2015 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Where Hottest Prospects Will Land

There are some NBA draft classes that basketball fans remember forever due to the lasting impact they made on the league, and with the 2015 edition possessing so much depth and talent, it could very well join that illustrious group.

College basketball featured an especially strong group of freshmen this past season, many of whom decided to declare for the draft after just one year. Add in plenty of great, older prospects as well, and it is easy to see why there is so much anticipation surrounding the 2015 draft.

As the draft continues to draw closer, here is a full first-round mock along with a closer look at some of the top players in this year's class.

Pick No.	Team	Player
1	Minnesota Timberwolves	Karl-Anthony Towns, PF, Kentucky
2	New York Knicks	Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke
3	Philadelphia 76ers	D'Angelo Russell, PG, Ohio State
4	Los Angeles Lakers	Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China
5	Orlando Magic	Justise Winslow, SF, Duke
6	Sacramento Kings	Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky
7	Denver Nuggets	Mario Hezonja, SG, Croatia
8	Detroit Pistons	Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona
9	Charlotte Hornets	Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia
10	Miami Heat	Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas
11	Indiana Pacers	Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky
12	Utah Jazz	Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin
13	Phoenix Suns	Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin
14	Oklahoma City Thunder	Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA
15	Atlanta Hawks (from BKN)	Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky
16	Boston Celtics	Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas
17	Milwaukee Bucks	Myles Turner, C, Texas
18	Houston Rockets (from NO)	Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
19	Washington Wizards	Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas
20	Toronto Raptors	Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville
21	Dallas Mavericks	R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State
22	Chicago Bulls	Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia
23	Portland Trail Blazers	Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame
24	Cleveland Cavaliers	Buddy Hield, SG, Oklahoma
25	Memphis Grizzlies	Delon Wright, G, Utah
26	San Antonio Spurs	Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State
27	Los Angeles Lakers (from HOU)	Christian Wood, PF, UNLV
28	Boston Celtics (from LAC)	Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona
29	Brooklyn Nets (from ATL)	Jarell Martin, PF, LSU
30	Golden State Warriors	Robert Upshaw, C, Washington

Breaking Down Top Prospects in Class

Karl-Anthony Towns

Forward Karl-Anthony Towns came to the University of Kentucky amid much fanfare prior to the 2014-15 season, and while the Wildcats fell short of their ultimate goal of an undefeated season and national championship, he didn't disappoint individually.

Towns' per-game averages of 10 points and nearly seven rebounds were somewhat modest but still impressive since he had to share the spotlight with so many stars. Even though he wasn't always the go-to guy, it was clear that Towns was a man amongst boys at times, as the 6'11" big man experienced moments of pure dominance.

Even though Duke's Jahlil Okafor put up better numbers, had a bigger role and won a national title, Peter Yannopoulos of RDS is hearing that Towns is the player to beat in terms of being the No. 1 overall selection:

Despite the notoriety that comes with being the top pick, Towns has already made it clear that he isn't losing any sleep over it, according to Jon Hale of 247sports.

"The one thing I worry about is what I can control: work hard, work hard every day, get my game better every day and just be the best player I can be," Towns said. "That's all it's about. That's all I'm really worried about."

Although his status largely depends upon who wins the draft lottery, Towns has to be considered the leader when it comes to being the No. 1 overall choice.

There isn't a team in the league that wouldn't benefit from a forward who excels on both ends of the floor, and that is precisely what Towns does.

He has all the makings of a perennial All-Star, and the team that nabs him will be in line to improve by leaps and bounds in 2015-16.

Jahlil Okafor

After taking college basketball by storm and leading Duke to a national championship, Okafor is unquestionably in the conversation to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft.

Okafor averaged over 17 points and eight rebounds per game this past season, and he was in the running for every major player-of-the-year award. He was a force on the offensive end, as he used his 6'11" frame to impose his will on opposing defenders, and that is what will make him so enticing to teams at the next level.

While he may not be as well-rounded as Towns due to his deficiencies on defense, Okafor is so good offensively that teams may be willing to look past it. In fact, according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, at least one NBA general manager still views him as the No. 1 prospect:

Okafor is far from a perfect prospect, though, which means that whichever team selects him will have to work extensively with him in several areas.

Aside from the defensive end, Okafor also has issues from the free-throw line. He shot just 51 percent from the charity stripe this past season, and Matthew Hatfield ESPN Radio 94.1 believes that could hinder him in the NBA:

Even with so many imperfections in his game, Okafor is a mesmerizing talent. He has the body and offensive polish to be a superstar right away, which is something that may not be true for Towns or anyone else in the draft.

Okafor could very well fall to the No. 2 pick because his skill set isn't complete yet, but it is quite clear that he has enough talent to ultimately be the best prospect to come out of this class.

D'Angelo Russell

While Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell came to the Buckeyes as a talented freshman, few could have predicted that he would make such a massive impact immediately.

Russell did it all at OSU, as he averaged over 19 points, nearly six rebounds and five assists per game. He stuffed the stat sheet unlike almost any other player in college basketball, and he boasts the type of all-around skill set that talent evaluators drool over.

Despite having such fierce competition among top-flight freshmen, Russell led all of them in scoring this past season, according to ESPN College Basketball on Twitter:

"

D'Angelo Russell led all freshman in scoring with 19.3 PPG & was named Big Ten Freshman of the year. #CBBAwards pic.twitter.com/aI5iOg3LZ3

— ESPN College BBall (@ESPNCBB) April 11, 2015"

As good as Russell was at putting up points, though, it may not even be his best trait. Per ESPN's Fran Fraschilla, the Louisville, Kentucky, native is also one of the best distributors in recent memory:

Russell is an extremely versatile player in that he can play either guard position, and he can also impact the game in so many different ways at both ends of the floor.

Even if he isn't firing on all cylinders in a certain area, he still finds a way to be effective more often than not, which is the hallmark of a great player.

It is tough to argue against the notion that Russell is the best guard in the 2015 NBA draft class, and that means he shouldn't have to wait long before his name is called.

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