Portsmouth Invitational 2012: Henry Sims and Players Who Will Be Surprise Stars

Just remember: Jeremy Lin once excelled at the Portsmouth Invitational.

Though the 60th annual tournament isn't a draw for the best talent in college basketball, it still showcases some of the under-the-radar players that could still develop into NBA-caliber talent that are likely to be second-round draft selections.

Lin is a perfect example of that. The tournament, which draws 64 of the best college seniors, gives those players a stage on which to impress decision-makers from every NBA team. It's their final chance to show that there worthy of a selection in the NBA Draft, even if it's not in the first round.

For many college seniors, the PIT is the first step to a summer league stint that could turn into a contract. It can be a launching pad to the NBA if players take advantage of it—like Lin did.

Here are some solid prospects to be on the lookout for during this year's tournament, which kicks off on Wednesday.

Henry Sims, C, Georgetown

Sims excelled during his senior season with the Hoyas, registering career highs in points (11.6), rebounds (6.0), assists (3.5) and blocks (1.4). He's currently projected as a second-round selection and could solidify himself as a pick with a strong performance in the PIT.

Sims was a late bloomer, failing to register more than four points and four rebounds per game before his big senior year. But at 6'10" and 242 pounds, he still projects as the sixth-best center available. He is a threat to score around the hoop but still possesses a solid jump shot.

The Georgetown big man showed a lot of potential coming out of high school, and when you put it in perspective, he may have just taken longer than usual to live up to it.

Dee Bost, PG, Mississippi State

There aren't a lot of unbelievable point guards available in this year's draft, so Bost could solidify himself as a second-round pick with a strong showing at the PIT.

He missed nine games during his junior season because of an NCAA early entry violation and some academic troubles, Bost bloomed as a senior with 15.8 points, 5.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 3.3 rebounds. Bost showed steady improvement throughout his college career, and his junior-year numbers were pretty consistent with the ones he put up as a senior, both of which suggest he's not just flash in the pan. 

Turnovers can be a problem for him—he averaged 3.0 per game as a senior—he's someone who could improve in the D-league and end up being a solid backup down the line.

Ashton Gibbs, PG, Pittsburgh

He declared for the draft after his junior season but withdrew, and though he didn't necessarily improve his numbers, he gave himself another year to demonstrate his consistency. Like Bost, he can take advantage of the fact that there aren't a lot of star point guards available in this draft and show off his completeness during the PIT.

As a senior, Gibbs averaged 14.6 points and 2.1 assists per game, falling off a bit from the 16.8 and 2.8 he put up as a junior. He's still a great shooter with a lot of range, and he still shows solid skills as a passer. 

Gibbs shouldn't go undrafted and could move himself higher into the second round with some solid play this week.