2012 NBA Mock Draft: Damian Lillard and Mid-Major Players That Will Make Noise

There were two NBA All-Stars that played their collegiate basketball at a mid-major program this season. One of them is reigning MVP, Derrick Rose, though his Memphis Tigers will be joining the Big East after the upcoming season.

The mid-major programs have become a steady supplier of quality NBA talent over the years, and the 2012 draft will have its share.

Let's take a look at some of the top talent headed to the NBA that doesn't hail from the major conferences.

Here is a full first-round mock draft with a spotlight on the top prospects from mid-major programs.

This is a prediction of who each team will select, not necessarily who I believe they should draft.

(Spotlighted players and teams will be italicized)

1. Charlotte Bobcats: Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky

Davis will be the safe pick, and he does have great length and athleticism, but there are two players in the draft with higher upside. That said, the Bobcats would still be getting one of the best defensive players the draft has produced in the last five years. 

2. Washington Wizards: Andre Drummond, PF/C, UConn

If I had the top pick, I'd use it on Drummond. No player in this draft has as much upside. He is 6'10" and 270 pounds, explosive athletically and he's only 18 years old. He already has one year of college under his belt, and he'll only get better.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky

MKG is a stat-sheet stuffer and he'd be an excellent wing player in Cleveland. He, Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson would be excellent building blocks for the rebuilding Cavs.

4. New Orleans Hornets: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

Robinson is the safe choice for a franchise trying to build its value. Robinson is a hard-working athlete that will score and rebound from day one. He is my early favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year.

5. Sacramento Kings: Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina

Barnes is an excellent wing prospect, but he's not an alpha male. He's more of a quiet leader that could help the Kings if Tyreke Evans elevates his game. But Barnes could get lost amidst the Kings' futility.

6. Portland Trailblazers (Via Brooklyn Nets): Bradley Beal, SG, Florida  

I'm not nearly as high on Beal as many people are. I wonder about his ability to get his shot in the NBA, as I feel he'll measure at about 6'3". That said, he does play a little bigger than his size; he's also a good shooter and rebounder from the 2-guard position. 

7. Golden State Warriors: Perry Jones III, SF/PF, Baylor

PJ3's upside is only trumped by Drummond's in this class. He has been criticized for underachieving, but it's possible he will be a better in the NBA than he was in college. He reminds me of Lamar Odom with his versatility and size. 

8. Toronto Raptors: Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina

Marshall is a pure point guard, the Raptors need a younger floor general to lead what could be a big and formidable lineup next season. Marshall is the kind of calming presence the Raptors need. 

9. Detroit Pistons: Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn

Lamb would represent a significant upgrade at the 2-guard for the Pistons. Signing Ben Gordon was a mistake and Lamb has the size and versatility to mesh well with Brandon Knight in the backcourt. 

10. New Orleans Hornets (from Minnesota): Austin Rivers, SG, Duke

The Hornets add some star power here with Rivers. Some may call me crazy for placing him here, but his game is made for the NBA. I expect his stock to soar once pre-draft workouts are in full swing. 

11. Portland Trailblazers: Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina

The Blazers need a center to play next to LaMarcus Aldridge. They have had difficulties keeping their bigs healthy in the past, so hopefully their next attempt will be more successful.

Zeller is athletic and a legit seven-footer. He could boost Portland's interior defense and rebounding. 

12. Milwaukee Bucks: John Henson, PF/C, North Carolina

Henson is a solid defender with length and athleticism. He is one of three excellent shot-blockers in this draft class. That defensive prowess would endear him to Bucks coach Scott Skiles. 

13. Phoenix Suns: Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State

Lillard is explosive; he is a scoring point guard with excellent quickness and leaping ability. He's 6'3" and 195 pounds and he averaged 24 points per game in his senior season at Weber State.

There are some questions about his playmaking skills, as he averaged only four assists per game, but the vision is there.

His instincts are clearly as a scorer though. If the Suns draft him, he could be taking over for future Hall of Famer Steve Nash. His scorer's mentality would give Suns fans a look they haven't seen from their point guard since Kevin Johnson was playing.  

14. Houston Rockets: Arnett Moultrie, PF/C, Mississippi State

By the time the NBA draft rolls around, it would not shock me if Moultrie's stock has soared above this area of the draft.

Athletic big men with length, athleticism and defensive acumen tend to get a lot of attention around draft time. The Rockets need a center badly and this would be a solid pick.

15. Philadelphia 76ers: Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State

Sullinger can score and he'll be a solid rebounder. He'll probably slip this far because of concerns about his height and lack of athleticism. 

