NBA Draft 2012: Austin Rivers and 5 Prospects Better Suited for the NBA

Statistics don't always tell the whole story.

Despite being drafted fifth overall in the 2009 NBA draft, Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio was considered a future bust by a bunch of fans.

Why? Because of his far-from-stellar Euroleague numbers.

However, when Rubio finally arrived in the U.S. this season, it didn't take him long to prove doubters wrong, showing he has the talent to play in the world's most famous basketball league. All he needed was the fast-paced style to showcase his skills.

Sometimes players' games are just more suited for the NBA.   

Here's a look at Duke's Austin Rivers and four other prospects for this year's draft whose games are tailor-made for the next level.

Austin Rivers, Duke

One of the top-rated high schoolers in the nation in 2011, Austin Rivers averaged 15.4 points and 2.1 assists per game as a freshman at Duke this season.

Those stats were are a bit disappointing, but his game is considered more suitable for the NBA than college. Rivers thrives in isolation settings and possesses a dangerous crossover dribble, and he definitely has the potential to become the top scorer in this year's draft.  

Will we see him in Boston next season playing for his dad and one of the league's best coaches, Doc Rivers?

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist only averaged a tad under 12 points per game this season for the Wildcats, but that's because he had to share the ball with a ton of other future NBAers like Anthony Davis, Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb and Marquis Teague.

Expected to be a top-three pick in the upcoming draft, Kidd-Gilchrist will more than likely have a huge impact at the next level since he's arguably the best open-court prospect in the entire draft.

Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut

Jeremy Lamb had a solid freshman season, putting up 11 points per game and helping UConn capture the national championship.

He went on to have a much better sophomore campaign, as he averaged nearly 18 points per game and got the Kemba Walker-less Huskies back to the NCAA tournament.

In the NBA, Lamb could draw comparisons to former Connecticut guards Ray Allen and Rip Hamilton due to his ability to move without the ball and knock down shots.

Andre Drummond, Connecticut

Andre Drummond was supposed to come in and have a memorable freshman year at Connecticut. That didn't happen, though, as the hyped big man produced only 10.2 points and 7.7 boards per game.

A projected top-four pick in 2012, Drummond has the athleticism to be a beast in the NBA and just might be the second coming of Amar'e Stoudemire.

If he ends up in Washington, he could turn into a scoring machine participating in pick-and-rolls with point guard John Wall.

Dion Waiters, Syracuse

Sometimes compared to Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade, Dion Waiters could end up being the steal of the 2012 draft.

The Big East's Sixth Man of the Year is expected to be a mid to late first-round selection.

Like Wade, Waiters stands 6'4" and can get to the rim at will. There's a very small chance he'll ever be on D-Wade's level, but he does have an NBA type of game.