NBA Draft 2012: 10 Lottery Sleepers Teams Must Gamble on in June

The 2012 NCAA basketball season is just about over, which means it's time for me to unleash my inner analyst and discuss the upcoming NBA draft.  This year's prospect pool is a great one, as guys like Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist of Kentucky are sure to be top lottery picks along with other talented players.

Yet, as we all know, the lottery is just a small part of the draft and in it, anything can happen.  Take last year, for example.  Tristan Thompson was expected to be a mid-round pick, and the Cleveland Cavaliers ended up taking him fourth overall.  He has proven to be a lottery sleeper as he has recently become a good rebounding forward for the Cavs.

A good comparison to Thompson this year could be Austin Rivers of Duke (pictured), who is a very attractive prospect despite his one-sided game.  Let's take a look at 10 lottery sleepers in this year's draft and why teams must take a chance on them.

No. 10: Austin Rivers, Duke

Kicking off our list is Rivers, because out of all the people I'm going to mention, he has the greatest shot at being a lottery pick.  He's a natural scorer and averaged 15.4 points his freshman season while shooting 36 percent from long range.

Yet, therein lies Rivers' fatal flaw.  Besides shooting the three, there isn't much else that he can do and his ego could also be something of a red flag.  Throw in his 6'4", 200-pound frame, and he's nothing more than an undersized 2-guard.

Still, the fact remains that when it comes to shooting the ball, players like Rivers are hard to find.  If a lottery team needs some instant pure scoring, they'd be foolish not to consider him.

No. 9: Dion Waiters, Syracuse

He may only be 6'4", 215 pounds, but Waiters brings a lot of versatility to the table.  He averaged 12.6 points this year while shooting 36 percent from three-point land and on top of that, he averaged close to two steals per game.

Waiters also has shown some fine work above the rim and in today's game, that's going to matter a lot for teams looking at him.  It's unclear just where in the lineup or rotation he will fit, at least in the early years of his career, but he's definitely got potential as a smaller Doug Christie-type guard who could be a fine contributor down the road.

He's definitely a work in progress, but the skill set could just be too good to pass up, particularly for a lottery team in need of a versatile guard/forward type.

No. 8: Kevin Jones, West Virginia

Kevin Jones is one of those players who you know has a ton of bust potential, but was just so good in college that he's just worth the risk.  The outgoing West Virginia Mountaineer has an NBA body at 6'8", 260 pounds and averaged 19.9 points and 10.9 rebounds his senior year.

He carries the stigma of being the best player on an otherwise mediocre team, but his overall skills and athleticism are at the point where teams can't really afford to gamble on him, but they also can't afford not to.  Once the lottery rolls around, it's going be interesting to see where he is on the big board.

No matter how you look at it, regardless of where he ends up, he is a draft sleeper in the making.

No. 7: John Jenkins, Vanderbilt

John Jenkins is a lot like Jimmer Fredette in the fact he's leaving college as someone who can shoot threes, but not much else.  As a junior this past season, he averaged 19.9 points on 44 percent three-point shooting with more than half of his 13 field-goal attempts per game being taken from downtown.

Normally, I'd criticize a player for being little more than a shooter, but Jenkins is in a league of his own.  Unlike Fredette, he has decent size at 6'4", 215 pounds and in the right system, could become a top shooting guard.  He's a work in progress, but the team that gambles on him could definitely walk away with a prize shooter a year or two down the road.

No. 6: John Henson, North Carolina

Henson is an elite shot-blocker who averaged 2.9 per game in that department this past season, but scouts could be scared off by his spindly 6'11", 220-pound frame.  On top of that, his game outside of the paint is very hit or miss.

Still, there's no denying that the man from Tampa, Fla. is an absolute beast on defense.  When it comes to rebounding and shot-blocking, he's a fine option.  He's definitely a bit raw but in the lottery, teams looking for help down low would be crazy not to consider him once prospects like Anthony Davis and Thomas Robinson are off the board.

No. 5: Doron Lamb, Kentucky

If you're looking for the best shooter in the draft pool, look no further than Kentucky's Doron Lamb.  He only averaged 13.2 points per game this season, but he shot a remarkable 46 percent from three-point range.

On top of that, Lamb has shown great prowess in picking his shots carefully and can drive the lane just as well as he shoots the three.  Long story short, he could be a top scorer in the making.

Given how so many of the potential lottery teams are going to need help on offense, Lamb will definitely be among those they will consider.

No. 4: Fab Melo, Syracuse

Bismack Biyombo being taken among the lottery picks last year proved that shot-blockers' values are rising, and that is why seven-footer Fab Melo is a surefire lottery sleeper.  His offense needs a lot of work as he averaged just 7.8 points and 5.8 rebounds last year, but he also averaged close to three blocks per game.  No matter how you look at it, that's impressive.

Helping Melo's draft stock is his NBA size at 7'0", 255 pounds.  Very few prospects come out of college with that kind of build so for lottery teams looking for a true big man, this Brazilian sensation may have a job in no time.

No. 3: Marquis Teague, Kentucky

Teague is a great point guard in the making, but he may be a bit undersized at just 6'2", 189 pounds.  On top of that, his offense needs work.  In his freshman year, he averaged just 9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds.

Given, he hasn't formally declared for the draft yet, but him being a freshman under John Calipari suggests that he may very well do so.  If he does, he'll bring some great lane-driving skills and a decent jump shot to the NBA.

Think of Teague as an under-the-radar Kemba Walker.  The offense and the leadership aren't quite out in the open, but they're there enough to the point where once they bloom, he'll be one of the biggest draft steals of the year.

No. 2: Tyler Zeller, North Carolina

During the tournament, it's clear that Tyler Zeller was playing with one philosophy: play hard, play harder, then play your hardest.  In the Tar Heels' Sweet 16 game against Ohio University, the 7'0", 250-pound senior did his best Kevin Love impression with 20 points, 22 rebounds and four blocks.

In just one year, Zeller improved from being a late-round pick to a mid-rounder and, quite possibly, a lottery pick.  He has great NBA size and while he may be a bit lanky, his determination and hustle are off the charts.  This young man has the heart of a champion and pushes himself to be nothing but the best, even if it means putting the team on his back in a tough situation.

To lottery teams, and any teams for that matter, this is probably the most attractive quality a college player entering the draft can exhibit and if he shows it continuing up to draft day, he could find himself drafted fairly early.

No. 1: Terrence Jones, Kentucky

Out of every player I watched during the NCAA tournament this year, I have no problem saying that none is more NBA-ready than Terrence Jones.  The man already has an NBA body at 6'9", 252 pounds and is just a beast in every way imaginable.

He plays ridiculous defense, is amazingly tough and while he may not be a scoring forward, his dunking abilities are undeniable.  Jones' scoring is the only part of his game keeping him from being a lock as a lottery pick.  This season, his average dropped from 15.8 to 12.5 points per game.  His rebounding also dropped from 8.8 to 7.2.

Those drops may not be significant, but they matter a lot to the draft gods.  Still, with his skill set and overall intense approach to the game, Jones is the type of player who could not only help a team with his work on the hardwood, but he could also be a leader in the making.

Regardless of if his stock rises or falls, lottery teams absolutely MUST consider him in June.