The Best 2015 NBA Draft Prospect on Each WCC Team
By Josh Horton
With the 2014 NBA draft in the books, naturally it is time to focus on the 2015 NBA draft, right?
Ok, maybe I am getting ahead of myself, but it always fun to speculate well in advance.
While the 2014 draft did not see any WCC players drafted, the 2015 draft could be more fortuitous for former WCC stars. Here’s a look into that, breaking down the best NBA prospect on each team.
March 10, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Tyler Haws (3) shoots against the San Francisco Dons during the second half in the semifinals of the West Coast Conference tournament at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Brigham Young – Tyler Haws
With Tyler Haws’ innate ability to score, Haws could find himself on an NBA team. At 6-foot-5, he also possesses nice size for the shooting guard position.
Offensively, Haws has a very diverse game. The staple of his skill set is his mid-range jumper, which he uses to frequently to get going on the offensive end of the floor. During his junior season he showed that his 3-point shot and his ability to drive to the hoop were developing as well. Haws has averaged 18.7 points throughout his career, a testament to his competence on the offensive end of the floor.
On the negative side, Haws lacks the athleticism that is usually desired. It is still open to debate whether Haws can create his shot at the next level and keep up on defense. However, with Haws ability on the offensive end, the option to play professionally will be there.
Gonzaga – Przemek Karnowski
At 7-foot-1, Karnowski will be a viable option for the NBA.
While Karnowski has struggled at times during his first two seasons at Gonzaga, he has shown the ability to be absolutely dominant in the paint. At 305 pounds, Karnowski can be a brute down in the post. He has a bevy of back-to-the-basket moves at his disposal, including a hook shot over either shoulder.
The only thing holding Karnowski back is a lack of foot speed and vertical ability. Unfortunately, that could deter some NBA teams away from Karnowski, but with his size and talent he could find a place in the highest level of professional basketball.
Loyola Marymount – Evan Payne
The bouncy two-guard might need to transition to more of a lead guard role to make it to the NBA, but the skill set is there.
During Payne’s freshman season at LMU, he showcased his athletic ability and provided a nice compliment to Anthony Ireland in the Lions backcourt. Payne is adept at creating his own shot off the bouncing a slashing to the basktball. On top of that, he proved to be an incestiable on-ball defender at times, creating a lot of steals.
Payne has some work to do, but the NBA could be on his horizon eventually.
Pacific – T.J. Wallace
With such a young roster, it was hard to pick for the Tigers, but ultimately T.J. Wallace seemed like the best option.
Wallace played a big role as a freshman, playing 19.4 minutes per game and starting three games for head coach Ron Verlin. Wallace also averaged 7.0 points, a decent statistic for his first season in college basketball.
Wallace, while prone to making the bad decision, has shown flashes of brilliance. At 6-foot-2, Wallace will need to learn to be more of a distributor to attract NBA teams to his play style. With Andrew Bock out of the picture, Wallace will be given the opportunity to take on that role as a sophomore and make an impression for NBA executives.
Jan 9, 2014; Provo, UT, USA; Pepperdine Waves forward Stacy Davis (5) dribbling the ball against the Brigham Young Cougars during the second half at Marriott Center. Brigham Young Cougars won the game 84-72. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Pepperdine – Stacy Davis
Undersized? Maybe. Underappreciated? Possibly. Out-worked? Never.
Stacy Davis has one of the best motors in the WCC, and uses his wide body to bully his opponents. Davis really improved in his sophomore season after a very productive freshman season. The 6-foot-6 power forward was used as a sixth man toward the end of the season in order to keep him out of foul trouble, but still averaged 15.1 points and 7.6 rebounds. He also improved greatly as a shooter, hitting 47.6 percent of his 3-pointers after only attempting one his entire freshman season (he did not make it by the way).
On this trajectory, there is a serious chance Davis develops into an NBA prospect by the time he is a senior. In the meantime, he will need to become for versatile and sharpen his skill set in order for that to happen.
Portland – Thomas van der Mars
What NBA team wouldn’t want a 7-foot Dutch center?
Thomas van der Mars appeared to make significant strides during his junior year at the University of Portland, and looks primed for a breakout season during his senior year. This past season, Van der Mars put together some dominant games. Van der Mars scored 19 points and snagged 18 rebounds against Portland State, dropped 27 points and 18 rebounds against BYU and put up 22 points and 17 rebounds against Saint Mary’s. With more consistency, Van der Mars could really turn some heads.
While he needs to work on a few things with his overall game and add some muscle, Van der Mars is an interesting prospect moving forward.
San Diego – Christopher Anderson
Yes, his size is a detriment to his NBA chances, but his intangibles make Anderson an intriguing player moving forward professionally.
The aforementioned height deficiency – Anderson is 5-foot-7 – does not bode well for his NBA chances. However, Anderson is a high-IQ, speedy pass first point guard that could make his way on an NBA roster
His chances of becoming a starter based on his body composition and skill set are slim to none, but if Anderson improves, he could turn into an NBA role player.
San Francisco – Derrell Robertson Jr.
Although Derrell Robertson Jr. has not played a single game for the USF Dons, at 6-foot-10 and an innate ability to protect the rim, Robertson is the Dons best 2015 NBA prospect.
Robertson is well-built, and uses his athleticism to establish himself in the paint as a defense force. At Depaul, Robertson was not an offense force (1.9 points per game in 13.0 minutes per game his sophomore season) and that aspect of his game will need to improve in order to attract scouts.
Even though Depaul was not a good fit for Robertson, he could breakout in the WCC and show NBA scouts what he is made of.
Saint Mary’s – Joe Coleman
In his first season as a Gael, Coleman is the team’s best overall draft prospect.
Coleman is fantastic mid-range shooter, with enough athleticism to create his own shot. This aspect of his game could differentiate himself from many of the other prospects. Coleman is a shooting guard that plays well above the rim, making him a good slash and drive player.
In order to really make a case for the NBA, Coleman will need to be able to shoot from the shooting guard position. Coleman was only a 28.6 percent shooter from beyond the arc while at Minnesota. The 6-foot-4 off-guard can use his junior season to improve on that.
March 8, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Santa Clara Broncos guard Jared Brownridge (23) dribbles against Gonzaga Bulldogs guard David Stockton (11) during the second half in the quarterfinals of the West Coast Conference tournament at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Santa Clara – Jared Brownridge
In due time, someone will take notice at the talent of Jared Brownridge. Although he plays in a mid-major conference, it’s bound to happen.
Brownridge had one of the best seasons in school history, scoring 517 points and connecting on 95 total 3-pointers. His savvy as a scorer was on display throughout the season, even though he was only a freshman. Brownridge’s play figuratively took the WCC newcomer of the year award from BYU forward Eric Mika, who was appointed the award in preseason by pundits and analysts alike (myself included).
In the coming years, Brownridge will need to work on his overall game to garner any attention as an NBA draft prospect, but with his scoring and shooting ability that is a viable option for the 6-foot-2 Brownridge.