2015 Draft: your top 20 prospect rank

[Beat LA]

You've got Kaminsky at #6? wow.

Okafur is likely #1 or#2 for NBA teams simply because of his size and offensive ability. I'd probably take Towns, and I've been changing my mind about them as I watch them live over the tourney. His footwork is better than Towns but he doesn't have the defensive ability. On the offensive end he's one of the best big men in a while so I can see the potential. His IQ is incredibly high as well.

I think if the Knicks get the #1 pick they'll take Towns. I think if the Lakers get the #1 pick they'd take Okafur.
My list:

1)Towns
2)Mudiay
3)Okafur
4) Russell
5)Winslow
6)Porzingis
7)Willy Cauley Stein
8)Mario Heznoja
9)Stanley Johnson
10)Kelly Oubre
11) Turner
12)Grant
13)Portis
14) Lyles
15)Levert
16)Kaminsky
17)Poeltl
18)Looney

Has he declared for the draft?

Who?

Kaminsky , okafor, winslow are declaring. Not likely they dont

Levert.

[Tr1boy]

** I barely watch any college basketball. Based mostly on what I have read about players.

1 - Towns
2 - Mudiay
3 - Russell
4 - Okafor
5 - Porzingis
6 - Winslow
7 - Stanley Johnson
8 - Hezonja
9 - Looney
10 - WCS

That is a pretty good list for a guy that doesn't really watch college ball.  Your list could actually end up happening

I think Winslow is really going to jump up in this draft.  He can defend multiple positions, rebound, get to the line, score tough baskets, shoot the ball  . Like Crowder on roids

[Smartacus]

Mine as of April 7th 2014

1. Karl Towns - Lacks advanced post skills but otherwise is the complete center of the draft
2. Mudiyai -John Wall part 2
3. Russell - best SG of the draft.  Reminds me of Brandon Roy
4. Winslow -  Skilled, longer wingspan version of Jae Crowder.  Top notch motor, versatile D
5. Okafor -  huge body/long wingspan/good post skills.  Needs to work on defense/stamina/J
6. Kaminsky - Inside/outside skilled center. Needs to become stronger
7. Porzingis - 7'0" tall long wingspan quick/athletic pf.  Can put in on the floor and shoot.Skinny
8. Johnson - 6'7 beast sf. Good defender and decent shooter/scoring skills.  not explosive
9. Hezonja - 6'8 SG , explosive. Good shooter/handles. Intense.  Not consistent
10. Oubre - Athletic sg/sf with 7'2 wingspan.  Needs to add strength/develop right hand
11. Grant
12. WCS
13. Poetl
14. Wood
15. Pope
15. Turner
16. Lyles
17. Looney
18. Portis
19. Dekker
20. Booker

All picks subject to change here goes...
1Jahleel Okafor
2Karl Anthony Towns Jr
3Emanuel Mudiay
4Deangelo Russell
5Stanley Johnson
6Mario Hezonja
7Justise Winslow
8Myles Turner
9Kristaps Porzingis
10Kelly Oubre
11Bobby Portis
12Willey Caulie Stein
13Rashad Vaungn
14Frank Kaminski
15Caris Lavert
16Jakob Poetl
17Kris Dunn
18Sam Dekker
19Jerian Grant
20Kevon Looney
Mine's a blatant ripoff very similar to Draft Express but I can't really disagree with what they see. Higher on Vaughn, Lavert and Portis than most.

[Eddie20]

A few things...


* Kaminsky is not a center, at least not at the next level. He simply can't guard the C position.

* Thinking he is a top 6 pick is nutty. Having success as a 22 year old senior, vs younger opposition, at a lower level is one thing. Doing so at the NBA level is quite another. Picking him that high based on his college accolades is not taking into account the progression the younger players you're passing on will make.

* The draft combine in a little over a month which will cause Kaminsky's stock to fall.

* Okafor's weakness is on the defensive end. However, he has great size and length for the position and those components give him the potential to be an adequate defender.

[Ilikesports17]

1. Okafor
2. Towns
3. Russell
4. Mudiay
5. Winslow
6. Porzingis
7. WCS
8. Johnson
9. Hezonja
10. Turner
11. Poeltl
12.Oubre
13. Lyles
14. Looney
15. Booker
16. Kaminsky
17. Dekker
18. Hollis-Jefferson
19. Dunn
20. Pope

it's your list but after watching tourney/last night's game how can you have Okafor as the #1 prospect?

It was just not foul issues that kept him out of the game.   Mediocre defender and he has to really work on his stamina. A few times up and down the court and he looks gassed.  Winslow imo is even a better prospect

Kaminsky 16? Really?

