Willie Cauley-Stein Making Legitimate Push Toward 2015 NBA Draft Lottery

Kentucky Coach John Calipari didn't fully stick to his platoon system Friday night against Texas. There was just no possible way he was taking out Willie Cauley-Stein, who ended up playing a season-high 33 minutes, the most anyone has logged in a game for Kentucky this year. 

Cauley-Stein was the difference-maker in the Wildcats' 63-51 win on a night when nobody was really feeling it offensively. 

He filled up the box score across the board, covering two-way ground while giving off the impression there were two of him out there on the floor. 

FGM-A	Points	FTM-A	Rebounds	Blocks	Steals
6-of-11	21	9-of-12	12	3	5

Cauley-Stein entered his junior year with something to prove after two promising yet unconvincing seasons. Though his physical tools always screamed first round, inconsistency seemingly weighed on his stock.  

Now, finding the lottery is starting to look more like a probability than long-shot possibility.

Friday night, I'd like to imagine that most scouts in attendance initially had their eyes set on the matchup between projected one-and-done centers Karl-Anthony Towns and Myles Turner. Scouts have been watching Cauley-Stein for over two years now, while his strengths and limitations have already been well defined. 

He ended up stealing the freshmen stars' thunder and ultimately the entire darn show. You couldn't have a conversation about the game at the office water cooler the next day without leading it by mentioning Cauley-Stein's dominance. 

And quite frankly, he needed this from a stock perspective. Given how easy it is to get lost in Kentucky's 10-man shuffle, Cauley-Stein needed to remind everyone just how naturally gifted he is and how valuable those gifts can be on both sides of the ball. 

Still, to no surprise, his sales pitch will continue to revolve around defense and energy.

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Just based on his size, length and mobility, he's going to pick up blocks by accident if you leave him out there long enough. Cauley-Stein racked up three and changed a number of other shots around the basket.

But it's not even just the rim protection. As a 7-footer, his ability to move effortlessly from baseline to baseline, arc to the rim and elbow to block holds tremendous defensive value, whether he's guarding pick-and-rolls away from the hoop or rotating down under it.

It's just a rare blend of range and versatility that allows him to disrupt the opposing offense from all different angles. 

Each of the five steals he collected highlighted the enormous ground he covers defensively. 

He jumped in front of two passes in the post, intercepted a pass on the perimeter and another at half court as a result of full-court pressure. 

In terms of energy, you can sum up his performance in one signature play—a defensive challenge that led to a rebound, which he grabbed and took down the floor and eventually finished off on a two-on-one alley-oop.

But we all knew about his defensive capability and motor when revved. What we haven't seen is the offensive production—Cauley-Stein's 21 points were a career high, and they weren't all just on above-the-rim cupcakes. 

He converted two soft jump hooks in the lane, and he got to the line 12 times on the night, making nine of them. Cauley-Stein is no Hakeem Olajuwon, but he's at least become a threat with the ball when operating one-on-one in the paint. 

Against Providence the previous game, he recorded five field goals with three of them coming on calculated post moves. 

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Cauley-Stein surprised a lot of people last year by choosing to stay in school. Prospects tend to lose a little margin for error with every year they come back, and that was especially true in this case when you take into account how many big men were expected to compete in Kentucky's rotation. 

But it's starting to look like Cauley-Stein made the right call, with his offensive game showing signs and defensive impact at full force. Kyle Tucker of The Courier-Journal quoted Cauley-Stein:

Breaking down June's projected field, there really aren't many guys who stand out in the sure-thing or can't-miss department. And Cauley-Stein has put himself in position to capitalize.

At this rate, the 2015 lottery is looking like a strong possibility for him. He certainly appeared to have made the necessary strides during his outburst against Texas, whose monster front line of 285-pound Cameron Ridley, 6'10", 260-pound Prince Ibeh and 6'11" Turner was ultimately no match. 

It's a ceiling comparison, but Tyson Chandler is the guy he resembles—a big man who can anchor a defense and change a game without needing the ball. Robin Lopez is another potential comparison that comes to mind. 

And it may have taken three years, but the time and work seem to have paid off. If you've waited to hop on the Cauley-Stein wagon, now is the time to make your move. He's on the rise.