NBA Draft's Top 50 Prospects' Report Cards

Who are the top 50 prospects for the 2012 NBA draft, and how do they grade as futures pros? 

Those are the two major questions that this article seeks to answer. Starting from No. 50 and finishing with No. 1 (Anthony Davis, no surprises here), we'll take a look at each and every one of the 50 best college and international prospects. 

As for the grades you'll see at the bottom of each slide, they are based on my personal opinion of how well their NBA careers will turn out in relation to the expectations associated with their expected draft position. 

Imagine a college course where the teacher analyzes everything he or she has heard of you and determines your grade based on how successful they think you will be in life.

That's metaphorically what's happening here. 

50. J'Covan Brown

School: Texas

Position: PG/SG

Year: Junior

Vitals: 6'1", 197 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 20.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists

J'Covan Brown was sometimes the sole source of offensive production on the Texas Longhorns during the 2011-2012 college basketball season. However, that's less a testament to Brown's skill on that end of the court and more a testimony to just how often he called his own number. 

Brown has enough confidence to be a consistent scorer off an NBA bench if he can accept the role and realize that he doesn't always have to hoist up shots. Teammates exist for a reason. 

Grade: B-

49. Kris Joseph

School: Syracuse

Position: SF

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'7", 215 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 13.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists

Kris Joseph is a high-upside athletic small forward with the ball skills to play shooting guard, but he's another experienced player who shoots inefficiently. 

The transition out of the zone defense employed by Syracuse could be a bit difficult since he's played in it so long and will have to add range to his jumper. 

Grade: C-

48. William Buford

School: Ohio State

Position: SG

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'6", 220 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists

At one point, William Buford was a lock for the first round. However, a nearly season-long slump pushed his stock down to the point that he can barely make the top 50. 

Buford might need to improve his ball-handling, but he's a tremendous jump-shooter with athleticism to boot. I can see him becoming a major steal. 

Grade: A-

47. Darius Johnson-Odom

School: Marquette

Position: SG

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'2", 215 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 18.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists

A versatile offensive player with the skills to play shooting guard (although he is a bit lacking in the height department), Darius Johnson-Odom can do it all on that end of the court. 

He could do a bit more if he didn't put his head down and eliminate his objects during his drives to the rim. 

Grade: C+

46. Tu Holloway

School: Xavier

Position: PG/SG

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'0", 190 pounds

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 17.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists

If it wasn't for the brawl with Cincinnati and his ensuing comments, Tu Holloway would be a first-round prospect. His scoring skills are just that good. 

Holloway can get into the lane, knock down the outside shot and make nearly every free throw he gets to attempt. 

Grade: A

45. Kyle O'Quinn

Team: Norfolk State

Position: PF/C

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'10", 240 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 15.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists

It's amazing how much one victory can do for a player. Do you really think that Kyle O'Quinn would be quite as high on the draft boards if he hadn't engineered the incredible upset over Missouri during the Round of 64? 

Averaging a double-double with room to spare, as O'Quinn did during his senior season, is impressive no matter what conference you play in. 

Grade: B+

44. Drew Gordon

School: New Mexico

Position: PF

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'9", 245 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 13.4 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists

Drew Gordon plays so much bigger than his 6'9" frame would indicate. 

Although his post skills leave a bit to be desired, Gordon plays with an incredible motor and tenacity that allows him to successfully crash the boards on either end of the court. 

Grade: A

43. Kevin Murphy

School: Tennessee Tech

Position: SG

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'6", 185 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 21.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists

Kevin Murphy is a gifted scorer who has yet to prove himself against truly elite competition. He scored well throughout his career with Tennessee Tech and even in pre-draft scrimmages against better players, but he has yet to face NBA talent on a consistent basis. 

I want to like Murphy, but I have trouble moving past his poor shot selections and turnover-prone nature. 

Grade: B

42. Furkan Aldemir

Team: Galatasaray

Position: PF

Age: 20

Vitals: 6'9", 220 pounds

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 8.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 0.8 assists (in Turkish League)

The third-best international prospect in the 2012 draft class, Furkan Aldemir is still a project player who might need to spend a few years abroad before joining whichever team drafts him. That's fine since he's only 20 years old. 

Aldemir's best skill is his rebounding, as he was one of the best per-game rebounders in all of the Turkish League. 

