NBA Draft 2020: Top 5 Small Forwards
Deni Avdija, Israel
Avdija stands at six-foot-nine with 215 pounds to offer. The Israeli prospect has rare playmaking ability at the small forward position.
Avdija’s game revolves around his handle that gets him past defenders into the lane to score or facilitate. A lot of analysts have made comparisons to Bogdan Bogdanovich, another international player who has length and guard skills at the small forward position.
Avidija’s jumpshot needs work, but being only 19 he has years of development ahead of him. Besides the lack of elite speed and inconsistent free throw shooting, Avdija should be a young prospect on the top of many draft boards.
Isaac Okoro, Auburn
Okoro was a do it all player while he was at Auburn. He is known for his high IQ and physical nature on both sides of the ball.
The former Tiger proved he could be effective last year running the offense and driving the basketball. That combined with his defensive tenacity could make him an NBA contributor right off the bat.
The nacks on Okoro revolve around his shooting mechanics and inconsistencies in pick and roll as well as catch and shoot situations.
Saddiq Bey, Villanova
Bey is yet another one of Jay Wright's players to be mocked in the first round. Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, the latest Wildcat additions to the NBA bring an edge of scrappiness and toughness on both sides of the ball.
Bey continues the trend here with elite defensive skills and reliable three-point shooting. The soon to be NBA standout has all the tools to become a strength for any team.
A Kawhi Leonard comparison may be a stretch here, but Bey has many of the similarities of current NBA stars watch out for Bey.
Patrick Williams, Florida St.
Williams, another explosive prospect is a freakish athlete out of Florida State. He is a proven defender that has ACC experience against some of the toughest opponents. There are a lot of positives to Williams' game that include shot blocking, ability to switch on defense and has potential to become a shotmaker.
The NBA day by day is getting longer and more athletic. Williams looks very similar in ways to Jonathan Isaac, another Seminole with length and ability to score over defenders with the floater. Williams may even offer a bit more strength and toughness than Isaac did and that should fit right into an NBA roster.
Xavier Tillman, Michigan St.
Tillman did a lot of the dirty work for Michigan State last season. Through Tom Izzo’s squads ups and downs, Tillman was consistently a problem on both ends of the floor.
He has shown a willingness to fight on both the offensive and defensive boards. Tillman has the ability to play and defend at multiple positions.
He is the ideal size and stature that the NBA is looking for in forwards who can stretch the floor off the bench and create problems on the glass.
Sam Kirk is a freshman at Penn State majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email sjk6325@psu.edu.