I think you are overreacting to one game. Okafor has pretty unanimously been either 1 or 2 since people have started to look at the 2015 draft. I had seen no one project him lower than 2 prior to the national championship game. 1 bad game doesnt drop a guy that far. Keep in mind Wiggins was garbage in the NCAAs last year, Parker was terrible, Embiid didnt play, Exum was in Australia being a mystery.

[chambers]

You've got Kaminsky at #6? wow.

Okafur is likely #1 or#2 for NBA teams simply because of his size and offensive ability. I'd probably take Towns, and I've been changing my mind about them as I watch them live over the tourney. His footwork is better than Towns but he doesn't have the defensive ability. On the offensive end he's one of the best big men in a while so I can see the potential. His IQ is incredibly high as well.

I think if the Knicks get the #1 pick they'll take Towns. I think if the Lakers get the #1 pick they'd take Okafur.
My list:

1)Towns
2)Mudiay
3)Okafur
4) Russell
5)Winslow
6)Porzingis
7)Willy Cauley Stein
8)Mario Heznoja
9)Stanley Johnson
10)Kelly Oubre
11) Turner
12)Grant
13)Portis
14) Lyles
15)Levert
16)Kaminsky
17)Poeltl
18)Looney

Has he declared for the draft?

Who?

Kaminsky , okafor, winslow are declaring. Not likely they dont

Levert.

Not yet, could come back. He's on my list if he declares.
He'd probably go top 10 in 2016 and would be a great gamble with clips pick if he's still around.
He would have declared for 2014 but he played with a broken foot and came back.
Could drop to #24-28 if team docs aren't sure about his foot (like Sullys back).

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/25104726/caris-levert-unsure-on-whether-or-not-hell-declare-for-nba-draft

[Beat LA]

You've got Kaminsky at #6? wow.

Okafur is likely #1 or#2 for NBA teams simply because of his size and offensive ability. I'd probably take Towns, and I've been changing my mind about them as I watch them live over the tourney. His footwork is better than Towns but he doesn't have the defensive ability. On the offensive end he's one of the best big men in a while so I can see the potential. His IQ is incredibly high as well.

I think if the Knicks get the #1 pick they'll take Towns. I think if the Lakers get the #1 pick they'd take Okafur.
My list:

1)Towns
2)Mudiay
3)Okafur
4) Russell
5)Winslow
6)Porzingis
7)Willy Cauley Stein
8)Mario Heznoja
9)Stanley Johnson
10)Kelly Oubre
11) Turner
12)Grant
13)Portis
14) Lyles
15)Levert
16)Kaminsky
17)Poeltl
18)Looney

Has he declared for the draft?

Who?

Kaminsky , okafor, winslow are declaring. Not likely they dont

Levert.

Not yet, could come back. He's on my list if he declares.
He'd probably go top 10 in 2016 and would be a great gamble with clips pick if he's still around.
He would have declared for 2014 but he played with a broken foot and came back.
Could drop to #24-28 if team docs aren't sure about his foot (like Sullys back).

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/eye-on-college-basketball/25104726/caris-levert-unsure-on-whether-or-not-hell-declare-for-nba-draft

Thanks for the info, TP.

[The Rondo Show]

Does anyone know why Myles Turner is sliding on mock drafts?  Is there an issue with his knees or something?  Just curious.

Watched all of his games and attended every home game. He's sliding because of his brutal end of the season (last 4-5 games or so), in which he barely played and frankly looked lost. He mainly fell out of the rotation because he didn't really fit Rick Barnes' system, one that preferred Connor Lammert and got Barnes deservingly fired.

He was a force on the defensive end, but never really lived up to the hype offensively. However, the raw skill (jumper, post turnaround, etc) is there. He really should stay in school, especially with Shaka Smart taking over, but hopefully an NBA coach can get him stronger and improve his post game. He has potential to be an excellent two-way big.

[The Rondo Show]

1) Towns
2) Okafor
3) Mudiay
4) Russell
5) Winslow
6) Cauley Stein
7) Porzingis
8.) Hezonja
9) Johnson
10) Turner
11) Oubre
12) Kaminsky
13) Poeltl
14) Grant
15) Looney
16) Dekker
17) Dunn
18) Booker
19) Portis
20) Lyles

[Celtics18]

A few things...


* Kaminsky is not a center, at least not at the next level. He simply can't guard the C position.

* Thinking he is a top 6 pick is nutty. Having success as a 22 year old senior, vs younger opposition, at a lower level is one thing. Doing so at the NBA level is quite another. Picking him that high based on his college accolades is not taking into account the progression the younger players you're passing on will make.

* The draft combine in a little over a month which will cause Kaminsky's stock to fall.

