NBA Mock Draft 2015: Latest Projections for Elite 1st-Round Prospects
With the early-entry deadline for the 2015 NBA draft having passed and a few first-round prospects staying in school, the raging fire of hype regarding the 2015 class has not been extinguished.
For most of the prospects who will hear their names called early by commissioner Adam Silver, the decision has been made for quite some time. Teams have been eyeing them for even longer, and some tanked their seasons away in the hopes of adding a top talent in the class.
Of course, teams don't know just yet where they will be picking with the lottery set to unfold on May 19. Until then, let's rank the teams in order of worst records (and best lottery percentages) and playoff results to forecast a first-round prospect for all 30 picks.
2015 NBA First-Round Mock Draft
| 1 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky |
| 2 | New York Knicks | Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, Congo |
| 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 | Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | Mario Hezonja, SG, Croatia |
| 10 | Miami Heat | Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas |
| 11 | Indiana Pacers | Myles Turner, PF, Texas |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns | Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State |
| 14 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Devon Booker, SG, Kentucky |
| 15 | Atlanta Hawks (via Brooklyn) | Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas |
| 16 | Boston Celtics | Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky |
| 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville |
| 18 | Houston Rockets (via New Orleans) | Tyus Jones, PG, Duke |
| 19 | Washington Wizards | Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin |
| 20 | Toronto Raptors | Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA |
| 21 | Chicago Bulls | Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame |
| 22 | Dallas Mavericks | Christian Wood, PF, UNLV |
| 23 | Portland Trail Blazers | R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State |
| 24 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Damian Jones, C, Vanderbilt |
| 25 | Memphis Grizzlies | Caris LeVert, SF, Michigan |
| 26 | San Antonio Spurs | Cliff Alexander, PF, Kansas |
| 27 | Boston Celtics (via LA Clippers) | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona |
| 28 | Los Angeles Lakers (via Houston) | Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (via Atlanta) | Terrence Petteway, SG, Nebraska |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Jarell Martin, PF, LSU |
Elite Prospects in Round 1
Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky
Despite playing on one of the most stacked college basketball rosters from top to bottom in history, Karl-Anthony Towns still had no trouble standing out.
While Kentucky didn't habitually make Towns its go-to scorer, he still found a way to assume that role for himself and showed a fine-tuned offensive arsenal that has NBA scouts salivating. He can post up with ferocity, hit the mid-range jumper or use his footwork to score with finesse.
Not lost in all of that, however, is his ability to help shut down the rim on defense and use his athleticism to frustrate foes on the defensive end. Along with free-throw shooting, his athletic edge has many folks believing he should be the No. 1 overall pick over Jahlil Okafor.
The first pick will likely be a matter of fit. The Minnesota Timberwolves would be a perfect fit, as Towns could slide in alongside Nikola Pekovic and be mentored by Kevin Garnett. If another team nabs the No. 1 overall pick, though, that could change.
Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, Congo
One year ago, Emmanuel Mudiay was gearing up for a short collegiate career at SMU, where he expected to solidify his status as a top-pick candidate. That didn't happen. And now with the draft approaching, he's coming off an injury-plagued season in China, where he struggled in his rare time on the court.
With few other guards atop this draft class who have similar potential, though, Mudiay's chances of going in the top five still seem to be strong. While he wasn't on the court much in China, he dazzled in high school and showcased the all-around skills that make him an intriguing prospect.
One former NBA standout with experience in China thinks he's the real deal, as Stephon Marbury gave a rave review of Mudiay to Marc Berman of the New York Post:
""He’s got his own style—fast,’’ Marbury said. “He’s got a little bit of everybody’s game. What I like about him is he can jump and he’s big, too, a big guard, more of a tweener. He can’t really shoot that well right now, but he’s got point-guard skills, sees the floor really well. He’s definitely an NBA player. The question that teams want to know is if he’ll be impactful for the organization before they invest the top pick. I gave him advice—stay on the right path.’’
"
If there's one skill that scouts and front-office personnel aren't worried about developing in a guard with tons of potential, it's shooting. What coaches can't teach are innate point guard and motor skills, both of which Mudiay has a vast supply.
He won't be a finished product anytime soon, but Mudiay figures to make a guard-needy team very happy early in Round 1.
Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke
If the emergence of Towns has bounced Okafor from the No. 1 overall pick, he's not likely to wait much longer than that.
The Duke big man did just about everything one could ask for in his lone season in Durham, winning a national championship as arguably college basketball's most dominant player. His 6'11" frame and impressive set of post skills make him a nuisance to guard down low and force constant double-teams.
There are some question marks surrounding Okafor that don't follow Towns, namely his struggles on the defensive end. Strides also need to be made at the charity stripe, as Matthew Hatfield of VirginiaPreps.com noted:
But despite the recurring headache in Los Angeles when DeAndre Jordan is hacked, free-throw troubles are far from a disaster sign for a big man.
Okafor does best what he needs to do: scoring from his natural position in one-on-one situations. He's also shown the ability to be a great passer out of the double-team, which will put his future teammates into favorable positions.
Towns may have the higher ceiling but is nowhere near as polished on the offensive end as Okafor.
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