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Arizona Wildcats Hear Names Called on NBA Draft Day

By Mark Barrera

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The NBA Draft has finally come. The waiting game has finally passed for the former Arizona Wildcats. Who was drafted? Where were they drafted and to what team? Let’s find out…

It was June 25th, 2015. All former college basketball players hoping to play in the NBA this year have had this date circled on their calendars for several months. This was a dream they all had as children. For our four former Arizona Wildcats, the feeling isn’t any different. Stanley Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brandon Ashley, and T.J. McConnell were all hoping to hear their names called. The time had come.

With the 8th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons select…. Stanley “The Stanimal” Johnson from the University of Arizona!

Stanley was always considered to be the highest Wildcat picked out of the four. Coming out of high school, Stanley was listed as a top 5 draft pick. He had one great year with Arizona, but some questions were raised towards the end of the season. How high is his motor really? Does he take too many plays off? Can he be a consistent finisher at the rim? Can he consistently hit the 3?

Mar 26, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Stanley Johnson (5) reacts against Xavier Musketeers during the second half in the semifinals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Johnson showed several times this past season how dominant he can be. His numbers wouldn’t blow someone away, but that is because of the offense Sean Miller runs. It doesn’t allow for a player to put up 20 ppg. Stanley has always been a winner. He was a 4 time state champion. He won gold with the U18 USA Olympic Team. He was a Pac-12 Regular Season champion. He was a Pac-12 Tournament champion. He was awarded the Julius Erving Award for Best Small Forward, the Pac-12 Freshman Player of the Year award and the list goes on.

With Johnson being drafted in the top 10 of the 1st round, he now places Arizona as one of five programs in the country to have three top-10 draft picks since 2011.The kid knows how to win. Congratulations Detroit Pistons and Pistons fans!

With the 23rd pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers select… Rondae Hollis-Jefferson! Who was then traded to the Brooklyn Nets? Yes, he was.

Rondae had to wait a bit, and probably longer than he wanted. Earlier today there were a lot of reports that Rondae was moving up draft boards. At one point I saw his name being tied to the Boston Celtics at #16. No matter what team ended up drafting him, they know they’re getting a star.

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The biggest knock on him has always been his jump shot. Some have even said it’s broken beyond repair. But he is the best all around defender in the draft. Rondae has known since he came to Arizona that he will need to work on his shot. I’ve seen some experts say that his shot is broken beyond repair. He doesn’t do so bad with his free-throws though, with his famous shimmy, he made around 70% of them.

He has made a lot of improvement since his freshman year. Portland isn’t asking him to be a knock down shooter. Just like every team who had Rondae on their big board, he was being drafted because of his lock down defense. He has the ability of being defensive player of the year.

The Nets need an influx of youth on their roster. Brooklyn needs a player to bring a jolt of energy to the team. They need a sense of toughness. This is exactly what Rondae can bring to the table. The night might have dragged a bit. The waiting game settled in. Rondae was even asked how we was doing. His response? Nothing but positivity. The Brooklyn Nets made a great trade tonight! You have a very special player who will work relentlessly!

Unfortunately, that was the last time we heard any Wildcats names called. Brandon Ashley and T.J. McConnell did not get the call on draft night. Some say that isn’t surprising. Others, including myself, are surprised that they went undrafted.

However, this is far from the end of the road for these two. In fact, shortly after the NBA Draft concluded, Shams Charania, from RealGM, reported that the Lakers reached a Summer League commitment with Brandon Ashley!

And sure enough, very quickly after that announcement it was reported by Bruce Pascoe that T.J. McConnell reached a Summer League commitment with the Philadelphia 76ers!

They were not able to live out the dream of hearing your name called at the podium, and that’s a shame, but with agreements to play in the NBA Summer League, both have been given a shot to earn a roster spot in the NBA. Both have a great chance of making a roster, or playing in the D-League. They both also will certainly be given a chance to play professionally overseas, if the NBA and/or the D-League doesn’t work out for them.

Jan 17, 2015; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Brandon Ashley (21) celebrates after making a shot against the Utah Utes during the first half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

The Summer League will allow both to show not only the teams who picked them up, but all NBA GM’s, they have what it takes. This is a time for Ashley to show he has the physical tools to play with the bigs. Let’s not forget, Brandon Ashley was once a 5 star, top 20 recruit out of high school. He knows how to play the game.

This will be his time to show he has taken their critiques, and put in the work to prove he has not plateaued. He has yet to even tap the potential he has. If he can prove he has the strength, the touch, and agility to play the Forward position, I’m sure several teams will be calling him.

T.J. should thrive in the Summer League environment, and I don’t doubt that he will. He proved during the NBA Draft Combine 5-on-5 challenge that he will make his teammates better. He is a pass first, true PG, that every team covets. His physical attributes aren’t the greatest, but he has grit, toughness, and a unique ability to be another coach on the court.

He will need to prove he can shoot the 3 if needed, and have a consistent mid-range game. The Cavaliers showed everyone how important it is to have a second, and even a third, PG on the roster. T.J. McConnell can provide any NBA team the depth they need, no doubt in my mind and leadership as well, he has no fear.

This off-season will be fun to watch. All of the work they put in between the end of the season up to tonight was only the beginning. The NBA Summer League is less than a month away. The competition will pick up tremendously. Time to get to work.

Bear Down fellas!

Next: Arizona Wildcats Picked in NBA Draft Top 10: An Elite Feat

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