2012 NBA Mock Draft: NCAA Tournament Stars Ready to Thrive at Next Level
Succeeding in the NCAA tournament may not be a perfect barometer for how a prospect will fare at the NBA level, but it's one of the best indicators we have.
The tournament puts young athletes in a high-pressure situation with the same kind of national attention they can expect to find at the next level. It also forces them to square off against other elite players, create a survival-of-the-fittest dynamic that often speaks volumes as to what a guy's professional career might look like.
It doesn't tell you everything, but it's a start.
June 28's NBA draft will feature a few tournament stars landing at the top of the first round, but it will also include a number of prospects who had to generate their fanfare without all the national limelight.
1. New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis, PF (Kentucky)
Davis had as good a tournament as anyone. He put his exceptional defensive skills on display and proved he could change games whether he was scoring or not. As if his skills needed any more vindication, he managed to prove himself and win a national championship in the process.
It's still unclear how Davis' potential will translate at the pro level, but there's little question the Hornets front line will benefit tremendously.
2. Charlotte Bobcats: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF (Kentucky)
He may not have taken many shots for the Wildcats, but that doesn't mean he was anything short of instrumental to their championship. His heart and leadership rubbed off on a young team, and it played beyond its years as a result.
Charlotte needs an infusion of attitude just as much as it needs talent or help at a particular position. MKG stands the best chance of delivering that fresh air.
3. Washington Wizards: Thomas Robinson, PF (Kansas)
It's become abundantly clear that Andray Blatche isn't this team's power forward of the future, and it's too soon to tell what Trevor Booker or Kevin Seraphin will amount to.
After three years at Kansas and a dominant tournament performance, Robinson is more of a sure thing than a lot of guys already in the NBA. He scores, rebounds and digs in at the defensive end.
Washington would look a whole lot better with this guy in the frontcourt.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Bradley Beal, SG (Florida)
The Cavaliers need to find Kyrie Irving a shoot-first backcourt partner, and Beal is probably the best man for the job in this draft. Cleveland could also take a look at a small forward like Kidd-Gilchrist or Harrison Barnes, but it's tough to pass up Beal if he hasn't been taken already.
5. Sacramento Kings: Harrison Barnes, SF (North Carolina)
Barnes could be a slightly more mobile version of Luol Deng, and he has every bit the All-Star potential. He spent two seasons at UNC and left little doubt that he has a mature grasp of the game.
His inconsistent shooting, especially in the tournament, could end up hurting his stock. Otherwise, he'd be a safe bet for the Kings.
6. Portland Trail Blazers (from Brooklyn Nets): Andre Drummond, C (UConn)
Based on his size and athletic ability alone, Drummond might figure to be one of the two best players in this draft. Unfortunately, his skills are still too raw to know what he can do at the next level. Given Portland's need for a center to replace Marcus Camby, Drummond's development may be worth the wait.
7. Golden State Warriors: Perry Jones III, PF (Baylor)
Jones' tournament performance was a microcosm of his two years at Baylor. He was brilliant at times and an afterthought at others. If he can build upon his well-above-average athletic ability, he could make a few teams regret not taking him.
He'd give Golden State its best shot at a superstar after Stephen Curry, and he could fit into the Warriors rotation in a number of different ways thanks to his versatility on the front line.
8. Toronto Raptors: Jeremy Lamb, SG (UConn)
The Raptors don't have enough in-house talent to be too choosy here. Lamb is probably the best available talent at this point in the lottery, so it would make sense for Toronto to choose Lamb or a similarly disposed scorer.
9. Detroit Pistons: Terrence Jones, SF (Kentucky)
It's not easy to pinpoint what the Pistons need, primarily because they have lots of mediocre players surrounding young prospects like Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight. Jones is a little bit of a risk, but that's why he makes sense for Detroit. Joe Dumars needs to bring in some guys with legitimate star potential.
10. New Orleans Hornets (via Minnesota Timberwolves): Damian Lillard, PG (Weber State)
Lillard may be too much of a shoot-first guard to run the point for an NBA team right away, but that might suit the Hornets just fine. Jarrett Jack probably isn't anywhere immediately, so Lillard could just focus on scoring off the bench for the time being.
11. Portland Trail Blazers: Kendall Marshall, PG (North Carolina)
Marshall has everything you want in a true point guard: brilliant passing ability, good size and a leader's disposition. Portland needs all of those things in its backcourt.
12. Milwaukee Bucks: Tyler Zeller, C (North Carolina)
With Andrew Bogut no longer the Bucks' future at the center position, it's time to find the next best option. At this point in the lottery, that's likely to be either Zeller or Meyers Leonard. Zeller has the more polished game at this point, so Milwaukee might prefer him as an immediate solution.
