2012 NBA Mock Draft: Perfect Prospects for Every First-Round Team
With a deep draft filled with talent, which the 2012 NBA draft promises to be, every team has the ideal prospect they would like to target in the first round.
Every team has holes, and every team can attempt to fill them with the ideal prospect they could target.
Here’s a look at our latest mock draft and the ideal prospect for each team in the first round.
1. Charlotte Bobcats: Anthony Davis, Kentucky
The woeful Bobcats have plenty of holes to fill, and they will simply go with the best prospect on the board in Davis
He helps them immediately at the defensive end of the floor, where Charlotte is 27th in the NBA, allowing 101.3 PPG. The shot-blocking ability (4.7 BPG) and the amount of shots that Davis will alter with his 7'6” wingspan will be a welcome addition.
2. Washington Wizards: Thomas Robinson, Kansas
Washington needs someone to make an impact, and Robinson might be the guy who’s most ready to step in and do so off the bat.
There’s nothing the Wizards currently do well, as they rank 22nd or worse in scoring, rebounding and points allowed. Robinson’s an athletic, big body who was a double-double machine in college, averaging 17.9 PPG and 11.8 RPG during his junior season at Kansas.
3. New Orleans Hornets: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky
The Hornets are rebuilding and need a leader for the long-term.
Not only that, they currently have a hard time scoring and rebounding—something Kidd-Gilchrist could step in and help with.
He’s a very good rebounder, averaging 7.6 rebounds from the wind, and can also put the ball in the bucket, shooting 49 percent from the floor as a freshman at Kentucky.
4. Sacramento Kings: Andre Drummond, Connecticut
The Kings must improve their interior defense, as they allow an NBA-worst 104.3 PPG. Drummond can help on the boards (7.7 RPG) and with shot-blocking (2.7 BPG).
He’s got tremendous upside, and the Kings frontcourt would look nice with Drummond and DeMarcus Cousins.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers: Bradley Beal, Florida
The Cavs need to find some scoring, as they average only 93.5 PPG as a team, and targeting Beal makes perfect sense.
He could end up being the best pure scorer in this draft class after averaging 14.8 PPG during his freshman season. Beal’s also a solid defender and a very good rebounding guard (6.7 RPG)—two areas in which Cleveland also must improve.
6. Portland Trail Blazers (via New Jersey): Damian Lillard, Weber State
The Blazers have many needs, including a big man, but they can add a quality big later on, so filling the need at point guard makes sense this early.
Lillard adds scoring (24.5 PPG) from the lead guard spot, but he is also viewed as a facilitator, even though his assists numbers wouldn’t suggest it, only averaging 4.0 APG.
7. Toronto Raptors: Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
Barnes struggled in the NCAA tournament, shooting only .327 from the floor in March. But he’s a natural scorer who averaged 17.4 PPG on the season.
That will help out immediately in Toronto, where Linas Klezia and Amir Johnson have combined to average only 16.7 PPG.
8. Detroit Pistons: John Henson, North Carolina
Detroit needs to get bigger and more athletic, and the North Carolina product helps in both areas.
Henson runs the floor great, and while his offensive game is raw, he’s an outstanding rebounder and shot-blocker, averaging 10.1 RPG and 2.9 BPG on the season.
9. Utah Jazz (via Golden State Warriors): Kendall Marshall, North Carolina
The Jazz fill a need at the point with Marshall, who is the best floor general in the draft.
His court vision and basketball IQ are second to none, and his 9.8 APG and outstanding 3.48 assist-to-turnover ratio will go a long way to helping Utah improve for the future.
10. New Orleans Hornets (via Minnesota): Austin Rivers, Duke
Sure, the Hornets have Eric Gordon, but his health is a concern, and New Orleans has made no commitment to him for the future.
They would like to add a guy with the potential to become a No. 1 scoring option, and Rivers is that guy.
He averaged 15.5 PPG as a freshman at Duke, and if he develops a consistent jumper to go along with his ability to get to the rim, he could become lethal.
New Orleans averages only 89.8 PPG on the season, so adding a scorer is a must. Drafting both Rivers and Robinson in the top 10, the Hornets can add two major pieces for their future.
