In college basketball, the big-name schools and conferences draw the most attention, but there’s legit talent hiding in plain sight in the mid-major schools for the upcoming NBA Draft.
Stephen Curry, Damian Lilliard, Paul George, C.J. McCollum, Kawhi Leonard, Gordon Hayward – what do all these guys have in common? They all played their college ball at mid-major schools, went on to be drafted, and have established themselves as stars in the NBA.
It’s not uncommon to see this happen among mid-major players and programs. While schools such as Kentucky and Duke draw the most attention and the biggest names, mid-major programs produce more than their fair share of talent.
Looking at the 2020 NBA Draft, this year is no different. There are mid-major guys standing out once again, and this year they might become especially prominent given the overall lack of talent in the draft class.
For whatever reason, in years past, mid-major guys often slip past the eyes of NBA evaluators. Unless the player is an absolute standout stud (a la Ja Morant last season) these players often get overlooked when it comes to draft time.
Given the number of stars in the league who emerged from mid-major programs, it may be time for teams to change the way they evaluate guys around draft time. While not the SEC or Big 12, mid-majors are competitive night in and night out.
With that being said, read on to see 10 guys who are setting themselves apart as legit NBA Draft prospects from mid-major programs this season.