2014 D-League Draft Preview

The D-League Draft will be held tomorrow afternoon, November 1, with almost 180 players available for the draft. Though I won’t go through all 180 players, there are some names that are worth knowing about, or just memories of some great college moments.

The Detroit Pistons’ affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive, will pick first, followed by Santa Cruz (Golden State), Austin (San Antonio), Santa Cruz again, and Grand Rapids again. The full first round order can be found here.

There is an intriguing group of veterans in this draft, as well as some promising rookies. You can find the full list of players here.

Here is a group of players to keep an eye on in each group:

The Veterans

Carrick Felix, SG – The former second-round pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers was traded to the Utah Jazz this summer before being released at the end of training camp. Felix played nine games with the D-League’s Canton Charge last season. Known as a high-level defender and transition scorer in college, Felix can thrive in the D-League, especially in the right system, though it would help if he can be a more consistent perimeter scorer.

Erik Murphy, PF – Murphy, the former Florida star, was a former second-round pick for the Chicago Bulls, and was most recently with the Boston Celtics. A stretch-four with very good shooting and passing ability, Murphy has the skill to get back to the NBA, and a strong performance in the D-League could be the catalyst.

Elliot Williams, SG – A surprise cut by the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this week, the former first-round pick has battled injuries through his career, though he finally seems to be healthy.  Skilled with a good feel for the game, Williams can help a team with his ability to defend and make plays off the dribble. HE will get another chance at the NBA soon.

Robert Covington, PF – The former Houston Rocket was one of the D-League’s best players last season, winning Rookie of the Year for Rio Grande Valley while averaging 23 points and 9 rebounds per game. A strong-bodied forward who is comfortable from most spots on the floor, Covington likely needs just a bit more experience before he finds his way back to an NBA roster.

Marquis Teague, PG –  Since being a first round pick of the Chicago Bulls a few years ago, Teague has disappointed with his ability to understand the NBA game. He needs to rebuild his confidence in his skills while taking the next step in his development. A coach with a strong development background could help him immensely.

Ben Hansbrough, PG – Hansbrough, a former Big East Player of the Year out of Notre Dame, has limited NBA experience with the Indiana Pacers, and most recently played in Spain, where he didn’t really stand out. Known more his intangibles than he is his skill set, Hansbrough could be a good veteran leader for a D-League team this season.

Andre Emmett, SG – The former Texas Tech star has always been a tremendous, and fairly efficient, scorer, including at numerous International stops.  In Venezuela last season, Emmett averaged over 23 points per game on 50 percent shooting.  Though a former high-second round pick, he has only 14 games of NBA experience, but his ability to score in a variety of ways should be right at home in the D-League, where he has a prior year of experience.

Damien Wilkins, SG – Wilkins spent nine years in the NBA with six different teams, providing an athletic scorer off the bench. He has good strength on the wing, and though he has never been a very good shooter, his ability to get to the basket will be a benefit in the D-League. His NBA days may be behind him, though an impressive showing may get him one last shot.

Shaun Pruitt, F – The former Illinois big man has played in Venezuela and Mexico the past two seasons, where he has provided efficient scoring around the basket along with solid rebounding on both ends of the floor.  He’ll provide much-needed toughness on the boards for his team next season.

Kevin Anderson, G – The former Richmond point guard is coming off a good season in Greece. Always more of a scorer than distributor, Anderson can be dangerous when his long-range jumper is falling. His experience and leadership will be valuable for younger D-League guards.

Robert Vaden, G –  Vaden spent two seasons with Oklahoma City’s D-League affiliate, as well as the past two seasons in Belgium and Germany.  A good long-range shooter and perimeter defender, teams know exactly what they’ll be getting with Vaden and he should be comfortable right away with his new team.

Michael Dunigan, C – Dunigan’s name has been thrown about often over past years as a player who still may get to the NBA, though it hasn’t happened yet.  He played in Korea last season where he put up decent numbers, though you always seem to want more from him. I’m not sure if there is much more upside in him, but it will be interesting to see what the right system can do for him.

Kevin Foster, G – The former Santa Clara guard was a tremendous college scorer, though far from efficient.  He does have good range on his jumper, and he has decent distributing ability, and he should do very well in the up-tempo D-League.

Ashton Gibbs, G –  Gibbs has been up and down the past couple of seasons overseas, but he is a natural scorer. Though undersized at the shooting guard position, Gibbs has a good feel for the game and should ease into many D-League systems.

