2015 NBA Draft: TV Schedule, Latest Mock Predictions and Top Sleeper Prospects
The final march to the 2015 NBA draft begins in earnest.
Said march always proves a wild one in which teams make last-ditch efforts to hit the trade market and improve positioning while their scouts go all-in on the film process, giving the official stock market one final makeover that is sure to surprise fans on draft night.
On Thursday, the landscape of the league changes in a massive way once again. It's even poetic in a sense, with sleeping juggernauts like the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers clutching top-five picks.
Like the teams and prospects, the best thing fans can do is prepare. Below, we'll take a look at the critical information, an updated mock and some of the biggest sleeper prospects who are set to surprise.
2015 NBA Draft
When: Thursday, June 25 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
TV: ESPN
2015 NBA Round 1 Mock Draft
| 1 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | Karl-Anthony Towns, PF, Kentucky |
| 3 | Philadelphia 76ers | Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China |
| 4 | New York Knicks | D'Angelo Russell, SG, Ohio State |
| 5 | Orlando Magic | Justise Winslow, SF, Duke |
| 6 | Sacramento Kings | Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky |
| 7 | Denver Nuggets | Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | Cameron Payne, SG, Murray State |
| 10 | Miami Heat | Mario Hezonja, SG/SF, Croatia |
| 11 | Indiana Pacers | Frank Kaminsky, PF, Wisconsin |
| 12 | Utah Jazz | Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin |
| 13 | Phoenix Suns | Myles Turner, C/PF, Texas |
| 14 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Kelly Oubre, SG, Kansas |
| 15 | Atlanta Hawks (from Brooklyn Nets) | Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA |
| 16 | Boston Celtics | Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky |
| 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville |
| 18 | Houston Rockets (from New Orleans Pelicans) | Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky |
| 19 | Washington Wizards | Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas |
| 20 | Toronto Raptors | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona |
| 21 | Dallas Mavericks | Tyus Jones, PG, Duke |
| 22 | Chicago Bulls | Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville |
| 23 | Portland Trail Blazers | Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame |
| 24 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Dakari Johnson, C, Kentucky |
| 25 | Memphis Grizzlies | Richaun Holmes, PF, Bowling Green |
| 26 | San Antonio Spurs | Delon Wright, PG, Utah |
| 27 | Los Angeles Lakers (from Houston Rockets) | R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State |
| 28 | Boston Celtics (from Los Angeles Clippers) | Justin Anderson, SF, Virginia |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets (from Atlanta Hawks) | Rakeem Christmas, PF, Syracuse |
| 30 | Golden State Warriors | Christian Wood, PF, UNLV |
Top Sleeper Prospects
Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA
Players standing at 6'9" and 222 pounds with a 7'3" wingspan don't come around too often, so when it comes to sleeper status, Kevon Looney does great on first glance.
It only gets better.
As a freshman at UCLA, Looney posted averages of 11.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 47 percent from the floor and 42 percent from long range.
Even certain negatives concerning his stock continue to dip, too, as Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears revealed:
The problem is, as ESPN.com's Chad Ford wrote, "Looney's draft stock might be the most fluid of anyone in our top 30. Teams are either hot or cold on him. There doesn't seem to be much in between."
There's concern from a physical standpoint, but most of what hurts his stock is a little word called "project." Teams view him as such, with his budding defensive skills in need of grooming and his raw offensive game a work in progress as well.
Still, there isn't a prospect with more raw upside in the class, making Looney one of the most important sleepers to watch. In a few year's time, the team willing to pull the trigger Thursday might look brilliant.
Richaun Holmes, PF, Bowling Green
While Richaun Holmes isn't a household name, it might not take him long to become one soon after his eventual selection causes a few observers to scratch their heads.
Holmes, who stands at 6'10" and 243 pounds, spent three years at Bowling Green, showing a marked improvement each year in key categories:
| 2014-15 | 28.8 | .563 | .419 | 8.0 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 14.7 |
| 2013-14 | 32.0 | .507 | .300 | 7.7 | 0.9 | 2.8 | 13.3 |
| 2012-13 | 18.8 | .633 | .000 | 5.0 | 0.2 | 2.3 | 6.5 |
It took an epic MVP performance at the Portsmouth Invitational for him to break onto the scene in the minds of scouts, but he's not going anywhere after arriving.
In fact, while pigeonholed as a defender, Holmes says he's been working hard on his perceived weaknesses, too.
"I've put in a lot of time on my ball-handling," Holmes said, via NBA.com's Chris Dortch. "I need to be able to make a move to create my own shot if needed. I need to be able to knock down that mid-range jump shot. I can do it pretty well now, but in the NBA it has to be automatic."
A solid NBA defender right out of the gates, there's immense upside with Holmes on the offensive end of the court. In that respect, he's worth a borderline first-round pick in the right rotation thanks to his immediate impact.
Like Looney, the uncertain future solidifies Holmes' status as a sleeper. Based on his offseason work, he might be better than most expect right away, with his ceiling hard to see just yet.
Robert Upshaw, C, Washington
There's a lot to like with Washington's Robert Upshaw, a 7'0", 258-pound defensive monster with plenty of baggage that could drop him to the second round or beyond.
In fact, the late second round is where Ford pegged Upshaw, writing the following at the end of April: "Upshaw has the talent of a top-15 pick. But after getting kicked out of both Fresno State and Washington, he's got a lot to answer for. Background checks and how he handles his interviews will be key. The upside is clearly there. But will teams take a risk on him in the first round?"
CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein expanded on those points with numbers:
At this point, Upshaw's lurking in sleeper territory, if not residing as the biggest one—literally and figuratively.
In one season with the Huskies, he averaged 10.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.5 blocks while shooting 59.3 percent from the floor. At the pro level, his defense will prove invaluable and won't take a drop, nor does his offensive game figure to suffer too much given his immense size.
Upshaw's a risk, sure, but he's also morphed into the biggest sleeper over time. A lottery talent in the second round is too good to pass up, so look for a brave front office to pull the trigger.
From there, Upshaw might be the most interesting member of the Class of 2015.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
