On the rise: Six freshmen who raised their NBA Draft stock
The one-and-done era is in full bloom as freshmen continue to play an important role in the NBA Draft. This year, over 25 freshmen submitted their names for early entry to the draft. While many of them will ultimately choose to return to college, the 2016 Draft will again be heavy on players who only spent one year in college. Here’s a look at six who raised their draft stock during their one season in college.
Freshman stats at Florida State: 15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
How he raised his stock: I’m not surprised to see Beasley on NBA draft boards, I just didn’t see it coming so quickly. Thanks in large part to his combination of size and jump shooting (39 percent from three) to go with some athleticism, Beasley was able to outplay expectations as a freshman and likely play his way into the first round.
Freshman stats at Washington: 13.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.
How he raised his stock: An elite level athlete, Chriss drew more and more attention as the season went on thanks to his ability to play way above the rim. NBA guys worry some about his lack of strength, but they love his elite run-and-jump ability and his ability to make a jump shot with range. Depending how his workouts go, Chriss could wind up in the lottery.
Freshman stats at Michigan State: 7.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.
How he raised his stock: I remember polling NBA personnel at the 2015 McDonald’s All-American Game and Davis didn’t move the needle much after relatively quiet workouts. Now, there’s a very good chance he’s going to wind up getting picked in the lottery. His long arms, athleticism, size and touch he shows offensively have caused NBA guys to really warm up to his upside even if he may need a few years of development once they get him.
Freshman stats at Marquette: 17.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
How he raised his stock: For Ellenson, it was just a matter of being seen. An injury cost him the chance to play in front of NBA scouts on the postseason All-Star game circuit as a high school senior. Once NBA scouts had a chance to see him in college, Ellenson proved that he can score at a high level and while most envisioned him being a pure shooter, what they found is that he’s a pure scorer who has a lot of tools at his disposal. Because of his strong season at Marquette, he’s likely to end up in the lottery.
Freshman season at Duke: 17.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
How he raised his stock: Ingram was always going to be one-and-done, but in his year at Duke he’s gone from a guy seen as a potential lottery pick to quite possibly the top overall pick. This time a year ago, the NBA guys would all question his toughness because they were seeing his thin frame and assuming he lacked toughness. Ingram surely needs to get stronger, but he’s proven that he’s not soft and his combination of skill, shooting and size should allow for a successful pro career.
Freshman stats at Kentucky: 20 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
How he raised his stock: Murray really began to turn the heads of NBA scouts with his play for the Canadian National team in the 2015 Pan-Am games. At Kentucky, he proved his summer play against older International competition was no fluke. Some see him as a potential point guard, but after watching him play off the ball alongside Tyler Ulis for a year, I prefer him as a two guard where his ability to shoot the ball from deep (41 percent as a freshman) combined with good size and the skill to attack off the dribble should serve him well and make him a top 10 pick.