Playing Stock Up, Stock Down with Top 2016 NBA Draft Prospects
A handful of NBA prospects will enter the new year (and conference play) on the rise following strong finishes to 2015.
One of them is a freshman who blew up for one of the bigger lines of the season. Another is a senior who's seemingly figured it out after three up-and-down years.
On the other hand, there are still a few players who've underwhelmed relative to expectations. One was once viewed as a potential No. 1 pick and is now fighting to stay relevant in the top-10 conversation.
We took stock reports for the prospects whose draft-stock needles may have moved over the past two weeks.
Diamond Stone (Maryland, C, Freshman)
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Stock Report: Up
Diamond Stone bailed out Maryland with a monster 39-point, 12-rebound performance in a tight win over Penn State on Wednesday. It was essentially a showcase of physical strength, athleticism, body control and activity.
Stone didn't make many highlight moves—he was just impossible to stop around the rim, leading to 25 free-throw attempts (he made 19).
The 6'11", 255-pound player has become a high-percentage finishing target off drive-and-dump passes. And he's collected 34 second-chance points so far off putbacks on the offensive glass, per Hoop-Math.com.
Prior to Penn State, Stone had gone 8-of-10 shooting against Marshall and has scored double figures in all but three games.
With terrific physical tools, agility and power, teams could be willing to wait on the 18-year-old's post moves and jumper, both of which are in the arsenal—they're just in the early stages of development.
Skal Labissiere (Kentucky, PF/C, Freshman)
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Stock Report: Down
Skal Labissiere remains stuck in a funk that's gotten worse by the game. He missed all three of his shots against Louisville last Saturday after going 1-of-7 against Ohio State and fouling out scoreless in 13 minutes against Arizona State.
He's scored just four points over Kentucky's last three games.
Though viewed as a project, the free pass only lasts so long. Scouts will eventually need to see something from the 19-year-old, who's looked physically outmatched and uncertain of how to make an impact.
He's loaded with talent and offensive skills, but Labissiere is in desperate need of a confidence boost. He must capitalize in what's become a limited role to earn back the trust of coach John Calipari and the interest of NBA scouts.
Dragan Bender (Croatia, PF, 1997)
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Stock Report: Up
With a number of top prospects underperforming, Dragan Bender's stock naturally gets a boost. Outside of LSU's Ben Simmons and Duke's Brandon Ingram, nobody has stood out as a must-draft type of talent.
That could end up making a team more willing to roll the dice on a high-upside 7-footer whose handle, shooting potential and defensive versatility were built for today's NBA.
Bender just happens to be playing well for Maccabi Tel Aviv, making nine of 17 threes over his last four games and scoring 25 points over his last two.
The big questions with Bender stem from average athleticism and a skinny frame. But he's just so visibly advanced for an 18-year-old, from his ball skills and shooting touch to his basketball IQ.
Unless Skal Labissiere experiences a Karl-Anthony Towns-type breakout or Jaylen Brown suddenly flashes a convincing jump shot, Bender could have a real chance to go in the top three in 2016.
Damian Jones (Vanderbilt, C, Junior)
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Stock Report: Down
Damian Jones came in with big expectations, and though there is still time left to meet them, he hasn't made much of an impression early on.
Jones is averaging 4.6 fouls per 40 minutes and is therefore playing less. He was recently outplayed (six points, three rebounds) by Purdue's A.J. Hammons (21 points, 10 rebounds) in a loss and finished 2-of-7 in another loss to Baylor. He's also shooting below 60 percent from the line for the third straight year, which naturally makes you wonder about his shooting potential.
What looks like a relatively weak draft field could keep Jones in the top-20 conversation. He still has excellent physical tools, plenty of athleticism and touch around the key.
But Jones eventually will have to do a better job asserting himself once conference play starts up. I'm not sure 12.6 points and 6.4 boards per game will draw too much lottery interest.
A.J. Hammons (Purdue, C, Senior)
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Stock Report: Up
It might be time to finally start taking A.J. Hammons a little more seriously. He just went for 24 points in 28 minutes in a win over Wisconsin on Tuesday after erupting for 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks in a win against Vanderbilt.
