Under-the-Radar NBA Rookies Guaranteed to Surprise in 2014-15
While most eyes will be focused on the potential superstars taken early in the 2014 NBA draft, we can't forget about the sleepers.
This draft had plenty of depth to go with the star power at the top. Having landed in the right situations, a number of guys taken after No. 20 overall will have an opportunity to play.
You might not have expected the following rookies to make much noise right away, but based on the impressions they've made so far, along with their bigger projected roles, these are the guys who could surprise in 2014-15.
Jordan Clarkson, Los Angeles Lakers
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Jordan Clarkson has been trending upward since falling to No. 46 in the draft. The Missouri product sure looked like he belonged in Las Vegas Summer League, where he averaged 15.8 points through five games.
And he's apparently making a strong impression on the Lakers' coaching staff—according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, one insider with the team believes that Clarkson will push for the starting point guard job.
Clarkson isn't a pure point guard in terms of his ability to facilitate, but he can handle the ball and generate offense off the dribble. And at 6'5" with broad shoulders, quickness and smooth athleticism, he's got backcourt mismatch potential.
Clarkson has quickly become a fairly important player on this Lakers roster with Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash on the decline. His fresh legs and burst will likely be counted on throughout the season, whether he's running the point or scoring from the wing.
Expect some erratic shooting and questionable shot selection, but Clarkson is loaded with offensive firepower.
Mitch McGary, Oklahoma City Thunder
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Despite sitting out just about all of his sophomore season at Michigan following back surgery, the Oklahoma City Thunder still reached up and drafted Mitch McGary No. 21 overall. And they passed on some pretty solid prospects to get him.
Whether his David Lee-like elbow jumper ever starts falling, McGary brings energy to the table—and energy translates.
An active body in the paint with a terrific nose for the ball, he gives the Thunder a different dimension of mobility than Kendrick Perkins does while offering the polish, passing instincts and IQ Steven Adams lacks.
McGary looked refreshed in Las Vegas Summer League, a promising sign considering how much time he missed. He filled up the box scores with averages of 14.8 points, 5.8 boards, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 assists in 26 minutes per game.
"Yep, I've been there for the last two or three months. Feeling great," McGary said when asked if he's 100 percent healthy, via Royce Young of ESPN.com.
With Hasheem Thabeet gone, Nick Collison coming off knee surgery and Perkins' limited offensive services, I'm betting on McGary getting a crack and making an encouraging impression right away.
Nick Johnson, Houston Rockets
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Don't let the Jason Terry trade fool you. Terry and his 37-year-old legs won't be able to completely hold off Nick Johnson, one of the most athletic guards from the 2014 class.
Despite standing just 6'3", Johnson can make that big play above the rim, whether he's skying for an easy bucket or rejecting a big man from the weak side. Johnson's 41.5-inch vertical tied for second highest with Zach LaVine and Glenn Robinson III at the NBA combine.
But Johnson is more than just a leaper—the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year can connect from outside and lock down defensively. He's also a gamer; he's a guy who's always at his best when the stakes are highest. Johnson is the type of kid you want at the line down one in the fourth.
His lack of size for a 2-guard limits his upside, and that's probably what led to 41 teams passing on him in the draft. But between Johnson's strong basketball IQ, energy and shot-making ability, he's got NBA role player written all over him.
Cleanthony Early, New York Knicks
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Too many teams passed on Cleanthony Early, who went No. 34 overall. Maybe it was the fact he's already 23 years old.
That shouldn't bother the New York Knicks, a franchise that needed an NBA-ready body to contribute in 2014-15.
They got one in Early, who's going to pick up minutes this season backing up Carmelo Anthony, as well as Amar'e Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani—two guys who haven't been able to stay healthy in years.
Early actually played the 4 at Wichita State, and though undersized for the position in the pros, he's very sharp around the basket.
Still, it's Early's blend of electric athleticism and shot-making range that drives his value to the Knicks. Much like Tim Hardaway Jr. did for New York as a rookie, Early will help stretch the floor as a catch-and-shooter and finish plays in transition.
He improved his three-ball to 37.3 percent as a senior this past season, and he knocked in 5-of-9 attempts from downtown in Las Vegas Summer League.
"He’s going to be a better pro than college," a Western Conference scout told Marc Berman of the New York Post. Melo seems to approve as well. "I’m very excited to see Cleanthony on the court. In my eyes he was a steal in this year’s draft," he told Berman.
Early won't look to create or put the ball on the deck, but his jumper and 40-inch vertical should translate to easy catch-and-score buckets.
Rodney Hood, Utah Jazz
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Rodney Hood slipped in the draft to No. 23 overall out of Duke, and as a result we haven't heard his name mentioned often in the impact-rookie conversation.
We'll hear it soon enough. Hood ultimately comes to the Utah Jazz with an NBA-ready package consisting of 6'8" size and lights-out shooting touch.
It's a simple yet effective combination. With a natural, effortless stroke and plenty of range, Hood can stretch the floor and knock down shots right over the defense.
Between the rim and arc, he's not quite the quickest off the bounce—Hood isn't going to blow by anyone on the way to the rack. But he's an excellent ball-handler and passer, and if there's room he's deadly pulling up off the dribble.
The Jazz finished No. 25 in offensive efficiency and No. 29 in points per game last year. They can't afford to let Hood's shot-making hand just sit there on the bench.
We're bound to see some inconsistency from Hood, given his perimeter-oriented attack, but expect the Jazz coaching staff to value his offensive versatility and lethal outside jumper. They should each translate into buckets right away.
Russ Smith, New Orleans Pelicans
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Having changed up his game from gunner to playmaker as a senior at Louisville, Russ Smith is now in position to land the backup point guard job in New Orleans.
We already know Austin Rivers and Jimmer Fredette—his two competitors—weren't wired to facilitate at the NBA level.
Smith, taken No. 47 overall by Philadelphia, actually raised his assist average from 2.9 to 4.6 per game in 2013-14. He did a much better job of using his elusiveness off the dribble to set up teammates—rather than himself as a full-time scorer.
Smith carried his new-and-improved floor game into the Las Vegas Summer League, which he led in assists (6.4) while still averaging 16 points per game.
He's a streaky shooter and at times a wild decision-maker, but there's no denying his ability to generate offense and put it up in bunches.
As long as Smith can control the urges, look for him to give the Pelicans a much-needed spark plug off the bench.
