The 7 Best 2015 NBA Draft Prospects Nobody Is Talking About
With the NCAA tourney reaching its culmination this week, most NBA draft enthusiasts and media are fascinated by the top prospects playing in the Final Four.
I'm here to shed some light on a different group of players—the ones nobody is talking about.
These productive studs flew under the radar this year for various reasons. Some were on mid-major squads that missed the Big Dance, some suffered injuries midway through the year and others are dark-horse international prodigies.
Just because they didn't lift their teams to NCAA success doesn't mean they won't be quality pros. Don't sleep on their blossoming skills, physical tools and long-term outlooks.
Keep an eye on these seven valuable prospects as they transition to the next level. The players are ranked based on their overall draft values and NBA potential.
7. Anthony Brown, Stanford SF (6'7", Senior)
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NBA Role: Three-point reserve small forward
Draft Range: Mid-second round
No one is miscasting Stanford's Anthony Brown as an ultra-versatile prospect with high upside.
He'll undoubtedly be a role player in the NBA, and he won't easily waltz his way onto a roster. Brown is already 22 years old, and he doesn't have eye-popping athleticism to indicate star potential.
However, he's a proficient shooter with great size (6'7", 207 lbs); he won't need much offensive grooming from a skill standpoint, so his coach can plug him right into the rotation. Brown shot 44.1 percent from three-point land as a senior, and he had three multi-triple games in a row to help Stanford win the NIT crown.
His footwork and smooth shooting motion pass the eye test with flying colors, and he does a great job playing off teammates and using screens. Brown also has enough length and agility to finish above the rim in the open floor.
His underwhelming defense and lack of ball-handling creativity will limit his minutes and production. But players who can shoot at an elite level and collaborate smoothly with teammates often stick in the league.
Teams won't consider picking him until the middle of the second round, but he'll be well worth the investment at No. 40 or No. 50 if he can fill a role off the bench.
6. Aleksandar Vezenkov, Bulgaria SF (6'8", 1995)
2 of 7NBA Role: Spot-up three-point-shooting forward
Draft Range: Late first/early second round
Teams yearning for shooting prowess from the forward spots will be eyeing Bulgaria's Aleksandar Vezenkov in the middle portion of the draft.
He's a polished sharpshooter who's lighting up scoreboards for Aris Thessaloniki of the Greek league. With 23.0 points per 40 minutes and 42.2 percent three-point shooting, per Draft Express, he is one of the most dangerous young players in Europe.
Vezenkov has a quick, fluid release on his jumper, so all he needs is a sliver of daylight to get his shot off. This NBA-ready skill will enable him to immediately establish a role as a spot-up weapon.
His offensive duties won't involve much else; however, he can attack closeouts and compete on the glass. He'll be the fourth or fifth scoring option on his squad, but he will be a dangerous one who will space the floor and make opponents pay if they stray too far.
Defensively, foes will undoubtedly challenge him due to his below-average agility and athleticism. Fortunately, his coach won't have to worry about effort because Vezenkov always plays with energy and fire.
Most 19-year-olds don't have polished skills to offer their teams right away. Vezenkov's shooting is years ahead of that of his peers, and he has a chance to become a top-tier spot-up asset in the Association.
5. Robert Upshaw, Washington C (7'0", 1994)
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NBA Role: Two-way backup center, rim protector
Draft Range: Late first/early second round
Robert Upshaw is an investment who comes with baggage, as he's failed multiple drug tests at both Fresno State and Washington, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman. His latest misstep, officially a violation of team rules, resulted in his dismissal from the Huskies program in late January.
But the team that's willing to roll the dice on the 7-footer could end up with a quality frontcourt asset.
Upshaw is an imposing presence on the glass and in the lane, as he hauled in 13.1 rebounds and swatted 7.2 shots per 40 minutes. As a reference point, both of those numbers bested the production of Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns. He's not a remarkable athlete, but he has springy reactions to offensive attackers.
On offense, Upshaw shows flashes of low-post moves, but he's still mostly raw and dependent on his size. Fortunately, he's exceptionally active on the offensive glass, and he moves well for his frame.
There's a decent chance that his interior scoring touch catches up with his physical tools. If that happens, he'll be a formidable center in the rotation, not to mention a double-double threat if he starts some games.
One NBA executive thinks he has a chance to land in the first round:
"It's possible," the executive told NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper. "He's one of the most talented big guys I saw this year. He can score in the post. He can block shots. He's long. It'll just be—do you think you can keep him clean?"
Don't be shocked if a center-starved club scoops him up in the No. 20 range.
4. George Lucas De Paula, Brazil PG (6'5", 1996)
4 of 7NBA Role: Slashing playmaker, versatile backcourt defender
Draft Range: Late first/early second round
Croatia's Mario Hezonja and Latvia's Kristaps Porzingis have soaked up most of the international draft spotlight this year—and rightfully so.