16. Houston Rockets (from N.Y. Knicks): Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse

Waiters has some exciting one-on-one moves, but he's a little undersized at 6'3". He also needs to improve his outside shot, but he may be enough to allow the Rockets to part with Kevin Martin.

17. Dallas Mavericks: Terrence Ross, SF, Washington

The Mavs need youth at nearly every spot. Because of that, they are in the position to draft the best player available. Considering Ross' athleticism, I think he makes a lot of sense for Dallas here. 

18. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Utah Jazz): Terrence Jones, SF, Kentucky

Jones reminds me a lot of Al Harrington. He has the size to play the PF position, but his game is perimeter-based. He can shoot the three and that is something the T'Wolves need for Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love. 

19. Orlando Magic: Fab Melo, C, Syracuse

The Magic have to do something to protect themselves from a possible Dwight Howard exit. Melo is a solid shot-blocker, interior defender and rebounder. He won't make anyone forget Howard—if he were to leave—but at least the void won't be quite as big. 

20. Denver Nuggets: Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor

Miller has a ton of talent, but he needed to stay at Baylor for another year. He is rail thin and I saw his lack of physical strength exposed during his freshman season—most notably against the scrappy Missouri Tigers in the Big 12 title game.

The Nuggets are building a nice front line. Miller could potentially help them out. 

21. Boston Celtics: Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure

I love this kid's game. He reminds me of a right-handed Zach Randolph. It may not be flashy, but when you look at the box scores, he usually has 18 points and eight rebounds.

That is almost exactly what Nicholson produced for the Bonnies this past season. He put in 18.4 points and 8.5 rebounds in leading his team to the NCAA tournament.

He has marvelous footwork and a nice shooting touch. If this is the final year we'll see Kevin Garnett in a Celtics uniform, Nicholson isn't a bad player to bring in.

22. Boston Celtics: John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt

In back-to-back picks, the Celtics could find replacements for two members of the Big Three. Jenkins is a pure shooter; he connected on more than 40 percent of his threes last season. Drafting him could soften the blow of possibly losing Ray Allen to free agency. 

23. Atlanta Hawks: Jeff Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt

The Hawks have waited long enough for Marvin Williams to step up. He hasn't ever lived up to his No. 2 selection in the 2005 NBA draft. Taylor is an athletic prospect with a scorer's mentality. This would be a sensible selection.

24. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Los Angeles Lakers): Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois

The Cavs could use a dependable backup center for Anderson Varejao. Leonard is a legit seven-footer with length and athleticism. He probably should have stayed one more year, but he could offer some reserve minutes in year one. 

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Tony Wroten, PG/SG, Washington

Wroten is an exciting prospect and he could offer the Grizzlies insurance in case they lose O.J. Mayo to free agency. He can play either guard position, but he must improve his outside shooting. He shot 16 percent from three-point range this past season. 

26. Indiana Pacers: Moe Harkless, SF/PF, St. John's

The Pacers are building a nice young nucleus. If they revisit ideas of trading Danny Granger, Harkless would be a solid replacement at SF. He is a solid inside-outside scoring threat and a good rebounder. 

27. Miami Heat: Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt

The Heat lack size and Ezeli is a big-bodied center that could give them a physical presence in the middle. It is one of the Heat's few weaknesses, and Ezeli could also address their other issue, which is depth.

28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky 

Teague has some talent, but he is another player that would have benefited from another year in school. The Thunder need depth at point guard as they gauge how well Eric Maynor recovers from his knee injury. 

29. Chicago Bulls: Will Barton, SG, Memphis

The Bulls still need a 2-guard. Richard Hamilton has not given the team the lift they hoped for, and they will still be trying to fill that void in the draft.

Barton is a wiry and athletic scoring guard. He averaged 18 points and eight rebounds per game in his sophomore season at Memphis.

I expect his draft stock to rise after pre-draft workouts, and he'll work his way into the first round. If the Bulls take him, they could have an all-Memphis backcourt once Rose returns from his knee injury.

30. Golden State Warriors (via San Antonio Spurs): Tu Holloway, PG, Xavier

The Warriors have Stephen Curry at the point, but he has a gimpy ankle. Even if he's healthy, the team needs a reliable back up. Holloway is one of the most underrated players in the nation in my opinion.

He's a scoring point guard, but that isn't a bad thing if he's a sixth man. Holloway could provide nice depth and insurance for the Warriors behind Curry. He averaged 17 points and just under five assists per game last season.

He is another player that I expect will climb draft boards after pre-draft workouts. 

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