2012 NBA Mock Draft: Anthony Davis and Other Tournament Heroes on the Big Board

There were no NBA prospects who got more of a draft boost from their team's performance in the NCAA tournament than the five soon-to-be former Wildcats on this year's board.

Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist used the Wildcats' championship run to secure their places at the top of the board, but some of their teammates used the run to push themselves all the way into the first round. The Wildcats weren't the only ones who boosted their stock via tournament runs—top stars from Syracuse, North Carolina and Kansas also had opportunities to show their best stuff in March, and it paid off by bumping them up on the draft board. 

Here's a complete first-round mock with a special look at how some of the 2012 NCAA tournament heroes have managed to enhance their draft stock.

1. Charlotte Bobcats: Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky

Only a few more hours until the 2012 lottery, which is when Kentucky's savior learns his fate. Odds are, though, the NCAA's best player will be taking his talents to Charlotte to try to resurrect the league's worst franchise.

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

Gilchrist's big pluses are his intangibles—his work ethic, his toughness, his enthusiasm, all of which were on full display in the tournament—and despite the fact that his shot still needs work, he's likely to go second behind his teammate.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers: Bradley Beal, SG, Florida

The Cavs would be wise to go for either a small forward here or a shooting guard. With the best overall guard still on the board, they'll go for Beal, who will join Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving in the backcourt.

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

The Hornets really need size, and Drummond is the top-rated center available. If he ends up booming rather than busting, he'll be a huge asset. A good center is hard to find.

5. Sacramento Kings: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

Robinson could offer the Kings a big body up front, and he compensates for his slightly undersized 6'9" frame with his toughness, which was on full display in the 2012 NCAA tournament right up until the Jayhawks lost to Davis's Wildcats in the finals.

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

The plus for Barnes is that he's long and a terrific scorer, which will help the Blazers compensate for the loss of Brandon Roy. The negative with him is that it's unclear whether or not he can create for himself without an elite point guard like Kendall Marshall.

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

You never like to see a seven-footer who tends to back off. But Jones grew a lot in between his freshman and sophomore seasons, and he's the perfect size for the position and very quick.

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

Lillard is far and away the best point guard available, and even in a down year for the position, he's still a worthwhile top-10 pick because he can score (24.5 points per game last year). He doesn't make many mistakes and has an excellent work ethic, which suggests he can improve his court vision rather quickly.

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

Though there are lingering questions with him over his conditioning, he's still a big asset because he can play the 4 or the 5 (though he'd be undersized at the latter, given that he's just 6'9"). Still, it's a nice option to have, especially with someone as NBA-ready as he is.

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

By a landslide, Marshall is the best passer available and made every one of his Tar Heel teammates far better last season. Now, he just needs to shore up his offense to truly be a star.

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

The Blazers will beef up their frontcourt even further with Zeller, one of the most athletic big men on this board. Once he adds more strength to his seven-foot frame, he could be dangerous.

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

The Bucks could win big with this selection if Henson pans out—which he probably will, given his size and athleticism. Like Zeller, he needs to get stronger to avoid getting pushed around inside, but once he does, he'll be very valuable.

13. Phoenix Suns: Austin Rivers, SG, Duke

Scouts and pundits alike seem to be very high on Rivers lately. But he's a tweener. He'd rather take it to the hoop himself than pass, which will limit him as a combo forward, and he's not as athletic as many of the other guards available.

14. Houston Rockets: Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky

Jones could end up being a steal in this draft because aside from some inconsistencies, he established himself as a very solid component of Kentucky's championship frontcourt overall. 

In two seasons at Kentucky, he had to cede to the more offensively talented players at times, and he's been knocked plenty for having a bad attitude and not playing hard enough. But when he does play hard, he can rebound as well as anybody and he can score from anywhere.

The fact that he can play anything from shooting guard to power forward also makes him very appealing to NBA GMs who are looking to fill a variety of holes. He proved to be particularly valuable in this year's tournament because he showed that when he does hustle and play physical, he can be a game changer. 

