Mario Hezonja

NBA Draft Withdrawal Deadline Updates

June 15th, 2015 at 3:47pm CST by Chuck Myron

The deadline for college underclassmen to pull out of the draft and retain NCAA eligibility was way back on April 12th, but the NBA’s deadline isn’t until 4:00pm Central time today. That means that prospects from overseas who aren’t automatically draft-eligible finally have a decision to make. It’s possible that an early entrant from college or two will pull out, too, though that would force them to play in the D-League or overseas next season.

We’ll be tracking news of each player withdrawing from the draft today with this post, and we’ll pass along news about players deciding to stay in the draft here, too. A few reports came in over the recent days and weeks — Cyprus-born small forward Aleksandar Vezenkov is expected to withdraw, and so will German forward Paul Zipser, while South Korean center Jong-Hyun Lee is staying in the draft — but if the narrative changes on them, we’ll note it.

A few prospects changed their minds in the hours leading up to the deadline last year, so we’ll transfer names from one list below to the other if that happens again. Once it’s all settled, we’ll update our early entrants list with the final account as the draft, set for a week from Thursday, approaches.

So, here’s our list as it stands now. We’ll update it and bump it to the top of our home page as new information comes in.

Withdrawing from the draft

Brazilian point guard George de Paula, aka George Lucas, has left the draft, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.
Rade Zagorac, a Serbian small forward is out of the draft, agent Misko Raznatovic says, as Givony reports (Twitter link).
Russian center Andrey Desyatnikov will withdraw from the draft, according to the ASM Sports Agency, Givony tweets.
Nedim Buza, a small forward from Bosnia and Herzegovina, will pull out of the draft, Givony tweets.
Combo forward Lucas Dias, aka Lucas Dias Silva, and small forward Humberto Gomes, both from Brazil, have withdrawn from the draft, according to their agent, as Givony tweets.
Point guard Miroslav Pasajlic, shooting guard Dusan Kutlesic and center Djoko Salic, all from Serbia, are pulling out of the draft, agent Alex Raskovic tells Givony (Twitter link).
Another Serbian, center Marko Tejic, will also withdraw from the draft, Raznatovic tells Givony (Twitter link).
Vladislav Korenyuk, a Ukrainian center, will pull out of the draft, agent Saulius Svetkauskas confirmed to Oleksandr Proshuta of basket-planet.com (Twitter link; hat tip to Givony).
Brazilian shooting guard Danilo Fuzaro will withdraw, agent Vinicius Fontana tells Givony (Twitter link).
Moussa Diagne, a center from Senegal, is out of the draft, according to agent Herb Rudoy, as Givony tweets.
French power forward Alexandre Chassang will pull out of the draft, according to agent Pedja Materic, Givony tweets.
Big man Alpha Kaba of France won’t keep his name in, either, Materic says, as Givony relays (Twitter link).
Swingman Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, another Frenchman, is also coming off the early-entrant list, Materic tells Givony (Twitter link).
Simone Fontecchio, a small forward from Italy, is pulling out of the draft, a source told Daniele Labanti of Corriere di Bologna (Twitter link).
French small forward Kevin Harley has decided to come off the draft board, agent Olivier Mazet tweets (hat tip to Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia).
Latvian center Andzejs Pasecniks is withdrawing from the draft, agent Artūrs Kalnītis tweets (hat tip to Givony).

