2020 NBA mock draft roundup 1.0: Kira Lewis Jr. is a popular pick for Sixers

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The NBA’s pre-draft process this year won’t be normal. The league is on hiatus because of the coronavirus, March Madness was canceled and the meaningful dates and routines we’ve grown accustomed to don’t apply.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, teams will be allowed to hold virtual meetings with prospects, but in-person workouts will be prohibited. 

Still, we presume there will be a draft (it’s currently scheduled for June 25). Let’s look at a few mock drafts to see who the Sixers might select with the 22nd pick in the first round: 

Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report 

Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona

Wasserman: “After shooting just 37.0 percent from the floor in 2020, Mannion could slide due to questions about how effective he can be without plus tools or explosion. He'd enter value-pick territory in the 20s, where the Sixers could look at Mannion as a backup behind Ben Simmons to play-make and knock down jumpers for the second unit.”

Though the emergence of Shake Milton this season might change things slightly, it makes sense that the Sixers would have interest in prospects who can both back up Simmons and play with him. Mannion is adept in the pick-and-roll, with a strong feel for the game and a variety of passes and floaters. As Wasserman writes, Mannion’s dip in efficiency hurt his stock a bit. Mannion shot 32.7 percent from three-point range overall in his single season at Arizona, but he did hit 79.7 percent of his free throws and has good form on his jumper. 

James Ham, NBC Sports Bay Area 

Jalen Smith, PF, Maryland 

Ham: “Points, rebounds, blocks and … 3-pointers? Smith is learning to stretch the floor and it may earn him a first-round selection. At 6-foot-10, Smith shot nearly 36.8 percent from deep to go with 2.4 blocks per game. If that can translate to the NBA, someone is going to find a keeper.”

Smith’s jump in production as a sophomore is impressive, and his improvement as a shooter is especially intriguing. At the moment, though, the Sixers need a perimeter shooter and/or shot creator more than they need another big man. 

Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated 

Jahmi’us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech 

Sam Vecenie, The Athletic 

Jahmi’us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech 

Woo: “Ramsey settles for a lot of jumpers, and gets to the rim less than you think an athletic guard with his type of frame would. Defensively, he has solid instincts, which points to 3-and-D type potential. But he’s a little bit of a mixed bag, with enough upside to go in this range, but also with some question marks. The Sixers may need to re-up on wings this summer, and Ramsey could be a fit with his ability to play on or off the ball.”

Vecenie: “Part of me wonders if he does enough other stuff outside of scoring on jumpers. … Now, there’s a lot of value in shooting off the catch, but is it enough for a kid who is 6-foot-4? For the 76ers, I think you can make the case that it is. They need someone like Ramsey who can knock down shots and attack closeouts.”

Woo and Vecenie lay out Ramsey’s strengths and weaknesses well. He hit 42.6 percent of his threes this season but only converted 64.1 percent of his free throws. Like Zhaire Smith, who the Sixers acquired on a draft-night trade in 2018 after his freshman season at Texas Tech, Ramsey will be entering the professional ranks at a young age — he turns 19 in June. 

Ricky O’Donnell, SB Nation 

Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama 

Chris Stone, Sporting News 

Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama 

Mark Schanowski, NBC Sports Chicago 

Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama 

O’Donnell: “The 6’3 guard is one of the fastest players in this class with the ball in his hands. He excels at putting pressure on the rim, even if he still struggles to finish over length. While not a natural playmaker, Lewis showed improved playmaking chops with the Tide this season. He’d be a nice value pick at this point for Philadelphia.” 

Lewis had a very productive sophomore year, averaging 18.5 points, 5.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds for the Crimson Tide. His 1.8 steals per game were third in the SEC, too. The 19-year-old (his birthday was actually Monday) has decent shooting numbers — 36.6 percent from three, 80.2 percent at the line — though his release is a touch low. 

There are a few areas of concern with Lewis, including his size. To excel in the NBA at 165 pounds, a player needs to be exceptionally talented — think Ja Morant, a virtuoso playmaker who’s actually listed at 174. While Lewis is incredibly quick and a shifty ball handler, whether he can hold his own on defense and finish through contact and against length in the NBA are logical questions to have.  

In evaluating prospects, NBA teams are typically attracted to players with an elite quality. Lewis has that in his speed, and it’s a tool he knows how to harness well.

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