Jahlil Okafor

2015 NBA Draft Prospect Power Rankings 5.0

April 17th, 2015 at 6:15pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The 2015 NBA draft is a little over two months away and underclassmen are still in the process of declaring their intentions for June’s big event. Front offices and scouting departments throughout the NBA are hard at work trying to determine which players they will pin the future of their franchises on, and Hoops Rumors will be doing the same all the way up until the draft. Here are my current top 20 players in descending order with last month’s ranking in parentheses:

1 (4) Karl-Anthony Towns-PF/C (Kentucky/Freshman)

-7’0″, 250 pounds

–DraftExpress Rank: No. 1

–ESPN Rank: No. 1

–Stats: 10.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 2.3 BPG. .566/.250/.813.

Towns has officially declared himself eligible for the 2015 NBA draft and it was likely an easy decision for him to make. The talented big man has overtaken Jahlil Okafor as the player projected by most experts to be selected No. 1 overall. This ascent is more about what Towns has shown scouts and executives, and less about what Okafor has not. Towns possesses a much higher upside than Okafor, and his athleticism is far superior as well. The big man’s stats were negatively impacted by Kentucky’s depth and platoon system, but he showed more than enough to make NBA personnel drool at the thought of adding him to their squads.

2 (1) Jahlil Okafor-C (Duke/Freshman)

-6’11”, 272 pounds

–DraftExpress Rank: No. 2

–ESPN Rank: No. 2

–Stats: 17.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 1.4 BPG. .664/.000/.510.

While Okafor could still easily be the No. 1 overall selection in June, his lack of explosive athleticism and defensive limitations has opened the door for Towns to usurp him as the alpha of the 2015 draft. Okafor is still one of the most offensively polished big men to come along in quite some time, which should make any team that nabs him very happy. The big man is likely to produce earlier in his career than Towns, but he will also likely plateau quicker.

3 (3) D’Angelo Russell-SG/PG (Ohio State/Freshman)

-6’5″, 176 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 4

-ESPN Rank: No. 4

-Stats: 19.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 5.0 APG. .449/.411/.756.

No player has improved his draft stock more than Russell since the beginning of the college season. The lefty didn’t have a great NCAA tournament, and his lack of explosiveness was exposed by fellow draft prospect Rondae Hollis-Jefferson during Ohio State’s loss to Arizona. This quieted the Russell as the possible No. 1 overall pick talks a bit, but the versatile guard is almost assuredly a top four selection. When choosing between him and Emmanuel Mudiay, teams will need to weigh Mudiay’s higher ceiling and superior athletic skills to Russell’s excellent outside shooting and intangibles. I’m rating Russell higher because of his ability to play both guard spots, and him being the better known prospect right now around NBA circles. However, things could change rapidly when individual workouts begin and Mudiay is able to show off his wares. You can check out my expanded profile on Russell here.

4 (4) Emmanuel Mudiay-PG (Guangdong)

-6’5″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 3

-ESPN Rank: No. 3

-Stats: 18.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 6.3 APG. .493/.321/.586

Mudiay, despite barely having played in months due to an ankle injury, is still considered the most physically talented guard in the draft. Not playing college ball didn’t hurt Dante Exum prior to the 2014 draft, and Mudiay is a more NBA-ready prospect than he was, and it wouldn’t be a complete shock for him to go No. 1 overall, depending on the team selecting first and its needs (ie: the Sixers). The young guard also demonstrated great maturity during his time overseas, something not likely lost on NBA executives. Mudiay is almost sure to dazzle in his pre-draft workouts, and he’ll definitely be selected in the top five.

5 (8) Justise Winslow-SF (Duke/Freshman)

-6’6″, 221 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 5

-ESPN Rank: No. 6

-Stats: 12.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 2.1 APG. .486/.418/.641.

Winslow cemented himself as an early lottery pick with his stellar play during the NCAA tournament. For much of the season there wasn’t much separating the numerous wings slotted to enter June’s draft, but Winslow has finally overtaken all the rest. His physical skills are tantalizing and he appears to have just scratched the surface on his ample talent. Winslow’s a player who could easily sneak into the top three depending on how the draft lottery shakes out. The wing also may just become the jewel of the class of 2015 in a few short seasons.

6 (5) Willie Cauley-Stein-C (Kentucky/Junior)

-7’0″, 244 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 6

-ESPN Rank: No. 7

-Stats: 8.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 1.7 BPG. .572/.000/.617.

Cauley-Stein’s decision to return to Kentucky for his junior season has paid off handsomely for him. He is an absolute defensive monster, and can step into an NBA rotation immediately. The big man is still limited offensively, and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon. I project Cauley-Stein to produce similar numbers to Tyson Chandler, which isn’t a bad thing at all. While he may be close to his ceiling as a prospect, the big man is easily the most NBA-ready in the entire draft. If the Knicks fall out of the top three selections in the draft I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see them nab Cauley-Stein with their pick.

7 (7) Kristaps Porzingis-PF (Baloncesto Sevilla)

-7’0″, 220 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 8

-ESPN Rank: No. 5

-Stats: 10.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 0.9 BPG. .560/.328/.750.

Porzingis is a likely top five pick, but I still remain unimpressed with his game. He has excellent athleticism, and is a talented three-point shooter, but Porzingis hasn’t necessarily dominated in European competition, which raises all kinds of red flags with me. There have been plenty of European players who have entered the league with high expectations based on their physical skills, only to turn out to be draft busts. Porzingis is a project with an extremely high upside, but I would think twice about taking him in the top five. My first instinct was to rank him outside the top 10, but it’s almost assured that some team will take a gamble on him near the top of the draft. Porzingis is being compared to Nikola Mirotic by some scouts, though I don’t believe he has the same level of polish that the Bulls rookie had at the same age.

