2016 D-League Draft Preview: Players to Watch

The 2016 D-League Draft will take place tomorrow, October 30, with six rounds, only the first four mandatory. Three new teams are in this year, Greensboro (Charlotte), Long Island (Brooklyn), and Windy City (Chicago), bringing the total to 22 teams.

There are 182 players eligible for the draft, and you can find the complete list here.

As of this writing, Erie will have the first pick. The order can be found here.

Here is a look at 25 players I’m interested in; some I would consider top prospects in the draft, while others are interesting stories or guys I would consider hidden gems/high potential guys, most who got little recognition in college.

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Gerald Beverly, F, 6’7, 225 – Beverly was on NBA radars as a Division II player at Daemen College, and played in Germany last year. A high-level athlete who can dominate on both ends of the floor around the basket, Beverly will need to work on his long-range shooting to be a D-League wing, but he has the raw tools worth investing in.

Anthony Brown, G/F, 6’7, 210 – Brown was the 34^th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, and played 29 games, starting 11, for the Lakers last season. Known as a strong perimeter shooter and defender coming out of Stanford, Brown struggled last season, hitting just 20 of his 70 three-point attempts. Still, he has NBA experience and his shooting stroke didn’t disappear. Add in his length and ability to guard multiple positions, and Brown should be a top pick in this D-League Draft.

Boris Dallo, G, 6’5, 180 – Dallo, a French native, spent the last few seasons playing for KK Partizan in the Adriatic League. A wiry wing, Dallo isn’t much of a shooter, but he is aggressive looking to get to the basket, and he has the speed and agility to adapt his defense for the quicker D-League game. He’ll be a project here in the United States, but at just 22 years old, worth a shot.

Chris Fowler, G, 6’1, 191 – One of the more unheralded point guard prospects in college basketball last season, Fowler is quick and loves to use the pick-and-roll to attack the basket and set up his teammates. He’s a strong transition scorer, and while not a great long-range shooter, he has enough ability to force defenders to come out on him. Fowler doesn’t have great size, but he holds his own on the defensive side, even against bigger point guards.

Charles Garcia, F, 6’10, 230 – Garcia spent two seasons in the D-League, including a mildly successful year back in Sioux Falls three or four years ago. He’s spent the last few years in Iceland, Puerto Rico, and Korea, and while not a top-flight talent, he’s always had a lot of raw ability and athleticism. I don’t see the D-League as a step to the NBA for him, but it will be a good chance to see if his game has matured overseas.

Brannen Greene, G, 6’7, 215 – Greene is coming off a tumultuous couple of seasons playing for Bill Self at Kansas, where he was expected to have a big role last season as a junior, but instead he spent time trying to work his way out of Self’s doghouse. Still, at 21 years old, he is a very good long-range shooter, hitting 42 percent from three for his college career. Maturity was an issue, so he will sink or swim in the D-League. If he grows up, he is still a legitimate NBA prospect and should be a first-round pick in the D-League Draft.

Alex Hamilton, G, 6’4, 195 – Hamilton enjoyed a big season as a senior at Louisiana Tech, averaging about 20 points, 6 rebounds,6 assists, and 2 steals per game. While he is always a threat with the ball in his hands, his lack of long-range shooting ability still holds him back from being a better prospect. He will thrive in the fast pace of the D-League game, and while he takes a lot of chances on defense, the skill is there to learn to contain on the perimeter. Another player who should be looked at in the early rounds of the D-League Draft.

LeDontae Henton, F, 6’6, 215 – A four year start at Providence, Henton spent last year in the Spanish ACB and the Philippines. He always played more of an undersized stretch four in college, especially with his long-range shooting ability, which he showed by hitting 9 of 19 threes for Golden State this past summer. Henton can be a good rebounder for his size, and he loves to run the floor in transition. If he can improve his ballhandling and become more of a true wing, a team can get a steal here.

