May 2020 Basketball Wiretap

NBA Draft Expected To Take Place In Either August Or September

Apr 30, 2020 4:17 PM

The NBA draft is expected to be pushed back from June 25th until August or September, sources tell Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.

This draft is expected to be complicated for front offices due to the lack of consensus at the top and the limitations of a normal process due to COVID-19.

The draft can't happen until after the 19-20 season is over. There has been some speculation that the draft could take place as scheduled on June 25 if the season is canceled outright.

Kevin O'Connor/The Ringer

Tags: NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Daishen Nix Decommits From UCLA, Will Sign With G League Select Team

Apr 28, 2020 12:27 PM

Daishen Nix has decommitted from UCLA and will sign with the G League Select team.

Nix is a potential 2021 lottery pick.

Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd have already agreed to sign with the G League Select team.

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Tags: Daishen Nix, UCLA Bruins, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, D-League, NBA Draft General

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Gonzaga's Filip Petrusev Declares For 2020 NBA Draft

Apr 27, 2020 4:08 PM

Filip Petrusev has declared for the 2020 NBA Draft without hiring an agent.

Petrusev led Gonzaga in scoring and was the West Coast Conference Player of the Year.

"It is my dream to one day play at the highest level so I am entering the 2020 NBA draft, but I am still considering a return to Gonzaga," Petrusev said in a news release. "There is still a lot of uncertainty with what might happen to next year's NCAA season as well as the NBA draft, this gives me more time to evaluate that and leave all the options open."

ESPN

Tags: Filip Petrusev, Gonzaga Bulldogs, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General, NBA Draft Declarations

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Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green Likely Would Have Been Top Picks In 2020 Draft

Apr 27, 2020 4:06 PM

Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green are the projected top-two picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, but Jonathan Givony writes that "both would have likely been the top picks in this year's draft" as well.

Cunningham is a 6'7 point guard committed to Oklahoma State, while Green is a 6'5 shooting guard who will play for the new G League select team.

Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, Isaac Okoro and LaMelo Ball are considered the four players most likely to go first in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Tags: Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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LaMelo Ball, Lonzo Ball Sign With Roc Nation

Apr 27, 2020 1:34 PM

LaMelo, Lonzo and LiAngelo Ball will sign with Jay-Z's Sports Management company Roc Nation Sports.

"This was a family decision," LaMelo Ball's manager Jermaine Jackson told ESPN. "This is now an extended family. They put together a beautiful game plan with Jay-Z. The basketball game is about to change. They are going to create something totally new."

Raymond Brothers will be the primary agent overseeing the Ball Brothers.

"We talked to several agents, but the family had good vibes with Roc Nation," Jackson told ESPN. "I've known Jay-Z since I played for the Knicks, but this is what the kids wanted to do. Jay-Z is a master at what he does. He's global. It's power beyond power.

"This is something that they are building from the ground up together. They are brothers and they love each other and that's how they roll. It's all love. They don't separate from each other."

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Tags: Lonzo Ball, LaMelo Ball, New Orleans Pelicans, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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NBA Draft Prospect Teshaun Hightower Charged With Murder

Apr 27, 2020 1:22 PM

Teshaun Hightower was arrested on Saturday and charged with murder.

Tulane announced Sunday afternoon that Hightower had been dismissed from the team following his arrest. Hightower declared for the draft on April 18th. Hightower averaged 15.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in his only season with the Green Wave.

A Henry County Police incident report indicated the shooting occurred at an apartment complex just before 11 a.m. ET on April 8. Devante Anthony Long was shot and later died at a hospital. He was 24.

Mark Schlabach/ESPN

Tags: Teshaun Hightower, Tulane Green Wave, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Makur Maker Declares For 2020 NBA Draft

Apr 25, 2020 11:58 AM

Makur Maker will enter the 2020 NBA Draft.

The NBA has allowed Maker to become eligible for the 2020 draft class after he had only been two credits short of graduating with his original 2019 high school class.

Maker is the No. 75 prospect in the ESPN Top 100.

