NBA Draft Prospects and Their Potential Salaries
Contents
Wondering how much your favorite NBA draft prospects will make once they sign their first professional contract? We’ve got you covered.
1.NBA Draft Prospects
The National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft is an annual event in which the 30 franchises in the NBA Select new players to join their team. The draft is held in June every year, and prospects who are eligible for the draft declare themselves eligible to be selected by an NBA team
In order to be eligible for the draft, a player must be at least 19 years of age during the calendar year of the draft, and must have finished his High School eligibility or be a year removed from his high school graduation. If a player opts to participate in college basketball instead of entering the draft immediately, he must also declare himself eligible for the draft no more than 60 days before the start of his college’s Basketball season
Players who declare themselves eligible but are not drafted into the NBA are then free to sign with any professional basketball team that they choose, including teams in other professional leagues or in foreign countries.
2.Their Potential Salaries
Many experts and pundits have their own opinions on how much money certain NBA Draft prospects will make in their careers. Of course, a number of factors go into wages for any player in any sport, but for the sake of this conversation, we’ll focus on potential salaries for rooks.
Here are a few examples:
* Zion Williamson – Many experts agree that Williamson will be the first pick in the 2019 NBA draft Pundits have speculated that he could sign a deal worth up to $100 million if he meets expectations and develops well.
* Ja Morant – Morant is projected to be a high lottery pick, and some have even compared him to Russell Westbrook It’s been suggested that he could sign a deal worth $80-90 million.
* RJ Barrett – Barrett is expected to go third overall in the draft, and some think he has the potential to be a star in the league. He could sign a deal worth $60-70 million.
3.The Top Prospects
The following are the top NBA draft prospects and their potential salaries:
1. Zion Williamson – $9.8 million
2. Ja Morant – $7.4 million
3. RJ Barrett – $6.9 million
4. Coby White – $5.2 million
5. De’Andre Hunter – $4.9 million
4.The Mid-Range Prospects
In the following section, we will take a look at some of the best mid-range prospects in the upcoming NBA Draft These are players that are projected to be selected anywhere from the early to late second round, and they all have the potential to be productive players at the next level. While they may not be superstars, each of these prospects has the potential to carve out a role on an NBA roster and contribute right away.
Some of the best mid-range prospects in this year’s draft include:
Bruno Fernando: A physical center out of Maryland, Fernando has all the tools to be a successful rim protector and rebounder at the next level. He is very raw offensively, but his defensive potential makes him a intriguing prospect for teams in need of help on that end of the floor.
Isaiah Roby: A 6’8” forward from Nebraska, Roby is an excellent athlete with a 7’2” wingspan. He is a versatile defender that can guard multiple positions, and he has shown flashes of being a capable shooter from three-point range Roby is still somewhat raw offensively, but his defensive potential makes him an intriguing prospect for teams looking for help on that end of the floor.
PJ Washington: A 6’8” forward from Kentucky, Washington is a skilled Power Forward that can shoot from three-point range and score inside with his back to the basket. He is not an elite athlete, but his skill level makes him somebody that could potentially contribute right away on offense. His defense will need to improve at the next level, but Washington has the potential to be a productive player offensively.
5.The Late-Round Prospects
These are the prospects that typically go undrafted, but always seem to find a way to make an NBA roster They tend to be older, more experienced players who have often played professionally overseas. They are usually very good at one or two specific things, but lack the well-rounded game that is required to be an NBA starter However, they can often provide valuable minutes off the bench and can be excellent role players on a winning team Players in this category are typically signed to minimum salary contracts and are not expected to make a significant impact on the court.
Some examples of late-round prospects from recent years include:
-Duncan Robinson (Miami Heat)
--Chris Boucher (Toronto Raptors)
-Terence Davis (Toronto Raptors)
-Marial Shayok (Philadelphia 76ers)
-Kendrick Nunn (Miami Heat)
6.The Undrafted Prospects
The NBA Draft is finally upon us and there are a lot of great prospects that teams will be fighting for. While most of the focus will be on the first few picks, there are always a few undrafted prospects that end up making a big impact in the league. Here are a few names to keep an eye on this year.
