NBA Draft 2020: 5 potential second-round steals

First-round picks in the NBA Draft get all the headlines. These five second-round picks could blossom into stars in the right situation. 

The best NBA teams spend just as much time scouting potential second-round picks as they do high first-round selections. Unearthing a gem in the second round is a great way for a franchise to improve their fortunes dramatically in short order.

Of course, finding the next Manu Ginobili gets more and more difficult as the picks fly off the board. The possibility of finding a star at No. 31 is a lot better than nabbing a high-quality starter at No. 60. Teams armed with multiple second-round selections should spend a lot of time evaluating the following five prospects if they want to upgrade their respective rosters.

5. Mason Jones

Jones wasn’t blessed with an outstanding supporting cast at Arkansas, but he still managed to produce high-level offense at a prodigious clip. His potential to turn into a high-level perimeter shooter at the next level should intrigue every scout in the league.

He may have only shot 35.1 percent from 3 last season, but he was forced to shoulder a heavy offensive load for the Razorbacks. The fact that he took over six shots per game shows that he has a real chance to improve his efficiency at the next level. That percentage could improve greatly if he’s permitted to shift his shot distribution more towards taking spot-ups as opposed to hoisting jumpers off the dribble.

Projecting Jones as a superstar is difficult, but he’s got a legitimate chance to become a quality starter on the wing for a team that needs an injection of perimeter shooting. That description fits almost every team in the NBA. Don’t be surprised if Jones finds a way to carve out a meaningful role right away during his rookie season.