Rookie Wire’s 2020 NBA Draft Big Board 3.0 has Xavier Tillman and Cassius Winston both listed as second-round picks. Tillman has officially declared for the 2020 NBA Draft and will not return to East Lansing for another season. This certainly changes the outlook of the 2020 NBA draft, especially as other Big Ten players return to the NCAA.
Here is where Rookie Wire writer Bryan Kalbrosky projects each player along with his thoughts:
Xavier Tillman – No. 31 Pick
Xavier Tillman was averaging 13.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game before the season abruptly ended. He had been among the most prolific pick-and-roll finishers in the NCAA this season. His assist percentage (18.3%) ranked in the top 15 nationally among all players 6-foot-8 or taller. Outside of Stanford’s Tyrell Terry, his decision to remain in the 2020 NBA Draft was far and away the most notable among all prospects who were testing the waters — which explains why he jumped so high in our rankings as we had previously expected him to return to college.
Cassius Winston – No. 44 Pick
Cassius Winston had a career assist rate (43.1%) that ranks sixth-best among college players since the 2009-10 season. Winston is already an incredibly capable finisher and distributor out of the pick-and-roll, which will help his game translate to the next level. He also has been productive as a shooter off the catch, off the dribble and off screens — shooting above 40% from 3-point range on each of those attempts.
