NBA Draft 2012: 12 Most Athletic Prospects (With Video Highlights)

Athleticism may not be the absolute most important trait for an NBA draft prospect to possess, but it's undeniably the most glamorous one. 

These 12 players just happen to be the 12 most athletic prospects out of all the players who are likely to move from the collegiate level to the professional one when the 2012 NBA draft rolls around. 

Some of them can jump like Superman. Some can run so fast you can't read the name on the back of their jersey. Some can change directions so fast your jaw drops. 

Regardless of how, they're all just insanely good athletes. 

Read on to discover who they are.  

Anthony Davis

School: Kentucky

Year: Freshman

Position: Power forward and center

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 13.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 4.7 blocks, 1.5 steals

Anthony Davis just isn't fair. He's tall. He's fast. He's insanely athletic. 

You can't block 4.7 shots per game without a good bit of athleticism. Davis has the innate ability to rotate off his man, speed across the lane and elevate straight up to swat away shots without even thinking. 

Right now, thousands of young men across the country are seriously considering growing out unibrows. 

Andre Drummond

School: Connecticut

Year: Freshman

Position: Power forward and center

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 10.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 2.6 blocks, 0.9 steals

Andre Drummond had to overcome the facemask you can see in the embedded video and the typical struggles that a raw freshman big man must deal with while playing for a solid Connecticut team. While it took him a while to do so, Drummond is making a rather large impact right now. 

This guy has all the physical tools necessary to be the next big thing in the paint at the NBA level. His size, strength and athleticism are the main reasons that he's even still in the conversation for the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft. 

Perry Jones III

School: Baylor

Year: Sophomore

Position: Power forward and center

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 14.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 blocks, 1.0 steals

When I hear the word "athleticism" and think of college basketball players, Perry Jones III is typically the very first player to spring into my mind, much like the Baylor stud springs off the hardcourt into the air en route to a thunderous finish at the rim. 

With this athleticism and a 6'11" frame that's nicely filled out, there's a lot to like about PJ3's prospects at the next level. 

Also, if you see him run at full speed, you may wonder why Baylor has such a ridiculously tall point guard. 

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

School: Kentucky

Year: Freshman

Position: Small forward and power forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 12.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 blocks, 1.3 steals

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist really has the complete package. He's a hard worker who excels in almost every single area on the basketball court. 

Even though he's not the most skilled outside shooter yet and he's generally smaller than the power forwards on the opposing team, MKG has a terrific knack for crashing the boards thanks to his ability to run faster and jump higher than almost anyone else. 

If you look hard enough, you can't help but see a little bit of Scottie Pippen in him. 

Jeremy Lamb

School: Connecticut

Year: Sophomore

Position: Shooting guard and small forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 17.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 blocks, 1.5 steals

Just watch the video. 

Thomas Robinson

School: Kansas

Year: Junior

Position: Power forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 17.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.2 blocks, 1.2 steals

If you asked me to pick my National Player of the Year right now, I'd have to go ahead and choose this power forward for the Kansas Jayhawks. Thomas Robinson has been absolutely dominant on both ends of the basketball court and has truly become a living, breathing, walking, jumping and running double-double. 

Part of the reason for Robinson's success has been his undeniable willingness to work hard throughout a game but he's also blessed with some amazing physical gifts. He's not insanely fast and he can't jump out of a building, but his quickness and explosiveness leaves a lot of defenders with their jaws on the floor as they wonder how he scored on them. 

Terrence Ross

School: Washington

Year: Sophomore

Position: Shooting guard

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 15.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 blocks, 1.1 steals

With his quick first step, it should come as no surprise that Terrence Ross is one of the nation's best finishers around the rim. He's quite adept at using the rim itself to ward off defenders and his vertical leap and remarkable hang-time allow for him to be quite creative. 

After a great freshman season, the 6'6" guard has gotten even better as a sophomore, especially when it comes to using his quickness to both blow by defenders and stop them from doing the same to him. 

Tomas Satoransky

School: N/A, from Czech Republic

Year: N/A

Position: Point guard and shooting guard

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 5.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.1 blocks, 0.6 steals (ACB League)

A fairly complete 6'6" combo guard hailing from the Czech Republic, Tomas Satoransky is most assuredly not lacking in the athleticism department. 

Although he's going to be more well known for his passing ability and versatility, Satoransky is a dunking machine thanks to his knack for elevating both more quickly and more impressively than almost anyone he goes up against.  

Jeffery Taylor

School: Vanderbilt

Year: Senior

Position: Small forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 17.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.5 blocks, 1.4 steals

While Jeffery Taylor's teammates John Jenkins and Festus Ezeli may be thought more highly of by NBA draft scouts, this senior small forward is no slouch. 

His quickness is quite evident on the defensive end of the court and it's hard to miss the highlights he creates thanks to his tremendous leaping ability and knack for finishing at the rim. Taylor is an awful passer, not much of a leader and he lacks consistency. But he provides the crowd-pleasing moments.

Marquis Teague

School: Kentucky

Year: Freshman

Position: Point guard

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 9.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 0.4 blocks, 1.0 steals

Marquis Teague finds himself on this list not because of his performance on the basketball court numerically but because of how he looks while running the show for the Kentucky Wildcats. If there's a player who could keep the No. 1 team in the country from a championship, it's Teague. But he is brimming over with potential. 

Just watch a Kentucky game. I guarantee you'll see the point guard's blazing speed and incredible lateral movement and quickness that he uses to leave defenders in the dust. 

Tony Wroten

School: Washington 

Year: Freshman

Position: Point guard and shooting guard

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.2 blocks, 2.0 steals

Oh what I would give to be as athletic as Tony Wroten. 

The kid can jump over players more than six inches taller than he is. He can change directions so quickly that it seems as though he actually had time to stop and make a 90-degree turn. He can run up and down the court with the fastest players in the college game. 

And he's a freshman. 

Alex Young

School: IUPUI

Year: Senior

Position: Shooting guard and small forward

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 20.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 blocks, 1.3 steals

Other than Tomas Satoransky, Alex Young is easily the least recognizable player on this list. That's a shame since the senior swingman from IUPUI is also one of the best players in all of college basketball. 

His team's 8-15 record may not be very impressive, but Young's 20.6 points per game look quite the opposite. He has a pretty good jump shot, but he thrives on his quickness and athleticism to reach his average each night.