2015 NBA Mock Draft: Round 1 Predictions, Projections for Top Shooting Prospects
Today's NBA is about spreading the floor and knocking down outside shots. Depending on the team, that directive is accomplished in a variety of ways. Some teams have shooters who play off elite dribble-penetration players. Others have shooters who get the shots from an elite low-post presence…on second thought, there aren't many of those.
In any case, the best teams need shooters to provide spacing. The analysis following this mock will focus on the top shooters in this draft.
| 1 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke |
| 2 | New York Knicks | D'Angelo Russell, G, Ohio State |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China |
| 4 | Los Angeles Lakers | Karl-Anthony Towns, PF, Kentucky |
| 5 | Orlando Magic | Justise Winslow, SF, Duke |
| 6 | Sacramento Kings | Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets | Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | Mario Hezonja, SG/SF, Croatia |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin |
| 10 | Miami Heat | Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia |
| 11 | Indiana Pacers | Kelly Oubre, SG, Kansas |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | Frank Kaminsky, PF/C, Wisconsin |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns | Myles Turner, C/PF, Texas |
| 14 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky |
| 15 | Atlanta Hawks (from Brooklyn Nets) | Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky |
| 16 | Boston Celtics | Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas |
| 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA |
| 18 | Houston Rockets (from New Orleans Pelicans) | Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame |
| 19 | Washington Wizards | Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville |
| 20 | Toronto Raptors | Christian Wood, PF, UNLV |
| 21 | Dallas Mavericks | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona |
| 22 | Chicago Bulls | Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State |
| 23 | Portland Trail Blazers | R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State |
| 24 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Jarell Martin, PF, LSU |
| 25 | San Antonio Spurs | George Lucas, SG, Brazil |
| 26 | Memphis Grizzlies | Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia |
| 27 | Los Angeles Lakers (from Houston Rockets) | Tyler Harvey, SG, Eastern Washington |
| 28 | Boston Celtics (from Los Angeles Clippers) | Delon Wright, PG, Utah |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (from Atlanta Hawks) | Tyus Jones, PG, Duke |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Cliff Alexander, PF, Kansas |
R.J. Hunter
Although his shooting percentages fell a bit in the 2014-15 season, there's no questioning R.J. Hunter's abilities as a deadly long-range shooter. In the 2013-14 season, Hunter drained 39.5 percent of his attempts from downtown.
That number dropped to 30.5 percent last season. His Georgia State Panthers welcomed newcomers Ryan Harrow and Kevin Ware, and it resulted in different looks for Hunter. In the NBA, he'll likely be a three-and-D player, which makes him an excellent fit for the Portland Trail Blazers.
With Wesley Matthews heading toward unrestricted free agency, a player like Hunter could step in and play meaningful minutes as a rookie. He's not a Rookie of the Year candidate, but he can easily be a solid contributor in his first year.
Frank Kaminsky
In college, Frank Kaminsky was asked to score inside and outside. In the NBA, his best role will be as a stretch 4. Kaminsky made 41.6 percent of his threes. His percentage from long range went up every season with the Wisconsin Badgers, and three-point shooting figures to be his best quality in the NBA.
He reminds me a little of former Utah Jazz big man Mehmet Okur. If Kaminsky does land with the Jazz, he'd be an effective reserve who could spell Rudy Gobert or Derrick Favors. His ability to stretch the defense could complement Gobert and Favors' games.
Tyler Harvey
Many of you may not have heard of Tyler Harvey yet, but I'm willing to bet he'll be a common name within a month. In my opinion, he's the best pure shooter in the draft. In an NBA 2K15 fictional draft class, I referred to him as a poor man's Stephen Curry. Apparently, I'm not alone in that assessment.
ESPN.com's Chad Ford also sees a bit of the NBA's MVP in Harvey. Ford said: "He’s the closest thing I’ve seen to a young Stephen Curry, and I think his backstory points to a young man who, like Curry, will keep working on and improving his game to the point that he can be something special."
That's a heavy-duty comparison, but if you look at the way Harvey can shoot it from long range, it's hard to not see the similarities.
He shot over 43 percent from three-point range in both of his seasons with the Eastern Washington Eagles, and he has limitless range. In his last season with Eastern Washington, Harvey poured in 23.1 points per game.
With the Los Angeles Lakers, Harvey could be an instant hit as a scorer off the bench. If you're looking for a sleeper who will make a big impact as a rookie, my pick would be Harvey.
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