Max Hooper, G, 6’6, 201 – The epitome of the long-range shooting specialist, Hooper took all 257 of his field goal attempts as a senior at Oakland from long-range, hitting over 45 percent of them. That’s about all he can do though, and don’t count on him being able to defend many athletic wings at the pro level. Still, every team needs guys who can stretch the floor consistently with shooting, especially in the D-League, and Hooper will give you that.

Keith Hornsby, G, 6’4, 210 – Hornsby was recently let go by the Dallas Mavericks in camp, but he is an intriguing shooting guard prospect. He hit over 41 percent from long-range as a senior at LSU, and it was his injury which was one of the catalysts of the horrible end to the team’s season. Hornsby is also a decent ballhandler, and can be used to run some pick-and-roll sets, but his value is as a leader and shooter, and though not a great a defender, he works hard and can make some plays.

Chris Horton, F, 6’8, 225 – Horton is one of the top athletes in this draft, and the right team can take his defensive and rebounding ability to mold a good all-around player. Horton averaged a double-double as a junior and senior at Austin Peay, as well as 2.5 blocks per game over his college career. His offense is a lot of dunk and simple post moves to the basket, and he can still do that with mismatches at the pro level, but his future success will depend on being able to play away from the rim more. Even so, a defensive and rebounding star, Horton should be a top pick in this draft.

Tamir Jackson, G, 6’3, 195 – A college star at Rice, Jackson has spent last season playing in Mexico, averaging over 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. Jackson isn’t going to wow you with any particular aspect of his game, but he is a very smart guard with the ability to get into the defense, and a strong finisher around the basket. He can also defend either backcourt spot, and will be a player that coaches will love how he works on the floor.

Roosevelt Jones, G, 6’4, 227 – It is very tough to describe Jones’ game, but he makes it work. 6’4 and solidly built, he plays like he is 6’8 out on the floor. Jones likes to use his body to attack the basket, and he not only has the strength to finish through contact, but he has become a very good passer off the dribble. Jones isn’t much of a shooter, attempting only four threes in four years of school, but he still makes plays. Like many Butler players, he is a tough defender who can guard multiple positions, and he was as strong a leader as college basketball as seen the past few years. Pro coaches may need to find ways to use him, but he won’t disappoint.

Keala King, G, 6’5, 205 – A five-star prospect coming out of high school, King was dismissed from Arizona State, had a tough time with the coaches at Long Beach State, and finished up his career at the University of Pikeville, an NAIA school. A smooth athlete with some swagger to his game, ability was never the question with King. He’s already gone undrafted in one D-League draft, but if his motivation and maturity are there, his natural ability would fit in well with the up-and-down style of the D-League.

DaVonte Lacy, G, 6’4, 210 – A four-year starter for Washington State, Lacy was one of the Pac-12’s top scorers the past few seasons. While his three-point percentage took a big dip last season, he was a near 39 percent shooter on 317 attempts as a sophomore and junior. Lacy is also a strong scorer off the dribble, though control can be an issue, and great shot selection wasn’t always there. He did look to pass a bit more last season, with good results, and his game seemed to finally mature as his college career came to an end. Lacy is a below-average wing defender, but he can be tough and physical, which can take some players out of their game. Definitely a guy worth giving a shot to see how his game adjusts.

Shonn Miller, F, 6’7, 222 – A star for three seasons in the Ivy League at Cornell, Miller was unable to play a fourth season there due the conference’s no-redshirt rule, so he took a step up in competition and finished his college career at Connecticut. The transition was an easy one for Miller, as he averaged 12 points and 5 rebounds per game, starting every contest for the Huskies, and posting a career high 57 percent shooting from the field. He is a strong attacker from the wing, using long strides and great body control to maneuver his way to the basket. Miller can finish in a variety of ways, and is also a decent mid-range shooter. Long-range shooting is lacking, but Miller just needs to find some consistency with his stroke. His defense picked up a notch last year under Kevin Ollie, and I think he can continue this at the pro level. I’d rate him one of the top ten prospects in this draft.

