BTBP Mock NBA Draft: Editor’s Edition

Mar 28, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Devin Booker (1) during warm ups before the game 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

What The Experts Say:

"One of the bigger surprises of the combine was Booker; not because of how he played (he didn’t) but executives’ opinion of him. Several execs identified Booker as the best shooting prospect in the draft. – Chris Mannix, Sports Illustrated"

What The Player Says:

"Playing for Kentucky is the closest thing to an NBA team as possible, and I feel like that’s going to help me out at the next level. I’ve learned a lot playing with talented players. How to fit in. – Devin Booker"

What BTBP Says:

Normally when players start to generate buzz as the best shooter in their class, it does their draft stock no harm, and I wouldn’t expect Devin Booker to be any different.

If Booker ends up falling out of the top ten, it likely won’t be very far.

Booker is the youngest player in the draft, but his skills have pushed him right to the top of the queue against all expectations.

NBA.com’s Scott Howard-Cooper elaborates further on that progression:

"It would have been difficult, if not impossible, to imagine before the season Booker challenging for the team lead in scoring, before finishing one point off the pace of Aaron Harrison. But his perimeter game was that good, at 47 percent overall and 41.1 behind the arc while adding 82.8 percent from the line. He had one of the biggest climbs up the board in 2014-15 with the kind of shooting the NBA loves to see and good size for his position."

Considering his young age, the Jazz and their plethora of young talent that’s already in place seems like a great fit for Booker.

Dakota Schmidt of Salt City Hoops delved deeper into that idea.

"Putting Booker into the Jazz organization could also allow him to continue developing his overall game without putting too much pressure on his shoulders. With players like Alec Burks, Rodney Hood and Gordon Hayward on the team that could work on the wings, the organization would be comfortable with sticking him in Idaho for a few games to help develop as a ball-handler or just to see if he can become comfortable as a team’s main scoring weapon."

Next: With The 13th Pick Of The NBA Draft The Phoenix Suns Select...