NBA Draft 2012: 29 Portsmouth Invitational Studs You Should Know

In a final chance to shine for many NBA hopefuls, the 2012 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (P.I.T.) starts this Wednesday in Virginia. The 60th annual event is a showcase for NBA draft hopefuls from the 2012 senior class that will play in front of hundreds of NBA and international scouts, general managers and representatives.

Thirty-five current players in the NBA participated in the P.I.T. event, including the New York Knicks’ Jeremy Lin. Lin went on to sign a contract with the Golden State Warriors after the 2010 event.

Other notable NBA players that participated in the Portsmouth Invitational include Rick Barry, Earl Monroe, Dave Cowens, John Stockton and Scottie Pippen. 

Five P.I.T. participants from last year’s event went on to play in the NBA, of which four are still active. Those players include Marquette’s Jimmy Butler, who plays for the Chicago Bulls, Charleston’s Andrew Goudelock, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, Florida’s Vernon Macklin, who plays for the Detroit Pistons and UTEP’s Julyan Stone, who plays for the Denver Nuggets. 

Six players in the 2010 tournament and 11 in the 2009 tournament went on to the NBA.

The tournament is a four-day, 12-game event. For this year’s complete 64-player P.I.T. roster, click here. For a complete list of NBA players who participated in the P.I.T., click here. For a printable 2012 P.I.T. bracket, click here.

If all goes well, the P.I.T. will hopefully spark NBA scouts’ interest more than the recent Nike Hoop Summit. According to Rivals, aside from the top high school recruit, Shabazz Muhammad, the event proved to be a major disappointment.

Rivals cited one longtime NBA scout describing this year’s Nike Hoop Summit as "the least talented group since the Hoop Summit, which pits the top U.S. seniors against elite international teens, began in 1995."

While the participants at the Nike Hoop Summit will likely have many future chances to impress NBA and international scouts, the P.I.T. will be the final chance for many of the participating college seniors. 

Any player in the P.I.T. will do well by playing at their top level, as based on what's happened in previous years, only a fraction of these players' NBA dreams will likely come to fruition.

Here is a look at 29 of the 64 players in this year's Portsmouth Invitational, including those with the greatest shot at making it to the next level.

Almost any of this year's 64 P.I.T. participants could conceivable continue playing at some level, as they are all talented. Whether it's the NBA, D-League, Europe or the end of a playing career for these participants, the Portsmouth Invitational is an opportunity for some final college game time.

Feel free to make a case for any of your favorite participants in this year's Portsmouth Invitational in the comments.

Keep clicking to see who made the list.

(Note: after this slideshow was posted several changes were made to the original P.I.T. player roster. This slideshow has been modified from 35 to 29 players in order to remove players no longer listed as participating in the tournament.)

Harvard's Keith Wright

Three members of the Ivy League are looking to follow in the footsteps of Harvard and Portsmouth Invitational alum, New York Knicks player Jeremy Lin.

Up first is Harvard’s Keith Wright.

Keith Wright averaged 10.6 points per game this season with a 58.6 field-goal percentage.  This 22-year-old power forward stands at 6’8” and weighs 240 pounds. This season, Wright was on the Harvard squad with the most wins ever in the school's history, 26. 

Wright was named the Ivy League Player of the Year in 2011. In 2012, Wright's Harvard squad lost to Vanderbilt in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

It was Harvard's first tournament appearance since 1946. In that loss, Wright had eight points and nine rebounds. 

On the chance to play at the Portsmouth Invitational, Wright told The Harvard Crimson:

"

It’s a great honor, especially because that’s where I’m from...I used to go to the Portsmouth games when I was a sophomore in high school.

"

DraftExpress ranks Keith Wright at No. 54 of NCAA seniors.

Penn's Zack Rosen

Penn point guard Zack Rosen stands at 6’1” and weighs 170 pounds. Rosen averaged 18.2 points per game this season with 45.3 field-goal and 88.2 free-throw percentages.

Rosen was named the Ivy League Player of the Year this season.

Rosen led the Ivy League in scoring and finished his career at Penn breaking records as first in assists, games started and minutes played. He is Penn’s third all-time highest scoring player and holds the Penn record for most single-season assists with 173 this season. 

DraftExpress ranks Rosen No. 76 in NCAA seniors. ESPN has Rosen as a second-round pick/undrafted.

