Joe Apu
No less than nine Nigerians have been listed for today’s lottery draft 2020 among the top 14 young prospects from Africa to be drafted on October 16.
The Nigerians listed includes D’Tigers forward, Jordan Nwora, who was part of Nigeria’s squad to the China 2020 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Nwora is in the draft for the second time.
Precious Achiuwa from Memphis, Udoka Azubuike from Kansas and Desmond Bane from TCU, Zeke Nnaji from Arizona, Daniel Oturu from Minnesota, Isaac Okoro from Auburn, Onyeka Okongwu of Nigeria and Obadiah Toppin of Dayton top the list.
Other Africans that made the list are Mamadi Diakité of Guinea, Lamine Diane of Senegal, Paul Eboua of Cameroon, Karim Mané and Abdoulaye Ndoye both of Senegal.
This will be the second lottery since the NBA flattened the odds, which introduced more uncertainty at the top of the draft order. Last season, the New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers all jumped from the middle of the pack into the top four.
The odds for the eight teams not invited to the NBA restart have been set since March, and now the full lottery picture is taking shape.