obi Toppin (Knicks)
Obi Toppin won the Naismith Award and somehow managed to fall to the 8th pick and landed with the New York Knicks. He's a great scoring forward who plays best when he has the ball in his hands. The worry is that the Knicks built a roster full of players who need the ball in their hands and the Dayton product won't be properly utilized. Luckily the team didn't land a star, so considering Toppin is likely a day one starter, he'll have ample opportunity to put his stamp on the game, provided his game translates to the next level.
8 Udoka Azubuike (Jazz)
The Utah Jazz are one of the few teams that still like to have a traditional center who plays great defense and can lockdown scorers inside the paint. With Rudy Gobert and the signing of Derrick Favors, they've managed to secure that role on their team.
The problem is that Favors is older and Gobert might end up leaving in the coming years. Udoka Azubuike is a large presence that provides insurance and will also likely come off the bench and provide critical rebounds for the secondary unit.
7 Precious Achiuwa (Heat)
Precious Achiuwa is very much the NBA equivalent of a team drafting an offensive lineman in the first round of the draft. He's not a highlight type pick that fans will be drooling over, but he will make the Miami Heat better. They overachieved in 2020 and made it to the NBA Finals. Bam Adebayo has emerged as one of the game's best young bigs and Achiuwa will provide valuable minutes off the bench in his absence. Achiuwa will get the rebounds, set the picks, and provide energy that will become invaluable to the Heat.
6 Nico Mannion (Warriors)
It may sound weird to have a second-round pick on a list of the 10 players who were drafted to the perfect team, but the combination makes too much sense. Nico Mannion from Arizona was a solid guard who often showed a lot of potential and creativity at the position. His biggest glaring weakness was the lack of the clutch gene and as a result, he often disappeared in his team's biggest moments. Playing next to Steph Curry will likely help him develop as a guard and the team's injuries might thrust Mannion into a larger role that forces him to learn on the fly.
5 Aaron Nesmith (Celtics)
Aaron Nesmith was considered by most NBA analysts to be the best pure shooter in the draft. He fell into the Boston Celtics lap and it seems it could be fate landing Nesmith in the best possible spot for himself. The Miami Heat displayed what a stellar shooter, even as a rookie, can do for a team with the emergence of Tyler Herro in the 2020 NBA Playoffs. If the Celtics plan on heading to the NBA Finals in 2021, they'll need to hope that Nesmith does what Herro did in his rookie year in the league.
4 LaMelo Ball (Hornets)
The jury's still out on how LaMelo Ball will turn out as an NBA player considering his path to the association was odd, to say the least. Either way, he was drafted to the Charlotte Hornets, a team in desperate need of star power.
Ball enters the league as his team's primary ball-handler and it will be up to him to prove just how dynamic he can be on the big stage. His passing is elite, but the question is whether or not Ball can develop the defensive and/or shooting skills to turn him into a true NBA All-Star.
3 Josh Green (Mavericks)
Luka Doncic has emerged as a face of the franchise in Dallas and the Mavericks MVP candidate is rising to be one of the faces of the NBA. That team in Dallas understands they need to build around the young superstar and a player like Josh Green from Arizona is the perfect fit. He's the prototype 3-and-D player who can come in and play stellar defense while also spacing the floor and nailing shots on a consistent basis from 3-point range. His ceiling isn't super high, but he can make a name for himself next to Doncic.
2 James Wiseman (Warriors)
So, it may sound weird to talk about a center being drafted by the Golden State Warriors considering their stellar tandem of guards, but James Wiseman is more than just some center. The 7-footer is a young athletic big with a lot of potential and plenty to improve in his game. He'll now be playing to one of the league's best players in Stephen Curry and if he can keep himself healthy he can be a healthy contributor to a team looking to make some noise in the Western Conference despite guard Klay Thompson's season-ending injury.
1 Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
One of the toughest things for a young NBA rookie to do is to come in and be the face of a franchise and lead the team from day one. Thankfully the Minnesota Timberwolves already have stars in Deangelo Russell and Karl Anthony-Towns, so Anthony Edwards won't be asked to come in and be the sole contributor. He was a great wing scorer in college, who can quickly come in and make some noise as a third or fourth scoring option. It's still unclear though if Edwards is chasing greatness, or simply wants to play basketball professionally.