Who to draft in the 2020 NBA Draft: LaMelo Ball or James Wiseman?
James Wiseman
The NCAA is no stranger to suspending collegiate athletes for receiving financial enticements. Over the past decade, numerous cases arose, with both coaches and players suspended and some even leaving — or being asked to leave — the university because of it. James Wiseman was the latest victim of the NCAA’s poaching.
Before even gracing a collegiate basketball court, Wiseman was considered to be the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. And yes, he still can, but chances are slimmer because of the NCAA debacle.
As the No. 1 recruit of the 2019 high school class, according to ESPN.com, Wiseman stayed home to play college basketball for the Memphis Tigers. At first, no questions arose from that decision. But after just one game, the NCAA struck.
In 2018, Anfernee Hardaway, who at the time was Wiseman’s high school coach, donated $11,500 to Wiseman’s family to help move him to Memphis — this was before Hardaway was offered the Memphis coaching job. The NCAA declared Hardaway a booster, which was the leading cause for the suspension.
Because Wiseman’s family accepted the donation, a 12-game suspension was levied against the freshman phenom. Was it justified? Depends who you ask.
Shortly after the news broke, courts granted Wiseman a temporary restraining order against the NCAA, allowing the star to play in the Nov. 8, matchup against UIC.
Four days later, Wiseman played again amid NCAA investigation. That was it, though. No more college games for Wiseman. He took his 12-game suspension and sat on the bench … until Dec. 19, when the star decided to drop out of the university in order to prepare for the upcoming NBA Draft.
As he does that, NBA teams will have only three games to look at until the NBA Draft Combine — if he participates. Three games is certainly a small sample size, but current Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland was selected fifth overall last year despite playing only five games at Vanderbilt. Unliker Wiseman, Garland was injured early in his freshman season.
Wiseman’s physical profile makes him an intriguing target for NBA teams. He’s a 7-foot-1, 240-pound center with a 7-foot-6 wingspan that he uses to impose his shot-blocking ability on his opponents. He blocked nine shots in three games at Memphis, averaging 3.0 per game.
His shot-blocking ability doesn’t tell the whole story, though. He’s mobile for a 240-pound center and can hold his own on the perimeter against wings. He has all the tools to be a defensive beast in the NBA.
Here’s the catch: scouts said that about Andrew Wiggins, too — Wiggins has a 110.8 defensive rating, which ranks 361th in the NBA as of Jan. 26. Having the tools doesn’t always translate to NBA success, especially with a questionable motor. ESPN’s Mike Schmitz believes there is a middle ground with Wiseman.
On the offensive end, Wiseman projects to be a solid rim roller who can dominate in the paint with a silky smooth touch around the rim. He shot an impressive 76.9 percent from the field in the three games with Memphis. Additionally, it’ll be difficult to keep him off the offensive glass as he has a good eye for the ball in combination with his elite physical tools.
Outside of the paint is where the issue lies, however. Because of his quickness for a big, he has the potential to play on the perimeter. But that play style is nowhere close to NBA ready. He only took one 3-pointer with Memphis and mainly patrolled the paint — giving the impression that his flashes of perimeter play in high school may not be as potent as some may have thought.
Still, what he flashed in high school will be evaluated prior to the NBA Draft due to the small sample size of collegiate play. With the increasing number of big men roaming out to the perimeter, it would not be surprising if Wiseman strengthened his perimeter play prior to and during his rookie season.
His rebounding ability, both on the offensive and defensive glass, is easily his most impressive attribute. As mentioned before, he has an eye for the ball as well as quick instincts to leap for the rebound. While at Memphis, he averaged 10.7 rebounds per game with 4.3 of those being on the offensive glass.
Because of the small sample size, NBA teams will have difficulty gauging Wiseman’s potential role in the NBA. What we know is that he has the tools of a great defender and will immediately be a factor in the pick-and-roll game as a rim runner. However, his perimeter game and outside jumper are questionable at best right now.