Meet Kentucky's Dark-Horse 2015 1st-Round NBA Draft Prospects
While the college basketball world stares in awe of Kentucky's undefeated run, NBA scouts and fans eagerly await the arrival of the Wildcats' thoroughbreds to the pro ranks.
Freshman sensation Karl-Anthony Towns and hyper-athletic junior Willie Cauley-Stein have dominated the highlight reels and grabbed many of the headlines as potential first-round picks. They're both on track to do heavy damage as soon as they enter the league.
But we're not here to talk about them right now. Let's peek at the next three UK prospects on the board, a talented trio in its own right.
Shooting guard Devin Booker, power forward Trey Lyles and center Dakari Johnson might all land in the first round. Booker's and Lyle's soaring stock might send them into the lottery, and Johnson's size and dominance in the paint could make him a late first-round steal.
What does each youngster bring to the table?
The Sharpshooter
Devin Booker, 6'6" Freshman Shooting Guard
As Kentucky's commanding campaign unfolded, Booker steadily made a case for himself as a premier 2-guard prospect.
He doesn't jump off the screen as an alluring athlete or physical specimen. His wingspan is an underwhelming 6'6 ¼", and his vertical leap is 35 ½", which is middle-of-the-road. But Booker's skill set is downright lethal.
With an efficient shooting delivery and terrific scoring instincts, he's been able to bombard foes from beyond the arc all year long. Booker has drilled 44 percent of his triples, and he looks the part of a dependable wing who can stretch the floor in the NBA.
There's more to his game than perimeter prowess, however. He's become more comfortable attacking closeouts, hitting mid-range jumpers and distributing to teammates. Coach John Calipari explained that Booker has become adept at making an impact even when he's not raining threes:
"He's not just a three-point shooter now," he told The Louisville Courier-Journal's Kyle Tucker. "He defends, he rebounds, he does all those other things. So when he's not making shots, I can leave him in the game."
Booker won't be a go-to scorer or playmaker on his NBA squad, but he'll be a key cog who you can depend on to make the right play and bury big shots. B/R NBA draft scribe Jonathan Wasserman compares him to a J.J. Redick type, only with more potential:
Draft Range: Late Lottery
The Refined 4-Man
Trey Lyles, 6'10" Freshman
In recent weeks, Lyles has come on strong as a legitimate first-round prospect who could flirt with the lottery on draft night.
His inside-out talents were on full display during back-to-back 18-point outings against Mississippi State and Arkansas. Lyles isn't an other-worldly athlete. But he runs the floor like a deer, and his movements are fluid. He can score via face-ups and post-ups, and his shooting touch is superb.
Even though he hasn't mastered the three-point shot yet (just 14 percent), he's terrific from inside the arc. Lyles is hitting 45 percent of his two-point jumpers, according to Hoop-Math.com.
He has a great sense of when to cut to the rim, when to drift for an open jumper or leak out in transition. His NBA team will benefit all the way around on offense.
"I think he goes Top 20 [in the NBA Draft],” one veteran NBA scout told Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog. “He is playing with more confidence. He is a forward who will be able to play both forward positions based on matches."
The main area of concern for Lyles is defense, as he struggles to contain explosive opponents. His pro club won't get an upper-echelon stopper at the 3 or 4. However, in an offense-oriented league, the trade-off is well worth it.
Draft Range: Late Lottery/Mid-First Round
The Bruiser
Dakari Johnson, 7'0" Sophomore
Last season, Johnson was too lumbering to be a legitimate NBA prospect (275 lbs). This year, he shaved off much of the unnecessary weight while retaining all the power.
He's now a locomotive to be reckoned with, as he dominates the paint during his 14 minutes per game. Johnson uses his now-255-pound frame to win position underneath the hoop on post-ups, boxouts and defensive stands.
Johnson's per-40 minute numbers are striking: 16.1 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and a whopping 9.3 free-throw attempts. Those numbers illustrate his opponents' difficulty handling his physicality.
He offers more than sheer size and power, though. Johnson owns a couple of nice pivot moves in the post and can score the rock off the glass over both shoulders. And although he's no antelope, he can run the floor pretty well:
"Dakari Johnson would probably be the best center on the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers right now," said Rafael Uehara of Upside & Motor.
That's not to proclaim he'll be an NBA star, but it means he can hang in the league and outplay several current centers.
His foot speed isn't great, and he's not a quick leaper, so his upside is limited. Fortunately, he employs his 9'1 ½" standing reach and respectable 28 ½" no-step vertical to compete against most big men.
Johnson projects to have the impact of a poor-man's Andrew Bynum: a player who doesn't fly around but wins the position battle and uses size and angles to excel.
Draft Range: Late First Round
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all stats come from Sports-Reference.com/CBB and are current entering March 8.
Follow Dan O'Brien on Twitter for more NBA draft coverage: @DanielO_BR.
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