NBA Draft 2015: Ranking the 10 Most Underrated Players

On Thursday, June 25, 60 aspiring basketball players will hear their names called in the 2015 NBA draft. But some prospects may wait longer than they should while fans, media and general managers underestimate their skill sets.

Fans and media might overlook a prospect who comes from a smaller school. Maybe they don't think a player's game will transition well to the next level.

Regardless of the reasons players are passed over, each NBA draft comes complete with diamonds in the rough who shatter all expectations upon entering the Association.

This year's draft features a wide variety of small-school, large-school and even foreign players near the top of projected draft boards.

But which players should be a few spots higher on NBA teams' radars? And who could wind up being the steal of the draft?

Well-known college players such as Rashad Vaughn, Devin Booker and Stanley Johnson could all wind up being the players that teams regret passing over.

Let's look the most underrated players heading into the 2015 NBA draft.

No. 10: RJ Hunter, Shooting Guard, Georgia State

Hardly anyone knew who R.J. Hunter was before he hit this three-pointer to upset Baylor in the NCAA tournament.

Now, Hunter is practically a household name to basketball fans, and his draft stock has shot up since he made the decision to leave for the NBA.

While one play certainly is not enough to show that Hunter is overrated, this play is the best example of Hunter's greatest asset: creating his own shot.

Hunter takes a broken play into his own hands and delivers a dagger to get the win for his team. A player who can create his own opportunities and deliver in clutch moments is a valuable commodity for any NBA team.

Hunter is currently slated to go late in the first round. But, with his strong offensive game, it would be justifiable for Hunter to go in the first half of the first round and possibly sneak into the top 10.

No. 9: J.P. Tokoto, Shooting Guard, North Carolina

J.P. Tokoto is an athletic wing who could be a strong addition to an NBA squad.

Standing at 6'6" with a 6'10" wingspan, Tokoto is an active defender and showed substantial improvement as an outside shooter in his junior season as a Tar Heel.

Energy on defense is something that every NBA coach wants to see from young wing players, and that is probably Tokoto's greatest asset.

Tokoto's defense alone makes him an intriguing prospect. But his improvement on the offensive end could make him a steal if he falls late in the draft.

Tokoto is currently projected to be selected late in the second round, but his length and ability to lock down scorers on the perimeter should push his stock up in the second round.

No. 8: Justin Anderson, Small Forward, Virginia

Much like Tokoto, Justin Anderson's biggest upside comes as a perimeter defender.

Anderson ranks ahead of Tokoto because he has even more length with nearly a 7-foot wingspan and has also shown more prowess as an outside shooter, shooting 45 percent from long range last season.

Anderson also has elite athleticism and recorded a 43-inch vertical jump at the NBA combine.

As a defender, he has the rare combination of athleticism to contain guards on the perimeter and size to battle small forwards in the post.

Wing players who play defense and stretch the opposing defense with outside shooting help NBA teams on both sides of the floor and free up space for other offensive options.

Anderson is expected to go late in the first round, but he should be valued ahead of other first-round wing players such as Kelly Oubre or Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

No. 7: T.J. McConnell, Point Guard, Arizona

T.J. McConnell isn't going to shock anybody with his athleticism or deliver highlight-reel dunks. He's just a smart, solid point guard who's capable of running an offense.

After spending four years in college basketball, McConnell brings maturity and a high basketball IQ to the table, two of the most important traits that a coach looks for in a floor general.

Leading the Pac-12 in assists, McConnell showed the ability to command his team's offensive sets and distribute to playmakers.

He'll never be a scorer in the NBA, but his passing and perimeter defense will land him a spot on an NBA squad.

McConnell is expected to go late in the second round and runs the risk of not being drafted. But a guard this reliable should be on the radar of any team looking to take a point guard early in the second round.

No. 6: Dakari Johnson, Center, Kentucky

Only at Kentucky would you see a 7-foot, NBA-caliber big man come off the bench as a role player. But that's exactly what Dakari Johnson did during his two seasons in Lexington.

Johnson averaged only 16.3 minutes per game in his sophomore season. However, in that limited time, he proved himself enough to enter the NBA draft.

Johnson is a physical presence inside and a tenacious rebounder. He ranks fourth among all draft prospects with 13.4 offensive rebound percentage.

