NBA Draft 2020: Who are the top international players up for grabs

More and more international players are making it into the NBA in recent years. In the upcoming NBA Draft scheduled on November 18, two international players stand out over the rest: Deni Avdija of Israel and Killian Hayes from France.

It's not the first time that an international player made waves in the NBA Draft. Back in 1984, a Nigerian was the top draft pick. He was drafted even before Michael Jordan, who was picked 3rd. The player's name is Hakeem Olajuwon.

Since then, many international players have come and gone. Croatian Toni Kukoc was an invaluable member of Jordan's Chicago Bulls. Even Chinese player Yao Ming made a name for himself playing for the Houston Rockets.

Then came the early 2000's. Tim Duncan arrived from the U.S. Virgin Islands (he was eventually naturalized as a U.S. citizen to qualify for the Olympics). Duncan was joined by Toni Parker from France and Manu Ginobili, an Argentine. The arrivals of these players totally changed the view of NBA scouts regarding international players. Today, reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo from Greece and other international players like Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, and Ben Simmons are integral parts of a team's success.

According to CBS Sports, here are two international players in this year's draft class that could make it big in the NBA.

Deni Avdija (Israel)
19 years old
6'9"
100kg
Forward

A 90's type of small forward, Avdija can shoot 3's, shoot in the perimeter, slash, rebound, defend, set up players on a pick and roll, or do the scoring himself. He is quick and athletic, but a bit slow when driving. At 19 years old, a player like that can only improve over time.

He will most likely be chosen in the middle part of the first round. If he ends up playing with Trae Young in Atlanta, it would be great for both their careers. If he ends up being chosen by either the Detroit Pistons, the New York Knicks, or the Washington Wizards, he will likely be used as a trading chip to get superstars for those teams.

Killian Hayes (France)
19 years old
6'5"
98kg
Point Guard

Hayes is a drive and draw-type of point guard with enough height and weight to power himself through. He has shifty moves, but not ultra-fast like Ben Simmons. However, he has the intelligence to use picks, angles, and his own body similar to JJ Reddick in his Duke days. His main problem is, he is extremely left-hand dominant and struggles to attack from the right.

He is a good defender, which is a good thing considering the high number of scoring point guards in the league today.

It's best that he gets chosen by a team that's looking for a reserve point guard and needs someone reliable to fill the reserve guard role. As time goes on, If he becomes a starter and improves his defense, he can be similar to Gary Payton.