2015 NBA Draft Watch List: Sophomores, Part Two

The college basketball season has started and the road to the 2015 NBA Draft has begun.  I’ll continue to take early looks at players who are already on the NBA’s radar, or have enough skill or potential to break through this season.

The sophomore class is strong, with many prospective NBA players who chose to come back for an additional year of school.

These are not meant to replace scouting reports, which will come out later in 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.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Arizona, Forward, 6’7, 220

(2013-14, 25.3 mpg) 9.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.1 bpg

49.0 FG%, 68.2 FT%, 54.4 TS%, 49.4 eFG%

19.9 USG%, 10.4 OREB%, 15.7 DREB%, 13.1 REB%, 1.8 STL%, 4.3 BLK%

Hollis-Jefferson played a big role as a freshman for the Wildcats, even if he was usually overshadowed by fellow freshman Aaron Gordon. Like Gordon, Hollis-Jefferson is more athlete than basketball player right now, though he is a tremendous athlete. He has good size and length for the small forward position, but he is at his best when allowed to just focus on crashing the offensive boards or to get out in transition.  Hollis-Jefferson does a good job using his quick leaping ability to get to balls quicker than others on the floor, and he uses great body control to slide into position before opponents realize where he is.  Hollis-Jefferson is also a very good option on lobs at the rim, either off of set plays or on the break.  Defensively is the other area where Hollis-Jefferson excels right now. He does a great job getting position on and off the ball, and he reads and reacts very well for his age. Hollis-Jefferson’s length and athleticism allow him to guard multiple positions, and he opponents need to watch for his shot-blocking ability around the basket.

What he needs to show this season: Like Gordon last season, the challenge for Hollis-Jefferson will be to develop the skills to go along with athletic ability. Hollis-Jefferson has shown a good first step when he looks to get to the basket, but he is a shaky ballhandler who has a tendency to put his head down when he gets into the defense.  Also, Hollis-Jefferson really is a poor shooter. His shooting motion is usually disjointed and he doesn’t seem to have confidence in his shot. His free-throw shooting has gotten off to a better start this season, but if it doesn’t hold up, it’s time for any of his coaches to tell him to forget that ridiculous “shimmy” in his motion.  Hollis-Jefferson has NBA-level athleticism, but he is a few years behind other elite players his age in skill. If he can get them on the same level, he could have a great pro future.

Wayne Selden, Jr., Kansas, Guard, 6’5, 230

(2013-14, 29.2 mpg) 9.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.5 apg

43.7 FG%, 62.9 FT%, 32.8 3FG%, 53.2 TS%, 43.7 eFG%

18.7 USG%, 15.2 AST%, 1.4 STL%

Like Hollis-Jefferson above, Selden also played alongside another freshman who got a lot more attention in Andrew Wiggins.  Selden started all last season for the Jayhawks, though for many games, he seemed to be an afterthought. Most of his offense came from the perimeter, with only about a quarter of his shots coming at the basket. He has a solid body and he is an average ballhandler, so when he looks to get to the basket, he can absorb contact and still get a shot off. When he has his feet set, he has good form on his jumper, even showing some range out to the NBA three-point line. Selden sees the floor well, and when he does look to create scoring chances off the dribble, he can be good at drawing defenders and finding open teammates. He is also good in transition, especially when running one of the wings, being able to catch the ball on the fly and get to the basket quickly.  Selden shows good awareness on defense, as well as strong positioning on and off the ball. He moves his feet well over short distances, and he knows how to use angles when chasing an active player moving away from the ball.

What he needs to show this season: Selden seemed content last season to just fill in empty gaps on the perimeter, and launch shots as soon as he got a decent look. His shot selection needs to improve, and included in that, he should look to use his strong body to get to the basket more often. Even if he can’t get to the basket, his ability to draw and dish will create better opportunities for teammates. Selden needs to work on finding better looks when out on the perimeter, and learning how to move better off the ball will help him a lot, especially learning how to use screens. Similar to Wiggins last year, and Ben McLemore the year before that, Selden can tend to be passive, and early this season seems more of the same. He needs to be more aggressive, while being smart with his shots. Selden has the body and skills to be a solid pro, but he needs to step up from what he has shown so far.

