2012 NBA Mock Draft: Sleepers That Will Ignite Late First Round

The stretch run and the postseason have yet to play out, but with the NCAA Tournament over, there is plenty of anticipation regarding the NBA Draft. There are tons of elite freshman and sophomore players that seem likely to declare for the draft, and while the focus will be on them, there is value to be had throughout the draft.

Most teams are going to get their cornerstone players in the top 10 picks or so, but there are plenty of contributors to be had later in the first round, most of which are more experienced and polished. It's impossible to say right now whether any of them have superstar potential, but there should be some solid NBA players at the very least.

Along with a full, first-round NBA mock draft, here are some late-first-round selections that will create some buzz and work out well for the teams making them.

1. Charlotte Bobcats - Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky

It's pretty tough to remember a team as awful and devoid of talents as the Bobcats, but Davis is the type of player who can immediately change their fortunes.

2. Washington Wizards - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky

The Wizards already have a great perimeter presence thanks to point guard John Wall, so Kidd-Gilchrist is needed in order to compete in the paint.

3. New Orleans Hornets - Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

After trading point guard Chris Paul the Hornets' cupboard is pretty bare. New Orleans also lost a lot when David West left, but Robinson has the potential to replace that and more.

4. Portland Trail Blazers (via NJ) - Andre Drummond, C, UConn

It wasn't long ago that the Blazers took center Greg Oden with the first overall pick and while that hasn't worked out, they won't hesitate to take another big man in Drummond.

5. Toronto Raptors - Harrison Barnes, SF, UNC

The Raptors have some decent pieces in place with Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon, but a skilled wing player like Barnes is needed to take the next step.

6. Sacramento Kings - Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn

Sacramento has an intriguing inside-outside combo with DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans, and the addition of Lamb would give them two great shooters along with Marcus Thornton.

7. Detroit Pistons - Austin Rivers, SG, Duke

There are plenty of questions with regards to how Rivers' game will translate to the NBA, but the Pistons won't hesitate to pair him with Brandon Knight.

8. Cleveland Cavaliers - Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State

The Cavaliers started the post-LeBron James era by drafting stud point guard Kyrie Irving, and they will give him an interior partner in Sullinger.

9. Utah Jazz (via NJ from GS) - Bradley Beal, SG, Florida

Utah has a strong paint presence in Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap, but the back court is weak, so an dynamic guard like Beal is a must.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Arnett Moultrie, PF, Mississippi State

The Bucks made a big move by dealing former No. 1-overall pick Andrew Bogut for Monta Ellis, but it left a big hole down low which would be filled by Moultrie.

11. Portland Trail Blazers - Kendall Marshall, PG, UNC

Things haven't worked out between former North Carolina point guard Raymond Felton and the Blazers, but another Tar Heel in Marshall should be a better match.

12. New Orleans Hornets (via LAC from MIN) - Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State

While he may be a bit of an unknown at this point, Lillard has immense skill and could be counted upon to fill the void left by the Chris Paul trade.

13. Utah Jazz - Perry Jones III, F, Baylor

The Jazz desperately need a wing player, and while there isn't a true wing that makes sense here, Jones has the athletic ability to play and excel at that spot.

14. Phoenix Suns - John Henson, PF, UNC

Even though the Suns aren't as fast paced as they once were, they still like to get out and run, and Henson is the perfect big man for that system.

15. Houston Rockets (via NY) - Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois

The Rockets tried desperately to pry Pau Gasol from the Lakers during the offseason and while that didn't happen, they'll get their center in Leonard.

16. New Jersey Nets (via HOU) - Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky

The Nets are in a bad way after missing out on Dwight Howard as Deron Williams seems likely to leave, so they'll take Jones since he's the best player available.

17. Boston Celtics - Tyler Zeller, PF/C, UNC

Boston desperately needs some help in the front court with Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O'Neal aging, and while Zeller may not be as explosive as he was in college, his effort is undeniable.

18. Denver Nuggets - Moe Harkless, SF, St. John's

The Nuggets have depth at absolutely every position, so they can afford to take the best player on the board as well and that figures to be Harkless.

19. Atlanta Hawks - Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure

Atlanta still has a lot of talent and athleticism, but with Josh Smith likely to be on his way out soon, a versatile big like Nicholson makes a lot of sense.

