2015 NBA Mock Draft: Predictions for Biggest Surprise Picks of Round 1
Who is going to be the Bruno Caboclo of the 2015 NBA draft?
Last year, the Toronto Raptors shocked just about everybody when they selected the Brazilian forward—whom ESPN's Fran Fraschilla famously described as being "two years away from being two years away" (h/t Yahoo Sports' Eric Freeman)—with the 20th overall pick.
Every year, there are at least one or two picks that leave NBA followers scratching their heads. Sometimes, the gamble works.
Looking ahead to the 2015 draft, these three players are among the more likely to fill the Caboclo role.
2015 NBA 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/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/SF, Croatia |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona |
| 10 | Miami Heat | Frank Kaminsky, PF/C, Wisconsin |
| 11 | Indiana Pacers | Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | Kelly Oubre Jr., SF, Kansas |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns | Myles Turner, PF/C, Texas |
| 14 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky |
| 15 | Atlanta Hawks (from Nets) | Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin |
| 16 | Boston Celtics | Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA |
| 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | Mouhammadou Jaiteh, C, France |
| 18 | Houston Rockets (from Hornets) | Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State |
| 19 | Washington Wizards | Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas |
| 20 | Toronto Raptors | Tyus Jones, PG, Duke |
| 21 | Dallas Mavericks | Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame |
| 22 | Chicago Bulls | Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville |
| 23 | Portland Trail Blazers | R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State |
| 24 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville |
| 25 | Memphis Grizzlies | Rashad Vaughn, SG, UNLV |
| 26 | San Antonio Spurs | Cliff Alexander, PF, Kansas |
| 27 | Los Angeles Lakers (from Rockets) | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona |
| 28 | Boston Celtics (from Clippers) | Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (from Hawks) | Delon Wright, PG, Utah |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Joseph Young, SG, Oregon |
Biggest Surprises
17. Milwaukee Bucks: Mouhammadou Jaiteh, C, France
If you trust Michael Carter-Williams as the point guard of the future, then the Milwaukee Bucks' backcourt is set for the next few years. And really, even if Carter-Williams isn't the guy, the Bucks aren't already going to draft his replacement this summer.
Where the Bucks need to beef up is inside. Once Larry Sanders left the team, Milwaukee lost its best shot-blocker and rim protector.
The team did only allow opponents to shoot 58.9 percent between zero and three feet from the basket last year (second best in the NBA), but relying on John Henson to be sole defensive stopper inside doesn't seem optimal.
That's where Mouhammadou Jaiteh comes in. The Bucks are in a tough spot if they do want to target a center since any player they select would be a big reach.
At least with Jaiteh, Milwaukee would get somebody with the skill set to fill the team's biggest needs.
Dakari Johnson doesn't fit the mold as a major rim protector, not to mention he has some conditioning issues. Robert Upshaw is another potential center Milwaukee could target, but after dealing with Sanders, it might not want to add a player dismissed from both Washington and Fresno State.
Another nice thing about Jaiteh is that he might be prepared to make the jump to the NBA for next year, per Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler:
Jaiteh is undoubtedly a work in progress on the court, but the Bucks don't need him to produce immediate results. The franchise is still probably another year away from seriously competing for a conference title. When that happens, Jaiteh would be closer to the finished product.
22. Chicago Bulls: Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville
This isn't necessarily a surprise with regard to his draft position but rather what he'll do in the NBA. Terry Rozier should realistically go anywhere from 15-25 in the first round, so he's likely on the Chicago Bulls' radar at No. 22.
It's no secret that many Bulls fans have had it with Kirk Hinrich in Chicago, while Aaron Brooks is a free agent this offseason.
The Bulls could opt to re-sign Brooks, but their best option would be targeting a backup point guard in the draft, since there should be a wealth of talent available in the middle of the first round.
Rozier fits the mold of a Bulls player between his effort on the defensive end and penchant for streaky shooting. In a way, he's a younger, better version of Brooks or Nate Robinson. Admittedly, Chicago has a completely different team ethos following the dismissal of head coach Tom Thibodeau and hiring of Fred Hoiberg.
Regardless, the hole at point guard remains.
Wherever Rozier lands, he has the potential to be a serious steal in the middle of the first round. CBS Sports' Sam Vecenie feels that the only thing potentially holding him back is his erratic three-point shooting:
"I’ll just say this: if Terry Rozier is shooting well and knocking down 3s consistently, he’s a first round pick 100%.
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) May 24, 2015"
While it's no guarantee that Rozier improves in that regard, his floor isn't really all that low. He should be a productive backup at worst in the league for years to come and a dynamic sixth man at best.
26. San Antonio Spurs: Cliff Alexander, PF, Kansas
Few college stars were more disappointing last year than Cliff Alexander. He averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds a game and didn't play beyond Feb. 23, as he dealt with potential NCAA infractions. Alexander would benefit from another year in school, but he doesn't have many options here.
"I felt bad. I felt like I let my team down, and most importantly let my coaching staff down," he said of his mother reportedly accepting a loan in violation of NCAA rules, per Jay King of MassLive.com. "It played kind of a little bit into (the decision to enter the draft). I felt like they were going to rule me ineligible for my sophomore season, so that's when I made my decision to declare."
Tim Duncan can't play forever, so it might be a good time for the San Antonio Spurs to start making succession plans. The team already has Kyle Anderson, but it's far from a safe bet that his 21.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists in the D-League will translate to the NBA.
Alexander is obviously a risky prospect, but Duncan is probably going to give it at least another year. That's a year during which Alexander can grow as a player and refine some of the rougher edges in his game. And unlike Anderson, there's no question as to whether he has the athleticism to succeed in the NBA.
Note: Stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.
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