2012 NBA Mock Draft: Young Players Who Are Ready for the Big Stage

When you know you're ready for the NBA, you know, even if you're just a freshman in college.

The last thing you want when you're declaring for the draft is to be too old for teams to take a chance on you, but you also don't want to be so young and unproven that no teams are willing to take a chance on you. It's a balancing act, but it's one this year's young prospects have managed extremely well.

The most important thing is to strike while the iron's hot before you give your stock a chance to fall.  As a very wise man named Alexander Skarsgard once said, there's going to come a time when no one on the playground will want to play with you, so you have to take advantage while you can.

Leaving college after one or two seasons is a dangerous trend, but it's a trend nonetheless, and it's gaining traction thanks to a very talented group of young players on this year's board. Here's a complete first-round mock with a special emphasis on young talent that will kill it at the next level.

1. Charlotte Bobcats: Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky

There's no college player in the nation who's more ready for the NBA's big stage than Anthony Davis. Barring the apocalypse, he'll be the first pick this year, and for good reason: After putting up 14.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game during his championship run at Kentucky, there was absolutely no one who could compete with him.

Davis is the prototypical size (6'10") for an NBA power forward, and he has both the skill and the mentality to be an immediate factor next season. He's a threat on offense, he's a threat on defense, and though he won't be able to overpower everyone based on size alone next season, he won't need much of an adjustment period to be able to compete.

It's a long shot to say Charlotte is capable of building a championship contender immediately because we're talking about a team that has managed to establish record-setting futility, but Davis is definitely a smart first step.

2. Washington Wizards: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky

Gilchrist needs to step it up offensively, particularly when it comes to his shot selection, but he's a high-character player with an unflagging motor.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Bradley Beal, SG, Florida

Whereas Davis is the most NBA-ready forward available on this year's board, Beal is the most NBA-ready guard. The scouts are excited about him for an abundance of reasons, but primarily for his versatility and his scoring prowess. He averaged 14.8 points in his one season at Florida and almost single-handedly carried the Gators much farther in March Madness than anyone had predicted.

That deep run only enhanced his draft stock, which was already soaring after his high school campaign. Not only is his offense an asset that can't be overlooked, but his performance on the boards is surprisingly solid as well, given his size (6'4"). 

It's likely that Beal will challenge Gilchrist for the honor of going second overall in the draft, and for good reason. He, like Davis, isn't a player who will need a lengthy, post-draft adjustment period. He's good to go now.

4. New Orleans Hornets: Andre Drummond, C, UConn

There is no certainty that Drummond is entirely ready for the NBA. Though he's 6'10" and 270 pounds, he didn't have the kind of dominant year many expected from someone his size. But despite being a riskier pick, he still has a high ceiling.

5. Sacramento Kings: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

Scouts have described Robinson as one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft, according to ESPN.com's Chad Ford. He's a little older than Davis and Gilchrist, but he still has everything they have—the athleticism, the motor, the toughness—but the only thing that sets him back a notch is his slightly undersized, 6'9" stature.

There are still enough pluses with Robinson to make up for his physical shortcomings. For one, he has a monster 7'1" wingspan, and he's shown marked improvement each year at Kansas. Last season, he averaged 17.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, leading his overachieving Jayhawks team to the national championship game (where he lost to those two players sitting a little bit higher on the draft board).

Robinson may not have the ideal physical makeup for an NBA 4, but he has the mental makeup, which, all things considered, is just as valuable. He's fearless, and he supplements that fearlessness with pure skill.

6. Portland Trail Blazers: Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina

Like Gilchrist, he's shown limitations as far as creating shots for himself, and though he's the right size at 6'8", he needs to learn how to use that size to attack the hoop.

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

He's a tough player and a hard worker, and though he has a reputation for being a soft big man at 6'11", he has the size, the speed and the skill to silence his critics.

8. Toronto Raptors: Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State

Lillard was one of the top scorers in the NCAA last season, registering 24.5 points and 4.0 assists per game. He just needs to shore up his passing skills.

9. Detroit Pistons: Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State

There isn't a lot about Sullinger's game that needs work, but he doesn't compare to the other frontcourt prospects in terms of athleticism and speed.

10. New Orleans Hornets: Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina

Marshall is the opposite of Lillard: He needs to shore up his offense, but as it stands, he may be the best passer in college basketball. But with only 7.8 points per game, he's somewhat of an offensive liability.

