#1: Golden State Warriors: James Wiseman | Center | Memphis
No one in this draft class has a better combination of upside and ready-now than James Wiseman. He is kind of like a left-handed version of Deandre Ayton, but who is more willing to dunk instead of shooting a mid-range jumper.
At 7’1″ with an unfair 7’6″ wingspan, Wiseman possesses insane athleticism and will provide instant rebounding at the NBA level. He is also efficient around the rim, finishing on 76.9 percent of his field goals in the three games of his collegiate career.
Like this stat, all of Wiseman’s college numbers can and should probably be thrown out due to the enormously small sample size, but it showed flashes of what he is capable of and scouts must be drooling.
There is an argument that drafting the athletic 7-footer at #1 overall hasn’t worked out well in the past for NBA teams, but if the Warriors land here in the lottery, he may be too good to pass up, as he fits the exact model they have grown their dynasty around.
Here it is: Steph, Klay, and Draymond at the 1, 2, and 4 spots. Then find the best 3-man they can get (Harrison Barnes, then KD, and now Wiggins), and for their 5-man, just insert whatever big man they have available who can provide defense and rebounding with little pressure to score.
The latter is exactly what James Wiseman would be for them as a rookie.
It almost seems unfair that a perennial title contender can have one bad, injury-riddled year and have the perfect piece to their championship puzzle fall into their lap, but it is 2020 and here we are.