2015 NBA Draft Prospects Who Will Become Household Names Before March Madness
We're approaching a key stretch of the college basketball season that could ultimately dictate how the NBA draft conversation goes in June.
With conference play heating up, now is the time for prospects to start making their marks and strongest pitches to scouts.
A few of the top prospects have actually gone slightly under radar, at least in terms of the national stage. These are the guys on the verge of blowing up as spotlight performers and household names.
D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State, 6'5", PG/SG, Freshman
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The D'Angelo Russell show just gets better by the week—the latest came in a win over Northwestern on Thursday courtesy of a spectacular 33-point, seven-rebound, six-assist, zero-turnover night.
It was arguably the top offensive performance we've seen all year. Russell took over down the stretch, drilling a step-back three-pointer to break a tie with three minutes left, then nailing another one two possessions later after sending his defender to the floor off an ankle-breaking crossover.
He also zipped in one of those one-handed spinning darts through traffic to a cutter for the second straight game.
Russell is an absolute magician with the ball, from his vision and wicked passing ability to his dangerous scoring instincts. Throw in the fact he's hit 58 three-pointers in 20 games at a ridiculous 45.3 percent clip, and we're talking about one of the most potent yet entertaining offensive players and easily the top guard prospect in the country.
"I think he could be a James Harden-type player at the next level," one general manager told ESPN Insider Chad Ford. "That's what kind of scorer and playmaker he could be."
He recently overtook Jahlil Okafor as the nation's leading-scoring freshman, and he has become a routine must-watch for scouting departments and anyone who appreciates dazzling guard play.
Jerian Grant, Notre Dame, 6'5", PG, Senior
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With the Irish in the Top 10 rankings after an 18-2 start, look no further than Jerian Grant for credit. He's been the man, averaging 16.8 points and 6.4 assists as the lead guard. Grant didn't even play the second half of last season thanks to academic trouble. Now he's one of the toughest backcourt covers and rising names in the draft conversation.
The son of former player Harvey Grant and brother to 2014 second-round pick Jerami, who actually had eight blocks the other night against the New York Knicks, Jerian has NBA genes, mismatch size and athleticism.
He's currently near the top 10 in the country in both assists and assist-to-turnover ratio. His passing skills are exceptional, and he's scoring inside the arc at a spectacular 63.2 percent clip. That's more efficient than top big-men prospects Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevon Looney, Frank Kaminsky and Myles Turner, as well as wings like Stanley Johnson and Justise Winslow.
From pull-up and step-back jumpers to strong takes to the rack, he has next-level moves and a knack for making contested shots. Grant's ability to generate offense in the half court against a set defense (72.2 percent of his assists come after 10 seconds into a shot clock, per Hoop-Math) bodes well for his NBA transition.
With Duke on the schedule twice and Louisville later in the season, look for Grant to make his mark and build his credibility as a potential first-rounder.
Kelly Oubre, Kansas, 6'7", SF, Freshman
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It looks like coach Bill Self chose the right time to unleash Kelly Oubre, who mostly sat on the bench the first month of the season. He's been huge for Kansas the past few weeks, and it only seems like the beginning of what could be an explosive February breakout.
Oubre is fresh off a 19-point, nine-rebound game in a tough win against Oklahoma on Monday night, having come up big down the stretch with two key buckets and some free throws. He's now scored at least 14 points in three of his last four games, and you can see his confidence steadily increasing by the week.
Oubre has essentially slid into Andrew Wiggins' role from last year on the wing, where he's flashed some lethal outside touch and slashing ability off the dribble. He's hit 17-of-39 three-pointers (43.5 percent) since entering the rotation Dec. 10. Despite averaging under 20 minutes per game, he's converted 16 shots in transition—the second most on the team next to Frank Mason, who handles the ball and plays 33.1 minutes per night.
Dangerous in the open floor, a threat to score on the move and a marksman from behind the arc, Oubre is a versatile, athletic offensive weapon with NBA potential written all over him. This is the stretch coming up where he's bound to make his strongest pitch to the pros.
Bobby Portis, Arkansas, 6'10", PF, Sophomore
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You can start to feel Bobby Portis' momentum picking up. He's coming off a buzzer-beating overtime tip against Alabama on Thursday night, a few games after his 32-point, 11-rebound, four-steal gem versus Damian Jones and Vanderbilt.
Portis looked competent last year but seems to have taken that next big step, averaging 17.8 points and 8.4 boards on 56.7 percent shooting as a sophomore. He just looks the part out there, from his 6'10", 242-pound frame to his refined offensive game.
Portis has a pure, natural stroke in the mid-range (38.3 percent two-point jumpers), where he's a threat in the pick-and-pop and drive-and-kick games. You get the feeling he could make a living off it in the pros, yet he's also an option out of the post. Portis has clean footwork and soft touch, with the ability to face up and score on the move or separate into back-to-the-basket jump hooks and fadeaways.
Portis isn't the most explosive athlete, which essentially limits his perceived NBA upside. But he's no stiff out there. He just might be one of the most underappreciated prospects in the country—someone who could offer terrific value if taken outside the lottery.
Keep Feb. 28 circled on your calendar, when he'll get to go up against Kentucky's diesel front line.
Yogi Ferrell, Indiana, 6'0", PG, Junior
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It's getting hard to keep ignoring Yogi Ferrell.
He just helped the Hoosiers smoke No. 13 Maryland on Thursday night, taking over late on the way to 24 points on just two missed shots. While Ferrell's scoring ability has never been in question, his point guard instincts have, but now he's averaging a career-high five assists and 0.5 fewer turnovers than he was a season ago.
From an NBA standpoint, the draw to Ferrell revolves around his handle and breakdown ability. In that sense, he reminds you of Isaiah Thomas. He's lightning off the dribble and unguardable in space, whether he's blowing by with crossovers and change of speed or separating into jumpers off step-backs and pull-ups.
And Ferrell can shoot. He's knocking down 2.2 three-pointers per game at a 42.4 percent clip.
We've seen smaller guards than the 6'0", 178-pound Ferrell make it to the pros. At this point, it's about time we start viewing him as a legitimate NBA prospect—a guy who can jump off a bench and spark a second unit. Now that he has Indiana on the rise with four consecutive wins over Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois and Maryland, look for Ferrell's name to start blowing up on the national stage.
Justin Anderson, Virginia, 6'6", SG/SF, Junior
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Justin Anderson hasn't received all that much attention for a guy who's leading the No. 2 team in the country in scoring. Or for someone who's shooting 52.6 percent from downtown.
Mostly known for his defense, athleticism and activity coming into the year, Anderson has evolved into one of the game's top shooters after working with basketball trainer Steve Pratt over the summer. "It was a lot of technical work that I’ve never seen before in my basketball career," Anderson told Sports Illustrated's Brian Hamilton.
Whatever Anderson changed seems to have worked. He's already hit 10 more triples than he made all last season. And you could say he now qualifies as a viable three-and-D option for first-round teams this June.
Merely a role player last year, Anderson's breakout is easily one of the better stories going in college hoops—especially with Virginia looking like a legitimate title contender.
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