2009 NBA Draft: The Top 10 Sleeper Picks

Every year future starters, and even some all-stars, slip into the second round of the NBA Draft.

Teams have put so much emphasis on potential and size that they sometimes overlook the fact that these sleeper picks have been some of the top performers amongst their peers.

For this list I am excluding the players who have good first round potential (including Toney Douglas, Derrick Brown, Jeff Pendergraph, DeMarre Carroll, Omri Casspi, and Victor Claver).

You might see one or two of these guys surprise as first round picks, but for the most part they will be scattered around the second round, if drafted at all.

10a. A.J. Abrams, G, Texas

Possibly the next Daniel Gibson, Abrams offers teams an off-the-bench three-point shooter that can bring a team back in a hurry.

He's not really a prolific scorer, but when Abrams is hot, he cannot be contained.

Reason he slips: Possibly the most one-dimensional prospect in the draft, Abrams' size (5'11") will keep him off the court unless his team wants him to shoot.

Projection: Late Second Round to Undrafted

10b. Jeremy Pargo, PG, Gonzaga

The brother of Jannero Pargo, Jeremy has NBA bloodlines and NBA game.

Pargo is an explosive athlete for a point guard who can finish with a slam in traffic.

As a junior, Pargo averaged 6.0 assists per game, and he's good at playing the passing lanes.

Reason he slips: Pargo is limited as a shooter, and he can be overconfident with his shot selection. He also played in the WCC, which is limited for talent.

Projection: Late Second Round to Undrafted

9. Dionte Christmas, G/F, Temple

A solid scorer in college, Christmas averaged 19-plus points per game for the last three seasons at Temple.

Christmas is a long shooting guard, built in the mold of Rasual Butler—a good third option off the bench.

For the Owls, Christmas was forced to play outside of himself due to necessity, but he has the range to shoot NBA threes at a good percentage.

Reason he slips: If Christmas were more athletic, he would be a fringe first rounder. Teams look to their shooting guards to be first and second options, whereas Christmas needs to play with a prolific point guard in order to be most effective.

Projection: Late Second Round

8. Patrick Beverley, G, USA

After a season in the Ukraine, Patrick Beverley is hungry to play professional basketball in America.

A bit of a combo guard at 6'1", Beverley can score from every level on the court, and he is improving his ability to make plays for his teammates.

Reason he slips: Scouts will remember the player he was at Arkansas because they didn't get a chance to watch him in Europe. It's also in question whether Beverley would rather pass or shoot.

Projection: Early to Mid Second Round

7. Dante Cunningham, F, Villanova

On offense, Cunningham can create mismatches against other power forwards because of his ability to score facing the hoop.

He is just big enough to defend in the post at 6'8", 227 pounds (4.8 percent body fat), and he works hard and has developed his shot blocking.

Reason he slips: Not really a starting caliber post, and it's questionable if Cunningham can contribute as a three as well as a four.

Projection: Late Second Round

6. Jodie Meeks, SG, Kentucky

Meeks burst on the scene in the SEC this year by increasing his scoring from 8.8 to 23.7 points per game, and he shot 90.2 percent for the stripe and 40.6 percent from three.

He is also an above the rim finisher who recorded a 37" max vertical.

Reason he slips: Meeks has a scorer’s mentality, and at 6'4" he could have trouble with some of the bigger wings in the NBA. The big jump in production and Meeks' erratic availability (11 games played in '07-08) brings up some red flags as well.

Projection: Early to Mid Second Round

5. Luke Harangody, PF, Notre Dame

Possibly the most NBA-ready prospect in the second round, Harangody will be able to compete as a rookie with his 6'8", 240 pound frame.

Harangody was the strongest player at the NBA Combine (23 reps), and he has a soft touch, which allows him to create some mismatches.

A 20-10 guy in college, Harangody could really surprise teams as a spot starter.

Reason he slips: With an un-athletic 31" max vertical and having an 11.2 body fat percentage, Harangody is far from the perfect prospect. Teams interested in high-potential picks will shy away from him.

Projection: Early to Mid Second Round

*Headed Back to School

4. Jack McClinton, G, Miami

Swish. In three years at Miami, McClinton made three threes per game at 44 percent.

McClinton will bury his opponent in shots and has a killer instinct on the court, which led him to being one of the most feared shooters in college basketball.

McClinton barely cracks 6'0", but he makes up for it some with his 36.5" vertical leap. He can be a strong backup point guard in the right system.

Reason he slips: A fairly one-dimensional prospect with little upside.

Projection: Early Second Round

3. Marcus Thornton, G, Louisiana State

Thornton joins Brandon Bass and Glen Davis as recent LSU recipients of the SEC Player of the Year Award, and it was well deserved.

Scoring 21.1 points per game with a 38.8 three-point percentage as a senior, with a 6'3.75" wingspan, Thornton also pulled down an impressive 5.5 rebounds per game over two years for the Tigers.

I view Thornton thriving as a sixth man who can come off the bench and score as a combo guard.

Reason he slips: Thornton is not as big or explosive as the first round shooting guards, and he lacks true point guard skills.

Projection: Early to Mid Second Round

2. Damion James, F, Texas

Over the span of his career, some thought James might be a lottery pick due to his versatility, intensity, and athleticism.

One interesting fact: No player with any of James' size attributes (6'7.5" height, 7'0.75" wingspan, and 225 pounds) was able to match his 37" max vertical.

James is a little small to play power forward, but as the league gets smaller and James adds strength, it may not be a problem.

There is no star potential in James, but there is starter potential there, and he will be a solid role player for whoever drafts him.

Reason he slips: James lacks one-on-one scoring ability, and he has a low ceiling relative to the first rounders.

Projection: Late First to Early Second Round

*Headed Back to School

1. Jermaine Taylor, SG, Central Florida

Most have never seen Taylor play, which is why they don't know about the 22-year-old guard with mega-bounce (37.5" max vert).

At just a hair under 6'5", Taylor has the size and length (6'8.75" wingspan) to match up with any shooting guard around the NBA.

Taylor is not only about athleticism. The 26.2 points per game scorer shot 37.6 percent from behind the arc and 81.2 percent from the stripe.

Reason he slips: Taylor did not play against elite talent nightly, and his defensive intensity is questionable.

Projection: Early Second Round