If the Los Angeles Lakers are unlucky at the NBA Draft Lottery on May 19, they could very well find themselves outside of the top-four which would likely prevent them from getting one of the four prospects who many believe have the most superstar potential in the draft.
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If they do land at number five however, one of the top names who will be mentioned is Duke small forward Justise Winslow, who met with the Lakers at the NBA Draft Combine according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:
Duke's Justise Winslow interviewed with 14 NBA teams, including the Lakers
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) May 15, 2015
Winslow is one of the better two-way players in the draft. Despite standing at only 6’6, he played a lot of minutes as a small-ball power forward for Duke. He is a great defender, both on and off the ball, and also showed an improved jumper as well as non-stop hustle and energy.
Winslow had solid numbers during the season, averaging 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.9 blocks. However, raised his game in the NCAA Tournament posting 14.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.6 blocks in helping Duke to a National Championship. With the Los Angeles Lakers having a major hole at small forward, Winslow could have an opportunity to step in and play a major role immediately because of his defense and energy.
Winslow is one of many top prospects to have already met with the Lakers at the draft combine. Fellow top-10 prospects D’Angelo Russell and Willie Cauley-Stein have met with the team, as has fast rising point guard Cameron Payne.
[divide]Lakers Nation 2015 NBA Draft Podcast