5 NCAA Players with the Highest Odds of Getting Drafted in the NBA in 2020
It is never too early to look forward to the NBA Draft. Though, as you know from reading our betting tips, getting too carried away with the NBA rookie hype train is a no-no. It is rare that hype equals impact. To be fair the following five players look ready to make a splash in the NBA. These NCAA ballers have the highest odds of getting drafted high in next year’s NBA Draft.
1. Cole Anthony • 6-3 | PG | North Carolina
IMAGE CREDIT: @the_cole.anthony
Anthony has ably replaced Coby White (now having a solid season as a rookie for the Chicago Bulls). College basketball analyst Jay Bilas has been impressed, describing Anthony as “a great talent as a point guard.” The New Yorker has already showcased next-level range, along with elite athleticism — two things that translate well in the NBA.
2. James Wiseman • 7-1 | C | Memphis
IMAGE CREDIT: @bigticket_j13
Wiseman’s NCAA career will be 12 games short. CBS Sports notes that the big man was suspended for 12 games by the NCAA, due to the $11,500 donation that Memphis coach Penny Hardaway gave the Wiseman family years ago. Regardless Wiseman will still be drafted high. He is in the mold of former number 1 pick DeAndre Ayton — big, strong, explosive, and athletic.
3. Anthony Edwards • 6-5 | SG | Georgia
IMAGE CREDIT: @anthonyedwardsfanpage
Edwards is a gifted two-guard. He is big and physical, with dynamite athleticism and a feathery touch. He is, as ESPN analyst Mark Jackson likes to call it, a “professional scorer” already. He has even showcased a willingness to defend. In a guard-dominated league that is the NBA, Edwards looks a lock to fit in quickly.
4. Jaden McDaniels • 6-10 | SF | Washington
IMAGE CREDIT: @ballncaa
Lots of NBA teams draft off of potential, and McDaniels has plenty of it. He has all the physical tools, plus a guard’s handle in a center’s body. Put simply, McDaniels’ ceiling is too high for teams to pass up on.
5. Onyeka Okongwu • 6-9 | C | USC
IMAGE CREDIT: @big0
Draft analyst Ben Pfeifer is keen on the USC center, and he predicts that he will be the top big man of this class. He is a physical specimen with elite athleticism, light feet, and an ever-going motor. With that combination Okongwu is sure to have a place in the NBA, much like the Los Angeles Clippers’ Montrezl Harrell.
Fabulous Freshmen
All five players are part of a college game that is constantly adapting to help young players. Reuters details how the NCAA tweaked its amateurism standards last year “to champion the success of student-athletes.” Notably the NCAA has allowed prospects to consult with a pool of agents as to their future in the NBA.
Tuxslots reports that the NCAA’s board unanimously voted to allow its athletes to use the organization’s names, images, and likenesses for personal profit. Rules are expected a year from now, and are likely to impact next year’s bumper crop of recruits (headed by forward Evan Mobley and guard Cade Cunningham).
The five players on this list, though, are unlikely to stay in college. They are odds-on draft picks in next June’s NBA Draft. They also appear ready to make a name for themselves in the big league — and earn the big bucks, too.
