NBA Draft 2012: 7 Prospects Who Should Have Stayed in School Another Year

For some, the 2012 NBA Draft will be the moment that launches them into stardom. For others, it will be the day that they first realize how big of a mistake leaving school was to begin with. Regardless of the mistake, teams will take a chance on these players. But should they?

Here are seven players to avoid come draft night. More importantly, these are seven players who should have stayed at school to begin with.

Moe Harkless, St. John's Red Storm

Position: Small Forward

Age: 19

Height, Weight and Wingspan: 6'8", 190 pounds, 7'2" wingspan

One can't help but love what Moe Harkless can bring to the table. The St. John's star is an explosive athlete who can control the glass and take over the scoreboard via transition dominance. He's also a solid halfcourt scorer who thrives in dribble penetration.

Unfortunately, Harkless is also as inconsistent as they come.

Moe Harkless rarely gives a full effort on the defensive end of the floor despite possessing the physical tools to dominate an opponent. He is also a weak perimeter shooter with a frail body and a far-too-heavy dependence on the weaker aspects of his game.

At least one more year of collegiate ball should have been in store for Moe Harkless.

Season Averages: 21.06 PER, 15.3 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.4 BPG

Perry Jones III, Baylor Bears

Position: Power Forward

Age: 20

Height, Weight and Wingspan: 6'11", 235 pounds, 7'2" wingspan

Perry Jones III is as talented an athlete as they come. He has NBA-ready size and length, elite athleticism and an explosively high leap. Jones III even has the skills to go along with these physical gifts, making him a potentially elite prospect.

Unfortunately, he's just not ready from a mental standpoint.

PJ3 is as passive as they come. He often backs down from big game situations and never seems comfortable with taking over games, in spite of the fact that he should and could do so. This does not bode well for Jones III as he attempts to prove himself worthy of the franchise player label.

Season Averages: 21.95 PER, 13.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 50.0 FG%

Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut Huskies

Position: Shooting Guard

Age: 20

Height, Weight and Wingspan: 6'5", 185 pounds, 7'0" wingspan

Jeremy Lamb has the talent to be an All-Star. The way he utilizes such skills, however, redefines the term underwhelming.

Between his 7'0" wingspan and consistent jump shot, Lamb has what it takes to put up 20 points per game and hold his opponent to no more than 10. The UConn star's quickness and vertical foot speed only add to the promising equation. The fundamentally brilliant tools are simply where it ends, though.

Jeremy Lamb struggles when the game gets to crunch time, often disappearing after a magnificent first half of play. He has a tendency to watch plays develop and remove himself via an inability to move without the basketball.

Just like the other names on this list, another year of schooling would have done Lamb a whole lot of good.

Season Averages: 22.05 PER, 17.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, 47.8 FG%

Quincy Miller, Baylor Bears

Position: Small Forward

Age: 19

Height, Weight and Wingspan: 6'9", 210 pounds, 7'4" wingspan

Quincy Miller is quite the dynamic player, as his athletic ability, length and skill offer a strong resemblance to that of Kevin Durant. With a few years more schooling, Miller may have been able to reach that potential.

Unfortunately, he decided to go pro after a rather disappointing freshman campaign. A move that Miller will eventually regret.

Rather than budding into the role of a primary scorer, Miller has set himself on a path towards tertiary stardom, a path he could stray away from and rise above but a set path indeed.

Season Averages: 24.4 MPG, 19.85 PER, 10.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 0.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Austin Rivers, Duke Blue Devils

Position: Guard

Age: 19

Height and Weight: 6'4" and 199 pounds

I've changed my stance on Austin Rivers a bit, as I've recently begun to see his value as an NBA player. With that being noted, Rivers could have been a star after four years of schooling rather than a potential combo guard with a high point per game average but poor shooting percentages and far too many turnovers.

Rivers' upside is currently that of Lou Williams. His likely potential is more so of what O.J. Mayo currently is, as he can handle the ball and score but does so inefficiently due to unhappiness with a role he believes to be bigger. The difference is, Mayo deserves a bigger role and Rivers will not.

Season Averages: 16.85 PER, 15.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.0 SPG

Marquis Teague, Kentucky Wildcats

Position: Point Guard

Age: 19

Height, Weight and Wingspan: 6'2", 178 pounds, 6'7" wingspan

I'm still unsure as to why Marquis Teague left school, although I believe it has a strong connection to the fact that his teammates followed that very route. While one might argue that Teague is now in a better position to be selected by a contender, his abilities are far from honed enough to perform at the NBA level.

Teague has displayed signs of very poor shot selection, as well as a serious inability to maintain a cool head when the game is close. Teague also relies far too heavily on his scoring for a player with such solid court vision.

Although it must be noted that Teague was often times not the primary ball handler for the Wildcats. That position belonged to Terrence Jones.

Season Averages: 12.41 PER, 10.0 PPG, 4.8 APG, 2.5 APG, 0.9 SPG

Maalik Wayns, Villanova Wildcats

Position: Point Guard

Age: 21

Height and Weight: 6'1" and 190 pounds

One has to scratch their head and wonder what Maalik Wayns was thinking when he declared for the 2012 NBA Draft. Despite playing a magnificent season for the Wildcats, averaging 17.6 points and 4.6 assists per game, Wayns' efforts were rewarded by being named to the second-team all-Big East.

What he wasn't rewarded with, however, was a rising draft stock.

While some project Wayns as a second round draft choice, many have him towards the bottom of their positional big board. This opens the door for Wayns to go undrafted, an unfortunate occurrence considering the weakness of next year's draft class at the point guard position.

Season Averages: 21.02 PER, 17.6 PPG, 4.6 APG, 3.8 RPG, 1.0 SPG