8 (6) Stanley Johnson-SF (Arizona/Freshman)

-6’7″, 237 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 9

-ESPN Rank: No. 11

-Stats: 13.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 1.5 SPG. .446/.371/.742.

Johnson is an absolute man-child with an NBA-ready body and excellent strength. He reminds me a bit of Larry Johnson (no relation), though he is nowhere near as polished on the offensive end as the elder Johnson was coming out of UNLV. Where the freshman will be selected is still a bit of a puzzle. As far as wings go in this draft: Winslow is more athletic and has a much higher upside; Mario Hezonja’s outside game is more highly regarded; and Kelly Oubre is also rated as a superior outside shooter, with his upside also projected to exceed that of Johnson’s. I still like Johnson’s chances to be a lottery pick, but he’s the most likely of my current top 10 to slide lower in the draft.

9 (9) Kevon Looney-PF (UCLA/Freshman)

-6’9″, 220 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 20

-ESPN Rank: No. 10

-Stats: 11.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 0.9 BPG. .470/.415/.626.

Looney’s production tailed off toward the end of the season, though his mediocre NCAA tournament numbers can be attributed to him dealing with the effects of a facial fracture that he suffered during the PAC-12 tournament. The freshman is a bit of a tweener, similar to Aaron Gordon a year ago in that respect, but he has a far more polished offensive game than Gordon did at Arizona last season. Looney’s potential as a player is off-the-charts, but he’ll need to find an NBA position in order to carve out a place in a rotation for himself. He’s a player that could be looked back on as a steal if he slides toward the middle of the draft.

10 (11) Myles Turner-C (Texas/Freshman)

-6’11”, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 12

-ESPN Rank: No. 9

-Stats: 10.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 2.6 BPG. .455/.274/.839.

Turner is a project, but he’s one who could pay dividends for a patient team. He’s a good scorer with range out to the three-point line, but he lacks aggressiveness. Turner is a solid shot blocker, but he needs to improve as a rebounder if he wants to be more than just a rotation player in the NBA. There are also some legitimate concerns regarding his knees due to his odd way of running. Big men tend to break down faster than players at other positions, so long-term health is a definite concern with Turner. The big man isn’t as talented as Okafor and Towns, nor is he as polished as Cauley-Stein, but if a team is looking for a potential late lottery steal whose upside compares with LaMarcus Aldridge, then Turner could fit the bill. Patience will be required with the 19-year-old, and some serious D-League time will be needed during his rookie season. You can check out my expanded profile on Turner here.

11 (10) Mario Hezonja-SG (Barcelona Regal)

-6’7″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 7

-ESPN Rank: No. 8

-Stats: 8.4 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.1 APG. .475/.406/.739.

Hezonja is a projected lottery selection, but I’m not sold on his long-term future in the NBA. He’s a possible draft-and-stash pick, which could benefit him since he needs quite a bit more development before making the jump to the NBA. Hezonja is very athletic and can light it up from the outside when he’s “on,” but he’s a poor defender, which doesn’t help his value. He also isn’t putting up eye-catching numbers overseas, which doesn’t bode well for his NBA fortunes. There have also been some red flags raised about his attitude, ability to accept coaching, and overall maturity. These concerns could serve to lower Hezonja’s draft stock around the league.

12 (12) Kelly Oubre-SF (Kansas/Freshman)

-6’6″, 204 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 13

-ESPN Rank: No. 12

-Stats: 9.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 0.8 APG. .444/.358/.718.

Oubre’s draft stock has taken a hit since the beginning of the season when he was a projected top 5 pick in this year’s draft. The swingman has shown growth since the beginning of the campaign, but he’s still far too inconsistent a player for my liking. Oubre would benefit immensely from another year in school, and he’d likely work his way into the top seven picks in 2016 if he did return to Kansas. But with Oubre declaring his intent to enter this year’s draft, that is now a moot point. Oubre needs quite a bit of polish, but he is a talented defender who can nail three-pointers quite well. Players like that can usually find consistent work in the NBA, which makes Oubre worth the gamble toward the end of the lottery. You can check out my expanded profile on Oubre here.

13 (-) Sam Dekker-SF (Wisconsin/Junior)

-6’9″, 230 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 15

-ESPN Rank: No. 15

-Stats: 13.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.2 APG. .525/.331/.708.

Dekker’s play during the NCAA tournament boosted his draft stock mightily. Prior to March’s big dance, the 20-year-old was a projected mid-to-late first-rounder, and now he’s a potential lottery pick. The forward brings a lot of versatility to the court, and could be valuable as a stretch four off of the bench in the NBA. I’m taking his late season excellence as an outlier, and expect Dekker’s NBA performance to be more in line with the player who only shot 32% from deep the last two seasons. Dekker also carries the dreaded tweener tag, and will likely struggle on defense no matter which forward spot he mans. As a mid first-round pick I like Dekker, but don’t be blinded by a few excellent performances in March as to his true ability level.

14 (18) Jakob Poeltl-C (Utah/Freshman)

-7’0″, 230 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 11

-ESPN Rank: No. 14

-Stats: 9.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 1.9 BPG. .681/.000/.4.

