NBA Draft 2020: Big Board 1.0 after start of regular season

22. Trendon Watford, Power Forward

Current Team: LSU

In the midst of the more promising former five-star recruits that are also true freshmen in this draft class you will find the LSU Tigers 6-foot-9 Star Trendon Watford. Early mock drafts do like Watford a whole lot, some having him falling as high as the lottery. But he’s not off to the best start this season.

Proceed with caution for any team that is interested in taking Watford in the middle or latter portion of the first round of the NBA Draft 2020. A poor start to the regular season, through three games so far, could hint at a similar fall down draft boards comparatively to what former LSU big man Naz Reid had after the NBA Combine.

It should be mentioned that Watford and Reid could fall for very different reasons in terms of the NBA Draft.

What is going to draw NBA scouts to Watford, though, is the potential to have a wing as tall as he is and as strong as he is that could dominate in halfcourt offense and command a defense. He has a long way to go before he can live up to that billing, but that’s where his draw will come from. If he starts to get more reliable outside shooting to his arsenal, he could play at the three.

The 33.3 percent shooting from three-point range and 57.1 percent from the charity stripe are indications of concern moving forward for Watford. He doesn’t really have the greatest supporting cast of experienced players surrounding him with the LSU basketball program, so that might stunt his development in increasing his shooting efficiency.