Ranking the Most Prolific Offensive Threats in the 2015 NBA Draft
When evaluating prospects, NBA teams first look at how the player will fit into their offense.
What kind of production can he generate? Is he skilled enough to set up teammates and facilitate? Does he move well away from the ball?
The 2015 draft boasts some exciting weapons, including explosive scorers and polished passers. Several of these studs can both collaborate with teammates and fill up the hoop one-on-one.
Who exactly are the most prolific threats in the class? Our rankings include preseason grades based on tangible skills and how those will translate to the NBA in the near future. It doesn't necessarily reflect long-term upside, but it credits what they'll bring to the table early on.
10. Delon Wright, Utah PG (Senior)
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Vitals: 22 years old, 6'5", 179 lbs, 6'6.5" wingspan
Shooting: C+
Creativity: A
Finishing: A-
Passing: A
Off-Ball: B
Delon Wright's three-point shooting was unsightly during 2013-14; he hit just 22 percent of his triples for Utah. That's his biggest deficiency right now, especially in an era where perimeter accuracy is valued more than ever.
The good news is he's phenomenal in every other offensive area. Despite his relatively modest athleticism, he weaves his way toward the bucket and consistently finds scoring opportunities for himself and his comrades.
Wright's knack for getting into the lane results in a ton of assists, layups and drawn fouls. He dished 5.8 dimes per 40 minutes last year, and he also earned 6.4 trips to the free-throw line.
With superb body control and a talent for evading defenders, Wright is deadly while attacking the tin. According to Hoop-math.com, he converted 72 percent of his at-rim field-goal attempts in 2013-14.
The so-so athleticism and unproven jump shot may keep his draft stock in the latter half of the first round. But he's uncontainable off the bounce and generates a truckload of offense.
9. Sam Dekker, Wisconsin SF (Junior)
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Vitals: 20 years old, 6'9", 229 lbs, 6'10" wingspan
Shooting: A-
Creativity: B-
Finishing: A-
Passing: B
Off-Ball: A+
Wisconsin's Sam Dekker was an under-the-radar draft prospect during 2013-14, but he probably won't be able to avoid attention this season.
He owns awesome off-ball instincts, as he always puts himself in the right place to make a play for the Badgers. And when he gets the rock, he can handle, drive or shoot it. Dekker has the length, athleticism and shooting potential to be an invaluable combo forward in the NBA.
Dekker didn't stuff the stat sheet last year, but he did earn rave reviews at the LeBron James Skills Academy in July. ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla noted, "Dekker seemed to be consensus 'best player' at LeBron Camp. Made lot of shots when I was watching."
Dekker won't be star material in the NBA, but he's a valuable commodity because teams can plug him in as a dependable role player. He'll fit in seamlessly with teammates during half-court sets, and he's not afraid to make a big shot or take an aggressive drive.
Don't expect him to fall much farther than 20th on draft night.
8. Marc Garcia, Spain SF (1996)
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Vitals: 18 years old, 6'6", 180 lbs, 6'6" wingspan
Shooting: A
Creativity: B+
Finishing: C+
Passing: A-
Off-Ball: A
Spanish standout Marc Garcia is right at the top of the shooting guard crop in 2015 thanks to his soft shooting touch and mid-range inventiveness.
He's a wiry wing with less-than-stellar athleticism, yet he's a first-round prospect. The youngster fills up the hoop by connecting smoothly from distance and slicing for buckets inside the arc.
Garcia is extremely resourceful in half-court scenarios. He moves quickly to the open space and takes advantage of the best angles to attack and score. He can hit fadeaways off the dribble, catch and shoot from any spot or slash and draw fouls.
Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress noted Garcia's outstanding feel for the game, calling him a "versatile scorer with amazing instincts for putting the ball in the basket. ... Kind of a Spanish Nik Stauskas."
Garcia is a terrific shooter, creator and passer, but he's not perfect. He must upgrade his close-range efficiency, and that involves adding strength to absorb contact.
Nevertheless, his offense is sparkling compared to most 18-year-olds.
7. Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin F/C (Senior)
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Vitals: 21 years old, 7'0", 234 lbs
Shooting: A-
Creativity: B+
Finishing: A-
Passing: B+
Off-Ball: B+
For the rest of the country, it seemed like Frank Kaminsky came out of nowhere during the NCAA tournament. Who was this guy toasting opponents on the block and splashing threes from everywhere?
Wisconsin fans know he was doing that pretty much all year. Kaminsky averaged 20.5 points per 40 minutes while shooting 38 percent from distance, and he threw in 1.9 assists as well.
On the outside, he can square up and attack closeouts or create step-back jumpers. On the inside, he can use a variety of effective low-post moves with his footwork and scoring touch.
Arizona coach Sean Miller learned firsthand how tricky it is to defend him, as Kaminsky dropped 28 on the Wildcats to clinch a Final Four berth.
"He's a difficult matchup," Miller told Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo Sports. "Got to be one of the best offensive players who plays college basketball, for sure."
He won't be springy or quick enough to consistently create separation at the pro level, so he'll have to rely on his high level of ball skills and footwork.
6. Kelly Oubre, Kansas SF (Freshman)
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Vitals: 18 years old, 6'7", 199 lbs, 7'1.5" wingspan
Shooting: A-
Creativity: B+
Finishing: A
Passing: B
Off-Ball: B+
Incoming Kansas swingman Kelly Oubre will be more than a handful for Big 12 opponents, and in the near future, his rangy offense will excel in the NBA.
His athleticism, length and shooting touch enable him to elevate and score comfortably over challengers at the rim and from three-point land. With a swift release and long arms, he can pile up points from distance in a hurry.
Ball-handling and creativity weren't his strong suits throughout high school, but lately, he's shown improved control and effectiveness with practical maneuvers. B/R NBA Draft Lead Writer Jonathan Wasserman explained that Oubre now has some moves to go along with his bounce.
"He has the NBA size and high-flying athleticism," Wasserman wrote. "But he also has the offensive attack—Oubre can take over stretches of a game with step-back and pull-up jumpers, explosive drives to the rack and a little finesse in between with runners and floaters."
Oubre needs to get stronger, polish his skills and expand his game a little more in order to be a truly versatile weapon. While he works on that to-do list, we should still be frightened about what he's already capable of.
5. Mario Hezonja, Croatia SG (1995)
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Vitals: 19 years old, 6'8", 200 lbs
Shooting: A
Creativity: A-
Finishing: A
Passing: B
Off-Ball: B+
Croatia's Mario Hezonja is unquestionably the most dangerous and exciting threat from Europe in 2015.
Despite his youth and erratic choices on the court, he possesses awesome physical tools and scoring ability.
Sporting a 6'8" frame and ample athleticism, Hezonja can shoot over opposing wings and slash to the basket with his improved isolation skills. He's on a fast track to becoming an inside-outside threat at small forward or shooting guard.
Derek Bodner of Liberty Ballers broke down the youngster's perimeter prowess:
"While not the quickest release in the world, it's smooth, repeatable and with a high release point. He was virtually automatic with his feet set last season. ... He shows some potential shooting off the dribble, as his form, footwork and balance aren't what I would classify as anything resembling broken, but clearly needs more repetition.
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When defenders overcompensate on close-outs, he easily burns them and then uses his momentum to finish explosively over the second line of defense. He hasn't been a highly productive assist-tosser in the ACB, but he's got the tools and vision to make key passes.
Hezonja needs to mature as a teammate if he wants to access his ceiling. He still gets high marks due to his noticeable talent, though.
4. R.J. Hunter, Georgia State SG (Junior)
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Vitals: 20 years old, 6'5", 180 lbs, 6'9.5" wingspan
Shooting: A+
Creativity: B
Finishing: B+
Passing: B+
Off-Ball: A+
Defense is definitely the biggest question mark for mid-major standout R.J. Hunter.
Offense, on the other hand, is what's driving the shooting guard's draft stock into the first round.