Poeltl’s play cooled off after a strong start to the season, but he did impress with his play against Okafor in the NCAA tournament. There were, and perhaps still are, concerns about Poeltl being able to hold his ground in the post against bigger, more athletic players. But the freshman gave Okafor fits, and in the process cemented himself as a mid first-rounder. Poeltl hasn’t declared for the draft yet, and is reportedly considering returning to Utah for another season. The seven-footer could definitely use more polish, so another year in college would be a wise move for his long-term development. The Austrian could be a lottery pick next season if he resists the lure of NBA money this year.

15 (17) Frank Kaminsky-C (Wisconsin/Senior)

-7’0″, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 10

-ESPN Rank: No. 13

-Stats: 18.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 1.5 BPG. .547/.416/.780.

Kaminsky isn’t likely to become a star in the NBA, nor even an effective starter. But he’ll be able to contribute on the offensive end immediately for whichever team selects him. Kaminsky reminds me quite a bit of the Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk offensively, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Unfortunately, he also shares Olynyk’s weaknesses as a rebounder and defender. As a mid first-rounder, Kaminsky would be a solid pick, though he will have a limited ceiling thanks to his athletic shortcomings.

16 (13) Devin Booker-SG (Kentucky/Freshman)

-6’6″, 195 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 17

-ESPN Rank: No. 18

-Stats: 10.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.1 APG. .470/.411/.828.

Booker has certainly come on since the beginning of the season, and he made a name for himself during conference play for Kentucky. He is by far one of the best 3-point shooters in the entire draft, and he has remarkable shot selection for a player his age. Booker isn’t a freakish athlete though, which makes him more of a one-dimensional threat. But with the NBA placing a premium on players who can stretch the floor, that could aid Booker and possibly sneak him into being a lottery pick.

17 (15) Bobby Portis-PF (Arkansas/Sophomore)

-6’11″, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 18

-ESPN Rank: No. 16

-Stats: 17.5 PPG, 8.9 RPG, and 1.4 BPG. .536/.467/.737.

Portis emerged as a potential mid first round pick since the beginning of the season. The big man isn’t an elite athlete, but he’s good enough to have a solid NBA career if he improves his defense and footwork in the post. Portis prefers to launch jump shots rather than mix-it-up in the paint, but with the NBA falling in love with stretch fours, this isn’t necessarily the negative it used to be when profiling big men. I’ve become more enamored with him as a player lately, and as a mid first-rounder he’ll be a good value pick, though he’ll need D-League seasoning before he’ll be ready to step into an NBA rotation.

18 (20) Tyus Jones-PG (Duke/Freshman)

-6’1″, 184 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 21

-ESPN Rank: No. 23

-Stats: 11.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 5.6 APG. .417/.379/.889.

The 18-year-old Jones has shown remarkable poise as a freshman, and he reminds me quite a bit of Tyler Ennis, another player I was extremely high on heading into the 2014 draft. Jones lacks elite athleticism, needs to work on his outside shot, and won’t be ready to play significant minutes his rookie campaign. But his court vision and basketball IQ will make him a valuable rotation piece in a couple of seasons. Jones’ turnover rate had increased significantly since conference play began, but he still displayed remarkable on court leadership for a freshman. Jones is the type of player whose value doesn’t always show up in the box score, and he is overshadowed by Okafor and Winslow on a talented Duke squad. But this kid has the potential to be an effective pro, and a mid first round gem for a patient team.

19 (14) Jerian Grant-PG (Notre Dame/Senior)

-6’5″, 185 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 16

-ESPN Rank: No. 21

-Stats: 16.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 6.7 APG. .478/.316/.780.

Grant had himself a heck of a season, and may just be the best all-around point guard in the draft. His age (22) may work against him a bit, such is the NBA world we live in nowadays. But his combination of size, skill, and leadership makes him a solid mid first round selection. Grant needs to improve on his jump shot consistency, and despite his 16.8 PPG average, is more of a pass-first point man at heart. He’ll definitely need to bulk up to be able to defend NBA guards, but whichever team nabs him in June will be getting a very solid player. A veteran team in need of a solid backup would do well to snag Grant. The Bulls perhaps…..

20 (16) Montrezl Harrell-PF (Louisville/Junior)

-6’8″, 243 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 23

-ESPN Rank: No. 24

-Stats: 15.7 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 1.4 APG. .566/.243/.597.

It was surprising to see Harrell return to Louisville for his junior season, but the move will likely reward him with a higher draft selection than he would have garnered in 2014. There’s a lot to like about Harrell’s game, but he’s another of those tweeners. He’s neither a true power forward nor a classic small forward, but Harrell can score from almost anywhere on the floor and has a high motor. He’s also a very good rebounder and a physical defender. But Harrell lacks a defined NBA position (ie: Derrick Williams and Thomas Robinson), which could end up lowering his draft stock as well as his ceiling as a player.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jahlil Okafor To Enter NBA Draft

April 9th, 2015 at 4:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Duke freshman center Jahlil Okafor intends to enter the 2015 NBA draft, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link). This news comes as little surprise since Okafor has been projected as a top three selection in 2015 prior to the Blue Devil’s season even commencing. The big man helped lead Duke to the NCAA championship this season, and had little to gain career-wise by returning for his sophomore campaign.

The 6’11” center’s hold on the No. 1 prospect ranking has been under siege by Kentucky forward Karl-Anthony Towns, who also announced his intentions to enter the draft today. Okafor is currently the No. 2 overall player on the top 100 of both Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) and Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com.