Grade: C

41. Jae Crowder

School: Marquette

Position: SF/PF

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'6", 235 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 17.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists

The reigning Big East Player of the Year, Jae Crowder is one of those players who can truly line up at multiple positions and contribute in any way his coach asks. 

Although his more glamorous stats are no doubt appealing to the eyes, perhaps the most impressive is his ridiculously low 7.9 turnovers per 100 possessions. 

Grade: B+

40. Jared Cunningham

School: Oregon State

Position: SG

Year: Junior

Vitals: 6'4", 194 pounds

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 17.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists

Jared Cunningham has the most underrated athleticism of any player in this draft class, but athleticism doesn't always translate to the next level. 

Although he displayed nice scoring ability while at Oregon State, I'd like to see him add some weight to his frame before I'm convinced that he'll find success in the NBA. 

Grade: B

39. Scott Machado

School: Iona

Position: PG

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'1", 180 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 9.9 assists

If I was a general manager drafting in the second round, I'd want Scott Machado on my team. Honestly—and this is a controversial statement not made for the purpose of drumming up arguments—I like Machado more than Kendall Marshall. 

Machado is a truly elite passer, but he also minimizes the turnovers and scores quite well when he calls his own number. 

Grade: A+

38. Kevin Jones

School: West Virginia

Position: PF

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'7", 260 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 20.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists

Kevin Jones is another prospect bound to be incredibly underrated. He averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds per game (a little more actually), but did so much more while serving as the heart and soul of the West Virginia squad. 

Jones was efficient both with the ball—low turnovers and decent assist numbers—while shooting well from the field. 

Grade: A

37. Festus Ezeli

School: Vanderbilt

Position: C

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'11", 255 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 10.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists

As a senior, Festus Ezeli doesn't have as much room to grow as a player. Seeing as he never dominated in college, I'm not quite sure why we expect him to have a chance at doing so in the NBA. 

Ezeli is a very limited offensive player without the elite defense possessed by someone like Fab Melo. I'd stay away. 

Grade: F

36. Orlando Johnson

School: UC Santa Barbara

Position: SG

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'5", 205 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 19.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists

Here's a full profile of Orlando Johnson that I wrote a while ago: 

"

I'm not even going to attempt to hide it. I absolutely loved Orlando Johnson's offensive game.

If you see that he went to UC Santa Barbara and question his ability to produce against top-tier competition, think again. During the Gauchos' non-conference games against San Diego State, Washington, BYU, Cal and UNLV, Johnson managed to up his game and average 23.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

Johnson has Kobe Bryant-level confidence in his ability to hoist up shots at any time and oftentimes suffers from poor shot selection. But when he's on, he's on. His ball-handling and long-distance shooting improved during his senior year as he developed into more of a complete offensive player and not just a potent spot-up shooter.

While all of this might seem impressive, it does need to be taken with a grain of salt because it may not translate to the next level, which is why you may have noticed that I wrote, "I absolutely loved..." in the past tense back in the opening paragraph of this slide.

Although he rarely turns the ball over, keeping in mind how heavily he's used, his upside is limited by his lack of quickness. It's going to be a constant struggle for this shooting guard to create his own shot at the next level, and NBA players recover to guard spot-up shots much more effectively than collegiate ones do.

That same lack of quickness is also going to make Johnson into a defensive liability, as his 7'0" wingspan simply won't be enough to help out when opposing guards blow around him and into the weak parts of the defense.

Johnson should have a niche as a second-unit scorer, but he lacks the upside necessary to push him any higher than the early portion of the second round in the 2012 NBA draft.

"

Grade: B

"

 

"

35. Will Barton

School: Memphis

Position: SG/SF

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 6'6", 175 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 18.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists

Unless Will Barton adds a lot of weight and strength to his body, he's going to have trouble sticking around in the NBA. 

That said, the swingman has insane hops and through-the-roof potential on offense. I don't believe he'll become a star, but I do think he'll eventually find a starting role. 

Grade: B+

34. Tomas Satoransky

Team: Qalat Cajasol

Position: PG/SG

Age: 20

Vitals: 6'7", 210 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 4.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists (In ACB)

At 20 years old, Tomas Satoransky still has a long time left until he's done developing. He hasn't put up elite stats during his years in the European leagues, but not many international prospects do. 

