Tyler Hansbrough and Kevin Love: NBA Stars...or Starters?

Now that we know Eric Gordon is leaving the Indiana Hoosiers after only one season and we almost expect Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley to follow suit, where does that leave big men Tyler Hansbrough and Kevin Love?  Will they both become stars or just starters at the next level? 

Hansbrough, selected as the AP player of the year on Friday, has averaged 22.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for the No. 1 ranked Tar Heels.  He even put up 27 points per game in the five game absence of starting point guard Ty Lawson.

The NCAA tournament has been no different. 

The 6'9'' star is averaging 21 points and 9.5 rebounds and has led North Carolina to the final four.  He also now ranks second on the all time Carolina scoring list, 139 points behind Phil Ford, 

However, the ESPN NBA draft board has Hansbrough listed as a power forward and the No. 27 ranked player, which makes him a late first to early second rounder.  Could he be a steal at that spot? 

Most college experts see Hansbrough as a good player at the next level, so why is he projected so low?  Either this years draft is so deep or NBA scouts see something we don't.

We know he has the work ethic and has added a mid range jumper, but will his lack of foot speed hurt him when guarding other NBA players? 

Only time will tell, but I see him as a 12 point eight rebound a game player—which would make him a starter and not a star.

Kevin Love, on the other hand, has the width of a big man in the NBA, is listed at 6'10'' and 270 pounds, and has scored 17.6 points and 10.7 rebounds a game for the UCLA Bruins.  He's stepped up his game in the NCAA tournament averaging 21.7 points and 11 rebounds per contest.

He's also been great in the paint altering shots averaging 1.4 blocks per game and recently had seven against Texas A&M on March 22. 

Some college scouts say that Love may be a little on the heavy side, calling it baby fat.  However, this shouldn't hurt his draft rank with team nutritionists and fitness experts.

So with all these stats, does this make Love a star or just starter after college? 

The ESPN NBA draft board has Love listed as a center and ranked him No. 11 on that list.  This would put him in the lottery talk with all the other young studs coming out.

The one thing that Love has that other 6'10'' players don't is his ability to shoot from the outside.  The UCLA star is shooting over 36 percent from behind the three point line and went 2-4 in the win against Xavier. 

I see him as a better then average player at the next level, putting up 14 points and 10 rebounds a game.

So when the NBA draft rolls around will these two be game busters or just busts.

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