Looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft, I still find myself shaking my head at some of the developments that unfolded. As someone who's covered basketball for over a decade, I thought I had a pretty good read on that draft class, but boy was I wrong about several key aspects. The surprises started early and kept coming throughout that unusual pandemic-era selection process.
I remember watching Anthony Edwards go first overall to Minnesota, thinking he had all the physical tools but wondering about his consistency and motor. Fast forward to today, and he's become arguably the most explosive shooting guard in the league, averaging nearly 26 points per game last season while leading the Timberwolves to playoff relevance. What surprised me most wasn't just his statistical leap, but his transformation into a genuine franchise cornerstone. His competitive fire reminds me of something a coach told me recently about a different player: "He's facing a longtime rival, and I know how much this means to him." That intensity perfectly describes Edwards' approach now - every game matters, every matchup becomes personal.
The real stunner came at pick two, where the Warriors selected James Wiseman over LaMelo Ball. At the time, Golden State's logic seemed sound - they needed a modern big man to complement their aging core. But Wiseman's development has been anything but straightforward, dealing with injuries and struggling to find his rhythm while Ball immediately blossomed into an All-Star in Charlotte. I'll admit I was among the many analysts who thought Golden State had made the sensible choice, but basketball doesn't always follow conventional wisdom. LaMelo's immediate impact with the Hornets - winning Rookie of the Year and making his first All-Star appearance in just his second season - completely reshaped how we evaluate international prospects who take unconventional paths to the league.
Then there's Tyrese Haliburton falling to twelfth overall. I still can't believe nearly half the league passed on a player with his basketball IQ and playmaking vision. The Kings ultimately traded him away, which might go down as one of the worst decisions in recent franchise history given how he's exploded in Indiana, making back-to-back All-Star appearances while averaging over 20 points and 10 assists. His success story makes me question whether teams are overthinking the evaluation process - sometimes the best players are right there in front of you if you're willing to look past superficial concerns.
What fascinates me most in retrospect is how several late first-round and second-round picks have outperformed their draft positions. Desmond Bane at 30th overall to Memphis has become one of the league's most efficient three-point shooters, while the Knicks found an absolute steal in Immanuel Quickley at 25th. These success stories highlight how much draft value exists beyond the lottery picks if teams do their homework properly. The 2020 class has taught me to be more skeptical of consensus rankings and to trust what I see on tape rather than what I read in mock drafts.
Three years later, the 2020 draft class has produced multiple franchise cornerstones and several All-Stars, defying many pre-draft expectations. The biggest surprise ultimately wasn't any single pick or slide, but how thoroughly this class has reshaped our understanding of player development timelines and what constitutes draft value. In a league that's constantly evolving, this draft class reminds us that potential can manifest in unexpected ways, and that sometimes the most obvious choices aren't necessarily the right ones.