Satoransky's best trait is quite possibly his height. At 6'7", it's easy for him to line up at point guard and see over the entire defense. 

Grade: B-

33. Darius Miller

School: Kentucky

Position: SF

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'8", 225 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 9.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists

Darius Miller's college numbers may not look all that impressive, but he's always been a secondary option while Kentucky's young players steal the spotlight. It's hard to put up elite stats while playing behind John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Brandon Knight, Anthony Davis, Patrick Patterson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and more. 

Miller was an inefficient player off the bench and likely would have stood out a lot more if he'd been given the opportunity. 

Grade: B

32. Draymond Green

School: Michigan State

Position: SF/PF

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'7", 230 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 16.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists

Draymond Green is one of the most versatile players in the country, but it's his heart and leadership that stand out most of all. 

If you're looking for a true winner to add to your bench, Green is a safe bet. 

Grade: B+

31. John Jenkins

School: Vanderbilt

Position: SG

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 6'4", 215 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 19.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists

The next Ray Allen may very well be named John Jenkins. 

Few, if any, players have the stroke that Jenkins possesses from downtown, and none are as good at coming off screens to get open. 

Grade: A+

30. Andrew Nicholson

School: St. Bonaventure

Position: PF/C

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'9", 240 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 18.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists

Andrew Nicholson's offensive game extends quite a ways beyond just the paint, even if he's not quite the athlete that some other big men in this draft class are. 

Although he turns the ball over a lot, Nicholson posts very efficient numbers in the scoring and rebound columns. He's one of the players who should be able to make the transition from a small school to the big time. 

Grade: A-

29. Doron Lamb

School: Kentucky

Position: SG

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 6'4", 210 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 13.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists

A very consistent player, Doron Lamb never seems to have an off night. 

Perhaps that characteristic seems even more true because of how smoothly he plays. Lamb never seems to be forcing the offense and always prefers to stay within the flow of the game. 

Grade: A-

28. Tyshawn Taylor

School: Kansas

Position: PG

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'3", 185 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 17.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists

Ask any Kansas Jayhawks fan. Tyshawn Taylor can be a very frustrating player to watch. 

For all the elite talent that he possesses, Taylor is quite careless with the ball and occasionally builds up a ridiculously large head of steam, too big for him to ever stop. 

Then again, he does have elite talent. 

Grade: B

27. Jeffery Taylor

School: Vanderbilt

Position: SF

Year: Senior

Vitals: 6'7", 225 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 16.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists

Jeffery Taylor's game all boils down to two words: jaw-dropping-ridiculous-jump-through-the-roof-breath-taking athleticism. 

Grade: B

26. Fab Melo

School: Syracuse

Position: C

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 7'0", 255 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 0.7 assists

If Fab Melo lands in the right situation, he'll be quite successful. The big man, a true seven-footer, is a terrific defensive player, but he has a bunch of limitations on offense. 

Melo may have been in Jim Boeheim's famous zone defense and there could be an adjustment period once he enters the ranks of the NBA. 

Grade: B+

25. Royce White

School: Iowa State

Position: No Idea (but really SF/PF)

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 6'8", 270 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 13.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists

Royce White is one of the most intriguing draft prospects in this year's class. He's a 6'8" forward who basically ran the point at Iowa State for large portions of time. 

White has the most unique set of skills of anyone who could be potentially drafted. He also turns the ball over way too often though. 

Grade: A-

24. Evan Fournier

Team: Poitiers

Position: SG/SF

Age: 19

Vitals: 6'7", 206 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 13.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists (In Pro A France)

Evan Fournier is 6'7" and has the ball skills of an NBA point guard. He utilizes those often when he drives aggressively to the rim, his offense du jour. 

Capable of playing either shooting guard or small forward, Fournier plays the game intelligently and is a consistent jumper away from potential superstardom. 

Grade: A

23. Tony Wroten

School: Washington

Position: PG/SG

Year: Freshman

Vitals: 6'5", 205 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 16.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists

An athletic combo guard, Tony Wroten will give whichever team drafts him a lot of good and a lot of bad. 

He's a great finisher at the rim and can easily get into the paint, but he turns the ball over a lot and struggles with shot selection. 

There's a lot of upside here, and I do like what I see. 

