2012 NBA Draft: The Updated Big Board, 3.0

Welcome to The Big Board, 3.0. For those of you that read my first Big Board and then my second Big Board (just a couple days ago), you'll notice that I broke each prospect down this week, due to several questions I had from readers. As we near the lottery drawing on May 30, I felt like it was time to get more in depth with the prospects.

A few reminders:

One, I'm not doing a mock draft until the lottery order is set. Until we actually have a draft order, it doesn't make any sense to try to slot players into certain spots. These are player rankings, not a draft order.

Two, all red flags due to injuries, character, fear of flying, etc. are thrown out the window. This is my ranking of who I think the best players are.

Tune back in after the lottery drawing for my Mock Draft 1.0. For now, here is the Big Board 3.0.

1. Anthony Davis, 6'10" Power Forward, Kentucky

Davis is far and away the most talented player on the board. You often hear of him being compared to Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett. I am buying those comparisons. His ceiling is the Hall of Fame.

Davis is going to help turn around the franchise that drafts him immediately. If he gets lucky enough to get drafted by a lottery team with another star (New Jersey, Washington), then Davis could lead his team to the playoffs as a rookie.

On a side note, I'm really hoping that Team USA picks Davis up for the summer Olympics. I think he could get some quality playing time and help the USA win the gold medal.

2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, 6'7" Small Forward, Kentucky

MKG is going to be a first-team All-Defense player. He is the ultimate glue guy, and I think he will develop into a 20-point-per-game scorer. I love his motor. A guy who plays as hard as he does is going to improve a ton.

I've heard MKG compared to Gerald Wallace and Corey Brewer, but I think both of those projections fall short. I see a little bit of Scottie Pippen in his all around game. He isn't a pure "point forward" the way Pippen was, but he is a devastating scorer in transition. He is a terrific rebounder, and he is going to be a shut-down defender.

3. Thomas Robinson, 6'9" Power Forward, Kansas

Robinson is a beast. I see his ceiling as being in the Amare Stoudemire range, only Robinson could be an even better rebounder. I love Robinson's motor, and I see him being a 20 and 10, maybe 22 and 11 guy at the NBA level.

The only question I have about Robinson is, "How tall is he really?" It's been discussed (here, here, and here) ad nausea, but if Robinson measures out at only 6'8" without shoes on, it will be interesting to see how GM's look at him. Robinson might slip a couple of spots due to his height, but I would still take Robinson before any of the other power forwards in the draft besides Davis.

4. Bradley Beal, 6'4" Shooting Guard, Florida

Beal is going to be an All-Star. He is a D-Wade, Ray Allen hybrid—a great athlete who is also a great shooter. He is the same size and a similar athlete to D-Wade. And he is a great shooter, just not quite in the category of a Ray Allen. Add that up, though, and you've got one heckuva player.

Beal is still only 18 years old, and he won't turn 19 until June 28. There is no doubt he is still going to fill out, and I wouldn't rule out the fact that he might grow another inch. Beal averaged 14.8 points per game for Florida this season, and while critics say he only shot 33.9 percent from the floor, I say, "Look at his shot!"

That shot is a thing of beauty. Beal is going to be a fantastic player in two or three years, and he should be able to step right in, at age 19, and be an impact rookie. It wouldn't shock me at all to see Beal go all the way up to the second pick in the draft.

5. Andre Drummond, 6'11" Center, UConn

You can't teach 6'11, 270 pounds. Drummond is huge, and he is a terrific athlete who can really run the floor. Drummond could end up being another Dwight Howard if he reaches his enormous potential, or if he does not, he could end up being similar to DeAndre Jordan, a mobile shot blocker who struggles to score on anything other than dunks.

Jordan has moved up and down my list, and he is the hardest guy to peg right now. Do you take a chance on a center who could be one of the three best at his position for the next 10-12 years? Or do you take a chance on a guard or a forward who will be a very solid player and might make a couple all-star teams?

This is a classic "high floor/low ceiling vs. low floor/high ceiling" dilemma. In the end, big guys that move like Drummond are too hard to find, so he gets the nod here.

6. Jeremy Lamb, 6'5" Shooting Guard, UConn

I have Lamb here because I see a lot of the same things in Lamb that I see in Beal. He is a little bigger/longer than Beal, and he has shown a devastating mid-range, curl-off-of-screens game similar to another UConn great, Rip Hamilton. I just gave Beal the nod because he is a slightly better shooter/athlete.