Yale's Greg Mangano

Twenty-two-year-old Yale center Greg Mangano stands at 6’10” and weighs 240 pounds. Mangano averaged 18.2 points this season and led the Bulldogs with 17 points in their postseason CIT loss to Fairfield.

Back in December, Mangano had 26 points and 15 rebounds in a loss to then-No. 10 Florida.

With 213 blocks in his Yale career, Mangano hold the Yale record and is third all-time in the Ivy League. With 735 rebounds, Mangano also finished sixth in Yale’s history.

While at Yale, Mangano put up 1,213 points.

DraftExpress ranks Mangano No. 88 in NCAA seniors. Mangano declared and then withrew from the NBA draft last year. 

Mississippi's Terrance Henry

Mississippi's 22-year-old forward Terrance Henry stands at 6’9” and weighs 210 pounds.

Henry averaged 12.5 points per game with a 45.2 field-goal percentage this season. He scored 1,095 points during his time at Ole Miss and led the Rebels in scoring this season.

In the Rebels' NIT first-round loss to Illinois State, Henry made 21 points for Mississippi. 

DraftExpress ranks Henry No. 81 in NCAA seniors. 

Buffalo's Mitchell Watt

Buffalo’s Mitchell Watt stands at 6’10” and weighs 225 pounds. The 22-year-old forward averaged 16.3 points per game with a 55.4 field-goal percentage this season.

With 184 made field goals this season, Watt is third all-time in that category at Buffalo. He was named the MAC Player of the Year this season.

DraftExpress ranks Mitchell Watt at No. 74 in NCAA seniors.

Oregon's Devoe Joseph

Canadian Devoe Joseph transferred to Oregon in his final season, when he scored an average of 16.7 points per game with a 47.3 field-goal percentage.

The 22-year-old guard stands at 6’3” and weighs 170 pounds.

At Minnesota, Joseph averaged between five and 11.3 points per game. He got first-team Pac-12 honors this season. 

Devoe's brother, Cory Joseph, was the 29th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. Cory was assigned to the Austin Toros (D-league) by the San Antonio Spurs.

DraftExpress ranks Devoe Joseph at No. 65 in NCAA seniors. 

Oakland's Reggie Hamilton

Oakland’s Reggie Hamilton stands at 5’11” and weighs 175 pounds. The 22-year-old point guard averaged 26.2 points per game with a 44.6 field-goal percentage and an 87.6 free-throw percentage. 

Reggie ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division I men’s basketball this season in scoring, above Weber State’s Damian Lillard, who averaged 24.5 points per game. 

Hamilton put up 35 points against Tennessee and 28 points against Michigan this season. 

Valparaiso coach and former NBA player Bryce Drew told the NWI Times that he thinks Hamilton could play in the NBA:

"

We went zone. We went man. And he was able to score in a variety of ways…Yeah, he could (play at the next level). In the NBA, it only takes one team to like you.

"

DraftExpress ranks Reggie Hamilton at No. 69 in NCAA seniors. 

Norfolk State's Kyle O'Quinn

Norfolk State’s Kyle O’Quinn stands at 6’10” and weighs 240 pounds. The 22-year-old power forward/center averaged 15.9 points per game with a 57.3 field-goal percentage this season.

Sports Illustrated quoted Florida center Patric Young as having this to say about O’Quinn, following Norfolk’s upset of Mizzou in the 2012 NCAA tournament:

"

He completely dominated the game on the glass…When I finally saw him on film, I saw how skilled and talented he is, and he's a really good defender, really physical. He overpowers a lot of guys he goes up against.

"

Florida went on to beat Norfolk State in the NCAA tournament, following the Mizzou/Norfolk State game. 

DraftExpress ranks Kyle O’Quinn as No. 56 in NCAA seniors. ESPN has O’Quinn as a second-round pick/undrafted.

Temple's Juan Fernandez

Temple’s Juan Fernandez stands at 6’4” and weighs 180 pounds. The 21-year-old point guard averaged 11.1 points per game with a 40.3 field-goal percentage this season.

Fernandez was profiled by The New York Times in 2010. At that time, the Times quoted an NBA scout as saying of Fernandez, "He’s really not a scorer…Passing and smarts are his strengths. He lacks NBA quickness."

Temple entered the NCAA tournament seeded at No. 5 and lost in the second round to No. 12 South Florida.

DraftExpress ranks Juan Fernandez at No. 49 in NCAA seniors.

