2015 NBA Mock Draft: Prospects Who Have Helped Themselves the Most at Combine
The NBA Draft Combine clearly helps the mid-tier and unknown prospect more than it does the bigger names. In fact, the Jahlil Okafors and Karl-Anthony Towns of the world weren't in attendance in Chicago as the players with more to show were measured and put through workouts to prove their mettle.
Through two days of activities, three players have helped themselves more than their peers.
Those prospects have been spotlighted in the text below the table.
| 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 | Willie Trill Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets | Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona |
| 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 | Jordan Mickey, PF, LSU |
| 25 | San Antonio Spurs | George Lucas de Paula, SG, Brazil |
| 26 | Memphis Grizzlies | Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia |
| 27 | Los Angeles Lakers (from Houston Rockets) | J.P. Tokoto, SG, North Carolina |
| 28 | Boston Celtics (from Los Angeles Clippers) | Delon Wright, PG, Utah |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (from Atlanta Hawks) | Rakeem Christmas, PF, Syracuse |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Robert Upshaw, C, Washington |
J.P. Tokoto
Most prospects come to the combine to prove there is more to their game than they displayed in college. J.P. Tokoto was widely regarded as a dunker and defender with the North Carolina Tar Heels, but he took steps toward broadening the perception of his game in Chicago.
Aside from measuring 6'6 1/4" with a 40-inch vertical leap, Tokoto also shined in the first day of scrimmages. He made all five of his shots from the field, which included one three-point basket.
Physically, he has the ideal build and athletic profile of a shooting guard in the NBA. If he can knock down shots with some regularity, he'll be a solid rotational player with the potential to grow into a starter.
His decision to leave Chapel Hill early was criticized, but Tokoto was frank when explaining his rationale.
“I had to do something about my jump shot. I didn’t want to worry about school, just worry about basketball,” Tokoto said at the NBA Draft Combine, per Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
“That (extra) time I can put in the gym is crucial. That was one of the main elements in my decision: The time-management element. Getting into the gym and not worrying about getting enough sleep to be up for class the next morning.”
Robert Upshaw
After being dismissed from two collegiate programs, Robert Upshaw is the riskiest prospect in this year's draft. He's an elite rim protector who averaged 4.5 blocked shots per game in 19 contests before being kicked off the Washington Huskies' team.
He came to the combine primarily to prove he's a draftable player from a character standpoint and to tempt teams with his tantalizing combination of length and strength.
He measured as a legit 7-footer in shoes and recorded the widest wingspan (7'5 1/2") and largest hands of any prospect in Chicago. He also weighed 258 pounds with just 12.5 percent body fat. Perhaps even more important, Upshaw seemed to conduct himself well during team interviews. The segment below was with the media and posted by the Boston Celtics on YouTube.
Per Sam Vecenie of CBS Sports, Upshaw took responsibility for his past actions and chalked them up to “bad decision-making and immaturity.”
It's hard to believe that a team at the bottom of the first round won't try to make Upshaw the next Hassan Whiteside.
Rakeem Christmas
Like Tokoto, Rakeem Christmas was a relatively well-known prospect from a big program, but he didn't come to Chicago with a lot of buzz. He may leave with more than he had when he arrived.
Christmas had excellent measurements for a power forward at 6'9 3/4" with a 7'5 1/4" wingspan.
During the first day of scrimmages, Christmas had one of the best performances in competitive action. He scored 20 points and showed off a dependable mid-range game. With his length and defensive upside, the ability to knock down a 15-foot jump shot with consistency could be the difference between being drafted in the first round and near the middle of the second round.
All measurements per DraftExpress unless otherwise noted.
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