The Harrison Twins and Dakari Johnson already had their intentions revealed.
They and five of their Kentucky teammates announced their intention to enter the 2015 NBA draft. Joining those three are:
- Karl-Anthony Towns
- Willie Cauley-Stein
- Trey Lyles
- Devin Booker
Towns is a potential – maybe even probable – No. 1 overall pick. He’s a two-way force, which separates him from his major competitor for the top pick – Duke’s Jahlil Okafor, who is offensively minded. Towns is adept making both physical and finesse plays, and the big man has the size and skills to do both at the next level. His offense is probably ahead of his defense at this point.
Cauley-Stein is a likely lottery pick. He’s big (7-foot, 240 pounds), long, athletic and agile. He projects as a stud defender, especially in NBA schemes that increasingly emphasize switching. His offense needs major development, and his rebounding is a low-key worry.
Lyles mostly played out of position at small forward due to Kentucky’s depth. He’s really a power forward, and his ability to shift to the three speaks to his skills. But as he moves back to his natural position in the NBA, concerns about his strength emerge. He should go in the first round.
So should Booker, who is a good outside shooter and has the size of an NBA shooting guard. If he can hold his own defensively, he should have a bright NBA future.
