by Ben Leibowitz

Have NBA Rookies Impressed Since 2015 NCAA Tournament?

PointAfter looks back at 2015 NBA lottery picks who competed in the Big Dance. How have players like Jahlil Okafor and Frank Kaminsky fared in the NBA?

As 2016 March Madness kicks off, the PointAfter team took a look back at collegiate stars from a year ago who were selected in the 2015 NBA Draft lottery. Of the 14 players taken, 10 competed in the NCAA Tournament -- including four University of Kentucky Wildcats and three players who reached the title game.

Among the other big men to accomplish that in their first professional season are big names like Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Tim Duncan.

So what about the players drafted who also competed in the NCAA Tournament? How have they adapted to the pros following their respective journeys in the tourney?

NCAA Championship Competitors

Duke University and the University of Wisconsin each reached the NCAA Championship a year ago. Featured in that affair were future NBA draftees Jahlil Okafor (No. 3 overall), Frank Kaminsky (No. 9) and Justise Winslow (No. 10). Interestingly, the youngster drafted highest had the worst game of the three.

Although Okafor did make five of his nine attempts from the field, foul trouble limited him to 22 minutes. He finished the game with more fouls (four) than rebounds (three) and turned the ball over twice.

As a skilled and, in many respects, polished offensive center, Okafor was still seen as one of the premier talents entering the league despite the forgettable performance. But his rookie campaign was cut short after 53 games when it was revealed he'd need arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.

Okafor boasted averages of 17.5 points, seven rebounds and 1.2 blocks, but advanced stats were not kind to Big Jah. His box plus/minus (BPM, a box score estimate of the points per 100 possessions contributed by a player against league-average) finished at a ghastly -4.1, per Basketball Reference. That mark ties Okafor for the 14th-worst BPM among players qualified for the minutes leaderboard.

His Duke teammate, Justise Winslow, cobbled together solid performances throughout the NCAA Tournament by doing a little bit of everything -- rebounding, blocking shots, dishing out assists, etc. Taken No. 10 overall by the Miami Heat, Winslow has since carved a nice NBA niche by playing rock-solid defense in nearly 30 minutes per contest. His offense lags far behind -- he's converted just 25.7% of his threes -- but he's been serviceable for head coach Erik Spoelstra.

He was the heart and soul of Wisconsin's postseason run, doing most of his damage from beyond the arc. In his six tournament games, Frank the Tank cashed in on 61.5% of his long-range attempts (8-of-13).

That remarkable shooting touch has eluded the 7-footer in the early going while faced with a deeper NBA three-point arc. He's made just 32.9% of his attempts from distance in a Charlotte Hornets jersey.

None of the three has had a perfectly smooth transition to the NBA, but early signs hint Kaminsky will always be viewed as a better college player than pro. Frankly, it was an extremely tough act to follow.

Calipari's Cats

As noted above, four players drafted in the 2015 lottery were groomed by Kentucky head coach John Calipari. Towns, the No. 1 overall pick, is the clear headliner. He leads all NBA rookies with 38 double-doubles -- more than double the output of second-place Porzingis (18).

Also, by averaging at least 17 points, 10 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 blocks in his first go-around in the pros, Towns is in the company of just five other guys ever to post similar figures as rookies: David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Elton Brand and Ralph Sampson. Talk about elite company. He's a shoo-in to win Rookie of the Year honors.

Neither player shined during March Madness in 2015, and they're still trying to find their way in the league. Cauley-Stein has been an effective shot blocker, while Lyles has knocked down more than 38% of his treys, but neither has been a consistent standout (especially compared to Towns).

He wasn't a go-to scorer while in college, but he's handle that responsibility with aplomb for the injury-ravaged Suns.

Performing well in the NCAA Tournament can certainly boost a young player's draft stock, but it ultimately means little when making a leap to the pros. Ultimately, raw talent and poise in the face of enhanced competition is the deciding factor for success.

Article: Courtesy Point After

NBA Basketball: "Have NBA Rookies Impressed Since 2015 NCAA Tournament?"