NBA Draft 2020: Top 5 prospects not from major conferences

1. James Wiseman (Memphis)

James Wiseman is an interesting case. He was the No. 1 recruit in the country and decided to play for Penny Hardaway at Memphis. When he got there though he only saw the court for a couple of minutes. He was suspended by the NCAA, who said Hardaway acted as a booster helping Wiseman move to Memphis. He later left school to prepare for the draft.

This is an obvious red flag. Despite the fact that Wiseman hasn’t played basketball in quite some time, he is still expected to be a top-three pick. He’s seven feet tall but has elite foot speed. Wiseman was a good defender in high school but had a tendency to roam the paint, something not possible in the NBA. A good athlete, Wiseman is able to finish in transition. He has a lengthy frame that lets him play above the rim.

In high school he could get very mad very quickly. This is still a big question mark considering his limited court time in college. Wiseman is still a raw prospect and needs to improve in a lot of areas — shot selection, mid-range shooting, and strength.

Wiseman can be one of the league’s best centers and has huge upside. But he is still raw with a low basketball I.Q. There are a lot of question marks around him but the obvious potential is there — making him a guaranteed top-five pick.