2015 NBA Draft Prospects Philadelphia 76ers Should Keep Their Eye on This Year
The 2015 NBA draft will be here before we know it, and there are a few key prospects the Philadelphia 76ers should keep an eye on.
General manager Sam Hinkie has shown a tendency to handle draft picks like a kid treats candy on Halloween. He manages to acquire them from seemingly any organization and stockpiles them in a way that makes the actual occasion more than exciting for both the team and its fans.
The Sixers are currently slated to have up to eight selections this year. Two first-round picks will be the most crucial, but there's reason to be excited about the rest of Philadelphia's decisions as there are a number of holes that need to be filled.
As of now, Philly has the NBA's third-worst record behind the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. If the season were to continue as it is, then the Sixers would end up having their first pick between Nos. 1 and 6.
There's a strong difference in talent level at the top of the draft board, so Philadelphia will need to plan accordingly depending on where it ends up landing.
The process is always fun regardless.
Let's take a look at five NBA draft prospects Philly should keep its eye on as the year continues.
Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, Guangdong Southern Tigers (Chinese Basketball Association)
1 of 5
We'll preface this slide with an excerpt from Hoopshype.com's latest mock draft. Here's what they had to say about the 6'5" Emmanuel Mudiay, who is currently playing in China:
"An elite level PG with the dynamic talent to be in the category of point guards such as Derrick Rose, John Wall and Damian Lillard. He has a terrific feel for the game, and will just need to learn to become more composed with his decision making and shot selection.
He's had a solid showing in China, scoring well and not appearing to be too affected by culture shock. Some aspects of his skill set are nearly impossible to discern from his games there, including defense, but he has good defensive ability and potential. Mudiay has great confidence, communicates well and loves to compete.
"
Where do the Sixers sign up?
OK, maybe it's a little early to go ahead and say Mudiay should be the absolute No. 1 guy on Philly's list. He is the first American player since Brandon Jennings (in 2008-09) to skip college, play overseas and be projected to go in the lottery.
He might be highly touted now, but there's both a benefit and a downfall to not playing in the NCAA.
Very few people have actually seen any of his games being played in China unless they actively seek them out over the Internet. There's significantly less access to evaluate what he does on a game-to-game basis.
All of that's a benefit because the majority of scouts and NBA personnel base their thoughts of him off his known physical attributes and what they've already seen.
The problem with being in China comes with the fact that he isn't anywhere close to playing against the world's top competition. Scouting him only does so much good since he isn't doing anything against any of the best players or fellow draft prospects.
Even with all of that said, the Sixers would be crazy not to think about selecting him if they were in the position to do so. His ridiculous athleticism would be perfect at the point, but developing a jumper would mean he and Michael Carter-Williams might be able to coexist if Mudiay moves to shooting guard. A backcourt with that much size and versatility would be incredible moving forward.
A developing skill set combined with the fact that he'll turn 19 years old in March has Mudiay set to be in the next crop of ultra-athletic guards to enter the NBA. Philadelphia will certainly be watching to see if he'll fit with the Sixers.
All signs are currently pointing to yes.
Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke Blue Devils
2 of 5
There hasn't been a prospect this year who has looked better than Jahlil Okafor. It's really that simple.
He has stepped into Duke and has completely dominated nearly everyone he lines up against. His averages of 18.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game are clearly impressive, but the real eye-opener is the fact that he's shooting an amazing 67.0 percent from the field. Okafor has been the model for efficiency, and it's one of college's most translatable aspects to the NBA.
It's important to know his athleticism won't yell at you and tell you to keep watching. He's not slow and lazy, but he lacks the explosiveness and quickness a number of other top prospects possess. Okafor makes up for any of his physical limitations by being more polished than someone shining shoes.
The man absolutely gets the job done and makes it look easy in the process.
It all starts with his exceptional patience and footwork. His feet allow him to dominate his opponent when guarded one-on-one, as well as keep his calm against any double-team that comes his way. We can't forget about the fact that he's one of the better passing big men in recent memory, either.
Okafor is about as well-rounded as they come on the offensive end of the floor.
The clear problem with Okafor and the Sixers has to do with Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid. Where would Okafor fit? And if they find a spot, then what does it mean for the future of the two young bigs already on the team?
Philadelphia has spent a lottery pick on a rim protector in the last two drafts. It's conceivable to think about Embiid and Noel playing in the same lineup as they're athletic enough to compete at center or power forward, but selecting Okafor means somebody has to get pushed out of the heavy rotation.
Everybody is a bit too young for the coach to move them to the bench and not give them the opportunity to shine.
Well, that is unless Philly is absolutely sold on Okafor as a key to the team's future.
Hinkie has made it clear that there isn't a player on the roster who's untouchable. If he isn't happy with Embiid or Noel, then there's no telling what he'll do as long as he believes in Okafor.
A number of the top prospects in this year's draft are 6'10" or taller. It either limits whom the Sixers will pick, or it opens up a world of trades and possibilities for the always-creative Hinkie.
Okafor, as well as this storyline, will be fun to watch as the draft nears.
