2015 Big Board
by Joseph Fafinski
Updated April 20, 2015
Updated April 20, 2015
C, Duke
Last: 1 (-) |
Okafor is a do-it-all big man, some say in the mold of Tim Duncan. That’s high praise. He rebounds, bullies and scores in the post like no other in the class. On the flip side, Okafor lacks lateral quickness. Some believe that to the difference between selecting him and passing on his talents.
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C, Kentucky
Last: 2 (-) |
Towns impressed in Kentucky’s amazing season, emerging as the go-to threat of the Wildcat offense. Coach Cal relied on the 6’11, and newly-christened 19-year-old, Towns in crunch time situations. His post play needs a bit of work, and he was able to throw bodies around in college with his sheer athleticism. This won’t cut it in the NBA.
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PG, Ohio State
Last: NR |
Russell has gone from nobody to household name in a matter of months. He can shoot from all angles, is very versatile, and rebounds and defends well for a guy his size. I say he’s the best floor general in the class.
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PG, Guandong Southern Tigers (China)
Last: 4 (-) |
Mudiay’s year away from the United States did not go as expected; injuries prevented the youngster from gaining the professional experience he sought for. However, he’s simply too talented and smart to fall out of, say, the top 10. His biggest weakness, outside shooting, can be improved upon, of course. Expect to hear his name called early.
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SF, Duke
Last: 6 (+1) |
Moving forward after a magical March Madness, the biggest thing going against the 6’6 Winslow is his size in the pro ranks. Coach K slotted the 19-year-old at power forward during much of the latter half of the season when injuries forced him to do so. Winslow is far too small to be a four in the association. His physical skill set supersedes the rest of the wings yearning for a top-five selection.
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SF, Arizona
Last: 5 (-1) |
Johnson reminds 60 Picks of a young Gerald Wallace. Coming out of Alabama, Wallace was deemed a defensive stopper and an electric force. These are big footsteps to fill in, but Johnson possesses the playmaking ability and defensive potential to find a worthy suitor in the pros. Coaches love guys who bring high energy and athleticism to a roster, and this is exactly what the Arizona Wildcat does.
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PG, Providence
Last: NR |
Dunn has garnered praise at the point guard position for his play with the Friars, and rightfully so. I’m higher on Dunn than most, so I feel obligated to tell you why. For one, he can do all the things NBA general managers lust after in a point guard. He drives with ease and finishes at the rim well. Also, he rebounds excellently for a guy his size. He’s the Elfrid Payton of this year’s draft class. You may not know his name now, but Kris Dunn is sure to rise up everybody’s boards in the coming months. |
C, Latvia
Last: 8 (-) |
Porzingis was a late scratch from last year’s class after he told scouts he wasn’t ready. He needed to bulk up in his final year in Europe, and he did, weighing in recently at 220 pounds. The grainy footage and urban legends of top-tier European prospects are hard to rely on, but word around town is that this kid is for real. I personally am okay using a top 10 selection on an athletic, quick, three-point draining big.
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SF, UCLA
Last: 7 (-2) |
Looney’s potential as an NBA prospect is sky high. I’d go as far as giving the 6’8 tweener an Andre Kirilenko-esque ceiling. He’s a tremendous rebounder and is as athletic as they come. The ball handling skills and slow release of the Milwaukee native need work, though.
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PF, Arkansas
Last: 12 (+2) |
Standing 6’10 and clocking in at 240 pounds, Portis does not necessarily don the athleticism so many others here possess. He more than makes up for it with his ability to stretch the floor as a power forward, as well as his defensive and post potential.
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C, Kentucky
Last: 16 (+5) |
Initially pegged as a first-rounder in last year’s class, Cauley-Stein returned to Lexington to polish his already sound and defensively-centered arsenal. With Cauley-Stein, you know you are getting—nothing more, nothing less—a solid, fundamentally stout individual.
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PF, Texas
Last: 3 (-9) |
I may have been deranged when I ranked Turner number three prior to the college season. It’s clear there are things the 19-year-old needs to work on moving forward, particularly bulking up to mesh with the big guys in the NBA. This isn’t the Big 12 we are dealing with here. That being said, a polished Turner could have a long and successful professional career.
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SG, Croatia
Last: 14 (+1) |
Physically, Hezonja is a great athlete. He runs the floor well in transition and is explosive around the hoop. He stands out for these reasons on Barcelona’s tape. The character issues are what prevents Hezonja from being a top 10 pick. Witnesses say the Croatian sulks and mopes when things don’t go his way.
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SF, Wisconsin
Last: 17 (+3) |
Count me among those who like Dekker’s game more than Wisconsin teammate Frank Kaminsky’s. At 6’9 and playing the three, Dekker has an NBA-sized body and the tools necessary to get the job done. As far as weaknesses go, his shot selection can be improved.
