Looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft class four years later, I can't help but marvel at how dramatically our initial assessments have shifted. When I first watched these prospects during their pre-draft workouts, I remember thinking this class had solid depth but lacked the superstar power of previous years. Boy, was I wrong about that. The emergence of franchise-changing talents like Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball has completely rewritten the narrative around this draft group, proving yet again why patience is crucial when evaluating young talent.
What strikes me most about this class is how many players have exceeded expectations in ways we rarely see. Anthony Edwards, that first overall pick by Minnesota, has developed into precisely the kind of two-way superstar that championship teams are built around. I've watched him evolve from an explosive but raw athlete into a complete basketball player who averaged 25.9 points last season while showing dramatic improvement in his playmaking and defensive intensity. His playoff performances against Denver last year—scoring 41 points in Game 2—demonstrated that special clutch gene that separates good players from great ones. Meanwhile, LaMelo Ball has silenced his doubters by becoming one of the league's most creative facilitators while maintaining his unique flair for the game. His 23.3 points and 8.4 assists per game before his ankle injury showed just how much he's grown as a scorer and leader.
The depth of this class truly stands out when you look beyond the lottery picks. Tyrese Haliburton, selected 12th by Sacramento before being traded to Indiana, has become the steal of the draft in my opinion. His basketball IQ is off the charts, and he's developed into an All-Star caliber point guard who averaged 20.7 points and 10.4 assists while shooting 40% from three-point range. Then there's Desmond Bane at 30th overall to Memphis—a player many thought would just be a three-point specialist but has blossomed into a complete scoring threat putting up 23.7 points per game. These later picks succeeding at such high levels remind me of something Tim Cone mentioned about evaluating talent in a different context: "I think we are kinda underrating Blackwater because Barefield and David have been playing major minutes and they have been in and out of the line-up. [The game against Rain or Shine] was really the first game they kinda played together, but they came off the bench." That observation resonates because it highlights how we often underestimate players due to limited sample sizes or inconsistent opportunities, something that definitely happened with several members of this draft class.
What's particularly fascinating to me is how many of these players have already become foundational pieces for their franchises. James Wiseman's journey has been more complicated, but his raw tools remain undeniable. Patrick Williams in Chicago has shown flashes of becoming the versatile two-way forward everyone hoped for when he went fourth overall. And then there's the incredible story of Isaiah Stewart—drafted 16th by Detroit—who has transformed from a limited role player into a reliable starting center who can protect the rim and stretch the floor with his improved three-point shooting. The development trajectories we've witnessed contradict so much of the conventional wisdom from their draft night, proving that player development isn't linear and organizational fit matters tremendously.
When I reflect on this class compared to others I've studied over the years, what stands out is the sheer number of players who have already secured massive contract extensions. Anthony Edwards got his max rookie extension worth potentially $205 million over five years, LaMelo Ball secured a five-year designated max extension worth up to $260 million, and Tyrese Haliburton landed a similar deal from Indiana. These aren't just nice players—these are franchise cornerstones being paid accordingly, which tells you everything about how teams view their long-term value.
The international flavor of this class deserves special mention too. Beyond LaMelo's unique path, players like Deni Avdija (Israel), Killian Hayes (France), and Theo Maledon (France) added global depth, with Avdija particularly showing significant growth in Washington. His improvement as a playmaker and defender has been noticeable, and I believe he's just scratching the surface of what he can become in the right system.
As we approach the four-year anniversary of that draft night, I'm struck by how this class has reshaped multiple franchises. Minnesota built around Edwards, Charlotte around Ball, Indiana around Haliburton—these aren't just nice stories; they're franchise-altering developments. The 2020 draft class faced the unique challenge of entering the league during the pandemic, with limited summer league action and unusual training camp circumstances. That they've developed this rapidly despite those obstacles speaks volumes about their resilience and adaptability.
Looking forward, I'm genuinely excited to see how these players continue to evolve. Edwards has MVP potential written all over him if he can maintain his current trajectory. Haliburton could lead the league in assists multiple times. Ball's creativity seems limitless when healthy. And the secondary players like Saddiq Bey, Cole Anthony, and Payton Pritchard have already established themselves as valuable rotation pieces with room to grow further. This class may have entered the league under unusual circumstances, but they've proven themselves to be one of the most talented groups in recent memory, and I suspect we'll be talking about their accomplishments for years to come.