11. Portland Trail Blazers: Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State
Portland can add the big man they need with this pick, and Moultrie is a guy with a ton of upside.
He has the length and the size to play either the 4 or the 5, but has the agility and speed of a guard. Moultrie is a project, but his upside is too high to pass on. Within time, he could be a legitimate NBA scorer and rebounder.
If he can average anything close to the 16.4 PPG and 10.5 RPG he did during his one season at Mississippi State, the Blazers will be very happy with this pick.
12. Milwaukee Bucks: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
Milwaukee needs to come out of this draft with a quality big with this pick, preferably one who can help them on the glass, as they are only 17th in the NBA in rebounding at 41.9 RPG.
Sullinger has the talent to become both a solid scorer (17.5 PPG) and physical rebounder (9.2 RPG) in the NBA . Despite the questions about his ability to play against larger and more athletic big men, he could become a good fit at the 4 for the Bucks.
13. Phoenix Suns, Perry Jones III, Baylor
Jones can add the talent and athleticism the Suns need off the wing.
Currently, Phoenix has problems rebounding, only 21st in the NBA at 41.6 RPG, and stopping teams, allowing 97.9 PPG (20th).
Jones has the talent to do it all, but he must bring it out consistently. He averaged only 13.5 PPG and 7.6 RPG as a sophomore, which are pretty much the same numbers he averaged as a freshman.
He’s a risk, but he’s capable of being great.
14. Utah Jazz, Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut
Utah can rebuild their backcourt with the addition of Lamb, who averaged 17.7 PPG as a sophomore at U Conn.
Adding Lamb and Marshall to go with their young frontcourt makes the Jazz look very good on paper for the future.
15. Houston Rockets (via New York Knicks): Tyler Zeller, North Carolina
The Rockets need a big guy to help them improve a bit in rebounding and on the defensive end of the floor.
Zeller is a legitimate prospect who may need some time to develop, but he could find himself a regular part of an NBA rotation before long.
He shot over 55 percent from the floor the past two seasons and has the chance to become a very good rebounder after averaging 9.6 RPG during his senior season in a Tar Heels uniform.
16. Philadelphia 76ers: Terrance Ross, Washington
Ross has the size at 6'6” and the shooting ability (37 percent from behind the arc) to give the Sixers the upgrade they need from the 2-guard spot.
He has the ability to become a very good scorer, but he also is a good defensive guard, as well as a good rebounder, pulling down 6.5 RPG at Washington.
17: New Jersey Nets (via Houston): Terrence Jones, Kentucky
The Nets will have many holes to fill, and going with the best player on the board here makes sense.
Jones can play either forward spot and, more importantly, can guard either forward spot. Considering the Nets are currently 26th in the NBA in rebounding (40.5 RPG) and 22nd in points allowed (98.8 PPG), Jones could be a big help.
He pulled down 7.2 boards per game and blocked 1.8 shots—numbers that could increase, as Jones may be asked to do more in the NBA.
Jones has a solid offensive game as well and the ability to shoot the three, as he connected 33 percent of the time from behind the arc during Kentucky’s championship run.
18. Denver Nuggets: Dion Waiters, Syracuse
Denver’s already the highest-scoring team in the NBA at 103.6 PPG, but you can never have too many guys that can score the ball, which happens to be Waiters’ strength.
He’s got natural scoring ability although his numbers wouldn’t suggest it. Waiters averaged only 12.1 PPG, but he only played 24 minutes per night on a very deep Syracuse tea.
He can play with or without the ball and fits into Denver’s system very well.
19. Dallas Mavericks: Meyers Leonard, Illinois
Leonard helps Dallas get not only younger, but longer for the future as well.
He won’t be a star off the bat, but he can contribute by rebounding (8.2 RPG) and blocking shots (1.9 BPG).
Leonard has enormous upside, and his athleticism gives him a chance to become a productive NBA center.
20. Orlando Magic, Fab Melo, Syracuse
The Magic are eventually going to have to think about a replacement for Dwight Howard, and targeting Syracuse’s Melo makes sense.
