NBA Draft 2012: Bradley Beal and Guards Who Will Give Teams an Immediate Boost
The consensus top pick in the 2012 NBA Draft is a pterodactyl-armed big man, but the depth at the guard positions is what makes this class so special.
With potent scorers, shutdown defenders and elite passers all over the board, there are plenty of perimeter players who can make a major impact in the NBA.
Of course, there will always be some players who are ready to contribute immediately, while others will take some time to develop. Look for these three guards to give their new teams an instant boost.
Bradley Beal - SG, Florida
With his beautiful shooting stroke and creativity off the ball, Beal often draws comparisons to the legendary Ray Allen. Seeing as how he hit just 33.9 percent of his threes last season, though, I'm not buying that.
Still, Beal is an exceptionally talented guard, and I believe he will end up being the best player from this class. He's slightly undersized (6'4") for the 2-guard position, but with his strong build and explosive leaping ability, I doubt this will be much of an issue.
His mid-range jumper is drop-dead gorgeous, he's got a high basketball IQ and he's a solid defender.
I personally hope he lands in Cleveland, as a Beal-Kyrie Irving combo would be one of the most entertaining backcourt duos in NBA history. According to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld, the Cavs agree that it would be a good fit.
""There's no way Beal slips out of the top four," said one league source. The Cleveland Cavaliers will draft him if he's available at four.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 19, 2012"
Damian Lillard - PG, Weber State
Although the lack of competition he faced in the Big Sky Conference may be a concern for some, I have no worries about Lillard's ability to adjust to the NBA.
His offensive awareness is highly advanced, he can get into the paint and finish whenever he wants and his shooting stroke is pure.
Although he's more of a scoring point guard (24.5 points per game on 46.7 percent shooting last season), Lillard is also an excellent passer who makes his teammates better. He only averaged 4.0 assists last season, but when you can score whenever you please, there's not much incentive to pass.
In the NBA, Lillard will be more of a distributor than he was in college. Still, he will definitely light up some scoreboards with his uncanny ability to put the ball in the hole.
The Toronto Raptors at No. 8 and the New Orleans Hornets at No. 10 would both be perfect fits for Lillard.
Terrence Ross - SG, Washington
He may be drafted behind the likes of Jeremy Lamb, Dion Waiter and Austin Rivers, but I think Ross will be the second best shooting guard from this class.
His size (6'7"), efficient shooting and ridiculous athleticism make him one of the safest prospects in the draft. He's mastered the art of moving without the ball, and as you can clearly see above, he is a very creative finisher.
Ross is also a quality defender and he might be the best rebounding guard in this class (6.4 boards per game last season). I personally think he's worth a top-10 pick, but you'll likely see Ross fall to Phoenix at No. 13 or Philadelphia at No. 15.
