NBA Draft 2020: 5 potential second-round steals

3. Cassius Stanley

Stanley wasn’t a superstar during his one season at Duke, but he has the sort of elite athletic traits that NBA scouts covet. That gives the 6-foot-6 guard a chance to massively outperform his draft status.

That explosive leaping ability should help Stanley grow into an above-average wing defender. He may not have the outstanding length scouts want to see from players who can guard the 2-4 spots, but the combination of his vertical jump and above-average quickness should help overcome any deficiencies in terms of wingspan.

Stanley does need to grow his offensive repertoire if he wants to be a starter at the next level. He shot 36 percent from 3 during his collegiate career, but there wasn’t a great deal of diversity on those attempts. It may take him a season or two with an NBA coaching staff to really become a high-level shooter.

In a strange way, Stanley is a blank slate when it comes to creating opportunities for himself off the dribble. He rarely made any attempt to make a play for himself at Duke. It’s possible he will never develop in that regard. Fortunately, it won’t be required of Stanley if he wants to become a quality starter at a position that’s short on talent in the modern NBA.