2020 NBA Draft - Brew Hoop Community Draft Board: Desmond Bane Lands at 23

Desmond Bane, the senior shooting guard out of TCU, feels more in line with the type of plug-and-play position player who could fill the outgoing role of folks like Sterling Brown or Pat Connaughton (assuming they’re gone) for the Milwaukee Bucks. He’s an older player, which isn’t inherently a bad thing this far in the draft, but one with a savvy repertoire of skills that would fit almost any NBA team’s need for 3-and-D-ness.

At 6’5” with 6’6” wingspan, he’s not a George Hill-type with incredible length. His compact frame lends itself well to the role he had at TCU - knockdown shooter. He hit 43.3% of his 575 triple attempts in college, with an 80.4% free throw percentage. He brings precisely the type of accuracy that is missing from the Bucks roster, and while Bud doesn’t lean into running shooters off screens for his offensive sets, Bane could add that diversity to Milwaukee’s offense. While he’s known as a solid finisher around the rim, there are question marks about whether he can burst past defenders. The Ringer compares him to Malcolm Brogdon, who we all know rarely rushed past people. However, Brogdon had those long arms and uncanny ability to flip it in at the tin; for Bane, that’s gonna be a question mark until he can prove it. And, as a Bucks fan, we already live and die enough with Donte DiVincenzo’s ever-adventurous attempts at the rim, hopefully Bane would provide a steadier hand there if Horst nabbed him.

Defensively, he’s got all the usual platitudes you would hope from a guard who stuck around for four years. Capable one-on-one or able to read-and-react with rotations, boasts enough strength to avoid getting overpowered on the wing, high IQ, great motor, etc. You get the gist.

Still, Bane separates himself with his lethal shooting, a skill translatable to every offense across the league. Here’s a bit from Ricky O’Donnell’s mock draft at SB Nation that is also encouraging, especially for Bucks fans:

He also started running the offense more frequently, with attempts as a pick-and-roll ball handler going from 5.6 percent of his work load as a junior to 22.7 percent in his final college season. He performed admirably on those play types, finishing in the 85th percentile as a pick-and-roll handler.

Working as a ball handler is always a plus for any guard, but especially one with Bane’s accuracy. If I’m the Bucks, he seems like the type of player that Horst (and by extension Bud) would probably prefer: an elder player, ready to plug in right away, who might solve some of their shooting woes. Bane seems great, but I personally wouldn’t mind having someone younger with potentially more upside. That’s not to say Bane doesn’t have plenty of room to grow, but he’ll be 26 by the time he’s on his next contract and is likely closer to settled into the type of player he’ll be long-term than some of the younger prospects in this draft. It’s a tricky decision though, and there wouldn’t be a lot of hemming-and-hawing from me if Horst opted for Bane’s skillset.

We’re at the FINAL poll of our exercise, where we’ll see who goes #24 on the community draft board in advance of the actual draft this Wednesday, the 18th. Here it is:

This poll will close at noon (CST) on Tuesday, November 17.

Brew Hoop Draft Board Rankings

1. Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia
2. LaMelo Ball, PG, Illawarra Hawks
3. James Wiseman, C, Memphis
4. Deni Avdija, SF, Israel
5. Isaac Okoro, SF, Auburn
6. Onyeka Okongwu, C, USC
7. Killian Hayes, PG, France
8. Obi Toppin, PF, Dayton
9. Devin Vassell, SG, Florida State
10. Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State
11. Aaron Nesmith, SF, Vanderbilt
12. Tyrell Terry, PG, Stanford
13. Cole Anthony, PG, North Carolina
14. Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama
15. Tyrese Maxey, SG, Kentucky
16. Patrick Williams, SF, Florida State
17. Saddiq Bey, PF, Villanova
18. Precious Achiuwa, PF, Memphis
19. Theo Maledon, PG, France
20. RJ Hampton, PG
21. Josh Green, SG, Arizona
22. Jalen Smith, PF, Maryland
23. Desmond Bane, SG, TCU