UNLV's Chase Stanback

UNLV’s Chase Stanback stands at 6’8” and weighs 210 pounds. The 22-year-old forward averaged 12.5 points per game with 45.5 field-goal and 82.0 free-throw percentages.

Stanback received a Mountain West third-team selection this season. He ended the season on a low note by failing to score in double figures in five consecutive games. 

UNLV entered the NCAA tournament ranked No. 23 by the AP, but lost in the second round to unranked Pac-12 member Colorado. 

DraftExpress ranks Chase Stanback at No. 48 in NCAA seniors. 

Cal's Jorge Gutierrez

Cal’s Jorge Gutierrez stands at 6’3” and weighs 195 pounds. The 23-year-old point guard averaged 13 points per game with a 44.4 field-goal percentage this season. 

Gutierrez was selected as the Pac-12 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year this season. At Cal, he made 1,133 points, 550 rebounds and 179 assists.

Gutierrez was on the only Pac-12 team to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament this year. Cal lost to South Florida, 65-54, in a first-round game, after trailing by 32 points midway in the second. 

DraftExpress ranks Jorge Gutierrez at No. 47 in NCAA seniors. 

VCU's Bradford Burgess

VCU’s Bradford Burgess stands at 6’6” and weighs 225 pounds.

The 21-year-old forward averaged 13.5 points per game with a 36.7 field-goal percentage this season and led the VCU Rams in points per game.

He was on the VCU team that made a Final Four run last year. This season, the Rams lost, 63-61, to Indiana in the third round. In that game, Burgess led the Rams with 15 points.

Burgess finished his career at VCU being the third player in the school’s history to score at least 1,600 points and get 700 rebounds.   

DraftExpress ranks Bradford Burgess at No. 46 in NCAA seniors. ESPN has Burgess as a second-round pick/undrafted. 

Central Connecticut State's Ken Horton

Central Connecticut’s Ken Horton stands at 6’7” and weighs 200 pounds. The 22-year-old power forward averaged 19 points per game this season with a 49.1 field-goal percentage.

Horton received a first-team all-NEC selection this year. He finished his college career with 1,966 points, the highest in Central Connecticut’s history and fifth in the NEC.   

DraftExpress ranks Ken Horton at No. 45 in NCAA seniors.

Old Dominion's Kent Bazemore

Old Dominion’s Kent Bazemore stands at 6’5” and weighs 195 pounds. The 22-year-old forward averaged 15.4 points per game with a 40.7 field-goal percentage this season. 

Bazemore received the Defensive Player of the Year and All-CAA first-team honors this year. He finished his college career with 1,406 points.

Bazemore missed playing in what would have been his final game with Old Dominion in the CIT quarterfinals, when he was arrested just prior to the game. The arrest was reportedly related to violations of fulfilling conditions of his sentence following a DUI charge last summer. 

DraftExpress ranks Kent Bazemore as No. 44 in NCAA seniors.

Florida State's Xavier Gibson

Florida State’s Xavier Gibson stands at 6’11” and weighs 230 pounds. The 23-year-old averaged 6.8 points per game with a 47.7 field-goal percentage.

Gibson was on the AP-ranked No. 10 team going into the NCAA tournament. The Seminoles lost, 62-56, in the round of 32 to Cincinnati. 

DraftExpress ranks Xavier Gibson at No. 43 in NCAA seniors. ESPN has Gibson as a second-round pick/undrafted. 

Detroit's Eli Holman

Detroit’s Eli Holman stands at 6’9” and weighs 250 pounds. The 23-year-old forward averaged 10.8 points per game with a 60.7 field-goal percentage this season.

Detroit won four games in the Horizon Conference tournament. Detroit lost its first game in the 2012 NCAA tournament to Kansas, 65-50. 

DraftExpress ranks Eli Holman at No. 41 in NCAA seniors. 

South Florida's Gus Gilchrist

South Florida’s Gus Gilchrist stands at 6’10” and weighs 235 pounds. The 22-year-old power forward/center averaged 9.5 points per game this season with a 39.2 field-goal percentage. 

Gilchrist was the 18th player at South Florida to surpass 1,000 points, and despite not making it to double digits this season, is the Bulls' top all-time scorer. 

South Florida beat Cal in the 2012 NCAA tournament in the first round, and then beat Temple in the second round before losing to Ohio. 

