2015 NBA Draft results: Pat Connaughton picked by Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets have selected Pat Connaughton with the No. 40 pick of the draft. The Notre Dame senior has completed an illustrious collegiate career that saw him become a two-sport star.

Connaughton had a big role with the Fighting Irish from day one, playing 24 minutes a game in his freshman year. Over four seasons he became one of the team's most reliable players thanks to his outside shot and rebounding ability. He could have left school after his junior year to play professional baseball after being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, but he decided to finish his education. In his senior year, he helped Notre Dame pull the upset in the ACC Tournament over eventual national champions Duke in the semifinals and North Carolina in the finals, in which he scored 20 points.

After missing the 2014 NCAA Tournament, the Fighting Irish returned in 2015 as a third seed and advanced to the Elite Eight, where they were narrowly edged by the Kentucky Wildcats. Connaughton didn't shine in the Big Dance, averaging 10 points and seven rebounds and shooting poorly from the floor. His body of work as well as his max vertical measuring as the highest at the combine helped his draft stock despite some teams being wary of his commitment to basketball, considering his potential baseball career.

Connaughton's shooting makes him an excellent pickup for the Nets, who may lose Mirza Teletovic to free agency and have the declining Deron Williams and Joe Johnson in their backcourt.