2015 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Top Prospects Alive in NCAA Tournament
For 2015 NBA draft first-round hopefuls, the NCAA tournament has been a bit of a mixed bag.
Some continue to shine. Karl-Anthony Towns and the Kentucky Wildcats continue to pump out wins and strong performances.
Others have not been so fortunate. Players in need of a deep run have seen their draft stock drop. Look at someone like Texas Longhorns freshman Myles Turner, who received just 16 minutes and scored two points in a second-round loss to Butler.
The prospects still alive in the Big Dance will have a major impact on the upcoming draft, as an extended calm and productive demeanor on the biggest stage of all does mean something in the stock department.
Below is a look at a mock based on team need, value and the stock of top prospects, followed by a few of the top names to watch as the tournament continues.
2015 NBA 1st-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 Prospects Alive in NCAA Tournament
Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
Jahlil Okafor steals all the attention when it comes to the Duke Blue Devils, but perhaps more interesting is the stock fluctuations of point guard Tyus Jones.
Jones is one of the more polarizing players in the upcoming draft. He gets lost in the conversation behind obvious names at the position like Emmanuel Mudiay and D'Angelo Russell.
Part of this is his size and athleticism, as at 6'1" and 170 pounds, he doesn't blow scouts away. Then again, from an analytics standpoint, he sees the court perhaps better than any player in the class, resulting in averages of 11.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
In Duke's breezy second-round win against Robert Morris, Jones put on a show with 4-of-7 shooting from the field, 10 points and seven assists.
As NBA.com's Adam Zagoria captures, some believe Jones needs to strike while the iron is hot:
Jones needs a strong finish to the tournament to keep his stock in the first-round conversation.
Even if he doesn't, there is a spot for him at the end of the first round with a team such as the Brooklyn Nets, one incapable of relying on aging veterans such as Jarrett Jack and Deron Williams much longer.
Prediction: Brooklyn selects Jones at No. 29.
Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville
Speaking of the proverbial hot iron, Louisville's Montrezl Harrell needs a way to heat things back up.
Harrell elected to stay in school another year, a decision he feels no regret over because he wanted more time to work on his game.
"I don't have any regrets coming back. ... I felt like I only got better coming back with my college career," Harrell said, per Jeff Greer of The Courier-Journal. "I've improved in so many different areas that I wasn't able to do last year."
Through a long-term lens, Harrell does seem better in a few key areas:
| 2014-15 | 34.7 | .566 | 9.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 15.5 |
| 2013-14 | 29.3 | .609 | 8.4 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 14.0 |
| 2012-13 | 16.2 | .577 | 3.6 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 5.7 |
In the short term, though, things aren't looking so hot.
Louisville just sneaked past UC Irvine in the second round 57-55 no thanks to Harrell's eight points in 38 minutes.
It's just one game, but an important one on a national scale. The Cardinals are still alive, so the junior gets another chance to stand out in a draft class deep at his position.
For now, Harrell slots as a mid-round pick. Look for a deep team such as the Phoenix Suns to add to its platoon, giving the rotation further options.
Prediction: Phoenix selects Harrell at No. 13.
Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin
Sometimes, upside isn't the lone part of the draft equation.
Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky doesn't sniff the upside of Okafor, but he's a proven contributor who might reel in individual hardware this year before moving on to be a productive pro.
Case in point: In Wisconsin's 86-72 dismissal of Coastal Carolina in the second round, Kaminsky led all scorers with 27 points and grabbed 12 boards for good measure.
The best part of Kaminsky's game is the fact he's bumped his field-goal percentage (.559) and conversion rate from long range (.407) to career highs this year. As ESPN's Chad Ford wrote before the bracket reveal, it's becoming more difficult by the day to ignore Kaminsky's stock:
"Kaminsky continues to wow. It's tough for seniors to climb too high -- especially seniors like Kaminsky who lack flash or elite athleticism -- but, man, has he been good. He blocks shots, rebounds, scores in the paint and he's shooting 41 percent from 3-point range. He's carrying Wisconsin to a possible No. 1 seed. I understand upside issues, but after the above 12 guys are off the board, I think Kaminsky becomes close to a no-brainer pick.
"
The thing is, the senior can only elevate his stock from here. At some point, upside goes right out of the window in favor of a prospect who can produce upon arrival at the pro scene.
Look for a team such as the rebuilding Boston Celtics to pull the trigger. There's a young core in place, yes, but Kaminsky further reinforces the rotation and gives the front office options when it comes to further roster upgrades down the road.
Prediction: Boston selects Kaminsky at No. 11.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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