USC’s Onyeka Okongwu Declares For NBA Draft
USC freshman big man Onyeka Okongwu has declared for the 2020 NBA draft and intends to forgo his remaining three years of college eligibility, he tells Evan Daniels of 247Sports.
A 6’9″ forward/center, Okongwu averaged 16.2 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and an impressive 2.7 BPG in 28 games (30.6 MPG) in his first and only season as a Trojan. He projects as a potential lottery pick, currently ranking sixth on ESPN’s big board, including second among centers, behind only James Wiseman.
“I honestly have a lot of confidence in myself and I think I established my name this freshman year and I’ve shown that I can play with anyone,” Okongwu said. “It gives me more confidence in this decision because I feel like I can develop my game on the next level and really be successful.”
According to ESPN’s Mike Schmitz, Okongwu is a strong offensive rebounder and a “versatile defender with outstanding shot-blocking instincts.” Schmitz also praised the big man’s mobility and footwork, though he cautioned that he’s somewhat undersized as a center and his offensive ceiling may be limited. Sam Vecenie of The Athletic recently referred to Okongwu as one of the best defensive prospects in the 2020 draft class.
Dayton’s Obi Toppin Enters 2020 NBA Draft
MARCH 25: Toppin has made it official, announcing in a Twitter video that he’s signing with an agent and forgoing his remaining college eligibility as he enters the 2020 draft.
MARCH 15: Dayton sophomore Obi Toppin plans to declare for the NBA draft, sources tell Adam Zagoria of Forbes Magazine.
Toppin averaged 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game this season while leading the Flyers to a 29-2 record and a third-place ranking in the final AP poll. He was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and is a finalist for both the Naismith and Wooden awards.
With the NCAA tournament canceled, players are free to make decisions about their future earlier than normal.
“He will turn pro,” a source told Zagoria. “I know many NBA scouts are high on him.”
Toppin is projected as the ninth pick in the latest mock draft compiled by Jonathan Givony for ESPN. However, one league executive who spoke with Zagoria expects him to be taken in the top five.
“A lot of times you see guys who are really dominant and they kind of lose their spirit to compete and play,” said George Washington coach Jamion Christian. “He has this superstar spirit that’s genuine that I think people are going to really love as they get to know him more. I think the best ones always have that, they have something that’s a little bit different that’s not about themselves. I don’t know if it’s like an inner arrogance, but he’s got that.”
Draft Notes: Anthony, Scrubb, Hunt, Edwards
North Carolina freshman point guard Cole Anthony is viewed as a surefire lottery pick for the 2020 NBA draft, but he’s not yet ready to commit to actually declaring for the draft and leaving UNC, as Myron Medcalf of ESPN writes. Anthony said on Instagram that he’s currently focused on the coronavirus pandemic and relief efforts in New York.
“Living in New York City, the coronavirus hits hard,” Anthony said. “My family and I know many people directly affected by the coronavirus — many hospitalized, a few in critical condition, and one person who has died. … So, my biggest concern right now is trying to figure out how I can help during this crisis.”
While Anthony has yet to officially put his name in the 2020 draft pool, UNC head coach Roy Williams expected the young guard to do so, as he tells Evan Daniels of 247Sports. Asked if he expects any of his players to leave school for the NBA, Williams replied, “I don’t think there is any doubt in my mind that Cole will be leaving.”
Here are a few more draft-related notes:
- Kentucky head coach John Calipari said on Tuesday that he expects the NBA to move back both the combine and the draft due to the coronavirus situation (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv). Calipari hopes that – in that scenario – the date for college players to make final decisions about their draft eligibility would be pushed back too.
- Junior college star and Louisville commit Jay Scrubb is entering the 2020 draft without forgoing his college eligibility, his father Jason Scrubb tells Evan Daniels of 247Sports. “Jay’s focus right now is trying to be a pro player, and we want the NBA to take him seriously,” the elder Scrubb said. “Some execs aren’t sure if he’s going to go to school or try for the NBA. With the timeline we don’t know when we would hear from the NBA. He wants to be a pro athlete, but he does love Louisville.”