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SG, Kentucky
Last: NR |
Booker is a classic example of a smart three-point shooter, a la Klay Thompson, who many scouts have already begun comparing the shooting guard to. Booker won’t be 19 for another six-plus months, so his defensive abilities (and the speed required) can obviously be improved before he plateaus as a player.
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PF, Louisville
Last: 10 (-6) |
Harrell is one of the most athletic, strong players in the 2015 NBA Draft class, and has many traits to lead us to believe he’ll be a mainstay in the NBA. Conversely speaking, he’s raw and is a tad undersized at the four for the pros.
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PF, Kentucky
Last: 23 (+6) |
Lyles, the fourth Kentucky prospect on this list, has the ability to hit 20-footers and take it to the rim.
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SG, Georgia State
Last: 19 (+1) |
Before Hunter was a household March Madness darling, the poor man’s J.J. Redick tore up the streets of downtown Atlanta with his long ball for three years. This year, he made the transition, especially with his passing and on-ball defense, to potential pro basketball player. In 2014-15, Hunter doubled his assist average from his sophomore season and taught everyone an important father-son lesson.
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PG, Notre Dame
Last: NR |
Grant, looking to become Notre Dame’s first opening round selection since Ryan Humphrey in 2002, is a special player who worked his rear off this season. He’s 22, sure, but he touts the best leadership skills and size (he’s 6’5) out of any point guard listed here. If selected after the lottery, Grant could be the steal of the draft.
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PG, Duke
Last: 13 (-7) |
Now that the celebration has commenced in Durham, it’s time to get down to business for Jones. His size and lack of defensive effort will be scoffed at by pundits, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a guy who possesses more heart and grit in this class.
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SF, Kansas
Last: 9 (-12) |
I’m going to be frank here for a moment: I don’t like Oubre as a professional basketball player. Not this year, at least; he really could have benefited from another year in Lawrence under the care of Bill Self. Oubre is talented, sure, but needs to work on his ballhandling, defensive movements, and passing.
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C, Wisconsin
Last: 25 (+3) |
I’m going to be Frank here for a moment: I don’t like Kamisky as a professional basketball player. He’s big and he can shoot, but that’s about all the face of the 2014-15 college basketball season has going for him. One-dimensional players often don't succeed in the NBA; I'd put Kaminsky in that neighborhood.
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SG, Michigan
Last: 26 (+3) |
LeVert slashes, crashes, and thrashes formidably in Ann Arbor. In order to do the same professionally, where players are naturally bigger and stronger, he must bulk up physically. There is no question he is skilled enough to make a roster. Just watch LeVert's creativity with his shot, fueled by his athleticism, and you will see why NBA scouts perceive potential in this kid.
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SG, Oklahoma
Last: NR |
To quote the late, great Stuart Scott, Hield is as cool as the other side of the pillow. The Jamaican-born Oklahoma Sooner might not be a superstar, but an NBA roster could find a spot for this athletic, explosive perimeter defender.
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SF, Virginia
Last: NR |
Anderson is brash, jacked, and coming to an NBA arena near you soon. The 6’6 junior possesses the smarts, touts athleticism, and sports a solid jumper. These characteristics usually bode well in transitioning to the pros. NBADraft.net notes that Anderson “[is] good at many aspects of the game, but doesn’t excel in one particular area.” He may not necessarily stand out, but a spot is always welcome in the NBA for a jack-of-all-trades.
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PG, Utah
Last: 30 (+4) |
Wright’s defensive prowess was a cog in the Utah Utes’ 2014-15 season. Additionally, he grabbed five boards and dishes per game, and swiped more than two balls per contest. His unconventional style of play, scouts note, could hurt his chances in the NBA.
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SG, UNLV
Last: 18 (-9) |
Trigger-happy Rashad Vaughn fizzled following a hot start to his freshman season in Las Vegas. Although likely not as efficient, Vaughn projects as a Jamal Crawford type—a player who can score plenty but can leave you with an eternal ache in the noggin when he bricks shot after shot.
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PG, Louisville
Last: 15 (-13) |
Rozier does things on the court few point guards can, like rustle rebounds from seven-footers. He excels in passing and defends soundly, as a scrappy teenaged Rajon Rondo once did in Kentucky. His stock has fallen a bit in the last year, though, as a result of an underwhelming NCAA tournament, where he clanked 26 of 38 shot attempts in the Sweet 16/Elite Eight.
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PF, Kansas
Last: 11 (-18) |
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Alexander was looked at prior to the season as a surefire lottery selection, but an extraordinarily disappointing freshman campaign in Kansas has left us all wondering why we wrote things like “supremely talented” and “NBA ready”.
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SF, Arizona
Last: 22 (-8) |
Scouts see a lot of another man who, like Hollis-Jefferson, has a double-barrelled name: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. RHJ and MKG are similar in nature on the basketball court—they both share a perpetually rolling motor and quickness to trigger solid defensive showings. This season, RHJ underwhelmed in Tucson, and now faces the task of having to prove himself during workout season.
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