#32 Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)
Position: F/C Pick: Round 1 (1st Overall) School: Kentucky (2014-2015)
Team Role: Sixth Man NBA Comparison: Al Horford (ATL) Overrated or Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 57 22.8 11.8 7.2 1.9 0.6 1.0 1.3 .520 .330 .782 Karl-Anthony Towns is likely to have a solid rookie season. I understand the Wolves taking him. They took him not only because they thought he was the best out of the prospects, but because he's a safe pick. There are so many players in this draft class that make you wonder whether they'll fail or succeed in the NBA. For now, I'm going to say that Towns is a bit overrated. Unlike Jahlil Okafor, Towns still has some things to learn as a professional in this league. I don't think he's ready to be a starter for the Wolves just yet, but his time will come very soon. At the end of the day, it's clear to say that he was the first big man chosen before Okafor mainly because he can do a list of things on the floor. Rebounding, blocking, and shooting. Okafor is only natural just for scoring and rebounding. I somehow think Karl-Anthony Towns could miss around 20 games next season due to injury. It's a possibility that Towns becomes an All-Star later on in his career, but developing is the first goal.
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#1 D'Angelo Russell (LAL)
Position: G Pick: Round 1 (2nd Overall) School: Ohio St. (2014-2015)
Team Role: Starting PG NBA Comparison: James Harden (HOU) Overrated or Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 67 26.0 11.1 4.6 6.1 1.0 0.4 2.1 .475 .275 .768 D'Angelo Russell is debated to be the best player coming out of this draft class. He has the best opportunities as a rookie compared to all of the other prospects. Lakers fans are already considering him to be the new superstar in LA after Kobe Bryant retires. Those fans are thinking way too far ahead of themselves, but I don't doubt it to happen. Russell's summer league performance wasn't strong, but I'll let that slide. Having a hard time adjusting to the new pace might be a reason for that. Russell does a good job of recovering from shaky starts. His final summer league game ended up being terrific. During the 2015-2016 NBA season, the only problem for Russell could be his shooting. Taking several shots in a game is what Russell does a lot of, kind of like James Harden. Unfortunately, that's not really going to help the Lakers at all since Kobe already does that. I suggest Russell to spend a lot of time playmaking and distributing the basketball to his teammates for some wins. Another thing I know D'Angelo Russell will do is get noticed in many top 10 highlight clips of the NBA. Very flashy player, as a matter of fact, probably the flashiest. Russell's minutes wont average to 30, because I have high hopes for Jordan Clarkson also, but Russell is probably the better point guard. This isn't the pick that will turn the Lakers around in one season, but it is the pick that can improve the team's chemistry for the future.
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#8 Jahlil Okafor (PHI)
Position: C Pick: Round 1 (3rd Overall) School: Duke (2014-2015)
Team Role: Starting PF NBA Comparison: Al Jefferson (CHA) Overrated or Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 68 29.6 16.9 8.5 1.4 0.4 0.8 2.3 .558 .000 .518 I don't know much of Jahlil Okafor's attitude about becoming a Sixer, but what I do know is that he will be the team's best player next season. The reason for that is his use of scoring for the squad. I won't be surprised at all if Okafor leads the Sixers in scoring next year. Playing for the Sixers isn't going to be a challenge for Okafor, but being the guy who can make them a better team will be. I expect him to lead all rookies in points. Many scouts focus too much on his weaknesses, but he is definitely NBA ready.
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#6 Kristaps Porzingis (NYK)
Position: PF Pick: Round 1 (4th Overall) Club: Baloncesto Sevilla (Spain) [2011-2015]
Team Role: Starting PF NBA Comparison: Andrea Bargnani (BKN) Overrated or Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 78 28.8 12.3 5.6 1.5 0.9 1.3 1.7 .554 .276 .810 Knicks fans should have nothing to worry about. Kristaps Porzingis is going to have a good rookie season. People are overestimating his performance because he's so unorthodox. I do disagree that he could be another Dirk Nowitzki, but I know for a fact he isn't a second coming of Darko Milicic. The only true weakness of Porzingis is his lack of strength, which is why no team should ever consider playing him at center. He definitely should work on his rebounding too. The Knicks need a guy who can score besides Carmelo Anthony. Porzingis has no issue with putting up points.
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#23 Mario Hezonja (ORL)
Position: G/F Pick: Round 1 (5th Overall) Club: FC Barcelona (Spain) [2012-2015]
Team Role: Backup behind Tobias Harris NBA Comparison: Kevin Martin (MIN) Overrated or Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 72 23.9 10.2 3.5 1.7 0.7 0.4 1.4 .445 .333 .845 I don't think Mario Hezonja is NBA ready, but he can maintain his scoring ability for the Magic. Not a bad pick for Orlando, but grabbing Winlsow or Johnson instead would've likely improved the team a lot more. Hezonja is a shooter, but adding a shooter doesn't help the Magic that much. What they need is leadership and scoring. Hezonja is super-young, so time is very important for him to grow as an NBA athlete.
