NBA Draft 2012: 10 Non-Lottery Picks Who Will Shine

The 2012 NBA draft is loaded with talent, and teams outside of the lottery have the opportunity to land outstanding players. Over the years, there have been a fair share of lottery busts. Remember Michael Olowakandi?

How about Greg Oden or Kwame Brown?

Players in the lottery aren't always a sure thing, and if that were the case, then the Charlotte Bobcats and Washington Wizards would be contending for NBA Championships by now. These players likely have the best potential, but that doesn’t always translate to the court.

Here are 10 non-lottery players who will shine in 2012.

10. Royce White

Royce White is a very interesting prospect because he only spent one year playing for the Iowa State Cyclones. In his first season, he was very solid, averaging 13 points and five boards to go with five assists.

It's this versatility that makes him intriguing to NBA scouts, along with his size of 6'8" and 250 pounds. One thing that is a concern for White is that he is a horrible free-throw shooter, and he shot 50 percent from the line.

In his last game of the season against the eventual champion Kentucky Wildcats, he filled the stat sheet with 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. White may be a work in progress, but he is worth a shot in the first round.

9. Meyers Leonard

Leonard is a player who really came on in his sophomore campaign for the Illinois Fighting Illini. In his second year, he averaged right around 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.

He is not even close to as good as he can be, and he has the potential to be pretty damn good. You can’t coach 7’0”, and Leonard is 7’1” and 245 pounds, with a frame that can only add more muscle over time.

What you are getting from Leonard is a big who can come off the bench or potentially start and eventually develop into a double-double type of player in the NBA. He will be a solid defender from day one as well.

8. Terrence Ross

Ross is the type of player that will give you instant offense in the NBA. At 6'6", he has great size and will likely play either the 2 or 3 at the next level.

He basically carried his team to the NIT finals this year, and averaged 25 points per game in this stretch. On the season, he averaged 15 points and under seven boards per game while leading his team to a Pac-12 regular season championship.

He is an efficient scorer who shot 46 percent from the field and 37 percent from three while knocking down 77 percent of his free-throws.

His length will make him very difficult to match up with, and he will also be a very solid defender because of his amazing quickness and athleticism.

7. Marquis Teague

At 6'2", Marquis Teague has great size for a point guard in the NBA. He is a bit underdeveloped, but he has the potential to be solid player and will likely take time to hit his stride; much like his brother.

If drafted by the right squad, he will have the chance to develop into a solid distributor. He started off the season a bit slow, but towards the end of the year, he showed significant improvement.

He was yet another Kentucky Wildcat who averaged 10 points in the starting lineup.

6. Fab Melo

Fab Melo is an extremely athletic at 7'0" and will develop into a very solid rebounder. Melo was a huge loss for Syracuse just before the tournament, and with him, they would have likely made a much deeper run in the NCAA tournament.

He is a player that will be able to contribute from day one because of his size. Once he learns a bit of discipline, he will be very solid.

5. Moe Harkless

Moe Harkless has a tremendous amount of talent, which is why he was so highly recruited out of high school. He was the No.1 player in New York, and ESPN had him rated as the 39th-overall player in the top 100.

As a true freshman, he didn't disappoint St. John's fans and averaged just shy of a double-double, pulling in 16 points and nine boards. He needs to work on his free-throws—he averaged right around 68 percent from the stripe—but other than that, you can't knock this kid's game.

At 6'8", he has a lethal wingspan of 7'2", and this will eventually make him a great defender in the league for years to come. He reminds me of Iman Shumpert of the New York Knicks, but with better offensive skills.

4. Dion Waiters

Waiters was the glue that kept Syracuse together in the 2011-2012 season. He averaged 12 points with two boards and a pair of assists while helping the Orange dominate the Big East.

At 6'4", he has great size to play combo guard and can play the 1 or 2 at the NBA level. He is a flat-out scorer and will help any team that grabs him on the offensive end.

3. Jeffery Taylor

Taylor is very underrated, but this player is extremely athletic, and at 6'7", he can play several positions and is very versatile. He is great on defense and is underrated on offense as well.

He was the player, along with John Jenkins, who made the Commodores tick in 2011-2012. He led the team in scoring with 16 and six rebounds per game.

The team that lands Taylor will be getting a very solid player who will be very capable in the NBA.

2. Doron Lamb

Doron Lamb has a pure jump shot, and he torched the Kansas Jayhawks in the NCAA Championship game when he helped lead the Wildcats to victory with 22 points.

On the year, Lamb was second on the team in scoring with just under 14 a game, and he shot 46 percent from deep, which shows he will be able to stretch defenses at the NBA level. Any team looking for a 2-guard will love to have this guy, and they are getting a great player in Lamb.

He is a tough defender, very unselfish and has the ceiling to only get better. At 6’4”, he has great size for an off-guard at the NBA level and what scouts have to love is he is extremely coach-able.

He showed he can play point guard and handle the ball when called upon, and that is invaluable on any team. Whatever team picks up Lamb is getting a steal in the first round.

John Henson

John Henson is one of the more athletic players in the entire draft at 6'10" with a 7'4" wingspan. He was dominant at times for the Tar Heels, and he is a steal outside of the lottery in the 2012 NBA draft.

He was an outstanding shot blocker as well averaging about three blocks per game.

He is always a threat for a double-double and is an outstanding rebounder who plays above the rim. His jumping ability is fantastic, and he has great timing as well.

He shoots right around 50 percent from the field, and he will not force shots in any game situation. He will likely be a starter from day one in the NBA.