The NBA Draft is not an exact science, which should come as a surprise to no one. Whatever pick a franchise has, the odds of them landing a star, or even a player that will turn into a productive veteran, are less than ideal.
That is why so many front offices place a premium on their scouting departments. Not so much for Lottery picks, but for late-first, second-round draftees. Those are the players that a franchise like the Golden State Warriors have built around the Lottery stars, and it seems to be a championship-level model.
Who might this Draft’s sleepers be? We look at five candidates below.
1.) J.P. Tokoto
The North Carolina product has tremendous athleticism, defensive instincts, and has improved his shooting over the course of his career. Most notable about his game, though, is his willingness to make plays for teammates. If he needs to set a stellar screen, he will. If he needs to drive and kick, he will. Drive and dish? You bet. He’s a playmaker, bottom line, and playoff teams are always looking for another one.
2.) Cliff Alexander
It’s hard to believe that a year ago, people were wondering if Alexander might beat out Jahlil Okafor in National Player of the Year votes heading into their freshman seasons. At this point, Alexander looks like a early-to-mid second round pick, which is generous given his production at Kansas. Still, it’s hard to ignore his aggression, motor, length, and timing as a shot blocker. Shorter players have made it at his position, and he’s certainly got motivation to prove doubters wrong.
3.) Terry Rozier
The Louisville point guard flashed some serious playmaking ability for Rick Pitino, but so much of it centered around scoring the ball. What makes him so enticing for the NBA, though, is his ability to make explosive plays–and the smart ones, too–coming off the pick-and-roll. Point guards who can make defenses pay off ball screens will always have a job in the NBA.
4.) Joseph Young
When you can get buckets, which Joey Buckets most certainly can, there’s a good chance you’ll be making money off of your basketball skills. For Young, he’s got the best pull-up game in the Draft, and can legitimately score at all three levels. The questions for him will be strength and defense, but players with less of both have carved out nice careers in the League.
5.) Anthony Brown
People started chatting about Brown when he locked down Andrew Wiggins two season ago for Stanford, but his buzz fell off after another season of playing a deferential role behind Chasson Randle. If Brown can commit himself to being a three-and-D kind of player, he’ll be a steal in the late-second round.