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#00 Willie Cauley-Stein (SAC)
Position: C Pick: Round 1 (6th Overall) School: Kentucky (2012-2015)
Team Role: Starting PF NBA Comparison: Tyson Chandler (PHX) Overrated or Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 74 23.1 4.7 5.9 0.6 0.7 1.3 0.9 .543 .000 .599 I believe this is probably the most overrated pick in 2015. A lot people have stated that Willie Cauley-Stein is the most NBA ready athlete in this draft class. I agree and disagree. Cauley-Stein is NBA ready defensively, but not offensively. On the defensive end, he'll be incredible. It'll be very hard to score against him on the floor. Offense just isn't this man's strong suit. He did superb offensively and defensively during the Summer League, but Summer League basketball is nearly familiar to college basketball. Most summer league players aren't even NBA players, so it was a breeze for Cauley-Stein to dominate. I don't feel comfortable calling him the starting PF for the Kings, but the other guys are useless in that lineup. Hopefully he gets better. If the Kings wanted him just to increase their defense, then it's not so bad of a pick after all.
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#0 Emmanuel Mudiay (DEN)
Position: PG Pick: Round 1 (7th Overall) Club: Guangdong Southern Tigers (China) [2014-2015]
Team Role: Starting PG NBA Comparison: John Wall (WAS) Overrated or Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 65 27.5 8.9 3.8 5.9 1.1 0.1 1.9 .448 .226 .513 Emmanuel Mudiay will make the All-Rookie first team, but mainly because he's the second best guard in this draft class. There's going to be so much pressure put on him next season. The Nuggets traded away Ty Lawson earlier than expected and Mudiay was simply pushed into the starting lineup. I don't think he's ready to take that role yet. Mudiay can be something special in the NBA towards the future, but next season will be a nightmare for him as a starter. He won't play too bad, but he'll be the starting point guard for an awful team. The Nuggets are going to get so many L's next season that it's going to be a nightmare.
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#3 Stanley Johnson (DET)
Position: SF Pick: Round 1 (8th Overall) School: Arizona (2014-2015)
Team Role: Starting SG NBA Comparison: Luol Deng (MIA) Overrated or Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 76 26.4 10.9 4.8 2.2 1.1 0.8 1.5 .439 .281 .740 Stanley Johnson had the best summer league performance out of all the rookies in 2015. The Pistons have been recently making good draft picks year by year. It's not many prospects in these NBA drafts that seem happy enough to be drafted by their team like Johnson. I think this is the team he wanted to play for all along. One thing I want to point out is that he is clearly not a shooting guard. Many people want to consider him a shooting guard. He is in no way, shape or form, a shooting guard. A man with that kind of size fits for a full-time forward. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope isn't starter-ready, so I'm giving the starting shooting guard position to Johnson because of his enhanced defensive skills. Plus I really think Johnson naturally deserves to be a starter. The Pistons are likely going to have a shifty rotation, so Johnson is taking many roles during the season.
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#4 Frank Kaminsky (CHA)
Position: F/C Pick: Round 1 (9th Overall) School: Wisconsin (2011-2015)
Team Role: Starting PF NBA Comparison: Dirk Nowitzki (DAL) Overrated or Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 77 31.0 11.9 6.6 1.7 0.5 0.9 1.5 .476 .296 .785 Great pick for Charlotte. There are totally not many NBA athletes similar to Frank Kaminsky. I personally believe he should have been a top 5 pick in this year's draft. Though he has played in college basketball for a long time, scouts have focused too hard on his weaknesses and basically forgot about his strengths and achievements. I can't say this pick was a steal, because it wasn't like many teams fought to grab him. Kaminsky was casually available and the Hornets decided to pick him. He's not a major dominant athlete, but he's a tough competitor who knows all about winning. The Hornets are going to need that.
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#20 Justise Winslow (MIA)
Position: G/F Pick: Round 1 (10th Overall) School: Duke (2014-2015)
Team Role: Backup behind Dwyane Wade NBA Comparison: Kawhi Leonard (SAS) Overrated or Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 61 22.5 8.3 4.4 1.7 0.8 0.7 1.2 .519 .415 .614 Justise Winslow fell low in this draft for a solid reason. The first 9 teams of the draft viewed him as a player who wouldn't contribute much. Those teams happened to be right. Analysts want to say that Winslow is a winner, but when you play for an obviously successful team like Duke it's not a surprise. Winslow probably wouldn't be able to lead any team to success as a captain. He's a decent sidekick to me. Winslow could possibly fit for Heat, but it's all about whether the Heat will give him a chance to prove it. He's currently a backup to Dwyane Wade and minutes are going to be a problem for Winslow. I would not be shocked at all to see Justise Winslow get traded along with other potential athletes from Miami. That's what Pat Riley loves to do right now. Make stupid trades. He already just made a dumb trade involving Shabazz Napier.
