After much speculation and a month of pre-draft preparation, the wait for Thursday’s 2015 NBA Draft is over. The Milwaukee Bucks used their first round selection to take UNLV shooting guard Rashad Vaughn with the No. 17 overall pick. Vaughn is a 6’6″ freshman who had his only collegiate season cut short by a torn meniscus in his left knee.
Here’s a look at the numbers he put up during his brief time playing in Las Vegas.
| Season | School | Conf | G | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 2PA | 2P% | 3PA | 3P% | FT% | TRB | AST | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | Nevada-Las Vegas | MWC | 23 | 32.3 | 6.3 | 14.3 | .439 | 8.1 | .481 | 6.1 | .383 | .694 | 4.8 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 17.8 |
| Career | Nevada-Las Vegas | 23 | 32.3 | 6.3 | 14.3 | .439 | 8.1 | .481 | 6.1 | .383 | .694 | 4.8 | 1.6 | 2.2 | 17.8 |
Provided by Sports-Reference.com/CBB: View Original Table
Generated 6/25/2015.
Known for his scoring prowess, Vaughn poured in 17.8 points per game on respectable shooting percentages from three (38.3 percent) and overall (43.9 percent). He dominated the ball in Coach Dave Rice’s offense, but his 2.2 turnovers per game in 32.3 minutes of action show he wasn’t careless in this regard.
The UNLV product shot below average from the line for a guard at 69.4 percent, but his free throw percentage from his senior year in high school (77 percent) suggests it won’t be a long-term issue.
Despite taking over six three-pointers per game, Vaughn is not a one-dimensional scorer. Playing a highly cerebral game, he attacks closeouts and takes advantage of his defender by anticipating their next move.
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His solid handle makes up for a lack of an explosive first step, using crossovers and behind-the-back dribbles to continue his drives even after his defender has cut off his lane to the hoop. All of this allows him to get into the lane and show off his floater game or his ability to finish contested layups.
Rashad Vaughn also has some solid point guard skills with above average court vision and a good handle. He was asked to shoulder a lot of the workload in college, but he’ll be able to tone it down with real talent around him as a player more than capable of making the extra pass.
This overall polish to his offensive game is likely why the Bucks drafted him over other shooters still on the board like R.J. Hunter, Sam Dekker and Justin Anderson. Vaughn should give the team even more flexibility in transition as another player that can handle the ball.
Defensively, he has solid potential, but it may take the 18-year-old a while to figure things out at the NBA level. Every rookie struggles defensively at first because of how much more complex NBA defenses are compared to ones in college. Factor in that he’s one of the youngest players in the draft and it should be no surprise when he struggles initially.
However, Vaughn’s size, solid frame and the Bucks’ excellent defensive scheme should turn him into a solid defender by the end of his rookie contract.
Rashad Vaughn projects to be a younger, slightly more athletic version of current Buck O.J. Mayo. He should excel coming off the bench and provide instant offense while making plays for his teammates.
The No. 17 pick was perhaps a bit of a reach to select Vaughn, but the Bucks decided not to risk it and they got their guy. There were some other intriguing options available, but ultimately only time will tell if this was the right pick or not.
Welcome to Milwaukee, Rashad Vaughn!!!
Next: NBA Draft: Best Player Ever Selected in all 60 Spots
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