Cole Anthony atop lottery prospects for 2020 NBA Draft
10. Golden State Warriors: Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington
Way before the preseason mocks and big boards started flying in, there was once a time when Jaden McDaniels was a favorite by some scouts, including those over at ESPN to contend for the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Those hopes and dreams are gone, at least momentarily, due to his poor showing on the high school all-star circuit as well as in scrimmages and practices up to this point.
The doubt doesn’t come from his skill and what he can do on the floor. McDaniels is a walking bucket at 6’9″ who has drawn past comparisons to lanky scorers like Kevin Knox — even Kevin Durant at times — for his fluidity shooting and handling the ball at his size.
But talent isn’t the only thing that gets players drafted in the lottery. Impact has to come from caring about the game to put in the time and effort to succeed on and off the court. The chatter around McDaniels that he isn’t driven enough and the motor isn’t there is becoming louder. There comes a point where it’s hard to ignore.
I’m going to put those concerns on the back burner for now, as he’s still a kid. Sometimes those concerns are overblown; just ask Deandre Ayton, who worked his tail off at Arizona and found himself getting drafted first overall back in 2018.
For now, let’s give McDaniels a chance to light up the scoreboard in Washington and show just what he can do.