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#33 Myles Turner (IND)
Position: C Pick: Round 1 (11th Overall) School: Texas (2014-2015)
Team Role: Starting C NBA Comparison: LaMarcus Aldridge (SAS) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 82 27.0 8.6 6.9 1.1 0.6 1.0 1.2 .502 .302 .833 Myles Turner was incredible during the Summer League. His size is fantastic and the Pacers are the right team for him. Time is very precious for this young player. He's only going to get better as he ages. He's promised to be the primary starting big man for Indiana. It's not a sure thing for now though. He's in a role battle with Ian Mahinmi for that position.
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#41 Trey Lyles (UTA)
Position: PF Pick: Round 1 (12th Overall) School: Kentucky (2014-2015)
Team Role: 2nd Backup behind Derrick Favors NBA Comparison: Markieff Morris (PHX) Overrated/Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 55 12.5 5.3 2.7 0.3 0.1 0.4 0.7 .474 .085 .515 Trey Lyles is throwing his career down the drain. His decision to forgo his sophomore season with Kentucky was plain stupid. He's not NBA ready and his character and maturity don't suit well in this league yet. He had a good freshman year with Kentucky, but that's the issue. He's a freshman. Yeah I get it. His teammate, Towns was a freshman, so what's the big deal? The big deal is that Trey Lyles didn't really make much of a name for himself like Towns did for Kentucky. His numbers weren't lottery-pick worthy last year either. This is what the scouts see. They see a big man with good size and a set of impressive highlights who plays for the proclaimed number one college team in the country. What I see in this man is low numbers and numbers don't lie. Lack of good numbers means low potential in the NBA. By the way, it also took a while for him to adjust in college. So imagine how big of a challenge it would be for him in a professional league.
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#1 Devin Booker (PHX)
Position: SG Pick: Round 1 (13th Overall) School: Kentucky (2014-2015)
Team Role: Backup behind Brandon Knight NBA Comparison: Klay Thompson (GSW) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 82 23.2 9.4 2.5 3.2 0.6 0.0 1.6 .424 .365 .820 Devin Booker is a player that the Suns don't necessarily need, but this is still a great pick. He's player known for his shooting ability and several teams in the NBA nowadays need that. It's crazy how young he is though. He's not really a nervous player, but I wouldn't blame him if he turned out to be extremely nervous in each game. He's playing with men now and no longer with young boys. He probably has the most to learn out of any player drafted in the 1st Round. I don't really think he learned much playing for Kentucky. His only role for Kentucky was basically coming off the bench and shooting the basketball when necessary. That's about it. I'm iffy about Booker, but after his Summer League performance, I've come to the conclusion that he's confident enough to make it in this league. Only time will tell.
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#22 Cameron Payne (OKC)
Position: PG Pick: Round 1 (14th Overall) School: Murray St. (2013-2015)
Team Role: 2nd Backup behind Russell Westbrook NBA Comparison: Devin Harris (DAL) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 33 10.9 5.5 1.3 2.6 0.5 0.0 0.9 .470 .333 .863 The Thunder should have traded away this draft pick before selecting Cameron Payne. Other teams were in better need of him rather than the Thunder. When they chose him, he already knew what his role was likely going to be. A complete backup for the team. I'm talking 11th or 12th man on the roster. He's better than that. His rookie season will go unnoticed, but that's not really his fault. He's playing for a stacked team and he'll have to wait for his turn to shine in the league.
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#12 Kelly Oubre Jr. (WAS)
Position: G/F Pick: Round 1 (15th Overall) School: Kansas (2014-2015)
Team Role: Backup behind Otto Porter NBA Comparison: James Young (BOS) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 82 21.8 7.7 3.1 2.0 0.7 0.5 1.5 .449 .298 .729 Kelly Oubre Jr. is a common highlight reel according to me. He can make incredible plays, but his shooting will need to improve. He has a definite future in the NBA. Oubre Jr. is coming in for a very weak Wizards team. Adding him increases their athleticism a little bit, but it's not enough to get them a playoff return. This is the perfect team for him, because any other team he'd join wouldn't work out well for him. The Wizards don't have scorers and that means Oubre Jr. could contribute easily with some points on the scoreboard. He's not a good enough shooter to start over Otto Porter, but Porter won't last long in that role either. Kelly Oubre Jr. is not a bad pick and not a bad player.
