Justise Winslow: A Top Three Pick In The 2015 NBA Draft?

As more and more of college basketball’s finest talents toss their names into the 2015 NBA Draft pool, the anticipation of who could possibly be the guy from this year’s draft to become a franchise changer for the countless NBA teams in need of a hardwood savior continues to rise.

The highest expectations will fall on the shoulders of the most prominent players whose names are presumed to be amongst the first handful selected by some of the NBA’s most desperate teams. Included in that group of college basketball’s elite is Justise Winslow, the versatile freshman small forward out of Duke.

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Although names like Duke’s Jahlil Okafor, Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell have stolen the majority of the mock draft spotlight, Winslow may very well be a guy we could see sneak into the top three on draft night, and justifiably so.

In his lone season as a Blue Devil, the 19-year-old Winslow played an imperative role in Duke’s run to their fifth National Championship in program history. Even from his very first game under Mike Krzyzewski, Winslow’s impact was felt immediately after averaging 16.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in his first five collegiate games.

For simple comparison, Okafor, the consensus No. 1 freshman in the nation at the time, churned out 15.8 points and seven rebounds in his first five contests, which would give the statistical nod to Winslow.

This success would continue throughout his inaugural and only campaign in college, with the exception of a three-game stretch in non-conference play and a four-game stretch in the beginning of ACC play. But even with these seven outings where Winslow’s numbers weren’t eye opening, he still played well, but simply failed to reach that same standard he set for himself right out of the gates.

As the season marched along, Winslow continued to develop and show the signs of how special of a two-way player he is and can be at the next level, which resulted in his draft projections spiking from consensus lottery pick to consensus top five. He solidified his case as one of the nation’s very best in the NCAA Tournament after putting up 14.3 points a night on 50 percent shooting, along with 9.3 rebounds, with 10 total blocks and nine steals sprinkled in to pad the stats.

Included in this were two double doubles, as well as a 19-point, nine-rebound showing in the Final Four and an 11-point, nine-rebound effort in Duke’s championship victory.

With the season now behind us and the focus becoming the NBA Draft Lottery and the NBA Draft itself, there’s plenty of reason to believe Winslow has not only made a legitimate case for himself as a top three pick, but depending on how the ping pong balls roll, this could be a likely scenario.

Apr 7, 2015; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Justise Winslow (left) and center Jahlil Okafor react during a welcome home ceremony at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports /

As I mentioned earlier, the most notable hype surrounds Okafor, Towns and Russell, as well as Emmanuel Mudiay, who decided to skip out on becoming a college freshman and turn pro in China for a season, which plays a vast role in Winslow falling to fifth in some mock drafts. It’s a near given that Okafor and Towns will go first and second overall, unless the perimeter-deprived Philadelphia 76ers land one of the first two picks.

But should a team like the Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, or even the Sacramento Kings get their hands on the third overall pick, Winslow could be the most viable option. Los Angeles would love to pair an Okafor or Towns with Julius Randle in the paint, but if neither are available, they already have a young point guard who has shown consistent signs of his impressive potential and Kobe Bryant will be returning alongside him.

Based on the Lakers’ need for a long-term solution at small forward and the very real possibility of Winslow blossoming into a dynamic two-way player that can contribute from day one, this would be the best option to fill out a roster that Kobe would hope can try and reach the playoffs again before he hangs his shoes up.

The same goes for the Magic, who have their backcourt of the future in Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo, while Aaron Gordon is a bit of a tweener at power forward and small forward, Orlando could snag Winslow and add depth to a young roster that could become very special down the road.

The only real knock on Winslow is he’s not an elite scorer just yet and his midrange game is nearly non-existent, which is something that’s typically utilized often in the NBA. That, along with the reality that point guards and centers are the usual centerpieces to go after when looking to rebuild a championship caliber franchise doesn’t help the case for Winslow sneaking into the top three too much.

Outside of the few odds stacked against Winslow and the possibility of hearing his name called in the top three, there should be no question that he has the talent to be worthy of such high praise and consideration. He has NBA-ready size and athleticism, which aids in what has many believing he can become an elite defender. He’s an absolute force when attacking the rim, especially in transition where he utilizes his James Harden-like euro-step to near perfection.

He’s got the passion, motor and leadership qualities that would make any NBA general manger salivate over the possibility of finding a roster spot for him, and when you factor in his terrific rebounding and 41.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc, you get a kid who’s as polished and well-rounded of a prospect as you will find from someone only one year out of high school.

Even with all of these tremendous qualities, it’s still unlikely that Winslow sneaks into the top three, simply due to the needs of the teams expected to kick the draft off and how coveted of a talent guys like Okafor and Towns are. But there’s a very real possibility that Winslow’s overall versatility could lead to him becoming the best draftee in his class five years from now.

A talent this special is just as deserving as any to go in the top three of the draft, but regardless of where he lands, the team that takes a chance on Winslow is going to strike gold and it will pay off in the win column from day one.

Next: NBA: 50 Greatest Players Of All Time

Is Justise Winslow A Top 3 Pick In The NBA Draft?

By Cody Daniel | Apr 13, 2015

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