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2015 NBA Draft Stock Risers

Mar 31, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard/forward Anthony Brown (21) reacts to his three point basket during the first half against the Old Dominion Monarchs in the semifinals of the 2015 NIT college basketball tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

We’ve all seen the latest mock drafts, and heard all of the misdirection going around social media as to who is going where, and when, next week.

Throughout the pre-draft process, we’ve also learned about who has impressed during workouts and made NBA scouts and GMs consider taking them much earlier than they were originally projected to go. Today, we take a look at some of the NBA Draft’s top stock risers.

Kristaps Porzingis, Europe

No one has generated as much buzz through team workouts as Porzingis has recently. Nearly always thought to be a top-ten pick, Porzingis is now seriously in play for the second overall pick. No one considers him to be at risk of falling past Philadelphia at No. 3, but it will be interesting to see if Los Angeles makes a play for him. American fans might be a bit wary of European prospects taken this high in the draft, but Porzingis has NBA folks singing a different tune than recent foreign prospects.

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Anthony Brown, Stanford

Once thought, by some, to be a fringe pick at all, Brown started to work his way into the mid-second round after the NBA Draft Combine where his height and length impressed everyone in attendance. But it’s not just his frame, but his considerable skill set on the perimeter, knock down shot ability, and the defensive potential that he flashed multiple times at Stanford. Brown is also an underrated athlete, who’s true offensive talent might yet be undiscovered due to playing alongside Chasson Randle at Stanford.

Terry Rozier, Louisville

Rozier can make plays on the pick and roll, meaning that NBA teams are looking at him to be an off the bench ball handler and scorer, with the ability to create for teammates. Recently, he’s entered the conversation for the late-first round after being considered a mid-to-late-second rounder for much of the pre-draft process. Rozier was often a volume shooter at Louisville, frustrating fans with some of his decision making skills. However, the talent that he has is hard to deny, and placed within a system that gives him enough freedom to show it but enough structure to reign him in, Rozier could be effective.

Larry Nance, Wyoming

Nance came back after a knee injury cut short his junior and had a big time senior year where he showed off his versatility on both ends. Nance wasn’t considered a guy who would likely hear his name called on Draft night, until recently. With his strength, athleticism, skill, and most of all, his competitiveness, teams have started to consider Nance, with some even projecting him as a first round pick. He has solid size for a power forward, and he’s shown the ability to protect the rim while also switching out onto the perimeter when the situation calls for it. This would be a great value pick for someone that just needs to add some size or depth to the bench.

Devin Booker, Kentucky

Some may look at Booker as simply a shooter, but he’s got more in his arsenal than just that. Booker can create shots for himself off the bounce and could even turn into a solid defender, but it’s his athleticism that has him rising into the top ten of recent Mock Drafts. We’ve long said that Booker would be a guy generating a lot more buzz had he gone somewhere that allowed him to flash his skill set on a more consistent basis than he was allowed to at Kentucky. Booker is also a guy who shows a willingness to compete for loose balls, rebounds, and position defensively. If he can be a shooter with a blue-collar mentality elsewhere on the court, he’ll fit in right away in the League.

Written by Will Whelan

Somewhere between psychotic and iconic, William finds refuge in the sound of a leather ball bouncing on a wooden floor, preferably with a Burgundy in hand.

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