2015 NBA Draft results: Kevon Looney picked by Golden State Warriors
Looney becomes the first UCLA player to be drafted on Thursday.
With the 30th pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors have selected UCLA's Kevon Looney. It's the third year in a row the Bruins have had a player selected in the first round after Zach LaVine, Jordan Adams and Kyle Anderson were picked in 2014, and Shabazz Muhammad the year before.
The 6'9 power forward averaged 11.6 points and 9.2 rebounds in 30 minutes per game, and had 15 double-doubles for the season. He was one of the key members of a Bruins team that went 22-14 overall and made the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament, thanks to his combination of rebounding ability and outside shooting. He struggled with inconsistency in his one season, but showed enough to flash the potential that had him as a lock to be selected in the first round all year.
There just aren’t a lot of players who have both the athleticism to hold their own on defense and on the boards, while being credible three-point shooters, so his early exit from UCLA was inevitable.
Nate Parham of Golden State of Mind, SB Nation’s Warriors blog, is wary of injury issues but likes the addition of a big man to the roster.
With David Lee possibly on the move this offseason and Marreese Speights having a team option, adding a post player could end up being of great value to the team. Looney, in particular, brings the possibility of developing into a player that brings a nice combination of offensive rebounding ability and outside shooting touch over time, if you trust the DraftExpress assessment.
Looney is a fantastic fit for the Warriors, who could use him as a replacement for Lee as a reserve behind Draymond Green. His ability to stretch the floor while also cleaning the glass should complement the Warriors’ perimeter-oriented attack, and his defensive deficiencies and inconsistency aren’t likely to matter much on a team as complete as Golden State.
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