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#12 Terry Rozier (BOS)
Position: PG Pick: Round 1 (16th Overall) School: Louisville (2013-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: Eric Bledsoe (PHX) Overrated/Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 4 11.4 4.3 1.6 2.2 0.9 0.0 0.9 .216 .125 .375 I want to introduce the NBA D-League's new competitor. That's right, I said it. Terry Rozier will have a long-term career in the D-League. The Celtics wasted a pick that they're not going to invest time in. He's not ready to play at the pro level and he shouldn't get his hopes up, because he's barely seeing any floor time with the Celtics. Rozier will have a hard time joining the 12 man lineup and will be wearing a suit behind the bench all next season. The Boston Celtics will assign him to their D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. He might as well get comfortable playing there, because his NBA hopes and dreams will have ended.
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#20 Rashad Vaughn (MIL)
Position: SG Pick: Round 1 (17th Overall) School: UNLV (2014-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: Arron Afflalo (NYK) Overrated/Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 2 1.8 0.9 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 .250 .167 .000 Rashad Vaughn is another 1st rounder headed straight to the D-League. He had so much potential coming out of High School. Unfortunately, he's moving way too fast with his career. The Buck are not a good draft team. They usually end up drafting a guy who won't contribute much to the team. Parker, Antetokounmpo, and Henson were solid choices, but every other former pick was useless to the team. Rashad Vaughn will likely be useless for the Bucks next season. He is going to have an issue with his lack of playing time.
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#7 Sam Dekker (HOU)
Position: SF Pick: Round 1 (18th Overall) School: Wisconsin (2012-2015)
Team Role: 2nd Backup behind Trevor Ariza NBA Comparison: Chandler Parsons (DAL) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 65 14.9 5.5 3.3 1.2 0.5 0.1 0.9 .475 .295 .684 Sam Dekker fell a little bit in this draft. I thought he was going to be a lottery pick. He's totally better than the two picks chosen ahead of him. I think the Rockets took a tiny steal here at the 18th overall pick. I was entertained by Dekker's march madness effort during his time at Wisconsin. He still continues to play in the red and white, just a different location. Adding Dekker encourages the size of the entire Rockets roster to be very intimidating. Because the Rockets are so stacked right now, Dekker will get less time on the floor. Overall, I see Sam Dekker as a pretty good NBA small forward in the future.
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#13 Jerian Grant (NYK)
Position: G Pick: Round 1 (19th Overall) School: Notre Dame (2011-2015)
Team Role: Backup behind Arron Afflalo NBA Comparison: Reggie Jackson (DET) Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 82 26.8 12.1 3.3 5.4 0.9 0.0 2.2 .489 .272 .795 This is the most underrated player in the entire 2015 draft. Reminds me so much of Reggie Jackson, who was also underrated coming out of the 2011 draft. Jerian Grant is capable of so many things. He's a leader, great shooter, and terrific ball handler. You want to know why he wasn't a lottery pick? Probably because he's a senior. These NBA team's just aren't trustworthy of older draft prospects. They feel the more years you play in college, the less potential you'll get in the NBA. I totally disagree with that. Tim Duncan, Damian Lillard, and Draymond Green have become successful athletes after graduating and the same could happen for Jerian Grant. Grant shouldn't have a problem playing with some better players. His father was a former NBA player and his two brothers have both played pro basketball. Very excited to see Jerian Grant in a Knicks jersey next season.
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#55 Delon Wright (TOR)
Position: G Pick: Round 1 (20th Overall) School: Utah (2013-2015)
Team Role: 2nd Backup behind Kyle Lowry NBA Comparison: Jordan Clarkson (LAL) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 36 11.0 3.3 2.0 1.9 0.5 0.1 0.7 .400 .167 .889 Delon Wright was drafted by a team that doesn't have a solid need for him. He'll be playing as a second backup behind Kyle Lowry and Cory Joseph. It's very difficult to grow out of a bench postion into a starter. Kyle Lowry was an All-Star last year and Toronto fans look at Cory Joseph like he's Jesus because he's from Canada. Wright has good work ethic, so perhaps he might have a small chance to get noticed in the future for another team instead of the Raptors. A player like this shouldn't be wasted, because a guy with his size and splendid defense is very scarce in the NBA.
