NBA Lottery Odds 2012: Breaking Down Potential No. 2 Picks

Anthony Davis will be the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

No matter how the lottery plays out and no matter who grabs the first pick, the Kentucky star will have his name called first on draft day.

The lottery, however, will have a large effect on who hears his name second. Any one of Andre Drummond, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Brad Beal, or Thomas Robinson could be drafted No. 2 overall. 

The odds, which can be found here in full, will determine the fate of those men. Let's take a look why. 

Andre Drummond

If he hits his potential, Drummond will be the best player to come out of this draft. He has an uncanny combination of size and athleticism, and as a result, will serve as a "new-breed" center or power forward.

However, Drummond is a project. At least offensively, he won't contribute right away. The big man proved that during his only year with Connecticut.

He is certainly an intriguing prospect, but teams that are close to contending likely won't take on the risk. 

For example, the Cavs already have some solid big men in place, and probably would find it more in their interest to go elsewhere with the second pick.

A team like Sacramento, on the other hand, would probably stay away from Drummond because it already has many young developing projects and can't afford to take on another one.

Conversely, I could see a team like Washington taking on Drummond.

Brad Beal

First and foremost, Beal is going to provide a team with scoring. He struggled somewhat with his shot at Florida, but his mechanics and range are there, and he will only improve with more repetitions.

A knock on Beal is his lack of height, but he has a strong body and good athleticism that will help him score from the inside. 

Teams in need of a shooting guard who can put up points but still provide defense and rebounding will take a hard look at Beal.

In the end, I don't think he'll rocket up to No. 2, but teams like Washington, Cleveland, and even New Orleans (depending on Eric Gordon's future) will take a long look. 

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Kidd-Gilchrist's strengths are clear.

He's electric getting to the hoop when he has a full head of steam. He's strong, he has a great basketball IQ, he goes at 110 percent all the time, he's a tenacious rebounder, and he's one of the best defenders in the draft.

You won't be getting an outside-shooting specialist with Kidd Gilchrist, and that's a common worry, but you will get a winner.

If Cleveland gets the second pick, I firmly believe they'll grab Kidd-Gilchrist, who is a perfect fit next to Kyrie Irving, his old high-school teammate and friend. 

Thomas Robinson

If Robinson is going to be drafted No. 2, I think it will have to be to the New Orleans Hornets.

New Orleans needs a big man, but unlike some of the other teams who need one, the Hornets went through five or six different options down low in 2011-12.

While Andre Drummond is enticing, the Hornets want some immediate production and stability right away. 

Robinson, who is ultra-athletic, has range out to the NBA three-point line, and is arguably the best rebounder in the draft, is the perfect fit for New Orleans. 

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