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Notes:
- Team needs have not been taken into account.
- Dario Saric has not been included in this Mock Draft.
1 | Milwaukee Bucks | Jabari Parker (+2), SF, Duke (6’8”, 235)
I’m sure this decision will turn some heads considering Jabari Parker’s early exit and disappointing performance in the NCAA Tournament, but thanks to his splendid play against UNC followed by his stout showing in the ACC Tournament, he has done enough to make me believe again that he is the best prospect in the draft. Against North Carolina, Parker had his best game of the year; he scored 30 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and most promisingly shot 3-4 on three-point attempts. The next weekend in Greensboro, Parker averaged 20.3 points and 6.3 rebounds through the three games they played and at times looked absolutely unstoppable. His play during stretches against both NC State and Virginia (one of the best defensive teams in the country) was absolutely enamoring. Although ever since the shocking loss to Mercer, scouts have been ripping Parker’s defensive play, and it looks like he was “benched” down the stretch in that game because of it.
2 | Philadelphia 76ers | Andrew Wiggins (-), SG/SF, Kansas (6’8”, 200)
Somewhat similar to Parker and Duke, Andrew Wiggins and the Kansas Jayhawks had a disappointing early exit in the NCAA Tournament. In the upset loss to Stanford, Wiggins was almost nonexistent, finishing with only four points on 1-6 shooting. However in the three games leading up to the NCAA Tournament, Wiggins was exceptional, averaging 31 points per contest and dropping a smooth 41 respectively at West Virginia. We have to remember players simply have bad games, and Stanford is a very solid defensive team so it’s unfair to hold Wiggins too accountable for his disappointing play against the Cardinal. While he may not have lived up to the massive expectations some dubbed him with, he did more than enough to comfortably make himself a top-3 selection. He’s loaded with NBA potential.
3 | Orlando Magic | Joel Embiid (-2), C, Kansas (7’0”, 250)
Let me be clear: Joel Embiid did NOT drop in my mock because of his injury. The injury itself seems to be minor and won’t be a big deal. He dropped because he was sidelined while Parker and Wiggins were able to show-out at the end of the regular season and in conference tournaments. It’s a real shame we didn’t get to see what Kansas could do in the tournament with Embiid, and I hate it even more for him that he didn’t get another shot to display his skills in live-game action. Nevertheless, I can’t imagine a scenario where Embiid falls out of the top three; there’s just too much potential there in a league where dominant centers are almost impossible to find.
4 | Utah Jazz | Julius Randle (+1), PF, Kentucky (6’9”, 250)
You could make a very strong argument that Julius Randle has been the most consistent freshman in the country this season, and that is the prominent reason I believe he’s the safest pick in this draft. While he may not ever blossom into a superstar, Randle is going to be able to score and grab rebounds at the next level. So far, Randle has had an impressive display in the NCAA Tournament. He led Kentucky past Kansas State with a 19 point, 15 rebound performance and followed that up with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the upset win over Wichita State. On Friday against Louisville, he had 15 points and 12 rebounds, extending his streak of double-doubles in the tournament.
5 | Boston Celtics | Dante Exum (-1), PG/SG, Australia (6’6”, 190)
Rounding out the top 5 is the super athletic overseas guard Dante Exum. The Australian features tremendous size and length and is one of the most athletic guards in the draft. As a shooter, he could use some work; right now, most of his offense revolves around getting to the rim with a dominant first step. Exum knows how to finish through all sorts of traffic and is a willing distributor of the ball; he’s the final “elite” prospect I have for this draft. There doesn’t seem to be any character issues around Exum, and everything I’ve heard says he’s a good teammate and motivated to get better. Many teams would be ecstatic to land his services.
6 | Los Angeles Lakers | Marcus Smart (+1), PG, Oklahoma State (6’4”, 220)
The safest of the remaining players would be Oklahoma State point guard Marcus Smart. While his ceiling may not be as high as some other options here, it would be very surprising to me if he was anything but a very solid franchise PG at the next level. Throughout the last four games of the season, Smart averaged 20.5 points, including 23 in the Cowboys’ second-round loss to Gonzaga. Some may say Smart had a disappointing season, but I disagree. If you compare the stats from his freshman season to his sophomore season, he improved in almost every single statistical category.