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#23 Justin Anderson (DAL)
Position: G/F Pick: Round 1 (21st Overall) School: Virginia (2012-2015)
Team Role: Backup behind Chandler Parsons NBA Comparison: PJ Tucker (PHX) Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 78 18.3 8.8 4.2 0.6 0.5 0.7 1.1 .484 .362 .763 The Mavericks made a good pick here at 21st. Justin Anderson is one of the better upperclassmen in this draft class. One thing you have to like about him is his willingness to improve each year. He's not excellent in every single aspect of the game, but he shows good effort in everything that he does. This is a steal to me. Might not to be the player you want, but he is the player you need. Good job Mavericks.
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#5 Bobby Portis (CHI)
Position: PF Pick: Round 1 (22nd Overall) School: Arkansas (2013-2015)
Team Role: 2nd Backup behind Pau Gasol NBA Comparison: Greg Monroe (MIL) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 52 10.8 4.3 2.6 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.5 .560 .000 .720 Like Payne, Dekker, and Wright, Bobby Portis also won't get much of a notice in his rookie season. He was chosen by a team whose number goal is to win the NBA Finals. They can't afford to let a young rookie get in the way of that. I believe Portis should have been picked a little bit earlier, but he isn't All-Star talented. There's no possibility of him becoming an All-Star, but his chances of becoming a starter are likely.
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#24 Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (BKN)
Position: SF Pick: Round 1 (23rd Overall) School: Arizona (2013-2015)
Team Role: Backup behind Joe Johnson NBA Comparison: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (CHA) Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 77 22.5 6.7 4.7 1.4 0.7 0.6 1.2 .526 .371 .676 Rondae Hollis-Jefferson isn't a shooter or scorer, but he's exactly everything else. Miscellaneous traits are his strength. He can block, steal, pass, dunk, and rebound. His hustle is truly amazing also. This is a player that you want on your basketball team. He brings the energy to a team and whatever you tell him to do, he'll do it exactly the way you told him to. You would appreciate being a coach to this player because what he loves to do is learn. Who knows? Maybe in a good 5 years, his shooting could be on the right track.
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#1 Tyus Jones (MIN)
Position: PG Pick: Round 1 (24th Overall) School: Duke (2014-2015)
Team Role: 2nd Backup Behind Ricky Rubio NBA Comparison: Trey Burke (UTA) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 45 11.6 4.4 0.9 2.6 0.4 0.0 1.0 .427 .288 .952 Tyus Jones was likely going to return to Duke for his sophomore year, but after his Final Four performance he's gained lots of attention. He saw the NBA draft as an opportunity he couldn't miss out on. I can't really blame him for that decision, but he just isn't NBA ready. He's very small at 6'1" and 190 lbs. He can handle a tough challenge though. He won't make much of an impact in his first few years as a backup point guard, but there's something about him that makes him special. I can't define it just yet, but there's something there.
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#10 Jarrell Martin (MEM)
Position: PF Pick: Round 1 (25th Overall) School: LSU (2013-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: Paul Millsap (ATL) Overrated/Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 26 5.2 1.7 1.3 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 .752 .056 .380 Out of all the prospects drafted in the 1st Round, Jarrell Martin is the only one who doesn't deserve a 1st Round selection. He should have stayed at LSU. There are great new freshmen coming in for LSU in 2015 and if he had chose to stay, the college basketball team could've reached the Final Four. The Grizzlies don't have enough time to wait for a guy like Martin to develop, so Jarrell Martin fans might as well pay close attention to him in the D-League for most of his basketball career.
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#7 Larry Nance Jr. (LAL)
Position: F Pick: Round 1 (27th Overall) School: Wyoming (2011-2015)
Team Role: 2nd Backup behind Brandon Bass NBA Comparison: Lou Amundson (NYK) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 80 11.0 3.2 2.0 0.9 0.5 0.4 0.7 .505 .354 .827 Rule number one, never tweet anything personal or offensive about any player in the NBA while you're playing college ball. Because you'll never be sure enough whether he'll be your future teammate. In 2012, Larry Nance Jr. was dumb enough to post an offensive tweet about Kobe Bryant and his rape charge. Kobe forgave him for the sake of the next season, but this pick was risky because team chemistry is a huge problem for the Lakers. Adding Nance Jr. would complicate things much more. At the end of the Lakers season Nance Jr. will put up decent numbers in his small role for LA.
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#28 R.J. Hunter (BOS)
Position: SG Pick: Round 1 (28th Overall) School: Georgia St. (2012-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: J.J. Redick (LAC) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 24 7.5 3.9 1.4 0.7 0.2 0.1 0.5 .465 .451 .871 The Cetics take the biggest L in this year's draft. Not because they drafted bad players, they pretty much just wasted 4 valuable draft picks on players they don't need. They might as well should have traded their first round picks for a good current player. R.J. Hunter is a great shooter (best shooter in the draft), but if it weren't for that he would not be drafted. I can't view Hunter as a future D-League player, but I don't imagine a long career with the Celtics. I suggest they trade him to a team that he'd fit perfect with or he's playing pro ball somewhere in Europe.