Isaiah Thomas: A 5’9” point guard from Washington, Thomas was one of the most productive players in college basketball last year. He averaged 19 points and five assists per game but his lack of size will likely cause him to go undrafted. If he can prove that he can play at the next level, he could be a steal for whatever team ends up signing him.
Jeremy Tyler: A 6’10” forward from Israel, Tyler is an intriguing prospect because of his size and skill set. He’s still raw and will need some time to develop, but he has the potential to be a good player in the league. He could end up going late in the first round or early in the second round, but it’s also possible that he slips through the cracks and goes undrafted.
Jeff Taylor: A 6’7” wing from Vanderbilt, Taylor is one of the best athletes in this year’s Draft Class He’s a good defender and has the potential to be a good shooter from three-point range. However, his lack of size might cause him to go undrafted. If he can find a way to get on the court and show off his athleticism, he could end up being a contributor for whichever team takes a chance on him.
7.The Sleeper Prospects
We’ve all heard of the big names in this year’s NBA Draft class, but there are a few players who may be flying under the radar. These “sleeper prospects” could end up being steal deals for the teams that draft them.
Dzanan Musa is a 6’9” small forward from Bosnia who plays for Cedevita Zagreb in Croatia. He averaged 17 points and 4.5 rebounds per game last season. His shooting percentage was an impressive 41% from three-point range. He has great shooting range and is a solid offensive player His defense needs some work, but he has the potential to be a very good player in the NBA.
Musa is projected to be a late first-round or early second-round pick in the draft. If he ends up on the right team, he could be a very good role player for years to come.
Another sleeper prospect is Elie Okobo. Okobo is a 6’3” point guard from France who plays for Pau-Lacq-Orthez in the French League He averaged 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists per game last season. He has good size for a point guard and is a very good shooter. He needs to work on his decision making and ball handling, but he has the potential to be a very good player in the NBA.
Okobo is projected to be a late first-round or early second-round pick in the draft. If he ends up on the right team, he could be a very good role player for years to come.
8.The Bust Prospects
These are the players who will likely not make an impact in the NBA, or who will make very little impact. They tend to be projects that never quite come together, or guys who lack the athleticism or skill necessary to be successful at the next level. Some of them may find a role on an NBA bench but they are not going to be the cornerstone of a franchise. These are the players who will likely end up making the league minimum salary or close to it.
9.The International Prospects
In recent years the NBA has seen an influx of International Players In the 2019 NBA draft over 20% of the prospects were from outside the United States Many of these players have gone on to have successful NBA careers, and their salaries reflect that.
Below are some of the top international prospects for the 2020 NBA draft along with their potential salaries.
Rui Hachimura (Japan) – $8 million
Bol Bol (Iran) – $7 million
Goga Bitadze (Georgia) – $6 million
Nicolas Claxton (Georgia) – $5 million
Thon Maker (Australia) – $5 million
10.The G League Prospects
Just like in the NBA, G League prospects are looking to get paid. But instead of millions of dollars, they’re Playing for six-figure salaries in the hopes of one day reaching the NBA.
The G League has become a popular destination for young players who want to develop their game and earn a good living while they’re at it. In recent years the league has seen an influx of young players bypassing college altogether to play in the G League.
Here are 10 G League prospects who could be in line for a big payday in the NBA:
1. De’Anthony Melton – $1.9 million
2. Jalen Adams – $1.8 million
3. Vitaly Potapenko – $1.7 million
4. Kostas Antetokounmpo – $1.6 million
5. Yuta Watanabe – $1.5 million
6. Jaren Jackson Jr. – $1.4 million
7. Mitchell Robinson – $1.3 million
8. Aaron Holiday – $1.2 million
9 .Bruno Caboclo – $1 million
10 .Josh Jackson – $895,000