Ike Nwamu, G, 6’5, 205 – After a year at Cleveland State and two seasons at Mercer, Nwamu finished up his college career at UNLV, which didn’t exactly go the way he would have hoped, though with the turmoil surrounding the team in Vegas, it was tough for any player to really play well. Nwamu is a career 37 percent shooter from long-range, but he is also very good at using his strong body to force his way to the basket. Nwamu’s real value can come on the defensive side, where he has shown very good containment on the perimeter, albeit inconsistently.

Ethan O’Day, F, 6’9, 201 – One of the America East’s top players the last few years at Vermont, O’Day is a skilled scorer around the basket, with the potential to eventually develop himself into a versatile four. O’Day handles the ball well for his size, and he has a great sense of where he can find his shot attempts. He’s not a great shooter, even from the free throw line, but his form isn’t so broken that some strong coaching can’t make the right adjustments. O’Day isn’t a great athlete, and he is definitely a project for this level, but a smart player with translatable skills could be worth a shot.

Goodluck Okonoboh, F/C, 6’10, 225 – Okonoboh made an instant impact for UNLV as a freshman on the defensive side, he played just 6 games for the Rebels as a sophomore before announcing he would transfer due to a drop in minutes with the addition of Stephen Zimmerman. Instead of transferring, Okonoboh decided to turn pro. He is a high-level shot-blocker, with very good length and athleticism, but his offense leaves a lot to be desired. Okonoboh does run the floor very well, and would be a good big in an up-tempo offense, but he doesn’t have much more in his offensive arsenal right now other than dunks. But, he can be a great defensive presence for any team, and with the right coaching, could develop passable offensive skills.

Salim Stoudamire, G, 6’1, 179 – A former three year NBA player, Stoudamire is looking to give his career one more shot. He spent one year in the D-League with Reno and Idaho back in 2010-2011, and was drafted, but then waived, by Fort Wayne in 2013. I’m really not sure what to expect from Stoudamire at 34 years old, but he was always a very heady player and good shooter who could be a great mentor to some of the young guards making their way through the D-League.

Ameen Tanksley, G, 6’5, 230– A potent one-two punch with Juan’ya Green at Hofstra, Tanksley is a versatile scorer from the shooting guard position, hitting 136 threes the past two seasons, as well as scoring over 1000 points. He is very strong for his size, and he can be tough to stop as he makes his way to the basket, with the ability to absorb and finish through contact. Tanksley is an average defender, but the effort is there, and he could make a name for himself in the D-League.

Shevon Thompson, C, 7’0, 240 – A two-year player and starter at George Mason, Thompson developed into an efficient low-post scorer, as well as a very good rebounder and defensive presence. There’s not a lot of versatility to his low-post offense, but he uses his length well to get good shots off, and he continues to show an improving touch around the lane. Thompson is agile for his size, and he could grow into a legitimate rim-protector at the pro level, to go along with his strong rebounding numbers on both ends of the floor.

Adam Woodbury, C, 7’1, 245 – Though he often seemed to be known more for poking opposing players in the eyes than his play, Woodbury has the makings of a good back-up big at the pro level. His development, especially on offense, never really accelerated the way people would have hoped for the seven-footer, but he is a decent low-post scorer and defender. While Woodbury, doesn’t look particularly strong, he will battle down low with anyone. In a lot of ways, he is still a project, but one worth taking with his size and experience on winning teams.

Tiny Gallon/Tommy Mason-Griffin – Both were once five-star prospects in high school, and considered future college stars at Oklahoma, but after both leaving as freshmen, neither has really had sustained success anywhere. Gallon, a 6’9, 290-pound big man, had one pretty good season in the D-League a couple of years ago, but that’s about it since being a second-round pick of the Bucks back in 2010. Mason-Griffin, a small, quick point guard, never really seemed to be much of a team player, but maybe time has given him the maturity needed. It would be interesting to see them reunited at the D-League level. Maybe someone should give Willie Warren a call.

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