Syracuse Basketball: Elijah Hughes in mid-40s on new NBA Draft big board

Former Syracuse basketball star Elijah Hughes, who has received some first-round draft projections of late, is No. 44 in Bleacher Report’s top-50 players.

Former Syracuse basketball player Elijah Hughes has made the cut on Bleacher Report’s updated top-50 big board for the upcoming NBA Draft, and the number where he is placed will please Orange fanatics.

Jonathan Wasserman, lead NBA scout and draft writer for Bleacher Report, recently published his latest list of the top-50 guys as far as the NBA Draft is concerned, and Hughes is No. 44. How appropriate!

Hughes, a talented and versatile small forward, led the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring during the 2019-20 campaign, his redshirt-junior term. He not only fared well in producing points, but Hughes also performed admirably in both assists doled out per game, as well as rebounding.

"Here’s what Wasserman had to say about Hughes in his article. “Hughes’ 4.0 points per game out of isolation ranked No. 4 in the country, but he also graded in the 85th percentile out of spot-ups. He’s a versatile scorer and shot-maker, but given his green light at Syracuse and low-percentage shot selection, he could have tough time adjusting to a supporting NBA role.”"

I respect Wasserman, as he’s one of the best in the business, but we’ll have to agree to disagree on this topic. I am thoroughly confident that Hughes can flourish in the professional ranks.

At this juncture, the NBA Draft is scheduled to take place in mid-October. Unless something odd occurs, Hughes will almost certainly hear his name called in the 2020 draft. It’s really more a question of whether or not he will get chosen in the first round.

Not too long ago, Jason McIntyre, on foxsports.com, slotted the 6-foot-6 wing at No. 29 in the 2020 NBA Draft first round, with the Los Angeles Lakers choosing Hughes. That would prove fun, as the Lakers boast superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, as well as former ‘Cuse player Dion Waiters.

In another recent mock draft, CBS Sports’ Kyle Boone had Hughes going at No. 27 in the first round, with the defending NBA champions, the Toronto Raptors, picking him.