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#1 Chris McCullough (BKN)
Position: PF Pick: Round 1 (29th Overall) School: Syracuse (2014-2015)
Team Role: 2nd Backup behind Thaddeus Young NBA Comparison: Serge Ibaka (OKC) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 37 12.7 5.0 3.1 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.7 .537 .000 .607 The Brooklyn Nets picked up a few pretty good draft picks, Chris McCullough being one of them. He's young, but that's fine because the Nets are too old. They're going to need some youth. McCullough won't play more than 40 games, but even if he spends a little time in the Development League it could be worth it for the Nets as they're developing a potential, future starter for the team.
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#36 Kevon Looney (GSW)
Position: PF Pick: Round 1 (30th Overall) School: UCLA (2014-2015)
Team Role: 3rd Backup behind Draymond Green NBA Comparison: Al-Farouq Aminu (POR) Overrated/Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 21 9.2 3.3 2.9 0.5 0.2 0.3 0.6 .481 .178 .597 I don't believe the Warriors worked hard to scout young talent for the NBA draft. They spent a lot of time celebrating that championship win. That's okay. They knew from the beginning that they were drafting another bench warmer. Kevon Looney is another player who needed to stay in college. On the bright side, he's a great rebounder and his 3 point shot could get on the rise. His rookie season will be just like James Michael McAddo's. Not many minutes on the floor and he'll get used to being on the bench the entire game.
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#35 Montrezl Harrell (HOU)
Position: PF Pick: Round 2 (32nd Overall) School: Louisville (2012-2015)
Team Role: 2nd Backup behind Terrence Jones NBA Comparison: Kenneth Faried (DEN) Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 18 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 .750 .000 .333 From now I'll have very little to say about many of these second round picks. Montrezl Harrell chose the wrong year to enter the draft. He was selected by a team that won't need much of his services.
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#55 Jordan Mickey (BOS)
Position: F Pick: Round 2 (33rd Overall) School: LSU (2013-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: Marvin Williams (CHA) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 .000 .000 .000 That's right. Jordan Mickey probably won't play an NBA game. If the first two picks for Boston have extremely short minutes of playing time, this one has no chance of getting on the floor and proving he's an NBA athlete. Mickey's summer league is the only action he's getting as an NBA player.
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#3 Anthony Brown (LAL)
Position: G/F Pick: Round 2 (34th Overall) School: Stanford (2010-2015)
Team Role: Backup behind Nick Young NBA Comparison: Quincy Pondexter (NOP) Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 73 8.7 3.5 1.7 1.1 0.2 0.1 0.6 .438 .396 .792 The Lakers have gained a proper sized small forward. Anthony Brown could have some fun playing for this team despite his short playing time. He's getting a good opportunity unlike most 2nd rounders.
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#25 Rakeem Christmas (IND)
Position: PF Pick: Round 2 (36th Overall) School: Syracuse (2011-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: J.J. Hickson (DEN) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 10 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 .667 .000 .333 Drafted by Minnsota, traded to Cleveland on draft day, and then traded again to Indiana in July. I don't know much about Rakeem Christmas, but it seems to me that he's a valauble trading tool. If he plans on having a better basketball career, I'm sure he'd fit well playing for a team in another country.
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#22 Richaun Holmes (PHI)
Position: F Pick: Round 2 (37th Overall) School: Bowling Green (2012-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: Amir Johnson (BOS) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 2 0.0 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 .000 .000 .500 This is a player that will be forgotten in the blink of an eye. Sixers added him to just fill in a temporary practice squad position. They don't really need him, but if I were Richaun Holmes I'd be happy being drafted in general. I had no expectations of him getting selected, but I guess the Sixers were in need of a temporary player. So they grabbed him.
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#6 Darrun Hilliard (DET)
Position: G/F Pick: Round 2 (38th Overall) School: Villanova (2011-2015)
Team Role: 3rd Backup behind Stanley Johnson NBA Comparison: N/A Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 34 12.6 3.5 2.2 1.3 0.5 0.2 0.8 .369 .349 .816 Darrun Hilliard is a better shooter than many of these prospects in the 2nd round. He was listed very low on several analyst's draft big board. He was ranked behind over 60 prospects. I guess people didn't notice that he led a Villanova team to earning a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. He deserves credit. The Pistons will utilize Hilliard respectfully next season.
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#0 Josh Richardson (MIA)
Position: SG Pick: Round 2 (40th Overall) School: Tennessee (2011-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: Kent Bazemore (ATL) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 8 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 .333 .000 .333 Josh Richardson is set to be on an easy ride with the Heat to the playoffs without any source of contribution to the team. Likely a D-League competitor for most of his career.
