NBA Draft Prospects 2020: Sleepers That Should Move Up 1st-Round Big Boards

L.G. Patterson/Associated Press

Nearly all of the attention surrounding prospects eligible for the 2020 NBA Draft is focused at the top, and rightfully so. Players like LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman and Anthony Edwards are the most-coveted of what looks to be a generally weak draft class. 

But for teams that are just on the edge of the lottery and playoff contention, finding one additional piece in this year’s class that could surprise everyone just might be the difference between picking in the lottery again in 2021 or making it to the postseason. Players like Brandon Clarke, Kevin Huerter and Landry Shamet come to mind; players who likely aren’t going to be stars—at least at this point in their careers—but have become early difference-makers who have punched above their draft position. 

In the 2020 class, we’ve compiled a couple names you might not have heard of—unless you’re a college basketball die-hard—that could make an impact much bigger than most would expect. 

Tyler Bey, F, Colorado

There are few players in this year’s pool of prospects who fit the NBA’s coveted 3-and-D prototype quite like Bey. In his sophomore season at Colorado, the 6’7 wing averaged 13.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 53 percent from the floor and 41 percent from three. 

He’s long, supremely bouncy and athletic, and he’s not a player who will need a ton of work refining his shot to be successful at the professional level. At 215 pounds, he’s a bit on the slight side, but with a bit more muscle on his frame, he could easily become a defender who can guard multiple positions at the NBA, especially with his lateral quickness and athleticism. His improvement over three seasons at Colorado was quite staggering, especially on the offensive end, and in the right system, he could be a nice addition for a contender near the end of the first round. 

Kira Lewis Jr., G, Alabama

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For a freshman, Kira Lewis Jr. was about as impressive as it gets for someone who wasn’t a one-and-done in 2018-19. In his first season in Tuscaloosa, Lewis Jr. averaged 13.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 49 percent shooting. This season, he improved nearly everywhere.

Despite Alabama’s relative struggles in the SEC, he was one of the lone bright spots, racking up 18.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists, while shooting nearly 54 percent from the field 36 percent from behind the arc. He won’t get similar draft buzz to another former Alabama guard in Collin Sexton, but Lewis has the potential to be just as productive. At 6-3, he has good size for an NBA point guard, and his ability to both score and distribute make him an intriguing prospect for teams in the late teens and early 20s looking to add immediate depth. 

Jalen Smith, F, Maryland 

Like the aforementioned Bey and Lewis Jr., Jalen Smith is another prospect who took a productive 2018-19 season and built on it in a huge way this past season. As the anchor of Maryland’s frontline, Smith was a one-man wrecking machine, averaging 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and an impressive 2.4 blocks per game, while also hitting 37 percent of his three-point attempts. 

Much like Bey does on the wing, Smith fits into the NBA’s new prototypical big man role. He stands 6-10 and already has significant mass at 225 pounds. His athleticism for someone his size is terrific, and he possesses a wingspan close to 7’1. 

But it’s his offensive ability that could make him a really interesting player to consider for teams who aren’t in desperate need of a plug-and-play forward who will just fill minutes. He has a nice shooting touch, and his improvement in three-point shooting from last season to this season is nothing to snicker at. ESPN’s Mike Schmitz has him listed at No. 30 on his most recent board of available prospects, and if a team drafting in that range could get their hands on him, it might be one of the biggest steals of the entire 2020 NBA Draft.

Follow Keegan on Twitter, @ByKeeganPope. 

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