Mac's NBA Mock Draft: Picks 1-30 Previewed

I’m not one of his biggest fans to be perfectly honest, as I do not care for score-first point guards. But he does have a quick first step and great athleticism. Bayless also is a decent passer and has legitimate potential at the point, but ultimately, prefers to score.

He also is an underwhelming defender, at least compared to what his athleticism would suggest. Even still, he has the potential on that end of the floor as well. His overall potential and is why I think the Bucks should take him here. This will provide a young talent and some competition for Mo Williams at point guard.

No. 9 Overall Selection (Charlotte Bobcats): Roy Hibbert, Center, Georgetown

This is the most peculiar draft pick in the first round in my opinion. You have a pretty young team with a new coach that pretty much doesn’t play young players. There is no reason to draft a project player here if you’re Michael Jordan.

Larry Brown is concerned with winning now, because he is probably on the phone negotiating his next coaching job right now. My point is that Brown will be gone before that project player is developed, so a more seasoned rookie is the recipe here.

This is undoubtedly a reach to grab Hibbert here, but what else can you do with the situation you have? Hibbert is young for a college senior, and scouts say he has actually improved compared to his senior year at Georgetown.

At the very least he is ten points per game, seven rebounds per game, and six fouls per game, now. And that’s the key word…NOW. If Kevin Love somehow falls here, he is the ideal pick for the Bobcats, but chances are his polished game won’t fall that far, so a “more seasoned” rookie is the only choice you have if you’re MJ.

No. 10 Overall Selection (New Jersey Nets): Danilo Gallinari, Power Forward, Italy

I will start by saying this. I think Danilo Gallinari is the next big European bust. He is not Dirk Nowitzki; he may not even be Andrea Bargnani. He is a very talented offensive player, but he is not a good defender and will probably be soft (like most European players not named Manu Ginobili).

The only reason Gallinari is here is the fact that he will be a top 10 pick. European players are protected by their agents and guaranteed by them they will be taken at a certain spot in the draft. Gallinari would have pulled out if he was not guaranteed a top ten spot in this draft.

The Nets are the team that is most likely to take him, so you try to build around him I guess. He needs to extend his range and improve his defense and rebounding, but everything else he seems at least pretty good at.

No. 11 Overall Selection (Indiana Pacers): D.J. Augustin, Point Guard, Texas

The Pacers have more than one need at this point, but point guard is the biggest. Jamaal Tinsley is getting older, and Travis Diener doesn’t seem like the franchise point guard-type. D.J. Augustin is a very quick, pass first point guard that can lead a team and score when he needs to.

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