NBA Draft 2018: 5 second-round sleepers ready to play right away

Kevin Hervey, UT Arlington

I understand that it is very possible that Kevin Hervey ends up being a first-round pick but most people believe he will wind up in the second round. Regardless, though, Hervey was slept on throughout most of his college career. Despite dealing with nagging injuries, the UT-Arlington star dazzled when on the court. He is an electric scorer who can fill up the basket in any number of ways and can also be a versatile defender. Although he might not be the caliber of athlete that some of the prospects rated higher than him are, Hervey makes up for that with skill and size.

At the NBA Combine earlier this offseason, Hervey measured at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan. These are awesome numbers for the forward and have been a major reason for his rise up the draft boards as of late. With that kind of size and the ability to splash home the occasional trifecta (32.4% from the college three), Hervey is a tantalizing prospect.

Over his final three seasons for the Mavericks, Hervey showed remarkable consistency. He played in 84 games over this stretch, averaging 18.6 points and 8.8 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game. He shot 45.2% from the field. In addition to just his offense, though, Hervey’s length allows him to defend many positions. In today’s NBA, that is a skill that cannot easily be overlooked. However, the fact that Hervey has torn both of his ACLs is concerning. He has already been labeled “injury prone” by many and that is bound to effect his draft stock. Nonetheless, taking a flyer on this player in the mid-second round could end up being a steal if he stays healthy.

Busting Brackets projection: Early-to-mid second round selection.