2015 NBA Draft Stock Watch: Top Risers and Fallers Entering December
It's only been two weeks, but a few NBA prospects have been able to make some eye-opening first impressions.
And most of them are freshmen whose roles and impacts were tough to project prior to the season. These are the guys who've erupted out of the gates straight into the first-round or lottery conversation.
But it works the other way, too. A few guys we had high hopes for have struggled to stand out early on. Of course, there's still plenty of time for these "fallers" to climb back up the board, but they'll have to do so from a hole after a slow start to the year.
Chris McCullough, Syracuse, 6'9", PF, Freshman
1 of 10
Stock Report: ↑
Syracuse's offense might be tough to watch this year, but Chris McCullough should be worth your time.
He's continuously jumped off the screen six games into his freshman season. At 6'10" with a massive 7'3" wingspan, McCullough is long, athletic and awfully thin. But despite a slender 220-pound frame, he's been extremely productive around the rim, where he's a crafty finisher and high-energy rebounder.
Averaging 15.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.8 steals on 58.3 percent shooting, his stat line screams activity and efficiency.
But arguably the most interesting development of McCullough's game is the soft touch he's displayed in the mid-range. Though it's early, he's consistently knocks down jumpers, which looks natural leaving his hands.
From the surface, we've seen McCullough's type before—raw, skinny, above-the-rim big men whose production is fueled by physical tools and athleticism. But this shooting potential he's flashed adds a whole new dimension of inside-out versatility to his repertoire. And in turn, it drives his ceiling a few stories higher than many had projected it to be.
Kelly Oubre, Kansas, 6'7", SF, Freshman
2 of 10
Stock Report: ↓
Kelly Oubre, a consensus top-10 recruit coming in, hasn't quite earned the trust yet of coach Bill Self, who's played him a total of 47 minutes through six games.
And the short leash has seemed to affect his confidence. Oubre, who was an aggressive scorer in high school, has looked passive in the limited time he's been given.
He's also looked overwhelmed at times on defense, most notably in Kansas' opener against Kentucky.
Oubre's slow start doesn't just erase the upside tied to his athleticism and shooting stroke, but it's not pushing him up any boards either—especially with other wings like Arizona's Stanley Johnson and Duke's Justise Winslow both wowing early on.
Myles Turner, Texas, 6'11", PF/C, Freshman
3 of 10
Stock Report: ↑
Coming off Texas' bench in a lineup stacked with big upperclassmen, it was tough to project what type of impact Myles Turner would have as a freshman.
That changed a bit after his 25-point, 10-rebound showing against St. Francis, when he hit 11-of-12 from the floor, including six shots outside the paint.
Turner is really polished, particularly on the perimeter, where he's got a pure shooting stroke and the ability to separate into it.
The NBA guys will love his pick-and-roll potential, where he's flashed the versatility to pop out or slip to the basket off ball screens. Turner isn't the most fluid or explosive, but he can definitely get up and finish above the rim.
And he's been an extremely active shot-blocker, having swatted five in Texas' one-point win over Connecticut despite an off game offensively. He's now blocking three shots a game in less than an average of 20 minutes.
Normally, the big-men prospects that protect the rim are guys who can't play outside the paint. And the ones who can stretch the floor are guys who typically struggle with interior defense.
Turner's rare inside-out, two-way versatility is bound to launch him right up draft boards into the top-10 conversation.
Chris Walker, Florida, 6'10", PF, Sophomore
4 of 10
Stock Report: ↓
After missing most of his freshman year due to academic ineligibility, Chris Walker entered his sophomore season with something to prove. Only he fell into a hole before it even began after coach Billy Donovan suspended him the first three games.
And he's essentially been a non-factor since returning to the floor, where he's shooting just 36.8 percent in 16.8 minutes per game.
Walker just doesn't have much of an offensive game at all. His finishing, rebounding and shot-blocking potential are intriguing, but with a 220-pound frame, minimal ball skills and no real shooting potential, his sales pitch isn't overly convincing.
He'll have to show more than athletic ability to sustain his allure as a first-round prospect.
D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State, 6'5", PG/SG, Freshman
5 of 10
Stock Report: ↑
Combo guards aren't always viewed in a positive light by NBA scouts, but D'Angelo Russell looks like an exception.
He's averaging 18 points and 5.4 assists on 52.3 percent shooting, pretty much doing whatever he pleases out there on the floor. Russell isn't the most explosive athlete, but he operates with a confident bounce to his step and has looked capable of creating shots left and right.
Having made 14 of his first 29 three-point attempts, Russell's perimeter game has also been lethal. He's one of those fearless shooters who's unafraid to rise and fire right over his defender's hand.
