NBA Draft 2020 Big Board: Updated top 60 player rankings

31. Tyler Bey – Colorado – 6’7 – 218 lbs – February 1998

The reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year will have no problem being a good NBA defender. With his size, length, and underrated strength, he could conceivably guard anywhere from 3-5. How much offense he brings will dictate his production level.

Bey has made steady improvements as a shooter, making 41% from deep last year (albeit on one attempt per game) and has flashed potential as a rim-runner. If he can make corner threes at a decent rate, his defense alone should get him a role off the bench.

32. Skylar Mays – LSU – 6’4, 205 lbs- September 1997

I’m admittedly higher than Mays, who impressed me with his shooting and unique scoring ability. Lacking elite athleticism and burst, Mays still found ways to score effectively using a variety of dribble combos and savvy ball-fakes. He’s a good spot-up shooter who knows how to attack closeouts. He’s probably never going to be a starting guard, but I believe he can score at an NBA level off the bench.

33.  Zeke Nnaji – Arizona – 6’11, 240 lbs – January 2001

Nnaji is an energetic big who quietly produced in his lone season in Tucson. He’s an active rebounder, using his quick-twitched leaping ability. Nnaji was a solid finisher around the rim. His passing needs work and he’ll never be someone teams run their offense through, but he can get you a few buckets a night solely on his rim-running.

Shooting will be a key factor for his offensive game. He only took 17 threes at Arizona but shot 45% on long two’s. Video surfaced earlier this month of Nnaji making NBA threes in a workout, which is a good sign. Nnaji is still young and has room to grow, so I’d feel comfortable taking him in the late first-round or early second.

34. Jalen Smith – Maryland – 6’10 -225 lbs – March 2000

Smith turned in a very productive season to help lead the Terrapins to their first Big Ten title. I’m definitely lower on “Stix”, who will almost certainly go in round one. I’ve watched him play live at least 20 times over the past two seasons, so maybe I have been overexposed.

I certainly buy his shooting as a stretch five, but it’s the rest of his game that concerns me. He never really developed as a passer (13 assists in conference last year) and he was not good at attacking closeouts. He added strength to his upper body, but defensively I worry he won’t protect the rim and he’s too slow to guard fours. His high center of gravity hurt him in pick-and-roll defense. If an NBA team trusts their biomechanics group to fix some of those issues, then Smith has a real upside as a stretch five.

35. Vernon Carey – Duke – 6’10 – 270 lbs – February 2001

Carey was super productive in his lone season at Duke, averaging 17.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He used his wide frame to carve out space down low. He’s a strong finisher, albeit being left-hand dominant.

Carey needs to improve his foot speed and leaping ability, but he has reportedly dropped some weight in the pre-draft process that should help. I don’t think Carey will be a starter at the next level, but I buy his ability to be a scoring big off the bench, especially if the jumper develops.