Courtesy – New York Times
The 2015 NBA draft took place on Thursday June 25. This is always a special night, when dreams become realities for young men who have worked extremely hard to get to this stage of their respective career.
Where players are selected doesn’t always prove how their careers will turn out. Throughout history, we have seen our share of draft busts and draft sleepers. Doing research is important for each franchise before they make a pick, but even with all the research injuries can’t be predicted and some players just straight up flop. This article will analyze and grade the top five picks from the 2015 NBA draft.
1) Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns, F/C
Grade: A+
Karl-Anthony Towns joins John Wall and Anthony Davis in being selected first overall from the University of Kentucky and if his career will look like the careers of Davis and Wall, then the Timberwolves should be really happy right now. He played one year at Kentucky and averaged 10. 3PTs, 6.7REBs and 2.2BLKs in only 21.1 minutes per game. Also, Towns is solid from the free-throw line averaging a respective 81.3 percent.
Towns has been a skilled player throughout his whole career. During his senior year at St. Joseph’s High School, he was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American. This is a great pick for Minnesota, they get an extremely skill post player who could be could very well be the perfect compliment player to last year’s number one draft pick Andrew Wiggins, who Minnesota acquire in a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kevin Love. Wiggins and Towns could be a better Shaq and Kobe. Towns also has the perfect mentor, Kevin Garnett. The Timberwolves franchise is rebuilding the right way and has a bright future.
2) Los Angeles Lakers: D’Angelo Russell, SG
Grade: A+
D’Angelo Russell has the type of game that will make him a modern day NBA star. He is extremely fast and can score on and off the ball. He will provide great leadership for the Lakers in the long run. He is even possibly the next best Lakers franchise player.
I am still kind of shocked that Los Angeles went with Russell and passed up on a franchise center, Jahlil Okafor. Regardless, the Lakers still made a great pick grabbing this former Buckeye. In his one year at Ohio State, he averaged 19PTs, 6REBs and 5ASTs per game. Not to mention, he shot 41 percent behind the arc. Yes, 41 percent from downtown now let the Stephen Curry comparison begin. He has also been compared to Russell Westbrook, so I am very eager to see what he does his rookie season. This wasn’t the safest pick for Los Angeles but Russell has the abilities to possibly one day be up there with MVP talk.
3) Philadelphia 76ers: Jahlil Okafor, C
Grade: B+
Jahlil Okafor was once talked as being the top pick in the 2015 draft but he slipped down to third. This wasn’t the 76ers first pick but they grabbed the best player available, which is why they are receiving an ‘B+’. He still has the potential to make significant contributions. Philadelphia now has Okafor, Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid. This is a lot of big players, at least for the Sixers; these are a lot of young and talented big men.
Okafor lived up to the hype around his name all year at Duke University this past season and led the Blue Devils to a national championship. He averaged 17PTs and 9REBs per game. He also shot a jaw dropping 66 percent from field goal range. Things are going to be a bit crowed in Philadelphia, so it will be interesting to see how this turns out.
4) New York Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis, F/C
Grade: B-
Porzingis is a skilled player from Europe. He is gigantic at 7’2” and 230 LBS, but to me after watching some of his highlights he looks weak, too weak for the NBA, which is why I’m worried for Knicks fans, who were disgruntled to say the least and gave Porzingis a nice “boo”; welcome to New York buddy. Hopefully, he will gain strength sooner than later. I am also hoping that Phil Jackson can utilize him properly in his offensive scheme he has the Knicks running.
Kristaps is also a good defender. I don’t want to make it sound as if I am completely throwing his game under the bus. Tools for him to succeed are there, he just needs to work at it and hopefully can be what the Knicks want him too.
5) Orlando Magic: Mario Hezonja, SG
Grade: A
Mario Hezonja is a fast guard from Croatia. He is also a great scorer, something the Magic desperately needed. Mario’s game also shows that he has potential to be a superstar. He is 6’7” and can play small forward as well, which will help with Orlando’s versatility.
Hezonja is only 20 years old and for being so young he has had a very impressive overseas career. He was named MVP at the 2011 FIBA Europe U-16 Tournament and was with the senior Croatian national team at the 2014 FIBA World Cup. I hope his transition into the NBA doesn’t take too long because the Magic can seriously use his perimeter abilities and it will be exciting to see him play alongside the already great, Victor Oladipo.