Remaining in the draft

It’s no surprise, but Latvian power forward Kristaps Porzingis and Croatian shooting guard Mario Hezonja, both candidates to become top-10 picks, will stay in the draft, tweets Chad Ford of ESPN.com.
Guillermo Hernangomez, a center from Spain, will stick on this year’s early entrants list, according to the ASM Sports Agency, tweets Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.
Serbian point guard Nikola Radicevic is staying in the draft, agent Alex Raskovic said to Givony (Twitter link).
Mouhammadou Jaiteh, a center from France, will remain draft-eligible, agent Herman Manakyan tells Givony (Twitter link).
Serbian center Nikola Milutinov will stay in the draft, agent Marc Fleisher says, according to Givony (on Twitter).
Satnam Singh, a center from India, is keeping his name on the draft list, agent Travis King tells Givony (Twitter link).
Macedonian-born small forward Cedi Osman will stay in the draft, tweets Can Pelister of Trendbasket.
Greek power forward Dimitrios Agravanis is staying in the draft, tweets agent Georgios Dimitropoulos (hat tip to Givony).

Heat Notes: Wade, Chalmers, Draft

June 1st, 2015 at 1:12pm CST by Chuck Myron

Dwyane Wade doesn’t intend to leave the Heat, cautions Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald (Twitter link), but the contract squabble that apparently has him at least open to the idea will test the bond that has held Wade and the Heat together for 12 years, as fellow Herald scribe Dan Le Batard writes. Wade has subjugated his financial position multiple times over his time with the Heat, having never been the team’s highest player, as Le Batard points out, but it looks like he wants to recoup some of that sacrifice this summer. Here’s more on Wade and Miami:

The Heat would love to end up with Arizona small forward Stanley Johnson or Croatian swingman Mario Hezonja with the 10th overall pick in the draft, as Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel makes clear. In any case, there’s a decent chance Kentucky shooting guard Devin Booker will be available to Miami at that selection, as Winderman hears the Hornets would like to end up with more out of the No. 9 pick than Booker could provide.
Wade’s willingness to take a stand is symbolic of the union’s shift toward a more star-friendly strategy in which it appears poised to pursue collective bargaining agreement terms that will better suit the upper class of NBA players, SB Nation’s Tom Ziller observes. That could come at the expense of the rest of union membership, and the dynamic threatens to weaken the players association, Ziller argues.
That Wade might find himself only the fourth most highly paid member of the Heat by the 2016/17 season, behind Chris Bosh, Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside, has to eat at the 11-time All-Star shooting guard, Winderman believes.
Longtime starter Mario Chalmers figures to play a backup role if Dragic returns, but there’s little value for the Heat in trading Chalmers now, as Winderman posits in the same piece.

Eastern Notes: Crowder, Hezonja, Pacers

May 27th, 2015 at 8:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Celtics forward Jae Crowder is making “great strides” recovering from his left knee sprain injury suffered last month and has begun to do some workout-related activities, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes. Crowder can become a restricted free agent this summer if Boston tenders him a qualifying offer worth $1,181,34. The team has already indicated that it plans to re-sign Crowder, who is the only player remaining on Boston’s roster from the Rajon Rondo trade.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Croatian swingman Mario Hezonja would be a fit for the Pistons with the No. 8 pick, but the same fiery attitude that fuels his play won’t fly in Detroit if it manifests in on-court tongue-lashings of teammates, as it has in past, writes Terry Foster of The Detroit News.
The Pacers have workouts scheduled on Thursday for Andrew Harrison, Terran Petteway, Terry Rozier, J.P. Tokoto, Rashad Vaughn, and Dez Wells, the team announced.
The Lakers have the potential to throw a wrench in the Sixers‘ draft plans if Los Angeles opts to select D’Angelo Russell instead of a big man with the No. 2 overall pick, as is widely expected, John Gonzalez of CSNPhilly.com writes. Sixers GM Sam Hinkie isn’t concerned, noting how in flux the NBA Draft rumors can be, Gonzalez adds. “Let’s see how things go,” Hinkie said. “Not only us, but I suspect the Lakers and the Timberwolves and the Knicks, they will do what we all do — spend a lot of time trying to analyze the players that are likely to be available to them. That time may yield different results than what the prognosticators are saying so far.“
The Sixers held workouts today for Amere May Jr., Jherrod Stiggers, Kyle Anderson and Alpha Kaba, Jake Fischer of LibertyBallers.com tweets.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Eastern Notes: Heat, Hezonja, Celtics

