Due to the postponement of major sports, and the release of “The Last Dance” Jordan documentary, basketball fans are stuck in the past. It can be great to reminisce about those who made us love the game, but now is the time to focus on players that can give fans the same feeling in the future.

The 2020 Draft is full of talent, and today I decided to focus on three of my favorite players who will hear the commissioner call their names on draft day.

Isaac Okoro (Auburn Tigers) 6’6 220lbs SF

Isaac Okoro will bring a high level of effort and intensity that is amplified by the high level of physicality he can bring to a game.

Offensively, he needs to refine his outside shot, but he showed great touch around the basket and is one of the most fluid athletes in the class. One area of his game I’ve seen analysts overlook is his passing ability. Okoro showed brilliant decision-making that shined in the open court during his time at Auburn.

Defensively, Okoro is a BEAST, and that should easily translate to the next level. He can guard multiple positions due to his combination of quickness and strength. Okoro is adept at anticipating where ball handlers are going and using his quick hands to help with steals and blocks.

When you combine his strengths on both sides of the floor, you have a complete prospect who, if developed correctly, has the making of a Swiss Army knife at the NBA level.

Obi Toppin 6’9 220lbs PF

Easily the best name in the draft class, Obi is a player fans enjoy watching because of how electrifying he can be. He’s a guy that often made ESPN for his in-game dunks, but his game has so much more than that.

On offense, Toppin was über efficient. He shot 63 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3. As a Power Forward, his ability to stretch the floor is one that has NBA teams salivating at his potential. He also finishes everything around the rim. With all of these tools, I am interested to see how an NBA offense is going to use him.

At Dayton, Toppin was a rim runner in transition. He would sprint down the floor and often was the recipient of a lob that forces one-on-one with a smaller defender. If this didn’t work, Dayton would reset their offense. Dayton kept great spacing and often took Toppin out of the paint and allowed for him to use his dribbling ability and off-ball movement to beat opponents. And if all that wasn’t enough, defenders would have to worry about him shooting a deep trey.

Depending on what the Warriors decide to do in the draft if he’s available, I could see them taking Toppin instead of Wiseman because of how well he fits the way they play. (They could find a center without going through the draft)

Defensively, Toppin relies on his vertical and wingspan to make life tough for his opponents. His lateral quickness is the weakness in his game. If he switches on pick & rolls, NBA guards will make him pay every time. If his offensive game isn’t as efficient as it is in college, it might be hard to keep him on the floor in certain matchups.

Overall, I’m not too worried about him on the defensive end, but it lowers his ceiling, and his strengths on the offensive end have the potential to outbalance his weaknesses.

LaMelo Ball 6’7 181lbs Guard

There was no way I was going to start talking about the 2020 draft class without mentioning LaMelo Ball. We’ve all been hearing plenty about him for years, and it’s time for him to test his talent against the best in the world.

LaMelo has some of the best handles in the draft class. He can go wherever he wants on the floor, and he shares the passing vision his brother Lonzo has. What separates LaMelo from Lonzo is how much the kid loves to shoot, and during his time playing in Australia, that love turned into 37 percent shooting from the field, and 24 percent from three.

He has plenty of confidence in his lightning-quick jumper. Combine that confidence with a few mechanical issues, and you have a perfect recipe for a volume shooter.

His percentages don’t alarm me as an 18-year-old playing against pros in the NBL. If he shows effort to improve his game all of his shortcomings are fixable, he has limitless potential as a true combo guard.

On defense, his strength can be an issue. Bigger and stronger offensive players can move him around with ease. His main asset at his position defensively is his size. His size can allow him to contest shots well. Also, I’ve read that his effort can sometimes wane on defense, but when he decides to play D, he can lock down on the perimeter.

LaMelo is a player that is worthy of the attention he’s been getting. All of the experience he has overseas is a bonus to whatever team drafts him. He should be ready to play day one in the NBA.

LaMelo Ball, Obi Toppin, and Isaac Okoro are only a few names in the NBA’s 2020 draft pool, and I’ll be back next week with a few more names you can get familiar with before draft day.

In March, the basketball world shines a spotlight on the NCAA Tournament, and basketball players across the country, especially those who play for smaller schools get their chance to erupt on the national scene. One player that caught my eye during the tournament was Seton Hall guard Myles Powell.

Powell is Bucket of the Week because his play raises the odds of victory for Seton Hall even if the rest of his team isn’t playing up to their usual strengths.

During the NCAA Tournament Round of 64, Seton Hall and Wofford squared off. While most of the country had its eyes on the Wofford 3-point barrage, led by NCAA All-Time 3-point field goal leader Fletcher Magee, I was impressed by the 27 point scoring effort that Powell was able to string together for Seton Hall.

In that matchup you could see that Powell was the only cog working in the Seton Hall offense that night, as he ended up being the only Pirate to reach double figures in the 68-84 loss.

Despite the result going against his favor and having a rough shooting night (10 for 25), it was a spectacle to see how he was able to keep fighting through the different looks the Wofford defense presented him and his scoring ability was the sole reason the Pirates were in the game until Wofford pushed away in the 2nd half.

Putting the ball in the basket is second nature for Powell, who averaged 23.1 points per game during the regular season and 26 per game in Big East Tournament play.

Powell has a great combination of shooting ability, handle and insane body control when attacking the basket. Guarding his combination of skill when he picks his spots effectively is a tall task for any defender, but his high energy on the defensive end of the floor and especially in passing lanes makes him a threat even on off shooting nights, so as long as he is on the court Seton Hall has a chance to beat any team on any night.

Powell is returning to school for his senior year. If he can take his play from last year to an even higher level, Seton Hall could be primed to make a run in March.