7 | Sacramento Kings | Noah Vonleh (-1), PF, Indiana (6’10”, 240)
Indiana’s Noah Vonleh is the definition of a “boom-or-bust” prospect. Whoever drafts him has to view him as a project, but he has a ton of upside. Vonleh will be one of the youngest players in the draft, and we still don’t even exactly know what position he’s going to play. Despite still being very raw, Vonleh already knows how to score inside and outside, and has a few go-to moves in the post. Indiana had a very disappointing season so we didn’t really get to see Vonleh in any postseason action. In his last two games of the campaign, Vonleh only scored 7 and 6 points respectively. Nonetheless, he’s going to be selected in the top 10, and he has All-Star potential.
8 | Detroit Pistons | Aaron Gordon (+3), PF, Arizona (6’9”, 225)
Aaron Gordon continues to make serious jumps in our mock drafts. So far, Gordon is enjoying an exceptional tournament with strong outings vs. Weber State (16 points, eight rebounds) and Gonzaga (18 points, six rebounds, six assists). The California native looks the part of a prototypical PF; he has ideal size and implausible athleticism to be so big which gives him potential to develop some deadly post moves to add to his offensive arsenal in the future. Gordon isn’t afraid to crash the glass (7.8 rebounds a game) and has also presented some signs of being an outstanding passer for a big man. It could be an outlier as opposed to the rest of the season, but Gordon is averaging 5.7 assists over his last three contests. The big concern with Gordon is the belief that he’ll never be a threat from the outside.
9 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Tyler Ennis (-1), PG, Syracuse (6’2”, 180)
After looking so dominant to start the season, it’s safe to say Syracuse completely collapsed over the last few weeks. It’s tough to say what the problem was for the Orangemen, but I don’t believe it was Tyler Ennis. The true freshmen made the right decision Thursday morning by deciding to enter the NBA Draft where he’ll likely be a lottery selection. Over his last five games of the campaign, Ennis averaged 18 points and 5.8 assists per contest. There’s so much to like in Ennis as a prospect. He’s already displayed great leadership traits and seems to be an advanced decision maker to be so young; he already excels at running an offense. It wouldn’t be surprising if he hears his name called before Marcus Smart’s.
10 | Denver Nuggets | Gary Harris (-1), SG, Michigan State (6’5”, 210)
Michigan State is beginning to peak just at the right time, and Gary Harris is a primary reason. Ever since the start of the Big-10 Tournament Harris has been shooting 45.6 percent from the floor — a significant increase from his shooting during the regular season. In those five games Harris is averaging 13.6 points per contest, and while that is a decrease from where he was in the regular season, he hasn’t been forcing as many shots. The general consensus is that Harris will never be a reliable first option in the NBA, but he’s a prototypical SG that could max out as an ideal second option. His stock has remained pretty stagnant over the past few weeks, but he could always improve it if he can help carry the Spartans farther into the tournament.
11 | Philadelphia 76ers | Rodney Hood (+5), SG/SF, Duke (6’8”, 200)
After such a subpar end to the season, you may be surprised to see Rodney Hood make this kind of a jump in this update, but I love him as an NBA prospect. In the ACC and NCAA Tournaments, he shot a dismal 32.95% from the floor, a substantial decrease from his shooting percentage for the entire season (46.4%). However, I believe this was just a rough stretch for Hood, and he was beginning to run out of gas after being one of Duke’s catalysts all season. On offense, there’s not much Hood can’t do. He can attack the basket and is a great shooter (42% on three-point attempts). It seems as if his area of concern, like Parker, may be defense as he also saw himself get benched down the stretch in the Mercer game due to being a liability on the defensive end.
12 | Orlando Magic | Doug McDermott (-2), SF/PF, Creighton (6’8”, 225)
Creighton’s blowout loss to Baylor Sunday put an end to the career of one of the greatest college basketball players ever in Doug McDermott. McDermott probably has the highest basketball I.Q. of any player in the draft and he’s filled with experience. It’s a pleasure watching him shoot; he can put it in the hole from anywhere on the floor and possesses deadly range which should be able to cause some matchup problems at the next level. In the Big East and NCAA Tournaments, McDermott averaged 27.8 points which was slightly above his season average. If McDermott can find a way to disguise his defensive weaknesses, he’ll have a role in the league for many years to come.