Grade: A

22. Marquis Teague

School: Kentucky

Position: PG

Year: Freshman

Vitals: 6'2", 189 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 9.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists

Marquis Teague should have returned to Lexington for his sophomore season to capitalize on the improvement he was showing during Kentucky's run through the postseason. 

As it stands, he's a high-upside point guard who has yet to show consistency for any long period of time. Teague is incredibly quick and a ball-hawk on defense, but his decision making and care for the ball need some work. 

Grade: A-

21. Dion Waiters

School: Syracuse

Position: PG/SG

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 6'4", 215 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 12.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists

Dion Waiters has the tools necessary to be a truly impressive combo-guard. 

With his physical play and ability to slash to the hoop no matter what kind of defense is thrown at him, Waiters has the ability to become a poor man's version of Dwyane Wade. 

Grade: A

20. Moe Harkless

School: St. John's

Position: SG/SF

Year: Freshman

Vitals: 6'8", 208 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 15.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists

Moe Harkless' two best traits are his athleticism and quick hands, but those also help mask a lot of his weakness as an NBA player. 

His athleticism allowed him to score during his freshman season at St. John's, but it also hid his lack of fundamentals and poor jump shot on that end of the court. Similarly, his quick hands helped minimize the effects of his poor defensive technique and lack of experience. 

The potential is there, but Harkless should have remained at school for one more year. 

Grade: C+

19. Arnett Moultrie

School: Mississippi State

Position: PF/C

Year: Junior

Vitals: 6'11", 230 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 15.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists

By the time the draft rolls around, I fully expect for Arnett Moultrie to have moved back up into the lottery, minimizing the downslide he suffered after Mississippi State's collapse at the end of the year. 

Moultrie has an NBA-ready body and plenty of skills to boot. There's a reason that scouts love him. 

Grade: A

18. Meyers Leonard

School: Illinois

Position: C

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 7'1", 245 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 13.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists

Because he's a true center and stands over seven feet tall, Meyers Leonard has a bit more upside than Arnett Moultrie, even if he is quite a bit more raw. If Moultrie is a medium steak, than Leonard is just about as rare as it gets. 

You can't teach size, but Leonard's skills could have used a little more teaching at Illinois. 

Grade: B-

17. Kendall Marshall

School: North Carolina

Position: PG

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 6'4", 195 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 7.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 9.7 assists

As good as Kendall Marshall is at passing, he isn't exactly great in many other areas. 

He struggles to score and his defense is decent at best. As I said dozens of slides ago, I actually like Scott Machado a bit more than Marshall. 

I'm in the minority there because Marshall's passing really is just that good. 

Grade: B-

16. Austin Rivers

School: Duke

Position: PG/SG

Year: Freshman

Vitals: 6'4", 200 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 15.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists

The book is definitely out there when it comes to Austin Rivers. 

A great scorer who can capably get into the lane at will and create his own shot, Rivers struggles with his shot selection and turnovers. Sometimes, he forgets that there's no "I" in "team," as the popular saying goes. 

Grade: B+

15. Terrence Ross

School: Washington

Position: SG/SF

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 6'6", 195 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists

Terrence Ross has all the tools possible on offense. He has great range with his shot, drives to the rim with effectiveness and has the athleticism necessary to do work on any defensive player in the league. 

If he can get stronger and fill out his 6'6" frame, he's going to be a stud. 

Grade: A

14. Quincy Miller

School: Baylor

Position: SF

Year: Freshman

Vitals: 6'9", 200 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 10.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists

There's a lot of Kevin Durant in Quincy Miller with one major difference. 

Durant can shoot. Miller can't. 

Grade: A-

13. Tyler Zeller

School: North Carolina

Position: PF/C

Year: Senior

Vitals: 7'0", 250 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 16.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists

Tyler Zeller may be one of the safest players in the draft, but he doesn't have the elite upside possessed by many of the other lottery picks this year. 

He has a diverse set of moves in the post and the range on his jump shot, although inconsistent, extends well into the mid-range territory. 

Grade: A-

12. John Henson

School: North Carolina

Position: PF/C

Year: Junior

Vitals: 6'11", 220 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 13.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists

John Henson's lack of strength may limit his defensive impact in the post, but he has the speed and quickness necessary to guard more versatile big men out on the perimeter. 

The problem is that Henson might not have the offensive game that allows him to earn a lot of playing time early in his career.

