15. Tyler Ennis, PG, Syracuse, 6’2″, 180 lbs
Ennis is one of the more under-the-radar prospects, having broken though as a freshman because of Syracuse’s impressive start. Ennis is not a Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook type of point guard; rather, he is a more conventional crafty lead guard. While Ennis does nothing flashy, he proved as a freshman he is a leader on the court and will put his teammates in position to succeed. With a draft as deep at power forward and small forward, teams might opt to go bigger in the lottery. But Ennis warrants lottery consideration.
16. James Young, SF, Kentucky, 6’7″, 205 lbs
During Kentucky’s impressive NCAA Tournament run, a lot of players stepped up, but Young might have been the player to shoulder most of the load. Young is a smooth athlete that can score by attacking the rim or stepping out beyond the arc. While Young must improve his accuracy on his jump shot, he has sound form and is a hard worker. Chicago will be looking to add perimeter scoring with one of their two first-rounders.
17. Adreian Payne, PF, Michigan State, 6’10”, 245 lbs
There may not be another player who benefited more from coming back for his senior season than Payne, who played himself into a first-round pick. I tend to see Payne’s range being between the mid-first and top 24. While Payne did many things for a Spartans team that fell short of its goals, his signature for NBA teams is being a stretch-4. Payne is a solid shooter with nice range who knows how to play defense.
Combined with Jared Sullinger, the Celtics would have a nice 1-2 combo at power forward.
18. Jerami Grant, SF, Clemson, 6’8″, 210 lbs
Grant is a prospect to watch as there will be teams in the late lottery that will give serious consideration to him on draft night. Explosive and long wings who play with Grant’s motor are hard to come by, and can be plugged into a rotation right away. While Grant is improving as a shooter, his defense, rebounding and ability to run in transition are what interests teams. The Suns have three first-rounders and will be heavily involved in trade talks to move up or move their picks on draft night. If the Suns keep the pick, Grant is a player to watch as his athleticism and defense are NBA-ready and could give Jeff Hornacek a nice option in his rotation.
19. Clint Capela, PF, Switzerland, 6’11”, 220 lbs
Capela is not your typical European big man. With his size, speed and athleticism, Capela draws some comparisons to Serge Ibaka – especially as a defender and rim protector. In time as his body matures, Capela should be able to play both big spots, but for now is mostly seen as a raw power forward. That being said, Capela is a Bulls-type of big man. With Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson locked in, but Carlos Boozer on his way out, the Bulls will look to add a big to their rotation. Capela would be a very nice choice.
20. Kyle Anderson, SF, UCLA, 6’9″, 235 lbs
There are teams that believe Anderson might be a lottery pick, but I tend to think he is a mid-first rounder. No doubt Anderson’s size creates a unique matchup opportunity for teams, but his lack of elite athleticism is what holds him back from being a top-10 pick. Anderson improved as a shooter this season but still hangs his hat as being a facilitator, and it’s hard to see some team in the teens passing on him come draft night. Toronto is a hard team to get a read on, but Anderson would give them versatility as the Raptors try to capitalize on their turnaround this season.
21. P.J. Hairston, SG, Texas Legends, 6’5″, 220 lbs
Hairston had a disappointing finish to his collegiate career, but as a prospect has teams salivating over his physical brand of play, ability to finish and deep range. A key with Hairston will be his conditioning and his off-court makeup, but certainly there will be teams willing to roll the dice on him. As someone who has already played in the D-League, Hairston might be more ready to contribute as a rookie next season. With that said, the Thunder always seem to find gems on draft night like Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams. Hairston would finally give the Thunder the type of scorer they’ve lacked off the bench since trading James Harden.
22. Glenn Robinson III, SF, Michigan, 6’7″, 225lbs
Robinson is a prospect to watch on draft night as his athleticism and length should be enough for teams to draft him. Robinson is polished and a strong shooter with great transition and finishing skills. Being the son of a former NBA player has helped Robinson prepare for his interviews. The Grizzlies, if they keep the pick, could use an infusion of youth at small forward and it’s fair to expect Robinson to be able to contribute in limited minutes as a rookie next season.
23. 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. In Chicago, LaVine showed the type of length that teams need on the wing with a great shooting touch. Still LaVine is going to need time to develop, and the D-League might be a great option for him. This could turn into a nice selection for the Jazz at this point in the draft. From the talk around the combine, it sounds like LaVine’s stock is rising.