In 38 games this season for the Blue Devils Okafor averaged 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 30.1 minutes per contest. His shooting line was .664/.000/.510.

Draft Notes: Towns, Okafor, Winslow, Simmons

April 6th, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Tonight’s NCAA championship won’t offer the epic matchup between Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor that would have taken place if Wisconsin hadn’t beaten Kentucky on Saturday, but Towns and Okafor still have a score to settle when it comes to the No. 1 overall pick. The centers are the leading candidates, and it seems as if it’s a close call among NBA executives and scouts. The same is true among SI.com’s panel of experts, who narrowly favor Towns. However, it’ll be Okafor with a chance to make a statement on a grand stage tonight. Here’s more on the draft:

Scouts have compared Okafor to Al Jefferson and, less optimistically, Carlos Boozer, Pete Thamel of SI.com writes, calling Towns a less perimeter-oriented LaMarcus Aldridge.
Duke small forward Justise Winslow would be in the running to become the No. 1 overall pick if not for the presence of Towns and Okafor, as one Eastern Conference GM tells Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops, praising the freshman’s versatility and upside. Winslow will go head-to-head tonight against Wisconsin’s Sam Dekker, another fast riser during the NCAA Tournament, as Scotto details, echoing an earlier dispatch from Chad Ford of ESPN.com.
Combo forward Ben Simmons made an impression on NBA personnel like no one else during practices for the McDonald’s All American Game last week, as Chris Mannix of SI.com chronicles. One NBA GM called Simmons, a 2016 draft prospect, “an absolute stud,” Mannix relays. Simmons is No. 2 behind small forward Jaylen Brown on Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress 2016 mock draft.

Draft Notes: Cauley-Stein, Towns, Okafor

April 5th, 2015 at 10:26am CST by ChrisCrouse

Center Willie Cauley-Stein hasn’t made it official, but he is leaning toward turning pro, Kyle Tucker of The Courier-Journal writes. “It’s time to take another step,” Cauley-Stein said. “I mean, obviously, I’m not 100 percent on it, but I’m pretty sure I know what I want to do. Gotta talk to a couple more people, but probably was my last game here.” Several scouts believe there isn’t a safer bet in this year’s draft than the 21-year-old, who is the sixth best prospect, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress and eighth best prospect according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com.

Here’s more on the draft:

Karl-Anthony Towns hasn’t made a decision about whether he will enter the draft yet, but he left the door open to returning to Kentucky next year, Tucker writes in the same piece. “I can’t even think about that. I just lost in the Final Four with my brothers,” Towns said about the possibility of staying another season. “We could be really good, but we just need to make it further than we did this time. We gotta get it all the way this time. We need to do better. We could be really good, though.” Towns has a good chance to be the No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft, which makes it unlikely he stays.
Provided both players opt to enter the draft, it’s likely Towns and Jahlil Okafor will go No. 1 and No. 2 in some order. In a quick poll of seven NBA scouts and personnel people, Towns received four votes for the top spot, while Okafor got three, according to Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated.
Ben Dowsett of Basketball Insiders looks at how staying in school can damage a prospect’s stock. Dowsett acknowledges that many prospects seem undeveloped and are unproven after just one year of college, but he believes those prospects would benefit more from being around professionals in the NBA than from staying in college and playing against lesser competition.

Knicks Notes: Draft, Chandler, Free Agency

April 3rd, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks president Phil Jackson told a gathering of the team’s season ticket holders Thursday that he knows whom he would select with the No. 1 overall pick if New York wins the lottery, notes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. He offered hints that it would be either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor, who are locked in a tight race atop most draft projections, and he tipped his hand when he pointed to defense as a key for a team’s big man, since Towns has the better defensive reputation, as Begley observes. Surprisingly, he cited Tyson Chandler, whom the Knicks traded away last summer and who’ll hit free agency in the offseason, as the sort of defender the team needs. We already passed along some more of what Jackson and GM Steve Mills had to say at the event, and we’ll cover the rest of the relevant news here, as Begley, Marc Berman of the New York Post, Peter Botte of the New York Daily News and Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv relay:

Mills and Jackson indicated a willingness to listen to offers for their pick, though Jackson cautioned that part of his job is “shepherding the whole organization so that you don’t get caught in giving away draft picks, you don’t get caught without a future aspect.”
Jackson said he’d like to sign one or two starting-caliber players in free agency, but he and Mills downplayed the idea of chasing stars. “It’s a different approach than in the past — we won’t go after the biggest name out there, we’ll go after players who fit in system and style,” Mills said. “It may in fact be a big-name player but it’s going to be who fits system-wise.”
The Knicks fell well short of Jackson’s initial expectation of the playoffs, but the opportunity to rebuild “may be a godsend,” the Zen Master argues. “I commiserate for the people who put a lot of money out there, who have season tickets who sit and watch the game. I empathize with that part of it. To rebuild this team, we knew we were going to have to take the team apart to get where we have to. I can make the argument we had to go through it. [Expletive] happens and this season it did happen to us.”
Jackson once more defended the Chandler trade, saying he made it because Chandler would be a free agent this summer and because of the risk involved with the now 32-year-old’s age and history of injuries. Still, Chandler has missed only six games for the Mavs this year.

