The 2014 draft class is one for the ages. Many basketball experts and analysts claimed that the 2014 draft class was the most talented in over a decade. Many of these predictions came before the players had even taken a step on a college basketball court. These claims have seemed to be true, as the 2014 NBA draft was one of the deepest and most talented in recent memory. And while these players have yet to play a minute in regular season action, it's easy to see the star power among the ranks. The 2015 draft class, while not quite as talented, is said to be one of the better classes in recent memory. At this point all of these predictions are purely guesses, as many of the players haven't played a game of college basketball. Nonetheless, it is easy to see the star potential of many of the young men set to join the NBA ranks in a year.
The most encouraging and exciting part of the 2015 draft class is the plethora of talented big men. The offensive big men is a dying breed in today's NBA. There are few big men who are gifted offensively, especially in recent memory. Many of the centers and power forwards are exceptional defensive players, however; they lack any sort of skill set on the offensive end. Fortunately, this year's class has numerous big men with offensive talent. The most talented of these is Jahlil Okafor. Okafor was the consensus number one prospect coming out of high school and is set to be a freshman at Duke in the fall. The 6'10”, 265 pound center is a beast of a man. He is regarded as the top player, not only for his size but his offensive prowess. Some scouts have claimed that he is the most offensively gifted big man since Tim Duncan entered the league.
Another very talented big man is Myles Turner, the number 2 overall recruit and a Texas commit. The 7'0” center is a terrific shot blocker and extremely gifted scorer. He possesses the rare combination of a shot blocking presence and shooting range out to the three point line. The third rated high school prospect and projected lottery pick is 6'9” power forward Cliff Alexander. Alexander is an extremely athlete and possesses brute strength. He is a terrific rebounder and has great hustle. He is not as polished offensively, but makes up for it with raw athleticism. Kentucky has three high profile centers who could all be potential lottery picks. Dakari Johnson is a massive center who improved greatly down the stretch and should be even better as a sophomore. Willie Cauley-Stein is an extremely athletic center who is reminiscent of Nerlens Noel. Cauley-Stein is extremely raw offensive but is one of the best defensive players in the country. Finally, Karl Towns Jr is another very talented center and is probably the best offensively of the trio. He possesses an advanced outside game and can handle and pass the ball exceptionally well for a big man. Other big men that are sure to garner NBA attention are Trey Lyles, Bruce Johnson, Bobby Portis, Montrezl Harrell, Jarell Martin, Kaleb Tarczewski, and Frank Kaminsky.
While the the 2015 class is loaded with talent in the front court, the backcourt has some very gifted players as well. Emmanuel Mudiay is ranked as the fifth best prospect in the 2014 recruiting class and has already made national headlines when he spurned SMU and college basketball for a lucrative contract to play in China. In remains to be seen how this will effect his stock but it's hard to imagine it'd play to much of a role. At 6'5” Mudiay is a tough matchup for opposing point guards. He also possesses terrific athleticism and impressive handles. He has an improving jumper and is considered the top point guard in the 2015 class. Stanley Johnson is another high profile recruit who seems a lock to be a top-10 pick in next year's draft. At 6'7”, Johnson has the size to play the small forward position and the skill to play the two spot. Not only his he a terrific athlete, he attacks the rim aggressively and is strong enough to finish through contact. He also has an improving jumper and lock down defensive potential.
Caris LeVert is another player to keep an eye on. As a freshman at Michigan he excelled as their fourth scoring option. But now that Mitch McGary, Nik Staukas, and Glenn Robinson III are all gone it is LeVert's time to shine as the offensive star for the Wolverines. Tyrus Jones was the fourth rated prospect in the 2014 recruiting class and will be joining Okafor at Duke. The 6'1” point guard doesn't have elite size or athleticism. What he does have is a very high basketball IQ and is an exceptional passer. Jones is the best pure point guard prospect in the nation and should have a lot of success at Duke. There are many other backcourt players to keep an eye on, most notably; Marcus Paige, Andrew and Aaron Harrison, Kelly Oubre, Justise Winslow, Sam Dekker, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
Along with the exceptional freshman talent, there are also a couple international prospects garnering lottery talk. The first of these players is Mario Hezonja, a talented shooting guard from Croatia. Mario is an exceptional offensive talent and has a very well rounded offensive game. Because he is an international prospect it will be more difficult for NBA teams to truly evaluate his talent. The second of these players is Kristaps Porzingis from Latvia. Porzingis moves extremely well for a seven footer and is a phenomenal athlete. He also has a very advanced offensive game, with the ability to stretch the floor and finish at the rim. He was regarded as a first round pick in the 2014 draft before he withdrew. He seems to be a lock as a top-10 pick should he declare for the 2015 draft.
As you can see, the 2015 draft class has the potential to be extremely talented. While it may not have the superstar potential the 2014 class offered, it is extremely deep, especially in the front court. It is difficult to judge and predict how these players will preform, especially given the fact that many are freshman. And while it is almost certain that some of these players will struggle and fall off the NBA radar, I am sure there will be others that emerge in their place. Now all that is left to do is sit back and enjoy.