NBA Mock Draft 2012: Comparing Each Lottery Pick to a Current NBA Player

Mark your calendars, basketball fans, because the 2012 NBA draft is on the horizon, scheduled for June 28.

The New Orleans Hornets shocked the NBA community at the NBA draft lottery, lucking into the first overall pick over teams like the Charlotte Bobcats, Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 2012 NBA draft will have a hard time topping the awe of the lottery, but it should be extremely exciting regardless. Outside of Kentucky big man Anthony Davis, there doesn’t appear to be a clear-cut No. 2 prospect, which could lead to a messy draft board.

With that said, it’s time to speculate and place together a full first-round mock draft, while comparing each lottery pick to a current NBA player.

1. New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis, PF/C, Kentucky

Anthony Davis is without question the best player on this year's draft board, and barring a Timothy Bradley-esque upset, he will be the first overall pick by the New Orleans Hornets.

Davis has a passion for the game of basketball. He's big, he's physical and he's an instinctive shot-blocker.

Very few NBA prospects come into the league with a passion on the defensive end of the court, but Davis certainly will.

He'll be a huge asset defensively in the post for the Hornets for years to come. Jay Bilas would shun me if I didn't mention his length.

NBA Comparison: Marcus Camby or Serge Ibaka

2. Charlotte Bobcats: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky

I understand the apprehension some teams may have when deciding whether or not to draft a guy like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

There are concerns that he can’t shoot the ball and could be relegated to having a solid career as a defensive specialist while adding little else to his repertoire (i.e. Bruce Bowen).

However, Kidd-Gilchrist is different from a lot of NBA prospects in that he actually cares on the defensive end. He’s a tenacious defender who relishes locking down his man on D.

Because he genuinely gives a crap on defense, he can force turnovers either by jumping passing lanes with his length or frustrating matchups into making bad decisions.

Forcing turnovers in today’s NBA is incredibly important because it often leads to easy buckets on the fast break.

The concerns are there with Kidd-Gilchrist regarding whether or not he’ll develop an outside shot, but something about him jumps out at me. The kid is just 18 years old.

He has plenty of time to practice his jumper (especially on a team owned by the greatest to ever play, Michael Jordan). As he works on consistency and shooting range, Kidd-Gilchrist can fluster opponents defensively and slash to the basket for layups with his athleticism.

Some pundits don't think he's worth taking this high, but at 18 years old, I think the potential outweighs the concerns.

NBA Comparison: Tony Allen

3. Washington Wizards: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

The Washington Wizards need a lot of help moving forward.

John Wall, the former No. 1 overall pick, hasn’t progressed yet. In fact, a lot of his statistics dropped from his rookie year to his sophomore year.

Additionally, the Wizards decided to trade on-court enigma—albeit an enigma with a ton of potential—JaVale McGee along with Nick Young and Ronny Turiaf in a three team deal that netted them Nene, Brian Cook and a future second-round pick.

This trade is pretty head-scratching, considering Nene’s gargantuan contract, so the Wizards will have to hit a home run in this year’s draft.

I see that home run being Thomas Robinson out of Kansas.

He’s a hyper-athletic big man who averaged 17.7 points and 11.8 rebounds last season for the Jayhawks.

He needs to improve upon the typical "big man stuff" moving forward, like staying out of foul trouble, honing his post moves and developing a consistent outside jumper. However, there have been a lot of players in the past who have developed those aspects rather quickly.

Robinson is the safe choice for the Wizards here, as they can slot him next to Nene in the frontcourt while hoping to develop Jordan Crawford and Jan Vesely moving forward.

NBA Comparison: LaMarcus Aldridge

4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Bradley Beal, SG, Florida

The Cleveland Cavaliers got lucky last year, jumping up to the top spot in the NBA draft to lock up eventual Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving.

Irving is a stud who may have already leapfrogged into the top-10 NBA point guards. However, his best teammate at the moment is Anderson Varejao. No disrespect to Varejao because his hustle is an asset NBA teams covet, but Irving needs more talent around him.

By drafting Bradley Beal, seen as the best shooting guard available in this draft, the Cavs would have one of the best (if not the best) young backcourts in the entire NBA.

Though a tad undersized for a shooting guard at 6’3” (according to ESPN), Beal has a stocky, NBA-ready body, so he likely won’t have too much trouble adjusting to a more physical atmosphere.

