NBA Mock Draft 2015: Latest Pre-Lottery Projections for 1st-Round Action

The 2015 NBA draft lottery is set for Tuesday night. Although this year's class does feature a lot of serviceable depth, it's limited in terms of top-end talent. That makes the luck of the draw even more important for teams involved in the lottery.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor are the top two prospects in the class. Things could get shaken up if a team that's desperate for a guard upgrade wins the first overall pick, though; then D'Angelo Russell or Emmanuel Mudiay may come into play.

Let's check out a mock draft of the first round before the lottery proceedings take place. The Minnesota Timberwolves have the best chance—25 percent—to pick first and get their choice from the coveted group of players at the head of the class.

1st-Round Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Selection
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, Congo
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	Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky
10	Miami Heat	Mario Hezonja, SF, Croatia
11	Indiana Pacers	Frank Kaminsky, PF, Wisconsin
12	Utah Jazz	Myles Turner, PF, Texas
13	Phoenix Suns	Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas
14	Oklahoma City Thunder	Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin
15	Atlanta Hawks (via Nets)	Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky
16	Boston Celtics	Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas
17	Milwaukee Bucks	Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA
18	Houston Rockets (via Pelicans)	Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
19	Washington Wizards	Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville
20	Toronto Raptors	R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State
21	Dallas Mavericks	Christian Wood, PF, UNLV
22	Chicago Bulls	Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame
23	Portland Trail Blazers	Justin Anderson, SG, Virginia
24	Cleveland Cavaliers	Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State
25	Memphis Grizzlies	Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville
26	San Antonio Spurs	Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona
27	Los Angeles Lakers (via Rockets)	Jarell Martin, PF, LSU
28	Boston Celtics (via Clippers)	Travis Trice, PG, Michigan State
29	Brooklyn Nets (via Hawks)	Cliff Alexander, PF, Kansas
30	Golden State Warriors	Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky

The outgoing class from Kentucky has received plenty of attention, and rightfully so. That said, the national champions from Duke are also sending a strong group into the draft. The Blue Devils could have two players come off the board in the top five.

Let's take a closer look at the top players in the class heading to the NBA after spending time under the tutelage of Mike Krzyzewski. It will be interesting to see how they stack up with the Kentucky group a handful of years from now.

Top Duke Prospects

2. New York Knicks: Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke

As mentioned, Okafor is right there with Towns in terms of the top players in the draft. The Kentucky star has the inside track to go first because his athleticism helps his long-term potential. Okafor is a more polished post threat heading into their respective rookie seasons, though.

He finished his freshman campaign averaging better than 17 points and eight rebounds per game while shooting 66 percent from the floor. His ability to take the ball on the block and create a clean look for himself is outstanding.

The rising star likely knows there are questions as to whether his all-around game is good enough to shine at the next level. That's why he's been working hard on the physical aspect leading up to the draft. Jonathan Givony of Draft Express was impressed with what he saw at the P3 camp:

Okafor has all the tools to become a very good player in the NBA. The mystery is whether he can become a truly great, top-tier player. He must continue to work on his distribution from the post, rebound positioning and, on a simpler level, his raw strength to take that leap over time.

5. Orlando Magic: Justise Winslow, SF, Duke

It's not a stretch to say Winslow was the most important piece in Duke's title run. Everybody knew what Okafor and Quinn Cook could bring to the table. But once the forward began playing a more crucial role around midseason, especially at the defensive end, the team really took off.

The Texas native provides exactly what you expect from a modern-day small forward: He can do a little bit of everything. He can attack the rim, knock down outside shots, rebound and even cover some ball-handling duties.

That said, his hallmark really became his defensive play while going up against opponents from multiple positions. Martin Rickman of Uproxx Sports provided comments from the top prospect during the Blue Devils' NCAA tournament run about his impact at that end of the floor.

"It's heart and hustle," Winslow said. "That's how you gotta describe it. You've got to want it more than the offensive player, so when you do get those type of blocks, it really gives your team a lot of energy. It's a big-time play. Those chase-down blocks are something special."

The only reason Winslow isn't in the conversation for the top pick—at least right now—is uncertainty about his offensive potential. Can he eventually become a legitimate No. 1 scoring threat? If a team believes the answer is yes, then he belongs in that first tier.

18. Houston Rockets: Tyus Jones, PG, Duke

Jones didn't seem like a one-and-done prospect when he arrived at Duke. While he's still a bit raw and rough around the edges, he felt he made enough progress to go pro. It's a risk, but he definitely presents upside for teams drafting in the second half of Round 1.

The biggest thing Jones has going for him right now is his confidence running an offense. His vision and passing ability are both top-notch. According to Mike Schmitz of Draft Express, that's allowed teams to view him as an immediate backup option:

Beyond that, he's got some work to do. He needs to become a more consistent scorer to keep defenses honest, even in a pass-first role, and his defense is also merely average. That's why there was some question as to whether he should return to school.

It's a situation where the landing spot will be crucial. He must end up with a team that's going to give him the consistent playing time he needs to grow, preferably in the backup point guard role. As long as he doesn't end up buried on a bench somewhere, the future remains bright.