2015 NBA Draft Watch List: Seniors, Part Nine

It’s less than  a month from the start of college basketball season and the road to the 2015 NBA Draft has begun.  It’s time to start taking some early looks at players who are already on the NBA’s radar, or have enough skill or potential to break through this season.

Players will be broken down by class, starting with the seniors.  Overall, the list will contain between 50 and 60 seniors, 30 to 40 juniors, and 20 to 30 sophomores.

These are not meant to replace scouting reports, which will come out during the season.  These are not all-inclusive and just meant as a brief primer for those who want to track draft prospects throughout the season.  These are also not in any particular order other than who I choose to write about each post.

Sam Thompson, Ohio State, Forward, 6’7, 200

(2013-14, 24.6 mpg) 7.9 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 0.7 spg

45.0 FG%, 61.8 FT%, 35.5 3FG%, 52.6 TS%, 50.9 eFG%

17.8 USG%, 2.8 OREB%, 10.3 DREB%, 6.6 REB%

Though Thompson was a starter for his sophomore year and half of his junior year, this will be the first season where he will be needed to step up and be one of the Buckeyes’ go-to players. Long and athletic, Thompson looks the part of a good college wing, though his game still needs to be refined in many areas. He has shown the ability to hit threes when he has time to get square and set, and his high, quick release allows him to get his shot against many defenders. Thompson understands spacing on the floor well and he can be quick to find openings in the defense when moving off the ball. He is an efficient finisher around the basket, and if given some space, he uses his leaping ability well to finish big. Thompson runs the floor well in transition and does a good job keeping his spacing to allow room for easy fast break points. Defensively, Thompson has the size and athleticism to guard multiple positions, and though his technique can use some work, he reacts well to his man’s movements. His length allows him to close well and disrupt passing lanes, though his positioning could improve.

What he needs to show this season: Thompson has never been a major part of the Ohio State offense, usually relegated to a fourth or fifth option when he has been on the floor. His offense has been mostly about long jumpers or finding quick chances in transition. Thompson hasn’t shown the ability to consistently score off the dribble, and though he is an average ballhandler, he is not aggressive enough to attack his defender, even in isolation.  He also needs to work on being able to hit his jumper off the dribble, especially when he is given some space to get by his defender. On defense, Thompson can be inconsistent; sometimes guarding his man well and moving his feet, and sometimes just going through the motions. He needs to improve defending off the ball, especially when he is guarding a player who likes to stay in motion. Thompson can be turned around easily and ends up losing track of both the ball and his man. He has shown some good rebounding ability, especially when using his athleticism to get to misses quickly, but he needs to work on his strength to battle more consistently around the basket. Thompson seems to have a lot of the raw skill necessary to elevate his game to another level, now he just needs to take advantage of the opportunity and touches to prove it.

T.J. McConnell, Arizona, Guard, 6’1, 195

(2013-14, 32.3 mpg) 8.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.3 apg, 1.7 spg

45.4 FG%, 62.0 FT%, 36.0 3FG%, 52.8 TS%, 51.8 eFG%

15.9 USG%, 3.0:1 A/TO, 30.3 AST%, 18.1 TOV%, 3.3 STL%

After sitting out a season due to his transfer from Duquesne, McConnell proved to be what Arizona had been missing over the past few seasons – a true point guard and leader on the floor. McConnell controls the action on the floor for the Wildcats, getting them into their offense quickly and making sure players are where they should be.  He sees the floor very well and is a strong passer. He doesn’t take many risks when he has the ball, but has a knack for getting teammates the ball in places where they have scoring opportunities, whether it’s a lob, post-entry pass, or a kick out off of penetration. McConnell is an above-average ballhandler who handles pressure well.  He doesn’t have a great speed burst off the dribble, but he changes the pace well enough to force defenders off-balance, giving him the space he needs to get to the basket or find a teammate.  McConnell is a good mid-range shooter off the dribble, and he can knock down open long-range shots, but he has a slow, low release, which means he needs time and space to be able to get his shot off effectively. Defensively, McConnell positions himself well on and off the ball, and he has strong, lateral movement and a good idea of how to use angles to overcome a lack of foot speed. He is a hustle player who has no qualms about throwing his body around the floor to save a possession.

What he needs to show this season:  McConnell will likely never have the speed of a lot of top point guards, but he has a great understanding of the game and his role in a way which lets him overcome his deficiencies. He makes very good reads in pick-and-roll and high screen situations, but he can have trouble being able to make plays off them against bigger defenders. He will need to find a way to either beat the help defender off the dribble or get the ball to the open man quicker. As I mentioned, he can be very good with his jumper, but the low release out in front of his face can make it difficult for him to get a good shot off if he has a defender closing on him. His biggest problem on defense is getting through screens, often getting caught in them or taking the long path under them, giving his man space to make a play. I have little doubt that McConnell could one day be a back-up at the NBA level, but he will need to continue to develop tools to help with the speed he will see at the next level.

Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga, Guard, 6’2, 182

(2013-14, 34.4 mpg) 14.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.0 spg

43.0 FG%, 87.3 FT%, 41.2 3FG%, 59.8 TS%, 54.3 eFG%

20.5 USG%, 2.1/1 A/TO, 18.6 AST%, 1.8 STL%

Pangos is entering his fourth season as a starter for the Zags and is the leading returner in scoring and assists. Last season, Pangos showed a more aggressive game, looking for opportunities to try and get to the basket and draw fouls.  While he has played plenty of point guard for the Zags, he did spend a lot of time off the ball as David Stockton took on a bigger role at the point. There isn’t much that’s flashy about Pangos at the point – he handles the ball and sees the floor well, he understands spacing, and he is patient waiting for things to develop. His first instinct is to look for a shot, but he has improved his ability to draw defenders and find open teammates off the dribble.  He is a good perimeter shooter, with a quick release and good range, and the ability to create space with screens or off the dribble. Pangos also uses his dribble well to get defenders off-balance, giving him the chance to make a move towards the basket. Pangos continued to show improvement on the defensive end, especially on the ball. He positioned himself well and showed much better lateral movement and foot speed. Pangos is a versatile threat in transition, able to push the ball or run one of the wings. His ability to get a quick jumper off the dribble forces transition defenders to come out on him, opening up the floor for teammates.

What he needs to show this season:  Pangos is more of a scorer than a distributor, but Gonzaga has needed that from him, so it isn’t that bad. When he uses screens, his first instinct always seems to be looking for a scoring opportunity for himself, and then making a pass if it’s not there. I’d like to see Pangos read the floor better once the defense rotates and make quick decisions. He was more aggressive last season, at time, but he also needs to look to get into the lane and to the basket more, though he does have some trouble finishing against bigger defenders. He is a good free throw shooter, but doesn’t put himself in position to draw many fouls. Pangos’ shot selection can be an issue at times, especially forcing or rushing his jumper in the mid-range area. On defense, Pangos has improved as mentioned, but he can still be a bit slow to react on and off the ball. Also, he can get caught up in screens too easily and he has to do a better job using angles to cut off his man on the drive. He has been a leader for the Zags, and while he isn’t a prototypical point guard, I think he can make the adjustment if he needed to.

Adjehi Baru, Charleston, Forward, 6’9, 250

(2013-14, 28.8 mpg) 9.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.4 bpg

50.2 FG%, 63.4 FT%, 54.1 TS%, 50.2 eFG%

18.9 USG%, 9.5 OREB%, 20.4 DREB%, 15.0 REB%, 5.2 BLK%

Baru, an Ivory Coast native, was a highly-ranked player coming out of high school, though his full game hasn’t grown in the way that many would have hoped. Baru has developed very well physically and he had the kind of body that can handle the rigors of the low post at the next level. His biggest strengths are on the defensive end, where he uses body well to battle in the post, as well as going strong on both the offensive and defensive glass. Baru is constantly working on both ends of the floor, and while not exceptionally quick, he will run the floor as fast as he can to try and make a play. He has improved his ability to read, get out, and hedge on pick-and-roll situations, though he still has to work on moving his feet quicker. Baru has not been featured much in the Cougars’ offense, though he does work hard to establish position in the post. His post moves are limited and he is at his best when he can just physically force himself to the basket from the low block. Baru is a very good screener and he opens up well to the ball in pick-and-roll situations, even if his guards have not been very good at finding him.

What he needs to show this season: Baru’s offensive game has been slow to develop at Charleston, especially working from the low post. While he is good at establishing position, once he gets the ball, his moves can be slow to develop and he hasn’t shown the footwork to make moves that can beat his man. Instead, he is often forced away from the basket, where he takes a six to eight foot shot instead of a two foot shot. Baru has shown to be a decent passer from the post, but he will often give the ball up too quickly, instead of waiting for a help defender to totally commit. He sees the floor well though and Charleston would benefit if they would have cutters moving opposite of him.  Defensively, Baru has to learn to move his feet quicker and avoid fouling. It happens all over the court, even though he seems to have very good defensive instincts. Also, for someone who reportedly has a 7’5 wingspan, he can be slow to challenge shots around the rim and his timing on blocks seems to be slow. Baru still has a lot of raw ability and maybe the new coaching staff at Charleston can maximize it in his final year.