It makes you wonder, though, how was UCONN not better in 2012 with two players ranked in the top six of the NBA Draft?

Lamb is going to be a starter in the NBA, and he has a chance to be an All-Star. I could see him fall down some draft boards simply because of need. After those first four or five guys, teams might start targeting need. If they need a wing scorer, Lamb will be the pick.

7. Harrison Barnes, 6'8" Small Forward, North Carolina

I see a 2012 version of Glen Rice in Barnes, a 10-year starter who might be an All-Star. He is an elite shooter at his position, but he is only an above-average athlete who will struggle to get his own shot. I also think he'll have to work to be a good defender in the NBA. Still, he's a great shooter, and teams are lining up to find more scoring on the perimeter.

Barnes could slip a little bit, but compared to some of the other guys I have in this range, Barnes is the safest pick. You know what you're getting with Barnes. And while he's not going to be a superstar player, he is a shooter, and he fills a need for several teams.

8. Royce White, 6'8" Small Forward, Iowa State

I probably have White higher than anybody else. I love his game. At 6'8", 270 pounds, he is a beast at his position. He could play either forward spot. He reminds me of Charles Barkley. I know he has some off-the-court issues, but the Big Board is based strictly on talent, and White has a ton of talent. I think he will slide down draft boards and be the steal of the draft.

Think about it this way. When Iowa State played Kentucky, it was White against the six guys from Kentucky who are going to get drafted, and White dominated that game. If he can overcome his issues, White is going to be a heckuva player in the NBA.

9. Jared Sullinger, 6'9" Power Forward, Ohio State

I'm not as high on Sullinger as some people. I see a slightly better version of Big Baby Davis, a player good enough to be in a playoff team's rotation for sure, but undersized PFs that can't jump have struggled in the NBA. I see some bust potential here—the 2012 version of Sean May.

I think the best case scenario for Sullinger is that he improves his conditioning, quickness and mid-range game to the point he becomes a David West type PF, a below-the-rim player who can be a tough matchup for almost any player in the league.

It would not shock me at all if some of the other PFs on this list leapfrog Sullinger as we get closer to the draft.

10. Terrence Jones, 6'9" Power Forward, Kentucky

This is another player that I absolutely love, and I don't understand why he is so low on several mock drafts that I'm reading.

Jones is getting knocked for being a tweener, but I don't get that at all. Jones (6'9", 245 pounds) is basically the same size as Karl Malone (6'9", 250 pounds). He is a terrific shot-blocker. There is no doubt in my mind he can guard the power forward position in the NBA.

The question is, can power forwards guard him? Jones can handle the ball, and he runs the floor like a guard. I see some Lamar Odom in him, and for you 1990s Knicks' fans, I see some Anthony Mason in him. I think Jones is going to be a solid starter or a dynamite sixth man in the NBA.

11. Arnett Moultrie, 6'10" Power Forward, Mississippi State

Somebody is going to fall in love with this guy. Moultrie is 6'10", long, athletic and just oozing with potential. Moultrie can also shoot (54 percent), meaning that if he can translate his game to the NBA, you've got a power forward who can score, rebound and defend. That's the total package.

Don't be surprised at all if Moultrie shoots up several Big Boards, including this one, as we get closer to the draft.

12. Terrence Ross, 6'6" Shooting Guard, Washington

Ross is a guy that is I have rated pretty highly, and I think as we get closer to the draft, you're going to see him shoot up several teams' boards. He is a 6'6" shooting guard who can get his own shot. He is really good off the dribble, and he will be a good isolation player at the NBA level. Ross has the size to cover NBA shooting guards.

I don't see his upside being quite as high as Beal or Lamb, but he has the potential to be a starter in the NBA.

13. Kendall Marshall, 6'4" Point Guard, North Carolina

I think Marshall's game translates perfectly to the NBA. He played with three NBA players at North Carolina, and he ran that team beautifully. Marshall knows how to keep everybody on the floor happy.

You hear comparisons out there about Marshall and Jason Kidd, mostly because they are both 6'4" and see the floor so well. I think that is being very generous. Marshall is not in Kidd's league.

Marshall is going to be a 10-12 year starter in the NBA, and he'll be similar to where Kidd was at the end of his career—a player who can hit an occasional open jumper, play good defense and get the ball to his teammates in the right spots.

I see a poor man's Rajon Rondo in Marshall. If he ends up that good, he is a great value at this spot in the draft.