Travon Woodall, G – A former teammate of Gibbs at Pittsburgh, Woodall isn’t going to bring much scoring, but he knows how to get his teammates involved and he can be a pest as a defender.

D’Aundray Brown, G – Brown was a former standout defender from Cleveland State with experience in the D-League with Canton. He needs to show he can consistently shoot the ball, but he can get to the basket, and his ability to lock up out on the perimeter could be valuable.

Ravern Johnson, G/F – Johnson, a former standout shooter for Mississippi State, has good size on the wing with the ability to consistently hit the three.  He played in Italy last season, and he once has a very short stint in the D-League with Iowa.

Bill Clark, G – The former Duquesne guard has had a good career overseas so far with stops in Turkey, France, Ukraine, and Cyprus. A good shooter and defender, Clark has the skill and toughness to improve any backcourt.

Corey Raji, F –  Raji was a very good role player for Boston College a few years back, and he plays much bigger than his 6’6 size. He can provide toughness on the glass and some efficient scoring around the basket.

Eloy Vargas, C – The former Kentucky center hasn’t made much of an impact on the college or pro level, but he has very good size and a strong work ethic, as well as experience with the Dominican Republic National Team. He could be a decent backup in the middle for a team.

Rookies

Brady Heslip, G – The Baylor product was one of the best three point shooters in college basketball the past few seasons.  With his confidence and quick trigger, Heslip will find his shot even against bigger defenders.

David Stockton, G – Son of NBA legend John, Stockton has a tremendous understanding of the point guard position. He can run an offense like a veteran and should make his mark quickly with his new team.

Fuquan Edwin, G/F – After a great junior season at Seton Hall, nagging injuries seemed to derail his senior season. One of the NCAA’s best defenders, Edwin also showed the ability to knock down his jumper consistently. If he can stay healthy, I have little doubt he will find his way to an NBA roster in the next couple of seasons.

Jamal Jones, F – Jones left Texas A&M after one season, and he will be eligible for the 2015 NBA Draft. He is a long and athletic wing, though he needs to show more consistency on both ends of the floor. He’s still a project, even at the D-League level.

Naadir Tharpe, G – The former Kansas point guard will be eligible for the 2015 NBA Draft after spending three seasons with the Jayhawks. This past season was his first as a starter, and though he had some good moments, it was somewhat disappointing overall. Still, he has good speed and skill, and a good coach and system can help him make the best of his ability.

Jarvis Threatt, G – Threatt, a big scorer for Delaware the past three seasons, was dismissed from the program a few months back. A tough point guard with good vision, Threatt has a knack for getting into the defense and drawing contact. He still has to mature, but he has a growing skill level that is worth investing in.

Pe’Shon Howard, G – The former Maryland and USC guard has had his share of good and bad moments, but he has a good skill set on both ends of the floor, as well as growing leadership skills. He would be a great match with a veteran point guard to help him develop his game for the next level.

Sherrod Wright, G – The George Mason guard is a tough defender and a guy coach’s can count on to do the little things winning teams do. He can work on being a more consistent shooter, but he can contribute in other areas if needed.

George Beamon, G – The former Manhattan standout has a scorer’s mentality, and the ability to find his shot almost anywhere. Though not a great defender, he picks and chooses his spots well and can turn a steal into quick points.

Lenzelle Smith, Jr., G – Smith consistently improved each of his four years at Ohio State, and though not a standout in any one area, he contributes across the board, as well as being able to defend either backcourt position.

Justin Jackson, F – Maybe one of the best athletes in this draft, Jackson plays hard on both ends of the floor. While his offensive game is still coming along, he can make an impact on the glass immediately, and he did block almost three shots per game as a senior at Cincinnati.

Chane Behanan, F – A key player on Louisville’s 2013 National Championship team, Behanan found himself off the team last season. He has a lot of natural ability to go with a strong body, though his role was limited at Louisville. Behanan needs to work on developing his offensive game more to fit the D-League and NBA systems.

TrayVonn Wright, F – A long and athletic wing from North Dakota State, Wright was an important reason why his team upset Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament last season. He is a strong scorer around the basket with an improving long-range shot. Wright is a good shot-blocker and rebounder for his size and just needs to build some strength to make a pro impact.

Mark McLaughlin, G – One of the best players in Division II the past couple of years, McLaughlin averaged 27 points per game last season and was invited to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. With the ability to use his size to get to the basket and the free throw line, as well as the ability to hit from long-range, McLaughlin could make an impact in the D-League with the right team.