NBA Draft 2015: Order, Schedule and Mock Draft Projections for Elite Prospects

The NBA draft is bearing down on us quickly, and soon enough we will know where each prospect will be starting his professional career. 

Will Karl-Anthony Towns be the top choice, as many expect? Will the Los Angeles Lakers go with a guard or a big man? And just how high will Kristaps Porzingis ultimately rise? We will have the answers to these questions and many more come Thursday night.

If you plan on watching the draft, ESPN is the place to be Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. Watch ESPN also has your back if you are looking to stream it. Here's a look at our latest mock draft for the first round.

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

3. Philadelphia 76ers: Jahlil Okafor, Duke

If Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell are the top two picks, we expect the 76ers to select Jahlil Okafor out of Duke. Some, including ESPN's Chad Ford, are now pegging the 76ers to take Kristaps Porzingis, who is flying up draft boards. 

However, with the recent setback to Joel Embiid's recovery, the Sixers could look for a potential contingency plan in the frontcourt. 

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Both Porzingis and Okafor could be the answer, but Okafor is the more known commodity and doesn't have the stigma of past failures of overseas imports hanging over him. Porzingis has a higher upside, but Okafor is a much safer choice.

Okafor and his polished low-post game also would pair well up front with Nerlens Noel, who is more of a defensive player at this point in his career.

8. Detroit Pistons: Mario Hezonja, Croatia

Porzingis isn't the only European prospect projected to go in the top 10. Croatian forward Mario Hezonja is also a probable lottery pick, and here we have him going eighth to the Detroit Pistons.

You may not know much about Hezonja. Grantland's Andrew Sharp succinctly described him as "Croatian Kobe. Croatian Klay Thompson. Croatian Jordan Crawford. One of these is right."

The 20-year-old Hezonja is 6'8" and 200 pounds. and scouts are high on him. One talent evaluator told Ford, "If this kid was in college we'd all be going crazy for him...He's the first wing on my board."

As you can see, Hezonja has heaps of talent. He's athletic, he can shoot, and he can score off the dribble. And he's got the confidence to match. Kevin O'Connor of SB Nation called Hezonja "the cockiest NBA draft prospect in years." Says O'Connor:

"

Hezonja constantly talks trash to the opponent. He showboats after three-pointers. He hangs at the rim after dunks. And about those dunks: he absolutely never passes up the opportunity to do a windmill or a double clutch when he's rumbling down the floor in transition.

"

But Hezonja seems to have the talent to back up his attitude, and thus we have the Detroit Pistons selecting him. The Pistons desperately need a wing scorer, and head coach Stan Van Gundy is the perfect coach to keep him in line.

16. Boston Celtics: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

There are rumors going around that, with their war chest of picks, the Boston Celtics are looking to move up in Thursday's draft. Andrew Perna of RealGM reported the Celtics are targeting Myles Turner out of Texas.

In addition, Chris Sheridan reported the Knicks could look to trade back from No. 4, and the Celtics are a potential trade partner. Either way, it looks like there's a good chance the Celtics will be busy on draft night.

But if the Celtics stay put at No. 16 and they miss out on Bobby Portis, we have them taking Frank Kaminsky out of Wisconsin. Boston could use another player in the frontcourt, and Kaminsky is a good playmaker in the frontcourt who can also stretch the floor.

Celtics president Danny Ainge has the freedom to be aggressive considering all of the draft picks they have, but if he can't get a deal done, a talented player like Kaminsky isn't a bad consolation prize.