NBA Draft 2011: Tristan Thompson and the Top 25 Best Big Men Prospects Available

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In a draft dominated by guards, there are plenty of teams who will still opt for a big man.

There is a lot of doubt surrounding almost every post player available, and there is nobody who has separated themselves as the best yet.

The thing that stands out the most is the amount of foreign big men available. Six of the top 10 big men are from overseas.

25. Jamie Skeen (VCU)

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Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’9”

Weight: 240 lbs

Jamie Skeen is the sharp shooting big man that led VCU to their improbable Final Four appearance.

Skeen is a solid scorer that can play both inside and outside. He is a smart player and rebounds the ball well.

The issue with Skeen is that he is not a superior athlete, and he is one of the oldest players in the draft at 23 years old. His knee injuries of the past are something to be feared as well.

24. Robin Benzing (Germany)

Position: Small Forward

Height: 6’11”

Weight: 223 lbs

Even though Benzing has great size, but he is not a post player.

Benzing is your classic small forward that likes to put the ball on the floor. He likes to run the court and has a solid outside game.

The problem with Benzing is that he is too slow to guard most small forwards and lacks the strength to guard most big men.

23. Tomislav Zubcic (Croatia)

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Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 210 lbs

Zubcic is similar to Benzing in that he is more of an outside player. However, Zubcic has much more post presence than Benzing.

He is a very athletic big man that aggressively scores. The combination of his three-point shot and his ball-handling ability make him very difficult to guard.

At the age of 21, NBA scouts would love for Zubcic to have a little more international experience. He is a few years away from being a legitimate NBA talent.

22. Joffery Lauvergne (France)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 220 lbs

Lauvergne is a solid outside shooter, but plays inside more than most of the other foreign big men on this list.

His athleticism and ability to score facing the basket make him a solid pick and roll threat at the next level.

Lauvergne is inexperienced and needs to add some size. Drafting him would mean a project for a few years.

21. Nikola Vucevic (USC)

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Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 260 lbs

Nikola Vucevic is not the most explosive athlete at his position, but still has a very well-rounded game.

He has a nice shot with range from deep and is one of the better rebounders available.

However, his lack of quickness and athleticism could hurt him defensively at the next level. Vucevic needs to get quicker if he wants to succeed.

20. Jon Leuer (Wisconsin)

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Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 228 lbs

Yet another sharp shooting big man here. Leuer can hit shots from beyond the arch, but has a limited game other than that.

He is an underachiever when it comes to rebounding and does not have elite strength or athleticism.

I see him as a less athletic Channing Frye. He has a great shot from deep, but other than that, there is not too much to be incredibly excited about here.

19. Keith Benson (Oakland)

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Position: Center

Height: 6’11”

Weight: 230 lbs

Benson has the makings of a solid NBA big man. He is athletic, quick and is a great shot blocker.

Last season at Oakland he averaged 17.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game.

If Benson can work on his attitude, he has some real potential. The measurables are all there, now it is just a matter of putting it all together.

18. Jeremy Tyler (USA)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’11”

Weight: 245 lbs

Jeremy Tyler is a very interesting prospect. He was one of the top high school prospects in the country during his junior season, but dropped out of school to play professionally overseas.

Last we saw Tyler, he was freakishly athletic and nearly unstoppable while facing the basket.

He has potential to be the next Amar’e Stoudemire, but will be a huge risk. A lot of NBA teams will be afraid to take him due to his lack of experience and the inability to evaluate him.

17. Justin Harper (Richmond)

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Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 225 lbs

Harper is a highly talented offensive player, but his game is less than impressive elsewhere on the court.

He has been labeled as a “soft” player that does not like to do the dirty work inside. Don’t expect too high of rebounding totals out of this kid.

However, when he has the ball, Harper is tough to stop. He possesses a shot that he can bury from anywhere in the gym. Along with his athleticism, he is one of the better scoring bigs in the draft.

16. Davis Bertans (Latvia)

Position: Small Forward

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 210 lbs

Bertans is another big small forward that could be forced to move to power forward in the NBA.

He has great height, but no size to go along with it. He definitely needs to gain some strength to achieve at the next level. 

Bertans is an aggressive scorer who can beat you in multiple different ways. His weapon of choice is his three-point shot, but he also has the ability to create his own shot off the dribble.

15. Jordan Williams (Maryland)

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Position: Center

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 260 lbs

Jordan Williams is a bruiser of a center. He likes to play the game physical and close to the basket.

His greatest strength is his ability to dominate the rebounding battle. Williams averaged 11.8 rebounds per games last season with Maryland.

He has taken a lot of criticism regarding his athleticism and his conditioning, but some of it may be a little unfair. At times, Williams has shown that he can run the floor. He just needs to show it more often.

14. JaJuan Johnson (Purdue)

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Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 221 lbs

When I see JaJuan Johnson, I instantly think Hakim Warrick. Like Warrick, Johnson is very athletic for his position, but lacks the post moves to be an elite inside players.

Johnson is a high-flyer who can kill you with his mid-range game, but his game may not work as well in the NBA.

He lacks strength and is not always the smartest player on the floor. He relies almost solely on his athleticism.

13. Trey Thompkins (Georgia)

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Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 245 lbs

Trey Thompkins is not an excellent athlete, but he makes up for it with his crafty play.

Thompkins has a good jump shot, but he also has the ability to finish close to the basket.

