2020 NBA Draft Sleepers #7-12: Don’t Snooze on these Deep Sleepers
- NBA Mock Draft Guide 2020
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- RJ Hampton Scouting Report
- Onyeka Okongwu Scouting Report
- Nico Mannion Scouting Report
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- NBAMockDraft.com
Contents
You’ve undoubtedly seen our list of top 6 draft sleepers for this year’s NBA Draft. Now we’ve got the next six sleepers for you to check out and become more familiar with as we hopefully get closer to the draft. These players are all projected to go in the second round or undrafted in some mock drafts.
7. Kaleb Wesson – 14 PPG, 1 BPG, 9.3 RPG
The Ohio State big man has some clear NBA talents and qualities that translate at that level. However, he has consistently been seen as a second rounder because of his weight issues. At 6-foot-9 and 270 pounds, he has problems staying in front of defenders on the wing and getting up and down the floor. However, he shoots the ball extremely well from deep and is a good passer. While he may not be quick, Wesson was a good rim protector with his 7-foot-3 wingspan. It remains to be seen if that can carry over to the NBA as him losing weight will be a major swing factor.
At the very worst, Wesson should be a two-way contract player as his 42.5 shooting percentage from three will carry to the NBA. That will help space the floor and keep some bigger players out of the paint to patrol for drivers. If he loses some weight and becomes quicker, he could potentially guard forwards out on the wing. Until then, he is very much slotted as a slow power forward or small ball center. Wesson will be a prospect to keep an eye on as his NBA potential hinges almost entirely on if he can get his body right.
Ideal Landing Spots: Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers
8. Jordan Nwora – 18 PPG, 1.3 APG, 7.7 RPG
The Louisville junior could find himself getting minutes for an NBA team early on in his career thanks to his one skill that can make up for a multitude of sins. He is an automatic shooter at all three levels and has a quick release on his shot to boot. He shot about 40 percent from beyond the arc on six attempts a game. The 6-foot-7, 225-pound is solid in his handle, but lacks the quickness you like to see in a traditional small forward. That’s one reason he likely won’t be a first rounder.
If Nwora can get a little faster and tighten up his handle in workouts for teams, then they will see he adds more value than just being a shooter. He is a smart team defender and while he may lack pop, he has the strength to guard NBA forwards and not get knocked off his spot in the post either. He’s a good on-ball defender with quick and active hands as well as good footwork, but can struggle off it as he’s not speedy enough to get into passing lanes and really disrupt the offense.
Ideal Landing Spots: Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies
9. Kristian Doolittle – 15.8 PPG, 2 APG, 8.9 RPG
The Oklahoma senior has improved dramatically over the course of his four-year career. The former Sooner stands at 6-foot-7 and 232 pounds, making him an ideal size for today’s NBA wing men. His skill set to become a prototypical small forward is also emerging with his handling improvements as well as his ability to shoot the ball well from all three levels. He is great in the mid-range and is excellent in the post. He finds ways to get around his defender and finishes well near the rim. His biggest knock is that he isn’t elite at any one aspect of the game with his age being a secondary factor.
Doolittle can take bigger defenders off the dribble and has a few nice moves he likes to use to shed them. He can spin, euro-step and fade away. He shoots almost 38 percent from beyond the arc, but it’s on low volume so it’s not a given that he would be a good floor spacer yet. However, his near-80 percent free throw shooting suggests he could certainly get there. Any team in need of a strong and athletic wing man in this draft should look no further than Doolittle in the second round.
Ideal Landing Spots: Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies
10. Lamar Stevens – 17.6 PPG, 1.2 BPG, 1.1 SPG, 6.9 RPG
The 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward did a little bit of everything for Penn State last season. He drove the ball well, shot it from inside the arc well and was a strong post presence. He gets knocked a bit for his inability to shoot from outside right now and the fact that he’s a senior so the perceived potential isn’t as high as younger players. However, if a team buys in on him and gives him the chance to work on his jumper he could be a real nice sleeper pick.
Stevens has the athleticism and strength to guard in the NBA. He’s deceptively quick at his size and moves his feet pretty well. He will have to get a little quicker to guard true small forwards though. His post-up game is great and he took advantage of it often at the collegiate level. He probably won’t get those same touches at the next level, but it’s a good skill to have in the back pocket.
The former Nittany Lion can be a bit turnover prone and isn’t a great passer right now — he had more turnovers than assists in college. His driving ability and NBA-ready body should help him get drafted, but he has a fair ways to go before getting regular rotation minutes.
Ideal Landing Spots: Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers
11. Jared Butler – 16 PPG, 1.6 SPG, 3.1 APG, 3.2 RPG
The Baylor sophomore only has one foot in the NBA Draft right now as he still has time to withdraw from the draft. However, we will assume he is in for now. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard is a nice player with a good shot from deep and some shifty handles to help him get into the lane. While Butler shot about 38 percent from beyond the arc this season, he can be streaky at times from the rest of the floor and that’s a major concern.
Butler has played mostly combo guard rather than full-time at point guard so that may be an issue as well. He hasn’t proven that he can run an offense yet. What he has proven is that he can go out and get any bucket he wants. He has a variety of crossovers and hesitation moves that get defenders off-balance and allow him to get to the cup. And even when those defenders stick with him, he has some creative finishes around the rim that work out more often than not.
Ideal Landing Spots: Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks
12. Malachi Flynn – 17.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.1 APG
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound guard out of San Diego State was a revelation this season. He actually played well for Washington State his sophomore season, but decided to transfer and looked markedly improved while at SDSU. He increased his scoring, assists and rebounds per game while also taking more shots per game than he did at Washington State. He has deep range and a solid handle. However, his size limits him in how often he can get to the rim for easy buckets despite his ability to finish fairly well there. It is also why he may struggle on defense as he can really only guard one position and he is not going to be as athletic as a lot of the other point guards in the league.
Flynn is great in the pick-and-roll on offense and makes the right read way more often than not. He’s a high IQ player that is a smart gambler on defense for steals. He understands positioning and how to get players off-balance on defense so that he can make a play with his shooting or passing. He is a surprisingly good rebounder at his position though and is a bit reminiscent of Jameer Nelson in that regard. The former Aztec would be a great addition to a team in need of steady point guard play and deep range shooter.
Ideal Landing Spots: Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets (in a signing or if they get back into the draft), Los Angeles Lakers