Projected #1 Pick
Jahlil Okafor (Whitney Young High School)
Prior to his freshman high school season, he was described as "a young Jared Sullinger" by ESPN's John Stovall.
During his sophomore high school season, which coincided with Jared Sullinger's sophomore college basketball season, ESPN's Dave Telep devoted an article to making comparisons between the 6-foot-10-inch (2.08 m) 270-pound (122.5 kg) Okafor and Sullinger, noting that the former could pass as the little brother of the latter. According to Michael O'Brien of the Chicago Sun-Times, at the end of his sophomore high school season, Okafor was "the [Chicago] area's most refined post player since Thornwood's Eddy Curry." According to his own high school coach, Tyrone Slaughter, Okafor is more polished than both Curry and King College Prep High School's Rashard Griffith were at the same stage. His father describes him as a combination of Tim Duncan and Hakeem Olajuwon because of his footwork and intelligent style of play. Upon leading his high school to the 2013 Chicago Public High School League Championship as a junior Mike O'Brien of the Chicago Sun-Times described him as " the best big man the city has seen in a generation". Okafor considers Duncan, Olajuwon and Shaquille O’Neal are his role models, despite the reduced emphasis on big men in the NBA.
Prior to his freshman high school season, he was described as "a young Jared Sullinger" by ESPN's John Stovall.
During his sophomore high school season, which coincided with Jared Sullinger's sophomore college basketball season, ESPN's Dave Telep devoted an article to making comparisons between the 6-foot-10-inch (2.08 m) 270-pound (122.5 kg) Okafor and Sullinger, noting that the former could pass as the little brother of the latter. According to Michael O'Brien of the Chicago Sun-Times, at the end of his sophomore high school season, Okafor was "the [Chicago] area's most refined post player since Thornwood's Eddy Curry." According to his own high school coach, Tyrone Slaughter, Okafor is more polished than both Curry and King College Prep High School's Rashard Griffith were at the same stage. His father describes him as a combination of Tim Duncan and Hakeem Olajuwon because of his footwork and intelligent style of play. Upon leading his high school to the 2013 Chicago Public High School League Championship as a junior Mike O'Brien of the Chicago Sun-Times described him as " the best big man the city has seen in a generation". Okafor considers Duncan, Olajuwon and Shaquille O’Neal are his role models, despite the reduced emphasis on big men in the NBA.
2015 NBA Mock Draft
1 - Jahlil Okafor (Whitney Young High School)
2 - Theo Pinson (North Carolina)
3 - Dante Exum (Australia)
4 - Emmanuel Mudiay (Prime Prep High School)
5 - Leron Black (White Station High School)
6 - James Young (Kentucky)
7 - Tre Lyles (Arsenal Tech High School)
8 - Noah Vonleh (Indiana)
9 - Cliff Alexander (Curie High School)
10 - Karl Towns (Kentucky)
11 - Joel Embiid (Kansas)
12 - Ilimane Diop (Senegal)
13 - Tyus Jones (Apple Valley High School)
14 - Jerami Grant (Syracuse)
15 - Marcus Lee (Kentucky)
16 - Amile Jefferson (Duke)
17 - Rashad Vaughn (Robbinsdale Cooper High School)
18 - Andre Hollins (Minnesota)
19 - T.J. Warren (NC State)
20 - Nigel Williams-Goss (Washington)
21 - John Egbunu (South Florida)
22 - Chris Obekpa (St. Johns)
23 - Matt Jones (Duke)
24 - Kevon Looney (Milwaukee Hamilton High School)
25 - Leo Westermann (France)
26 - JaQuan Lyle (Bosse High School)
27 - Nik Stauskas (Michigan)
28 - Justin Jackson (Eastern Commerce High School)
29 - Zak Irvin (Michigan)
30 - Shaquille Cleare (Maryland)
2 - Theo Pinson (North Carolina)
3 - Dante Exum (Australia)
4 - Emmanuel Mudiay (Prime Prep High School)
5 - Leron Black (White Station High School)
6 - James Young (Kentucky)
7 - Tre Lyles (Arsenal Tech High School)
8 - Noah Vonleh (Indiana)
9 - Cliff Alexander (Curie High School)
10 - Karl Towns (Kentucky)
11 - Joel Embiid (Kansas)
12 - Ilimane Diop (Senegal)
13 - Tyus Jones (Apple Valley High School)
14 - Jerami Grant (Syracuse)
15 - Marcus Lee (Kentucky)
16 - Amile Jefferson (Duke)
17 - Rashad Vaughn (Robbinsdale Cooper High School)
18 - Andre Hollins (Minnesota)
19 - T.J. Warren (NC State)
20 - Nigel Williams-Goss (Washington)
21 - John Egbunu (South Florida)
22 - Chris Obekpa (St. Johns)
23 - Matt Jones (Duke)
24 - Kevon Looney (Milwaukee Hamilton High School)
25 - Leo Westermann (France)
26 - JaQuan Lyle (Bosse High School)
27 - Nik Stauskas (Michigan)
28 - Justin Jackson (Eastern Commerce High School)
29 - Zak Irvin (Michigan)
30 - Shaquille Cleare (Maryland)