The Denver Nuggets are projected to select Iowa State forward Royce White with the 20th overall pick in the latest mock draft from Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated. The Nuggets have been one of the most difficult teams to peg in the first round of this year's draft, as Amick notes:
The Nuggets' pick changes for the third time in three mock drafts, from Washington point guard Tony Wroten to Kentucky point guard Marquis Teague and now to White. While there are indications that Wroten's stock is sliding, I'm told that the Nuggets are still legitimately interested in the latter two prospects. White is a rare talent, a point-forward type with some guard skills but a guy who can also play the role of scoring and rebounding big man. He's had to answer questions about an anxiety disorder that has led to a fear of flying. 'It's not as much of a challenge as people think,' White told reporters after his workout with Indiana recently. 'But it's something I live with every day and have to be conscious of.'
White likely would go much higher in the draft if there were zero concerns about his anxiety disorder, especially after an impressive first season at Iowa State. Playing a sort of point-forward role, White averaged 13.4 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 5.0 APG and 1.2 SPG, shooting 53 percent from the field.
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