2020 NBA Draft: James Wiseman draws wild comparison from ex coach Penny Hardaway

The 2020 NBA Draft is just around the corner but for the first time ever, it seems like there’s no true consensus about the top-5, as the NCAA tourney was canceled and there’s a lot of uncertainty about the prospects.

But one of the few players whose name has alwaysbeen mentioned as a top-5 pick is James Wiseman. The big man had to drop out of the University of Memphis after a suspension and his draft stock took a major hit, but he was the consensus best prospect in the nation before the NCAA Season.

Wiseman is an athletic freak with the physical tools to become a dominant rim-protector, and even thoughthere are concerns regarding his fit in a modern-day offense, his former coach Penny Hardaway believes that he’ll be a superstar.

Penny Hardaway Compares James Wiseman To Chris Bosh

In fact, the Orlando Magic legend went as far as to compare him with Chris Bosh, which was an odd comparison considering that Bosh was a reliable three-point shooter, while Wiseman rarely steps away from the restricted area:

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“Parts of his game remind me of Chris Bosh. I know that’s a stretch for a lot of people. But when I see him, the way he’s been able to work his way out to the 3-point line, there are similarities to Bosh. But he’s way more athletic,” Hardaway said, as quoted by TalkBasket.net

Penny Hardaway Encourages Golden State Warriors To Draft James Wiseman

Moreover, Hardaway didn’t hesitate to sale the Golden State Warriors into taking James Wiseman with the 2nd overall pick, claiming that he’d be a perfect fit for their system because of his rim-running abilities:

“He can easily keep up with the game and the pace. He’s very athletic, very fast. He’d instantly be one of the better rim runners in the league. He’s also a rim protector; he is going to protect the rim. His skill set is good enough now, and it’s going to get better, especially because he’d be playing with veterans like Draymond (Green), Klay (Thompson), and Steph (Curry),” Penny concluded.

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James Wiseman's rising stock could prompt Warriors to trade No. 2 pick

No one knows for sure what the Warriors are going to do with their pick. They could trade it away for a bonafide star or take a risk on a prospect, but there’s no denying that Wiseman offers an intriguing upside.