His greatest strengths of all might be his rebounding and shot-blocking ability. Unlike a lot of the guys on this list, Thompkins is not a liability on the defensive end.

12. Nikola Mirotic (Serbia)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 226 lbs

Mirotic is one of the more NBA-ready foreign big men in this draft. 

He is an aggressive player that can beat you in many different ways. His three-point jump shot is elite, and he is one of the best passers you can find at his size.

Mirotic is not an elite athlete, so he might be forced to play power forward in the NBA and will need to get a little stronger before he can be effective.

11. Tobias Harris (Tennessee)

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Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’8”

Weight: 226 lbs

It is debatable whether or not Harris even deserves to be on this list. He is a bit of a tweener, but I include him because he plays bigger than his size.

Harris’s game is very well rounded. He can shoot, dribble, pass and play defense, but he does most of his scoring off the drive.

The problem with Harris is that he is not an elite athlete and might not be strong enough for the next level yet. He is a risky pick.

10. Lucas Nogueira (Brazil)

Position: Center

Height: 6’11”

Weight: 218 lbs

The first player on this list with superstar potential, Nogueira is raw talent.

He might be the most athletic player on the list and is an electrifying talent. His shot-blocking ability and rebounding is very solid, but his offensive game still needs work.

Dunking is pretty much the only weapon that Nogueira has on the offensive end. If he can learn some post moves or develop a jump shot, he will be a stud.

9. Markieff Morris (Kansas)

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Position: Center

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 245 lbs

Markieff Morris has yet to showcase a big time offensive game yet, but his defense and rebounding alone is good enough to get him in the NBA.

He is big and athletic, so he can hang with just about any big man in the league. He would be a perfect fit on a team like the Knicks who need a defensive center.

His offensive game has improved during his time at Kansas. His jump shot is respectable and he can sometimes muscle his way to high percentage looks.

8. Donatas Motiejunas (Lithuania)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 7’0”

Weight: 220 lbs

Motiejunas is not as much of a long distance shooter as the other foreign players in this draft. He scores more in the post and off the dribble.

The main problem with Motiejunas is that he is very thin and has shown a lack of confidence at times.

He has all the talent in the world, but mainly just needs to improve his attitude. Do not be surprised if Motiejunas gets snagged somewhere in the top 10.

7. Kenneth Faried (Morehead State)

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Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’8”

Weight: 225 lbs

Kenneth Faried is my favorite player in the draft. His work ethic and motor will make him a great pick up for whoever drafts him.

Faried was the best rebounder in college basketball last season. His elite leaping ability and good shot-blocking ability have teams excited at the next level.

He is a little small for his position and has yet to develop a go-to offensive game yet, but I feel Faried is worth the risk.

6. Marcus Morris (Kansas)

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Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’9”

Weight: 235 lbs

Marcus Morris is the more skilled of the Morris brothers.

Marcus is a good defender and rebounder like his brother Markieff, but is a more versatile scorer. He has a solid shot from beyond the arch and has the ability to handle the ball and attack the basket.

He is not an out-of-this-world athlete and is a bit small for the power forward position. However, I feel he is one of the most NBA-ready big men available.

5. Tristan Thompson (Texas)

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Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’8”

Weight: 225 lbs

Tristan Thompson has been on the fence about the draft for a while, but has finally decided to enter.

He should find himself drafted in the top 10 and he has plenty of potential. He is a good all-around scorer and a very impressive athlete for his position.

However, his size is a concern and he is not particularly great at any one thing. I doubt that he will be a super star, but Thompson will be a very solid NBA player.

Very similar play to Charlotte’s Tyrus Thomas.

4. Bismack Biyombo (Congo)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’9”

Weight: 243 lbs

As the draft nears, you will see a lot of people comparing Bismack Biyombo and Lucas Nogueira. They are very similar in that they are both athletic, good shot blockers and excellent rebounders.

However, I like Biyombo more for a few reasons. He is bigger, at 243 pounds, and he has a slightly more developed offensive game.

Biyombo is still somewhat of a project player, but he has a lot of upside. With a more reliable offensive game and experience, he could be a star.

3. Jan Vesely (Czech Republic)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’11”

Weight: 240 lbs

Jan Vesely is probably the most athletic big man available. He would be a perfect fit at the 4 or 5 spot on a fast break team.

His offensive game is very well rounded. He can shoot, run, dunk and can even handle the ball a little.

The things Vesely needs to work on are his strength and his ability to score with his back to the basket. He has very good size, so these things should be easy to develop.

2. Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania)

Position: Power Forward

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 230 lbs

Jonas Valanciunas is a highly talented inside player with his only real weakness being that he is not quite strong enough yet.

Valanciunas does work inside. He has multiple weapons he can beat you with.

He is probably most known for his electrifying dunks, but he has underrated back-to-the-basket scoring skills.

Not only is he an offensive threat, but he can also do the dirty work on the defensive end. Valanciunas is solid at both rebounding and shot blocking.

1. Enes Kanter (Turkey)

Position: Center

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 255 lbs

No real surprise here.

Enes Kanter finds himself being drafted third overall on most 2011 mock drafts. His size and versatility has teams around the league very excited.

Kanter can do just about anything. He rebounds great, blocks shots, can dominate the paint and he is even known to fire up long-range shots from time to time.

The only red flag with Kanter is that he was ruled ineligible by the NCAA all last season. If he can overcome this lack of experience, I feel he has as bright of a future as any player in the draft.

 

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