13. Phoenix Suns: Austin Rivers, G (Duke)
Outside of center Marcin Gortat, the Suns don't have much star talent under contract going into next season. It's doubtful they'll find an instant solution to that dilemma this late in the lottery, but if sweet-shooting Rivers is still around, he'd do the trick.
14. Houston Rockets: John Henson, PF (North Carolina)
Luis Scola remains an underrated post presence by almost any measure, but he's getting to a point in his career where a young, defensively oriented understudy could help out. Henson could be a defensive menace in the right situation.
15. Philadelphia 76ers: Terrence Ross, SG (Washington)
Ross may have been slightly overrated at one point, but now he's probably not getting the attention he deserves. He'd represent a vast improvement over Philly's current shooting guard situation.
16. Houston Rockets (via New York Knicks): Dion Waiters, G (Syracuse)
The Rockets rotation could be set to undergo some significant changes after suffering through yet another season of slightly above-average basketball. With Goran Dragic and Courtney Lee both on the free-agent market, Waiters would be a nifty insurance package.
17. Dallas Mavericks: Jared Sullinger, PF (Ohio State)
Given his mature skill level, there's a good chance Sullinger will be taken at some point in the lottery. If not, it's about time the Mavericks had a talented bruiser to give this front line a different look from time to time.
18. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Utah Jazz): Arnett Moultrie, PF (Mississippi St.)
Don't count on Moultrie to go much higher than this, but he would actually serve an important function in Minnesota, where there's not a whole lot of size on the bench outside of Darko Milicic.
19. Orlando Magic: Meyers Leonard, C (Illinois)
The Magic have been in danger of losing Dwight Howard for a while now, and it would be wise to start looking for some young replacements. Meyers is one of the biggest and most explosive centers in the draft, and he'd be Orlando's best option if he's still around.
20. Denver Nuggets: Tony Wroten Jr., PG/SG (Washington)
Wroten might benefit from a brief stint in the Development League, but he just might have as much upside as any prospect falling outside the lottery. He's got an ideal 6'5" frame for a combo guard.
21. Boston Celtics: Quincy Miller, SF (Baylor)
Like so many guys who have up-and-down college careers, Miller could go just about anywhere in this draft. Nevertheless, he's a super-athletic forward with a 7'1" wingspan and tons of potential. He'd breathe some life into Boston's shallow bench.
22. Boston Celtics (via Los Angeles Clippers): Fab Melo, C (Syracuse)
Who knows what this roster will look like by the start of next season? Whatever Danny Ainge winds up doing on the free-agency front, chances are Boston will still need a big man just as much as it does now.
23. Atlanta Hawks: Jeff Taylor, SF (Vanderbilt)
Taylor may be the best on-ball perimeter defender in the draft, even if he isn't considered a well-rounded superstar prospect. The Hawks need a player who can make an immediate impact off the bench, and Taylor is the best option in the event there isn't any solid backcourt help available.
24. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Los Angeles Lakers): Moe Harkless, SF (St. John's)
The Cavaliers could go in a number of different directions here, but Harkless meets an immediate need at the small forward position. Unless Cleveland lands someone like Kidd-Gilchrist or Harrison Barnes in the lottery, the 3 will remain a need.
25. Memphis Grizzlies: Evan Fournier, SG (France)
The Grizzlies might be best suited to move this pick in an attempt to add some veteran presence to an otherwise youthful roster. If they keep the selection, it'd make sense to add a wing player with some scoring ability—especially with backup small forward Sam Young shipped out last season.
26. Indiana Pacers: Draymond Green, F (Michigan St.)
The Pacers have plenty of young assets already, but Green is a unique talent. He may not have a prototypical NBA game, but that's what makes him so intriguing. He'll rebound, pass and find ways to impact games even if he's a power forward in a shooting guard's body.
27. Miami Heat: Festus Ezeli, C (Vanderbilt)
Miami needs an intimidating shot-locker in the middle, and Ezeli has the size and wingspan to do the job. He could either serve as a defensive-minded role player, or—in the best-case scenario—he could wind up a fixture at the Heat's center position.
28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Andrew Nicholson, PF (St. Bonaventure)
The Thunder don't have many pressing needs, but this club could use an alternative to Nick Collison behind Serge Ibaka, and it could use some scoring off the bench. Nicholson would solve both needs.
29. Chicago Bulls: Marquis Teague, PG (Kentucky)
Chicago has plenty of depth on its roster already, but it could use some help in the backcourt given point guard Derrick Rose's prolonged recovery. Teague may not be a lottery pick, but he could wind up being a steal this late in the draft.
30. Golden State Warriors (via San Antonio Spurs): Royce White, SF/PF (Iowa State)
The Warriors don't have a whole lot of depth behind Dorell Wright and David Lee at the forward positions. White might be able to kill two birds with one stone thanks to his size and potential to play either position.
