NBA Draft 2012: Under-the-Radar Prospects Who Will Shock in Rookie Season

MarShon Brooks was the 25th pick in the 2011 NBA draft. He was a prospect with so little acclaim that the Boston Celtics immediately traded him for New Jersey's 27th-overall selection, JaJuan Johnson.

Few would have pegged the senior out of Providence to make an immediate impact in the NBA, but that's  exactly what he did. Brooks is averaging 12.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting a respectable 44 percent from the field for the Nets.

Who will follow in his footsteps in 2012's draft?

Terrence Ross, SG, Washington

Ross could use some work on fundamentals like ball-handling and shot selection, but there's enough talent here to count him in as a relatively sure thing. He stands perhaps the best chance to do exactly what MarShon Brooks did, becoming an electric scorer right off the bat and proving he deserved a higher selection on draft day.

Jeff Taylor, SF, Kentucky

Whether he ever becomes more than a reserve will depend on whether he can supplement his exceptional defense with a more well-rounded offensive game. Even if he doesn't become a better scorer, he could earn a reputation the same way guys like Tony Allen and Bruce Bowen did—with lock-down defense. He could be next year's Iman Shumpert, a defensive specialist with evolving offensive abilities.  

Tyshawn Taylor, PG/SG, Kansas

Taylor will need to improve his shooting as soon as possible, but he has all the other tools to surprise some people. In a draft without many elite point-guard prospects, Taylor could wind up one of the better unheralded options.

He's quick, athletic and can bother ball-handlers with aggressive defense. Those are the kinds of things that can earn still-raw prospects a few minutes, and that may be enough to put Taylor on the map. It doesn't hurt that he spent four years at a winning program in Kansas—that may make him more NBA-ready than some.

Will Barton, SG, Memphis

If Terrence Ross isn't the next MarShon Brooks, then Will Barton is next in line. He's a terrific shooter with good range, and has a scorer's mentality to boot. He could still work on some NBA basics in terms of decision-making and strengthening his frame, but that shouldn't hold him back from filling it up in a role not unlike Alec Burks' in Utah this season. 

Jae Crowder, SF, Marquette

Crowder is one of those guys with a power forward's heart in a small forward's body. Uncertainty about his NBA role could push him into the second round. The conventional wisdom is that he won't be significantly better than someone like Renaldo Balkman.

But if Kawhi Leonard's emergence in San Antonio is any indication of what a workhorse like Crowder could do, he could make teams regret not taking him when they had the chance. 

Marcus Denmon, SG, Missouri

It's a bit of a stretch to see Marcus Denmon becoming the next Monta Ellis, but he could at least approximate the 76ers' Louis Williams. Questions always surround undersized 2-guards, and there are a number of them in this draft (Waiters, Rivers, etc). Still, some will find a way to remain effective scorers without becoming defensive liabilities, especially if they find the right team fit.