* Okafor's weakness is on the defensive end. However, he has great size and length for the position and those components give him the potential to be an adequate defender.

Okafor will undoubtedly go top two in the upcoming draft.  Deservedly so.  His skill, touch, and mobility around the basket for a guy his size are truly special qualities.  However, if I'm an NBA GM, there are certainly things about him that would make me very nervous.  I don't like his lack of foot speed or his seeming lack of conditioning.

They like to say that they can correct those things on the next level, but it doesn't always happen.  I fear that Okafor could be the next Eddy Curry.  Of course, he could prove me wrong and be the next Demarcus Cousins. 

I'll admit that I'm basing most of my scouting report on Kaminsky on a couple of games, but, boy, was I impressed with his performances against the two top big men prospects in those games. 

I absolutely think Kaminsky should be a center at the next level.  Like Kelly Olynyk, playing him at center is the spot where a team will be able to best maximize his advantages and minimize his disadvantages.  I think that for Kaminsky guarding perimeter oriented bigs on the perimeter will be more of a challenge than battling with bigger, stronger guys on the interior. 

Just my two cents:

But, I think that Frank Kaminsky has a good shot at being one of the top five players from this draft class (that doesn't mean I think he'll necessarily be drafted in the top five; he probably won't).

[CFAN38]

I made a pretty detailed fan post a few weeks back and listed out my tiers for this draft. http://www.celticsblog.com/2015/3/18/8241001/tiers-of-an-nba-draft-addict  I want to update it in the coming week as players pull out and to make some minor changes post NCAA tourney. As of 4-8 my straight 1-30 rank is the following,

1. Okafor,
2. Towns,
3. Mudiay,
4. Russell,
5. Prozingis
6. Herzonja
7. Winslow
8. WCS
9. S Jonson
10. Lyles
11. Poeltl
12. Oubre
13. Looney
14. Kaminsky
15. Decker
16. Turner
17. Booker
18. Grant
19. Harrell
20. Hollis-Jefferson
21. LeVert
22. D Jackson
23. Dunn
24. Payne
25. Portis
26. T Jones
27. D Johnson
28. J Anderson
29. Hunter
30. Upshaw

To me picks 18 till probably 40 are very even. This is a massive tier full of players at various points in there development with ceilings ranging from bench specialists to 4th/5th starters. The bottom half of the first round will come down to need for a lot of teams as BPA will be pretty even. This parody should also help the Cs greatly in this draft. Owning the 33rd and 43rd picks will make for valuable tools if the Cs want to move up a few spots (especially from 26) to get a prospect they like. 

If the draft order holds and the Cs end up with #15, #26, #33 and #43

[JSD]

I would be thrilled if Kaminsky fell to the Celtics.

[Who]

Does anyone know why Myles Turner is sliding on mock drafts?  Is there an issue with his knees or something?  Just curious.

Watched all of his games and attended every home game. He's sliding because of his brutal end of the season (last 4-5 games or so), in which he barely played and frankly looked lost. He mainly fell out of the rotation because he didn't really fit Rick Barnes' system, one that preferred Connor Lammert and got Barnes deservingly fired.

He was a force on the defensive end, but never really lived up to the hype offensively. However, the raw skill (jumper, post turnaround, etc) is there. He really should stay in school, especially with Shaka Smart taking over, but hopefully an NBA coach can get him stronger and improve his post game. He has potential to be an excellent two-way big.

His shooting ability is very interesting.

I would feel a lot better about Turner if he was a good passer. The shooting + passing would make him a terrific (offense) high post center with good defensive talent.

[Tr1boy]

Okafor is not better than Towns nor Winslow. The team that picks Okafor ahead of these two players will make a mistake

Eddie20 it was not only one game. He barely faced a decent inside presence all season long.  And he was only mediocre in the tourney. Justise Winslow did alot more heavy lifting for Duke in the tourney

[CFAN38]

Okafor is not better than Towns nor Winslow. The team that picks Okafor ahead of these two players will make a mistake

Eddie20 it was not only one game. He barely faced a decent inside presence all season long.  And he was only mediocre in the tourney. Justise Winslow did alot more heavy lifting for Duke in the tourney

I can see the argument Okafor vs Towns but winslow is not on their level as a prospect. This is not to say he isn't a great prospect just his positional value is not the same. Skilled young 6'10 - 7' players are hard to come by. Athletic 6'6 wings are a dime a dozen. It also cant be ignored that Winslow saw his production pick up in the tourney when he was essentially playing the PF a role he (like Crowder) will be able to play at time in the NBA but not very often. This isn't a bashing of Winslow he is a legit top 10 talent who should be a very good NBA player but he should not be looked at ahead of Okafor, Towns, Mudiay, Russell and maybe not Prozingis.