NBA Draft: Ranking the 5 best SEC players expected to declare for the draft

The SEC is college basketball's most competitive league this year which also means it's member schools possess a number of high-quality NBA Draft prospects. Interestingly, the league sports a high number of potential first-round picks but is unlikely to have a player go in the top-five.

That does not mean it's quantity over quality in the SEC this season. There are quite a few prospects who have the chance to carve out quality NBA careers if they land in the right situations. The upside to not having a probable top-five pick is that a number of SEC alums are going to be drafted by playoff teams instead of the dregs of the NBA.

Without further delay, here are the top five SEC NBA Draft prospects who are likely to go to the league at the conclusion of the current college season.

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1. Tre Johnson, Texas

Texas hasn't been in the SEC long but they do have a long history of churning out quality NBA players. Tre Johnson isn't in the same tier of prospect that Kevin Durant was, but he's got an extremely high ceiling and should hear his name called in the top 10.

Johnson has good size at 6-foot-6 and he is wired to score in a variety of ways. NBA scouts will particularly love the fact that he's shooting 40% from three on over six attempts per game. Some prospects need to dial down their aggressiveness from deep but Johnson could stand to turn it up a notch.

Critics of the Texas scorer will point out that he can drift out of games when his shot isn't going in. That's something that can be corrected at the next level. Johnson can turn into a perennial All-Star if his versatile scoring ability continues to develop. He could go as high as No. 4 overall depending on how the lottery shakes out.

2. Asa Newell, Georgia

Asa Newell arguably plays around less talent in college than he did in high school. To his credit, he's taken advantage of his larger role at Georgia after taking a backseat to Cooper Flagg and Liam McNeely during his senior season of high school.

Newell's motor is what really stands out to NBA scouts. He's managd to be a double-figure scorer for the Bulldogs without having a ton of plays run to get the ball into his hands. Instead, he uses his energy and 6-foot-11 frame to manufacture baskets at a healthy clip.

His draft stock will be most impacted by how much skill he can show on the offensive end during the rest of the college season. If he can show scouts he can comfortably step out and hit threes or score via face up opportunities it could catapult him into the top 10.

3. Adou Thiero, Arkansas

Arkansas has been a mess in John Calipari's first season in Fayetteville but none of the blame should be placed at Adou Thiero's feet. His high motor and defensive chopped have been bright spots in a bleak season for the Razorbacks.

Thiero could rise up this list if he could find an offensive skill to hang his hat on. He's tried to stretch his shooting range out to the three-point arc but he's only shooting slightly over 20%. Most of his buckets come on putbacks and interior moves around the basket.

There's always going to be a place for a high-motor defender like Thiero in the NBA but he needs to round out his game if he wants to hear his name called in the top-10.

4. Derrion Reid, Alabama

Derrion Reed does not get a ton of shots for an Alabama team that has a lot of mouths to fill. That isn't stopping NBA scouts from seeing his potential to be a standout 3-and-D player at the next level.

He has good length for the wing measuring in at 6-foot-8 with long arms. Reid also carries his 220 pounds remarkably well a freshman. The Crimson Tide star projects to be a defender who can guard 2-4 at the next level without sacrificing any size or quickness.

Reid's jumper from deep looks good but it needs to go in more to solidify his status in the Lottery. It's important to remember that he's only a freshman despite how old he might look due to his highly developed body. He has a particular set of skills that are scarce in today's game and that could cause him to shoot up draft boards.

5. Labaron Philon, Alabama

Labaron Philon is the second Alabama star on this list but he's drastically different than the aforementioned Derrion Reid. Philon is a freshman who is exciting NBA teams with his electric ability to score and create for others with the ball in his hands.

Philon might require some patience from the team that selects him in Round 1 since he only weighs in at 177 pounds. He'll need to add good weight before he's ready to deal with the pounding of an 82-game regular season.

The upside for Philon is of a guard who could develop into a No. 1 scoring option for a good team. He's got great pace and explosion from the lead guard position. His shooting stroke looks good but teams will warm to him even more if it starts going in at a healthy clip. Philon might be better off spending one more season at Alabama but his draft stock is too high to spend another year in Tuscaloosa.