Draft Notes: Jackson, Towns, Okafor

April 2nd, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Draft decisions among underclassmen have been coming at a fast pace this week, and we’re tracking all of them with this post. The draft is still nearly three months away, but there’s plenty of focus on it already around the league. Here’s the latest:

North Carolina freshman small forward Justin Jackson will remain in school rather than enter the draft this year, as he revealed via Instagram (hat tip to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress). Chad Ford of ESPN.com had him listed as the 37th best prospect, though he indicated in a chat with readers Wednesday that he was in line to go in the late first round. Givony already has him slotted at No. 19 on his 2016 mock, so it looks like he stands to gain from another year with the Tar Heels.
Karl-Anthony Towns has surpassed Jahlil Okafor as the top prospect in Ford’s and Givony’s rankings, but It’s not as if Towns has become the consensus top pick amongst NBA teams, Ford also writes in the chat. A slight majority of teams have Towns on top, according to Ford, and scouts are “praying” that Kentucky and Duke meet in the NCAA final so the two can match up. It’ll probably come down to which player is better in the context of the team picking first, Ford believes.
An NBA executive who spoke with Zach Braziller of the New York Post agrees with the assessment that the choice between Okafor and Towns is a matter of which player is a better fit for the team with the No. 1 pick. Still, you couldn’t go wrong with either, the exec added.

And-Ones: Towns, Okafor, Vaughn, Jazz

March 30th, 2015 at 4:09pm CST by Chuck Myron

Duke center Jahlil Okafor has long been considered the favorite to become the top pick in the 2015 draft, but for the first time since Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress has been compiling his prospect rankings for this year, he’s slipped to No. 2, as Givony notes via Twitter. That means Kentucky forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns has overtaken Okafor in his rankings as well as the ones Chad Ford of ESPN.com puts together. Of course, there’s still nearly three months to go until draft night, and much can change between now and then. It nonetheless sets up what would surely be a dream matchup in the NCAA tournament final for NBA scouts and executives if Kentucky and Duke are to win their respective semifinals on Saturday. There’s more draft news amid the latest from around the league:

UNLV freshman shooting guard Rashad Vaughn has signed with agent Omar Wilkes of Octagon Sports, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link). Vaughn last week denied a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that he was planning to declare for the draft, but signing with an agent wouldn’t allow him to return to school, which suggests that Vaughn is indeed draft-bound.
Three dozen of 59 NBA executives who spoke to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com support playoff realignment, with the vast majority of the opposition coming from Eastern Conference teams (Twitter link).
Elijah Millsap landed his three-year deal with Jazz thanks to an agent who is four years younger than he is, and Cameron Chung of the Sports Agent Blog chronicles the sudden emergence of 23-year-old Daniel Hazan and his Hazan Sports Management agency.
The glut of high-level point guards in the NBA is a severe impediment to teams that don’t have one, as Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com examines in an Insider-only piece, suggesting that clubs like the Knicks and Sixers should prioritize finding point guards in the offseason.

2015 NBA Draft Prospect Power Rankings 4.0

March 12th, 2015 at 4:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The 2015 NBA draft is a few months away, and the NCAA tournament will play a major part in determining the fates of the 20 players whose names appear on the list below, as well as those who haven’t made the cut just yet. Front offices and scouting departments throughout the NBA are hard at work trying to determine which players they will pin the future of their franchises on, and Hoops Rumors will be doing the same all the way up until June’s draft.

Keep in mind that this list includes both underclassmen and players from overseas, neither of whom are guaranteed to declare for the draft. But just like the NBA scouting departments, we’ll need to be prepared for the possibility that all of these players will be available to hear their names called by commissioner Adam Silver in what will be his second opportunity to be on the stage during the first round.

Here are my current top 20 players in descending order with last month’s ranking in parentheses:

1 (1) Jahlil Okafor-C (Duke/Freshman)

-6’11”, 272 pounds

–DraftExpress Rank: No. 1

–ESPN Rank: No. 1

–Stats: 17.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 1.4 BPG. .668/.000/.524.

Okafor continues to abuse college competition. A true center, he has shown excellent athleticism and remarkable polish on the offensive side of the game. He has an NBA-ready body and will continue to develop into an absolute monster down in the paint. His defense is still a work in progress, which isn’t at all uncommon for a young big. Both Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell continue to gain ground on Okafor, but I still believe it would take a pre-draft injury to unseat the big man from the top spot in this year’s NBA draft.

2 (3) D’Angelo Russell-SG/PG (Ohio State/Freshman)

-6’5″, 176 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 3

-ESPN Rank: No. 4

-Stats: 19.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 5.2 APG. .459/.422/.748.

No player has improved his draft stock more than Russell since the beginning of the college season. Though he plays shooting guard at Ohio State, NBA scouts are now viewing Russell as an NBA point guard, which will only serve to increase his draft stock further. The lefty has excellent ball-handling skills, and he’s very effective off the dribble, though he needs to improve upon his ability to finish at the rim if he wants to be an effective pro. “There’s so much to love about his game,” one NBA GM told Chad Ford of ESPN.com about Russell. “Even when he has a bad game, it looks like a good one because every time the ball leaves his [hands], it looks like it’s going in. He plays with such great confidence and has a terrific feel. I think he could be a James Harden-type player at the next level. That’s what kind of scorer and playmaker he could be.”

3 (4) Karl-Anthony Towns-PF/C (Kentucky/Freshman)

-7’0″, 250 pounds

–DraftExpress Rank: No. 2

–ESPN Rank: No. 2

–Stats: 9.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 2.4 BPG. .558/.250/.790.

