NBA Draft 2020: Big Board 1.0

I had a very strong compulsion to place Deni Avdija at No. 1. He’s good enough and could steal the top spot before next June. As a teenager, he has played real minutes for Maccabi Tel Aviv — a feat that shouldn’t be taken lightly. You will never guess who he’s being compared to (yes, it’s Luka Doncic).

No, he’s not Luka Doncic. But Avdija does have the talent to carve out a successful NBA career. He’s not an elite athlete, but he has I.Q., craft and size in excess. At 6-foot-9, Avdija has seen point guard minutes at lower levels. He lacks an elite first step, but can weave his way inside and pinpoint open teammates. He has real potential as a pick-and-roll ball handler.

As a scorer, Avdija shows touch at all three levels. A consistent 3-point shot is absent on his resume, but the mechanics check out and the flashes are splendid. With the shake to generate space and the size to shoot over the top, I’d bet on Avdija finding his comfort zones from deep.