He’s another guy who won’t make an immediate impact, as his offensive game really needs to evolve, but he will contribute right away in Orlando as shot-blocker, after averaging 2.9 BPG as a sophomore.
21. Atlanta Hawks, Royce White, Iowa State
White could become the productive small forward the Hawks need and could cut into Marvin Williams’ minutes immediately or force the Hawks to make a move with Williams.
White has the strength and the size to play on the block, standing 6'8” and weighing 270-pounds, but he has the speed, agility and court vision of a guard.
Not only did White average 13.4 PPG and 9.2 RPG on the season, but he also led the Iowa State team, dishing out 5.1 APG.
22. Memphis Grizzlies, Tony Wroten, Washington
Wroten has the ability to be one of the top-five players in the draft and the best point guard in the class when it’s all said and done. Fortunately, the Grizzlies can afford to take their time with him.
He averaged 16.0 PPG as a sophomore, so Wroten should be able to add a little scoring punch off the bench for Memphis in the meantime.
23. Boston Celtics: Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
Nicholson could be the steal of the draft and will fill the need for a productive young big man in the Boston offense.
Currently, the Celtics score only 91.7 PPG (26th) and grab only 38.2 rebounds (28th). Fortunately, Nicholson helps them all over the floor.
He pulled down 8.4 RPG and blocked 2.0 shots to conclude a very successful four year career at St. Bonaventure. Nicholson also helps as a scorer, with the ability to score from anywhere. He not only shot 57 percent from the floor on the year, but also hit on 47 percent of his three-point attempts.
24. Boston Celtics (via Los Angeles Clippers): Doron Lamb, Kentucky
Lamb fills the Celtics' other need, and that’s perimeter shooting.
They will have to find a replacement for Ray Allen and can’t go wrong with an athlete like Lamb. He’s an assassin-like shooter who connected 47 percent of the time from behind the arc.
25. Indiana Pacers: Jeffrey Taylor, Vanderbilt
The Pacers could look point guard here, but with the top ones off the board and a thin point guard class overall, they can fill their biggest other need and that’s additional scoring.
Taylor’s a great athlete who averaged 16.1 PPG during his senior season and developed a perimeter shot, shooting only nine percent from downtown as a sophomore but upping that to 42 percent as a senior.
He can become a fantastic perimeter defender as well and will be a nice addition in Indiana.
26. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Los Angeles Lakers): Moe Harkless, St. Johns
Harkless adds much needed athletic ability to the Cleveland rotation. He has a ton of upside and could become a good NBA scorer. He averaged 15.3 PPG as a freshman at St. Johns, but he also brings the ability to defend and rebound, grabbing 8.6 RPG and swatting away 1.4 shots per game.
27. Miami Heat: Festus Ezeli, Vanderbilt
The Heat need a big presence in the middle of the floor and will have to bring Ezeli around slowly, but he’s talented.
He will be able to play defense as a rookie (2.0 BPG), but while his offensive game is raw, he did shoot 60 percent from the floor.
28. Golden State Warriors (via San Antonio Spurs): Draymond Green, Michigan State
Green is a tweener who should be able to play the 3 in the NBA, and the Warriors desperately need production from the small forward spot.
He’s a guy who does everything well and finds a way to make things happen, as evidenced by his triple-double and pair of double-doubles in the NCAA tournament.
29. Oklahoma City Thunder: C.J. Leslie, North Carolina State
Leslie hasn’t decided yet whether or not to enter the draft, but if he does, he’s a perfect pick for Oklahoma City, who is only looking for current depth with an eye towards the future.
Leslie put together a solid 14.7 PPG and 7.6 RPG season, scoring in double figures in all but two of North Carolina State’s games this season.
30. Chicago Bulls: John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
Adding the best shooter in the college game at No. 30 is a nice addition to the Bulls rotation.
Jenkins has unlimited range and a quick release, and he connected on 44 percent of his attempts on the season from behind the arc.
He could potentially replace Richard Hamilton down the road and could eventually take some scoring pressure off of Derrick Rose in the future.
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