Portsmouth Invitational 2012: Stars Who Boosted NBA Draft Stock
You won't find any first-rounders or lottery picks in the NBA Draft coming out of the 2012 Portsmouth Invitational, though this year's senior showcase was anything but short on potentially productive pro prospects.
Precocious underclassmen like Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Thomas Robinson will occupy the spotlight in the weeks leading up to the June 28 draft, and rightfully so—they're among the best of the best players prepared to make the leap to young stardom in the current crop.
Still, don't be surprised to see steady contributions during the 2012-13 season, and beyond, from these three college graduates, all of whom likely played their way into spots among the 60 names to be called on draft night.
Kyle O'Quinn
Kyle O'Quinn first put himself on the national map with a 26-point, 14-rebound, two-assist, two-block performance in Norfolk State's shocking upset of Missouri in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. The 6'10" forward did plenty more in Virginia to impress scouts and solidify his status as an NBA-caliber player.
O'Quinn secured PIT MVP honors after averaging 11.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.7 rebounds, including an 8-12-6 line during the final. He proved throughout that he has the game to compete at the next level, along with his 7'7" wingspan and NBA-ready body.
That should be enough to earn him selection in the late second round, though he'll need to prove that he can bring it every night to stick in The Association.
JaMychal Green
O'Quinn was hardly the only player who put on an MVP-caliber performance at the PIT. The former Alabama big man stood out with 19.3 points (on 64 percent shooting) and 9.7 rebounds in three contests, all the while showing off inside-out skill along with the sort of hustle that will carry him a long way in the NBA.
Green has had his fair share of off-court issues in the past, though, he clearly has the talent to merit selection somewhere in the latter half of the second round.
Ashton Gibbs
As far as guards are concerned, few were as explosive or impressive in Portsmouth as Ashton Gibbs. The ex-Pitt Panther led all scorers in the tourney with 19.7 points per game while hitting shots from just about every spot and angle on the court.
Nobody will ever mistake Gibbs for an efficient scorer—he never shot better than 46.8 percent while at Pitt—though there should be at least a team or two willing to take a flier on a tough kid who can (and isn't afraid to) create his own shot.
