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

MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 24: Theo Pinson #1 of the North Carolina Tar Heels handles the ball against Kelan Martin #30 of the Butler Bulldogs in the first half during the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at FedExForum on March 24, 2017 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 16: Martin (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Kelan Martin, Butler

If you need a bucket, Kelan Martin will go get you one. The former Butler star is an elite scorer who can fill up the basket in many ways. At 6-foot-7, he is a difficult player to cover on the wing due to his ability to shoot from deep, bury a pull-up jumper, or finish through traffic. In addition, he added a deadly floater and some post moves to his game this past season. This well-rounded offensive game resulted in Martin finishing second in the Big East in scoring on the season, which is not a small feat.

A senior this past season, Martin averaged 21.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while shooting 44.7% from the field and 36.4% from beyond the 3-point arc. Considering his high-volume scoring, both of these numbers are quite solid. In addition, it is important to note that his 3-point percentage significantly increased against the tougher competition of conference play. In those 18 games, Martin cashed in 42.6% of his 7.3 3-point attempts per game.

Defensively, there is room for improvement but Martin is not a negative defender, either. He understands rotations and is not caught in the wrong position too often. However, he is not an elite athlete and therefore can be beaten off the dribble if isolated. This below-average quickness for an NBA prospect also puts him at a disadvantage offensively as it will be harder for him to attack the basket. Yet, if Martin’s 3-point shooting in Big East play this past season is any indication of what is to come, he should find a roster spot.

Busting Brackets projection: Late second round to undrafted.

Next: Complete two-round NBA Mock Draft

Regardless of whether or not these players are drafted, this will not be the last time you hear from them. All of them should be playing in the NBA Summer League, barring injury. A strong performance at the Summer League coupled with playing well at an NBA team’s training camp could net a roster spot.

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