Towns is a player who cannot be judged on his NCAA numbers, thanks to Kentucky’s ridiculous depth. But the big man is all but guaranteed to blow away scouts in his individual pre-draft workouts. There are a number of scouts and GMs who have speculated that Towns will become a superior player to Okafor in a few years, which could place the freshman in the running for the No. 1 overall pick. “You put Towns on any other team in college basketball, maybe with the exception of Duke, and everyone is talking about him as a legitimate player of the year candidate,” one NBA GM told ESPN’s Chad Ford. “His stats, or lack thereof, aren’t an issue of talent, it’s an issue of so much talent on the floor that he can take a back seat.”

4 (3) Emmanuel Mudiay-PG (Guangdong)

-6’5″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 4

-ESPN Rank: No. 3

-Stats: 18.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 6.3 APG. .493/.321/.586

Mudiay, despite not having played in months due to an ankle injury, is still considered the most talented guard in the draft, though Russell is changing that conversation with every game he dominates. Not playing college ball didn’t hurt Dante Exum prior to the 2014 draft, and Mudiay is a more NBA-ready prospect than he was, and it wouldn’t be a complete shock for him to go No. 1 overall, depending on the team selecting first and its needs (ie: the Sixers). Mudiay is almost sure to dazzle in his pre-draft workouts, and he’ll definitely be selected in the top five.

5 (6) Willie Cauley-Stein-C (Kentucky/Junior)

-7’0″, 244 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 7

-ESPN Rank: No. 7

-Stats: 8.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. .588/.000/.579.

Cauley-Stein’s decision to return to Kentucky for his junior season is still paying off handsomely for him. He is an absolute defensive monster, and can step into an NBA rotation immediately. The big man is still limited offensively, and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon. I project Cauley-Stein to produce similar numbers to Tyson Chandler, which isn’t a bad thing at all.

6 (5) Stanley Johnson-SF (Arizona/Freshman)

-6’7″, 237 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 5

-ESPN Rank: No. 10

-Stats: 13.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 1.5 SPG. .449/.353/.735.

Johnson is an absolute man-child with an NBA-ready body and excellent strength. He reminds me a bit of Larry Johnson (no relation), though he is nowhere near as polished on the offensive end as the elder Johnson was coming out of UNLV. What will continue to make Johnson a question mark is his limited outside game, which to his credit, has been steadily improving as the season wears on. His individual workouts will make or break him as a top 10 pick, but I love his aggressiveness, defense, and rebounding. There isn’t a huge separation between Johnson, Justise Winslow and Kelly Oubre right now. Hopefully their play in the NCAA tournament will provide more clarity for their rankings. I gave Johnson the nod because of his consistency and physical prowess.

7 (8) Kristaps Porzingis-PF (Baloncesto Sevilla)

-7’0″, 220 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 8

-ESPN Rank: No. 5

-Stats: 11.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 1.2 BPG. .538/.424/.730.

Porzingis is a likely top five pick, but I still remain unimpressed with his game. He has excellent athleticism, and is a talented three-point shooter, but Porzingis hasn’t necessarily dominated in European competition yet, which raises all kinds of red flags with me. There have been plenty of European players who have entered the league with high expectations based on their physical skills, only to turn out to be draft busts. Porzingis is a project with an extremely high upside, but I would think twice about taking him in the top five. My first instinct was to rank him outside the top 10, but it’s almost assured that some team will take a gamble on him near the top of the draft. Porzingis is being compared to Nikola Mirotic by some scouts, though I don’t believe he has the same level of polish that the Bulls rookie had at the same age.

8 (7) Justise Winslow-SF (Duke/Freshman)

-6’6″, 221 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 9

-ESPN Rank: No. 12

-Stats: 12.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 2.0 APG. .479/.398/.598.

Winslow has seemingly recovered from his uninspiring run to end November, and is once again putting up solid numbers and displaying his wide range of skills and fantastic athleticism. His three-point shooting has improved, which was a big question mark in his game entering the season. NBA teams have little use for wings who can’t spread the floor, and if Winslow can keep it up he’ll secure a spot in the top 10 selections.

9 (9) Kevon Looney-PF (UCLA/Freshman)

-6’9″, 220 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 13

-ESPN Rank: No. 6

-Stats: 12.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG, and 1.0 BPG. .474/.444/.641.

Looney is still rising up the draft boards despite his production tailing off since the first month of the season. The freshman is a bit of a tweener, similar to Aaron Gordon a year ago in that respect, but has a far more polished offensive game than Gordon did at Arizona last season. I’ve continued to be impressed with his ball-handling and passing, and both are skills that will translate well to the pros. Looney probably won’t crack the top five selections, but if that is the case, whichever team he falls to could be getting a steal.

10 (13) Mario Hezonja-SG (Barcelona Regal)

-6’7″, 200 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 6

-ESPN Rank: No. 8

-Stats: 8.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.3 APG. .484/.414/.762.

Hezonja is a projected lottery pick, but I’m not sold on his long-term future in the NBA. He’s a possible draft-and-stash pick, which could benefit him since he needs quite a bit more development before making the jump to the NBA. Hezonja is very athletic and can light it up from the outside when he’s “on,” but he’s a poor defender, which doesn’t help his value. He also isn’t putting up eye-catching numbers overseas, which doesn’t bode well for his NBA fortunes. There have also been some red flags raised about his attitude, ability to accept coaching, and overall maturity. These concerns could serve to lower Hezonja’s draft stock around the league.

11 (10) Myles Turner-C (Texas/Freshman)

-6’11”, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 10

-ESPN Rank: No. 9

-Stats: 10.6 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 2.8 BPG. .460/.267/.839.

