The 2020 NBA Draft class has personified Tom Petty’s 1981 classic, “Waiting is the Hardest Part.” 
 
At long last, the wait for each of these prospects, certainly the longest for any group drafted in sports history, is about to finally come to an end. We’ve come a long way from the original draft date of June 25 inside the Barclays Center. Nearly five months later, the players will wait from inside their homes for their names to be called. Nonetheless, even in a virtual format, dreams will come true Wednesday night. 
 
With that in mind, here’s a look at the BIG EAST names to watch in this year's draft. 
 
Villanova Forward Saddiq Bey - 6-8 Sophomore 
 
Entering the 2019-20 campaign, Jay Wright and his staff expected Saddiq Bey to make a leap, and the thought from pundits was Bey could eventually be another Villanova wing who gets drafted down the road. The rise of the Largo, Md. native was meteoric, as the sophomore went from a rotation player in his first year on the Main Line and evolved into one of the best players in college basketball. The Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award winner, Bey doubled his scoring output from 8.2 points per game in 2018-19 to 16.1 points this past season. His defense was never in question, but where Bey grew significantly was on the perimeter offensively. As a freshman, he shot 49-for-131 (37%) from beyond the arc. As a sophomore, Bey raised the bar to 79-for-175 (45%), showcasing his best range from the perimeter during BIG EAST play at a 48 percent clip. 
 
“He’s multidimensional as a player,” said Wright. “He can guard different positions. He’s an undervalued defender/”
 
Projections have Bey hovering in the draft lottery range.  
 
“I’d have him in the top ten. He should be a lottery pick,” said ESPN college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg. “If you want to build a winning culture. If you want to win games, you need the Saddiq Bey’s on your team. Yes, he shoots 45 percent from the three-point line. He’s got a seven-foot wingspan. Yes, he’s got toughness. But he also understands what it takes to win.” 
 
Between the pure athletic ability, translating it into great basketball results in college and being a part of Wright’s winning culture, Bey has the total package and upside for a sustained career in The Association. In addition to those things, Butler head coach LaVall Jordan’s quote about Bey speaks volumes about the highly-touted prospect.
 
“He’s a matchup problem, and what you like about his game is, he’s under control,” said Jordan. “He plays the game with poise, control and confidence.” 
 
When Bey gets drafted, he will become the seventh Villanova selection in the last four years. 
 
DePaul Forward Paul Reed - 6-9 Junior 
 
He has all of the intangibles to have a career in the NBA, and now DePaul’s Paul Reed is rising up many draft boards. Raising his game into double-double territory with 15.1 points and 10.7 rebounds per game in his junior season, Reed put his best season forward playing a career high 32 minutes per game. 
 
He’s agile and can bring pace to the floor as a big man. In his three years at DePaul, he blocked 142 shots, good for third in program history. The question: Can Reed improve his shooting ability? He shot just 16-for-52 (31%) from three-point range as a junior and his perimeter game is something he’s trying to boost. But, the athletic ability he possesses makes him an attractive potential second rounder. Reed’s 7’2.00” wingspan and 9’1.50” standing reach are among the notable measurements taken from the draft prospects. 
 
“He’s so long, and he’s hard to box out. He’s hard to find,” said DePaul head coach Dave Leitao. “He scores in unconventional ways. You don’t have to run a bunch of plays for him to be in the middle of all the action.”
 
“I’m actually disappointed that Paul Reed isn’t higher on boards,” said expert Chad Ford, ESPN’s former main draft insider who currently runs nbabigboard.com. “When I do the analysis on him, he’s a really intriguing prospect because he can guard four positions on the floor. There’s very few players in any draft that you can say about that. Reed is kind of an ideal NBA big man.”
 
“If someone takes him in the 20s, I actually think it’s a steal in this draft,” Ford added. 
 
Seton Hall Guard Myles Powell - 6-foot-2 Senior
 
The reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year came back for his final season of college basketball and only boosted his stock. Winning the Jerry West Award, given to the nation’s top shooting guard, Powell finished 17th in the country and second in the conference at 21.0 points per game. On big stages, he rose to every occasion. Taking on Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans in the first week of last season, Powell scored 37 points. Against Oregon in the Bahamas, Powell poured in 32. 
 