- SMU sophomore forward Feron Hunt is testing the draft waters this spring, he announced on Twitter. Hunt is coming off a 2019/20 campaign in which he averaged 11.0 PPG and 6.7 RPG in 30 games (28.2 MPG) for the Mustangs.
- Toledo junior guard Marreon Jackson recently announced on Twitter that he’s entering the 2020 draft pool while retaining his college eligibility. He averaged 19.8 PPG and 5.4 APG in 32 games (35.3 MPG) in 2019/20.
- Jeremy Woo of SI.com takes a closer look at Anthony Edwards, exploring why the Georgia guard has emerged as the leading candidate to be the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft and what question marks still surround him.
KBL Cancels Season, CBA Delays Resumption
The Korean Basketball League, which has been suspended since February 29 as a result of the coronavirus crisis, has decided to cancel the rest of its 2019/20 season, writes Jonathan Givony of ESPN.
As Givony details, the KBL had initially hoped to resume play on March 29, but there are still safety concerns related to COVID-19, despite South Korea’s relative success in containing the virus.
Elsewhere in Asia, the Chinese Basketball Association – which had been aiming to resume play on April 15 – has pushed back its projected start date to May, having failed to secure government approval, says ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Failed restarts in Japan and South Korea played a role in the CBA’s decision, as did the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, sources tell Windhorst.
It’s a discouraging development for the league, which initially shut down in late January. However, the CBA is still encouraging foreign players to return to China as soon as possible so they can do a 14-day self-quarantine before the season restarts, per Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Marcus Georges-Hunt is among the latest American players to report back to China, Carchia notes (via Twitter).
Several American players are angry and frustrated by the idea of having to remain in China until July or August to finish the CBA season and not being paid for their extra time, sources tell ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
The cancellations and postponements for Asian leagues aren’t exactly promising signs for the NBA, which hopes to resume its 2019/20 season in the spring or early summer. It’s not clear whether that will be possible, with the league prioritizing the safety of its players, coaches, and the rest of its members.
John Wall Expected To Remain Sidelined If Season Resumes
Wizards point guard John Wall, who continues to recover from an Achilles tear suffered in 2019, had been ruled out for the 2019/20 season prior to the NBA’s postponement.
Now that there’s a possibility of the NBA resuming its season as late as June or July, Wall will have extra time to get game-ready, but we still shouldn’t expect to see him back on the court before 2020/21, according to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. As Buckner explains, the original timeline that the Wizards and Wall had set remains unchanged.
“We’ve said all along that we can’t wait until John plays next season, and I think that will still be our attitude and our stance,” Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard recently said, per Buckner. “We’re very anxious to see John Wall in uniform next year. I don’t think any of this changes that.”
While the Wizards still expect Wall to be ready to go for the ’20/21 season, whenever it begins, the league’s coronavirus-related layoff may actually hinder his rehab process rather than help it. As Buckner points out, with all NBA training facilities closed, Wall no longer has the opportunity to participate in more intense workouts with teammates, Wizards staffers, and Capital City Go-Go players.
According to Buckner, Wall does have a basketball court and gym at his house, so he’ll be able to stay active during the hiatus, but he won’t be able to recreate the “day-to-day routine” he had with the Wizards. The disruption to that routine will contribute to keeping him on the sidelines this summer if and when the season resumes.
Kenyon Martin Jr. Declares For 2020 Draft
Kenyon Martin Jr., the son of former No. 1 overall draft pick Kenyon Martin, has declared for the 2020 NBA draft, his father told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The younger Martin opted not to play college basketball at Vanderbilt in 2019/20, instead spending the year at IMG Academy. The 6’7″ wing confirmed his draft decision in a post on Instagram, thanking the “coaching staff, the weight trainers, my teammates, and everyone at IMG” for helping him through the last year.
“I appreciate everyone who has supported me and my decisions is up to this point,” Martin Jr. wrote. “There was a lot of hate and doubt about my journey but I feel I’ve done what was best for me and now is the time to take the next step which is to declare for the 2020 NBA Draft. It has been a lifelong dream of mine and I will continue to work day by day to prove to myself and everyone that this is where I belong.”