Turner is a project, but he’s one who could pay dividends for a patient team. He’s a good scorer with range out to the three-point line, but he lacks aggressiveness. Turner is a solid shot blocker, but he needs to improve as a rebounder if he wants to be more than just a rotation player in the NBA. There are also some legitimate concerns regarding his knees due to his odd way of running. Big men tend to break down faster than players at other positions, so long-term health is a definite concern with Turner. The big man’s production has declined steadily since the beginning of the season, but Turner’s upside is too high for him to slide too far down the draft boards.

12 (11) Kelly Oubre-SF (Kansas/Freshman)

-6’6″, 204 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 11

-ESPN Rank: No. 11

-Stats: 9.0 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 0.8 APG. .451/.373/.683.

Oubre’s draft stock had taken a hit since the beginning of the season when he looked lost during the limited playing time he was receiving. The swingman has shown significant growth since the beginning of the season, averaging 13.3 points over his last four contests. The freshman is still maddeningly inconsistent, and disappears on the floor far too often for my tastes. Oubre needs quite a bit of polish, and would greatly benefit from another year in school, but that scenario is highly unlikely.

13 (12) Devin Booker-SG (Kentucky/Freshman)

-6’6″, 195 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 15

-ESPN Rank: No. 13

-Stats: 10.9 PPG, 1.8 RPG, and 1.3 APG. .477/.436/.817.

Booker has certainly come on since the beginning of the season, and he made a name for himself during conference play for Kentucky. He is by far one of the best shooters in the entire draft, which will certainly raise his stock and draft position should he decide to leave school after just one season. Booker isn’t a freakish athlete though, which makes him more of a one-dimensional threat. But with the NBA placing a premium on players who can stretch the floor, that shouldn’t prevent Booker from possibly sneaking into the lottery. The fact that he’s the Wildcats’ best, and possibly only, reliable deep threat, should make the NCAA tournament a great showcase for the young swingman.

14 (17) Jerian Grant-PG (Notre Dame/Senior)

-6’5″, 185 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 14

-ESPN Rank: No. 21

-Stats: 16.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 6.7 APG. .494/.331/.754.

Grant is having himself a heck of a season, and may just be the best point guard in college basketball right now. His age may work against him a bit in the draft, such is the NBA world we live in nowadays. But his combination of size, skill, and leadership makes him a solid mid first round selection. Grant needs to improve on his jump shot consistency, and despite his 16.8 PPG average, is more of a pass-first point man at heart. He’ll definitely need to bulk up to be able to guard NBA guards, but whichever team nabs him in June will be getting a very solid player.

15 (15) Bobby Portis-PF (Arkansas/Sophomore)

-6’11″, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 16

-ESPN Rank: No. 14

-Stats: 17.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 1.5 BPG. .563/.423/.748.

Portis has emerged as a potential mid first round pick since the beginning of the season. He’s really been pouring it on lately, having averaged 20.5 PPG over his last four appearances. The big man isn’t an elite athlete, but he’s good enough to have a solid NBA career if he improves his defense and footwork in the post. Portis prefers to launch jump shots rather than mix-it-up in the paint, but with the NBA falling in love with stretch fours, this isn’t necessarily the negative it used to be when profiling big men. I’ve become more enamored with him as a player lately, and as a mid first-rounder he’ll be a good value pick, though he’ll need D-League seasoning before he’ll be ready to step into an NBA rotation.

16 (14) Montrezl Harrell-PF (Louisville/Junior)

-6’8″, 243 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 17

-ESPN Rank: No. 19

-Stats: 15.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 1.3 APG. .573/.243/.585.

It was surprising to see Harrell return to Louisville for his junior season, but the move will likely reward him with a higher draft selection than he would have garnered in 2014. There’s a lot to like about Harrell’s game, but he bears the dreaded tweener tag. He’s neither a true power forward nor a classic small forward. He can score from almost anywhere on the floor and has a high motor. He’s also a very good rebounder and a physical defender. But Harrell lacks a defined NBA position (ie: Derrick Williams and Thomas Robinson), which could end up lowering his draft stock as well as his ceiling as a player.

17 (19) Frank Kaminsky-C (Wisconsin/Senior)

-7’0″, 242 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 12

-ESPN Rank: No. 15

-Stats: 18.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG, and 1.6 BPG. .559/.410/.752.

Kaminsky isn’t likely to become a star in the NBA, nor even an effective starter. But he’ll be able to contribute on the offensive end immediately for whichever team selects him. Kaminsky reminds me quite a bit of the Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk offensively, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Unfortunately, he also shares Olynyk’s weaknesses as a rebounder and defender. As a mid first-rounder, Kaminsky will be a solid pick, though he will have a limited ceiling thanks to his athletic shortcomings. The big man has really been pouring it on lately, logging 23.5 points per game over his last five appearances.

18 (16) Jakob Poeltl-C (Utah/Freshman)

-7’0″, 230 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 19

-ESPN Rank: No. 20

-Stats: 8.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 1.8 BPG. .689/.000/.417.

Poeltl has cooled off a bit after a strong start to the season, though he did drop 18 points on Washington last Saturday. The Austrian is a good defender, can rebound very well, and has a fluid and effective mid range game. His stats aren’t eye-popping, but bigs with his combination of size, skill, and athleticism will always have a place in the NBA. Poeltl definitely needs to hit the weight room if he hopes to survive in the NBA paint area, but that could be said of the majority of big men turning pro. His post game also needs quite a bit of work, but don’t be surprised if he ends up becoming a top 20 pick. However, teams may need to wait another season before getting a chance to draft Poeltl. Ford previously noted that Poeltl was leaning towards returning to school for his sophomore season, but the lure of the NBA can be a strong deterrent toward continuing one’s collegiate career.