Also, he’s a fabulous rebounder for his size and position, averaging 6.7 rebounds per game last season.

Beal is a solid scorer, but he still needs to improve his shooting range and isolation offense.

NBA Comparison: Eric Gordon

5. Sacramento Kings: Andre Drummond, C, UConn

Andre Drummond is a physical beast with tremendous athletic ability for his size, but he does have some bust potential considering you could have said the same things about Michael Olowokandi and Kwame Brown when they entered the NBA draft.

Drafting Drummond at No. 5, however, is much less of a risk than it would be if the Bobcats decided to take him at second overall.

There are questions about Drummond’s work ethic, which is scary considering he may be content making it to the NBA, cashing a check and not developing into a top-five NBA center (which I think he’s capable of doing).

Also, pairing Drummond with the questionable maturity of DeMarcus Cousins could prove to be a toxic mixture. The Kings would be smart to bring in a veteran big man to light a fire under both of these guys so they develop to their full potential.

Drummond and Cousins could be an amazing frontcourt duo together, but they could also choose to clown around and not improve, which would be disastrous.

Even if Drummond doesn’t develop into a top-tier talent at center in the NBA, he’d still be a great sidekick to Cousins in the post.

NBA Comparison: Dwight Howard or Kwame Brown

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

Harrison Barnes may be one of the most polished basketball players in this year’s draft.

He has a consistent mid-range game, a great basketball IQ and a nose for the basketball on the offensive boards.

When you watch Barnes play, you see that he has a fluidity about him that will translate well to the NBA. He has tremendous poise and confidence out on the court, which makes it appear as if the game is unfolding in front of him in slow motion at times. He takes what the defense gives him and doesn’t force many bad shots.

After bad knees forced Brandon Roy to retire earlier than most expected him to, the Portland Trail Blazers will be looking for a new go-to scorer. Barnes can be that guy moving forward.

He averaged 17.4 points and 5.2 rebounds last season for the Tar Heels.

NBA Comparison: Rudy Gay

7. Golden State Warriors: Damian Lillard, PG, Weber St.

Although it probably isn’t common to see the Golden State Warriors mocked to draft a point guard here, I believe it makes a lot of sense.

Currently, Stephen Curry is the franchise guy with the Warriors. However, by playing him at point guard, not only do I think Curry is out of position, but he’s also being asked to do too much, which may have contributed to his ankle problems.

Curry is far more effective playing off the ball as a shoot-first, ask-questions-later type of player. He’s a lights-out shooter (a career 47.3 percent from the field and 44.1 percent from three-point range), so he shouldn’t have to worry about setting up teammates to score.

Although Damian Lillard is also a score-first player, I think he’s a better option at point guard than Curry.

Lillard averaged a whopping 24.5 points per game last season to go with five rebounds and four assists per contest.

Lillard is a tremendously efficient scorer, but he needs to work on his court vision and point-guard instincts. Having Curry lined up with him on the offense would help him out immensely, considering he could penetrate and kick out to Curry for open threes.

The Monta Ellis trade should open up shooting guard for Curry moving forward, as he isn’t an ideal point guard.

The Warriors could have one of the most offensively potent backcourts in basketball next year with Lillard and Curry. They’d also have Dorell Wright, David Lee and new addition Andrew Bogut in the frontcourt, not to mention Klay Thompson off the bench as their sixth man.

NBA Comparison: Ty Lawson

8. Toronto Raptors: Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State

The Toronto Raptors could be in the market for a point guard here, considering Jose Calderon is entering the final year of his contract and Jerryd Bayless is a free agent this summer.

However, I think the Raptors can hold off on a point guard for at least one more year, since they have Calderon on board.

The only true scorers on this Raptors team at the moment are Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan. Picking up a guy like Jared Sullinger, an inside post presence who muscles other players around with his bulk, would be a valuable asset to offset Bargnani’s lack of toughness.

Sullinger has a high basketball IQ, good intangibles and a solid work ethic.

NBA Comparison: Paul Millsap

9. Detroit Pistons: John Henson, PF, North Carolina

John Henson impressed at the NBA combine due to his length and athleticism. Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated thinks that Henson's stock could be on the rise and even compared him to Anthony Davis.

I’ve had my doubts about John Henson leading up to the draft because he failed to show significant improvement in his time at North Carolina.

