Draft hopefuls (bigs) who would benefit from time in the D-League

The D-League has assisted many NBA franchises in speeding up the development process for young players with potential. That’s not about to change anytime soon.

Potential and upside are two of the pivotal factors taken into consideration leading up the the NBA draft. Some players pan out as expected, while others crash and burn never to be heard from again (ahem, Adam Morrison). But the benefit of this newly growing minor league system is that parent clubs have a place to let young players get minutes and truly continue to develop into their full potential.

This season alone we saw success stories from Jordan Clarkson (46th pick in 2014) and Clint Capela (25th pick in 2014), both of whom spent time in the D-League upon returning to help their NBA club. Even more telling is the fact that 30 of the 60 draft selections from 2014 appeared in a D-League game, and 14 of those players were first round picks.

The 2015 NBA Draft is only four short weeks away, and the potential, upside, future star, bust narratives will be endless. With that in mind, I looked at video and expert analysis on this year’s expected draftees to make a short list of big men who will likely spend time in the D-League next season and ultimately benefit greatly from it.

Kevon Looney | 6-9 Power Forward | 19 years old

Looney played only one season of NCAA hoops at UCLA, but it didn’t stop him from impressing the nation with averages of 11.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per contest. Even so, there are a number of factors Looney needs to improve on before he can be leaned on to produce at the next level.

Looney shot 47 percent from the field in his lone season as a Bruin, concerning given the position he plays. While he showcased the ability to step out and stretch the floor (41.5 percent on 1.5 3-point attempts per game), he needs to become a more well-rounded offensive player, starting in the low post. Defensively, Looney showcased his versatility by manning the top of the Bruins’ zone defense. Post-defense, however, is different story. His 6-9 frame still needs to bulk up to be able to combat quality offensive players in the paint.

Spending time in the D-League on assignment will guarantee Looney the consistent live-game action he needs to fine tune his offensive repertoire in the paint, develop his body and improve his post defense.

Looney is slated as high as No. 12 (Utah) and as low as No. 26 (San Antonio) in mocks across the web. There are 10 teams in that range with their own D-League affiliate and while that won’t be a prerequisite for whoever selects him, front office personnel certainly have that in mind when making their picks in today’s NBA.

Ultimately, Looney looks like he will be a solid pro down the line, and time in the D-League could accelerate his ability to contribute to an NBA club.

Robert Upshaw | 7-0 Center | 21 years old

When all the dust clears two to three years from now, Upshaw might be the non-lottery steal of this draft. He only played in 19 games for the University of Washington before being dismissed from the team, but in those games he averaged 10.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and a ridiculous 4.2 blocks.

Keep in mind he did all of that in only 24.9 minutes per game — his per 100 possession numbers were video game-esque: 26.5 points, 19.8 rebounds and 10.8 blocks!

While the dismissal (his second in three years) will raise serious red flags, his talent on the hardwood is undeniable. He’s not a prospect you can throw the ball to in the post for instant offense but he can hold his own in the paint, reminiscent of Tyson Chandler or even a poor man’s Willie Cauley-Stein. His extraordinary benefit over most bigs in this draft is his innate ability to protect the rim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8zfKVm24VQ

Fans assume that all 7-footers should be able to be stellar shot-blockers, yet shot-blocking is more about feel and instinct than simply height. Upshaw has that instinct in spades and could parlay that into being a 15-20 minute spark plug for the right team.

Even considering all of those complimentary statements, Upshaw needs time in the D-League from a maturity standpoint and could certainly use the time to develop more threats offensively.

Dakari Johnson | 7-0 Center | 19 years old

The truth is, we don’t know much about Dakari’s game.

The 7-footer was the third wheel behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Cauley-Stein, resulting in 16.3 minutes per contest for John Calipari’s Wildcats. Hopefully he develops into a more successful player than a previously drafted, lesser used Wildcat who turned out to be a, uhh, bust.

Johnson averaged 6.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and almost a block per game in his limited time on the court, so the flashes on potential starter were seen on occasion. Very simply put: The team that takes Johnson will do so knowing that he is a project player who is two to three years away from contributing.

Why take a player like that? The old adage of “you can’t teach size” comes into play. If a team can get him with the right player development coach, he could be a diamond in the rough.

Johnson’s footwork can use some improvement and he needs to work on being able to guard in space; most notably in the pick and roll. With NBA and D-League games being predicated on the pick and roll, learning how to play it on both ends of the floor is crucial for any incoming big.

Johnson is expected to be a second round pick, who — if he remains stateside — will spend the majority of his rookie year working hard in the D-League.