2015 NBA Draft: Who to watch for in the ACC

This week, we’ll be previewing each power conference at Upside & Motor, hopefully giving you an idea of who to watch for in regards to the 2015 NBA Draft on each team when the NCAA season kicks off. We start with the ACC. 

The ACC is always among the big conference powers in the basketball world, and this year will be no different. With the addition of Louisville to its ranks, in conjunction with another year of Pittsburgh and Syracuse being ACC members, the conference may be the deepest it has ever been.

But still, that doesn’t mean that it has lost its high-end talent. Featuring six players currently in the Upside & Motor Top 30, including four in the top 14, conference play will be littered with NBA scouts looking for anything from their next superstar to their next role player.

Without further ado, here is who to watch for in the ACC.

Boston College

Boston College has one potential draftee in Olivier Hanlan, a combo guard that slid over to the 2 last season for the Eagles. Hanlan is a good scorer from all over the floor, not only shooting 37 percent on his 300-plus three-point attempts, but also knocking down 53 percent of his two-point attempts and getting to the lane at a ridiculous rate of 7.9 attempts per-40 minutes. He’ll be a strong candidate for the second guard position on the all-ACC team behind Marcus Paige and, despite being 22 on draft day, will factor into some team’s plans accordingly. I have Hanlan as a second round pick right now, and expect him to become one of the most feared scorers in the NCAA this season.

Clemson

There are no prospects on the radar for Clemson right now, and it seems to be a safe bet that no one will step up as K.J. McDaniels did last season to shoot into first round conversations. Rod Hall and Jordan Roper are their top returning scorers as undersized guards. Landry Nnoko is still a project center learning how to play at 6’11”, 255 pounds. 6’7″ forward Jaron Blossomgame started 30 games as a freshman last season, and seems to be the most likely candidate to take over McDaniels’ all-around prowess. But he’s still probably at least a year away from making waves.

Duke

The owner of the top recruiting class in the country this season, Duke has three of Upside & Motor’s top 14 prospects. Jahlil Okafor is our number one overall guy right now, Justise Winslow is sixth, and Tyus Jones is 14th. Duke should be more well-balanced this season than last. Despite possessing Jabari Parker, the team was often forced to play him as a miscast center because of their dearth of size. This year, Okafor will man the middle, Winslow will defend on the wing, and Jones will orchestrate from the perimeter while surrounded by shooters.

Beyond those three, I have Rasheed Sulaimon as a potential second round pick. He’s a shooting guard that was in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s dog house at points last season, but hopefully will get his chance to create offense on the wing next to Winslow. Sulaimon has a ton of talent both shooting from the perimeter and as a slasher, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him be a big riser as the season progresses. Amile Jefferson and Quinn Cook will also likely get Portsmouth invites when they enter the draft, but should ultimately go undrafted. Finally, I’m a pretty big fan of Grayson Allen, a 6’4″ shooter and the fourth piece of Duke’s incredible freshman class, but he likely won’t be a draft factor until 2016 or 2017.

For more information, here are scouting reports of Okafor and Winslow.

Florida State

I don’t have anyone from Florida State in my top 100 at the moment, but 6’5″ shooting guard Aaron Thomas could jump into it by the end of the season. He reminds me of former Florida State shooting guard Michael Snaer, the 6’4″ two-way dynamo that had a penchant for clutch jumpers before going undrafted and beginning his career in Italy. I was a pretty big fan of Snaer just like I am of Thomas, who defends well on the perimeter and has improved his jump shot to a respectable 37 percent from beyond three-point range. However, he needs to finish better at the rim (54 percent) and not rely as much on the pull-up midrange jumper. If he can become a better spot-up shooter, there’s a chance that he can find a role in the NBA. This will be the telling season to see if Thomas can move his way up into the draft conversation.

It’s also worth mentioning that 7’3″ center Boris Bojanovsky will probably draw looks based on his size alone, but it’s doubtful he’ll be able to move into the conversation enough to get drafted.

Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets don’t have much of an NBA hope this season after forward Robert Carter transferred to Maryland this offseason. The team will rely on Marcus Georges-Hunt to should the scoring burden, but he’s an undersized do-it-all forward that doesn’t have a ton of value in the NBA unless he improves drastically. Freshman combo guard Tadric Jackson might be the second-most talented piece for the Jackets this year, and should help the Jackets become a more athletic team, at least.

Louisville

Montrezl Harrell is the 10th rated prospect on the Upside & Motor big board right now. He’s an excellent rebounder who plays above the rim and is developing a shot from the midrange, but questions will continue to persist about his height as he works through the process. Still, Harrell returning was a boon for the Cardinals and he should carry them to the half of the ACC.

Beyond Harrell, Terry Rozier has impressed on the summer circuit this year and may have a big year as he replaces the departed Russ Smith. However, I’d like to see more of an emphasis on creating for others this season from the 6’1 guard. We know he can score and get to the rim. Diversifying his game will be the key to whether or not he goes in the first round or second. Right now, I have him as a second round pick.

