2015 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Where Top Prospects Will Land in 1st Round
The outlook for the 2015 NBA draft didn't change much following the lottery. The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks swapped spots—now No. 2 and No. 4, respectively—but the switch didn't cause a massive shake-up for the prospects involved.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor are still the first two players off the board. They are closely followed by D'Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay. After that, a deep class begins to slot in based on a combination of need and value.
Let's check out a complete mock draft for the opening round to see where the most coveted prospects stand with about a month until draft day. That's scheduled for June 25.
1st-Round Mock Draft
| 1 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | D'Angelo Russell, PG, Ohio State |
| 4 | New York Knicks | 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) | Delon Wright, PG, Utah |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (via Hawks) | Cliff Alexander, PF, Kansas |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky |
As mentioned, the top of the opening round is taking shape. The exact order the prospects will come off the board is still a mystery, but the main targets are evident. Things are less settled outside of the first 10 selections, though.
Since the class features a lot of solid prospects, perhaps not NBA stars but reliable role players, there's a lot of uncertainty and plenty of room for movement. It could lead to some surprises when draft day finally rolls around.
Let's take a look at three perimeter prospects worth keeping an eye on in the weeks ahead. They could end up pushing toward the lottery.
Guard Prospects on the Rise
23. Portland Trail Blazers: Justin Anderson, SG, Virginia
Anderson featured intriguing tools from the day he arrived to Virginia. He's capable of playing small forward or shooting guard and is a reliable on-ball defender of multiple positions thanks to his athleticism. His lack of offensive efficiency held him back, though.
He was a volume scorer during his first two years with Cavaliers. Before last season, he worked to improve his consistency from the field and it paid off. Eric A. Weiss of Sports Aptitude highlighted the guard's improvement from the field:
Being able to make that big of a jump in one season, especially from long range, has already done wonders for his stock. He should be a lock for the first round now. If a team is bullish on further improvement, the rise should continue.
The Blazers' main focus may be on the interior heading into the draft. But they could still use a swingman like Anderson for depth purposes and the value may be too good to pass up at this point. His versatility would be a welcome addition.
24. Cleveland Cavaliers: Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State
Payne was nothing short of tremendous for Murray State this past season. He averaged 20 points, six assists and nearly four rebounds per game while shooting 46 percent from the field, including 38 percent from beyond the arc.
Of course, there are questions about how his game will transfer from the mid-major college level to the NBA. The transition period is a little more tricky in those cases. Still, Chad Ford of ESPN is hearing the Pacers, which own the 11th pick, really like the guard:
That's probably the true high end for his draft stock. He's not extraordinary in any single area but has improved his offensive game by attacking the paint more effectively while also sporting the length and quickness to defend the position well.
Falling to the Cavs is close to the bottom of his range, but it's just how this mock scenario played out. He probably wouldn't be overly disappointed to join a championship-caliber team, either. He would be an ideal backup for Kyrie Irving.
28. Boston Celtics: Delon Wright, PG, Utah
Wright finds himself on the first-round fringe but may be a lock to go inside the top 30 by the time draft day arrives. He's a combo guard who did a better job of protecting the ball as his Utah career went on and also improved his outside shot.
Still, at the next level he'll probably be best served as a pass-first point guard and it helps that he's also strong at the defensive end. Most of his scoring will probably come from either wide-open perimeter looks or getting to the rim off pick-and-roll plays.
Wright wrote a draft diary for Yahoo Sports. In it, he discussed everything from finishing college to hiring an agent for the next level. He said the main focus now is getting to a point where he can immediately help whatever team drafts him.
"Every day I have basketball training, strength and conditioning training, yoga sessions, nutrition training and business meetings," Wright stated. "All of it will help me not only prepare for the draft but prepare myself for my first NBA season. My goal isn't to just get drafted in June, but also come into the league ready to play and contribute."
He would fit the mold well in Boston. The Celtics don't currently feature much star power, but Brad Stevens was able to maximize the effectiveness of his players by finding the right role for them. If he doesn't climb the draft board, he could find a niche in Celtic green.
