2012 NBA Mock Draft: One Reason to Fall in Love with Each 1st Round Prospect

There are a ton of really worthy players in the draft this year. They are young, strong and physically explosive. There are lots of options for teams at every position, with players who are NBA-ready right out of the draft.

No matter what a team is looking for, they'll be able to find it in this draft.

Anthony Davis

What's not to love about Anthony Davis? Well, besides the unibrow. Although it's growing on me.

There's a ton to love about Davis, but the biggest reason is his physicality. Davis is incredibly intense and has the length to back it up. He's often compared to Kevin Garnett in his type of play, and only one year old than Garnett was when he entered the NBA out of high school.

Thomas Robinson

The power forward out of Kansas is strong and athletic. The biggest reason to love him? He's 6'8”, athletic and has a huge 7'1” wingspan. Watching the playoffs shows just how much of a shooting league this is becoming. His reach will surely help out any team who picks him up, particularly a team who struggles on defense.

Andre Drummond

Andre Drummond of UConn is known as the fastest person on his team. This speed is something that any team can fall in love with. This guy gets a lot of criticism, but any team who needs his speed and athleticism would be smart to bear with him. He's compared to Amar'e Stoudemire and DeAndre Jordan, so he's worth the risk.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Kidd-Gilchrist out of Kentucky is a player who is athletic and has a seven-foot wingspan.

But there is a lot more to Kidd-Gilchrist.

He's known for having great character and a never-quit attitude. He's got a lot that needs work, like his ability to create shots, but these intangibles are things every team looks for and can benefit from.

Harrison Barnes

As odd as this sounds, Barnes' most lovable quality is that he has room to improve.

What I mean by that is that he is extremely athletic and has a ton of promising qualities, including being a quality human being.

Barnes will be able to fix a lot of his weaknesses in workouts and by working within a team once he's drafted, since they are mostly due to his youth. There he will be able to know his place in a team and fall into step.  

Bradley Beal

Bradley Beal is a freshman shooting guard. Entering the draft is big for not only him but for a lot of teams. He is young and has a lot to improve but the biggest thing to love is his ability to pass and create shots. This is something many teams are looking for right now. He's also an excellent shooter, so he's solid at the one or two.

Jeremy Lamb

Jeremy Lamb, out of UConn, has a lot of both upsides and downsides.

The biggest thing to love about him is his versatility. He can transition very well between a two and a three. He's got good ball-handling skills and a quick pull-up jumper, which makes him good at either spot.

At 6'5”, his 7'1” wingspan is something teams can get excited about, too.  

Austin Rivers

Rivers is another transition player, between a shooting guard and a point guard. The biggest thing to love about his game is, well, his game. He's young, only playing one year in college, but he exhibits very good control of the ball. He's got a good, smooth flow to his game which makes him attractive to many teams looking to add a solid 1/2 to their roster.

Perry Jones

Sophomore Perry Jones is the kind of young, athletic player that teams look for in the draft. Someone who has things you can't teach, like size and quickness. Jones is 6'11” and is one of the quickest players in the draft. His skills need polishing, but he's very young and this will undoubtedly come with time. It's the things you can teach that are the most lovable characteristics Jones has.

John Henson

John Henson out of North Carolina has a ton to love about him. He's taken the time to let his game mature in college and has consistently improved year after year. Henson is able to cover the court very well, making his defense something that teams will surely love. His 7'4” wingspan definitely helps out. His biggest criticism is that he's thin, but that can be fixed easily.

Kendall Marshall

Attention all teams looking to grab a point guard: Kendall Marshall is your guy. He's known for his leadership on the floor and the ability to create shots for his teammates. Compared to Mark Jackson and Jason Kidd, he'll be a good backup PG on any team. He's young, so allow some time for him to mature. His understanding of the flow of the game and ability to pass effectively is a huge thing to love about this guy.

Tyler Zeller

What you get with Tyler Zeller is a matured power forward/center who can create depth on the bench. He's very fast for a 6'11” player and has nailed the hook shot. He's taken the time to stay in college and get completely ready for the NBA. He could stand to gain a few pounds, but as-is he's a solid depth maker for any bench lacking at these positions.

Damian Lillard

Damian Lillard is a true point guard who is also an effective scorer. His shooting ability is certainly something to love about him, since he's one of the best scorers in the nation. Lillard can shoot, create shots and drive to the basket. If a team is looking for more offensive production out of their guards, then Lillard is a solid pick.

