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5 Surprises From The 2015 NBA Draft

By Gary Gorski

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the full first round draft board at the conclusion of the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the full first round draft board at the conclusion of the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 26, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (24) keeps Indiana Pacers forward C.J. Miles (0) from a shot during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 26, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (24) keeps Indiana Pacers forward C.J. Miles (0) from a shot during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson

Taken No. 23 overall by the Portland Trail Blazers (traded to Brooklyn Nets)

2015-16 NBA Stats: 21.2 MPG, 5.8 PPG, 1.5 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG

The Portland Trail Blazers selected Arizona’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson with the 23rd overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft only to trade him to Brooklyn in a draft night deal for Mason Plumlee.

It only took five games with the Nets before Hollis-Jefferson was promoted to the starting lineup for Brooklyn, where he made 14 consecutive starts before a fractured ankle took him down for most of the season.

Hollis-Jefferson left Arizona after just his sophomore season, but came into the draft widely praised for being not only NBA-ready but also a ferocious defender.

His energy and athleticism helped lead Arizona to the Elite Eight and those intangibles would certainly avail him to minutes in the NBA.

Hollis-Jefferson averaged 21.2 minutes per game on the year and showed off some of his defensive prowess by leading all rookies with 1.3 steals per game and trailing only Justise Winslow and Myles Turner in defensive win shares with a 0.029 rating.

Despite playing only 29 games on the year due to injury, Hollis-Jefferson had six games with three or more steals, including two five-steal efforts against Boston and Cleveland early in the season.

With Joe Johnson out of town and things wide open in the Brooklyn rebuild, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson should be looking at an opportunity next year for major minutes, as lockdown wing defenders are a treasured commodity in the league now.

Next: No. 27 Larry Nance Jr.

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