It starts with his exceptional shooting. Hunter has a quick, silky smooth release and practically unlimited range. He can bury jumpers off the dribble and via spot-ups, and his shot is quick enough to launch even when opponents are in his face. In 2013-14, he attempted 253 triples and converted an impressive 40 percent.
In order to find those opportunities and other scoring chances, he moves expertly without the ball, using flare cuts and curl cuts to get space to catch and operate.
Hunter isn't a physical specimen by any means. However, he has enough length and dribbling finesse to effectively attack the basket on simple drives and create mid-range jumpers. He's got a great feel for exploiting opponents and finding the bucket from all angles.
And the big bonus is that he's got great court vision and rarely turns the ball over (1.4 giveaways per 40 minutes).
3. Emmanuel Mudiay, Guangdong Southern Tigers PG (1996)
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Vitals: 18 years old, 6'5", 200 lbs, 6'8.5" wingspan
Shooting: B-
Creativity: A+
Finishing: A+
Passing: A
Off-Ball: B+
Although his jump shot needs some refinement and his decision-making could be sharper, Emmanuel Mudiay is arguably the most dynamic playmaker in the entire draft.
He's got the speed and handles to get anywhere on the court whenever he pleases. The China-bound point guard already shows promising scoring instincts and passing ability that will make him a dual-threat star when he settles in the Association.
"Manny Mudiay is in a class of his own guard-wise," said Mike Schmitz of DraftExpress. "Can see him in the mix at No. 1 in 2015."
His point guard skills aren't ready for efficient quarterbacking yet. Fortunately, there is tangible evidence of drive-and-dish skills as well as pick-and-roll facilitation. Mudiay will torture defenses because they won't know whether he's taking the ball all the way to the hoop or setting up a teammate.
Mudiay needs to expedite his shooting delivery and improve his shot selection, but his shot at least looks workable. If he can grow that area of his game, he could be the type of player who scores 18-22 points and deals seven or eight assists per night.
2. Jahlil Okafor, Duke C (Freshman)
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Vitals: 18 years old, 6'11", 272 lbs, 7'5" wingspan
Shooting: B+
Creativity: A-
Finishing: A+
Passing: A
Off-Ball: A-
Jahlil Okafor won't likely be a massively productive scorer in the NBA. He's not going to carry his team with 20-plus points per contest.
However, the Duke center will be extremely reliable and efficient with his touches. His club will be able to count on 12-18 points to establish an interior presence and open things up for everyone else.
Okafor not only creates buckets for himself via post-up and mid-range jumpers, he also sees the floor well and connects with teammates.
Rafael Uehara of Upside & Motor lauded the big fella's combination of isolation skills and passing vision.
"Okafor is the owner of a very well developed post game, the type you don't see that often even at the pro level in this day and age," said Uehara. "His patience surveying the other eight players around him is incredibly impressive and his moves are all very fluid."
Given his tremendous size, skill set and instincts, Okafor figures to be one of the safest picks in the field.
1. Karl Towns, Kentucky PF (Freshman)
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Vitals: 18 years old, 7'0", 248 lbs, 7'3.5" wingspan
Shooting: A-
Creativity: A
Finishing: A
Passing: A-
Off-Ball: A
It's rare to see such versatility in a young big man.
Karl Towns Jr. will bring his array of offensive gifts to Kentucky in 2014-15, and he'll quickly showcase why he's a favorite among scouts.
The 7'0" Gatorade National Player of the Year is well on his way to becoming an inside-out prospect, as his interior footwork and touch are complemented by a rapidly developing three-point shot. He'll be the type of power forward who can drive from the wing, post up on the block or cripple defenses with pick-and-pop shots.
Towns can handle the ball in traffic, and he'll manipulate defenses with his one-on-one instincts and sneaky good passing.
"Karl Towns is a fantastic passer and patient low post scorer," former Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said. "He sees plays develop from the block and the perimeter."
The only thing that slightly limits his overall potential is his underwhelming athleticism. He's got enough mobility to go end-to-end and compete, but he's not particularly explosive. Nevertheless, his bag of tricks is enough to warrant No. 1 pick consideration.
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