Michigan star Nik Stauskas went from totally obscure to Big Ten Player of the Year and lottery lock in just one year. It looks like the former Wolverines star with the scorching hot girlfriend that the internet is creepily obsessed with (but hey, we have a couple gratuitous pics of Taylor Anderson here for you in this post….you knew we would) could end up in the top ten on NBA Draft night.
This is a Paul M. Banks and David Kmiecik collaboration
Nik Stauskus probably falls somewhere in the #8-#14 range. He really improved his draft stock during the college basketball season, and he saw his stock soar even more during March madness. He probably won’t go any earlier than the Sacramento Kings, and he likely doesn’t make it past the Phoenix Suns.
Stauskas will be appealing to any team looking for a shooter, and that includes the Hornets at #9, Sixers at #10, and the Timberwolves at #13.
Nik Stauskas, will fall into the same range with Michigan State’s Gary Harris and Kentucky’s James Young. So it will be interesting to see how all that shapes out. He talked about his increased role sophomore year without Trey Burke or Tim Hardaway Jr. ”
It just gave me a lot more responsibility on the offensive end. Coach Beilein put the ball in my hands a lot more, in late game situations or late shot clock. I was asked to make plays and I think that’s what I’m best at, making plays off the dribble. It was fun this year, the role change that I had to take on.”
The Canadian continued:
“I’m trying to explain to teams that one of the aspects I have is a feel for the game. That’s one of the things that I really developed over the past two years by studying film is getting that feel for the game and being able to read the defense.”
Nik Stauskas also talked about the concerns about his ability to defend in the NBA:
“Every team’s been questioning me and I’ve been saying, ‘defense is really more of a mindset than anything and having a desire to get after it on the defensive end.’ I know I have the athletic ability to do it and it’s just focusing in and really working on it.”
“Going up against Kentucky, every time I was on the floor I felt like I was guarding a pro. I felt like I definitely held my own out there. Obviously teams are going to want to see more of that and see how I guard at the next level but I feel like I’ve shown I can do it at times.”
What about Nik Stauskas playing with the Bulls? It is unlikely he’s still there at #16 or #19, unless the Bulls package those picks to move up:
“I’ve spent some time in Chicago and I just love it here. I love the city. I love the people. Obviously they have a really talented team and a really great coach in Tom Thibadeau. I know he would really challenge me on the defensive end. I feel like it would be a great environment for me as well.”
Here’s where we have Nik Stauskas in our latest NBA mock draft.
10. Philadelphia (from NO)- Nik Stauskas, SG, Michigan, 6-6, Soph.
Even though I have the Sixers selecting Exum at three, they still need to find somebody capable of knocking down outside shots. Nik Stauskas is a sharpshooter from the outside which fits a need for a Philly team searching for a perimeter threat.
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Milwaukee to Honolulu. He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft and the most accurate 2012 NBA Mock Draft on the internet (Yup, repeat champ… #humblebrag), and finished with the second most accurate 2013 NBA Mock Draft (nearly a three-peat.) You can follow him on Twitter at David_Kmiecik.
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also a frequent guest on talk shows across the world. Banks has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including NFL.com, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Deadspin, ESPN, Washington Times, NBC and the History Channel. President Barack Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)