2012 NBA Mock Draft: Top-Notch Selections Owners Must Make Happen
For many of the teams in the upper tier of this year's NBA lottery, there is one player—maybe two, if they're lucky—that can make or break the season next year, and possibly many seasons thereafter.
Some teams got lucky and were awarded high enough lottery picks to get those players they truly need. Others will have to suck it up and take their second or third choice. But all of them must tread (and pick) carefully, because this one selection can be the difference between a playoff berth next season and yet another spot in the lottery.
Here's a complete first-round mock draft with a special emphasis on the teams that must make sure they select one particular star in the making.
1. New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky
The Hornets emerged from last week's lottery as the luckiest team in the NBA. Their odds of winning the lottery were just 13.7 percent, and now they'll be able to draft the best player in the NCAA and a leader who can help take a team full of young talent and mold it into something that is capable of making a playoff run.
Where Davis is most valuable is obviously in terms of what he brings on the court. He's stellar defensively, draws double-teams and is unstoppable in the paint.
He's that elusive big man who can score reliably, and in Davis' case, he still has room to grow, develop and add muscle in order to make himself even more impossible to contend with.
Off the court, he's just as good a leader. Davis is the kind of player who makes everyone around him better, not only because of his talent, but because he can lead by example as well. The Hornets win big here.
2. Charlotte Bobcats: Bradley Beal, SG, Florida
The Bobcats needed Davis, but oh well. They'll have to settle for the best backcourt option on the board, and someone who's just as capable of serving as the centerpiece of the team—just in a different way.
In terms of shooters, Beal is the best available, which will be a huge boost to a Charlotte team that doesn't have a lot of direction. Along with John Wall, Beal gives the Bobcats the beginnings of one of the better backcourts in the league, especially if Beal lives up to his own prophecy of becoming another Ray Allen.
Oh, and he's humble, too.
Bottom line is, it's going to take a lot for the Bobcats to become contenders, and it's going to take a while. Beal is just about as much of a sure thing as there is left on the board, and he's worth building around for the long term.
3. Washington Wizards: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky
The Wizards need help up front, and they need a young player with leadership skills. Kidd-Gilchrist is a champion with more toughness and fire than anyone available.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina
There isn't a lot to complain about with Barnes. He's the right size (6'8") for an NBA 3, and he's a scorer who wants to be the superstar. He's just not enough of a sure thing to go higher than this.
5. Sacramento Kings: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas
Robinson is the player the Kings were aiming to get all along, and as long as the Cavs opt for a small forward, they'll still get him.
The biggest favor Robinson ever did for himself was playing the way he did against Kentucky in the NCAA championship.
There are five former Wildcats expected to go in the first round of this year's draft, and against them, Robinson still managed to put up 18 points and a ridiculous 17 rebounds. He proved he can show up against the best of the best not only offensively, but defensively, too.
In terms of complete, NBA-ready players, Robinson is one of the top options, and he will improve the Kings frontcourt immediately. Aside from him and Davis, there aren't many big guys who are totally ready right now.
6. Portland Trail Blazers: Andre Drummond, C, UConn
Drummond declined to run or shoot at the NBA combine, so it's unclear how that will affect his stock. He'll probably fall out of the top five, because even though he's the best center, he's still a risk, but he shouldn't fall farther than this.
7. Golden State Warriors: Perry Jones III, PF, Baylor
Jones seems like a player who's going to boom rather than bust. He seems more motivated than the other 4's on this board to work hard to prove himself at the next level and to shed that soft label once and for all.
8. Toronto Raptors: Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State
He's a bit on the small side at 6'2", but he was an excellent offensive asset for Weber State last season, not only in terms of his own scoring numbers but also in terms of his ability to set up his teammates.
He could be a huge complement to DeMar DeRozan.
9. Detroit Pistons: Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State
When Sullinger is on, he's one of the best 4's available, but he's been inconsistent at times during his career with the Buckeyes, so it's hard to tell whether he'll boom or bust. He's still the best player left on the board at this point, so the Pistons won't pass on him.
10. New Orleans Hornets: Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina
Marshall's an excellent passer—by far the best in the NCAA—but he can be a liability when it comes to shooting. Fortunately for the Hornets, they now have Davis, who can become Marshall's new Harrison Barnes.
11. Portland Trail Blazers: Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn
Lamb is the best guard left on the board at this point, but he still doesn't scream star like a Bradley Beal. After taking Drummond, the Blazers need to look for some help in the backcourt, so they go for Drummond's college teammate and hope they didn't just select the two most bust-able players.
12. Milwaukee Bucks: John Henson, PF, North Carolina
Henson is a wild card because he has a lot of raw talent, particularly defensively, but he still needs to get a lot bigger and stronger before he can use his 6'10" frame to his full advantage in the paint.
13. Phoenix Suns: Terrence Ross, SG, Washington
Ross has the raw talent to go a lot higher than this, but he didn't get as much exposure during his stellar sophomore campaign because Washington was so bad. He was one of the best overall shooters in the NBA last season and was particularly lethal from mid-range.
14. Houston Rockets: Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina
He could really go anywhere from ninth to 15th, but the Rockets need to fill a hole in the middle, and he's their best option. Zeller is athletic for a seven-footer and runs the floor very well, but like Henson, he still needs to add strength.
15. Philadelphia 76ers: Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky
It's likely the Sixers are going to be choosing between Jones and Arnett Moultrie here, but ultimately they go with the scrappy national champion who plays with some healthy aggression and can be a huge offensive asset off the bench.
16. Houston Rockets: Arnett Moultrie, PF, Mississippi State
Moultrie has a great build for an NBA 4, and the Rockets should win big if they get both Zeller and Moultrie. He's incredibly athletic, and with the right attitude adjustment, he could be dangerous.
17. Dallas Mavericks: Austin Rivers, SG, Duke
It's hard to tell whether Rivers is going to make the necessary adjustments to be productive next season. He's a great shooter, and he clearly wants to be the star, but before that can happen, he needs to demonstrate he can actually play defense and distribute a bit better.
18. Minnesota Timberwolves: Dion Waiters, PG/SG, Syracuse
Waiters is another wild card who could go anywhere from ninth to 20th. He's versatile enough to play either the 1 or the 2, and he'd make an excellent sixth man. If the Sixers don't bite on him, it would be silly for the Timberwolves to let him slide even farther.
19. Orlando Magic: Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois
No matter how the Dwight Howard drama pans out, the Magic are going to be looking to go big here, and Leonard is very athletic for his size and could grow into a serious defensive asset.
20. Denver Nuggets: Tony Wroten Jr., PG, Washington
Wroten is risky because he has a bad rap as a teammate, but as a 6'5" point guard with a lot of raw ability offensively, the Nuggets can't resist.
21. Boston Celtics: Fab Melo, C, Syracuse
The Celtics need to draft a big body up front who won't be a bust. There are no guarantees with Melo, but he's a true seven-footer and is the best shot the Celtics have at this point.
22. Boston Celtics: Jeffery Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt
One of the Celtics' biggest problem areas this postseason has been offense off the bench, and that could be Taylor's specialty next season. He's excellent on defense, too.
23. Atlanta Hawks: Royce White, SF, Iowa State
White is a high-risk, high-reward player because he definitely has a lot of raw talent, but he also has an anxiety disorder that's scaring off many a GM.
24. Cleveland Cavaliers: Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor
If not for an ACL surgery that seemed to disrupt his flow this season, he could've gone a lot higher than this. But he's failed to prove he's the same player offensively that he was before he went down with the injury.
25. Memphis Grizzlies: Moe Harkless, SF, St. John's
He's a bit on the small side at 6'8", but he has immense upside and managed to tally 15.3 points per game in the ultra-competitive Big East last season.
26. Indiana Pacers: Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky
Teague's postseason play definitely pushed him into the first round. He showed a lot of growth throughout the season in terms of maturity, and he's one of the quickest guard prospects among this crop.
27. Miami Heat: John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt
Jenkins may be one of the older options, but he's also one of the most proven after three years at Vanderbilt, and he's a pure shooter who can help the Heat off the bench.
28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure
The Thunder can continue to stock up on young talent with a player like Nicholson, who's terrific defensively.
29. Chicago Bulls: Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky
The Bulls will get a huge gift if Lamb falls this far. In terms of off-the-bench offense, there's no one better, at least from three-point land.
30. Golden State Warriors: Draymond Green, SF, Michigan State
If the Warriors don't trade this pick, they're going to want someone with experience who's ready to step in now and make his teammates better.
