NBA Draft 2012: 10 Under-the-Radar Talents Who Will Shoot Up Teams' Draft Boards

While the NBA playoffs are fully underway, the NBA draft is only a couple of months from taking place.

The draft is one of the more exciting events of the basketball season because it adds young blood to the rosters and gives teams a chance to fill areas of weakness. It's also exciting to see how some of these college basketball stars fair at the next level.

But while we already know the top players like Anthony Davis, Thomas Robinson and Harrison Barnes, it's often some of the names we don't hear much that make the biggest impact. These players may be underrated because of a one-dimensional game, character problems, inconsistent play or just may not have the NBA body to contribute right away.

Regardless, here are 10 players entering the NBA draft who may not receive much love right now, but could really help an NBA roster for years to come.

Kevin Jones

Strengths

Rebounding

Toughness

Mid-range game

Strong motor

Long wingspan

Weaknesses

Not extremely athletic

Doesn't have a true position

Jones was the best player on the West Virginia Mountaineers and one of the better players in the entire Big East last season.

He increased his rebounds dramatically from one season to the next and plays the game with a relentless aggressiveness and is a tough-nosed player. He also has a strong mid-range game and reminds me a lot of Miami Heat's Udonis Haslem. 

Jones should become a solid role player at the next level and will likely slip into the late first round of the draft.

Casper Ware

Strengths

Ridiculously quick 

Great handles

Strong

Leader

Weaknesses

Size

Ware is very small for the next level at 5'10", 170 pounds, but his quickness and ability to get to the cup, is very attractive.

He's an explosive athlete, has a knack for making plays and can knock down shots from anywhere on the floor. He's also a solid defender and averaged nearly 1.5 steals per game throughout his career at Long Beach State.

The small combo guard may not get drafted, but expect to see him hit the Developmental League, and some team will take a chance on him. He's too much of an explosive player, with the ability to provide a scoring boost off the bench, not to be looked at.

Tyshawn Taylor

Strengths

Athletic

Great quickness

Solid defender

High IQ

Weaknesses

Gets sloppy at times with the ball

Streaky shooter

Taylor really stepped up his senior season for the Jayhawks, averaging 16 points per game and nearly five assists. If it wasn't for his sloppy ball-handling at times, he may have ended up being a lottery pick.

He has terrific size for a guard at 6'3", is extremely quick and isn't shy about getting after it defensively.

The combo guard may find himself slipping to the middle of the second round, but that team may end up getting the steal of the draft.

Will Barton

Strengths

Scoring

Rebounds well for his size

High motor

Very long and athletic

Weaknesses

Needs to bulk up

Shot selection at times

If you're looking for a big-time scorer in this draft, Barton may end up being that guy. From one year to the next, he increased his field goal percentage by eight percent, free-throw shooting by five and rebounds per game by a solid three.

Barton can score from anywhere on the court and plays the game with very high energy.

The only downside to him is that at 6'5", he's only 165 pounds. He also tends to force the issue and throw up questionable shots. Overall, his game is very solid, and there's a lot more things to like, than to dislike. He'll provide great value at the end of the first round or early second.

Yancy Gates

Strengths

Solid athlete

Very strong and physical

Handles the ball well for someone his size

Can knock down a mid-range jumper

Weaknesses

Motor has been questioned

Post-game needs work

Many remember Gates from the fight against Xavier earlier in the season. But as the year went on, and the incident was over with, Gates was a huge reason the Bearcats reached the Sweet 16. He's a physical force in the paint and has huge potential at 6'9", 260 pounds.

His passion for the game has been questioned; he also lacks a killer instinct for someone of his size. But I believe if he ends up on a veteran team, with a good coach, he could be a steal in this draft.

He may not even get drafted, but you'll see some team take a chance on him. The upside is too much to pass up.

Royce White

Strengths

NBA body

Athletic

Solid passer

Can score from anywhere on the floor

Weaknesses

Off-the-court issues

If White didn't have many issues he suffers from, he could possibly move into the top 10 of next year's draft. But an anxiety disorder and fear of flying are two things that are really scaring away NBA teams.

He has the NBA body already at 6'8", 240 pounds, and his combination of strength and quickness makes him a tough guard in the post.

Despite White's issues, he could go anywhere from a lottery pick to the end of the first round. The talent is obviously there, teams just have to find a solution to things most don't have to deal with.

Jae Crowder

Strengths

Good genes

Physical

Three-point range

High motor

Solid defensively

Weaknesses

Foul prone

Undersized

Crowder is an interesting player because he's undersized for the power forward position at 6'6" but isn't a true small forward either. He does have history of playing shooting guard, and is working to drop some weight and move back to that position for the next level.

Regardless of what position he ends up playing, he should be given a look by NBA teams. He's a very hard worker, brings energy to the floor and shoots a solid percentage.

His senior year at Marquette, he shot 49 percent from the field, 34 percent from beyond the arc and 73 percent from the line.

Kyle O'Quinn

Strengths

Athletic and very strong player 

Good defender

Great rebounder

Decent basketball IQ

Weaknesses

Jump shot

Isn't a great leaper

O'Quinn isn't the most athletic big man in this draft, nor is he the quickest. But he's a very hard worker, is very strong and has great basketball instincts to help make up for some of that.

He's a huge reason Norfolk State ended up upsetting Missouri in last year's NCAA tournament. O'Quinn has great size at 6'10", 240 pounds and is a force on the defensive side of the floor.

He's not going to blow you away with anything he does, but with the lack of quality big men in the NBA, he could find a spot on a team as a solid role player.

JaMychal Green

Strengths

Athletic

Strong finisher around the rim

Very effective blocker

Weaknesses

Behavior issues

Jump shot

Free-throw shooting

Many teams shy away from Green due to his off-the-court issues, but the athletic big man is worth taking a chance on. At 6'8", 228 pounds, Green was a consistent rebounder for Alabama during his four years and a put-back machine.

He blocks nearly anything in sight and can be very effective on both sides of the floor when he plays to his potential.

Green will likely be drafted sometime in the second round due to character issues, but he could pan out nicely for some lucky team in a year or two.

Kim English

Strengths

Knock down shooter

High IQ

Solid defender

Weaknesses

One-dimensional

Isn't extremely athletic

NBA teams are always in the market for shooters, and that's the reason English will have a chance at the next level. His senior season at Missouri, he shot 45 percent from beyond the arc, while averaging nearly five attempts a game.

Here's what NBA writer Rob Reheuser said about his game. 

"

Unlike many players at the PIT who are stuck between positions or trying to re-invent themselves in the months leading up to the NBA Draft, English is pretty well defined at this stage of the game. He's an NBA-caliber shooter.

Watching him now it's hard to envision him ever shooting below 40 percent. His form is tight and consistent. He gets it off quick. He shoots it in rhythm and with confidence.

"

English may not bring many other things to the table, but imagining him in a Daequan Cook like role is extremely possible.