Johnson also had a presence of defense, averaging 2.3 blocks per 40 minutes.

He may not have the offensive talent to be a formidable scoring option, but he has size that can't be taught, and his highlight film shows that he knows how to use his size to create easy looks at the rim. 

Johnson is a classic example of a guy who does things that don't show up on the stat sheet. 

This year's class is fairly deep at center, but Johnson should go ahead of other big men such as Arturas Gudaitis and Guillermo Hernangomez.

No. 5: Quinn Cook, Point Guard, Duke

Quinn Cook was the leader of a national championship team. That fact alone will cause NBA teams to give him a look.

Like McConnell, Cook will bring maturity and experience to the table after playing four years of college basketball.

However, Cook is ahead of McConnell because he can be a legitimate offensive threat.

He might not be able to develop into a first-option scorer, but Cook did average over 15 points per game and shot nearly 40 percent from three-point range as a senior, proving to be a player who can generate instant offense.

Cook can score from inside-out at the guard position, which should put him higher than late in the second round on NBA draft boards.

No. 4: Bobby Portis, Power Forward, Arkansas

Bobby Portis is one of the most skilled players in this year's draft and should be on the radar of any team looking to add a stretch 4 in the first round.

Portis was SEC Player of the Year in his sophomore season, averaging 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.

The highlight film on Portis shows that he has a face-up offensive game that is far more developed than most big men coming out of college.

He also has shown the ability to consistently knock down mid-range jumpers and has begun to expand his game past the three-point arc.

While Portis still needs to add bulk to compete on the low block in the NBA, there isn't a big in this draft with a more well-rounded offensive skill set.

Instead of being a mid-first round pick, Portis' versatility should have him getting serious looks from teams picking in the top 10.

No. 3: Devin Booker, Shooting Guard, Kentucky

In one season at Kentucky, Devin Booker proved to be a sharpshooting specialist.

Whether it was from three-point range, where he shot 41 percent, or from mid range, Booker was an offensive threat who could hurt you if you gave him just an inch of space.

Booker has drawn comparisons to Warriors guard Klay Thompson. Like Thompson, Booker isn't an explosive athlete, but his high basketball IQ and shooting ability can make him an elite scorer at the next level. It's that scoring ability that puts him ahead of other wing players on this list such as Justin Anderson.

Because he played on a Kentucky team with an abundance of talent, Booker didn't post eye-popping statistics, but the proof of his game is in the highlights. Leave him open, and you'll be in trouble.

Booker is already considered a top-10 pick, but his scoring ability makes him a more attractive option than Emmanuel Mudiay from China.

No. 2: Rashad Vaughn, Shooting Guard, UNLV

Like Booker, Rashad Vaughn spent just one year in college basketball playing for the UNLV Rebels.

In that one season, Vaughn averaged 17.8 points per game. Although he is not as good of a shooter as Booker, Vaughn has shown a wider array of scoring abilities.

Vaughn can catch and shoot or score off the dribble. He can create offense on the perimeter or take the ball inside.

At 6'5", Vaughn has adequate size for an NBA shooting guard and uses his size well to get his jumper off in tough situations.

Booker may have more overall upside as a prospect, but Vaughn is being severely underrated as a late first-round pick.

Vaughn would be better suited landing in the first half of the first round, perhaps in the 10-15 range.

No. 1: Stanley Johnson, Shooting Guard, Arizona

Closing out this list is a third consecutive freshman, Stanley Johnson.

Johnson is one of the few wings in this draft who has shown the ability to affect the game on both ends of the floor.

Sporting a 6'6", 242-pound frame, Johnson has the size and length to defend on the perimeter and crash the boards for rebounds, averaging six per game in his lone season as a Wildcat.

On the offensive end, Johnson has shown to be a reliable outside shooter off both the catch and dribble, converting on 37 percent of his three-point tries. But Johnson's freak athleticism gives him the ability to take the ball to the rack and score inside, as well.

He might not be quite as smooth an offensive player as Vaughn, but his elite defense and rebounding puts Johnson over the top.

He's already listed as a fringe top-10 pick, but Johnson is the top wing in this draft and should be considered by any NBA team that is picking outside of the top two.

All player draft projections, measurements and NBA combine information obtained from DraftExpress.

Stats via Sports-Reference.com.