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#5 Pat Connaughton (POR)
Position: G/F Pick: Round 2 (41st Overall) School: Notre Dame (2011-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: Joe Harris (CLE) Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 9 0.9 0.7 0.3 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 .538 .222 .167 Very underrated. I really enjoy watching Pat Connaughton. He might not make it in this league, but he deserves an honorable mention in this draft class. He was the highest leaper in NBA draft camp with a record-breaking 44 inch vertical during the summer. His athleticism is very rare. He's 6'5" athlete who has the ability to play big. The Blazers should really put him on the floor more often than I expect, because he's more skilled than a lot of guys on that team already. He's not headed to be a total failure even if he loses his NBA opportunity, because he has a chance at Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles if this gig doesn't work out. Good for him.
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#1 Joseph Young (IND)
Position: G Pick: Round 2 (43rd Overall) School: Oregon (2013-2015)
Team Role: 2nd Backup behind George Hill NBA Comparison: Monta Ellis (IND) Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 3 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 .333 .333 .000 Joseph Young is another young prospect with high hopes of being beneficial to a team. He did very well during the summer league, scoring fantastically. He's very little for his position, so that might push the Pacers organization away from holding on to him for long. But at the end of the day he he's a hard worker and deserves a shot to prove what he's got in this league.
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#4 Andrew Harrison (MEM)
Position: PG Pick: Round 2 (44th Overall) School: Kentucky (2013-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: Tyreke Evans (NOP) Overrated/Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 9 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.1 .500 .000 .000 I don't believe Andrew Harrison should have been drafted. He and his twin brother chose the wrong year to enter the draft. Andrew's freshman season was a lot better than his sophomore year, which meansthat improvement is something he can't do much of. What you see is what you're going to get with Harrison. Not an awful player, but he's full of himself. I bet what he thought, coming into this draft, that he believed he was one of the top five point guards on the board. Not at all. As a matter of fact, he's barely top 10. I consider him a very lucky guy to get picked up. I don't know what the future holds for Andrew Harrison, but he's just not an NBA player in my book.
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#24 Norman Powell (TOR)
Position: SG Pick: Round 2 (46th Overall) School: UCLA (2011-2015)
Team Role: 2nd Backup behind Demar DeRozan NBA Comparison: Tony Allen (MEM) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 3 3.3 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 .417 .000 .000 The Raptors don't care much about the players they drafted in 2015. Norman Powell gives great effort, but not noticeable effort. Therefore, he's pretty much spending his career in the D-League.
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#1 Tyler Harvey (ORL)
Position: G Pick: Round 2 (51st Overall) School: Eastern Washington (2012-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: John Jenkins (DAL) Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 8 6.5 3.6 0.8 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.1 .504 .479 .429 I don't think the Orlando Magic will cherish Tyler Harvey's abilities, but he'll prove to other NBA opponents that he's a good competitor.
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#16 Sir'Dominic Pointer (CLE)
Position: G/F Pick: Round 2 (53rd Overall) School: St. John's (2011-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: N/A Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 4 0.3 0.5 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 .667 .000 .000 I didn't know who this man was when the Cavaliers selected him, so he might be just as useless to the championship hungry team like Joe Harris.
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#22 Branden Dawson (LAC)
Position: F Pick: Round 2 (56th Overall) School: Michigan St. (2011-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: K.J. McDaniels (HOU) Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 9 0.2 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 .000 .000 .000 I really want Brandon Dawson to follow the same footsteps as Draymond Green. Like Green, Dawson is a Michigan State senior selected in the 2nd Round of the NBA draft. He also plays at the 3 and 4. Their sizes aren't too different from one another, so I'm hoping Dawson brings a late spark from the Clippers bench. He played well during the summer league.
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*List of rookies not drafted in 2015
#34 Cliff Alexander (POR)
Position: PF Pick: (2015) Undrafted School: Kansas (2014-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: Thomas Robinson (BKN) Overrated/Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 6 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 .111 .000 .000 Cliff Alexander is the epitome of over-hyped freshmen entering the draft. Despite his possible suspension in the NCAA next year, it was still a poor choice for him to quickly go pro. This a D-League player right here.
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Thanasis Antetokounmpo (NYK)
Position: SF Pick: (2014) Round 2 (51st Overall) Club: Delaware 87ers (D-League) [2013-2014]
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: Thabo Sefolosha (ATL) Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 16 10.0 6.0 1.8 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.6 .617 .173 .348 I wish Thanasis Antetokounmpo could be as tall as his brother with the same amount of energy, but I guess it can't be that way. He's still a well-rounded athlete. The Knicks roster is so weak, that it's possible for him to get more minutes than he expected.
