25. Zach LaVine, SG, UCLA, 6’5″, 185 lbs
LaVine had a nice freshman campaign and looked like a reliable 3-point shooter with good athleticism for the Bruins despite being a reserve most of the season. Any team selecting LaVine is taking a chance on his upside as he must improve his strength to handle the wear-and-tear of the NBA.
26. DeAndre Daniels, SF, Connecticut, 6’7″, 210 lbs
In helping lead the Huskies to a championship Daniels finally broke out and produced like he is capable of. The fear for some teams is that Daniels never produced on a consistent basis. Is this a case of a late bloomer or an underachiever? As a prospect Daniels has nice length and an improved touch from outside which a team drafting late in round 1 will find useful.
27. Mario Hezonja, SF, Croatia, 6’7″, 200 lbs
The last few picks of the first round every year are filled with teams looking to draft and stash, and this year should be no exception. Hezonja is a young prospect that will probably stay overseas for another season or two but already has shown flashes of brilliance on offense with a jumper with plenty of range and an arsenal of moves that allow him to score in handfuls.
28. Shabazz Napier, PG, Connecticut, 6’1″, 180 lbs
Napier helped himself more than any other prospect in the Big Dance in leading his Huskies to a title. The star point guard showed flashes of another Huskies PG, Kemba Walker, carrying his team offensively down the stretch. Napier showed this season he does it all, while he may not be a natural PG, that is where he will wind up in the NBA. His ability to score, rebound, and defend will be a commodity few teams this late can pass up on.
29. Elfrid Payton, PG, Lousinana-Lafeyette, 6’3″, 170 lbs
Payton reminds me a bit of Rajon Rondo in that he is a long, athletic PG that is a relentless defender and fills up the stat sheet. Payton has plenty of work to do offensively and must become a better shooter. At this point Payton is a value pick.
30. Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG, Serbia, 6’7″, 200 lbs
Bogdanovic has flirted with the draft before and teams are familiar with his game. As a shooter, Bogdanovic has a nice touch and can score in a variety of ways. Unlike many European prospects, Bogdanovic puts forth effort on the defensive side of the ball. Bogdanovic is still likely a year away from coming to the NBA, but would be a great draft-and-stash candidate.
Joe Kotoch is the Editor-in-chief of Pro Basketball Draft, a leading scouting service in the world of professional basketball. Before Joe created PBD he served as an NBPA & FIBA certified agent and scouted players all across the world. Born and raised in Cleveland, Joe also contributes to Fox Sports Ohio and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. You can follow Joe on Twitter @Probballdraft.