2010 NBA Draft News: Cousin's Maturity Issues, Wall's Poise On Display

With all the drama involved on NBA Draft night, you'd think media members would flock to New York for the event.

But with a wave of pre-draft workouts, missed interviews, and unbelievable moves, this year's wild NBA Draft already resembles a reality show.

Demarcus Cousins Is King Of (His) World

Is there enough room in the NBA for one more massive ego?

After blowing off scheduled interviews at the NBA combine, and sulking away to joke with buddies in a nearby hallway, Demarcus Cousins has become a poster problem child.

His immaturity and questionable behavior have NBA scouts worried.

Sure, he could be the next Shaq, O'Neal also packed a massive ego into his seven-footer sneakers.

But Cousins attitude has evolved from a college story into a full blown NBA chapter.

Cousins often mumbles answers on the rare occasions where he answers questions. Demarcus looks annoyed and tries to leave as quickly as possible.

Yet, scouts are still high on him. He's not expected to drop out of the top three at this point.

John Wall: Mr. Nice Guy

For all the bad press that fellow Kentucky teammate Demarcus Cousins has gathered, John Wall has shocked many with his nice personality and willingness to grant interviews.

Wall even stayed late at the press room during the NBA camp in Chicago. The point guard asked reporters to sit near him and talk, and waited long after his slotted available time had ended.

That's class all the way.

He even made a shocking (to many) move by NOT signing with the infamous CAA agency. Media outlets initially considered CAA a lock to represent Wall.

And the best moment so far?

John tweeting that at one point in his whirlwind tour, he ended up standing next to Kim Kardashian.

Ed Davis, Gym Rat

A player who puzzled plenty of college basketball analysts has become a beast in pre-draft workouts.

Ed Davis looks stronger and is completely healthy.

Davis had a nose for the ball on the offensive boards and displayed an uncanny knack for always being in the right place at the right time.

But injuries hampered Davis during his sophomore season.

Now he's showing that he might just be the player everyone thought he was, after all.

Going Back Home

Donatas Motiejunas had been waffling over whether he wanted to be in the NBA Draft, a consideration that nobody should have to think twice about.

But because he ultimately chose to wait until next year, we have to check the list of possible reasons why.

Hmm, let's see...

Huge, guaranteed paycheck? Check.

Best workout conditions and trainers in basketball? Check.

Hero in home country? Check.

Success at the highest level in the sport you love? Check.

Yeah, I guess I can see why he decided to pull out of the draft.

Disappearing Acts

Where are Greg Monroe, Wesley Johnson, Evan Turner, and Al-Farouq Aminu in all of this?

The vast majority of press has been so focused on John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, you could almost overlook the other players who are jostling for lottery spots.

Cole Aldrich Gets No Respect

There were two known truths about Cole Aldrich during the 2009-10 NCAA basketball season:

1. He was the best pure center in college basketball, playing the post like a true big man. Coldrich is smart and hustles on every play.

He's the safest bet at center in this draft.

2. Several other centers will probably go before him.

NBA scouts and GMs have a myopic view of the world, and that view often means they succumb to group-think instead of actually scouting players.

Otherwise, lottery teams would be looking a lot harder at Aldrich, a player who is more polished, like the Lopez twins, than a project.

He will contribute from day one.

The knock on Cole is that he's not the pure athlete that Cousins or Favors are, and he has a tendency to go silent in games for stretches.

Again, here's the specter of group-think rising, where scouts only want players who score non-stop from tip to buzzer.

Ekpe Udoh, Late to the Party

Where, may you ask, did Ekpe Udoh come from?

Why, from the NCAA Tournament, of course.

Each year, there are players who come from relative obscurity and suddenly make an NBA prospect.

Ekpe Udoh fits that description this year.

Blessed with size and power, the 23-year-old inside athlete plays his entire game around the rim.

The knock on Udoh is that for all his size and age, he sometimes has trouble establishing position. ANd he may not have much more room to grow.

However, he's still considered more of a surefire contributor than many in this year's draft.

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Marcus Shockley is a contributor for ACCBasketballRecruiting.com and the founder of BasketballElite.com.