NBA Draft 2012: 15 Best Forward Prospects

The 2012 NBA draft class is absolutely loaded with forwards. That may not be a strong enough word. 

In the above picture, you can see Thomas Robinson and Perry Jones III jockeying for position to get a rebound. A year from now, you may see the same picture but with two NBA jerseys after both players are selected in the lottery. 

Throughout this slide show, which focuses on the top 15 forward prospects in all of college basketball, you'll see me refer to the players' rankings on my latest Big Board, which you can find here.

Please note that those rankings are the players' overall rankings, not just their rankings among the forwards. 

Harrison Barnes (No. 3 on My Big Board)

School: North Carolina

Year: Sophomore

Position: Small forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.4 blocks, 1.1 steals

As great a scorer as Harrison Barnes is, I'm starting to have some second thoughts about just how good he'll be at the next level. 

Barnes is as good a catch-and-shoot scorer as you'll find at the college level, but he sometimes struggles to create shots for himself.

When you add to that his unwillingness/lack of ability in the passing department and his lack of exemplary defensive skills, you have to start to wonder if the North Carolina Tar Heels superstar may just be a one-trick pony. 

Anthony Davis (No. 1 on My Big Board)

School: Kentucky

Year: Freshman

Position: Power forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 13.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 4.6 blocks, 1.6 steals

Anthony Davis is the No.1 professional prospect in the college game, and it's really not even close. 

The Unibrow is the best shot-blocker in the game, a ridiculous defense stopper in the paint who can completely alter an opposing team's game plan.

Even though his offensive numbers aren't impressive, that's more of a testament to Kentucky's overall offensive prowess than anything else. 

Andre Drummond (No. 2 on My Big Board)

School: Connecticut

Year: Freshman

Position: Power forward and center

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 10.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 2.6 blocks, 0.9 steals

Andre Drummond is an absolute physical specimen. 

His unique blend of size, power and athleticism is going to make him a true dual force in the NBA when he makes it there.

Drummond may have struggled at the beginning of the season due to his face mask, Connecticut's amount of talent and the typical freshman jitters, but he's truly coming into his own now. 

John Henson (No. 10 on My Big Board)

School: North Carolina

Year: Junior

Position: Power Forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 14.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 3.0 blocks, 0.6 steals

Don't mess with John Henson while he's trying block shots. He will reject it, and the ball might hit you in the face on its way back to the level you shot it from. 

The junior for the North Carolina Tar Heels also has a vastly improved offensive game. He's added plenty of post moves and has a fairly nice face-up jumper. 

Terrence Jones (No. 14 on My Big Board)

School: Kentucky

Year: Sophomore

Position: Small forward and power forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 11.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.8 blocks, 1.3 steals

Terrence Jones was supposed to be a Player of the Year contender during his sophomore season for the Kentucky Wildcats, but he's been largely disappointing during his sophomore campaign. 

Plagued by injuries and, at times, a significant lack of effort, Jones has struggled at various points throughout the year but remains a tantalizing prospect.

He's shown that he can be a leader for the young Kentucky players and contribute across the board, even when it doesn't involve him driving to his natural left side. 

Perry Jones III (No. 7 on My Big Board)

School: Baylor

Year: Sophomore

Position: Power forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 14.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 blocks, 1.1 steals

So. Much. Athleticism. 

Perry Jones is the most athletically perfect prospect I've seen in a long time. His size, jumping ability, quickness, speed and explosiveness are just off the charts. 

Kris Joseph (No. 23 on My Big Board)

School: Syracuse

Year: Senior

Position: Small forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.6 blocks, 1.5 steals

Kris Joseph hasn't received quite enough credit for helping lead the Syracuse Orange to their undefeated perch atop the world of college basketball. 

As you can tell by his ranking, Joseph hasn't elevated into the upper-tier of forward prospects in this loaded class, but he is tremendously talented.

