2012 NBA Mock Draft: Fab Melo and the Biggest Potential 1st-Round Steals

For all the hype surrounding Anthony Davis, Bradley Beal and the rest of the top prospects expected to go early in this year's lottery, there's not a lot being made of the players who will go later in the round yet still have the potential to make just as big an impact as the bona fide stars. 

This draft has been heralded as one that's weak in the point guard department, but there are several viable options that will likely fall to the middle or to the bottom of the first-round heap but could make a drastic impact on a team like the Clippers or the Mavericks next season. 

Here's a complete first-round mock with a special emphasis on the steals to be had later in the first round. 

1. Charlotte Bobcats: Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky

The Bobcats were one of the worst teams in NBA history this season, but winning the lottery for the right to select the best player in college basketball could help make up for it. 

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

Kidd-Gilchrist provides more than a super-athletic, super-physical forward with a lot of upside. He can offer the Wizards the kind of leadership presence they need to develop an identity. 

3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Bradley Beal, SG, Florida

Beal is the best guard in the draft and has the skills to step in immediately. He has a great work ethic, and his shot is still likely to improve, so he will only become more dangerous with time. 

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

He will be a hot commodity at 6'11" despite failing to be quite as dominant as scouts would have liked to see from someone his size. Inconsistencies aside, he's a solid rebounder, shot-blocker and overall defender. 

5. Sacramento Kings: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

Robinson is good enough to go anywhere in the top five. He's a consistent shooter all over the court and plays with the kind of fire and intensity coaches will love. 

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

Barnes is capable of immediately helping Portland with his offense. He racked up 17.1 points per game last season to lead a talented Tar Heels squad in scoring. 

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

If he performs up to his potential, the Warriors will get terrific value out of Jones, who has the skills to go higher. He has not quite been able to shake the criticism that he's soft and passive, though. 

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

He can play at either the 1 or the 2, and though he's more of a natural point guard than a player like Beal, his court vision is not quite as strong. 

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

What he lacks in explosive athleticism, he makes up for with his strength and his physicality. He's also great on the boards, averaging 9.2 rebounds per game with the Buckeyes last season. 

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

Marshall falls just below Lillard in the draft because he's not quite as quick, but he established himself as one of the best passers in the college ranks in 2011-12. 

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

Zeller is a true 7-footer who's very mobile for someone his size. He's a decent shooter from the field, too—he just needs to get stronger to be able to fully utilize his big frame. 

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

The biggest selling point on Henson is that he's very long and lean, but he's also not as strong or powerful as a Sullinger or a Jones. Still, once he does add some muscle, he'll be a force at 6'11". 

13. Phoenix Suns:  Austin Rivers, SG, Duke

Rivers is one player who can certainly capitalize on the fact that there are not a ton of great guards in this draft. He's not the greatest athlete and really needs to improve his shot selection and his passing skills, but he has a certain star quality the scouts are fawning over. 

If this had been a draft teeming with guards, Rivers might have slid a lot lower than No. 13—and he still might—but he's an excellent player who can make the Suns look very good if he learns how to function within a team instead of as the one-man Austin Rivers show. He was the top prospect coming out of high school in 2011, yet he will still be available at the end of the lottery—great news for Phoenix. 

Rivers fits in particularly well with the Suns because they are likely to lose Steve Nash to free agency. In Rivers, the Suns can be assured that they have a player who will work tirelessly to measure up to not only the team's standards, but his own. This is a player who truly wants to be the best of the best. 

14. Houston Rockets: Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky

Like many of the other young players in this draft, Jones still needs to establish some consistency in his performance and in his effort level, but his nearly 7'3" wingspan and his shooting skills will push him into the lottery. 

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

Despite being one of the most dangerous shooters available in this draft, Ross is also one of the most underrated and probably deserves to go higher on the board but won't.

The rest of the league's loss is Philadelphia's gain. As we have seen from this year's postseason, the Sixers are a young and unflagging team, but they are rarely going to shoot anyone's lights out. That's why Ross is a perfect fit for them: He has a smooth release, does an excellent job of creating shots for himself and is particularly dangerous from beyond the arc.

He does need to show some improvement in terms of his shot selection, but he's dangerous all over the floor, and that's something Philadelphia desperately needs. 

The best thing that could happen to the Sixers in this draft would be if Ross fell out of the lottery. 

16. Houston Rockets: Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois

At 7 feet, Leonard is an excellent asset on the defensive end, but he needs a lot of development offensively before he becomes a complete package. 

17. Dallas Mavericks: Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn

The Mavericks will likely need a guard here, with Jason Kidd possibly leaving in free agency—and even if Kidd stays, Lamb is a perfect candidate to play behind him for a season or two and provide some solid offense off the bench. 

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

Scouts have character concerns about Moultrie stemming from his decision to transfer from UTEP at the end of the 2009-10 season, but he's a strong, athletic big man who still possesses speed and a good presence on the boards. 

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

Wroten is one of the better guards in this draft when it comes to creating offense for his teammates, but he's a bit turnover-prone and tends to play out of control. 

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

Waiters may not be the best shooter, but he's incredibly aggressive on defense and can power his way to the hoop. 

21. Boston Celtics: Fab Melo, C, Syracuse

Considering the kind of hype surrounding Fab Melo earlier this season, the Celtics might be the luckiest team in the NBA if they are able to grab him this far back in the order. 

Melo is far from a safe player, but his upside is so tremendous, it makes him a risk worth taking. He had a variety of academic concerns during his short time at Syracuse, and one suspension kept him out of the NCAA tournament. But when he does play, his impact is huge. He registered 2.9 blocks per game last year, and given his limited experience, that can be expected to improve. 

Ever since they traded Kendrick Perkins away to Oklahoma City, the Celtics have had bust after bust in the frontcourt. Even if Kevin Garnett does stick around for another year, he's not a long-term option at center. Melo gives the Celtics a pure center who will seriously shore up their presence in the paint once again. 

22. Boston Celtics: Jeffery Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt

Taylor is one of the most athletic prospects still available, which is something the aging, ailing Celtics need. He also shot almost 50 percent from the field last season. 

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

White is a player with the talent to go much higher, but he's also afflicted by an anxiety disorder that has made a lot of teams question whether he will end up being a bust. 

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

With the right picks in this draft, the Kyrie Irving-led Cavs can become the new Oklahoma City. Harkless is excellent on both ends of the floor and will be unstoppable once he consistently uses his 6'8" frame to his advantage. 

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

He's incredibly quick and does a great job pressuring opposing defenses when he's pushing the tempo, but he, like Wroten, plays a bit out of control. 

26. Indiana Pacers: Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

Lamb paled a bit in comparison to the rest of his Kentucky teammates, but that's only because there was so much talent around him. Even so, he managed to emerge as one of the most clutch and consistent shooters on the team. 

27. Miami Heat: Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor

At 6'9" and 210 pounds, he can play at either forward position and is a very athletic, tireless defender. 

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

Nicholson's game has improved steadily over four years with the Bonnies, and after developing his shot-blocking and rebounding skills further last season, he's ready for the big time. 

29. Chicago Bulls: John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt

Jenkins will be an excellent option for the Bulls next season as a source of offense off the bench. He's a bit undersized at 6'4", but he averaged over 19 points per game in each of the last two seasons to prove his shooting makes up for it. 

30. Golden State Warriors: Draymond Green, SF, Michigan State

Like Nicholson, Green has managed to improve in each of his four years at Michigan, and he's solid in every regard: passing, shooting and rebounding.