2012 NBA Draft: 7 Best Players No One Is Talking About

The NBA Draft is always full of surprises.

This year's lottery selection already snubbed Michael Jordan's Charlotte Bobcats out of the first pick, a huge blow to the struggling franchise.

With Anthony Davis being the obvious first selection to the NBA-owned New Orleans Hornets, there has yet to be a lot of speculation about other top draft eligible players.

Let's take a look at some quality athletes who no one has been talking about.

Fab Melo, Syracuse

The 7'0" Brazilian center had a phenomenal sophomore season. He won Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors with a conference high 88 blocks.

From his freshman to sophomore year alone, Fab Melo came leaps and bounds in terms of maturity and production.

He still has some developing to do, but this 22-year-old big man has a very high ceiling and will be a steal in the late first round.

Maalik Wayns, Villanova

Villanova point guard Maalik Wayns was one of the only bright spots for a struggling Villanova squad this past season.

He earned himself Second Team Big East honors and had the highest scoring game for any Big East player all year—39 points versus a tough Cincinnati team.

The 6'1" guard still needs to improve on his perimeter shooting and defense, but he's a solid passer who is not afraid to attack the rim.

He'll be an excellent pickup in the mid-to-late second round.

Will Barton, Memphis

This 6'6" shooting guard out of Memphis was named 2012 Conference USA Player of the Year after leading the league in scoring with 18.0 points per game.

What stands out most about Will Barton, however, is his ability to rebound. He was the only guard in the conference to rank in the top ten with 8.0 rebounds per game.

He needs to be more consistent from beyond the arc, but his athleticism and natural ability to score will appeal to many teams in the late first round or early second round.

Cameron Moore, UAB

The 6'9" power forward out of UAB averaged a double-double in the Conference USA this past season.

He also earned himself conference Defensive Player of the Year honors.

This 21-year-old is an excellent rebounder and shot-blocker, but needs to put some size on if he hopes to be a physical post player at the NBA level.

William Buford, Ohio State

The 6'6" shooting guard from Ohio State has a world of potential. He can take over a game with his shooting, although his shooting can sometimes be inconsistent. 

He averaged 14.5 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game as he helped lead Ohio State to a Final Four appearance this past season.

He's a quality passer and a fierce competitor, but will need to put on some size in order to compete in the NBA.

If he hopes to excel at the next level, this likely second-round pick will need to improve his defense and his shooting consistency.

Quincy Acy, Baylor

The 6'7" power forward from Baylor will be drawing the attention of plenty of NBA teams, come the second round of the draft.

He's an excellent defender for his size, averaging 1.8 blocks per game and .9 steals per game. This is in addition to his 7.4 rebounds per game.

He's got a pretty good jump shot, is a decent passer and is a very high-energy player.

In order for him to see significant playing time at the next level, he'll need to improve his ball handling and prove to the league that his size is not a problem.

Dusan Cantekin, Serbia

Who?

For those of you that have never heard the name, rest assured. It's hard to miss this 7'4" Serbian center.

He's very agile for his size and he moves up and down the court well. He needs to put some muscle on his large frame and, according to international scout Luka Bassin, he needs to improve upon his man-to-man defense as well.

One thing is for certain—some team will take a shot on developing this 21-year-old giant who has a world of potential.