Hammons is now off to a terrific start, averaging a whopping 26 points, 14.8 rebounds and 5.2 blocks per 40 minutes on 61.9 percent shooting.
He's looked strong in the post, where he's shown he can score over both shoulders with baseline spin moves and jump hooks in the lane. He's even raised his free-throw percentage to 77.1 percent from 66.9 percent.
And he's been active under the boards and in rim protection, which is important for a big man whose motor had been previously questioned over the years.
Hammons is already 23 years old, but if he keeps up the production, it's not crazy to think late-first-round teams could value his NBA-ready body and two-way presence.
Kahlil Felder (Oakland, PG, Junior)
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Stock Report: Up
Despite his 5'9" size, it's been impossible to continue ignoring Kahlil Felder, who ranks first in the country in assists (8.8 per game) and second in scoring (26.8 points per game).
But most importantly, he's produced against power-conference competition, having recently gone for 30 points against No. 5 Virginia, 37 points in an overtime loss to No. 1 Michigan State and 38 points against Washington.
“The basket feels like an ocean or something,” Felder told the News Tribune's Christian Caple. “It’s so big and wide, and everything you’re throwing up is going in.”
Comparisons to the Boston Celtics' Isaiah Thomas will be inevitable. Felder, a lefty, can create his own shot at will with a shake-and-bake handle and quickness to match difficult shot-making skills. He's been tough to contain off the dribble, as well as at the rim, leading to an average of 9.5 trips to the line, where he shoots 85.4 percent.
He's also delivered as a facilitator, showing a nice feel out of pick-and-rolls and the ability to set up teammates with drive-and-dishes.
Felder is a strong athlete with above-the-rim bounce and the ability to separate into layups, runners and jumpers by elevating. I'm not sure he can turn the corner like Thomas, but he's certainly become a playmaker worth tracking.
Tyrone Wallace (California, PG, Senior)
7 of 9
Stock Report: Down
Tyrone Wallace got off to a hot start, but he's really cooled down over the past few weeks. The same thing happened last season.
Wallace finished 4-of-13 without an assist in a giveaway loss to Virginia on Tuesday. And he continues to struggle from outside, where he's made just 12 of his first 40 threes.
Though a solid playmaker and two-point scorer with appealing 6'5" size for a ball-handler, Wallace hasn't been able to iron out the wrinkles that have been there since his freshman season.
In the NBA draft conversation, if your stock isn't up, it's down. Wallace hasn't been terrible, but without showing scouts he's made any real strides, other prospects who have improved will start passing him on draft boards.
Tyler Ulis (Kentucky, PG, Sophomore)
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Stock Report: Up
Tyler Ulis was outstanding during Kentucky's win over Louisville on Saturday. He finished with 21 points and eight assists, having pushed all the right buttons and hit all the big shots.
Ulis' terrific decision-making and shot-making skills were on display throughout the afternoon—two strengths that help diminish some of the concern over his lack of size and explosiveness.
The real appeal to Ulis stems from his ability to run an offense, make timely drives and knock down spot-ups and pull-ups.
He's now averaging 5.5 assists to 1.9 turnovers, and though he hasn't shot the ball well through December, it seems reasonable to think he'll pick up his three-point percentage during conference play.
Ulis doesn't offer much upside, but teams should at least start thinking about the 19-year-old as a second-round possibility.
Pascal Siakam (New Mexico State, PF, Sophomore)
9 of 9
Stock Report: Up
It's time to start paying attention to Pascal Siakam, who just went for 26 points and 10 rebounds against Baylor and is now averaging 23.9 and 11.7 on the year.
At 6'9", 230 pounds, Siakam looks the part of a pro power forward. And he's explosive around the basket, where he finishes above the rim and shows the coordination to convert acrobatically below it.
As a scorer, he does a nice job of catching and making a quick move to the bucket. And though still raw in terms of his post game and jump shooting, Siakam can make your basic back-to-the-basket hooks and hit the open mid-range shots.
With NBA-caliber physical tools and tremendous production, Siakam has emerged as one of the country's more under-the-radar players. He's become a prospect to monitor heading into conference play.
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