He’s a horrible free-throw shooter who shot just 51.1 percent from the charity stripe last season, and his rebounding and shot-blocking numbers both dropped a bit from his sophomore season to his junior season.

Nevertheless, Henson is a unique prospect because of his 7’5” wingspan and shot-blocking prowess. He’s not bad on the offensive end of the court, but Henson is rail thin at 6’10”, 220 pounds, so he may get pushed around by bigger NBA players.

The Pistons, however, love the slender players (i.e. Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye), so I wouldn’t be at all shocked to see them pick Henson here even though his draft stock could slide on draft day.

NBA Comparison: Ekpe Udoh

10. New Orleans Hornets: Perry Jones III, PF, Baylor

After lucking into the first pick of the draft (or being given the first pick of the draft, depending upon your conspiracy viewpoint), I think the New Orleans Hornets can afford to gamble here at No. 10 after they nab Anthony Davis.

Perry Jones III is an athletic, 6’11” power forward, but he has the tendency to disappear on the court at times. His collegiate numbers don’t leap out at you when you ponder what he’s truly capable of doing (13.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game last season at Baylor).

He has a tremendously high ceiling as a prospect, but his motor isn't always running at 100 percent, which is a concern.

Jones disappoints on the defensive end of the court, but he can still develop because of his physical skills. Having Anthony Davis as a teammate would help Jones out immensely in that regard.

Jones has some bust potential, but I think the Hornets can afford to roll the dice on Jones considering they’ll have already picked up a can’t-miss prospect in Davis.

NBA Comparison: Anthony Randolph

11. Portland Trail Blazers: Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina

After a disastrous year from Raymond Felton in Portland, the Trail Blazers will be looking for their point guard of the future.

Kendall Marshall is a pass-first point guard in every sense of the term. He’s far more comfortable dishing the ball off to teammates instead of scoring himself, which is what you want from a floor general.

He makes a habit of elevating teammates to their highest level possible, and I think he’ll do that at the NBA level.

This move makes sense given the fact that the Trail Blazers drafted Marshall’s UNC teammate, Harrison Barnes, at No. 6.

NBA Comparison: Andre Miller

12. Milwaukee Bucks: Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois

The Milwaukee Bucks desperately need to add size considering their only big man is Ersan Ilyasova, who is more of a perimeter player and a free agent this summer.

After trading away Andrew Bogut for Monta Ellis and Ekpe Udoh, the Bucks are in the market for a new center. At 7’1”, Meyers Leonard fits that description.

Leonard has a soft touch around the basket, and despite his size, he’s not a bad free-throw shooter.

Although he’s not known as a tenacious defender, his size allows him to alter shots in the paint, which would be an asset to a lot of NBA teams.

NBA Comparison: Roy Hibbert

13. Phoenix Suns: Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse

Reports are surfacing that Dion Waiters has shut down all of his NBA workouts because a team has promised to take him in the first round of the draft.

It’s also been reported that the Phoenix Suns are enamored with Waiters as a prospect.

If you put two and two together, it appears as if the Suns are going to snag Waiters if he’s still available. While we can't know for sure, reports hint that the Suns are the team who promised Waiters they'd draft him.

With the threat of Steve Nash leaving in free agency this summer, the Suns could look to add their point guard of the future, but with Lillard and Marshall gone, I think they look elsewhere.

Shannon Brown is set to be a free agent again this summer, and after a disappointing year with the Suns, it’s not certain that he’ll be back in Phoenix, even though he’s said he wants to return.

Grant Hill wants to return to the NBA for at least one more season, but he’ll be 40 years old soon, so the Suns could also look at a small forward like Terrence Jones in this spot.

The bottom line is that the Suns have a lot of needs moving forward, but it’s safe to say they won’t draft a power forward or a center because they have Marcin Gortat and last year’s first round pick, Markieff Morris.

NBA Comparison: Jordan Crawford

14. Houston Rockets: Jeremy Lamb, SG, UCONN

The Houston Rockets need to add some offensive firepower to their team moving forward, and they can do that by drafting one of the best players available here, Jeremy Lamb.

Lamb is a lengthy shooting guard with the ability to create his own shot, a valuable skill at the NBA level.

The Rockets are stuck with Kevin Martin’s ugly contract for the time being, but if they draft a guy like Lamb, they could open up the door for a trade.

