The Prospect Post: How Did Everyone Miss On K.J. McDaniels?

HOW DID EVERYONE MISS ON K.J. McDANIELS?

This article aims to provide an ongoing evaluation of the NBA's rookie class from a fantasy standpoint while also offering deep dives on college players with bright futures. Projecting young talent is very subjective, so an open dialogue is encouraged, both in the comments section and on Twitter: @RealJRAnderson

The 2014 draft class will go down as one of the best collections of talent of the modern era, and McDaniels is exhibit A. The 6-foot-6 wing out of Clemson was taken by the Sixers with the 32nd pick in the draft, and he has been one of the five most exciting rookies this season. If NBA teams were given the chance to run back the draft, McDaniels would surely be a lottery pick, and would possibly come off the board within the first 7-8 picks.

Through 21 Games

McDaniels has two or more blocks in nine of his first 21 games as a pro. He also has multiple steals on seven occasions. The 21-year-old shooting guard is averaging 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 2.1 blocks per 36 minutes, and over his last five games, he is averaging 6.6 boards, 1.8 steals and 2.4 blocks while playing 30.8 minutes per game. It seems that as long as he is seeing 30-plus minutes, he will be an insanely valuable asset in all category leagues going forward, especially based on his position eligibility. The only thing holding him back from being a top-50 fantasy option 21 games into his NBA career is the iffy scoring production to this point. McDaniels is shooting 41.7 percent from the field, 31.6 percent from three-point range and 73.1 percent from the charity stripe, so it's not like he's a complete disaster, but there is definitely work to be done, especially on his outside shot. The fact that Hollis Thompson is currently starting over him, is beyond dubious, and it will be something to monitor, but common sense should prevail with McDaniels eventually being one of the top three players on the team in minutes per game.

Looking Back

In June it was pretty clear that he was not going to go in the lottery, but there are about a dozen teams that are undoubtedly kicking themselves for passing on McDaniels. Poor Oklahoma City. In McDaniels, they could have added the first legitimate option at the two since the departure of James Harden, but instead they took Mitch McGary at pick 21 and someone called Josh Huestis at 29. Similarly, the Clippers got their man in C.J. Wilcox at pick 28 when McDaniels was still on the board. McGary, Huestis and Wilcox have combined to play nine minutes in the NBA this season, and both the Clippers and Thunder fancy themselves title contenders. McDaniels represented a potential playoff swing piece that both teams unknowingly bypassed. We could play this game with a lot of teams, but the point is obvious, this was a colossal misevaluation. Going into the draft I had McDaniels at No. 22 on my big board, ahead of McGary, Huestis (who wasn't on my board), Wilcox, Jordan Adams, Rodney Hood, T.J. Warren, Clint Capela, Jusuf Nurkic, Bruno Caboclo, Bojan Bogdanovic and Damien Inglis, all of whom went ahead of McDaniels in the draft. However, I still had guys like P.J. Hairston, Nik Stauskas, Cleanthony Early, Tyler Ennis, Adreian Payne and Gary Harris ahead of him, which looks foolish now.

How Did This Happen?

It's not like McDaniels didn't attend the NBA Draft Combine. He was there. His athleticism and defensive prowess should have been apparent. Did McDaniels have a brutal 2013-14 season at Clemson? No, he was pretty damn impressive actually. In 33.7 minutes per game, McDaniels averaged 17.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.1 steals and... wait for it, 2.8 blocks! He was an elite shot blocker for his position in college. The evidence was right there in his basic stat line!

Perhaps he did not interview well when he met with teams. Maybe NBA teams were scared off by his 30.4 percent three-point shooting in his final year in college. But even if he was a bit of a knucklehead who needed to work on his long-range jumper, the measurables and defensive tenacity should have placed him squarely in the first round, and certainly ahead of Josh effing Huestis. In a weaker class, McDaniels may not have slipped through the cracks. Teams would have taken a much harder look at him the evaluation process, and he might have generated pre-draft buzz as a trendy lottery pick along the lines of Damian Lillard or C.J. McCollum. But instead he has the chance to go down as one of the better second round draft picks of the last decade.

Looking Ahead

If you're looking for a reason to watch the Sixers in their quest for futility, McDaniels is that reason. The crazy thing is that he will be a free agent this offseason after gambling on himself and signing a non-guaranteed one-year deal. He could end up making more money in his first three seasons than last year's No. 1 overall pick, Andrew Wiggins. McDaniels should settle in as a top-50 fantasy pick next season (assuming he signs into a role with significant playing time) based on his absurd defensive contributions relative to his position, and if he develops a reliable three-point shot, all bets are off.