2020 NBA Draft: Was Desmond Bane the steal of the draft?

TCU guard Desmond Bane was selected 30th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Boston Celtics were slated to make the final selection of the first round in the 2020 NBA Draft. The 30th overall draft pick was then abruptly traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, who did not have a 2020 first-round pick entering the draft. With their newly acquired first-rounder, Memphis selected Desmond Bane, a senior guard out of TCU.

Personally, I expected Bane to come off the board much earlier than he did. He almost fell into the second round. For a player with Bane’s skillset, getting him at No. 30 is a steal.

Bane enters the NBA as a high-level playmaker and shooter. Last season, he averaged 16.6 points, 3.9 assists, and 6.3 rebounds per game on the way to First Team All-Big 12 Honors. He finished his college career shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc. He has excellent range from deep and is an effective shooter off the dribble or in spot-up situations.

While primarily a shooting guard, Bane displayed some playmaking chops as a primary ball-handler on the TCU roster. He finished the year with 3.9 assists per game, his college career-high.

The 6’6″ guard also possesses ideal size and strength for an NBA guard. He has a good vertical and uses his well-built frame to get to the basket and finish at the rim. While his lateral quickness and shorter wingspan limit him defensively, he makes up for it with an exceptional basketball IQ and a high motor. He still finished his senior season with 1.5 steals per game due to his tenacity on the defensive end.

Bane’s shooting and size alone should have garnered consideration from NBA teams well before pick No. 30. Add his outstanding feel for the game and flashes of playmaking ability, and you have a player who probably could have been drafted closer to the lottery than the second round.

Overall, Desmond Bane has many attributes that make him an NBA-ready player. For some reason, most teams decided to pass on his high-level shooting, physicality, and work ethic. The Memphis Grizzlies may have just gotten the steal of the draft.