NBA Mock Draft 2015: Projections for Top Prospects Ahead of Playoffs
This one is all about the freshmen.
The 2015 NBA draft offers plenty of talent, ranging from the experienced to the one-and-done budding stars, but it's only natural for the headlines to focus on the younger players. Thank the next great exodus of talent from programs such as Kentucky and Duke.
None of the above is a bad thing. This means the 2015 draft is one of the most unpredictable in years and teams may be able to find pro-ready talent down the board deeper than usual.
Below, let's take a look at a mock draft based on team need and prospect value before the playoffs begin.
2015 NBA First-Round Mock Draft
| 1 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke |
| 2 | New York Knicks | Karl-Anthony Towns, PF, Kentucky |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China |
| 4 | Los Angeles Lakers | D'Angelo Russell, SG, Ohio State |
| 5 | Orlando Magic | Justise Winslow, SF, Duke |
| 6 | Sacramento Kings | Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets | Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | Mario Hezonja, SG/SF, Croatia |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | Kelly Oubre, SG, Kansas |
| 10 | Miami Heat | Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia |
| 11 | Indiana Pacers | Frank Kaminsky, PF/C, Wisconsin |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns | Myles Turner, C/PF, Texas |
| 14 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky |
| 15 | Atlanta Hawks (from Brooklyn Nets) | Jakob Poeltl, C/PF, Utah |
| 16 | Boston Celtics | Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky |
| 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville |
| 18 | Houston Rockets (from New Orleans Pelicans) | Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame |
| 19 | Washington Wizards | Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA |
| 20 | Chicago Bulls | Tyus Jones, PG, Duke |
| 21 | Toronto Raptors | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona |
| 22 | Dallas Mavericks | Kris Dunn, PG, Providence |
| 23 | Portland Trail Blazers | Caris LeVert, SG, Michigan |
| 24 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas |
| 25 | Los Angeles Lakers (from Houston Rockets) | R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State |
| 26 | Memphis Grizzlies | Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky |
| 27 | Boston Celtics (from Los Angeles Clippers) | Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia |
| 28 | San Antonio Spurs | Delon Wright, PG, Utah |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (from Atlanta Hawks) | Robert Upshaw, C, Washington |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Jarell Martin, PF, LSU |
Order via DraftExpress as of April 12.
Highlighting Recent Stock Winners
Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
It's easy to write off Duke's Tyus Jones as a beneficiary of playing teams with miserable ball-screen defense throughout the bracket.
Fine, but since when is taking care of business and winning the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player Award a bad thing?
It's not. Jones has his flaws like any other prospect, but averaging 11.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game in a season is never a bad thing. Neither is scoring a minimum of 15 points in three of his last four tournament games—the finale being a 7-of-13 effort with 23 points to take down Wisconsin.
Howard Pulley AAU program founder Rene Pulley puts it best about Jones' draft status, which is still up in the air, per Marcus R. Fuller of Pioneer Press:
"The question to me is, are they good enough to try to go? Yes. They won a national championship. You're an 18-year-old kid that led your team there. What more can you do at that level to be ready for the NBA? You're not going to get any taller, and your defense isn't going to get that much better.
"
While Jones is a bit small at 6'1" and 170 pounds, he's a true point guard at the next level, where there's sure to be a place for his services.
He may not jump into the lottery, but Jones' stock is as high as it can get this year right now.
Prediction: Chicago selects Jones at No. 20.
Justise Winslow, SF, Duke
Go ahead and stick with the Duke Blue Devils for another freshman sensation.
This time it's Justise Winslow. Before the tournament, folks were right to feel a bit shaky about his stock. After, well, there's no going back now.
Winslow put on an absolute show, scoring 13 and 21 points against defensive-minded San Diego State and Utah squads, respectively. Then he poured in 16 against second-seeded Gonzaga, another 19 against a tout Michigan State team and 11 against Wisconsin in the title game, all while recording nine or more rebounds in five of the six games.
Perhaps most impressive of all, Winslow put on a high-energy performance on the defensive end of the court throughout, even banging down low with Frank Kaminsky in productive fashion.
At 6'6" and 222 pounds, the Texas native even improved where scouts wanted to see it most, shooting 49 percent from the floor on the season and 42 percent from long range.
ESPN's Chad Ford wrapped it all up well after the tournament:
"No one did more in the tournament to help his stock than Winslow. He nearly averaged a double-double in the tournament, shot 7-for-12 from beyond the arc, had 10 blocks and nine steals and cemented his status as the toughest, highest-motor prospect at the top of the draft. While he didn't have a dominant offensive performance in the title game (11 points on 3-for-9 shooting), he was the difference defensively for the Blue Devils, giving both Sam Dekker and Nigel Hayes fits while recording four steals and three blocks.
"
A team such as the Orlando Magic won't be able to pass on a prospect such as Winslow, who can make an impact right out of the gate and offers plenty of growth potential.
Prediction: Orlando selects Winslow at No. 5.
Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin
While never ignored when it comes to NBA draft chatter, Wisconsin's Sam Dekker has never reached near-lottery talk over the course of his three seasons at the collegiate level.
Until now.
By the numbers, Dekker has used his time to improve in important areas:
| 2014-15 | .525 | .331 | 5.5 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 13.9 |
| 2013-14 | .469 | .326 | 6.1 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 12.4 |
| 2012-13 | .478 | .391 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 9.6 |
Dekker didn't have enough to propel the Badgers past the Blue Devils, sure, but a trio of 20-plus-point outings and a smooth shooting stroke regardless of the stage have his stock higher than it has ever been.
Standing at 6'9" and 230 pounds, Dekker's ability to stretch the court will prove to be a hot commodity at the next level. A bigger frame would be nice, but it's hard to knock a guy who can clear the paint with his ability to knock down shots and act as a facilitator thanks to great court vision.
A deep team such as Utah will only improve there with an addition such as Dekker, who still has room to grow in the right situation.
Prediction: Utah selects Dekker at No. 12.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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