Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Back Injury at Bobcats Workout Won't Hurt Draft Stock

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist took a little spill during his workout with the Charlotte Bobcats, but it won't be something that hurts his stock in the 2012 NBA Draft that is scheduled to begin on Thursday, June 28.

According to Bobcats' beat writer Rick Bonnell, Kidd-Gilchrist fell during the workout and tweaked his back a bit:

"

Kidd-Gilchrist fell during #Bobcats workout, hurt back a bit. Says should be fine for workout Wed in Cleveland.

— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) June 18, 2012"

If this is something that causes the Bobcats to stay away from Kidd-Gilchrist in the draft, they truly are a poorly run franchise. If Michael Jordan and whoever else is in charge of deciding who the Bobcats are going to take with their No. 2 overall pick choose to avoid MKG because of this minor incident, I will lose any semblance of sympathy that I have for this organization.

Before we get into what the 18-year-old prospect can bring to the basketball court, let's address his physical attributes.

Kidd-Gilchrist's NBA combine results gave a boost to his draft stock.

We knew he was strong and well-built for the small forward position, but his official measurement of a seven-foot wingspan solidifies the projections that he has an extremely high ceiling on the defensive end.

His reach measured 8'8.5". If you don't realize how freakishly long that is for a guy who measured 6'7.5" with shoes on, you need to look at the other measurements at the combine. That's half an inch longer than seven-footer Tyler Zeller's reach and 5.5 inches longer than Bradley Beal.

He has some of the biggest hands in the entire draft and checked in at just seven percent body fat at 232 pounds.

Kidd-Gilchrist won't save the Bobcats' franchise, but nobody could other than maybe Anthony Davis, but that's only if you are being wildly optimistic.

That being said, MKG is the type of player than can be a vital building block in reversing the culture in Charlotte. The Bobcats are dreadful, inept, incompetent, embarrassing and every other derogatory word you could think of to describe a team that posted a winning percentage of just .106 over the course of 66 games.

He's constantly touted as a player with a ridiculous work ethic and a winning attitude. That reputation has followed him throughout the ranks of high school and college basketball, and rightfully so, as it appears that is true.

Kidd-Gilchrist has a ways to go on the offensive end, but isn't the rawest prospect in this draft class. Where he excels is the defensive end. He can shut down pretty much any type of player on the perimeter. He's big enough to guard the larger small forwards and fast enough to shut down smaller guards. The former freshman sensation has the perfect blend of speed and size to shut down powerhouses like LeBron James.

The Kentucky standout is most effective in the transition game. Presumably, Kemba Walker will remove the splinters from his backside that he acquired from sitting on the bench all of last season. With Walker on the court more, the Bobcats now have at least some inkling of a respectable offensive identity.

With Walker and MKG out and running, the Bobcats just might be able to score more than their 2011-2012 total of 87 points per game. That's so bad that the Kentucky Wildcats almost equaled that total last season (78 points per game).

Kidd-Gilchrist will be able to bring down the amount of points the Bobcats allow per game, which was a robust 100.9 last season. He'll also be able to point the collective attitude of the roster in the right direction and make an offensive contribution down the road. His scoring total will be relatively low at first, but will increase with the more time he spends in the league.

There's no reason for the Bobcats to skip on Kidd-Gilchrist on June 28 with the No. 2 overall pick.