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CBS Sports’ NBA Mock Draft includes two former B1G players as first-round picks
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Two former B1G players have been included in CBS Sports’ latest NBA Mock Draft.
Minnesota center Daniel Oturu and Maryland forward Jalen Smith are both projected to be first-round selections in the 2020 NBA Draft, according to CBS Sports. Both decided to forgo a return to college and start pursuing their professional careers earlier this offseason.
Smith is projected to be the first B1G player off the board, expected to go to the Boston Celtics with the No. 17 pick in the draft. Oturu is near the end of the first round, sitting at No. 26 and also going to the Celtics.
Both Smith and Oturu averaged double-doubles this season, proving to be two of the more dominant big men in the sport. Oturu had the better season statistically, averaging 20.1 points and 11.3 rebounds per game while shooting better than 56 percent from the floor. But the Golden Gophers didn’t enjoy much success this past year, ending with a 15-16 record.
Smith’s sophomore season was outstanding as well, averaging 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per contest. He helped guide Maryland to a share of the B1G regular-season title with a 14-6 mark in league play and a 24-7 record overall.
You can view CBS Sports’ full mock draft here.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB