The NBA started back play last weekend from inside the Orlando bubble with 22 squads competing for a chance to win an NBA title, and the offseason came very early for those other eight teams.
Those remaining eight teams have more than likely already been focusing on looking at the 2020 NBA Draft class, and preparing to see where they land in the lottery. There are a lot of intriguing prospects in this class as there isn’t really a consensus top pick.
The Golden State Warriors have the best odds of winning the NBA Draft lottery, which is slated for Aug. 25. The official NBA Draft is set to take place on Oct. 16.
In the latest CBS Sports mock draft, the Golden State Warriors selected former UGA standout Anthony Edwards first overall.
CBS Sports Writer Colin Ward-Henninger thinks that Edwards is the best fit for the Warriors as they try and get back to the playoffs next season. He mentioned how Edwards’ athleticism and shot-making abilities will match with Golden State’s style of play.
“At best, you’re looking at a future All-NBA player who should thrive in the NBA style at the coveted wing position,” Ward-Henninger said. “Getting into a strong culture like Golden State’s should help remedy any effort issues on both ends of the court.”
Edwards has been linked to the Warriors throughout the draft process and they have been impressed with his skills, according to San Francisco insider Connor Letourneau.
“Sources have indicated to The Chronicle that if the Warriors land the No. 1 pick and decide not to trade down, they’ll likely take Georgia guard Anthony Edwards,” Letourneau wrote.
Edwards has the size and frame to be great at the next level. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Atlanta native averaged 19.1 points per game last season, which was the highest by any freshman. He also averaged 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in 2019 as well. He was also the first Georgia player to win the SEC Freshman of the Year award and was an All-SEC second-team selection.
Many scouts compare him to Dwayne Wade and Victor Oladipo, both of whom were coached by Tom Crean as well. Crean coached Wade while at Marquette and Oladipo during his tenure at Indiana.
Crean believes that Edwards has the potential to be an All-star candidate if he can find the right fit within an organization.
“He is going to have to develop because he is 18 years of age,” Crean said. “But at the same time, physically and all those different things, he is going to be ready to play in the NBA. He will just have a lot that he has to get better at as he goes through it. If he does, he is going to be a very young All-Star and very young All-Defensive team guy.”
The Warriors certainly seem to have the system in place to help Edwards develop and reach his full NBA potential.
Edward shared in an interview with Yahoo Sports about why he thinks he’s worthy of being the No. 1 overall pick.
“I think I’m the No. 1 draft pick in this class, but everyone has their opinion,” Edwards said. “And I’m sure if you asked the other guys at the top, James [Wiseman], LaMelo [Ball], they think they’re No. 1, too. None of us are working to hear our name called second. We all want to be the best.”