NBA Lottery 2015: Odds, Order and Predictions for Top Draft Prospects

The NBA draft lottery isn't for another two weeks, but the odds regarding where teams are bound to pick are known.

Once the regular season came to an end, USA Today posted the odds for every team to land the No. 1 overall pick based on the final standings. Leading the way at 25 percent are the Minnesota Timberwolves, followed by the New York Knicks.

Minnesota currently has the top overall picks from the past two drafts on its roster, having landed Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett from the Cleveland Cavaliers last year in the Kevin Love trade. At the very least, the team will seek another franchise cornerstone to build around.

Such will be the case for many teams drafting in the lottery, or the top 14 picks. Check out the complete odds and order below, followed by a mock scenario and analysis of the top of the 2015 draft.

Draft No.	Team	Probability for No. 1 Overall Pick	Mock Selection
1	Minnesota Timberwolves	25%	Karl-Anthony Towns, PF/C, Kentucky
2	New York Knicks	19.9%	Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke
3	Philadelphia 76ers	15.6%	D'Angelo Russell, SG/PG, Ohio State
4	Los Angeles Lakers	11.9%	Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China
5	Orlando Magic	8.8%	Justise Winslow, SF, Duke
6	Sacramento Kings	6.3%	Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia
7	Denver Nuggets	4.3%	Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona
8	Detroit Pistons	2.8%	Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas
9	Charlotte Hornets	1.7%	Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky
10	Miami Heat	1.1%	Frank Kaminsky, C/PF, Wisconsin
11	Indiana Pacers	0.7%	Myles Turner, C/PF, Texas
12	Utah Jazz	0.7%	Mario Hezonja, SF/SG, Croatia
13	Phoenix Suns	0.6%	Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA
14	Oklahoma City Thunder	0.5%	Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky

Analysis of Top Prospects

The conversation at the top starts with Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor, provided the Knicks or Timberwolves win the lottery. Should the Philadelphia 76ers or another team strike gold, though, a perimeter player may be first off the board.

As talented as Emmanuel Mudiay is, Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell is a real possibility to be the first guard chosen in the draft. Russell is a tremendously gifted passer who can see the floor well and make a highlight-reel pass.

ESPN's Jay Bilas has the highest praise for Russell:

Keith Pompey of Philly.com cites a league executive who hears Russell is the player the 76ers are coveting, regardless of where they're drafting from.

What makes Russell so special is that he is almost even more lethal off the ball, able to work his way off screens and light it up from the perimeter. He's the epitome of a combo guard.

Some prospects struggle to find a niche in the NBA if they're in between positions. Russell ought to be effective as a floor general or as a 2-guard to thrive at either spot, which affords his new team flexibility in terms of how to set up different lineups and create mismatches.

Kentucky assistant coach Barry "Slice" Rohrssen had the following to say about Towns to teams likely to choose first overall, per ESPN.com's Ian O'Connor:

"

He's one of the best young men I've coached in twenty-plus years of doing this. When you bring Karl in for the pre-draft workout and interview, and then you drop him off at the hotel after taking him to dinner with your owner, that owner is going to turn around and ask you, 'How do we not take this guy?'

"

Towns' own versatility, along with his apparently strong intangibles, make him an asset in his own right.

The former Wildcats star is a far more polished player from the perimeter than Okafor, and he is able to crash the glass harder and alter shots on defense. Minnesota seems like a nice fit for Towns, since he'd be able to play the 4 alongside center Nikola Pekovic.

ESPN Stats & Info highlights how Okafor is no slouch, comparing how much of an individual impact he had with Russell:

To be fair to Towns, he was on an absolutely loaded Kentucky team that nearly posted a perfect record and features seven 2015 NBA draft entrants. If he had more time to play, his numbers may be the best of all in the above categories.

After winning the national championship in his only year at Duke, Okafor may well be headed to the Big Apple, remaining in the spotlight and taking on all the scrutiny that comes with it.

Okafor is a better fit in the triangle offense, which is what New York is trying to implement, because he can facilitate from the lower block with his ability to pass out of double-teams. His post game also features an impressive arsenal of moves, but Okafor must get better at the charity stripe if he's meant to reach his immense potential.

The top of the lottery ought to be among the most exciting in recent memory. It won't be a weaker class like the 2013 crop headed by Anthony Bennett, and there ought to be more immediate-impact players toward the top than last year's draft.