Since Kyle Lowry already wants to be moved, the Rockets could look for suitors willing to take on Martin’s contract and acquire Houston’s disgruntled point guard.

NBA Comparison: Kevin Martin (Ironic)

15. Philadelphia 76ers: Arnett Moultrie, PF, Mississippi State

Both Elton Brand and Spencer Hawes are set to be free agents this summer, so it makes sense the Philadelphia 76ers will grab a frontcourt player with their choice in the first round.

What makes Arnett Moultrie such an asset is that he can step out and knock down three-pointers as a 6’11” power forward/center.

He has a lot of upside, but he’ll need some time to come into his own as an NBA-caliber player.

Until then, he can use his quickness and athleticism to make a name for himself.

16. Houston Rockets: Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina

The Houston Rockets have been looking for a viable NBA center ever since Yao Ming was forced to retire. Since they weren’t able to grab Meyers Leonard (hypothetically speaking), Tyler Zeller is another seven-footer on the draft board they could conceivably target.

It’s difficult to find seven-footers nowadays who are familiar with the game of basketball. Zeller has an evident passion for the game and a solid feel on both sides of the court.

Although it’s unlikely that Zeller will become a star at the NBA level, he’ll still be a solid center who will hustle and give his all every night he’s on the court.

17. Dallas Mavericks: Tony Wroten, PG/SG, Washington

Jason Kidd is 39 years old and has an expiring contract this summer along with fellow Dallas Mavericks teammates Jason Terry and Delonte West. I would be surprised if the Mavericks didn’t draft a guy to add backcourt depth this year.

Tony Wroten is a project to say the least, but the Mavs can afford to take him at No. 17 and wait for him to develop.

He has a ton of potential, but right now it’s difficult to project whether he’s better off as an NBA point guard or NBA shooting guard. Wroten is fantastic at penetrating to the basket and finishing strong, but he has some pretty evident weaknesses.

Wroten shot a pathetic 16.1 percent from three-point range and 58.3 percent from the free-throw line last season. He has time to develop an outside shot, but the fact that he’s such a bad free-throw shooter is a concern.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves: Austin Rivers, SG, Duke

The Minnesota Timberwolves' starting rotation next year will include Ricky Rubio, Michael Beasley/Derrick Williams, Kevin Love and Nikola Pekovic. Martell Webster is a solid role player, but he's not a good option as an NBA starter, so the T-Wolves will be looking for a shooting guard to bring this team full circle.

As one of the NBA teams on the rise for next season, the Timberwolves don't exactly need a superstar at the shooting-guard spot, but they do need someone who can score the ball. Austin Rivers would be a great fit in that regard.

Rivers is a streaky, confident shooter who has great range as an NBA prospect. Playing beside Rubio and Love would greatly aid his transition to the NBA.

19. Orlando Magic: Terrence Jones, SF, Kentucky

Terrence Jones is NBA-ready from a physical standpoint. He should be more than capable of coming in and making a difference immediately for the team who drafts him.

Jones is a slashing small forward who finishes strong at the basket. He also has the advantage of being left-handed, so defenders have to remember that before he burns them to the bucket.

The question marks surrounding Dwight Howard in Orlando are evident, but the only thing you can ask of the Magic moving forward is that they bring in talent while that situation figures itself out.

20. Denver Nuggets: Moe Harkless, SF, St. John's

Moe Harkless is a fluid athlete who played very well in a tough collegiate division at St. John’s.

He has to improve his shooting range considering he shot just 21.5 percent from three-point range, but few draft prospects are lights-out shooters from beyond the arc to begin with anyway.

Harkless plays solid defense and does a lot of the little things well, but he may need to bulk up as he transitions to the NBA level.

21. Boston Celtics: Terrence Ross, SG/SF, Washington

Very athletic with great range, Terrence Ross’s stock is rising on a lot of draft boards, so there’s a good chance he’ll end up being drafted higher than this on draft day.

However, if he falls to the Boston Celtics at No. 21, I would expect Boston to pull the trigger and draft him.

At 6’6”, Ross is long and wiry, which gives him great potential on the defensive end.

Although he may translate better as a small forward, he doesn’t have the bulk needed to play the position at the NBA level. Ross could come in right away to either replace or rest Ray Allen.