13 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Willie Cauley-Stein (+1), C, Kentucky (7’0”, 245)
It’s safe to say Willie Cauley-Stein has had somewhat of a disappointing season; he’s such a one-way player. As good as he appears to be on defense and even as a rebounder, this guy will never have a reliable offensive game and he’s a real liability there. In the SEC and NCAA Tournaments, “WCS” is averaging a measly 4.8 points and 6 rebounds per contest. At this point, I still believe WCS has a decent shot at sneaking into the lottery because teams will see potential in him as an elite rim-protector down the road, but the team that spends a first round selection on him will have a monumental task ahead of themselves in molding him into a sufficient offensive player.
14 | Phoenix Suns | T.J. Warren (+11), SF, NC State (6’7”, 220)
No player has taken a greater leap in this update than T.J. Warren, or otherwise known as “Tony Buckets”. Somehow Warren got even more dominant as the season progressed; in March, he averaged 29.9 points per fixture, which included two 40-point outings (at Pittsburgh and vs Boston College). In the ACC, no one dominated like T.J. Warren did this season. Not Jabari Parker, not Rodney Hood, not K.J. McDaniels, etc. Warren was the best player in the conference this season and you can’t really make an argument about it. The reason I had him slotted so low in the past few mocks was due to my worry that he’ll never be a good three-point shooter. While this may be true, he’s so dominant at about everything else on offense that it may not matter that much anyways.
15 | Atlanta Hawks | K.J. McDaniels (+5), SG/SF, Clemson (6’6”, 200)
I’ve yet to see any many other mocks that have K.J. McDaniels slotted this high, but the more I watch him play the more I begin to like him. There’s not much the junior wing player can’t do; he knows how to score in a variety of ways on offense, and he has the potential to become a lockdown defender at the next level. Just a few days ago in the NIT first round, McDaniels exploded for 30 points against Georgia State. He has since guided his team to wins over Illinois and Belmont to keep the Tigers alive in the NIT. There have been some early rumors that suggest McDaniels could be interested in returning to Clemson for his senior season, but he really doesn’t need to. The way Clemson plays severely limits him offensively; often times this year opposing teams would double-team him since the Tigers had so few other options. It would be more of the same next year. If McDaniels makes the right decision by entering the draft, he’ll arguably be the second-most athletic wing player on the board.
16 | Chicago Bulls | Josuf Nurkic (+3), C, Bosnia & Herzegovina (6’11”, 280)
Josuf Nurkic is a foreign player flying under the radar a bit, but I can’t help but think some team is going to roll the dice and spend a top-20 selection on him this June. At only 19 years old, he is filled with upside but is undoubtedly going to be a big-time project. Due to being so raw and conditioned properly, Nurkic is currently only logging 16.3 minutes in the Adriatic League. However in those limited minutes, he’s still averaging 11.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. That is incredible efficiency and production. Don’t be surprised either if he stays overseas for at least one more season, but this is a name to keep an eye out for in the future.
17 | Phoenix Suns | Montrezl Harrell (+11), PF/C, Louisville (6’8”, 230)
In the past few weeks, Montrezl Harrell has really elevated his game, and that has resulted in him making a big jump in my mock draft. In March, Harrell has averaged 16.63 points per contest to go along with 9.5 rebounds. Harrell’s performance has led to the peak of this Louisville team over the past few weeks. The North Carolinian knows how to bang in the post, and he excels as a rebounder. His size may be a reason for concern, but his recent play is well deserving of a top-20 pick.
18 | Boston Celtics | Nik Stauskas (+4), SG, Michigan (6’6”, 205)
Michigan continues to fight on in the tournament, and as far as I’m concerned they would not be where they are right now if weren’t for Nik Stauskas deciding to step up as the squad’s leader. The Big 10 Player of the Year is one of the best shooters in the country, and in tournament action he’s currently averaging 15.3 points per game while shooting just a shade under 44% from behind the arc. A player that can shoot like Stauskas will always have a role in the NBA, but it remains unclear if he will ever be able to create his own shots or not, and his physical attributes won’t exactly blow you away either. Nevertheless, he’s had a phenomenal sophomore season, and his stock probably will never be any higher. It would be in his best interest to leave after this season.