The senior will likely end up playing a swingman role at the next level, and thanks to his athletic abilities, he should be able to hold his own. 

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (No. 4 on My Big Board)

School: Kentucky

Year: Freshman

Position: Forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 13.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 blocks, 1.3 steals

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist could very well turn out to be the best player in this draft class. As much as I hesitate to compare college players to Hall of Famers, I can't help but see a little bit of Scottie Pippen in MKG. 

Even as a freshman, Kidd-Gilchrist has become the most consistent player on the Kentucky Wildcats, as well as their true do-everything player.

He steps up in big games and absolutely stuffs the stat sheet. At worst, MKG is becoming a version of Gerald Wallace. 

James Michael McAdoo (No. 22 on My Big Board)

School: North Carolina

Year: Freshman

Position: Power forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 5.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.3 blocks, 0.8 steals

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what makes James Michael McAdoo a special professional prospect. In fact, that may be exactly what makes him special. 

McAdoo is a terrific all-around player who hasn't put up big numbers because he hasn't received too many opportunities on a loaded North Carolina Tar Heels team.

When he has been on the court, though, he's been quite efficient. 

Khris Middleton (No. 24 on My Big Board)

School: Texas A&M

Year: Junior

Position: Small forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.3 blocks, 1.0 steals

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Khris Middleton, other than his leadership ability, is his tendency to play effectively within the Texas A&M Aggies' offense. 

Middleton has a top-notch jump shot with great range, and he's quite adept at both creating his own shot and playing off the ball. 

Quincy Miller (No. 13 on My Big Board)

School: Baylor

Year: Freshman

Position: Small forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 12.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 blocks, 0.7 steals

Quincy Miller is already strong for a freshman, and he's only working to improve the physical aspects of his game. 

Miller got off to a blazing start during his first season at the collegiate level, and even though he's cooled off quite a bit as of late, he's still a huge reason for Baylor's unbelievable start to the 2011-2012 season. 

Thomas Robinson (No. 8 on My Big Board)

School: Kansas

Year: Junior

Position: Power forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 17.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.1 blocks, 1.2 steals

No player has emerged more than Thomas Robinson this season, with the possible exception of a guy you'll see two slides from now. 

Robinson is simply a man among boys and has carried the Kansas Jayhawks to quite a few victories during his junior campaign.

With a remarkable blend of skill and power, Robinson is simply a walking double-double machine. 

Jared Sullinger (No. 6 on My Big Board)

School: Ohio State

Year: Sophomore

Position: Power forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 17.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.8 blocks, 1.5 steals

Jared Sullinger may not be drafted as highly this year as he would have been if he'd declared for the draft after his freshman season, but he undoubtedly has used his sophomore campaign to improve his skills. 

The star of a talented Ohio State Buckeyes squad might not be the most athletic player in the draft, or even the most athletic on his own team, but his range extends to the three-point arc, and he has an impressive arsenal of post moves. 

Cody Zeller (No. 21 on My Big Board)

School: Indiana

Year: Freshman

Position: Power forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 14.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.4 blocks, 1.7 steals

Cody Zeller may be known as the younger brother of Tyler Zeller right now, but he's definitely making a name for himself during his freshman season with the Indiana Hoosiers. 

Zeller is a very intelligent, very skilled big man with a tremendous all-around game. He's a bit raw and needs to add some more weight to his frame, but Zeller is as good a talent as they come. 

Tyler Zeller (No. 16 on My Big Board)

School: North Carolina

Year: Senior

Position: Power forward and center

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 14.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.2 blocks, 1.1 steals

Tyler Zeller may not be quite as good on the offensive end as his younger brother, but he's still a better player right now in almost every other facet of the game. I emphasized those two words though, because Cody's upside seems to be significantly higher than Tyler's. 

When you watch this Zeller, his quickness happens to stand out more than anything else. For a guy bordering on 7'0", he sure moves with stunning agility.