Golden State Warriors 2015 NBA Draft Grade: Kevon Looney

With the 30th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, it seemed highly unlikely the Golden State Warriors were going to land the steal of the draft. That wasn’t really a huge issue, however, with the Dubs coming off their first NBA championship season in 40 years and sporting a young, talented roster that could make a run at the title again next year.

However, when Kevon Looney fell to the Warriors as the last pick of the first round, the rich may have gotten even richer.

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Originally projected as a top-five pick at one point, Looney’s draft stock took a nosedive due to a hip injury that had many questioning just how much he’d be able to contribute as a rookie. An ESPN report the morning of the draft even went as far as saying, “he probably misses the season.”

The report was refuted by Looney’s camp, but according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, Looney’s health issues could run even deeper:

Even if he were completely healthy, Looney’s stock had been sliding for months. At 19 years old, this 6’9″ power forward is bursting with potential, but he’s mostly considered a raw talent that will be a bit of a project and he slipped out of the lottery on most mock draft boards.

However, what better place is there for this potential boom-or-bust prospect to develop into a quality NBA player than the winning culture in Oakland right now?

As a freshman, Looney averaged 11.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while leading the Bruins in three-point percentage at 41.5 percent. That came on a very limited number of attempts (1.5 per game), but there’s no question he has the potential to spread the floor as a stretch-4.

At 222 pounds, Looney has a pretty wiry frame and he’ll need to bulk up to hold his own at the next level. But he’s the exact kind of versatile, multi-positional player the Warriors featured during their championship run this past season, and despite being so skinny, Looney is extremely active on the offensive glass — averaging 3.4 offensive boards per game at UCLA.

That alone makes him a future asset off the bench as a guy who can come in and provide second-chance opportunities for one of the league’s deadliest offenses.

Looney played point guard at times for the Bruins, showcasing some impressive ball handling skills for a big man. He’ll need to get stronger and work on his midrange game as a pick-and-pop threat, but he’s a vastly improved shooter who should add NBA three-point range to his offensive repertoire down the line.

With the Warriors looking to trade David Lee and avoid paying an extra $50 million in salary and luxury tax payments, Looney represents a long-term replacement at backup power forward. He’s extremely young and even though he’s nowhere near the passer that Lee is, Looney’s 7’4″ wingspan, his ability to play the 3 or the 4 and his versatile skill-set make him a great match with the defending champs.

More importantly, the Warriors don’t need Looney to come in and make an impact right away. If he needs time for surgery or to rehab that hip, Golden State can absolutely afford it with everyone back for next season (assuming the Dubs take care of business and re-sign Draymond Green right away, as they should and probably will).

For a lesser team, there might have been pressure on Looney to fill an important or immediate role. Instead, he’ll be able to learn the NBA game within a championship culture from some of the most innovative minds basketball has to offer right now. That will set him and the Warriors up for future success in the long run.

After all, Looney will be joining a group of similarly tall and long players who like to run and can defend multiple positions. Between Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, Shaun Livingston and even James Michael McAdoo, can you find a more versatile, winning group than that to learn from as a rookie?

The concerns about his health are valid, and it’s possible the Warriors don’t see much of Looney during their run at a repeat in 2015-16. But Looney played all 36 games for the Bruins last year and did not miss a single practice either, so assuming he’s able to overcome this hip issue (which may require surgery) and get out on the court, this is a lottery-level talent that just joined the best team in basketball.

Even in a worst-case scenario where Looney’s degenerative back plagues what would have been a productive NBA career, if any team can afford to take a risk and strike out on a swing-for-the-fences pick at No. 30, it’s these Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors didn’t shed Lee’s contract by trading the pick, and they were unable to trade up in the draft as they had been rumored to be trying to do. But provided he recovers and can stay healthy, Kevon Looney could wind up being a home run for the defending champs.

Grade: A

Next: Are The 2014-15 Golden State Warriors An All-Time Great Team?

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