NBA Draft 2015: Latest Mock Draft Ahead of NCAA Tournament

March Madness is all fun and games, but in the background of bracket, bubbles and Cinderellas lurks NBA teams and pro scouts scribbling notes and rearranging big boards in preparation for the 2015 NBA draft.

It may not seem like the NBA cares about the draft much right now considering it doesn't go down until June 25, but rest assured that while the pro teams jockey for position on the court, front offices are hard at work to see which stars rise to the occasion and break through the Madness.

For example, Shabazz Napier was considered a fringe first-round pick last year before hoisting Connecticut on his shoulders and winning a title—he wound up walking to the podium at No. 24.

Before the tournament gets underway, let's look at how a mock draft shapes up now and some names to watch in the coming weeks.

2015 NBA First-Round Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Selection
1	New York Knicks	Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke
2	Minnesota Timberwolves	Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky
3	Philadelphia 76ers	D'Angelo Russell, SG, Ohio State
4	Los Angeles Lakers	Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, Congo
5	Orlando Magic	Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona
6	Sacramento Kings	Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky
7	Detroit Pistons	Justise Winslow, SF, Duke
8	Denver Nuggets	Mario Hezonja, SG/SF, Croatia
9	Atlanta Hawks (via Brooklyn)	Myles Turner, PF/C, Texas
10	Miami Heat	Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas
11	Boston Celtics	Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin
12	Utah Jazz	Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia
13	Phoenix Suns	Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville
14	Houston Rockets (via New Orleans)	Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky
15	Charlotte Hornets	Kevon Looney, SF/PF, UCLA
16	Indiana Pacers	Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame
17	Milwaukee Bucks	Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas
18	Oklahoma City Thunder	Devon Booker, SG, Kentucky
19	Washington Wizards	Justin Anderson, SG, Virginia
20	Chicago Bulls	Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville
21	Toronto Raptors	Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin
22	San Antonio Spurs	Damian Jones, C, Vanderbilt
23	Dallas Mavericks	Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky
24	Cleveland Cavaliers	Kris Dunn, PG, Providence
25	Boston Celtics (via LA Clippers)	Caris LeVert, SF, Michigan
26	Los Angeles Lakers (via Houston)	R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State
27	Portland Trail Blazers	Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona
28	Memphis Grizzlies	Delon Wright, PG/SG, Utah
29	Brooklyn Nets (via Atlanta)	Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
30	Golden State Warriors	Robert Upshaw, C, Washington

Breaking Down Key Draft Storylines to Watch in NCAA Tournament

Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns?

It's the million-dollar question.

The teams at the top of the draft order come June don't matter—it's going to be Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns at No. 1 and the loser at No. 2.

Folks know all about Duke's Okafor. He's 6'11" and 270 pounds with averages of 17.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while shooting a superb 67 percent from the floor.

To be blunt, the gap between Okafor and Towns isn't large. Towns, a native of Piscataway, New Jersey, comes in at 6'11" and 250 pounds and posts a 9.7/6.7/1.1 line.

Those numbers don't scream offensive juggernaut, but Towns has been much improved over the course of the season's second half. ESPN's Chad Ford believes a strong tournament will make the decision at No. 1 just about impossible:

"

His ability to stretch the floor, protect the rim and make free throws may make up for his lack of low-post polish (though he's not too shabby there, either). A huge tournament for Towns, or even more importantly, a win in a one-on-one showdown with Okafor, might be all he needs to push him into the top spot.

"

Again, the gap between the two continues to shrink. A head-to-head showdown would be nice, so keep those fingers crossed.

If not, the team at No. 1 might need to flip a coin.

Guard Showcase 

Perhaps call this the near-far battle.

Emmanuel Mudiay is far from the NCAA tournament at this point, but he's close in the minds of many considering he's all but the consensus No. 3 pick after the two big men come off the board.

But things are never so simple, and the gap is shrinking too.

Thank Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell.

The freshman exploded onto the scene this year and refuses to take his foot off the pedal, averaging 19.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 46 percent from the field and 42 percent from deep.

There's a reason experts such as CBS Sports' Sam Vecenie and Gary Parrish have Russell as the No. 2 pick off the board in their latest mock drafts. As Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler comments, though, it's impossible for a team in need of a guard to choose the wrong guy:

Mudiay is worth the hype he receives, even if he has spent his days playing ball in China.

What's interesting is the dynamic between the two players. If Russell can bang home a few strong performances on the national scale, does it put him above Mudiay for good?

Stay tuned.

Which Big Man Breaks Through? 

Gareth Patterson/Associated Press

Understatement of the year: Elite prospects beneath the rim pepper the 2015 class.

After the first two, it's tough to figure out how in the world the rest of the players stack up.

There's Kentucky's Willie Cauley-Stein, who comes in at 7'0" and 240 pounds with 9.3 points, 6.4 points and 1.6 blocks per game. As things stand now, he's a defensive enforcer at the next level worthy of a high pick.

Then there's Arkansas' Bobby Portis, an offensive powerhouse who averages 17.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.4 blocks for the surprising Razorbacks. Thanks to his stellar campaign, he's the SEC Player of the Year, as The Associated Press captures:

What about Texas freshman Myles Turner?

Sure, the Longhorns fell flat on their face when confronted with lofty expectations—which may still come to fruition with them in the Big Dance—but Turner is a stud averaging 10.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks.

Turner is raw from a pro standpoint, but as Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman points out, the upside is staggering:

There is also Wisconsin senior Frank Kaminsky, perhaps on his way to player of the year honors. He too averages gaudy numbers, totaling 18.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.6 blocks per game.

It's a lot to digest, and the debate will shift once the big men get on the court in the Big Dance. There, the one or two players who can hoist their respective teams to deep runs might create some serious separation from the others when it comes to draft status.

There's one way to find out who seizes the moment.

All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.