As players from 22 teams are preparing for their journey to Orlando for the return of the NBA, the Golden State Warriors are getting ready for a different season. After inking the league’s worst record at 15-50, the Warriors are set to make a selection in the top-five picks of the NBA Draft for the first time since 2002.
With draft season picking up steam, mock draft predictions are beginning to be filed before October. After the NBA Lottery on August 25, draft season will hit the stretch run. With months to go before the Warriors are on the clock, a group of top prospects have been listed alongside Golden State.
Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, USC’s Onyeka Okongwu, Florida State’s Devin Vassell and Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Deni Avdija have all recently been mocked to the Warriors.
In the latest mock from CBS Sports‘ Gary Parrish, the Golden State Warriors landed LaMelo Ball with the first overall selection. According to Parrish, Ball has the best chance to become an All-Star out of the 2020 draft class.
Via CBS Sports:
The first pick in any NBA Draft should be the player the franchise selecting believes has the best chance to be a future All-Star. And, in this draft, I think, Ball is that player.
View Parrish’s complete mock draft via CBS Sports here.
In the Warriors Wire July Draft Big Board, the Chino Hills product ranked at No. 2 behind only Edwards.
In 12 games for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia’s NBL, Ball averaged 17 points while shooting 37.5% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. The young point guard added 7.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.6 steals per contest.
If the Warriors land the 6-foot-7 guard, Steve Kerr’s second unit would immediately get a boost with a dynamic playmaker. At only 18-years-old, Ball still has plenty of time to develop under Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in Golden State’s backcourt.
