NBA Betting: Who Will Go At No. 2 In 2020 NBA Draft?

The NBA Draft exists in a state of uncertainty, because no final decision has been made on whether the NBA season will resume or be cancelled as a result of the coronavirus. The NBA might resume the season in August before no fans in arenas, but everything is pure speculation at this point. If the season does resume, the draft order would be uncertain. If, however, the season is cancelled, the draft order would be easier to guess: The Golden State Warriors would likely have the No. 1 pick, based on their league-worst record. The Cleveland Cavaliers would probably be second. The Minnesota Timberwolves would probably be third, and the Atlanta Hawks would likely be fourth.

Given these possibilities, let’s imagine a context in which these four teams are the first four teams which pick in the draft. Which pick would go second in the 2020 NBA Draft?

ANTHONY EDWARDS, GEORGIA

ODDS TO BE NO. 2 PICK: +175

This pick would have a better chance of going second in the draft if the Hawks somehow end up at No. 2. Edwards, having played one year at the University of Georgia, would be a popular selection for Atlanta fans who want someone to cheer for. With the coronavirus eating into every NBA team’s profit margin, the Hawks and other NBA teams might draft players partly on the basis of how many new season tickets they would be likely to sell. If the Hawks are not at No. 2, Edwards still has a good chance of being taken in this spot, but the scouting reports on him wildly vary, and there is no very deep or strong consensus on which player is second-best in the 2020 draft class.

LAMELO BALL

ODDS TO BE NO. 2 PICK: +225

The member of the Ball family who did not play a season of big-time college basketball (unlike Lonzo at UCLA in 2017) will face a significant challenge in terms of being drafted second: One challenge will be the baggage and scrutiny a team will invite if it picks a member of the Ball family. Another challenge is that LaMelo Ball doesn’t have nearly the same defensive instincts or quality that his older brother had. The lack of game film from college basketball against elite opposition will probably scare other NBA teams away from LaMelo, who looks a lot more like a player who will go late in the lottery as opposed to any of the top five picks in the draft.

JAMES WISEMAN

ODDS TO BE NO. 2 PICK: +275

The issue here with Wiseman is that he is probably the best choice to go first in the draft. Wiseman barely played for the Memphis Tigers, and the NCAA ruled him ineligible for reasons which were connected to the behavior and actions of Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway. Wiseman will enter the NBA with a chip on his shoulder. Anyone who drafts him will be picking a highly motivated player. This is going to give Wiseman an edge over the rest of the field in the pursuit of the No. 1 draft pick slot.

OBI TOPPIN
ODDS TO BE NO. 2 PICK: +400

The Naismith National Player of the Year in college basketball carried the Dayton Flyers to what probably would have been a No. 2 seed if the 2020 NCAA Tournament had been played. The fact that Dayton does not play at the same level of Kentucky or Duke or other elite college basketball teams might cause a little bit of fear from various NBA organizations. Toppin looks a lot more like a No. 4 or 5 prospect in this draft class.

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