Playoff Basketball to NBA Draft Night

By: Andy Elliott

If there's one thing we can all agree upon it's that 2020 has given us a slight case of dementia and capability to forget what day it is in the middle of the week. With COVID-19 forcing sports and all of America to be on shutdown, we've been locked in the house like cage animals, forced to watch the the worst season of the bachelorette and everyone asking the question, "What do we do now?" 

Fortunately, for all basketball fanatics out there, time went on, cities began to open up and NBA commissioner Adam Silver flirted with the idea of safely bringing back NBA basketball. Strict guidelines were set in stone and the NBA was finally back in full effect. With the absence of fans, families and Instagram models sitting court-side, some claimed the season would contain an asterisk next to whomever would be crowned champion, but nonetheless having sports back on TV drove viewers' eyes toward nothing but the ball bouncing on the floor and Lebron James steering his way to another NBA Finals championship. The NBA was a success, the offseason began and basketball starts in another 30 days...but wait, something feels funny and it's not my receding hairline starting at the age of 24. Aren't we missing something? Oh yeah, there are college players who entered the NBA draft five months ago eagerly wanting a chance at the next level too!

Leading up to the draft

Better late than never, right? It’s November and Adam Silver is finally about to call sixty young studs into the league to their rightful team. But, first let's take a look at all things leading up to the draft, including devastating breaking news and pick swaps. 

First, the breaking news: For the second straight season, it was announced just before the draft that Golden State Warriors guard, Klay Thompson will miss the upcoming 2020-21 NBA season due to a torn right achilles tendon. It was already uncertain as if the Warriors would sustain their second-spot draft pick to begin with, but surely more questions, rumors and speculation began to quickly arise after the loss of their all-star.

Second - notable pick swaps: As we all know, the New York Knicks' curse continued after this year's Draft Lottery night, finding out they would be once again left out of the first top five picks and being placed as the 8th team to pick in this year's NBA draft. So, what did they do? Newly Knicks President, Leon Rose managed to package picks No. 27 and No. 38, and sent them to the Utah Jazz for pick No. 23. However, that clearly wasn't enough for Rose, as he made a savvy move by trading pick 23 for pick 25 and 33. So, they essentially turned picks 27 and 38 into picks 25 and 33. Confusing, right? Yet, witty.

Draft Night

Dressed to the nines, ice on the wrists, and red bottoms squeaky clean, this was a night to remember for all players and families involved in this year's 2020 NBA Draft. It was clear who the top three picks would be (Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, LaMelo Ball), but the order was one to bet on. Myself, Ball was my #1 pick to be drafted, but ended up being distinctly wrong as he was the last of the three to be picked up. Luckily for me, I only lost ten bucks unlike other degenerates of the world...cough cough...you know who you are.

The Minnesota Timberwolves were granted the first pick of the draft, following the Warriors and Charlotte Hornets. Here's how the order went:

• Edwards, a 6'5'' 225 pounder from the University of Georgia was drafted at the top spot

• Wiseman hearing his name called for the Warriors filling in their much-needed power forward slot

• Ball, easily the most popular player in the draft will be taking his talents to Charlotte