19 (18) R.J. Hunter-SG (Georgia State/Junior)

-6’5″, 185 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 27

-ESPN Rank: No. 18

-Stats: 19.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 3.8 APG. .396/.305/.872.

Hunter has cooled off a bit, but I’m not ready to give up on him just yet. I really like Hunter’s game and his potential, and he strikes me as a player who will make a better pro than college player. Hunter’s not an elite athlete, which could limit his potential somewhat. He’s a very good passer, but his ball-handling needs work for him to be an effective pro. Hunter will also have difficulty guarding the quicker twos in the NBA, but he has the ability to be a valuable contributor as a sixth man. Hunter is one of the players most likely to surprise on draft night with how high he is taken.

20 (20) Tyus Jones-PG (Duke/Freshman)

-6’1″, 184 pounds

-DraftExpress Rank: No. 26

-ESPN Rank: No. 25

-Stats: 11.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 5.7 APG. .424/.400/.882.

The 18-year-old Jones has shown remarkable poise as a freshman, and he reminds me quite a bit of Tyler Ennis, another player I was extremely high on heading into the 2014 draft. Jones lacks elite athleticism, needs to work on his outside shot, and won’t be ready to play significant minutes his rookie season. But his court vision and basketball IQ will make him a valuable rotation piece in a couple of seasons. Jones’ turnover rate has increased significantly since conference play began, but he has still displayed remarkable on court leadership for a freshman. Jones is the type of player whose value doesn’t always show up in the box score, and he is overshadowed by Okafor and Winslow on a talented Duke squad. But this kid has the potential to be an effective pro, and a mid first round gem for a patient team.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

And-Ones: Franklin, Draft, Matthews

March 10th, 2015 at 10:38pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Based strictly on his skills on offense, Jahlil Okafor is likely to be the No. 1 overall pick in June’s NBA draft, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com writes. The Duke freshman doesn’t project as a good enough defender to become an impact pro on both sides of the ball, and he isn’t a good enough athlete to have an extremely high ceiling, Howard-Cooper adds. “His offensive ability on the box,” one NBA executive said of the draft appeal of Okafor. “I’m not a huge Okafor guy. But I think the general consensus is that he’s the best player in college basketball.” Both ESPN and DraftExpress have Okafor projected to be the first player selected in this year’s draft.

Here’s more from around the league:

Jamaal Franklin, who currently plays for the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the Lakers’ D-League affiliate, is likely to receive an NBA callup soon, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). Franklin appeared in 21 games for the Grizzlies last season, averaging 1.9 points in 7.7 minutes per game.
Karl-Anthony Towns has overtaken Okafor for the top spot in Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com‘s (Insider subscription required) latest mock draft.
Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said that he likes Quincy Miller, who is inked to a 10-day pact, and the team is considering signing him for the remainder of the season, Vincent Ellis of The Detroit Free Press tweets.
Wesley Matthews is scheduled to undergo surgery to repair his torn left Achilles on Wednesday, the Blazers announced. Matthews, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, is out for the season courtesy of the injury.

And-Ones: Divac, Okafor, Knicks

March 3rd, 2015 at 10:39pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Kings have hired former NBA player Vlade Divac as their vice president of basketball and franchise operations, the team has announced. “With an unparalleled philanthropic track record that spans the globe, Vlade Divac is the epitome of our NBA 3.0 philosophy,” Sacramento owner Vivek Ranadive said. “He has a unique perspective and global stature that will only further elevate our organization around the world.” In a career that spanned 16 NBA seasons, Divac averaged 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. Ranadive was the driving force behind hiring Divac, Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee tweets.

Here’s more from around the league and abroad:

With the Guangdong Southern Tigers having been eliminated from the Chinese Basketball Association playoffs, Will Bynum, Jeff Adrien and Chris Daniels have become free agents and are eligible to sign with NBA teams, Enea Trapani of Sportando tweets.
The NBA has fined the Knicks for team president Phil Jackson‘s public comments regarding Ohio State freshman D’Angelo Russell, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). Upon leaving Ohio State’s game last Thursday night, Jackson told reporters that Russell was a “great looking kid, [a] great prospect.” This is the second time in his brief career as an executive that Jackson has been fined for tampering. The first instance was for his comments regarding Derek Fisher last spring while Fisher was still a member of the Thunder.
Mike D’Antoni would be an excellent fit as the next coach of the Nuggets, Adi Joseph of USA Today opines. Joseph cites Denver’s personnel, who would be well-suited to D’Antoni’s style of play, as the main reason the former Knicks and Lakers coach could match up well with the Nuggets.
With the Knicks currently owning the worst record in the NBA according to Hoops Rumors’ Reverse Standings, New York has the best odds of snagging the top pick in June’s NBA draft. Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal examines the pros and cons of projected No. 1 overall pick Jahlil Okafor, and how the big man would fit in with the Knicks.
The Lakers intend to apply for a hardship exception once Ronnie Price misses his fourth consecutive game, Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times reports. Los Angeles has lost Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Julius Randle and Price for the season. The Lakers have discussed the matter internally, but haven’t decided if they will use the exception if granted, Pincus adds.