Philadelphia 76ers roundtable: Pre-lottery 2020 NBA mock draft
17th pick: Celtics- Nico Mannion
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Nico Mannion grew up playing basketball in Italy and only played one year of college basketball at the University of Arizona, prior to declaring for this year’s NBA draft. Manion is a high-flying point guard with the ability to score from all over the court. He finished the season second on the team in scoring for the Wildcats.
Boston has a solidified starting point guard in Kemba Walker, but Manion can complement Walker’s playing style. Both Walker and Manion have great court vision, but they thrive on scoring as well. Neither would be classified as a “pass first” point guard. Therefore, both have the ability to play off the ball in the shooting guard role. It is more likely though, that Manion will run the second unit in Boston due to the current roster construction.
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18th pick: Mavericks- Tyrese Maxey
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Tyrese Maxey was this year’s on-court leader for the perennially young Kentucky Wildcats basketball team. Maxey can put up points, but his most desirable attribute is his defense. He can guard multiple positions with his length and quickness.
The Mavericks are on the precipice of becoming a true NBA title contender. The combination of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis has proven successful. Tyrese Maxey could be the final piece to help the Mavericks put together a deep playoff run. Doncic and Maxey would an intimidating backcourt in a talented, guard-heavy Western Conference.