2015 NBA Mock Draft: Full Round 1 Picks and Projections for Top Prospects

Thanks to the Golden State Warriors, the 2014-15 NBA season has a bow on it. 

However, that hardly means the Association will go dormant as the summer progresses.

The 2015 NBA draft is on the horizon, and before things get underway June 25 at the Barclays Center, there are plenty of praiseworthy prospects whose potential landing spots require a further look. 

From classic bigs who can wreak havoc in the low-post to speedy ball-handlers and more versatile modern-day frontcourt weapons, this year's draft is loaded with young marvels who should turn heads upon arrival.

Before breaking down the futures of a few alluring lottery-bound prospects, here's a complete breakdown of how Round 1 could shake out next Thursday. 

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Minnesota Timberwolves	Karl-Anthony Towns, PF/C, Kentucky
2	Los Angeles Lakers	Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke
3	Philadelphia 76ers	D'Angelo Russell, PG/SG, Ohio State
4	New York Knicks	Justise Winslow, G/F, Duke
5	Orlando Magic	Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia
6	Sacramento Kings	Willie Cauley-Stein, PF/C, Kentucky
7	Denver Nuggets	Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China
8	Detroit Pistons	Mario Hezonja, SG/SF, Croatia
9	Charlotte Hornets	Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona
10	Miami Heat	Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky
11	Indiana Pacers	Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State
12	Utah Jazz	Frank Kaminsky, PF/C, Wisconsin
13	Phoenix Suns	Myles Turner, C, Texas
14	Oklahoma City Thunder	Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin
15	Atlanta Hawks (via Brooklyn Nets)	Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas
16	Boston Celtics	Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas
17	Milwaukee Bucks	Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame
18	Houston Rockets (via New Orleans Pelicans)	Tyus Jones, PG, Duke
19	Washington Wizards	Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville
20	Toronto Raptors	Rashad Vaughn, SG, UNLV
21	Dallas Mavericks	R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia St.
22	Chicago Bulls	Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA
23	Portland Trail Blazers	Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona
24	Cleveland Cavaliers	Delon Wright, PG, Utah
25	Memphis Grizzlies	Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville
26	San Antonio Spurs	Jordan Mickey, PF/C, LSU
27	Los Angeles Lakers (via Houston Rockets)	Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia
28	Boston Celtics (via Los Angeles Clippers)	Jarell Martin, SF/PF, LSU
29	Brooklyn Nets (via Atlanta Hawks)	Jonathan Holmes, F, Texas
30	Golden State Warriors	Rakeem Christmas, PF/C, Syracuse

Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

The Los Angeles Lakers are starving for a steady presence to man the middle, so it's not surprising that Hollywood has emerged as a popular potential destination for Jahlil Okafor during predraft proceedings. 

Last season, the Lakers ranked 24th in paint points, scoring just 40 a night within close proximity of the rim, according to TeamRankings.com.  

That's where Okafor's low-post prowess comes into play.

According to DraftExpress.com's Jonathan Givony, the ACC's total points leader last season was among the nation's most efficient scorers down on the blocks: 

"

Extremely nimble, Okafor has outstanding footwork, and he does an excellent job of feeling out his defender and reacting appropriately, having all the countermoves in the book, and being capable of executing beautiful spin-moves with superb body control, often using the glass. He uses shot-fakes well and draws a foul on over 18% of his post-possessions according to Synergy Sports Technology, often finishing through contact for an And-1.

"

While concerns may linger regarding Okafor's inability to play above the rim like fellow lottery prospect Karl-Anthony Towns, the former Duke Blue Devil can command double-teams and use his 6'11'', 270-pound frame to pick apart defenses and find open cutters and shooters with his superb floor awareness. 

"I would love to be here," Okafor said of the Lakers, according to Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding.

Time for the Purple and Gold to make his wish a reality. 

Willie Cauley-Stein, PF/C, Kentucky

Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

DeMarcus Cousins has been playing without a reliable frontcourt complement for far too long, which is why the Sacramento Kings should be dead set on adding fellow Kentucky big man Willie Cauley-Stein to help solidify the team's starting front line. 

And according to ESPN's Ryen Russillo, that's the exact move Cousins wants the team's front office to make on draft day: 

"

Few trade notes. The scouts put WC Stein in special tier as a defensive player. Heard Cousins wants him @6 so he doesn't have to play C.

— Russillo (@ryenarussillo) June 11, 2015"

And boy, could the Kings use some rim protection.

Last season, Sacramento ranked 29th in opponents' field-goal percentage inside of six feet, according to SportVU player-tracking data from NBA.com/Stats. When ball-handlers or bigs were able to operate around the rim against the Kings, they converted shots at a 63 percent clip—3.4 percentage points above the league average. Only the Minnesota Timberwolves (65.9 percent) were worse. 

But ranking fifth in the SEC in blocks per game (1.7) is just the start for Cauley-Stein.

What makes him so unique is his rare combination of speed and athleticism at 7'0'' and 240 pounds. 

"Defending 1 through 5 and with teams switching everything [on pick-and-rolls], [Cauley-Stein] can totally disrupt a game by guarding a point guard to the 5," Kentucky associate coach Kenny Payne said, according to the New York Post's Marc Berman. "He’s got that confidence and swagger about defending."

With smaller, more versatile lineups cropping up across the NBA, it's no wonder Cauley-Stein's stock is surging. Even if he's switched onto a guard out on the perimeter, he won't be the sort of plodding defensive liability most classic 7-footers tend to be. 

His offensive game may be restricted to dives and lob finishes in the pick-and-roll for the time being, but on a Sacramento team that ranked 27th in defensive efficiency last season, those limitations should be a minor concern.  

Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China

The Denver Nuggets are mired in a murky rebuild, and as a result, they may be intent on nabbing a new point guard. 

According to ESPN.com's Chad Ford, Denver is interested in moving up to the Kings' spot at No. 6 overall and is dangling Ty Lawson as a trade chip. 

"Nuggets have been trying to make that deal regardless, but so far they can't get Kings (or anyone else for that matter) to bite on Lawson," Ford wrote. 

But even if Denver isn't able to part with Lawson—who's reportedly been seeking a trade since May, according to BasketballInsiders.com's Steve Kyler—on draft day, the Nuggets should have their sights set on floor general Emmanuel Mudiay. 

With new head coach Mike Malone seeking to play an uptempo brand of ball, Mudiay could be a seamless fit for a team that ranked tied for 21st in transition efficiency last season. According to NBA.com/Stats, Denver churned out just 1.08 points per possession in transition, while the Los Angeles Clippers occupied the top spot at a healthy mark of 1.19.

"Mudiay is arguably a top-five talent with 6'5" size, above-the-rim athleticism and dynamic playmaking ability," Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman wrote.  

Even if Mudiay's jump shot is still a bit shaky, those are the kind of raw physical tools that can be accentuated in a run-and-gun system at high altitude.