May 26th, 2015 at 8:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the Heat‘s need to add an outside shooter in this year’s NBA Draft, Kentucky shooting guard Devin Booker certainly fits the bill, and could be available when the team selects at No. 10 overall, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel writes. Team president Pat Riley is also looking to emulate the versatility of the Warriors’ backcourt, Winderman adds. “If you watch Golden State,” Riley said, “they don’t have a plethora of 3-point shooters beyond Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, they’re everything. They’re the most complete backcourt in the league. Not only are they the ballhandlers, catch-and-shoot players, the playmakers, but they’re both the main long-distance weapon for that team.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Croatian swingman Mario Hezonja could fit the bill as the outside threat that the Pistons need, Brendan Savage of MLive.com writes. “He’s got a little swagger to him,” a Southeastern Division executive said of Hezonja. “I think those Euro kids have to have some of that coming over here. He’s awfully gifted. He can guard okay, and he’s a capable shooter and a good passer. He checks off a lot of boxes that you’re looking for in a wing. He allows how he’s playing on the offensive end to determine how much effort he’s going to give you defensively. But he’s big. Agile for his size. He has a little nastiness to him that will serve him well if he decides to compete at the defensive end.“
Their wealth of picks in the 2015 draft is making it easy for the Celtics to secure players for individual workouts, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes. “These guys [draft prospects] can’t work out for all 30 teams,” Austin Ainge, Boston’s director of player personnel, told Blakely. “So agents try to limit it to your range. So that’s probably the biggest advantage in our wide net is we have a pick for every range, almost. We’re able to get more guys in which is even more important than what we’re trying to get.“
The Sixers held workouts today for Trevor Lacey, Wesley Saunders, Rakeem Christmas, David Laury, and Travis Trice, Jake Fischer of LibertyBallers.com tweets.

Central Notes: Blatt, Hezonja, Bucks, Pacers

May 22nd, 2015 at 11:30am CST by Chuck Myron

Part of the heat that’s surrounded Cavs coach David Blatt this year is media-driven, argues Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. His brusque manner with reporters has fueled a perhaps unprecedented level of criticism, Amico writes, but owner Dan Gilbert is in his corner one year after making the surprising hire. While we wait to see if Blatt can lead the Cavs to a 2-0 series lead on the Hawks tonight, here’s more from around the Central Division:

Mario Hezonja makes sense for the Pistons at draft pick No. 8, and while he’s a streaky shooter who has a prickly demeanor with teammates, he doesn’t carry nearly the same risk as Darko Milicic did when the Pistons blew the No. 2 pick on him in 2003, writes Terry Foster of The Detroit News.
Bucks GM John Hammond wants the team to build “organically” with a long-term approach and said Milwaukee will target size and shooting in the draft this year, as The Associated Press relays. “We’re still very much an unfinished product,” Hammond said. “We need to continue to add toughness and energy to our team, so we have multiple needs.”
The Pacers on Tuesday will work out draft prospects Delon Wright, Marcus Thornton, Pat Connaughton, Jabril Trawick, Greg Whittington and Jonathan Holmes, the team announced. Thornton, a point guard from William & Mary, is not to be confused with the forward from Georgia by the same name who worked out for the Sixers, and of course he isn’t the six-year NBA veteran shooting guard who also goes by that name.

