Mar 26, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Stanley Johnson (5) reacts against Xavier Musketeers during the second half in the semifinals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
9. Stanley Johnson, SF/PF, Arizona
Despite leading the Arizona Wildcats in scoring this season, while also being an outstanding perimeter defender, Johnson has seen his draft stock take a bit of a hit over the past couple months.
The concerns aren’t an indictment of what he has shown, but rather what he will show, and project to be, moving forward. Right now, Johnson is a very strong and gritty wing player, with an inconsistent jump shot. But still, Johnson has shown that he can play defense with the best of them, while also being able contribute on offense, all while standing at an imposing 6’7″ and 245 pounds.
It’s not like his size slows him down either, as Johnson has demonstrated that he can get throw down thunderous dunks off of cuts and in transition — which is probably where he will score the brunt of his points his first year in the league.
There’s a lot to like about Johnson right now, he’ll surely produce right away, it’s just that outside of a 3-point shot, he doesn’t have much he can develop or improve dramatically in. At the end of the day, Johnson seems to have a very high basement, and a fairly average ceiling.
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