NBA Draft 2015: Breaking Down Top Sleepers Who Will Outperform Draft Position
The 2015 NBA draft class has been heralded as a great one due largely to the star power near the top of it. But due to its overall depth, there is a great deal of potential for sleepers to emerge in the latter stages of the first round as well.
Every team would love to get their hands on prospects like Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor, D'Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay; however, only a few will get that chance. For those who aren't so lucky, there are still plenty of difference-makers to be found outside the lottery and perhaps even into the second round.
With the 2015 NBA draft on the horizon, here is a closer look at a few of the players who have the ability to become big-time players at the next level despite a lack of hype when compared to their peers.
Justin Anderson
The Virginia Cavaliers were among the best teams in college basketball this past season due largely to the emergence of guard Justin Anderson. While they didn't go as deep as many expected in the NCAA tournament, a big reason for that is the fact that Anderson was working his way back from a hand injury.
The Montross, Virginia, native appears to be in perfect health now, though, and he is trending upward in his development, which is always a huge plus when it comes to a draft prospect.
Anderson's junior campaign was easily his best as he set career highs with 12.2 points and four rebounds per game. He also improved significantly as a three-point shooter with nearly two makes from long range per contest and a three-point shooting percentage of over 45 percent (45.2).
According to the Toronto Raptors' official Twitter account, Anderson believes that prowess is sustainable once he reaches the NBA:
While his percentage is bound to drop a bit since he isn't exactly at the same level as Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors or Kyle Korver of the Atlanta Hawks, anything near 40 percent is extremely beneficial.
In addition to that, Anderson is committed to his fitness, which is absolutely necessary to succeed in the NBA. He'll be going up against much bigger and stronger players, but he feels as though he is up to the task.
Per Holly MacKenzie of Sportsnet, the 6'6" swingman has every intention of taking care of himself and giving himself every opportunity to be great:
Even though Anderson is clearly on the ascent, he isn't expected to get selected much earlier than around the No. 20 pick in the first round.
The fact that he didn't tear it up as a freshman or sophomore likely has something to do with that, but the teams that pass on him for that reason will ultimately regret it.
Montrezl Harrell
While Anderson enjoyed a strong junior season with the Cavs, forward Montrezl Harrell was even better in his third year at Louisville in 2014-15. He developed into one of the best post players in the country, but not everyone is convinced that his play will translate to the NBA.
Harrell set career bests with nearly 16 points and over nine rebounds per game as the Cards' go-to guy. He also shot nearly 57 percent from the field, which speaks to his ability to get near the basket and finish.
Some might argue that Harrell is a bit small for the power forward position at under 6'8", but as pointed out by Howie Lindsey of CardinalSports.com, his wingspan measures up to some of the biggest and most dominant stars in the history of the NBA:
Because of his length, Harrell should be able to compete and succeed in the NBA. He'll certainly encounter bigger players, but that impressive wingspan will allow him to make up ground in a hurry.
Due to that rare combination, talent evaluators have compared him to other players who have excelled in the post despite lacking a bit in the height department, according to Jabari Young of Comcast Sportsnet Northwest:
Harrell has a dogged determination and aggressive mentality, which are qualities that help him immensely when it comes to competing on the glass.
He is among the best pure rebounders in the draft, and there is no question that his offensive ability made strides in each of his seasons at Louisville.
Perhaps Harrell will never become a superstar in the NBA, but it is tough to envision him being anything less than a productive and useful contributor.
Robert Upshaw
In terms of raw potential, there are few prospects in the 2015 NBA draft who can measure up to Washington center Robert Upshaw. He is as massive and talented as they come, but he may not be anything more than a late first-round pick due to off-court issues.
Upshaw was dismissed from both Washington and Fresno State due to substance-abuse issues, so NBA teams certainly have to do their due diligence with regard to that. Those problems aside, though, Upshaw is a remarkable talent.
He averaged nearly 11 points and over eight rebounds per game this past season with the Huskies to go along with an amazing 4.5 blocks per contest. He was nearly impossible to beat in the paint at times, and he believes he is the real deal defensively, according to Derek Bodner of USA Today:
There is no doubt that Upshaw has the measurables to keep that going at the next level as the 7-footer's wingspan tops every other prospect's in the class, per NBA draft on Twitter:
Upshaw is still a work in progress on the offensive end, but it is apparent that he has the defensive acumen needed to step in and be a valuable rotational player right away.
If he continues to make strides offensively and maintains what he can do defensively, though, he is the type of prospect who has All-Star potential.
The team that takes him will be rolling the dice to some degree, but it will be worth it late in the first round or early in the second due to his uncommon skill set.
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