The hype for the 2015 NBA Draft has reached its boiling point, but much of the hysteria is warranted. This year's draft class is loaded with All-Star talent in the lottery and potential steals in the 20-40 range. Lottery picks like Karl-Anthony Towns and Mario Hezonja could blossom into stars, while mid-draft picks like Anthony Brown and Michael Frazier have the tools to surpass all expectations.
In many ways, this class resembles the 2012 draft, which featured stars like Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard as well as steals like Draymond Green and Khris Middleton.
Below is a list of my top-60 prospects. This is a general draft board; team-specific ones will differ. The players in each tier are interchangeable depending on individual team needs.
Tier 1
RANK |
PLAYER |
POS |
COLLEGE |
SCOUTING REPORT |
| 1 | Karl-Anthony Towns | PF/C | Kentucky | Towns is the ideal modern big man |
| 2 | Jahlil Okafor | C | Duke | Okafor is great ... on one end |
| 3 | Mario Hezonja | G/F | FC Barcelona | The cockiest prospect in years |
| 4 | D'Angelo Russell | G | Ohio State | His versatility makes him great |
| 5 | Kristaps Porzingis | F/C | Sevilla | Absolutely worth the hype |
| 6 | Justise Winslow | SF | Duke | The do-it-all wing for a new generation |
Tier 2
RANK |
PLAYER |
POS |
COLLEGE |
SCOUTING REPORT |
| 7 |
Willie Cauley-Stein |
C | Kentucky | Can guard anyone on earth |
| 8 |
Emmanuel Mudiay |
PG |
Guangdong | Big, fast and strong ... but can he shoot? |
| 9 |
Frank Kaminsky |
PF | Wisconsin | A legitimate NBA prospect. |
| 10 |
Myles Turner |
C | Texas | Very raw, but offers an intriguing combination of skills |
| 11 |
Stanley Johnson |
SF |
Arizona | Has the look of a prototypical NBA small forward |
| 12 |
Devin Booker |
SG | Kentucky | The best shooter in the draft |
Tier 3
RANK |
PLAYER |
POS |
COLLEGE |
SCOUTING REPORT |
| 13 | Bobby Portis | PF | Arkansas | Good at everything, not great at anything |
| 14 | Cameron Payne | PG | Murray State | A shorter, older D'Angelo Russell |
| 15 | Trey Lyles | F | Kentucky | Very skilled offensively, but who will he guard? |
| 16 | Justin Anderson | SF | Virginia | Has every tool needed to be a "3 and D" wing |
| 17 | R.J. Hunter | SG | Georgia State | Much more than a one-shot wonder |
| 18 | Kevon Looney | F | UCLA | Stretch 4 with boom or bust potential |
| 19 | Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | SF | Arizona | Lockdown defender that can't shoot |
| 20 | Sam Dekker | SF | Wisconsin | College disappointment that starred in the tournament |
Tier 4
RANK |
PLAYER |
POS |
COLLEGE |
SCOUTING REPORT |
| 21 | Kelly Oubre | G/F | Kansas | Has yet to grasp his amazing potential |
| 22 | Tyus Jones | PG | Duke | Savvy point guard that might be too small |
| 23 | Anthony Brown | SF | Stanford | A potential 3-and-D steal |
| 24 | Michael Frazier | SG | Florida | Sleeper combo guard that can shoot |
| 25 | Jerian Grant | G | Notre Dame | Experienced combo guard that can play right away |
| 26 | Montrezi Harrell | PF | Louisville | Undersized, ferocious rebounder |
| 27 | Terry Rozier | PG | Louisville | Point guard prospect with size |
| 28 | Jarell Martin | F | LSU | Skilled hybrid forward who suffers defensive lapses |
| 29 | Richaun Holmes | PF | Bowling Green | Good size and athleticism, but not great offensively |
| 30 | Delon Wright | PG | Utah | Big point guard with defensive upside |
| 31 | Chris McCullough | PF | Syracuse | Versatile wing with a questionable motor |
| 32 | Pat Connaughton | G/F | Notre Dame | Very athletic swingman with great defensive potential |
| 33 | Nikola Milutinov | C | Partizan | Potential pick-and-roll monster that can protect the rim |
| 34 | Robert Upshaw | C | Washington | Top shot-blocker that must overcome personal demons |
| 35 | Jonathan Holmes | F | Texas | Versatile combo forward |
Tier 5
RANK |
PLAYER |
POS |
COLLEGE |
SCOUTING REPORT |
| 36 | Jordan Mickey | PF | LSU | Undersized power forward with long arms |
| 37 | J.P. Tokoto | SG | North Carolina | Can lock down defensively, but jumper is inconsistent |
| 38 | Arturas Gudaitis | C | Zalgiris | Burly center with good touch |
| 39 | Joseph Young | PG | Oregon | Undersized guard that can put up points in a hurry |
| 40 | Rashad Vaughn | SG | UNLV | Pure scorer that defended poorly in college |
| 41 | Cedi Osman | SF | Anadolu Efes | Versatile wing that can do a little bit of everything |
| 42 | Christian Wood | PF | UNLV | Talented combo forward; must improve decision-making |
| 43 | Guillermo Hernangomez | C | Sevilla | Porzingis' teammate is a polished big man |
| 44 | Norman Powell | SG | UCLA | Four-year starter that struggles with his shot |
| 45 | Josh Richardson | SG | Tennessee | Overlooked four-year starter that kept developing |
| 46 | Tyler Harvey | PG | E. Washington | The nation's top scorer, but undersized for the pros |
Tier 6
RANK |
PLAYER |
POS |
COLLEGE |
SCOUTING REPORT |
| 47 | Mouhammadou Jaiteh | C | Nanterre | Raw big that declared in 2013 before pulling out |
| 48 | Vince Hunter | F | UTEP | Tough perimeter defender that's still developing |
| 49 | Dakari Johnson | C | Kentucky | The forgotten Kentucky big man |
| 50 | Aaron White | F | Iowa | Poor shooter, but skilled offensively otherwise |
| 51 | Rakeem Christmas | C | Syracuse | Athletic big man with limited skills |
| 52 | Olivier Hanlan | PG | Boston College | High-scoring guard stuck between positions |
| 53 | Alan Williams | C | UC-Santa Barbara | Tough post scorer and rebounder |
| 54 | Michael Qualls | SG | Arkansas | Idiosyncratic, athletic shooting guard |
| 55 | Darrun Hilliard | SG | Villanova | Excellent shooter, but lacks NBA athleticism |
| 56 | Larry Nance Jr. | F | Wyoming | Athletic 4 with good size. Plays like his dad |
| 57 | Cliff Alexander | PF | Kansas | Top recruit that flopped at Kansas |
| 58 | Seth Tuttle | PF | Northern Iowa | Solid shooter without much athleticism |
| 59 | T.J. McConnell | PG | Arizona | Similar to Aaron Craft |
| 60 | Andrew Harrison | PG | Kentucky | Highly-touted recruit that struggles with decision-making |
★★★
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