NBA Mock Draft 2012: Overrated First-Rounders Who Aren't Worth the Hype

The Anthony Davises and Bradley Beals of the world are going to be selected in the top five of this year's NBA draft, and rightfully so. But what about some of the other "top" prospects who have little to show for their high positions on the draft board?

This year, it seems like plenty of players are sitting high atop the order for no other reason than they're supposed to be good—but with no hard evidence, it's difficult to be sure that these guys are risks worth taking.

Here's a complete first-round mock with a special emphasis on overhyped tweeners.

1. Charlotte Bobcats: Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky

If anyone is going to resurrect the Bobcats, it's this guy. No one at his level could contend with him last year, so it'll be interesting to see how he fares against other fours at the next level.

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

The Wizards could go with either Beal or Gilchrist here, but they're likely to opt for the latter because of the leadership qualities he brings to the table, as well as his athleticism and defense.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Bradley Beal, SG, Florida

He was a bit of an inconsistent shooter in his one year at Florida, but for most NBA GMs, it doesn't matter. He has a very high ceiling, he's athletic, he's an excellent passer and he's clutch. You can't build a better prospect.

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

Drummond is one of those interesting cases as a big man because he's a bit soft and still needs a lot of development, but it's hard to pass him up because at 6'11", he could become an unbeatable frontcourt presence.

5. Sacramento Kings: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

He probably should be hyped as heavily as the top two picks on this board, but he flew under the radar for his first two years at Kansas. After a breakout junior season, he's starting to get recognized as one of the most complete, toughest players in the draft.

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

Scouts have their doubts that Barnes is capable of creating offense for himself when he doesn't have an elite point guard like Kendall Marshall to help him look good. Still, he can really score, and that's enough to push him into the lottery.

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

Jones has all of the physical tools necessary to succeed—he's 6'11", he's athletic, he runs the floor extremely well—but he's a bit passive, which is incredibly concerning for a player who's supposed to be dominant in the post.

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

He's a terrific scorer who led the nation with 24.5 points per game last season, but he needs to get better at distributing.

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

He's not as fast or as athletic as the majority of the fours on this board, but he makes up for it with his excellent footwork and his defensive abilities. He just might need to work harder than others to stay in shape. 

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

Marshall isn't as good a shooter as the other point guards available, but he's leaps and bounds ahead of them in terms of seeing the floor and passing.

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

Zeller is plenty athletic and surprisingly mobile despite being seven feet tall, but he's wiry and needs to add some muscle or else he'll get pushed around in the paint.

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

He's been able to steadily improve throughout his three seasons at North Carolina and can truly become a threat inside if he, like Zeller, adds some muscle to a long, thin frame.

13. Phoenix Suns: Austin Rivers, SG, Duke

It's hard to determine why Rivers is this high up on the board, aside from the fact that he's Doc Rivers' son. There's nothing about his game that really jumps out at you any more than some of the other available shooting guards. He has average athleticism, he's an average scorer and he doesn't distribute the ball as often as he should, casting into doubt his ability to truly succeed as a combo guard.

But the scouts are high on him anyway. Much has been made of his maturity, which is impressive despite the fact that he's just finished his freshman campaign at Duke. But he also has shown some bad signs for a lottery pick: He has a tendency to be selfish with the ball and he tends to play lackluster defense, both of which are things that would seemingly push anyone else out of the lottery.

The biggest problem with Rivers is that the things he lacks are things that are hard to teach. You can't really teach a player to be less selfish or to use his teammates. You just have to hope that it clicks and his attitude changes.

While Rivers would doubtlessly love to be the next Steve Nash in Phoenix, it's unclear whether he truly has the skills to be that big of a star.

14. Houston Rockets: Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky

If it weren't for his inconsistencies, he'd be going a lot higher in this draft, but surrounded by so much talent, it was hard for him to establish himself. He has enough versatility to play at the three or the four, which will be enough to keep him in the lottery.