11.  Portland Trail Blazers: Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina

He may be seven feet tall, but Zeller doesn't have many shortcomings in terms of athleticism. With 16.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, he's proven to be a solid contributor on both ends of the floor.

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

He's long and lean, but he really needs to bulk up and get stronger before he can use his frame against NBA 4s who will seriously outmuscle him.

13. Phoenix Suns:  Austin Rivers, SG, Duke

First thing on the agenda for the Suns this summer will most likely be replacing Steve Nash. While Rivers has many improvements to make in terms of his offense and his tendency to be a little bit selfish with the ball, he has a certain star quality that has the scouts excited.

14. Houston Rockets: Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky

Jones fell under the radar on a team full of superstars last season, but with an improved focus, he can be a big surprise in the NBA next season. He has the versatility and the talent to be a top commodity at the next level—he just needs to prove he can be consistent, which is no small feat.

15. Philadelphia 76ers: Terrence Ross, SG, Washington

Ross is a great fit for the Sixers because of his offensive prowess: He's terrific from beyond the arc and tallied a team-leading 15.3 points per game last season for the Huskies. His draft stock continues to rise every week, and he could even hear his name called in the lottery.

16. Houston Rockets: Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois

Like Zeller, Leonard is getting a lot of attention because of his size, despite lacking explosive numbers last season. Though he's 7'1", he had 13.6 points and only 8.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks, but he has a high ceiling and will pay off huge if he reaches it.

17. Dallas Mavericks: Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn

If Jason Kidd retires or leaves Dallas, the Mavericks will be another team in need of a guard next season. Lamb's draft stock dipped with UConn's early exit from the NCAA tournament, and though his leadership skills need improvement, he has as much potential as any other guard available.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves: Arnett Moultrie, PF, Mississippi State

Here is a player who uses his size to his advantage on the boards. At 6'10", he can outmuscle anyone in the paint but also has a nice scoring touch from long range as well.

19. Orlando Magic: Tony Wroten, Jr., PG, Washington

Wroten has developed a reputation for being a bad teammate, but he's an excellent floor general who wasn't too shabby offensively last season, either—he tallied 16.7 points per game.

20. Denver Nuggets: Dion Waiters, PG/SG, Syracuse

He could provide instant offense off the bench in the college ranks, but will he be able to do the same at the next level? Waiters' draft stock could fall because of a lack of consistency—and a lack of a true position.

21. Boston Celtics: Fab Melo, C, Syracuse

The Celtics will luck out big-time if Melo is still on the board when they make their first selection. Given Kevin Garnett's impending free agency, they're going to have huge holes to fill in their frontcourt next season, and Melo—despite being a risky pick because of character issues—has so much potential, it will be impossible to pass on him.

22. Boston Celtics: Jeffery Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt

Taylor has shown a lot of development throughout his Vanderbilt career and is a pretty safe selection here. He's a consistent scorer with a great attitude and lots of athleticism.

23. Atlanta Hawks: Royce White, SF, Iowa State

It's impossible to talk about White without talking about his anxiety disorder, which is certain to scare off a lot of teams. But he played extremely well in the tournament and, at 6'8", will be a force at the 3 in the NBA.

24. Cleveland Cavaliers: Moe Harkless, SF, St. John's

He's one freshman departing early from the NCAA who does need a bit more development. He had a great freshman season, averaging 15.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, but he still has a ton of upside that he will likely fulfill.

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

After a brilliant second half of the season, Teague pushed himself into the first round of this draft. He falls into the category of point guards who need to improve offensively but are already terrific floor generals.

26. Indiana Pacers: Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

In Lamb, the Pacers will be getting a player who will instantly provide a tremendous boost off the bench. He shot 52 percent from beyond the arc last year and is a quick, aggressive defender.

27. Miami Heat: Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor

Miller will be a huge steal for the Heat at this stage. He's versatile, and with some added strength (he's 6'9" and 210 pounds), he can be a beast in the paint.

28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure

Physically, he's already a threat, given his 6'9" stature, his long arms and his big hands, and his game still has room to develop, even after he averaged 18.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game last year.

29. Chicago Bulls: John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt

He definitely isn't as athletic as the other guards who will go earlier in the draft, but he's an offensive spark plug who is one of the best outside shooters available.

30. Golden State Warriors: Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt

His offense was pretty meager last season—he averaged 10.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game—but he also swatted away 2.0 shots per game, and at 6'11", someone will bite on him in the first round.