NBA Draft 2012: 5 Underrated Prospects and Their NBA Comparisons
While two teams are battling it out for a NBA Championship, the rest of the league is preparing for the 2012 NBA Draft. A part of the process is finding a current NBA player that compares to the player that is being scouted. Comparisons are a large part of how a team makes their draft decisions. Finding players that will fit into your systems is essential to team success.
Here are five underrated players that will get drafted in this years draft and their current NBA player comparison.
Jeffery Taylor
1 of 5NBA Comparison: Chase Budinger
Jeffery Taylor is a small forward who just wrapped up his senior year at Vanderbilt University. The two reasons he compares to Houston Rockets’ Chase Budinger are his suburb athleticism as well as his scoring ability. According to NBADraft.net, Taylor has some of the best physical tools of any wing player in the 2012 class. Taylor shot 42 percent from three-point land on at least four attempts a game.
Taylor averaged 16.1 points per game as well as grabbing 5.6 rebounds for Vanderbilt last year. The main knock on Taylor is his age; entering the NBA at the age of 23 is tough. For comparison, he is the same age as Kevin Durant, who has already won three scoring titles and is playing for his first NBA title.
Tony Wroten
2 of 5NBA Comparison: Tyreke Evans
Tony Wroten was only at the University of Washington for one year but he did not disappoint. In his short stint as a Husky he brought home the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Award. Wroten compares to Tyreke Evans because of his ability to lower his shoulder and get to the rim. He is at his best when he is running the pick and roll, and has the ability to beat a bigger defender with both speed and strength.
He averaged 16 points per game as well five rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. One weakness he will need to work on is his right hand dribbling. Wroten loves coming back to his left hand via the crossover. This worked in the Pac-12 but will be very tough to do in the NBA.
Evan Fournier
3 of 5NBA Comparison: Evan Turner
Evan Fournier is arguably the best European prospect in a very heavy American draft. Fournier, who hails from France, is projected to go somewhere late in the first round. He compares to Evan Turner based on his strong body, ability to snatch rebounds and his shooting skill.
At the young age of 19, Fournier averaged 14 points per game professionally in the French first division. He will need to improve his three-point shot once he gets to the NBA as well as become a better passer if he wants to be a successful NBA shooting guard.
Drew Gordon
4 of 5NBA Comparison: Carlos Boozer
Drew Gordon is a senior prospect out of the University of New Mexico that is projected to be drafted early in the second round. He compares to current Chicago Bulls’ Carlos Boozer based on his ability to rebound, as well as the ability to score on a consistent basis.
Gordon averaged a double-double last season with the Lobos, scoring 13.7 points per game and hauling in 11.1 rebounds as well. According to NBA.com, in 13 games against teams that made the NCAA tournament, he averaged 16 points and 13 boards. He has the talent to play in the NBA, but will need to work on his scoring from the low post.
Orlando Johnson
5 of 5NBA Comparison: Brandon Rush
Orlando Johnson hails from the University of California-Santa Barbara, and will likely be selected in the early part of round two. His strong athleticism garners the comparisons to Brandon Rush due to his ability to shoot the three-pointer as well as his lengthy wingspan.
Johnson has incredibly long arms; at just 6’5” his wingspan measures more then 6’11”. He is an excellent scorer who can score from various places on the floor. Johnson loves the three-point shot, making 42.7 percent of his attempts last year. He will need to work on his defense once he reaches the NBA.