14. Tyler Zeller, 6'11" Center, North Carolina

Zeller is a "what you see is what you get" type of prospect.

He's not going to be an All-Star, but he could be a productive role player. He can score with either hand, and he can turn over either shoulder to score from either block. He runs the floor well, and he has improved every year at UNC. There is a lot to like about his game.

Zeller is going to go anywhere from 12-20 in the first round, meaning he lands on a team that isn't absolutely terrible. He won't have to be a savior. If he gets stronger, in a year or two I think he could be a nice role player in the NBA.

15. Perry Jones III, 6'11" Power Forward, Baylor

Jones has top-five talent and a second-round motor. There is a chance he could be an All-Star, and there is also a chance he could get his GM fired.

I am not a big fan of Jones at all. I see a guy who has an NBA body (6'11", 235 pounds) but really doesn't have an NBA-ready game. Jones looks awkward on offense, and he doesn't rebound the way a player with his size, length and athleticism should.

Basically, Jones has the same kind of talent as Anthony Davis, but he has never produced like Davis. I think Jones is a bust, but it would not surprise me at all if some GM falls in love and picks Jones much, much higher than this.

16. John Henson, 6'11" Power Forward, North Carolina

I really like Henson's game, and I feel guilty ranking PJ3 ahead of him. For now, I just have to give Jones the nod on the one percent chance that he figures things out and winds up being an All-Star. I do think Henson will be a good NBA player.

Henson is not anything like Brendan Wright, another slender UNC power forward who has been a disappointment thus far in his NBA career. Wright was 6'9", whereas Henson is 6'11". Henson is going to block a lot of shots and be a force on defense.

Will he be able to score consistently? I doubt it, but I see a modern-day John Salley in Henson—a shot blocker deluxe off the bench who can really add a lot to a contending team.

17. Tony Wroten, 6'5" Point Guard, Washington

Jason Kidd, Rajon Rondo, D-Wade, Derrick Rose—all explosive athletes on the perimeter who got by in the NBA without a consistent jumper. Of course, D-Rose and Kidd both became better shooters, but you get the point.

Tony Wroten is a great athlete. He is a 6'5" point guard who has a scorer's mentality. Wroten needs to become a better shooter, and as a young player, he needs to learn more about the nuances of the game. With all that being said, Wroten has a chance to be a special player, and he could be an absolute steal this late in the draft.

18. Meyers Leonard, 7'0" Center, Illinois

Meyers Leonard is a big, strong kid. He is a surprisingly good athlete, and I think this is going to be a guy several teams try to trade up for. You see, once we get to this part of the draft, we're dealing with teams that are in the playoffs. At this point, there are a ton of perimeter players that some teams might not be in love with.

If Meyers is sitting on the board at No. 18, I could see a team with a need for size (Atlanta, Miami, Boston, etc.) trying to trade up to get Leonard. Look at what Roy Hibbert is doing for Indiana right now. If you can find a good center this late in the draft, a true center who can protect the rim, it would be a steal for the team that lands him.

19. Marquis Teague, 6'2" Point Guard, Kentucky

Marquis Teague has one year's experience running an NBA team. He is a very quick point guard, but he's not in the upper class of ultra athletic point guards—Rose, Westbrook, Wall.

I think Teague has starting potential, and if he had come back to school, he probably would have been a top-10 pick next year. I have Teague over a couple other guys on the list simply because he is a pure point guard, and it's easier to project his game at the NBA level.

20. Austin Rivers, 6'4" Shooting Guard, Duke

Here is a player that I moved up a couple of spots. After listening to comments from fans and then discussing Rivers with them, I found myself comparing Rivers to James Harden. After thinking it over, I have to move Rivers up a couple of spots.

I don't think Rivers will be quite as good as Harden, but he will be a similar player. He is a tweener guard who isn't a great three-point shooter. But Rivers is great off the dribble, and he will be great in the pick-and-roll. I see him being a great sixth man in the NBA.

Best case scenario, he is a Harden Lite; worst case scenario, he is Ben Gordon. Either way, whoever gets Rivers is getting a scorer.

21. Damian Lillard, 6'2" Point Guard, Weber State

Lillard can score, and he is a good athlete. I have Teague as a higher rated point guard because I see a bigger upside for Teague. I could see Lillard going ahead of Teague in this range of picks if the team picking needs a starter point guard.

Lillard is probably more ready to step in right away and play than Teague, but I see Teague as being a better player in two or three years.

