2020 NBA Draft: Tyrese Maxey, Kira Lewis big rising in latest Big Board

11. Deni Avdija- Maccabi Tel Aviv – 6’8, 210 lbs, – January 2001

I have gotten the chance to watch Avdija more while currently playing with Maccabi in the Israeli Super League. Although he’s been productive, Avdija remains a guy I am a bit lower on than most. He’s a 6’8 forward that impresses with his headiness. He consistently makes good passes putting his teammates in spots to succeed. He isn’t super quick but has a good enough handle to create. Defensively, he typically knows where to be in a team-setting.

My biggest problem with Avdija is his positional fit. He was a poor shooter in the Euroleague at 27.7% from deep and unlike other players with bad three-point numbers in this class, Avdija shot 55.6% from the free throw line. Avdija will not be a primary, or even secondary, ball-handler in the NBA so he needs to be able to hit spot-up shots. Given his lack of burst and athleticism, his upside is limited. He’s added strength to bang with fours defensively, but he doesn’t move very well in terms of opening his hips and staying in a stance. Avidija will almost certainly go in the top ten, maybe the top five, but I view him as a low-upside pick that needs many skills to improve to hit his max outcome. He’s got a high floor but it’s not much lower than his ceiling.

12. Kira Lewis – Alabama  – 6’3, 170 lbs – April 2001

Despite being a rising junior, Lewis is younger than several prospects in his range. He vastly improved over his two seasons at Alabama. The wiry point guard is one of the fastest players in the class with the ball. He is an absolute blur in transition and has great acceleration in the half-court as well. He’s a pretty solid passer (5.2 assists per game) but needs to cut turnovers as well (3.5 per game). Lewis can obviously play on the ball, but I think he could fit next to a bigger point guard as well. He was in the 86th percentile in spot-ups, while shooting a passable 36.6% from three.

Given his light frame, it’s hard to envision him as a plus defender. But if he uses his speed well and buys in, he could certainly stick on that end. I believe Lewis can be a starting point guard in the NBA but he’ll need to improve his decision making and hone in on his pull-up shooting ability.

13. Patrick Williams – Florida State – 6’8, 225 lbs – August 2001

Williams is one of the higher upside prospects in this class, especially given he is the youngest American prospect in the class. Although he was not given a ton of responsibilities, Williams flourished in a jack of all trades role. He used his strong build to guard frontcourt players while showing flashes of being able to switch onto guards. He was impressive as a weak-side rim protector and was attentive in passing lanes. Offensively, he excelled in his low usage role. Despite a minor hitch in his shot, he was a passable three-point shooter at 32%. But the 1.7 attempts per game and 83.8% from the free throw line are positive indicators. He also flashed some ability as a good pull-up shooter and the finishing skills are there.

Given that he is the youngest American prospect in the class, Williams is not close to reaching his potential. But with his frame, potential shooting, and two-way impact, Williams has legitimate skills to be excited about and is worth a selection in the late lottery.

14. Aaron Nesmith – Vanderbilt – 6’6, 213 lbs – October 1999

Simply put, Nesmith is the best pure shooter in the class. He only played 14 games after a foot injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season, but in those 14 games, he shot an outlier high 52.2% from three on over eight attempts per game. Nesmith can hit threes off the move, is advanced at reading off-ball screens, and showed the ability to hit sidestep threes. Outside of shooting Nesmith doesn’t have a ton to be encouraged about. His ability to create off the dribble is limited, posting a negative assist to turnover ratio last year. Defensively, he posted a +0.10 DBPM, which ranked only in the 53 percentile. He needs to improve at moving his footspeed to contain quicker guards.

Shooting is one of the most coveted skills in the draft and nobody does it better than Nesmith. The ability to knock down shots should open up the rest of his game, so if he can be an average defender with a plus jumper, Nesmith can be a high-end role player.

15. Leandro Bolmaro – FC Barcelona – 6’7, 180lbs – September 2000

Bolmaro has been one of my favorite prospects to watch. He’s a 6’7 guard with incredible passing touch and creation ability. He’s a legitimate ball-handler who uses a variety of moves to blow by defenders. He posted impressive assist numbers in limited time playing in Liga ACB. Bolmaro is also an impactful point of attack defender, using his length to disrupt ball handlers. He has a high motor on the defensive end, seldomly taking possessions off. Bolmaro’s biggest issue is his shooting struggles. He’s a career 28% shooter from three and 66% from the free throw line. If he can’t shoot, NBA defenses will play off him, which will inhibit his creation ability. He’s also not a plus athlete, so to be a good scorer he’ll need to shoot because the finishing is not there yet.

If the jumper does come along, Bolmaro will be one of the best two-way primary creators in this class. He’s got a certain flair and “it” factor to his game that you cannot quantify. Given his youth and the fact that he’s never had the best coaching around him, I’m willing to bet on Bolmaro becoming a good enough shooter and a dynamic NBA player.