Scoring guard Wayne Blackshear also returns to provide scoring punch for the Cardinals. His role should take a large step forward this year, as the Cardinals will be starved for perimeter creation outside of Rozier. If he shoots as well as he did last year from deep (nearly 40 percent), there’s a chance he can get drafted. But more likely, he looks like a Portsmouth guy right now that will be a Summer League invite.

Louisville also brings in freshman Shaqquan Aaron, a long 6’7 wing that can fill it up and has potential to defend. He’s still pretty skinny at 175 pounds though, and probably profiles better for the 2016 draft than the 2015 iteration. Still, keep an eye on him as there is a non-zero chance he explodes onto the scene this season.

Miami

Miami is pretty bereft of NBA talent this year. Freshman Ja’Quan Newton is probably the most intriguing player here from a talent perspective, but he’ll need a lot of seasoning in order to become a point guard. They also bring in transfer Angel Rodriguez from Kansas State, who averaged 11 points and five assists per contest in Big-12 play during 2013, but he’s pretty small, doesn’t shoot well from the perimeter, and can’t finish in the paint. Overall, this is a pretty bad situation for coach Jim Larranaga, and they’ll be near the bottom of the ACC this year.

North Carolina

The Tar Heels have a lot of talent this season, and should be one of the top four teams in the conference. It all starts at point guard, where Marcus Paige is the engine of what should be an excellent offense. He’s 23rd on Upside & Motor’s big board right now, and could rise up that board if he shows he can stop perimeter penetration on the defensive end.

Forward Brice Johnson should be an excellent, athletic running mate for Paige when he gets out into the open floor. Johnson’s an incredibly athletically fluid power forward whose questions revolve around his size and skinny frame. He’s put on weight each year he’s been with the Tar Heels, so he’ll need to continue doing that in order to reach his potential. Currently at 26th on our big board, I feel confident saying he won’t be there when the season ends. Either he’ll be a riser into the lottery or a faller because of his weight, and that’s okay.

I’m also extremely intrigued by J.P. Tokoto, another extremely athletic wing who could burst into national picture. Tokoto can jump and run out of the gym, and is an excellent wing defender. At nearly 6’7 with a 6’9 wingspan, he can guard both the 2 and 3 positions. The biggest question mark for him revolves around his shooting, where he needs to improve from the perimeter. Twenty-two percent from beyond the three-point arc won’t cut it. I’d put him in the same range as Thomas of Florida State: not on the radar totally right now, but could be by the end of the year with improvement in targeted areas.

Finally, the Tar Heels bring in an excellent recruiting class led by Theo Pinson and Justin Jackson. Both are small forwards that can fill up the basket, but they do it in different ways. Pinson is the excellent athlete and confident slasher who can get to the rim or pull up from 10-15 feet with ease, while Jackson is the sharp shooter from distance who can get hot and put a game out of reach in a hurry. Right now, Pinson is probably a bit closer to reaching the NBA because his body is a bit more developed and his game is a bit more diverse/mature. But both profile as NBA players in the future.

Joel Barry is also five-star point guard recruit that will be on the team this season, but will probably only receive limited time behind Marcus Paige. He’s definitely a guy to keep an eye on for 2016.

North Carolina State

Losing T.J. Warren will be a crushing blow for the Wolfpack this season, but they bring in an excellent recruiting class that should help replenish their stock for the future. Chief among those players is Abdul-Malik Abu, a 6’8 power forward with an NCAA-ready frame. He’ll play right away, and replace the rebounding of Warren. Also, twins Caleb and Cody Martin should provide some shooting to the fold. However, none of these three will be 2015 prospects.

Among the returnees, rising sophomore Anthony Barber will continue to take the reins over the offense and create scoring for the Wolfpack. He needs to improve from the perimeter though to have any chance to get drafted. Also, Beejay Anya is an intriguing power forward that has lost a ton of weight this offseason after getting to campus at nearly 330 pounds. Mark Gottfired’s group will certainly be more balanced this season, but probably have to wait until 2016 to make the NCAA tournament again.

Notre Dame

Jerian Grant was well on his way to an all-ACC season before being suspended last season. He’ll look to pick up where he left off last season, averaging 19 points and six assists per contest. Grant is basically the perfect collegiate guard, in that he has a quick enough first step to get into the paint, but he also has excellent shooting skill from the perimeter. The shooting probably needs to be the thing to hold up for him, as I’m not sure the first step is quick enough to consistently beat guys off the dribble in the NBA. But due to both his size and skill level, I think he can probably be a solid backup combo guard. I have him as a mid-second round pick right now.

Grant is really Notre Dame’s only major prospect. Pat Connaughton will probably get a Portsmouth invite at the end of the year as a 6’5″ shooter, but ultimately probably doesn’t have enough athleticism to defend on the NBA level. He’s a little too slow for shooting guards, and a little too small for 3s.