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#88 Nemanja Bjelica (MIN)
Position: F Pick: (2013) Round 2 (35th Overall) Club: Red Star Belgrade (Serbia) [2008-2010]
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: N/A Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 17 8.3 3.8 1.5 0.7 0.2 0.1 0.5 .635 .272 .467 Nemanja Bjelica played terrific in Turkey. I think he'll do fine with the Wolves.
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#21 Joel Embiid (PHI)
Position: C Pick: (2014) Round: 1 (3rd Overall) School: Kansas (2013-2014)
Team Role: Starting C NBA Comparison: Tim Duncan (SAS) Overrated/Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 82 25.1 9.8 7.8 0.7 0.9 1.2 1.6 .486 .000 .691 I gotta say, it angers me to hear that a player might miss two full NBA seasons all because of a broken foot. I've heard of players who torn ACL's and MCL's and returned the following season. So what's the issue with this guy? Was his foot cut off? Joel Embiid might miss more basketball activity than Kevin Ware did in Louisville, and his leg split in half. This all says a lot about Embiid. If Embiid isn't strong enough to quickly recover from a foot injury or a stress fracture in the back, then he's not fit for the NBA. The Sixers are investing too much time in this player. It seems to me that it's not even worth it. Scouts claim he's the next Hakeem Olajuwon, but that's unlikely if he's coming back on the floor from such dramatic injuries. He won't play like his old self due to his banged up body. This all reminds me of when the Sixers invested too much time on Andrew Bynum. If Joel Embiid does not play in the 2015-16 NBA season, then the stats I'm predicting for him will be different and look much worse than before.
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#9 Aaron Harrison (CHA)
Position: SG Pick: (2015) Undrafted School: Kentucky (2013-2015)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: N/A Overrated/Underrated: Overrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 3 3.6 1.1 0.3 1.2 0.2 0.0 0.2 .194 .167 .292 I can't believe that this kid really expected to get drafted. His brother is better than him, but even Andrew had low chances of getting selected. Aaron Harrison was solid in the summer league but he's no help to the Hornets at all.
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#55 Pierre Jackson (PHI)
Position: PG Pick: (2013) Round 2 (42nd Overall) School: Baylor (2011-2013)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: Isaiah Thomas (BOS) Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 8 6.3 3.6 0.6 1.3 0.3 0.1 0.7 .479 .211 .655 I remember watching Pierre Jackson play for Baylor. Good player. It's just not fair to see athletes lose value in the league just because of size. I don't know if the Sixers are the right team for him, but he's no semi-pro.
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#1 Nikola Jokic (DEN)
Position: C Pick: (2014) Round 2 (41st Overall) Club: Mega Vizura (Serbia) [2012-2015]
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: Nikola Vucevic (ORL) Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 28 8.6 3.2 2.3 0.6 0.2 0.3 0.5 .448 .248 .609 The Nuggets are such a bad team, that even this new guy will be able to play enough minutes. No offense to him though.
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#40 Boban Marjanovic (SAS)
Position: C Pick: (2010) Undrafted Club: CSKA Moscow (Russia) [2010-2011]
Team Role: 2nd Backup behind Tim Duncan NBA Comparison: N/A Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 49 7.2 2.1 1.5 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.3 .429 .014 .644 The Spurs are a pure definition of a legit basketball team. Everybody gets a chance to play and I definitely salute to that. Marjanovic will get a good chance to play ball on the floor with the Spurs. This was the right team for him.
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Tibor Pleiss (UTA)
Position: C Pick: (2010) Round 2 (31st Overall) Club: Brose Baskets (Germany) [2009-2012]
Team Role: Backup behind Rudy Gobert NBA Comparison: N/A Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 54 12.0 5.9 3.0 0.3 0.1 0.4 0.7 .518 .000 .763 The Utah Jazz have waited a while for this quality backup center. I think the wait was worth it.
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#33 Willie Reed (BKN)
Position: F/C Pick: (2011) Undrafted School: Saint Louis (2008-2010)
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: N/A Overrated/Underrated: Underrated Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 2 1.8 1.0 0.7 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 .250 .000 .500 Willie Reed was great during the Summer League, which is why he earned a roster spot for the Nets.
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#22 Walter Tavares (ATL)
Position: C Pick: (2014) Round 2 (43rd Overall) Club: CB Gran Canaria (Spain) [2009-2015]
Team Role: Injury Reserve NBA Comparison: N/A Overrated/Underrated: Neither Games MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TO FG% 3P% FT% Avg: 16 1.6 0.7 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 .278 .000 .210 I think Tavares will have a rookie season similar to Lucas Nogueira's.
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