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Powell’s closing act in South Orange was the way he powered the Pirates away from home. In BIG EAST road games as a senior, Powell averaged 25.8 points. This was coming with opposing teams primarily scouting for him, and the Trenton, NJ native entering hostile atmospheres with a ranked SHU squad. 
 
“I’d be shocked if Powell doesn’t get drafted,” said Greenberg. “I like his journey. I like how humble he is, and the kind of teammate he is. His scoring and shot-making ability is undeniable. I got a chance to visit with him last year, and there’s just something about him. He has it. He’s got a chance to be special.” 
 
The always candid Kevin Willard developed a special bond with Powell, a big reason why the Seton Hall great elected to come back for his senior year. 
 
“The greatest thing about Myles Powell is that he is as humble today as when I recruited him in high school,” said Willard. “He wants to make it. Every day he shows up and works hard. His attitude hasn’t changed, his demeanor hasn’t changed. He is as good a teammate as he was as a freshman.” 
 
Expect Powell to be hovering somewhere potentially in the second round of the draft. 
 
Marquette Guard Markus Howard - 5-11 Senior 
 
How could one not ponder selecting the BIG EAST’s scoring king? 
 
Sure, like Powell, Howard is a senior and we know NBA teams put stock into age. But scoring 2,761 points over a four-year career alone could be reason enough for a team to select the Golden Eagles’ great. There’s so much in addition to that for Howard, whose contributions as a leader off the court while at MU only further cemented his legacy. 
 
Howard’s range is prolific, and he showed a consistent ability over the last four years to be able to create space for shots. 
 
“He’s got all of the qualities of a great offensive player,” said Villanova’s Jay Wright. “Some guys are good at moving without the ball, coming off screens, which he’s great at, but they can’t create their own shot or vice versa. Some guys are good off the dribble but don’t move well without the ball. And some guys are just scorers. They can’t find the open man. He does everything. He’s got every aspect of the game.”
 
“You’re talking about the best scorer in this draft in my opinion,” said Ford. “He’s a prolific scorer and an excellent athlete. He’s got unlimited range on his jump shot. The scorer’s mentality is his game.” 
 
While Ford said the 5-foot-11 size and his ability to defend NBA talent can be questioned, the draft analyst said that Howard’s ability to overcome stout defensive coverage when he was at the top of every opponent’s scout is impressive. Howard led the nation with 27.8 points and 4.17 three-pointers per game this season. 
 
If selected, Howard is hovering late in the second round. 
 
Additionally in the BIG EAST, there are two juniors who stayed in the draft after testing the waters that could hear their names called, but if not, will surely receive camp invites. Both Creighton’s Ty-Shon Alexander and Xavier’s Naji Marshall could be “three-and-D” type players in the league if they can continue to evolve, but there’s upside present for both. 
 
Creighton Guard Ty-Shon Alexander - 6-4 Junior
 
Alexander was at the top of the BIG EAST in kenpom defensive metrics last season, a stout wing who possessed an elite scoring prowess with 16.9 points per game, good for third in the conference. 
 
You just saw above how tough Howard was to contain, but Alexander held him to 33 percent shooting while outscoring the Marquette star 21.5 ppg to 15.5 ppg. 
 
“There is some real interest in Alexander,” said Ford. “In fact, I interviewed one scout who had him going in the first round, which is intriguing to me. It’s just one, but I talk to many. But whenever I find an advocate in the NBA that’s a professional scout, I take that seriously. And, what are they talking about? He’s a playmaker, has versatility and he showed great length at the combine. He’s toolsy. He can play multiple positions.” 
 
Xavier Forward Naji Marshall - 6-7 Junior
 
As for Marshall, whose 6-foot-7 frame makes him an intriguing wing for teams to look at, the Xavier star led the Musketeers in scoring (16.8 ppg), assists (4.0 apg) and steals (1.2 spg). Additionally, he was the only player in the BIG EAST that ranked in the top 12 of the conference in scoring, assists, rebounds and steals. His quick feet and length make him a Swiss Army knife of a defender. 
 
“Marshall’s a guy that has toughness,” said Greenberg. “He can really defend, and he’s a relentless competitor. He’s gotta improve offensively but he’s a guy who will get into a camp.”