20. Philadelphia 76ers - Dion Waiters, G, Syracuse

As a Philadelphia native Waiters would probably love to play for the 76ers and they'll oblige by taking the exciting combo guard.

21. Houston Rockets (via DAL) - Jeffery Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt

After addressing their hole a center a few picks earlier, the Rockets have a luxury pick here and will use it to take a versatile forward in Taylor.

22. Indiana Pacers - Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

There may be no deeper team in the league than the Pacers, but every team can always benefit from a shooter, so Lamb would be an excellent fit.

23. Memphis Grizzlies - Terrence Ross, SG, Washington

When healthy the Grizzlies have an excellent front court with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, but a guard like Ross is needed to complement Rudy Gay and Mike Conley.

24. Boston Celtics (via OKC from LAC) - Royce White, F, Iowa State

The Celtics are an aging team, so they need youth at basically every position, making a utility forward such as White a sensible selection

25. Orlando Magic - Draymond Green, F, Michigan State

Although they're still walking on eggshells to a point, the Orlando Magic have bought another year with stud center Dwight Howard. With that said, they'll need to make some improvements in order to get him to sign a long-term extension. It won't be easy to find an instant-impact player at pick No. 25, but Michigan State forward Draymond Green could be an important key to keeping him around.

There is some question as to whether Green can translate to the NBA as he is a bit of a tweener, but he has a highly intriguing skill set. Green may not be a big-time scorer at the next level, but he has rare playmaking ability for a player his size and could give the Magic a distinct advantage.

The offense is always going to run through Howard, but Orlando needs somebody who can get him the ball with regularity, and while Jameer Nelson is a decent point guard, he is far from elite. Green knows how to get his teammates in scoring positions and that would come in handy for the Magic.

26. Cleveland Cavaliers (via LAL) - John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt

It was obvious that the climb back to the top after losing LeBron James in free agency would be a long and arduous one for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but they are already making progress. They took a big step forward by taking point guard Kyrie Irving first overall in last year's draft and would become more well rounded by taking Jared Sullinger with their first pick this year.

There are still plenty of holes to fill, though, and a complementary scorer in the back court is a major need. Vanderbilt shooting guard John Jenkins really helped his draft value this past season as he may have been the best pure scorer in the SEC. He was a huge reason why Vandy was able to upset a Kentucky team chock full of future NBA stars in the SEC Championship Game as well.

Jenkins is a pure shooter and that tends to translate to the next level almost every time. With Irving running the offense and Sullinger doing work in the paint, the Cavs will need a player who can spread out the defense and open up space for everyone else. Jenkins can hit open shots and would be a major pick up for Cleveland.

27. Golden State Warriors (via SA) - Tony Wroten, G, Washington

The Warriors finally moved on from guard Monta Ellis as they dealt him for center Andrew Bogut, but they'll replace him with an athletic combo guard in Wroten.

28. Miami Heat - Fab Melo, C, Syracuse

In all likelihood, center Fab Melo's short and rocky tenure at Syracuse is over, but it will be interesting to see where he might land in the draft. His offensive game leaves a lot to be desired, but he can be an elite defender, so he figures to have a late-first-round grade. He doesn't come without risk, but he could be well worth it for a contending team.

The Miami Heat have been looking for a center to put with the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and Melo could be that guy. Joel Anthony has done a nice job defensively, but he has no potential to grow on the offensive end. Not only could Melo step in and immediately play defense just as well as Anthony, but there is a chance that he could develop a strong offensive game.

James, Wade and Bosh are going to carry the offensive load anyway so there would be no pressure on Melo to produce on that end immediately. That would allow him to focus on his defense and come along slowly in the other aspects. He won't receive much defensive attention initially either, so it stands to reason that he would be an option from day one. He could be the missing piece the Heat have been searching for.

29. Oklahoma City Thunder - Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt

The Thunder have everything you could possibly want in a team and there aren't really any holes to fill, but Ezeli would add some offense to a formidable defensive front line of Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka.

30. Chicago Bulls - William Buford, SG, Ohio State

It's fair to say that the Richard Hamilton experiment hasn't really worked out for the Bulls due to injury, but an all-around shooting guard like Buford would bring a lot to the table.