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2020 NBA Mock Draft: Looking to the future after a chaotic 2019 draft

By Brendon Kleen

MIDDLE VILLAGE, NEW YORK - APRIL 05: Cole Anthony #3 of Oak Hill Academy handles the ball on offense against La Lumiere in the semifinal of the GEICO High School National Tournament at Christ the King High School on April 05, 2019 in Middle Village, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
MIDDLE VILLAGE, NEW YORK - APRIL 05: Cole Anthony #3 of Oak Hill Academy handles the ball on offense against La Lumiere in the semifinal of the GEICO High School National Tournament at Christ the King High School on April 05, 2019 in Middle Village, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /
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MIDDLE VILLAGE, NEW YORK – APRIL 05: Precious Achiuwa #5 of Montverde Academy attempts a shot against IMG Academy in the semifinal of the GEICO High School National Tournament at Christ the King High School on April 05, 2019 in Middle Village, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
MIDDLE VILLAGE, NEW YORK – APRIL 05: Precious Achiuwa #5 of Montverde Academy attempts a shot against IMG Academy in the semifinal of the GEICO High School National Tournament at Christ the King High School on April 05, 2019 in Middle Village, New York. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /

Memphis. Precious Achiuwa. 12. player. 67. . F

It just so happens that Achiuwa, who was one of the last high school graduates to sign with a college program, also played at the prep level with the potential jewel of the 2021 draft class, Cade Cunningham. So teams who do their homework early will likely be pretty familiar with Achiuwa already, despite his late commitment to Memphis.

We watched two Montverde games this week to catch up on Achiuwa and start dreaming about Cunningham (who could reclassify to this class in the coming weeks) in the NBA. Here are our scouting notes:

  • Considering his ball-handling ability in space and elite functional athleticism as a finisher at the rim, Achiuwa should be a great transition scorer right away.
  • When he got switched onto the perimeter, Achiuwa held up reasonably well. Functional strength is huge in these situations, and Achiuwa prevented penetration with smooth hip rotation and mirroring.
  • As a team defender, Achiuwa was more instinctive than most high-schoolers.
  • Achiuwa’s jumper is inconsistent, most notably in his lower body. It might help to bend his knees deeper and get a little more twist on the release to put more power behind his shot.
  • There is a chance he becomes an even more dynamic shooter, as he’s comfortable with the footwork, lateral mobility and catch accuracy required to stretch the floor as a spot-up shooter coming off screens.

Achiuwa has the chance to really exceed his current positioning if he can flash more as an individual defender by leveraging his athleticism and size, and develop more versatility in his jump shot. With James Wiseman hanging around inside, Memphis could push Achiuwa toward the perimeter on both ends and maximize his growth there.

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