Physically, Jones is a perfect prospect: He's athletic, he has a 7'3" wingspan and he's capable of being offensively stellar. He just needs to prove he can be consistent.

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

The Sixers are a very young team that could use a knock-down three-point shooter, whether it's in the starting lineup or off the bench. Ross flew a bit under the radar but was one of the most skilled shooters in the NCAA last season. 

16. Houston Rockets: Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois

He's a risky selection because he's still very raw offensively, but given his athleticism and his 7'1" frame, he's hard to pass up. The Rockets need a center, so they won't let him slip away.

17. Dallas Mavericks: Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn

Lamb really could've used this year's tournament to increase his draft stock. But unfortunately, his last year at UConn was a down year for the team. He'll stick around in the top 20 because of his offensive prowess on the perimeter.

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

Moultrie is definitely strong and physical, but he's still trying to shake a reputation for being soft, which is why he falls this far. He could be a steal for the Timberwolves.

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

The only problems with Wroten are in the personality department. Though he's been criticized as a teammate, he's the perfect size at 6'5" and has excellent floor vision.

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

Like many of the others on this board, Waiters is a combo guard who has shown offensive prowess from all over the court. He nearly doubled his points per game in his sophomore season, registering 12.6 to go along with 2.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He's a ruthless attacker on the offensive end and he's incredibly confident.

Once Fab Melo was ruled out for the NCAA tournament, the Orange's chances to do something big were diminished, but Waiters still proved he could hold together the team in the absence of the big man. He was particularly effective against Wisconsin in the East semifinals, when he registered 13 points—including four in the last five minutes—to help Syracuse secure a 64-63 victory.

It's that kind of confidence and that fearlessness with the clock winding down that is forcing the scouts to take a closer look at him.

21. Boston Celtics: Fab Melo, C, Syracuse

If he falls this far, it's hard to see the Celtics passing on him, given their woes up front since trading Kendrick Perkins. Melo has as much upside as any available center.

22. Boston Celtics: Jeffery Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt

Like Melo, Taylor contributes nicely to Boston's quest to get younger and more athletic. He plays terrific defense and has a nice jumper, too. He could stand to get stronger offensively, but his defense alone warrants this selection.

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

White is turning into a scout's darling—no one ever has anything bad to say about him. He's a bit undersized for a 4 at 6'8" but he's NBA-ready and has a ton of raw talent to work with.

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

Harkless is exactly the type of player the Cavs need to take at the bottom of this draft. He's long, he's very athletic and he can start, allowing Alonzo Gee to revert back to an off-the-bench role.

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

Teague's journey through the 2011-12 season was one of the most storybook journeys of any player in the NCAA. He started off the season as a player who didn't know how to acquiesce to his teammates who were perhaps a bit more offensively skilled than he was. But over time—and with the help of head coach John Calipari—he learned how to make himself an invaluable part of the system without scoring all the points himself.

To take a step forward, Teague had to take a step back and focus on creating for others rather than himself. He finished the year with solid numbers—10.0 points per game, 2.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists—and he made his star-studded roster look a whole lot better in its quest for a title.

26. Indiana Pacers: John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt

Jenkins is the best shooter left on the board at this point, and the Pacers will not pass him up. He can be a very valuable asset for them off the bench. 

27. Miami Heat: Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor

The consensus seems to be that if he'd stayed in school for another year, he could've been a top-10 pick in 2013, but the Heat will be happy to take the time to help the super-athletic forward develop further into a star.

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

He's older and less athletic than many of the other prospects in this draft class, but he shows excellent footwork around the basket and still has room to grow offensively.

29. Chicago Bulls: Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

Though he kind of drowned in Kentucky's sea of talent last year, the fact remains that Lamb was one of the best shooters on the team and in the college ranks. He'll be terrific for the Bulls off the bench. 

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

He's a bit undersized for a 3, but he's strong and experienced with lots of refined offensive talent.