NBA Mock Draft 2015: Projections and Predictions for Top Sharpshooters
One of the dominant narratives surrounding the Golden State Warriors has been the perception—no matter how ridiculous it is—that a jump-shooting team can't win the NBA title.
But this isn't your parent's NBA. This is a league in which the four teams in the conference finals each finished in the top five in three-point field goals made in the regular season and in which good shooting matters more than having a dominant big man.
So as the draft approaches, it only makes sense for teams to target talented shooters to try and catch up to the elite teams in the NBA. What better way to climb out of the doldrums of the draft lottery than by doing what has made other teams successful this season?
These are some of the top sharpshooters in this year's NBA draft class and predictions about where they will land:
| Pick | Team | Player |
| 1 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Karl-Anthony Towns, PF, Kentucky |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | D’Angelo Russell, PG/SG, Ohio State |
| 4 | New York Knicks | Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China |
| 5 | Orlando Magic | Justise Winslow, SF, Duke |
| 6 | Sacramento Kings | Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets | Mario Hezonja, SG, Croatia |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona |
| 10 | Miami Heat | Kelly Oubre Jr., SF, Kansas |
| 11 | Indiana Pacers | Myles Turner, C, Texas |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | Frank Kaminsky, C, Wisconsin |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns | Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky |
| 14 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State |
| 15 | Atlanta Hawks (from BKN) | Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin |
| 16 | Boston Celtics | Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky |
| 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas |
| 18 | Houston Rockets (from NO) | Tyus Jones, PG, Duke |
| 19 | Washington Wizards | Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA |
| 20 | Toronto Raptors | Rondae Hollis Jefferson, SF, Arizona |
| 21 | Dallas Mavericks | Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame |
| 22 | Chicago Bulls | Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia |
| 23 | Portland Trail Blazers | Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville |
| 24 | Cleveland Cavaliers | R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State |
| 25 | Memphis Grizzlies | Robert Upshaw, C, Washington |
| 26 | San Antonio Spurs | Christian Wood, PF, UNLV |
| 27 | Los Angeles Lakers (from Hou) | Rashad Vaughn, SG, UNLV |
| 28 | Boston Celtics (from LAC) | Jarell Martin, PF, LSU |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (from ATL) | Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Delon Wright, G, Utah |
Mario Hezonja, SG, Croatia
With the exception of D'Angelo Russell, there isn't any player in this year's draft class with more offensive upside that Croatia's Mario Hezonja.
Able to score from almost anywhere on the floor at will, Hezonja brings a soft shooting touch—hitting 37.9 percent of his shots from beyond the arc last year, according to Basketball-Reference.com—to the league that many European players have shown in the past.
Derek Bodner of USA Today and DraftExpress said Hezonja's jumper is as good as they come:
He can create off the dribble and pass with the best of them, as well, and could be a team's No. 1 option from the first time he steps on the court. If he can live up to his full potential, Hezonja is a dark-horse candidate to steal Rookie of the Year from the draft's top four prospects.
There isn't one single thing the Denver Nuggets can do to improve on the awful season they had last year, but bringing in a player like Hezonja is a start.
Finishing ranked No. 28 in the league in three-point-shooting percentage, the Nuggets need players who can both shoot and score the ball, and Hezonja does both of those things well.
Also sporting a surprising amount of athleticism, Hezonja has the skills to be a top-five pick, and the Nuggets will be ecstatic if he slides to them at No. 7 overall.
Prediction: Mario Hezonja to the Denver Nuggets at No. 7
Kelly Oubre Jr., SF, Kansas
The 2014-15 season didn't go exactly as expected for Kelly Oubre Jr. and the Kansas Jayhawks.
Tabbed as the possible replacement for Andrew Wiggins on the Jayhawks, Oubre never quite lived up to the hype. Averaging just 9.3 points per game, the small forward still showed flashes of the player he has the potential to be, and he could be great.
Super athletic and a talented defender, Oubre has a strong shooting touch despite being a little raw compared to some of his fellow prospects heading into the draft:
The Miami Heat will be looking for a player exactly like Oubre—someone who can help to space the floor with an aging Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic likely returning to the squad next season.
Last season, the Heat were tied for 20th in made three-pointers and were ranked 24th in shooting percentage from beyond the arc, and adding Oubre could be the booster shot the team needs in those categories.
Although there is a chance Oubre disappears at times during his rookie year, much like he did at Kansas, the potential is too great to pass up, and once he finds an ability to perform consistently, the small forward could transform into an elite NBA wing.
Prediction: Kelly Oubre Jr. to the Miami Heat at No. 10
Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky
It is a testament to how loaded Kentucky was last season that Devin Booker didn't even start.
As a freshman, Booker averaged 10 points as the leader of the second group for the Wildcats, with his long-range shooting the strongest part of his game. It is for exactly that reason that teams love the shooting guard's potential, even with the flaws in his game.
If you are a team in the lottery, you aren't looking at Booker for his defense and you aren't looking to him for his ability as an all-around guard. No, the one thing that you are looking for Booker to add to your team is his incredible shooting ability:
Hitting 41.1 percent of his long-range attempts last year, Booker has one of the best pure shooting touches in the draft and is tailor-made for the three-point-heavy direction the NBA is heading in.
With a late lottery pick, the Phoenix Suns look like the perfect fit to bring on the young sharpshooter. Despite having more point guards than they knew what to do with last year, the Suns finished tied for 20th in the league in three-point-shooting percentage last season and will look to improve that number in the draft.
Booker has more weaknesses than some of the other elite shooters in the draft, but in terms of pure long-range shooting, he might be the best of the bunch. If he can continue to trend upward as a shooter while improving on the rest of his game, Booker could be looked at as one of the better picks in this year's draft.
Prediction: Devin Booker to the Phoenix Suns at No. 13
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