We always see prospects slip through the cracks during the evaluation process for the NBA draft. Age, average athleticism and/or poor fit in college systems can mask a player's potential.
It happens every year. Bobby Portis, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Larry Nance Jr. have jumped out as possible steals from the 2015 class.
In predicting 2016's steals, I only considered prospects projected to fall outside the lottery. They each have specific weaknesses that naturally raise questions about their transition from college to the pros. And their draft stocks will be affected.
I'm anticipating the following players to go anywhere from the mid-first round to the second—and eventually make a number of teams look silly for passing.
Denzel Valentine (Michigan State, SG, Senior)
Projected Draft Range: 15-30
Already 22 years old without the athleticism that teams are traditionally willing to chase, Valentine could have a tough time triggering a bite in the lottery. That just makes him a potential value pick in the 15-30 range, where general managers could find an NBA- ...
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Article written by Jonathan Wasserman
Predicting the Biggest Steals of the 2016 NBA Draft Class
January 15th, 2016 by Jonathan Wasserman Leave a reply »
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