19 | Chicago Bulls | Kyle Anderson (+8), PG/SG/SF, UCLA (6’9”, 230)
Deciding to spend a second year in Westwood is beginning to look like a great decision by Kyle Anderson. After flashing all sorts of potential as a true freshman, Anderson elevated his performance to new heights as a sophomore and got a lot more consistent. In the Pac-12 and NCAA Tournaments combined, Anderson averaged 13.2 points, 5.6 assists and 9 rebounds per game. Watching Anderson is such a joy because he’s a 6’9” PG. For a player of his size, Anderson has tremendous court vision and instincts. Additionally, Anderson can stroke it from deep and is a great rebounder. While his game needs some polishing, there’s not much he can’t do which makes him one of the most interesting prospects in this draft.
20 | Toronto Raptors | Adreian Payne (+3), PF, Michigan State (6’9”, 240)
Probably the most impressive performance of the NCAA Tournament so far was Adreian Payne’s 41 point explosion against Delaware. The senior has made huge strides this season and is now a near-lock to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. One asset that will make Payne such an attractive prospect come June is his ability to shoot outside jumpers. Payne shot a more than respectable 43.8 percent from deep this year; teams will love this because more and more PF’s are able to stretch out and shoot nowadays. As far as I’m concerned, Payne has the ability to be a solid starting PF in the NBA. He can score, rebound and is a hard-worker.
21 | Dallas Mavericks | Clint Capela (+3), PF, Switzerland (6’10”, 210)
Clint Capela is another name that is continuing to heat up. The product out of Switzerland features a great frame and exceptional physical attributes. With long arms and huge hands, Capela shows a ton of potential defensively; he is also a pretty solid rebounder. A lot of Capela’s weaknesses seem to be coachable. He often times relies on his inconsistent jump shot too much, but he does seem to have a nice touch around the rim. He’ll need to develop some go-to post moves, but with proper coaching he should be able to accomplish this.
22 | Memphis Grizzlies | Jeremi Grant (-7), SF, Syracuse (6’8”, 200)
Despite the significant fall, Grant wasn’t THAT dreadful to end the season. The primary reason he took such a tumble is due to the phenomenal play of some of these other wing players in recent weeks. Things are definitely going to be competitive this year. In Syracuse’s final game of the season, Grant only scored 4 points on three shot attempts; however, in the three games prior to that, he scored 16, 19 and 16 respectively. Grant has all kinds of potential on the defensive end, but his shooting and overall offensive approach could use some work. Ultimately, he represents great value in the 20s.
23. Utah Jazz: James Young (-11), SG/SF, Kentucky (6’7”, 200)
I jumped the gun in the last update when I had Young going twelfth overall. He’s a good player, but there are just too many other wings I like better. Young is currently averaging 13.6 points per game in tournament play, and he stepped up in a big way Sunday afternoon in Kentucky’s upset win over Wichita State when he shot 3-5 on three-point attempts. To be so young, his offensive arsenal is already advanced; he’s a great shooter and can create for himself pretty well. Since he relies so much on his shooting abilities, he can be a streaky player, but as he gets older, he will grow more consistent. Somewhat similar to Grant, Young would be a huge steal at this point in the draft.
24 | Charlotte Bobcats | P.J. Hairston (-6), SG, UNC/Texas Legends (6’5”, 225)
You have to give P.J. Hairston credit. When he found out he was done playing at UNC, he didn’t whine or complain. Instead, he shut his mouth and prepared for what was next. It didn’t take him long at all to get acclimated to the D-League. He’s now played 22 games for the Texas Legends, and he’s established himself as one of the most dynamic scorers in the league (21 points per game). Hairston is shooting 44.9 percent from the field which is an improvement from his sophomore season at UNC, but his three-point shooting percentage of 34.5 has actually taken a significant decrease from what he shot at UNC last season. However, teams are putting a lot of attention on Hairston in the D-League; get him in the NBA, and he may actually get some better looks from deep. With as lethal as Hairston can be as a shooter, I would be surprised to see him fall out of the first round.