The pre-draft process, which will be limited this spring, could be important for Martin Jr., who will get feedback from NBA teams after not playing against NCAA competition this season. As Wojnarowski notes, the youngster averaged 20 points and eight rebounds at IMG Academy. He’s currently the No. 53 prospect on ESPN’s big board.
And-Ones: Blazers, Chandler, Magic, Grizzlies
The Trail Blazers have started a COVID-19 emergency relief fund to support local non-profits which serve the community, as the team announced on its website. To date, more than $35MM has been raised by NBA and WNBA teams and players to combat organizations impacted by the coronavirus.
As we wait to see when the pandemic will subside and the NBA will return to action, let’s take a look at some basketball notes from around the league:
- Wilson Chandler was experiencing a late-season surge with the Nets before the coronavirus forced the league to suspend the season, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Chandler will be a free agent come the offseason.
- Josh Robbins of The Athletic breaks down the Magic‘s improved offense prior to the suspended season, exploring what it might mean going forward. Aaron Gordon spending the majority of his minutes at the four, which is his natural position, played a major role in the team excelling.
- Regardless of how and when the season resumes (or doesn’t), the Grizzlies showed enough progress to be optimistic about their future, Michael Wallace of NBA.com contends. Memphis is in the playoff picture and No. 2 overall Ja Morant looks like a future star.
Western Notes: Johnson, LeBron, Aldridge, DeRozan
Cameron Johnson, who was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2019 draft, should see an increased role next season in Phoenix, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic contends. The Suns rookie had made 91 three-pointers in 49 games and his progression may allow the franchise to focus on other position as it looks to upgrade the roster this summer.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- Lakers star LeBron James is being sued by a photographer for posting content on his social media pages without permission, as I detailed on Heavy.com. The photojournalist captured a picture of James dunking on Meyers Leonard earlier in the season.
- Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News examines LaMarcus Aldridge‘s season and wonders if the 34-year-old big man has a lengthy future with the Spurs. Aldridge has one year and $24MM left on his deal after this season.
- DeMar DeRozan‘s future with the Spurs isn’t certain either, as McDonald writes in a separate piece. The shooting guard is expected to decline his player option for next season and seek a long-term contract—either with San Antonio or another club.
Nets, Chris Chiozza May Have Found Long-Term Fit
Chris Chiozza, who joined the Nets in January on a two-way deal, has made a good impression in Brooklyn, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes.
Some have compared Chiozza’s progress with the Nets to that of Fred VanVleet with the Raptors. Lewis adds that those comparisons are likely premature, though the point guard could certainly earn a standard deal once the NBA returns to action.
Being on a two-way contract, Chiozza, who spent time with the G League’s Capital City Go-Go earlier this season, isn’t eligible to play for the Nets in the postseason. However, if the NBA returns this season, the franchise could waive a player to give Chiozza a spot on the postseason roster.
In his 11 games with Brooklyn, the former University of Florida point guard was averaging 16.3 points and 5.7 assists per 36 minutes. He knocked down 44.0% of his shots from downtown.
Steve Ballmer To Purchase Forum, Build New Clippers Arena
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has agreed in principle to purchase the Forum in Inglewood, California, which is a necessary step for the franchise to build a new arena in the area, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com writes.
The newly-formed CAPSS LLC will acquire the Forum from The Madison Square Garden Company – and executive chairman James Dolan – for $400MM in cash. The Forum will remain a music venue, but Ballmer’s purchase allows him to clear the existing litigation that was preventing an arena from being built nearby.
“This is an unprecedented time, but we believe in our collective future,” Ballmer said in the news release. “We are committed to our investment in the City of Inglewood, which will be good for the community, the Clippers, and our fans.”
The Clippers, who have shared the Staples Center with the Lakers since 1999, intend to build a state-of-the-art, 18,000-seat arena in Inglewood, notes Youngmisuk. Public hearings to approve construction of the building are expected to happen later this year.
The franchise anticipates creating an estimated 7,500 “high-paying construction jobs” and 1,500 permanent jobs, Youngmisuk added. The team announced that it has a $100MM package of community benefits on the way.