The annual NBA Draft is usually held in late-June, but considering the league was on a coronavirus-related shutdown back then this year and hadn’t even completed its regular season, the draft was pushed all the way back to Wednesday.

First off, there’s no clear-cut No. 1 overall pick this year like there was in 2019 with Zion Williamson an easy call as the top choice by the New Orleans Pelicans, and he lived up to the billing when healthy – although No. 2 overall pick Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies won Rookie of the Year.

Two Canadian players have been chosen No. 1 overall and both by the Cleveland Cavaliers in back-to-back years: Anthony Bennett in 2013 and Andrew Wiggins in ’14. Bennett was a mega-bust, while Wiggins has been OK but is now with the Golden State Warriors.

The 2019 NBA Draft class made history with six Canadians selected, the most all-time in a single draft. There are four eligible Canadians this year and the only one likely to be picked is Montreal’s Karim Mane. He was a five-star recruit out of high school but decided not to play American college basketball and was eligible for the draft as an international player who satisfied the NBA’s age requirement, having turned 19 in May 2019. He should go somewhere in Round 2.

Toronto has the No. 29 overall pick in Round 1 and No. 59 in Round 2. Just for a point of comparison, Kentucky’s Keldon Johnson was the No. 29 pick last year and was decent for the San Antonio Spurs. The best No. 29 overall pick this decade has likely been guard Dejounte Murray out of the University of Washington in 2016 by the Spurs.

Big 3 In 2020 NBA Draft

Wiggins never played a second for Cleveland as he was traded before his rookie season to the Minnesota Timberwolves (then to the Warriors during the just-completed season) in the Kevin Love deal. The Wolves won the 2020 draft lottery and it would be the second time overall they would pick first after choosing Karl-Anthony Towns there in 2015. He’s a star.

Most scouts agree there are three prospects head and shoulders above the others in this draft: Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, Memphis’ James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball, younger brother of Pelicans guard and 2017 No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball. LaMelo didn’t play any college basketball; Wiseman only played three games.

Wiseman doesn’t really fit on Minnesota because he plays the same position as Towns, so if the Wolves stay put – and they’d like to trade back – are expected to choose between Edwards and Ball. Edwards is given an over-under draft position of 1.5 (over -215 favourite) and Ball 2.5 (under -380 favorite), yet Ball is the -175 favourite to go first with Edwards at +150 and Wiseman +350. Wiseman also has an over-under of 2.5, with both options at -120.

After Minnesota, Golden State picks second, Charlotte third, Chicago fourth and Cleveland fifth.

The Warriors like the Wolves would prefer to trade back and pick up win-now assets. The Hornets and Bulls have been rumoured to potentially trade up. Charlotte also has been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Russell Westbrook from Houston in a trade – although the Hornets aren’t giving up the No. 3 pick for him. It’s also possible Houston could trade James Harden by the draft, although that’s unlikely. Harden has asked to go to Brooklyn, which is now the -255 favourite to win the Eastern Conference title.

The top international player in the draft is widely considered to be 19-year-old Israeli forward Deni Avdija, who is given an over-under draft position of 4.5, with the under a -130 favourite. Most mock drafts have him going to the Bulls at No. 4 unless one of the Big 3 drops.

2020 NBA Draft Predictions

We can’t project trades, so this is how we see the first five picks going Wednesday: Edwards to Timberwolves, Wiseman to Warriors (this seems like a near-lock as long as Golden State doesn’t trade back), Ball to Hornets, Avdija to Bulls and Obi Toppin (O/U draft position of 4.5) to Cavaliers.