NBA Draft 2015: 5 second-round bargains
By Brad Rowland
Olivier Hanlan, PG Boston College
Hanlan is the polar opposite of Cliff Alexander as a prospect.
The three-year starter at Boston College enters the NBA Draft as the definition of a “finished product”, and at the age of 22, it is tough to see an immense amount of upside in Hanlan’s game. At the same time, teams aren’t always in search of breakout candidates in the second round (especially if they are contenders), and Hanlan appears to be the rare second-round choice that wouldn’t be a disaster if deployed from day one.
The 6-foot-4 guard was a big-time scorer in the ACC, averaging better than 18 points per game in each of his final two seasons. Hanlan isn’t an elite shooter by any stretch, but he is certainly a functional one (35.3% shooting from three as a junior), and his theoretical ability to play point guard adds value.
To be clear, Hanlan must be able to stick at the point guard spot at the NBA level to deserve even a second-round pick, but he should be able to do that. Sometimes, going safe is successful in the NBA Draft.
Next: Norman Powell