Bobby Portis, Arkansas, Forward, 6’11, 242

(2013-14, 27.0 mpg) 12.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.6 bpg

50.9 FG%, 73.7 FT%, 27.3 3FG%, 56.2 TS%, 52.4 eFG%

21.4 USG%, 10.1 OREB%, 16.7 DREB%, 13.5 REB%, 5.9 BLK%

Portis, a Second Team All-SEC player as a freshman, had a very good first season, even if he didn’t garner the national headlines that many other freshmen did. Portis has very good length and athleticism at the power forward position, and he ended up being a good fit in Arkansas’ up-tempo system. He is a skilled offensive player, with the ability to play in the post or on the perimeter. Though he doesn’t look particularly strong, he can be very physical on both ends of the floor, and he uses his lower body well to establish position in the post. Portis has good hands, and he seems to be most comfortable facing up out of the low post, though he can be a viable option on pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations.  He has the ability to handle the ball well with either hand over short distances, and his long strides and body control help him get to the rim, where he can finish strong. Portis also shows some consistency as a mid-range shooter, though I will discuss that more below.  He is active on the offensive boards, and he takes advantage of Arkansas’ up-tempo system to find gaps to the basket to get good position, where he uses his length to get his hands on missed shots, even if he can’t grab them right away. Portis is good defensively, with the potential to be extremely good. He gets good position on and off the ball, and he does a good job staying active with his hands and feet. Portis moves his feet very well for his size, and he plays perimeter defense very comfortably, including hedging on screens. Portis runs the floor well, and he is a good option out in front of the defense, or on the secondary break.

What he needs to show this season:  Portis has great physical tools, but he is still learning how to use them to maximum benefit. While he fits in well with the Arkansas system, he can get wrapped up in the pace and rush shots, especially from the perimeter. And though Portis has shown to be a decent option on the perimeter, he falls in love with the jumper and forgets he often has a size/length advantage over opponent’s post players. He does need to work on his back-to-the-basket post moves, instead of looking to face-up so much as first option. On the defensive side, Portis shows very good awareness and can be a good rim protector when given the chance, but he has a tendency to wander too much when pulled away from the basket, leaving him little chance to get in position to help.  Also, he can use his hands too much when guarding the post, which he does get away with sometimes. Portis has the skills to defend straight up, so he doesn’t need to reach. As I mentioned, Portis has great physical tools, and his skill set continues to expand. I won’t be surprised if he ends up being a better pro player than most of the freshmen who were more heralded last season.

Amida Brimah, Connecticut, Center, 7’0, 230

(2013-14, 16.2 mpg) 4.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.3 bpg

64.0 FG%, 57.4 FT%, 63.2 TS%, 64.0 eFG%

12.9 USG%, 10.3 OREB%, 11.1 DREB%, 10.8 REB%, 15.1 BLK%

Brimah, a native of Ghana, made an impact for the National Champions as a freshman, even in limited minutes. Though he is still needs a lot of development physically and skill-wise, Brimah has the ability to impact the game now. His strengths come on the defensive side right now, where he is one of the best shot-blockers in college basketball. Brimah is quick to go after shots, both around the rim and on the perimeter, and his combination of length and timing, make him difficult for teams to deal with. He is a physical post defender, using his body well to try and establish position, even if he doesn’t quite have the strength and balance he needs. Brimah also has good awareness, and is quick to help, though he can get caught in the air with a shot fake, so he needs to work on not picking up needless fouls. On offense, Brimah is definitely raw, though he has good hands and a knack for finding space around the basket to grab offensive rebounds or throw down a dunk off of penetration. He does a good job drawing contact around the basket, and once he builds strength, he should be able to finish through some contact.

What he needs to show this season: Brimah has the makings of a very strong defensive player at the NBA level, though building his body will be a priority. He has improved moving his feet on defense, though he still has a lot of work to do, especially when hedging pick-and-roll situations.  As I mentioned, he can tend to pick up silly fouls when trying to block shots, but he also does it when he starts throwing his elbows around. It is great though that he doesn’t back down against stronger players. His offensive moves are limited now, especially when working in the post, but his long steps when making a move, does help him create space. He doesn’t have great touch around the basket, but he tends to like to dunk whenever possible anyway. Brimah is a good rebounder now, but he needs the added strength to help him keep his position, especially at the next level. Also, he likes to bring the ball down low after grabbing a rebound, so he needs to remember to keep the ball up high. Brimah has already shown some improvement this season, and if he continues, he will be very popular among NBA teams when he enters the draft.