Jared Sullinger

Many say that Sullinger is the best post-player in this draft. He's big and aggressive in the paint. He's also able to read the court and get a feel for where players are, making his rebounding impeccable. He's 6'10” and can be a real threat offensively. He needs to get in better shape and gain some muscle, but he's a very solid pick-up for many teams.

Arnett Moultrie

Besides the occasional amazing faux-hawk, Moultrie's explosive athleticism is something to be loved by all teams looking at him. He's 6'10” and has the ability to play both power forward or center. This versatility, along with his athleticism, is something to love.  

Terrence Ross

Terrence Ross, out of Washington, is a very strong candidate coming into the draft.

The biggest reason to love him is his ability to see the court. He's a shooting guard who's adept at getting shots to his teammates. He sees all the options on the court and thinks fast, choosing the best passing route.

Meyers Leonard

One of the few seven-footers in the draft, Meyers Leonard is a hometown boy coming out of Illinois. He is most known for his size and athleticism. His game is only slightly lacking but since his frame is already strong, and he's young, he's got huge potential for any team looking to pick up a big man who's ready to go and doesn't need to gain any weight.

Moe Harkless

Moe Harkless is a young 6'8” small forward who has a ton of potential.

His size is what teams will love about him. He's a tall SF, but has a 7'2” wingspan. His overall game is good and there's nothing that time and experience won't hone. But his size and ability at that position is some thing that just can't be taught.  

Terrence Jones

Being a lefty may be Terrence Jones' most lovable trait. Since he shoots with his left, he's learned to be versatile and is highly effective from any side of the court.

Jones definitely goes to the left more, which makes him a bit of a factor for defenders, and his right isn't a weakness either.

Dion Waiters

Dion Waiters, the sophomore shooting guard out of Syracuse, is extremely athletic. He isn't afraid to drive to the basket, and plays well on and off the ball. Due to his strength he can typically get the shot he wants, and he's a very good shooter. Contact is no problem for this young guard, even at the NBA level.

Doron Lamb

There's a lot to love about Doron Lamb. He's clutch, he's consistent, but most importantly he's a good shooter. His style of play is described as old-school and he's 50 percent from the field. This shooting allows him to be consistent and step up in those big moments when his team needs him the most.  

Royce White

Royce White has conquered his fear of flying and now looks to conquer the NBA.

His best attribute is his ability to attack the basket. White is a small forward who's big, athletic and powerful. He uses his strength to take the ball to the rim and gently lay it in.

Andrew Nicholson

Canadian Andrew Nicholson has several strengths, but the one to love is his basketball IQ.

Nicholson makes up for his athletic shortcomings with his ability to see the court laid out in front of him. He knows when to take the shot, and when to pass the ball. He's also great in offensive schemes, and things like setting effective screens.

Fab Melo

Besides his name, what you should love about Fab Melo is his size. He's a seven-footer who's ready to join the NBA bigs. His size allows him to be a huge help defensively with blocking shots and grabbing rebounds. Offensively he needs work, but this will come with experience.

Marquis Teague

Like a few others in this draft, Marquis Teague has things that you just can't teach like speed and agility. He's also very physically mature, especially for his age. He's a 6'2” point guard and comes in at 189 pounds. Teague can play tough, physical basketball with the rest of them.

Tony Wroten

Tony Wroten out of Washington has the ball handling skills of a Harlem Globetrotter.

Okay, maybe he's not quite there yet, but he's on his way. As a point guard, he's what every team is looking for. He's got a killer crossover, can easily slow the ball and is happy to pass or take the ball for a layup. While young, he's already got a ton of necessary skills.

Quincy Miller

Quincy Miller is a young small forward who's got a huge 7'3” wingspan and can easily hit jumpers. He's also very good at finding his own shots and creating them. Basically, for a team that needs a shooter, he's the man.

Festus Ezeli

Ezeli, the senior out of Vanderbilt, may be the biggest and strongest player in the draft left among the first round. He's 6'11” and 255 lbs. He's also got a 7'4” wingspan.

All these factors make him an extremely physical player and that is his most lovable quality. His size allows him to contest shots and protect the rim, as well as attack it.

John Jenkins

Shooting.

That's Jenkins' best quality.

He shot 48 percent from the three as a freshman. He also isn't afraid to take shots. Jenkins works very hard to make sure he's got good-quality shots and practices tirelessly to make sure he'll knock them down.

Any team looking for a consistent shooter should give Jenkins a long look.

Jeffery Taylor

Jeffery Taylor's defensive ability is the biggest thing to love about him. He's very adept at getting steals and deflections. He's good on offense too, but it's what he creates from the defense that makes him valuable.