It’s never too early to look at next year’s draft! Here I will make my own 2020 mock draft (up until the Detroit Pistons’ pick) and take a closer look at this possible prospect.
With the Detroit Pistons‘ recent selection of Sekou Doumbouya out of France last month, it got me thinking about next year’s draft. Who is available? What position would we go for? And obviously, who would the Pistons pick?
With that, here is my Way-Too-Early 2020 NBA Mock Draft, up until where the Detroit Pistons may take their pick:
1. New York Knicks: James Wiseman, C, Memphis
2. Cleveland Cavaliers: Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia
3. Phoenix Suns: Cole Anthony, PG/SG, North Carolina
4. Chicago Bulls: RJ Hampton, PG, New Zealand Breakers (NBL)
5. Atlanta Hawks: Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington
6. Washington Wizards: Deni Avdija, SG/SF, Maccabi Tel Aviv
7. Oklahoma City Thunder: Jaden McDaniels, SF/PF, Washington
8. Dallas Mavericks: Theo Maledon, PG, Villeurbanne
9. Boston Celtics (from Memphis): Scottie Lewis, SG/SF, Florida
10. New Orleans Pelicans: Tre Jones, PG, Duke
11. Minnesota Timberwolves: Matthew Hurt, PF, Duke
12. Charlotte Hornets: Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona
13. Miami Heat: Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington
14. Sacramento Kings: Xavier Tillman, F, Michigan State
15. Detroit Pistons: Kahlil Whitney, SF, Kentucky
Kahlil Whitney, an upcoming freshman at the University of Kentucky, would be the Pistons’ best bet if he is available at their pick.
Whitney is a 6’6″ small forward weighing at 190 pounds with a 7’0″ wingspan.
The Chicago native brings strength and explosive athleticism to the table, which brings him great defensive potential, at the very least.
NBA Draft Room describes him as, “A quickly improving player who has the physical tools to be special. Very quick and bouncy with an aggressive game and emerging skill set.”
He has slipped in the 2019 class rankings after being ranked as a top-10 prospect back in the fall. Currently, 247 Sports and ESPN has him ranked at 12, while Bleacher Report has him going 19th in the 2020 NBA Draft in their early mock draft.
Whitney struggled in this year’s McDonald’s All-American festivities, scoring only two points, but in the Allen Iverson classic, he earned Co-MVP honors after scoring 38.
Clearly, he has issues in his game he needs to work on—mentally and on offense—but he also shows that the potential is there.
Evan Daniels of 247 Sports puts it best in this quote via A Sea of Blue (SBNation):
"“I think it’s just a matter of shot-making. Can he consistently make shots?” Evans said. “And I know there’s still some time to go before he can be a consistent three-point shooter, or even a mid-range shooter. I do know Kahlil is a very, very hard worker, but shot-making is so valuable in today’s game…I don’t think Kahlil’s shot is broken by any means, but it all comes down to that.”"
The tools are there. The potential is there. The main question is can he perform at the college level? And if he can, will that translate to the NBA?
I say the Detroit Pistons should take the risk if he’s available. Kahlil Whitney could end up being a major steal.
But who knows? It’s still way too early.