With just over a week to go before the 2020 NBA Draft, Daryl Morey, Doc Rivers, and everyone else in the Sixers organization will be putting the final touches to their draft boards in what will be a truly historic event. With the Sixers having 5 picks this year, I thought I’d give you 5 point guard prospects that they should target.
Tyrell Terry – Stanford
Tyrell Terry is quite easily my favorite prospect in the draft this year and if he’s still there at 21, the Sixers have to take him. The 6’3, 160 lbs freshman out of Stanford has an incredible shot stroke and scoring ability, ending his career with a 40% 3 point shot, shooting 47% in the paint, and an 89% free throw percentage.
Terry’s basketball IQ is through the roof. He hardly ever tries to force a bad shot and boasts strong anticipation on both sides of the court. He has great court vision and coupled with his brilliant passing ability, this will lead him to becoming a top offensive contributor at the next level.
Terry has one of the biggest potentials in this year’s class and learning from someone like Ben Simmons will make sure he blasts through that ceiling. Although he may be on the smaller side in some physical attributes, his overall athleticism goes unnoticed when many talk about him and he shows the determination and physical play of someone way bigger, as evidenced in his 4.5 rebounds per game average.
If Terry can get his body to max out at a better weight, then he’s set to have a great NBA career and could potentially be one of the league’s biggest stars of the future.
Cole Anthony – UNC
Cole Anthony has had a seriously winding journey to the draft and his stock is still up in the air. If he’s still around at 21, the Sixers should definitely consider taking a gamble on him. Without a tough last season with UNC, he would be a clear top-10 pick for any team that needed a high scoring point guard.
The 6’3, 185 lbs, guard is an incredible 3 level scorer that has the ability to shoot the lights out at any given time. Once he starts going, Anthony can quickly put-up insane numbers and he keeps the defense guessing given his effectiveness from all over the floor. He plays hard and probably has the most refined and confident shot of anyone in the draft, however, that can hurt him too.
Anthony can get really ahead of himself on the court and if he starts making a couple of difficult shots, he’ll continue to force them. He’s also a very ‘shoot-first’ PG and won’t usually pass to open teammates if he thinks he can get a shot off. Overall, Anthony needs to learn how to be a team player if he’s going to succeed in the NBA and that’s what the gamble is with him.
Theo Maledon – France
If you’re looking for an NBA ready body, with confident shooting to support fantastic dribbling and passing, then Theo Maledon is the prospect for you. Maledon has a seriously high basketball IQ that jumps off the screen. He’s not the most explosive with a 6’5, 175 lbs frame, he’s extremely quick and his first step is lethal.
What impresses me the most about Maledon is his dribbling. He has a fantastic stop-start dribble move that constantly breaks opposing defenders’ ankles. Maledon has a good enough shot on him inside the arc and does well to shoot in spot-up situations and off pick and rolls.
There are a few issues with Maledon which he will need to work on when he heads to the NBA. His 3-point shot is way too inconsistent and it allows defenders to close the inside of the arc off in preparation of his game. He’s also way too reliant on his right hand and needs to start using his left more to change things up when driving to the basket. He has good size, but he doesn’t use it to the max potential he has and needs to be more physical on the defensive side of things. Overall, Maledon would be a great get for the Sixers.
Ty-Shon Alexander – Creighton
Ty-Shon Alexander may be the biggest riser in this years’ draft so far. Many teams, including the Celtics, have had virtual meetings with him and came away extremely impressed. As a 2nd round guy, the Sixers may buy into the hype.
Alexander’s main selling point to NBA teams is his fluid 3 point shot that has developed over the last 2 years at Creighton. He has improved to a 38% 3 point shot in those 2 years while getting a high number of shots up in total, averaging around 12 attempts every 100 possessions. He’s a decent shot inside the arc too but he isn’t a great finisher at the rim and that may hurt him at the next level.
Alexander has a good frame for the NBA, coming in at 6’4 and 200 lbs, although he doesn’t use it enough when defending. Defensively, he’s very good with his hands, leading to some nice steal ability but overall he isn’t a standout on the defensive side of things and will need to improve on that a lot given he’s regarded as a combo guard.
Cassius Winston – Michigan State
Cassius Winston will be leaving behind a legacy at the college level, finishing with a Final 4, a Big 10 POY award, and ranking as the highest assisting player in Michigan State’s history. Winston has shown throughout his time as a Spartan that he has a seriously high understanding of the game and his position, whilst also demonstrating how much his scoring traits have improved, which have led to him flying up draft boards over the past 12 months.
Winston is capable of running an offense. He understands his role perfectly, can find any open teammate, hardly ever makes a bad decision, and will constantly look for what’s best for the team rather than himself. At the combine, he was a standout in the shooting drills and that will only help to increase his draft stock. He’s a guy who teams can trust late in the game and someone who will put in gutsy performances when needed.
The main reason why he’s a 2nd round pick is his size. He stands at 6’1 and 190 lbs, and struggles to put himself around physically, which doesn’t bode well for the NBA. He also struggles with speed, not really looking too fast or explosive. Winston would be a great bench player who would lead the rotation team for the Sixers in the future and hopefully add some crucial shooting ability.
Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire
