2012 NBA Mock Draft: Sleeper Selections Guaranteed to Shine
Anthony Davis, Harrison Barnes and the other top prospects that will get selected in the lottery are well on their way to becoming NBA stars. Finding talent later in the first round is a far more difficult task, so teams have to target potential sleepers.
Since it's a deep class, there should still be a couple players available outside of the lottery who will excel at the next level. With that in mind, here's a complete mock draft of the opening round with a focus on three underrated players who will be good value picks.
1. New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky
The Hornets were lucky enough to win the first overall pick and will get to select the new face of their franchise in Davis, who will be a superstar.
2. Charlotte Bobcats: Bradley Beal, SG, Florida
Even though the Bobcats have several areas of need to address, getting a player like Beal who can carry the offense should be atop the to-do list.
3. Washington Wizards: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky
John Wall gives the Wizards a franchise player, but they need more players around him before he can reach his peak. Kidd-Gilchrist is ready to make an instant impact.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas
One of the best all-around prospects in the class, Robinson should have a lot of success playing alongside Kyrie Irving in Cleveland.
5. Sacramento Kings: Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina
Initially, Barnes may struggle when trying to defend the growing number of elite small forwards, but his offensive ability more than makes up for it.
6. Portland Trail Blazers: Andre Drummond, C, Connecticut
While Drummond still has a lot of developing to do before he proves worthy of getting drafted this high, his upside will be too much to ignore.
7. Golden State Warriors: Perry Jones III, PF, Baylor
The Warriors have a lot of young pieces on their roster, but they just haven't gelled quite yet. Jones should help bring everything together.
8. Toronto Raptors: Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State
A prospect that didn't garner much attention during his college years, Lillard certainly did enough to catch the eye of scouts as a well-rounded point guard.
9. Detroit Pistons: John Henson, PF, North Carolina
Henson will need to increase his strength to have long-term success in the post, but he's a good athlete ready to contribute right away.
10. New Orleans Hornets: Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut
Having two top-10 picks should get the Hornets back on the path to success. After getting Davis to dominate the paint, a pure scorer like Lamb is an ideal complement.
11. Portland Trail Blazers: Terrence Ross, SG, Washington
An impressive combination of size and athleticism has allowed Ross to rise up draft boards. He will help the Blazers, who struggled with consistency on offense.
12. Milwaukee Bucks: Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State
The skeptics will say Sullinger never developed into the dominant interior force people were expecting. He should still be a solid post player, though.
13. Phoenix Suns: Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina
Steve Nash is going to explore his options in the offseason, so the Suns would be wise to grab Marshall. The North Carolina star has great vision.
14. Houston Rockets: Tyler Zeller, PF, North Carolina
Another Tar Heel, Zeller has really improved his offensive ability over the past few years and should bolster Houston's front line.
15. Philadelphia 76ers: Arnett Moultrie, PF, Mississippi State
Moultrie can stretch a defense by knocking down mid-range jumpers and also has shown glimpses of really good play in the post. A bit raw, but a solid pick.
16. Houston Rockets: Terrence Jones, SF, Kentucky
Like his Kentucky teammates, Jones is a good athlete with a high ceiling. He needs to become more versatile on the offense end to live up the the hype.
17. Dallas Mavericks: Austin Rivers, SG, Duke
Speaking of hype, Rivers might end up getting picked in the lottery because of it. Landing with the Mavericks would a better situation.
18. Minnesota Timberwolves: Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse
Teams will want to see Waiters improve as a passer if he's going to earn extended minutes. That said, he's already a good bench asset to have.
19. Orlando Magic: Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois
The unpredictability of the Dwight Howard situation leaves the Magic in a tough spot. Taking Leonard would provide them with protection.
20. Denver Nuggets: Royce White, SF, Iowa State
White is a typical high-risk, high-reward pick. He has good size and often looks like a guard with how he handles the ball. Still a lot of work to do, however.
21. Boston Celtics: Fab Melo, C, Syracuse
The Celtics are going to need some reinforcements in the front court before next season. Melo will thrive on the defensive end.
22. Boston Celtics: Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure
Even though he had a very productive collegiate career, Nicholson didn't really get noticed by most people until he almost led St. Bonaventure to an upset of Florida State in the Big Dance. He had 20 points in a narrow loss.
A 6'9'' power forward, he averaged 19 points and eight rebounds in his senior season. More impressively, he shot 43 perfect from beyond the arc. He'll be able to stretch defenses and also has enough athleticism to defend in the paint.
The only reason he won't go much higher than this in the draft was the level of competition he faced in college. Teams will be concerned about his learning curve when it comes to fitting in the NBA, but he should pan out and be a steal for Boston.
23. Atlanta Hawks: Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky
Teague is one of the most intriguing prospects on the board. It will be interesting to see how he develops after a strong season in college.
24. Cleveland Cavaliers: Moe Harkless, SF, St. John's
Harkless took a chance by leaving St. John's after just one season, but he should sneak into the first round and give the Cavs another high-upside player.
25. Memphis Grizzlies: Jeffery Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt
When you look at how much NBA-level talent Vanderbilt had on its roster, it's surprising the team didn't survive longer in the NCAA tournament. No player was more impressive than Taylor, who steadily improved in his four seasons with the Commodores.
His all-around ability is what gives him a good chance to outplay his draft position. He can defend, run the floor and make his own offense at the rim. He even started developing a more reliable jump shot in his senior season.
If he can reach a point where teams must respect his pull-up shooting on every possession, that's when he'll move into the steal category. It's not a guarantee, so his stock is ever-changing, but he's definitely worth a chance this deep in the round.
26. Indiana Pacers: Tony Wroten, PG, Washington
It's surprising that Wroten didn't go back to Washington for another season to work on his offense. The talent is there, so a team will take a chance on him.
27. Miami Heat: John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt
A terrific shooter, Jenkins has to develop the other areas of his game before he can be relied upon to play a big role at the next level.
28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Draymond Green, PF, Michigan State
Green doesn't get enough respect for his career at Michigan State, so he may slide into Round 2. He'd be a good fit for the Thunder, though.
29. Chicago Bulls: Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky
Landing with the Bulls would be perfect for Lamb. There wouldn't be much pressure on him, allowing him to develop at a reasonable pace.
30. Golden State Warriors: Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor
Yet another freshman that decided to leave school after one season, Miller was often overshadowed on a talented Baylor squad. He only averaged 11 points and five boards, but it's his potential that makes him a good sleeper.
He has ideal size for the small forward position, a balanced offensive game and uses his wingspan to block and alter shots. Perhaps with a different team he would have been able to improve his stock more by showing off those skills.
That said, a lack of experience and overall production puts him right on the first-round fringe. He needs to land somewhere with immediate playing time available and a patient coaching staff that will let him play through mistakes. With seasoning, he will be a valuable piece of the puzzle.