Maker was born in Kenya to South Sudanese parents, emigrated to Perth, Australia, in 2001 until leaving for California in 2015. He joined his cousins (Detroit Pistons forward) Thon and Matur Maker in Ontario, and was home-schooled from 2016-2018 while attending showcases in the United States.

Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

Tags: Makur Maker, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General, NBA Draft Declarations

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Precious Achiuwa Leaving Memphis For 2020 NBA Draft

Apr 24, 2020 3:54 PM

Precious Achiuwa is leaving Memphis for the 2020 NBA Draft.

"I've decided to declare for the 2020 NBA draft and hire an agent," Achiuwa said. "This is the next step in my journey and career as a basketball player. I'm really excited for it."

Achiuwa is the No. 12 prospect in ESPN's Top 100 for the draft. Achiuwa won American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors.

"I'd summarize my season as spectacular. Even though a lot of things were thrown at us early and we had a lot of ups and downs, we found a way to be successful," Achiuwa told ESPN. "I think I was able to show NBA teams my versatility on defense and that I am able to adjust to whatever role that is given to me and still find a way to be successful. We all had to adjust to different roles because of the uncertainty that was thrown at us early in the season. It was sad the way it ended because of the COVID-19."

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Tags: Precious Achiuwa, Memphis Tigers, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General, NBA Draft Declarations

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RJ Hampton Could Fall Outside Top-10 In Draft

Apr 22, 2020 12:34 PM

RJ Hampton was expected to be a lottery pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but he could fall as far as the twenties.

Hampton played in the NBL as part of their Next Star program.

"But I think it’s more likely that Hampton hears his name called somewhere from 11 to 22 or so than it is within the top-10, based on the feedback I’m getting right now," wrote Sam Vecenie at The Athletic. "He’s someone who could have really used the workout environment to wash the bad taste of the tape out of evaluators’ mouths. Unfortunately, the truncated pre-draft process likely won’t give him that chance.

Sam Vecenie/The Athletic

Tags: R.J. Hampton, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General

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Kira Lewis To Stay In Draft, Hire Agent

Apr 21, 2020 11:08 AM

Kira Lewis will remain in the 2020 NBA Draft and hire an agent.

Lewis is a projected first round pick leaving Alabama after his sophomore season.

Lewis averaged 18.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 37.6 minutes per game this season.

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Tags: Kira Lewis, Jr., Alabama Crimson Tide, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General, NBA Draft Declarations

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Kyree Walker To Skip College, Train For 2021 NBA Draft

Kyree Walker

Cole Anthony Says 'It Would Be Pretty Cool' To Get Drafted By Knicks

Zach Braziller/New York Post

Cole Anthony Declares For 2020 NBA Draft

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Malachi Flynn Leaves San Diego State For 2020 NBA Draft

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Isaiah Todd To Join Jalen Green On New L.A. Based G League Team

Shams Charania/The Athletic

Jalen Green To Enter NBA/G League Professional Pathway Program

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Deni Avdija Declares For 2020 NBA Draft

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Yam Madar Declares For 2020 NBA Draft

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Immanuel Quickley Leaves Kentucky For 2020 NBA Draft

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Devon Dotson Leaves Kansas For 2020 NBA Draft

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Graduate Transfer Jordan Bruner Commits To Alabama, Will Explore NBA Draft Options

Jeff Borzello/ESPN

Georgios Kalaitzakis Declares For 2020 NBA Draft

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Kahlil Whitney Declares For 2020 NBA Draft, Will Hire Agent

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Josh Green Entering 2020 NBA Draft

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

NBA Teams Want 2020 Draft Pushed Back Beyond August 1st

Adrian Wojnarowski, Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Robert Woodard II Leaves Mississippi State To Declare For Draft

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Jalen Smith Leaves Maryland For 2020 NBA Draft

Evan Daniels/247Sports

Nico Mannion Declares For 2020 NBA Draft

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Chris Smith Declares For 2020 NBA Draft

Jonathan Givony/ESPN

NBA Outlines Rules For Virtual Meetings With Prospects During Pre-Draft Process

Shams Charania/The Athletic