He's also displayed impressive passing instincts off the dribble, which plays to his appeal as a combo guard with a balanced offensive attack.
Russell has flashed some can't-miss playmaking potential early on. And given his 6'5" size, sweet lefty stroke and vision, we're talking about legitimate versatility—not a tweener stuck between backcourt positions.
Wayne Selden Jr., Kansas, 6'5", SG, Sophomore
6 of 10
Stock Report: ↓
After putting up an 0-10 bagel against Michigan State, Wayne Selden Jr.'s stock has seen better days.
He's now shooting a scary 26.5 percent from the floor and 26.3 percent from downtown, and though those numbers are bound to change—presumably and hopefully for the better—the lack of progress is troubling.
At this stage in his career, Selden just isn't a big enough offensive threat for a 2-guard. He's dangerous in the open floor, where he sports impressive body control around the rim, but against a set defense, his best attribute is likely passing. And that's not going to be enough.
With a limited one-on-one game and an unreliable jumper, the appeal to Selden is fading quickly, given it's now his second year at Kansas and his strengths are still unclear.
Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin, 7'0", C, Senior
7 of 10
Stock Report: ↑
Frank Kaminsky continues to improve a skill set that the NBA guys traditionally love.
He's averaging 16.6 points and 8.7 boards while shooting it 40.7 percent from downtown, numbers that highlight his inside-out versatility as a refined stretch 7-footer.
Kaminsky can score down low on the block, where he's got the footwork and size to separate, along with the touch and shot-making ability to convert. But it's the jumper, which he used to nail three three-pointers with in a win over Oklahoma and four against Boise State, that helps drive his NBA appeal to a whole new level.
Kaminsky has also been a challenging force at the defensive end, where he's averaging 2.3 blocks.
He isn't the greatest athlete, and that limits his upside. But Kaminsky's blend of size, shooting touch and low-post presence is valued heavily in today's NBA game.
Kevon Looney, UCLA, 6'9", PF, Freshman
8 of 10
Stock Report: ↑
Kevon Looney has been a double-double machine early on, having racked up four of them through seven games while scoring at least 10 points in each.
Under the NBA lens, he immediately stands out physically thanks to that 6'9" size and 7'3" wingspan for an inside-out forward.
While Looney has been a man amongst boys around the rim, where he's averaging 11 boards and 1.7 blocks a game, he's also shown some promising touch from the mid-range, along with the ability to face up and attack off the dribble.
Looney has ultimately flashed the type of mismatch potential that could certainly trigger a team to reach. We had him ranked as a mid-first-round prospect prior to the season, but after the hot start, that's starting to look more like a reserved projection.
Though he still lacks polish and fluidity, Looney has one of the higher ceilings in the country, which could go a long way in a draft that might lack significant star power.
Cliff Alexander, Kansas, 6'8", PF, Freshman
9 of 10
Stock Down: ↓
Ironically, Cliff Alexander has actually played well in the role that Bill Self has put him in. Alexander's job has been to bring energy and interior activity, and he's provided it, from finishing and rebounding to shot-blocking.
However, while his motor and athleticism have shined early on, the spotlight has also exposed his weaknesses and limitations.
Alexander just isn't particularly skilled offensively. In the post, he lacks fluidity, touch and size for a guy who doesn't play outside the paint.
“He’s not tall enough, and it was very evident tonight, to score over that length,” Coach Self said to the Chicago Sun Times' Steve Greenberg following the beatdown Kansas received from Kentucky.
Alexander's ability to clean up around the rim is admirable, as is the competitive edge he brings to the table. But at 6'8" without a jumper or post moves, his stock could be vulnerable in a draft expected to be loaded with quality big men.
We had him as a potential top-five candidate entering the season. The late lottery is now starting to look like a more realistic projection.
Justise Winslow, Duke, 6'7", SF, Freshman
10 of 10
Stock Report: ↑
We knew about the motor, athleticism and defensive potential tied to Justise Winslow. But his ball skills have been better than advertised.
While he's still at his best making plays off the ball—whether he's cutting, getting out on the break or crashing the offensive glass—Winslow has shown the ability to attack off the dribble and knock down shots from outside.
The Michael Kidd-Gilchrist comparison is easy to make, only Winslow has hit 39.1 percent of his three-pointers so far with a jumper that's looked fairly promising.
He's also flashed some heads-up passing instincts while giving off the impression he's a team-first guy.
Of course, Winslow's energy, lockdown tools and intangibles remain his core strengths and most valued attributes. But there's room for a monster offensive growth spurt here, similar to the one Victor Oladipo experienced not too long ago.
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