25 | Miami Heat | Cleanthony Early (+6), PF, Wichita State (6’8”, 220)
I’ve been sleeping on Cleanthony Early for too long. He’s an experienced combo-forward that knows how to score the basketball. From stretching out and knocking down outside jumpers to using one of his crafty post moves with his back to the basket, Early can score in a variety of ways that any team would love to bring into the fold. Despite Wichita State’s run in the tournament being short-lived, Early made his presence known in limited action. In the second round against Cal Poly, he shot 9-15 from the floor which was good for 23 points, and he also reeled in 7 rebounds. Two days later against Kentucky, he was arguably the best player on the floor, scoring 31 points and shooting 4-6 on three-point attempts. His rebounding could use some work, but Early has done more than enough to show he’s a very intriguing NBA prospect.
26 | Houston Rockets | Elfrid Payton, PG (+5), Louisiana-Lafayette (6’3”, 190)
Elfrid Payton is a midmajor guard that has a lethal knack for scoring. What Payton did this postseason was very impressive; he was the catalyst for the Rajin Cajuns and carried them to the NCAA Tournament in thrilling fashion. The Cajuns were knocked out by Doug McDermott and Creighton in the first round, but Payton left his mark in that game by scoring 24 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. Payton’s ability to run an offense remains somewhat unclear; he averaged just at 6 assists per game this season but also averaged 3.6 turnovers. It’s important to remember though that Payton didn’t have much talent around him, so he literally carried his team. He won’t have that problem in the NBA.
27 | Los Angeles Clippers | Semaj Christon (+3), PG, Xavier (6’3”, 190)
You have to admire Semaj Christon’s efforts this season. The Xavier Muskateers didn’t have one of their better teams, yet thanks to Christon’s brilliant play they still earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament. In quite a few games this year, Christon played all 40 minutes, never seeing a rest. He’s battle-tested and a real warrior. In Xavier’s two Big East Tournament games and one NCAA Tournament game combined, Christon averaged 16.6 points per contest which was right on pace with his regular season scoring average. The product out of Cincinnati is very athletic and possesses tremendous ability to get to and finish at the rim.
28 | Phoenix Suns | Sam Dekker (-11), SF, Wisconsin (6’7”, 200)
For some reason I’m beginning to see Sam Dekker really drop down in a lot of mocks. I can’t offer many solutions as to why since he’s still playing at about the same level he has been all season. It’s safe to say that it will be interesting to see what happens with his stock as the draft draws nearer if he does declare for the NBA. Wisconsin advanced to the Elite 8 on Thursday night, and Dekker plays a vital role on their squad. He’s a safe bet to score in double figures most games, and he plays solid defense. Right now, it looks like there’s a good chance this could be a player that stays in school another season, but for now I still have him in the first round.
29 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Zach LaVine (-3), SG, UCLA (6’5”, 180)
It’s safe to say I REALLY jumped the gun on Zach LaVine early into his college career. I’ll admit I was enamored with his athleticism and ability to jump really high, but he has a LONG ways to go before he can become a good NBA player. He really could have benefited from a second year in Westwood, but less than 24 hours after UCLA’s season ended, he declared for the NBA Draft. I still think he can go in the first round because he has a lot of potential. As I previously mentioned, he’s extremely athletic and is probably as athletic as any guard in this class. He’s also shown he has some ability to shoot. There’s no doubt he possesses a ton of upside, so at the end of the first round a team that has the luxury to take a gamble like this may invest a pick on him.
30 | San Antonio Spurs | Glenn Robinson III (+1), SF, Michigan (6’6”, 220)
I can’t stress enough how many great SF’s there are in this draft. It is loaded with talent at the wing position. Glenn Robinson III is another very athletic and explosive SF who’s deadly in transition and can make some highlight reel plays. His shooting could use some work, but he’s still young and filled with upside. Through three NCAA Tournament games, “GR3” is scoring 13.6 points per contest on 51.8 percent shooting. He seems to know his limits and doesn’t take many bad shots, and he definitely still has a really solid chance to go in the first round, but he’s also a player I could see sticking around another year or two.
Dropping Out: Wayne Sneldon, Jordan Clarkson
Please find other consensus mock drafts:
http://walterfootball.com/nbadraftdata.php
http://nbamocks.blogspot.co.uk/p/2014-mock-drafts.html
http://www.dcprosportsreport.com/NBAMocks.htm
http://eatdrinkandsleepfootball.com/draft/mock-draft-database/nba.html
By Brian Emory
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