DraftExpress ranks Gus Gilchrist at No. 40 in NCAA seniors. ESPN has Gilchrist as a second-round pick/undrafted.

Pitt's Ashton Gibbs

Pitt’s Ashton Gibbs stands at 6’2” and weighs 190 pounds. The 22-year-old point guard averaged 14.6 points per game with a 38.2 field-goal percentage this season. 

Gibbs holds Pitt's record for career three-point shots made and attempted, and reached 1,700 career points. 

Gibbs sat out the final two games of Pitt’s CBI championship run due to an ankle injury. 

DraftExpress ranks Ashton Gibbs at No. 39 in NCAA seniors. ESPN has Gibbs as a second-round pick/undrafted. 

IUPUI's Alex Young

IUPUI’s Alex Young stands at 6’6” and weighs 200 pounds. The small forward averaged 20.4 points per game with a 42.4 field-goal percentage this season. 

Alex Young was given an NABC first-team honor. Young had 2,286 career points and became the first Jaguar to be named to the first team of the All-Summit squad three times.

Young improved his turnovers from 113 last season to 78 this season. 

DraftExpress ranks Young at No. 36 in NCAA seniors. ESPN has Young as a late first-round pick. 

Campbell's Eric Griffin

Campbell’s Eric Griffin stands at 6’8” and weighs 190 pounds. The 21-year-old power forward averaged 15.7 points per game with a 61.0 field-goal percentage this season.

Griffin received first-team All-Conference honors this season. Prior to Campbell’s final three games, Griffin scored in double figures in 20 straight games.

DraftExpress ranks Griffin at No. 34 in NCAA seniors.

Wichita State's Garrett Stutz

Wichita State’s Garrett Stutz stands at 7’0” and weighs 255 pounds. The 22-year-old center averaged 13.3 points per game with 54.2 field-goal and 82.1 free-throw percentages this season.

Stutz was on both the Shockers' NIT championship squad and on this year’s 2012 NCAA tournament squad that lost to VCU. In that loss, Stutz only played 17 minutes (he averaged 24.6 this season) due to foul trouble.

Stutz only hit 2-of-11 and missed a potential game-tying three-point shot at the buzzer in the loss.

DraftExpress ranks Stutz at No. 33 in NCAA seniors and No. 96 in the top 100 prospects. ESPN has Stutz  in the second round/undrafted. 

Tennessee Tech's Kevin Murphy

Tennessee Tech’s Kevin Murphy stands 6’6” and weighs 185 pounds. The 22-year-old shooting guard/small forward led the Golden Eagles with an average of 20.6 points per game.

Murphy had a 44.4 field-goal percentage this season. He made 2,022 points in his college career, making him Tennessee Tech’s second-highest all-time scorer.

Murphy is one of 16 players to score more than 2,000 points in the Ohio Valley Conference. In the Ohio Valley Conference tournament semifinals, Murphy scored a game-high 31 points. 

DraftExpress ranks Kevin Murphy at No. 30 in NCAA seniors and No. 89 in the top 100 prospects.  ESPN has Murphy as a second-round pick/undrafted.

Missouri's Kim English

Mizzou’s Kim English stands at 6’6” and weighs 200 pounds. The shooting guard averaged 14.5 points with a 52.1 field-goal percentage this season.

English played on the Mizzou team that got a No. 2 seed in the 2012 NCAA tournament and lost in the NCAA second round to Norfolk State, 86-84. This season was also Mizzou’s last in the Big 12, as the Tigers will be moving to the SEC.

DraftExpress ranks Kim English at No. 27 in NCAA seniors and No. 82 in the top 100 prospects. ESPN has English as a second-round pick/undrafted. 

Alabama's JaMychal Green

Alabama’s JaMychal Green stands at 6’8” and weighs 225 pounds. The 21-year-old power forward averaged 14 points per game with a 54.6 field-goal percentage this season.

Green missed seven games this season due to injuries and suspension.

With 1,656 points and 912 rebounds, Green finished his career at Alabama 11th all-time in both categories. He is fifth in blocked shots with 212 and 10th in steals with 125. He is one of two players in Alabama’s history to be in the top 15 of all categories.

DraftExpress ranks Green at No. 24 in NCAA seniors and No. 78 in the top 100 prospects. ESPN has Green as a second-round pick/undrafted.

Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor

Wisconsin’s Jordan Taylor stands at 6’1” and weighs 195 pounds. The 22-year-old point guard averaged 14.8 points per game with a 40.2 field-goal percentage this season.

Taylor also had 147 assists and committed 56 turnovers in 36 games this season. 

Jordan was an All-American point guard and a major part of the Badgers' success. Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan had this to say about Taylor, according to Rivals.com:

"

He was Jordan Taylor. He’s a young man that we recruited, he’s a young man that we believed in as a teenager, a young pup. He just kept growing and growing mentally and physically into the position and single handedly brought that front line along during the year. I don’t know. Again, I think it helps if you have played to understand how inexperienced we were with that front line and the things that those guys ended up being able to do to put us at the record that we have and to put us into this position. Jordan deserves a lot of credit for that, so he’ll be sorely missed.

"

With 1,533 points, Taylor is Wisconsin’s eighth-highest all-time scorer. Taylor had 17 points in the Badgers' 2012 NCAA tournament game against Syracuse. The Badgers lost, 64-63, to No. 1 Syracuse in the NCAA East Regional semifinals.

DraftExpress ranks Taylor at No. 23 in NCAA seniors and No. 76 in the top 100 prospects. ESPN has Taylor as a second-round pick/undrafted.

Seton Hall's Herb Pope

Seton Hall’s Herb Pope stands at 6’8” and weighs 233 pounds. The 23-year-old power forward/center averaged 15.1 points per game with a 47.1 field goal-percentage this season.

Herb Pope received third-team All-Big East honors this year.

Seton Hall lost to Massachusetts, 77-67, in the 2012 NIT in the second round.

DraftExpress ranks Herb Pope at No. 22 in NCAA seniors and No. 73 in the top 100 prospects. ESPN has Pope as a second-round pick/undrafted.

Georgetown's Henry Sims

Georgetown’s Henry Sims stands at 6’10” and weighs 245 pounds. The 22-year-old power forward averaged 11.6 points per game with a 46.2 field-goal percentage this season.

Rivals describes Henry Sims as an essential part of Georgetown this season, according to Rivals.com:

"

Don’t sleep on what the loss of Henry Sims means. The senior big man emerged as an elite passer as a senior, an essential part of the Georgetown offense. The Hoyas offense staggered without him in the game…

"

Georgetown lost by three points to North Carolina State in the 2012 NCAA tournament.

DraftExpress ranks Sims at No. 20 in NCAA seniors, No. 67 in the top 100 prospects and a second-round pick. ESPN has Sims as a second-round pick/undrafted. 

Cincinnati's Yancy Gates

Cincinnati’s Yancy Gates stands at 6’9” and weighs 245 pounds. The 22-year-old power forward averaged 12.2 points per game with a 47.4 field-goal percentage this season.

Rivals quoted Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin as saying of Gates:

"

I don’t think any player in the history of our program – and we’ve got a storied history – has really had the weight of the world on his shoulders that he has during the time at our school…

"

Gates notably received a six-game suspension this season after punching Xavier center Kenny Frease in the face during an on-court brawl during the Bearcats' 76-53 loss on December 10. He later apologized for his actions.

Gates had a season-high 23 points in Cincy’s Big East tournament win against Georgetown. He scored 18 points in the Bearcats' win over Syracuse, which sent Cincy to the Big East tournament final game, where they lost to Louisville. Gates had only nine points in that loss. 

In the 2012 NCAA tournament, Gates scored 15 points in the Bearcats' win against Texas, 10 points in their win against Florida State and seven points in Cincy’s loss to Ohio State. 

DraftExpress ranks Gates as No. 19 in NCAA seniors, No. 60 in the top 100 prospects and a second-round pick. ESPN has Gates as a second-round pick/undrafted.

Missouri's Ricardo Ratliffe

Mizzou’s Ricardo Ratliffe stands at 6’8” and weighs 250 pounds. The 23-year-old power forward/center averaged 13.9 points per game with an impressive 69.3 field-goal percentage.

Ratliffe transferred to Mizzou from Central Florida Community College, where he was ranked as the top junior college player as a sophomore by Rivals. Last season, Ratliffe won several honors, including Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and Big 12 All-Rookie Team.

Ratliffe earned second-team honors this season.

DraftExpress ranks Ratliffe as No. 15 in NCAA seniors, No. 57 in the top 100 prospects and a second-round pick. ESPN has Ratliffe as a second-round pick/undrafted.