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

He played on a crummy team last season, so he's not getting as much hype as he probably should, given the fact that he's one of the better three-point shooters in this class and led the Huskies in scoring last season.

16. Houston Rockets: Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois

He has the potential to be a valuable paint presence for the Rockets, but he'll be even better once he steps up his game offensively. That's what this summer is for.

17. Dallas Mavericks: Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn

Lamb probably should be a lottery pick, but after UConn's surprisingly early ouster from the NCAA tournament, his time to prove himself was cut short. Still, his loss is the Mavericks' gain, especially if they lose out on both Jason Kidd and Steve Nash.

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

Physically, he's kind of similar to Jones—he's 6'11", he has a terrific NBA frame, he's an elite athlete and is particularly lethal on the defensive end. If lingering concerns over his transfer from UTEP fade, he could go higher than this.

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

The Magic could be in turmoil shortly after the draft, especially if they trade Dwight Howard and lose Jameer Nelson. If that happens, Wroten gives them a solid option in the backcourt to fall back on.

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

He's another combo guard who's very athletic and a good scorer. He also handles the ball well. The only knock on him is that at 6'4", he's a bit undersized.

21. Boston Celtics: Fab Melo, C, Syracuse

Melo could be a boom or bust, but the Celtics desperately need some young talent, especially up front. Talent-wise, Melo is one of the best centers available; he's just a wild card because of the academic issues he's had at Syracuse.

22. Boston Celtics: Jeffery Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt

He's perfect for the Celtics because he's an excellent defender with terrific athleticism. His jump shot doesn't hurt, either. He'll be great off the bench for a Celtics team that really needs to shore up its second unit.

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

White has all the tools necessary to succeed—a 53.4 shooting percentage last year, a 33.3 mark from three-point land, the right frame for an NBA three. His anxiety disorder is the only thing that causes him to drop in the order.

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

Here is another shot of pure talent the Cavs can add to their young, athletic roster. He can score and he can play very good defense, but whether he's good enough to start is another question.

This draft is very important for the Cavs because they're so close to putting together a team that can compete for a playoff spot, but they just need to make sure they don't waste their first-round picks on underperforming tweeners. Beal is a solid choice for them with their first pick, but with their second, they need to get someone who can start at the three, allowing Alonzo Gee to revert back to a role off the bench, where he excelled early in 2011-12.

Harkless may be skilled, but is he good enough to start in his rookie campaign? He's just 19-years-old, and he still has a lot to learn with regards to playing hard and keeping up the intensity on defense. A team full of young and inexperienced players might not be the preferred environment to bring out the best in him.

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

Teague could really go one way or another. It was unclear, from the way the 2011-12 season went for Kentucky, whether he made his teammates better or whether they made him look good.

Compared with the other point guards in this draft (and granted, it's a weak one at the position), his numbers aren't stellar. He averaged 9.4 points, 4.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game. He didn't need to have spectacular numbers, given the talent that surrounded him on that roster, and he does have the speed and the mechanics to be an elite point guard.

But early in his career at Kentucky, Teague got off to a very rocky start and had to make big adjustments to his game to learn how to create for his teammates instead of for himself. He got by in college, but whether he can still excel without the kind of the deep pool of talent he had at Kentucky remains to be seen.

27. Miami Heat: Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor

He has size on his side at 6'9", so he can play either forward position, which will give the Heat some valuable leeway when they bring him in off the bench.

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

He's had four years to develop, but he still isn't necessarily playing up to his potential. Perhaps there's still room for him to grow, but time is ticking down.

29. Chicago Bulls: John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt

Jenkins was one of the better shooters in the college ranks last year, registering 19.9 points per game. He's not incredibly athletic, but he could be a valuable offensive asset off the bench.

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

He's managed to improve steadily in all four years at Michigan State, particularly from beyond the arc, where he shoots 38.8 percent.