The 2015 draft is more than nine months away, but teams track prospects year-round in an effort to make the right decisions when the day finally arrives. All that work doesn’t prevent draft busts, as is proven time and again, but teams can still gather valuable information so they can limit their mistakes. Here’s the latest:
- University of Kentucky coach John Calipari has invited all 30 NBA teams to send personnel to watch him put his star-studded roster through a two-day scouting combine of sorts next month, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Calipari is believed to be the first college coach to set up such a showcase for his players, but Wojnarowski adds that he won’t allow anyone from the league to observe his practices for an indefinite time thereafter.
- There’s no shortage of NBA prospects on Kentucky, as nine fall within the top 43 in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress ratings, but forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns, shooting guard Aaron Harrison and combo guard Andrew Harrison will be the main attractions at the team’s preseason showcase, scouts tell Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
- Duke center Jahlil Okafor remains the top-ranked player on the second version of Chad Ford’s ESPN.com Insider-only draft board, but 6’10” UCLA combo forward Kevon Looney vaults to the No. 8 spot after Ford left him outside his top 30 the first time around.
Small note, but for anybody looking, it’s Kevon Looney, not Kevin. I think Towns is going to be a monster, whether it’s at Kentucky or in the NBA first, I don’t know. Interesting to see just how much playing time and freedom in the offense he’ll get.
Oh, great catch, Kevin! (I guess your radar would be especially keen on picking up variations of your own name!) It’s correct in the story now. Thanks!
–Chuck
I guess! More because I spent a good amount of time crossing my fingers and hoping that he’d end up at UofM though!
I personally really like Willie Cauley-Stein. I think he has a chance to be a really good starting C in the NBA. He is super athletic, runs the floor, protects the rim, has done a nice job of actually coming out and guarding and then covering the ground to get back, can catch and finish around the rim, and has shown to be a pretty good passer. Obviously, he needs to continue to polish himself, but I think whoever ends up with him should be really happy