NBA Draft 2012: Andre Drummond and Players That Teams Should Gamble on

"Potential" is a word that's thrown around a lot when evaluating NBA prospects. Effectively analyzing a prospect's potential can be the difference between bombing and soaring in the offseason.

There are many players gunning for the NBA who we've pegged down to an extent. But every year, there are the inconsistent, the raw, the questionable. 

Sometimes, the question marks can turn into exclamation marks, however. Here's a look at some first-round prospects I would take a chance on.

5. Will Barton, SG, Memphis

I've been calling for the Chicago Bulls to grab Will Barton in the draft for a long time. And now, Chad Ford of ESPN has moved him ahead of Vanderbilt's John Jenkins—rightfully so.

Barton has the athleticism and length to translate well to the NBA, and his scoring ability, combined with his rebounding, would make him a nice fit alongside Derrick Rose in Chicago. He also was the unquestioned leader for Memphis during their NCAA tournament run this past season.  

4. Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

Marquis Teague is seen as a risk in the first round because he still has some room to grow and he only played one year at Kentucky. But anyone who followed this kid throughout his freshman season with the Wildcats knows he grew exponentially by the time the NCAA tournament came around.

He has the potential to be a well-balanced player in the NBA, with the ability to drop buckets and set up his teammates. It doesn't hurt that he was groomed under John Calipari. He's a legit first-rounder in my opinion.

3. Austin Rivers, SG, Duke

I thought Austin Rivers was overrated from the start at Duke, but that doesn't change the fact that I still think he could become a dynamic scorer in the NBA. People are down on Rivers now simply because everyone expected too much out of him from the beginning.

He's not the point guard people thought he could be, but he still has the tools to be an electric scorer at shooting guard given time. He needs to play more within the game, but with some coaching, he could be special.

2. Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky

Terrence Jones is still considered a gamble to some because of his troubles throughout his time at Kentucky, ranging from inconsistency to immaturity. But that is grasping on to the past and ignoring what Jones did in the NCAA tournament this year. Jones played composed, smart basketball in the tournament, playing within the game.

He also has the skill set to be the next Lamar Odom (pre-Dallas). He's more a sure thing than some people think.

1. Andre Drummond, C, Connecticut

Will Andre Drummond ever display the desire to be a star in the NBA? Nobody knows for sure. But what we do know is that his athleticism and explosiveness has drawn comparisons to a young Dwight Howard.

We also know that elite centers are extremely hard to come by. Whenever you have the chance to draft a center with elite potential, you have to go for it. Drummond could become the next Dwight Howard or the next Kwame Brown, but his potential alone makes him a sure-fire top-10 pick in the draft.

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