And-Ones: Pistons, Draft, Knicks

May 4th, 2015 at 10:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy and GM Jeff Bower are in Spain to evaluate potential lottery picks Mario Hezonja and Kristaps Porzingis, Terry Foster of the Detroit News reports. Detroit currently holds the No. 8 pick in the draft pending the results of the lottery and is seeking forwards who can stretch the floor, Foster continues. Hezonja could help the Pistons at small forward, a spot that was shared by aging veterans Tayshaun Prince and Caron Butler during the second half of the season. Porzingis has a good catch-and-shoot game, according to Foster, and could replace power forward Greg Monroe, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

In other news around the league:

The NBA will hold its draft at the Nets’ Barclays Center for the third consecutive year next month, league sources informed Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. The June 25th event has been hosted by the Nets for five consecutive years, including two years at the team’s previous home arena, the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The focus of the draft will be on Brooklyn’s crosstown rival, the Knicks, since they have the second-best chance to get the top pick through the lottery, Bontemps points out.
The Knicks will have anywhere from $19.1MM to $26.7MM in salary-cap space this summer, according to the latest projections by Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. The disparity is mainly due to the cap hold on Alexey Shved, who could receive a qualifying offer of just over $4.1MM.
Tony Parker and Spurs teammate Boris Diaw are among 24 players named to France’s preliminary roster for EuroBasket 2015, Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News writes. Parker and Diaw have indicated they plan to participate in the event, which will be held in September, McCarney adds.

Mario Hezonja To Enter NBA Draft

April 23rd, 2015 at 3:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Croatian shooting guard Mario Hezonja intends to enter the 2015 NBA draft, Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress reports (Twitter link). The Wasserman Media Group client spent the past season playing for Barcelona of the Euroleague, and he is projected to be a lottery pick come June. Givony ranks the 20-year-old as the No. 7 overall prospect in this year’s draft, while Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) places Hezonja at No.8.

In a draft class that is relatively weak at the shooting guard spot, the 6’8″ swingman is likely to be the third backcourt player selected after D’Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay. There is no doubt that Hezonja possesses the necessary athleticism to play in the NBA, but his maturity has come under question by some international scouts. Hezonja has had minor chemistry issues in the past with teammates, and has been labelled a selfish player by some of those same scouts, which could negatively impact his draft slot.

In 22 Euroleague contests this season, the 6’8″ guard averaged 7.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 16.5 minutes per contest. His overall shooting numbers this season were .462/.382/.750.

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.

Central Notes: George, Mohammed, Pistons

April 10th, 2015 at 7:00pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Paul George is looking at the remaining games on the Pacers‘ schedule as a “test drive” to see how well he has recovered from the devastating leg injury he suffered last summer while scrimmaging for Team USA, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com writes. “That’s exactly what it is [a test drive], it’s just seeing where I’m at and then getting ready for more rehab this summer and getting ready to build off these last couple of games of the season,” George said. “It’s been tough. There were days when I told myself I wanted to shut it down and get ready for the summer. But it’s great having the staff that we have here to push me here and keep my going. I’ve had days when I’m sure they hated me. And I hated them. But we got through it and they did a great job with being in my corner.”

Here’s more out of the Central Division:

Veteran big man Nazr Mohammed has been making his presence felt on the Bulls with his vocal leadership, Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com writes. Mohammed’s spark and guidance was integral in snapping Chicago out of its stupor after a terrible second quarter against the Heat last night when the Bulls were outscored 33-12, Friedell adds. “I think you got to be accountable and you got to play for each other,” guard Aaron Brooks said. “I think one thing that Naz brought up was you’re letting your teammate down when you’re not getting back or you’re not helping. You’re not letting the coach, you’re not letting the fans. You’re letting your teammate down, and you got to have your brother’s back.” The center is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
The Pistons are likely to target a forward in the first round of this year’s NBA draft, David Mayo of MLive.com opines in his weekly mailbag. Detroit currently is in line for the No. 8 pick, according to Hoops Rumors’ reverse standings. Potential targets at that spot for the team could include Justise Winslow, Stanley Johnson, and Frank Kaminsky, Mayo notes.
Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy hopes to go to Spain after the NBA season ends to get a first-hand look at guard Mario Hezonja and power forward Kristaps Prozingis, both of whom are projected top 10 picks this year, Mayo adds.

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.

Load More Posts