Los Angeles Lakers Have Obvious Choice at No. 2 Pick in the 2015 NBA Draft

Forget analytics for just a minute and think about intangibles. The Los Angeles Lakers have an obvious choice in Thursday’s NBA draft with the second overall pick, and it shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what that is.

Here's my advice to Lakers management: Don’t mess it up. Keep the pick and just think big. Because this year, at this time, in this draft, big is better.

The 2015 NBA draft will take place June 25 in Brooklyn, New York, at the Barclays Center starting at 7 p.m. ET.

Take one look at the history of Lakers championship teams: What do they all have in common? A dominant big man in the middle surrounded by a couple of supporting stars and strong role players.

From George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul -Jabbar to Shaquille O'Neal, Andrew Bynum and hybrid center/forward Pau Gasol, the Lakers have prospered when anchored by a big man in the paint.



And now, with the second overall pick, the Lakers are in position to take Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns, either of whom could anchor the team's middle and be a franchise cornerstone for years to come.

Most draft experts expect the Minnesota Timberwolves to select Towns No. 1, which leaves the 6'11", 270-pound Okafor for the Lakers. These types of players don't grow on trees.

As noted by Grantland's Danny Chau:

Okafor has had an NBA-caliber body and post game since at least his sophomore year of high school, and he has refined that part of his game to a point where it might be safe to say there haven’t been five prospects in the last decade or two who’ve had better skills down low.

Okafor is not only an accomplished offensive threat with exceptional low-post skills, but he's also a proven winner. He has played for championship teams at every level of competition, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by one Earvin "Magic" Johnson...

About the Author