2015 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Top Prospects in NCAA Tournament
With the First Four out of the way and the NCAA tournament set to tip off, there's a bit of an underrated piece of business observers will want to take care of right away.
No, it's not filling out a bracket (although going over the picks written in pencil one last time is a good idea). It's not practicing the sick voice to call off work or buying snacks.
It's quite a bit simpler: identifying those big-name pro prospects to watch, because no matter the end result, odds are they are moving on to bigger things at the NBA level.
Before things get underway, let's take a look at a mock draft based on value and team need before circling a few of those players in red ink.
2015 NBA First-Round Mock Draft
| 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 |
Highlighting Top Players to Watch in NCAA Tournament
Jahlil Okafor, Duke
Duke's Jahlil Okafor still retains the No. 1 slot on most draft boards around the globe, although players such as Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns and Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell continue to gain ground.
It's boring to see a single name at the top for so long, a logic that applies to any sport's draft. Almost as if to combat the issue, Okafor just reeled in a piece of individual hardware, as Duke captured on Twitter:
Go figure, right?
As a freshman, Okafor led the Blue Devils to a 29-4 record while averaging 17.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Also notable was his 67 percent conversion rate from the field.
At 6'11" and 270 pounds with a refined, pro-ready offensive skill set, it's hard to imagine any team at No. 1 passing on Okafor.
How Okafor performs in the Big Dance will affect his draft stock. Should he falter early and others surge deep into the proceedings, then his hold on the top slot may loosen.
Regardless, expect to see Okafor put on a show before hearing his name called to the podium first.
Prediction: Okafor comes off the board at No. 1.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky
Here's where things get complicated.
A few months ago, it was easy to write Towns off as a defensive enforcer whose lack of productivity on the offensive side of the court placed him behind Okafor on draft day.
Things changed in a hurry.
Towns remains a defensive stalwart. He comes in at 6'11" and 250 pounds and averages a jarring 2.4 blocks per game. Things are improving on the offensive end, too, considering he averages 9.7 points and 1.1 assists to go along with 6.7 rebounds.
As Towns has become more comfortable with his role, he's continued to improve as a shooter away from the basket and as a passer while beneath it. Heck, he smashes any big-man stereotypes when it comes to free-throw shooting, too, as Kyle Tucker of The Courier-Journal points out:
Look for the Towns-Okafor debate to rule the headlines over the course of the lengthy wait for the draft. It's a valid argument, even more so now with Towns continuing to develop at a rapid pace.
For now, Towns is the second player off the board, no questions asked. It's not a bad status to have by any means, but keep an eye out—a monster performance in the Big Dance may allow him to climb to the peak.
Prediction: Towns comes off the board at No. 2.
Myles Turner, Texas
Let's just stick with big men because the 2015 class is downright loaded with quality options.
Myles Turner might just be the most polarizing player in the class, which is quite the claim considering he averages 10.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. Not just that, he has great pro size, too, weighing in at 240 pounds and standing 6'11".
Detractors will point out Turner is a raw prospect, which is fair. The other side of the argument, though, is all his numbers and potential could be even better than where they stand now if he were just on the court more often.
Adam Winkler of KEYETV shed some light on Turner's strange usage rates:
After playing about three minutes in the second half of a 69-67 loss to Iowa State, Turner spoke to Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman about the situation:
Regardless, the Big Dance will decide much about Turner's eventual draft placement.
Unlike the two above, where Turner lands is up for debate and based on team need. As the order stands now, it makes sense for a team such as the Atlanta Hawks to roll the dice on Turner in the top 10.
In Atlanta, Turner could add more depth to an impressive roster and learn from 30-year-old Paul Millsap.
No matter how things end up, though, Turner is one of the most important players to watch this month.
Prediction: Atlanta selects Turner at No. 9
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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