2015 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions and Pro Comparisons for Top Prospects
Player comparisons are rarely spot-on, but they can give a frame of reference for prospects who have yet to reveal their on-court identity in the NBA. Aside from that, they're also really fun to conceptualize. The text in this mock focuses on three top-tier prospects and the NBA players (past or present) that their games resemble.
The spotlighted players are highlighted in the table below.
| 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 |
Jahlil Okafor
Player Comparison: Brad Daugherty
According to Basketball-Reference, former Cleveland Cavaliers center Brad Daugherty is listed at 7'0", 245 pounds. I think the latter is omitting about 10-15 pounds, but you can still see the similarities between Jahlil Okafor and Daugherty. Okafor stands 6'10 ¾" and he weighed 272 pounds at the 2014 Hoop Summit.
Okafor and Daugherty have similar builds and both are offensive centers who are more positional defenders rather than shot blockers. Like Daugherty, Okafor possesses advanced post moves as a young player and good vision to find teammates from the post.
Daugherty was a five-time All-Star in the NBA before retiring at the age of 28. In his rookie season, he averaged 15.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. That's a very realistic stat line for Okafor in his first season.
D'Angelo Russell
Player Comparison: Brandon Roy
Injuries cut Brandon Roy's career short, but he made an impression as a complete guard capable of scoring and creating for teammates. D'Angelo Russell has similar abilities. He averaged 19 points and dished five assists in his only season with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
In 2006, Roy measured 6'6 ¼" with a 6'8" wingspan at the NBA Draft Combine. Russell's measurements were very similar. He checked in at 6'5" with a 6'9 ¾" wingspan at the 2015 combine. Roy is a little taller and Russell's wingspan a bit wider, but neither of the players were blessed with tremendous leaping ability. Instead, both can score in a multitude of ways that are created by superior ball-handling, shooting touch and the ability to get to the rim.
In his first year, Roy scored 16.8 points and dished four assists per game for the Portland Trail Blazers. Russell could put up those numbers on just about any team he lands on.
Justise Winslow
Player Comparison: Jimmy Butler
It took a while for Jimmy Butler to find his stride in the NBA, but this past season he made the NBA All-Star team, won the Most Improved Player award and could easily be a member of the All-Defensive team.
That's a good amount of hardware for a player who is still just 25 years old.
Justise Winslow should watch and emulate much of what Butler has accomplished. There are some similarities in their approaches. Both men hang their hats on defense and are equipped with the body types that allow them to drive and finish in the paint with contact.
Winslow's offense is a bit more developed than Butler's was at this point in his career, but Winslow could still stand to improve his ball-handling and post game.
Those are two of the aspects of the game that Butler improved since last season.
All measurements per DraftExpress unless otherwise noted.
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