Mario Hezonja, SG/SF, FC Barcelona (Liga ACB/Euroleague)
3 of 5
If Europe has struggled with producing consistent talent at any position, then it would clearly be at shooting guard and small forward. There are a number of European bigs like Dirk Nowitzki who have the ability to play on the perimeter, but the number of great wings to come from across the sea is pretty low.
People like Toni Kukoc, Drazen Petrovic and Peja Stojakovic seem to only come around once in a generation.
It feels like it's about time for the next one.
Mario Hezonja is definitely one of the up-and-coming prospects who has the potential to make it happen. He has the physical ability to defy premeditated expectations and is one of the most athletically gifted wings to come out of Europe.
Hoopshype.com wrote a scouting report about what he'll be bringing to the league when he gets over here:
"Hezonja has long been a highly coveted prospect in Europe due to his standout athleticism, but has struggled to develop steady playing time and consistency over the past few seasons with injuries and off-court distractions. He is finally getting consistent minutes this season and has produced.
He's the most athletic two-guard out of Europe in over a decade and shows a flare for making highlight plays. He has begun to realize all the talent and become a factor at the senior level.
"
Hinkie has proven he's not scared to take a shot on an international player as he selected Dario Saric in the 2014 lottery.
Putting the 6'8" Hezonja at shooting guard and pairing him with Saric could create a fun European tandem that has the potential to anchor down their positions for the future. It would be a different look compared to nearly any other team in the league.
Hezonja could very well end up being the first foreign prospect off the board. Just don't expect to hear much about him until the draft rolls around as international players tend to fly under the radar.
Karl-Anthony Towns, PF/C, Kentucky Wildcats
4 of 5
The argument to draft Karl-Anthony Towns falls under the same category as Okafor's slide. There isn't a clear fit on the Sixers roster. However, the talent is so enticing that it just might not matter.
The big difference here is that Okafor and Towns are two completely different players.
Towns is a very explosive 6'11" power forward with an NBA-ready 250-pound frame. He's got wide shoulders and length that allow him to excel on the defensive end significantly more than on offense, the complete opposite of Okafor.
Here's a look at a couple of Towns' statistical lines from specific games. Pay attention to how much he produces in so few minutes (most recent games at the bottom):
| Opponent | Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Blocks |
| Kansas | 18 | 9 | 8 | 4 |
| Boston University | 23 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Montana State | 20 | 8 | 10 | 6 |
| Eastern Kentucky | 23 | 19 | 9 | 4 |
| Missouri | 21 | 12 | 10 | 5 |
| Vanderbilt | 18 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
Towns has ended up with at least four blocks in less than 23 minutes in each of the six games above. Still, though, his scoring and rebounding numbers are clearly not at the same level in the majority of the contests. While he does possess a jumper with range out to the three-point line, it lacks any kind of consistency for it to be an immediate threat at the NBA level.
Being an elite rim protector will definitely benefit his draft stock. The problem is that Philadelphia already has two in Noel and Embiid. Towns could be worth a pick, but he also might fit a need that's currently filled.
It'll be something to keep an eye on, for sure.
Justise Winslow, SF, Duke Blue Devils
5 of 5
Justise Winslow is an interesting prospect for a number of reasons.
The first is that he started the year out looking like a top-seven or -eight pick. His athletic ability is off the charts, and he uses it best when playing defense. He's a work in progress on the offensive end of the floor but is about as hard-nosed as they come when guarding another player.
The second is that his draft stock is beginning to fall. This is particularly interesting because Philadelphia will most likely have two first-round picks in the 2015 draft. The Sixers will have their own and possibly get the Miami Heat's, as long as it doesn't end up in the top 10. That's crucial information because Winslow's slight fall could result in a late-lottery selection.
Chad Ford recently wrote an article for ESPN about Winslow's declining stock, and what's going wrong for the freshman Blue Devil. Here's what he had to say:
"Blessed with elite athleticism, an NBA body and a ton of intangibles that drew comparisons to a young Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Winslow looked like the odds-on favorite to be the first wing to hear his name called on draft night, and he sat for two months as the No. 6-ranked player on our Big Board.
Things have changed. Winslow's shooting struggles aren't anything new. Scouts have been watching him closely all season. While his field goal percentage at the rim has hovered around 65 percent, and his 3-point shooting has been bouncing back and forth between 30 and 40 percent, his 2-point jumper percentage has been abysmal. He's shooting 12.5 percent on 2-point jumpers this season.
And while scouts have expected his numbers to pick up, assuming it was some sort of statistical anomaly, his midrange game appears to have flat-lined, and Winslow is making that shot less and less a part of his arsenal. He now takes just 19.6 percent of his shots as 2-point jumpers -- the fewest among any wings in our Top 30.
"
Philadelphia is in dire need of a wing who can both shoot and defend. Winslow can do one of those at an elite level but is having serious problems with his jumper.
A successful mid-range jump shot is one of the deadliest weapons in the NBA. If he can prove that he has a solid middle game between now and the draft, then he'll be a serous threat to both get drafted in the lottery and succeed once he gets into the NBA.
.jpg?w=600 "Grading every NFL team's draft")
.jpg?w=600 "Report: Pavia Accepts Ravens Invite")
.JPEG?w=600 "Best Late-Round Draft Steals ‼️")
.jpg?w=600 "Undrafted Free Agent Tracker ✍️")
