2015 NBA Draft: Can Penn State's D.J. Newbill Find A Spot In The NBA?

D.J. Newbill may stand as one of the most talented and capable players in the entire draft. At 6'4" and 210 lbs, Newbill plays as a shooting guard with good size and finesse for his position. With the body to maneuver through the lane and the touch to knock down jumpers from anywhere on the floor, D.J. Newbill is as close to a complete offensive threat as you can find in this year's draft.

With no disrespect to the rest of Penn State's 2014-15 team, D.J. Newbill carried the Nittany Lions through a painful season. With a final record of 18-16 including just 4 wins in conference play, Penn State can put last season behind it while unfortunately, saying goodbye to its best player. Newbill averaged 20.7 points per game last season which led the entire Big Ten Conference. Newbill played 37.1 minutes per game and was basically asked to carry the load for his team. Though the Lions struggled all season, they ended on a positive note with two huge wins in the Big Ten Tournament (Nebraska, Iowa) before falling just short to Purdue. Newbill scored 26, 18, and 19 points respectively during this stretch at the end of the season.

With a conference-high 20.7 points per game, there is no denying the fact that D.J. Newbill had some huge games his senior season with Penn State. Newbill had three 30 point performance this past season: a double overtime loss against Charlotte with 35 points, an overtime loss to Purdue with 37, and a late-season victory against Minnesota with 31.

Newbill and Penn State had some huge opportunities to pull off some big victories last season, but they fell just short many times. In total, 8 of Penn State's losses were by 5 points or fewer or in overtime. Even though Newbill's production level was off the charts, he sometimes lacked the ability to close the deal and lead his team to victory in tight situations. Penn State was 0-3 in overtime, and if a few more games would've gone in the Nittany Lions' direction, then that would've helped Newbill's stock slightly by giving him that intangible ability to win games.

Regardless of his record with Penn State, D.J. Newbill has raw talent that should transfer very well into the NBA. The senior's 45% shooting from the field was very solid for a shooting guard, and 37% shooting from beyond the arc shows loads of promise as well. He has the ability to get a basket whenever he needs to, and with his size and ability, he can be a nightmare for defenses. D.J. Newbill's rebounding at 4.7 per game was very solid for a guard, and he can also shoot the ball effectively from the line, making 76% of his free throw attempts last season.

If there's anything that D.J. Newbill needs to work on, it's protecting the basketball. At 2.6 turnovers per game, Newbill could be a little bit better with the ball in his hands, but that being said, he was the 12th best in the league with 1.2 assist to turnover ratio. Newbill's defense could be sharper as well. Though the senior is quick on the floor, he will have to guard quicker guards in the NBA and will need to be a better on-ball defender.

Newbill's capabilities are incredible, and if he doesn't give your team raw talent in terms of top-tier scoring, then something must be wrong.