2015 NBA Draft: Comparing The Final Four’s Stars To Their NBA Counterparts

Mar 28, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) dunks against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the finals of the midwest regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Willie Cauley-Stein

NBA Comparison: Tyson Chandler

This Kentucky big man conjures up images of DeAndre Jordan and Tyson Chandler every time he steps onto the floor. Cauley-Stein’s stat line per 40 minutes 14.2 points, 1.4 steals, 10.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks, but like Chandler those numbers don’t convey his value on the defensive end of the floor.

Although he is more mobile than the 32-year-old Chandler, the two have are extremely effective on pick-and-roll coverage, as both are able to bother smaller guards on hedges and have the lateral quickness to switch onto guards in some instances.

But like Chandler, Cauley-Stein does not offer much variety on the offensive end, as thy have limited offensive moves in half court sets. Both seem to rely mostly on dunks, whether it be through alley-oops, putbacks, or in Cauley-Stein’s case, transition dunks.

Nevertheless, Cauley-Stein is poised to mirror Chandler’s NBA role/career, unless he can add to his offensive repertoire, in which case, he would could be one of the most unique players in the game.

Next: Trey Lyles