22. Boston Celtics: Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure

Andrew Nicholson from St. Bonaventure is another prospect who does a lot of the little things well. He has good intangibles and should be a great student of the game at the next level, especially if he can learn from Kevin Garnett.

During his junior season, Nicholson averaged 20.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He could end up being a diamond in the rough for the Celtics at No. 22.

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

Royce White is a versatile point forward who contributes in a lot of different ways out on the floor.

On the positive side, White averaged 13.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and five assists per contest. He can score the ball, grab game-changing amounts of rebounds and help teammates by setting them up to score.

On the negative side, however, White averaged nearly four turnovers per game as a small forward. Sometimes he gets too enamored with the idea of making the heroic, home-run pass and forces the issue when he doesn’t have to do so.

White is also a pitiful free-throw shooter at just 49.8 percent.

Admittedly, White has a lot of areas that he needs to improve upon. However, if you draft White, you’re doing so for his ability to see the court as a 6’8”, 240-pound small forward. That gift is not common, as the only other gifted passers at that size that I can think of are LeBron James and Boris Diaw.

As an NBA comparison, I’d liken White to Diaw 2.0.

24. Cleveland Cavaliers: Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor

Quincy Miller is the prototypical small-forward prospect. At 6’9”, 210 pounds, Miller has the lanky small-forward body similar to Nic Batum or Kevin Durant.

Miller has a polished offensive game, plays with poise and is a great free-throw shooter, which you can’t say for a lot of this year’s prospects.

On the negative side, Miller has a lack of experience and doesn’t have many minutes under his belt competitively because he spent a lot of time recovering from a knee injury.

Nevertheless, if he can continue to improve and usher in the new era of Cavs basketball alongside Kyrie Irving and whomever the Cavs draft at No. 4, they’ll be a team to keep an eye on moving forward.

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

There’s no guarantee that O.J. Mayo will be back in Memphis next season, so an otherwise solid Grizzlies team should draft a shooting guard to ensure they have depth at the position.

While Doron Lamb wasn’t one of the top offensive options on a stacked Kentucky team, he proved to be one of the most consistent outside shooters, shooting the three at a 46.6 percent clip last season.

Lamb was a great complimentary player to Anthony Davis and Terrence Jones at Kentucky, so I think he’d fill the same role well in Memphis beside Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley.

26. Indiana Pacers: Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky

Darren Collison’s contract is winding down, and both Leandro Barbosa and George Hill are set to be free agents this summer in Indiana.

While Collison is the starting point guard in Indiana for the time being, they could still use depth in the backcourt.

Marquis Teague is mature beyond his years at the point-guard position and his older brother, Jeff Teague, is already an NBA player with the Atlanta Hawks. Looking to his brother for guidance as he transitions to the NBA will be a big help for Teague.

27. Miami Heat: Fab Melo, C, Syracuse

The Miami Heat desperately need to add size and frontcourt depth because all they have there currently are Udonis Haslem and Chris Bosh.

Fab Melo is a seven-foot, shot-blocking center who could bring the size the Heat are looking for to complement Bosh in the paint.

Adding Melo would help ensure that Shane Battier wouldn't have to guard opposing power forwards in the future.

28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt

With Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins, the Thunder's top-five players are pretty well solidified. Therefore, the Thunder can afford to take a chance on the Nigerian born center, Festus Ezeli.

Playing behind Perkins and Ibaka, Ezeli could hone his raw basketball skills and become a dynamic defensive big man.

Short of Kevin Garnett or Tim Duncan, there are few better players in the NBA to learn from than Perkins and Ibaka.

29. Chicago Bulls: Evan Fournier, SG, France

A team as deep and talented as the Chicago Bulls can afford to take a foreign player in the late first round.

Evan Fournier from France is a 6'6" shooting guard with good footwork who has a nose for the basket.

He may not play right away as a 19-year-old prospect, but a few years down the road, he could be a major contributor to this Bulls squad.

30. Golden State Warriors: Jeffery Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt

Jeffery Taylor earned all-SEC honors in each season he played at Vanderbilt.

He handles the ball well for his size and scores through a diverse repertoire of offensive skills.

In addition to Taylor’s offensive ability, he was named an All-SEC defensive selection three years in a row, which speaks volumes about his effort on the defensive end of the court.

Taylor is one of the most well-rounded players in this draft, so the Warriors would be happy to pick up a true warrior at pick No. 30.