Meanwhile, in South America, an intriguing point guard is starting to create some buzz. George Lucas is an 18-year-old Brazilian playmaker with massive hands and a 7'1" wingspan. He uses those physical gifts and fluid ball-handling skills to dice up opposing defenses and get to the rim.
It will take a couple of years of grooming for him to sharpen his floor-general skills. But considering his natural ability to create for teammates and operate in pick-and-rolls, the patience could pay huge dividends.
Like most raw prospects, Lucas' NBA fate and long-term ceiling are tied heavily to his jump-shooting ability. Right now, his delivery is noticeably flawed.
Mike Schmitz of Draft Express does a great job of breaking down the flaws in this video scouting report. He notes that Lucas "releases from the right side of his face" and "shoots across his body, causing right-to-left misses."
His shooting form could be the difference between scoring 18 points per game and enjoying a starting role or scoring 11 points per game and a spot on the bench.
3. Cameron Payne, Murray State PG (6'2", Sophomore)
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NBA Role: Floor general, third or fourth scoring option
Draft Range: Late first round
On Thursday, news broke that Murray State standout Cameron Payne will enter this year's draft, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. That likely means Payne's confident he'll land in the first round.
What makes this little-known point guard from a mid-major school a top-30 prospect?
It all starts with his passing instincts and innovation as a playmaker. Payne has smooth handles and a great feel for attacking defenses unselfishly. He owns an assortment of scoring moves, but he looks most NBA-worthy when creating scoring opportunities for teammates.
Payne averaged 6.0 assists per game and 7.4 assists per 40 minutes, and his assist percentage was a seismic 40 percent, per Sports-Reference.com. He loves to push the ball in transition, quickly getting it to cutters and spot-up shooters. If he can reduce the amount of forced plays, he'll be a highly efficient distributor.
His bucket-getting repertoire includes drives to the rim, floaters and a promising perimeter stroke. He won't be a prolific scorer in the Association, but he'll certainly keep defenses honest.
"He's a guy that people don't necessarily get to see a lot, don't know a lot about," Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis told Michael Grant of the The Courier-Journal. "But I think he's as good as any point guard in the country."
Payne might be on par with any other NCAA floor general, but his so-so athleticism will limit his NBA upside on both ends of the floor. Nevertheless, sharp skills and instincts will fuel his production.
2. Christian Wood, UNLV PF/C (6'11", Sophomore)
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NBA Role: Inside-out power forward, third scoring option, rim protector
Draft Range: Late first round
UNLV's Christian Wood is currently projected by most mock drafts to land somewhere in the No. 20 range. But if he accesses his full potential, the mid-first-round teams that pass on him will be sorry.
He has a long way to go before he reaches his prime, as he needs to bulk up and refine his offensive consistency. His budding versatility is too much to ignore, however.
Wood didn't get much national attention because the Rebels struggled mightily in the Mountain West Conference. He quietly put up 18 double-doubles and flashed alluring inside-out skills.
His three-point shooting was shaky this year, but his outside jumper is noticeably promising. Wood was highly effective from mid-range, converting 44.8 percent on two-point jumpers, according to Hoop-Math.com. In the paint, his moves and agility are developing nicely, but he needs to gain 20 to 30 pounds in order to play through contact.
Wood also has significant upside as a rim protector. His 7'2" wingspan and athleticism blocked 3.3 shots per 40 minutes in 2014-15. Once he adds some mass to his frame, he'll be able to guard both 4s and 5s in the Association.
He's not one of the safer prospects in the field, but his potential alone will attract someone to pluck him before No. 25.
1. Caris LeVert, Michigan SG (6'7", Junior)
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NBA Role: Multipurpose swingman, third scoring option
Draft Range: Mid-to-late first round
Nobody is talking about Michigan's Caris LeVert because he hasn't played since Jan. 17. A broken foot derailed his junior season just a couple of weeks into Big Ten play.
Expectations were high for him this season, and he was somewhat uninspiring because he didn't carry the Wolverines or help them avoid a 10-7 start.
Forget about the fact that his draft stock slipped out of the lottery. He was never going to be a featured star in the NBA. Now properly ranked, LeVert offers tremendous value late in the first round as a rangy secondary weapon and key role player.
He's a basketball Swiss army knife, with the ability to slash, pass and shoot as well as defend multiple positions. LeVert's per-40-minute numbers improved in nearly every key category during his three years at Ann Arbor.
In his 18 games prior to injury, he posted 16.7 points, 4.2 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals per 40, along with 40.5 percent shooting from three-point land.
LeVert has the length and springs to compete with athletes at the next level. According to Hoop-Math.com, he shot 75.7 percent at the rim in 2014-15. Defensively, he can hang with pretty much anyone because he has the quicks and instincts to contest everything and steer foes away from the lane.
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