Grade: B 

11. Damian Lillard

School: Weber State

Position: PG/SG

Year: Junior

Vitals: 6'3", 195 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 24.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists

In my opinion, Damian Lillard is easily the best point guard in this year's draft class, an opinion that may stem from my lack of belief that a certain type of production is necessary from each position. 

Lillard is a tremendous scorer whose passing skills are still good enough to get him drafted. 

Grade: A+

10. Terrence Jones

School: Kentucky

Position: SF/PF

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 6'9", 252 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 12.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists

Another incredibly versatile forward who has learned more than just driving left every time the ball is put in his hands, Terrence Jones needs to improve his consistency if he wants to justify his status as a potential lottery pick. 

Jones is an insane athlete who sees the floor quite well and plays with a lot of intelligence. 

Grade: A-

9. Jared Sullinger

School: Ohio State

Position: PF

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 6'9", 265 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 17.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists

I admittedly like Jared Sullinger more than many other draft analysts out there because I truly believe that the NBA trainers are going to be able to get him into shape and maximizing his potential. 

An intelligent and strong player, Sullinger is best served on a team with another elite frontcourt player so that not all the length can be focused against Sully. 

Grade: B+

8. Jeremy Lamb

School: Connecticut

Position: SG/SF

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 6'5", 180 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists

Jeremy Lamb has everything you could possibly want in a high-scoring 2-guard. 

He has great range on his shot and the dribbling prowess that allows him to create his shot whenever he feels like that's a good idea. There's not a better player in this class at utilizing the pull-up jumper. 

Grade: A+

7. Harrison Barnes

School: North Carolina

Position: SF

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 6'8", 215 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists

Harrison Barnes should have gone pro after his freshman season, before we had a chance to pick apart every part of his game. 

Now, we're certain that Barnes has some serious flaws. Namely that he can't pass and struggles to create his own shot without an elite passing point guard giving him the ball. 

Grade: B-

6. Perry Jones III

School: Baylor

Position: PF

Year: Sophomore

Vitals: 6'11", 235 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 14.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists

Perry Jones III has stretches during which he looks like the best player in the country, then he'll follow it up by playing so poorly that he looks like the worst player on his team. 

Jones has the versatility necessary to play small forward, power forward (his primary position) or center and has as much athleticism as anyone in the draft class. 

Grade: B+

5. Andre Drummond

School: Connecticut

Position: PF/C

Year: Freshman

Vitals: 6'10", 270 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists

Andre Drummond has talent. Loads of it. His potential is just through the roof. 

The problem is that Drummond has yet to realize even a tiny portion of that potential. If he doesn't land in the right situation, he never will. 

Grade: C-

4. Bradley Beal

School: Florida

Position: SG

Year: Freshman

Vitals: 6'3", 207 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 14.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists

Eric Gordon is commonly thought of as the next big thing at the shooting guard position, which is a good thing for Bradley Beal. After all, Beal's game strongly resembles Gordon's. 

The former Florida Gator has a smooth all-around game and plays quite a bit bigger than his 6'3" frame would indicate. 

Grade: A+

3. Thomas Robinson

School: Kansas

Position: PF

Year: Junior

Vitals: 6'10", 237 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 17.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists

Thomas Robinson is going to succeed in the NBA and become a double-double threat almost immediately. He has too much quickness, power, athleticism and energy to fail. 

However, I'm not convinced that Robinson has as much upside as many of the other players in the top-tier of this draft class, hence the lack of a "+" at the end of his grade. 

Grade: A

2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

School: Kentucky

Position: SF

Year: Freshman

Vitals: 6'7", 232 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 11.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has an unrelenting motor, reminiscent of a certain non-basketball player named the Energizer Bunny. 

Although he needs to develop something that at least resembles a jumper, MKG is devastating in transition and a true lock-down defender. 

Grade: A+

1. Anthony Davis

School: Kentucky

Position: PF/C

Year: Freshman

Vitals: 6'10", 220 pounds

2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 14.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 0.9 assists

Anthony Davis is the No. 1 player in the draft class for a reason. Quite frankly, it's not even close. 

The unibrow is the best defensive player available and one of the best on that end of the court in years. Additionally, his offensive game is massively underrated thanks to the range of his jumper and his growing arsenal of post moves. 

Grade: A+