22. Moe Harkless, 6'8" Small Forward, St. John's

Harkless has the size you'd want in an NBA small forward, and he is an exceptional athlete. He is also a good finisher around the rim, as well as being a good rebounder. Harkless needs to improve his three-point shooting (21.5 percent) to reach his full potential at the next level, but with his overall talent, he could provide a spark off the bench right away.

If Harkless will work hard enough, he could be an NBA starter, making him one of the best values in the NBA draft in this range of picks.

23. Will Barton, 6'6" Shooting Guard, Memphis

When you get to this point in the draft, you're usually talking about teams that are looking for "rotation players"—guys who might help right away, or guys who they can develop for the future.

Barton is a 6'6" shooting guard who plays hard. He rebounds, defends, and he is a good scorer. He has the size teams are looking for on the wing, and I could see a team taking Barton in this range.

Best case scenario, he comes in and helps a playoff team's rotation right away. Worst case scenario, you've got a kid who in a couple of years might be good enough to start.

24. Fab Melo, 7'0" Center, Syracuse

Fab Melo is a shot-blocker. He has legit size (7'0", 244 pounds). He is never going to be a guy you can go to on the block and ask him to carry your offense. Melo would be a great value to a team that needs size, but he is a specialist.

He gets the nod over some of the other guys on the list because size is hard to find, and he is a bona fide shot-blocker.

25. Jeffery Taylor, 6'7" Small Forward, Vanderbilt

Taylor is an undersized small forward in the NBA, but he has the all-around game to make a good team's rotation. Taylor is only 6'7", but at 226 pounds, he is very strong. He is going to be a rebounder/defender off the bench for some team, and his three-point shooting (42 percent) will also be an asset off the bench.

Look at what Kawhi Leonard is doing for San Antonio right now. I don't think Taylor will be quite that good, but I think he could have a similar impact as a rookie. He plays very hard, and getting drafted this late, he's going to go to a team that is already pretty good.

26. Quincy Miller, 6'9" Small Forward, Baylor

I hate rating Quincy Miller this high because when I watched him for Baylor last season, I didn't understand why he was such a hyped prospect coming out of high school. To be fair, Miller tore his ACL as a senior, and he looks to have lost a step. Sometimes it takes a player around 18 months to fully recover all of his explosiveness from that type of injury, so maybe Miller will figure it out at the next level.

Miller has terrific size for a small forward, and he has great handles. Outside of that, I don't see anything else he does well. He's not a good rebounder, he's very weak physically, he's not a good defender, and he's a poor outside shooter with a low release.

Can you see this guy guarding LeBron James? I didn't think so. You can bet some GM is still going to roll the dice on Miller based on his size, length and potential. It is going to take Miller a couple of years to make it, if he makes it at all in the NBA.

27. Dion Waiters, 6'4" Shooting Guard, Syracuse

Dion Waiters could move up a couple spots between now and the draft, or he could fall to the bottom of the first round.

Waiters is another undersized two guard who isn't a great three-point shooter. However, Waiters is a great slasher, and he will get to the basket in the NBA. I could see him being a good scorer off the bench for somebody, but Waiters is a "low ceiling prospect" at this point in the draft.

28. Festus Ezeli, 6'11" Center, Vanderbilt

Ezeli is big, he is mobile, and those kind of guys are hard to find at the next level. It wouldn't surprise me to see Ezeli slide a few spots, even into the early second round. But it also wouldn't surprise me if a team that needs size takes him a few spots earlier.

I think Ezeli is a very low ceiling prospect, but he does offer size and could be a solid rotation player in the NBA.

29. Doron Lamb, 6'4" Shooting Guard, Kentucky

Need a shooter? Then Doron Lamb is your guy.

He's undersized, and I don't think he will ever be a starter in the NBA, but he could be a great defender/shooter off the bench. With Lamb, you know exactly what you're getting. He is going to struggle to guard his position in the NBA, but he can knock down open threes (46.6 percent).

30. Andrew Nicholson, 6'9" Power Forward, St. Bonaventure

Nicholson is 6'9", 220 pounds and very strong. He is an above-average athlete who finishes well, but I have some questions about his rebounding. If he is still on the board at this point in the draft, Nicholson is going to a really, really good team. He would have to fight to make the rotation, but having a 6'9" power forward on the bench is a great asset for any team.

I think Nicholson could eventually be a solid player in the NBA, but again, getting drafted this late means he would be fighting for playing time from Day One.