Pittsburgh

The Panthers have a lot of intriguing, borderline-prospect guys, but no one that screams NBA. Losing Lamar Patterson and Talib Zanna has done the team no favors. Cameron Wright is a smallish shooting guard that creates offense but can’t shoot from distance. James Robinson is a good caretaker point guard that is wholly unspectacular, but completely steady. Durand Johnson probably would top this list, but he tore his ACL in January and it’s unknown how he’ll return from it.

Having said all of that, I’d look at Michael Young as Pitt’s best NBA chance. The rising sophomore has an excellent frame at 6’9″, 235 pounds, already plays strong defense both on the perimeter and in the post, and has a pretty decent midrange game on offense. He needs to become a better all-around offensive player, but Jamie Dixon’s team always seems to have that one guy step up out of nowhere to put himself on the radar of scouts. I’ll guess Young does that eventually for the Panthers, but it probably won’t be for the 2015 NBA Draft.

Syracuse

Jim Boeheim, fresh off of a gold medal in the World Cup of basketball, will return to a less-talented Syracuse team than he had last season. The departures of Tyler Ennis, C.J. Fair, and Jerami Grant have created a bit of a crisis, but it’s still an extremely talented squad that has some potential draftees. I don’t have any in my top 60 as of right now, but a few of these guys could creep in depending on how their season progresses.

Rakeem Christmas and DaJuan Coleman are both upperclass big men that will be counted on to step into bigger roles. Both are around 6’9 with long wingspans, which is great size for the power forward position. However, neither can make a shot outside of five feet, which will cause problems for their transition. With increased offensive roles though, they could become this team’s Rick Jackson, who blossomed as a senior with the Orange with more opportunity.

Trevor Cooney should turn into the Orange’s leading scorer, but to get the NBA he’ll need to develop beyond just being a spot-up shooter. He’s also a bit undersized for simply a spot-up shooter. Michael Gbinije probably has the most potential to turn himself into a prospect out of any of the returning players, but there are questions. His motor never quits and his defense is already quite excellent, but his scoring hasn’t come along yet and his shooting isn’t great.

The Orange also feature two freshman that are projected starters in forward Chris McCullough and guard Kaleb Joseph. McCullough has a lot of future potential as a 6’10” athlete at the power forward position, but he probably needs another year to improve his mid-post game. Joseph is an excellent ball-handler who has great change-of-direction in his dribble, but still needs to improve as a scorer and put on weight to his 165 pound frame.

Ultimately, it looks like 2015 won’t feature a Syracuse draftee. But with the young players getting better, and a huge recruiting class coming, look for Syracuse to rebound in 2016.

Virginia

The surprise ACC team of 2014, the Cavaliers return quite a bit from their excellent squad. They lose Joe Harris to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he had already taken a step back in 2014 to become more of a role player.

There are a few players to watch here, including Malcolm Brogdon, a 6’5″ guard that was the model of efficiency for Tony Bennett last season. Brogdon shot 42 percent from three-point range, with a 57 percent true-shooting rate and a 22.5 percent assist rate in ACC play last season. A complete player who also excels defending both guard positions, Brogdon could be a riser throughout the 2015 season. He’s just outside of my top 60 right now, but could easily make his way in there by December if he plays well.

Then there’s also Justin Anderson, who has been a highly-regarded prospect for years but just hasn’t been able to put the whole package together as a small forward. The shooting continues to cause him woes, but if he can work that out he could become a go-to scorer for the Cavaliers with Harris out of the picture

Center Mike Tobey is a 7-footer that can score with either his back to the basket or from about 15 feet. He’s probably not an NBA athlete, but it’s always worth keeping an eye on centers who can step away from the basket.

Finally, London Perrantes is a solid rising sophomore point guard who split the ball-handling duties with Brogdon as a freshman. He’s an efficient shooter and solid distributor who also could step into a larger role this season without Harris.

Virginia Tech

Buzz Williams is entering the fold at Virginia Tech, which means that with time they could develop some NBA-level prospects to match that of Erick Green, who was drafted in 2013. However, this season the closet is pretty bare. Guard Adam Smith will return to shoulder the scoring burden, but he’s an undersized point guard that doesn’t distribute. Devin Wilson is a 6’4 two-guard that doesn’t shoot well. Joey Van Zegeren is a Dutch big man that will be counted on to man the paint. But still, none of these guys are on the NBA’s radar, and it’ll take some time for Williams to get his guys in.

Wake Forest

The Demon Deacons have one guy in Devin Thomas that could make some waves this year, but he’s ultimately not in my top 100 (maybe not even top 200 right now). He’s a physical, 6’9″, 240 pound power forward that is difficult to handle in the post. Guard Codi Miller-McIntyre also played somewhat well last season and is a solid distributor, but ultimately Wake Forest shouldn’t feature into NBA Draft discussions.