NBA Draft 2012: 10 Prospects We Can't Wait to See in the NBA

Remember all the talk leading up to the 2011 NBA draft and how it was weak, that there was not a lot of talent, that it could be the worst class in decades?

We were all wrong.

The 2012 class, however, appears to be loaded.

There is a lot of talent in college basketball right now and the 2012 class may trump the previous year's group.

Here are 10 intriguing players that are expected to come out.

1. Anthony Davis: Kentucky

The man with the game as bad as his unibrow.

He is as close to a complete player as you can get for being an 18-year-old kid in his first year of college. He does need to add muscle to his frame, but he is so versatile he may end up playing the 3 for the first few years of his professional career and over time move his game to the post when he bulks up.

He is an excellent defender and is one of the better shot blockers we have seen in recent years. He can also take the ball to the rim, handle the ball, shoot, and unlike our next guy, his motor never stops…he’s really got it all.

He has ball handling skills because he has a lot of guard in him, as he grew 10 inches from the end of his sophomore year to being a senior in high school. 

It’s going to be exciting to see how much he can improve on offense and how his game matches up with the best in the world for whomever is lucky enough to draft him, likely with the top overall selection.

NBA Ceiling - Kevin Garnett with a three-point shot

NBA Floor - Josh Smith without the attitude

2. Perry Jones III: Baylor

Jones has all the tools to be successful at the next level and might actually have the most potential of anyone on this list.

He can do just about everything on the basketball court, but he disappears at times and can be really passive making no impact on the court for long stretches of the game. Jones looks like he could be the first overall pick at times and other he looks like the third-best player on his team other times.

His potential is through the roof and it’s going to be interesting to watch him at the next level and whether he becomes an NBA star or an NBA sixth man.

NBA Ceiling - Tracy McGrady at his best

NBA Floor - Anthony Randolph

3. Andre Drummond: UConn

We’ve seen this movie before.

A big man with tons of potential, spotty play, but the tools to be the next great big man in the NBA.

Let's just hope this one has a better ending than the previous one we saw staring Greg Oden.

Players like Drummond don’t come around too often, and in a league that is always starved for big men, Drummond’s potential could be too hard to pass up for any team selecting in the top three of the draft.

He is very raw, but all the tools are there for him to become an All-Star NBA center.

What is worrisome is that he has only six games with double-digit rebounds, shouldn’t he be averaging at least 10 a game if he’s that good? He is also very inconsistent on the offensive end, nearly half of the games he has played in have resulted in single-digit scoring.

On potential, some GM is going to take him early and it’s going to be interesting if his career ends up more like the Hangover or Hangover 2.

NBA Ceiling - Dwight Howard

NBA Floor - DeAndre Jordan

4. Harrison Barnes: North Carolina

Barnes might have been the top overall pick had he entered the draft last year, and while he doesn’t figure to be in the same spot this year he will still garner a top five pick.

Not an explosive athlete, but he does everything on the court extremely well. He also has one of the prettiest jump shot’s we’ve ever seen and should have no problem scoring at the next level.

He doesn’t have the “wow” factor, but he is fundamentally sound, and it is going to be interesting to see if his nice guy demeanor on the court is beneficial in the NBA.

NBA Ceiling - Luol Deng

NBA Floor - Richard Jefferson  

5. Jared Sullinger: Ohio State

He was billed as a top pick last year, and hasn’t done anything this year to change anyone's mind abut him.

A classic back-to-the-basket guy with a high basketball IQ, he can rebound and finish around the rim, and he hasn't had any problems defending anyone he has been matched up against thus far.

He is not going to blow by anyone, but he is smart enough and big enough to succeed at the next level. The only worry with him is that he is not explosive enough and he doesn't have ideal size.

It's going to be fun to see next year when he has to defend the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love.

NBA Ceiling - Kevin Love, Al Jefferson mix

NBA Floor - An out of shape Zach Randolph 

6. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Kentucky

He is the type of player that every NBA team should have—a strong defender with a non-stop motor who doesn’t need the ball to make an impact.

Defensively, he is so great that his offense is somewhat overlooked. He is not a great shooter by any means, but he can score the basketball. 

He looks like he will be great defender at the next level and he is a terrific athlete. He can get to the rim and has the potential to become a good player on that end.

If he develops a jumper and a consistent offensive game in the NBA he could be that guy we look at in a couple of years and say he should have been a top two pick.

NBA Ceiling - Gerald Wallace with more offense

NBA Floor - Wilson Chandler 

7. Jeremy Lamb: UConn

Lamb exploded towards the end of last season and really hasn’t looked back.

He is as complete of a player as there is in college basketball. He can stroke the basketball, is a great athlete, can get to the rim at will and he can play defense. 

His ball handling needs work and he will need to add some muscle to defend most of the better 2-guards in the NBA, though both are things which he is capable of improving on.

It’s going to be fun to see if he develops into the next of the elite 2-guards.

NBA Ceiling - Richard Hamilton with better defense and three-point range

NBA Floor - O.J. Mayo

8. Quincy Miller: Baylor

Miller has enormous talent.

When Perry Jones was on suspension, Miller played his best, but he has somewhat faded since Jones returned, mainly because they are such similar players. 

Like Jones, he needs to add muscle, but he is another do-everything forward with loads of potential. Whether he lives up to that potential is anyone's guess.

Don’t be surprised if his name is the one climbing up the draft boards come June.

It will be fun to see how he performs at the NBA level when he is not on the same team as Jones.

NBA Ceiling - Rashard Lewis at his best

NBA Floor - Rashard Lewis at his worst 

9. Austin Rivers: Duke

Rivers came into this college season as the No. 2 prospect, but he hasn’t really lived up to expectations. Part of that is because he plays a lot of one-on-one basketball and that doesn’t fly at Duke.

The other is that he might not be as good as we once thought.

His one-on-one ability should work in the NBA to some degree because he can create his own shot. He has all the potential and pedigree, but right now he is a very selfish player.

He has an NBA game, the talent and a high basketball IQ, and it may just be a matter of playing in the right system for him to be successful. 

It will be interesting to see if he is one of those guys that play that much better when he gets to the NBA.

NBA Ceiling - Stephen Curry

NBA Floor - A more selfish Jamal Crawford (if that’s possible) 

10. Thomas Robinson: Kansas

Stuck behind the Morris twins the last couple years, Robinson has come into his own this season and has played his way into a possible top-five pick.

Still a little raw having played limited minutes his first two years at Kansas, Robinson had a breakout game against Baylor and heralded top pick Perry Jones and flat out dominated him.

Billed as an undersized power forward, viewing him as that could be a mistake for teams come draft time. He is athletic, strong, tenacious and has a non-stop motor. 

He has made the most of his chance and it will be fun to see if he continues to improve with more playing time and if his “lack of height” will hamper him in the pros. 

For right now, he looks like the real deal.

NBA Ceiling - Blake Griffin

NBA Floor - Drew Gooden