The 2020 NBA Draft was a fascinating landscape for guards, and at the heart of the top-tier debate were Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. For teams holding the top pick, like the Minnesota Timberwolves, the decision between these two dynamic prospects was anything but simple.
LaMelo Ball, with his unique global journey and undeniable flair, presented a compelling case. Projecting his future from a limited sample size in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) was challenging, but certain metrics stood out. Kevin Pelton, looking at transferable stats, drew parallels to Kyrie Irving's brief but impactful college stint at Duke. Ball's high usage rate (28.5%) and assist rate (9.2 per 100 plays) in the NBL were particularly eye-catching. While his shooting percentages from three-point range weren't as elite as Irving's, and his free-throw shooting raised questions, the underlying talent and court vision were undeniable. The NBL itself, as noted by analysts, offered a level of competition that was arguably higher than many US college conferences, meaning Ball was facing seasoned professionals, not just fellow prospects.
Jonathan Givony saw Ball as the top overall talent, emphasizing the value of "supersized playmakers" in today's NBA. Ball's ability to handle the ball with such fluidity and execute a wide array of passes made him a rare, day-one shot creator. Givony was bullish on Ball's potential for improvement, especially defensively and as a shooter, given his late growth spurt and unconventional development path. He acknowledged the potential for growing pains – turnovers, shot selection, defensive lapses – but felt the positives far outweighed the negatives. The narrative around Ball, sometimes clouded by external factors, was ultimately about unlocking his immense potential.
Mike Schmitz echoed this sentiment, calling Ball the most talented prospect in the class and someone he'd take number one regardless of team needs. Schmitz highlighted Ball's innate basketball instincts and court vision, which even Ball himself struggled to articulate, attributing it to natural feel. This raw talent, developed outside a traditional path, was what made him so tantalizing. Despite lacking polished habits in shot selection and defensive intensity, Ball had accumulated more game experience than many his age, contributing to his seemingly effortless play. Schmitz even drew a comparison, albeit not in shooting ability, to Trae Young – another confident, high-usage guard who also faced scrutiny.
On the other side, Anthony Edwards, a physically gifted guard from Georgia, was also a strong contender. While the reference material doesn't delve as deeply into Edwards' specific strengths and weaknesses in the same way it does for Ball, the implication is that his potential was high, but perhaps less certain or more dependent on development than Ball's raw playmaking ability. The experts' leanings towards Ball suggest that while Edwards possessed considerable upside, the unique skillset and perceived ceiling of LaMelo Ball made him the more compelling choice for those prioritizing elite playmaking and creative offensive potential in the 2020 draft class.
