NBA Draft 2012: A Look at the Potential Top 10 Picks

The 2012 NBA Draft is loaded with talent. Teams that were bottom feeders such as the Charlotte Bobcats and Washington Wizards are anxiously awaiting the NBA lottery so they can see which pick they land. The No. 1 pick is a bit of obvious selection as Anthony Davis out of the University of Kentucky was an animal this season.

It will be the No. 2 pick where things get interesting. Two players that stand out are former Kansas Jayhawk Thomas Robinson, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, another player out of the NCAA champion Kentucky Wildcats.

You can't go wrong with either player, and honestly it will depend on which team receives the No. 2 overall pick. If the Washington Wizards receive the pick, the best choice would be Thomas Robinson, because this team desperately needs help on the front line.

Robinson is a beast at the 4-position, and at 6'10" he has great size and athleticism. He dominated the Big 12, averaging 18 points and 12 boards per game. What makes this pick even more intriguing is that he is a hometown kid, and is a native of the Washington D.C area. Matching Robinson with John Wall would give the Wizards great young talent.

My third best player in this draft is obviously Kidd-Gilchrist. This player is a walking double-double, and whichever team he lands on will love him. He has a great motor, as evidenced by his play this season. He is willing to work harder than anyone on the court, and he has tremendous heart.

The fourth best player in the draft is Andre Drummond out of UConn. He has a ton of potential, but didn't necessarily flourish during his time at Connecticut. He already looks like a grown man, and he stands 6'11" and 270 pounds. He may need a little bit of time to develop to truly reach his potential; but you can't teach that height and athleticism. 

No. 5 don't look past Bradley Beal from the University of Florida. He is a sniper from the outside, and has the athleticism to take it to the rack. Think young Ray Allen, but a little bit quicker. Beal will be an immediate impact type player at the next level.

At No. 6, Harrison Barnes out of North Carolina. He is a very solid jump shooter, and is lethal off of the dribble; particularly off of one bounce. Barnes has solid size at 6'8" and is also a capable defender. One knock on Barnes is, he has a tendency to disappear at times, and isn't great at making decisions passing the ball. Overall, he is a player that will be a very solid NBA 2-guard or small forward.

For the No. 7 Pick, Jeremy Lamb out of UConn is a great player. He will make any team better and is great at all facets of the game. Lamb has prototypical size at 6'5" and has a nice jumper. He has the ability to take you off the dribble and also has a great mid-range game as well.

One thing that has NBA scouts drooling is his monstrous wingspan, which makes him 7'1". That is a tremendous plus and he will be a tremendous defender at the next level. 

The No. 8 overall player is Perry Jones, the 6'11" PF out of Baylor. He is very athletic, and is perfect for an uptempo offense in the NBA. His athleticism reminds me a bit of Tyrus Thomas. He can flat out sky, and will be a solid rebounder once he adds a bit of weight.

At No. 9, John Henson, the power forward out of North Carolina. He is very, very athletic, and is an excellent shot blocker. His low post moves need a bit of work, but he is perfectly capable of producing consistent double doubles. Like Jones, he needs to add some weight to reach his potential, but he runs the floor like a gazelle.

Another Tar Heel Prospect that rounds out the top 10 is Kendall Marshall. He is a true point guard, and will facilitate any offense, because basketball IQ; he is basically a coach on the floor. He was the heart and soul of North Carolina's team this season, and his scoring picked up towards the end of the year. His vision is great, and he has amazing size for a point guard at 6'4". The NBA is full of talented point guards, and Marshall appears to be next in line.

Overall, the top 10 of this draft is extremely talented, and you can't go wrong with any of these players.

Anthony Davis at the top spot is the closest thing you can get to Bill Russell. He will be an absolute stud, but the players behind him are very talented as well.

With the draft a month away, these players are about to realize their dreams of playing in the NBA.