24. Cleanthony Early, SF, Wichita State, 6’8″, 215 lbs
Early is NBA-ready. At 23, he has the strength to step in and contribute on either end as a rookie. Early is the type of prospect that does a lot of things but is not elite at anything. However, teams have taken notice of Early’s performance in the NCAA Tournament and his improvement as a shooter this season. With Charlotte having made the playoffs and needing to capitalize on that success, Early would be an instant contributor for the Bobcats.
25. T.J. Warren, SF, North Carolina State, 6’8″, 235 lbs
Warren used an impressive sophomore season to springboard into the draft. Leading N.C. State in scoring for two straight seasons, Warren doubled his scoring average while still shooting over 50 percent from the field. As a scorer, Warren settles for his jumper a bit too much and must improve his accuracy. But he is smart scorer who knows how to use his body to create opportunities. With Houston GM Daryl Morey loving to acquire assets, this pick could be made for another team on draft night. But Warren would also give the Rockets a nice combo forward off the bench.
26. DeAndre Daniels, SF, Connecticut, 6’7″, 210 lbs
In helping lead the Huskies to a championship, Daniels finally broke out and produced like many have expected of him. 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. Daniels is the type of athletic player who knows how to defend, and the Heat love to draft similar to when they took Norris Cole.
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. Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough has been openly talking to every team in Chicago about his interest in moving up or out on draft night as they have three picks and no intention of adding three rookies to next season’s roster.
28. K.J. McDaniels, SG, Clemson, 6’6″, 210 lbs
McDaniels is prospect who capitalized on a strong junior season. The thing that stands out about McDaniels is his tenacious brand of defense and ability to lock down on opponents. As athletic as McDaniels is, it’s easy to see why he translates to a plus defender. If he can improve as a shooter, he could be a Danny Green-type of wing. The Clippers are in a unique position as there is plenty of uncertainty facing the team this offseason after Donald Sterling’s racist rants. But the team could use more depth along the wing, and McDaniels is the type of player that the Clippers could insert as a rookie.
29. Elfrid Payton, PG, Louisiana-Lafeyette, 6’3″, 170 lbs
Payton reminds me a bit of Rajon Rondo in that he is a long, athletic point guard 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. With Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson already on the roster, the Thunder could pass on Payton, but he will be an intriguing pick. Should the Thunder prefer a younger and cheaper option than Jackson, Payton makes sense. Payton is the type of athlete that teams might be calling GM Sam Presti about on draft night.
30. 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 point man, Kemba Walker, carrying his team offensively down the stretch. Napier showed this season that he does it all. While he may not be a natural point, 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. Napier is a great option for the Spurs, and his style of play would certainly be a fit from Day 1.
(POSITIONLESS PLAYERS PAR FOR THE COURSE IN TODAY’S NBA)
(RELATED: NBA DRAFT PREVIEW: WHO IS THE NEXT DAMIAN LILLARD)
(RELATED: NBA DRAFT PREVIEW: FIVE PLAYERS WHO IMPROVED STOCK AT PRE-DRAFT COMBINE)
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.
Why would Atl go PG again? Between Teague and Shroder doesn’t seem like a need
So you have the Celtics, who have two young power forwards, drafting two more power forwards? Going w/ the best available of Randle/Vonleh/Gordon at 6 is a definite possibility, no way they then pick another power forward at 17.
Allow me to say how tired I am of people assuming that just because Parker is Mormon that Utah naturally wants him. The Jazz have had a loyal, strong and rabid fan base for years DESPITE not having Mormons on the roster. As a Mormon myself, I would be pissed off if the Jazz drafted someone because he was Mormon but was not the best player available. Whatever buzz drafting a Mormon would bring would be very short-lived if it didn’t translate into wins, and I can’t believe the Jazz front office is dumb enough not to realize this. (Gosh one would have thought the Jazz FO would be falling over itself to bring Jimmer onto the team.) Pushing the Mormon connection is just stupid, lazy journalism, or punditism. Please stop it. Please stop making easy but dumb assumptions. Utah has an educated fan base, we’d rather win with non-Mormons than lose with Mormons any day of the week. What we need now is an educated press corps that stops being lazy and stops making dumb assumptions about the Utah FO and fan base.