Kevon Looney slides to Warriors at 30th overall
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The Golden State Warriors selected UCLA power forward Kevon Looney with the 30th overall pick - the final pick of the first round - in the 2015 NBA Draft on Thursday night.
Looney was invited to the green room at Barclays Center, but decided to leave after being passed over by several teams. He ultimately returned to shake commissioner Adam Silver's hand after learning of the Warriors pick.
Free-falling all the way to the team that just hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy has to put a positive spin on what must have been a gut-wrenching night for the 19-year-old, though.
When teams put their eyes upon his hip, Kevon Looney dipped. He dipped. We dipped.
Once mock-drafted to go as high as No. 6, concerns over a pre-existing hip injury pushed Looney down draft boards and into the group of potential draft-night steals.
A degenerative back also raised huge concerns for other teams looking to take a chance on him, Jonathan Givony of Draft Express reports.
There are non-health concerns about Looney, too, as he's a little weak for the post at present and is more of a long-term project than the other power forwards in his perceived tier.
Looney is still learning to play the frontcourt after being a point guard in high school - he measured out as a four, allaying any concerns about position - and while that pushes his timeline back, it's also equipped him with unique skills for the post. He's a great crash rebounder, a deft passer, and there's evidence he'll be able to step out and help stretch the floor. He can also cover a ton of ground on defense, something he got to show at the top of UCLA's zone.
There's a ton to like with Looney, and Warriors fans should be excited about the upside with the final pick in the first round.