2012 NBA Mock Draft: Current Projections for Every First-Round Selection
The 2012 NBA draft is only a few days away, and yet players are still making moves up and down draft boards.
Late workouts and injury revelations cause prospects to significantly change their value, even though most have not played a real game in months.
This first-round mock draft includes players we have known about for months, but emphasizes the ones that have been the biggest movers over the past few weeks.
1. New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky
The only real certainty in the draft is that Anthony Davis will be the top overall pick. His defensive skills alone justify this selection, but he can also handle the ball like a guard and will quickly be one of the top big men in the league.
2. Charlotte Bobcats: Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas
Robinson's breakout year with Kansas was no fluke. He has great athleticism and skill on both sides of the floor, with enough determination to know he will not fail.
3. Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal, SG, Florida
The Wizards need a shooting guard who can stretch the floor and put up big numbers. It might take some years to realize his potential, but Beal is the guy to do that.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky
At worst, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist can make an NBA career for himself as a defensive stopper. If he develops an outside shot, he will be much better.
5. Sacramento Kings: Andre Drummond, C, Connecticut
In the past few years, the Sacramento Kings have not minded taking a possible project with a great amount of upside. Drummond fits that description, as he has tons of athleticism but is still very raw.
6. Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State
It is easy to remain unknown when you play your college career at Weber State, but Damian Lillard did his best to make himself known.
Lillard finished second in the nation with 24.5 points per game and displayed a great shooting stroke, as he hit over 40 percent of his shots from behind the arc.
Despite the weak competition, there is little doubt he will be able to replicate the scoring output at the professional level. He has solid size for the position and the quickness to get by defenders.
The only question at this point is his passing ability, but he should be able to increase his assist totals with better talent around him.
7. Golden State Warriors: Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina
Scouts have been waiting on him since high school. He has all of the tools needed to succeed; he just needs to put it all together to succeed.
8. Toronto Raptors: Jeremy Lamb, SG, Connecticut
Lamb has to work on other parts of his game, but he is already a quality scorer who can shoot much better than his numbers indicate. He can provide the Raptors with some necessary scoring from the backcourt.
9. Detroit Pistons: Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina
Not the type of center the Pistons are used to, but Tyler Zeller is solid defensively and can run the floor better than any big man in the draft.
10. New Orleans Hornets: Terrence Ross, SF, Washington
Terrence Ross was part of a talented but unsuccessful team in Washington, and he has spent the offseason proving that he was not the reason for the team's struggles.
The guard/wing had a great combine that showed both his athleticism and shooting. Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick says that Ross has "some serious sleeper potential," and that he has been working out for a number of teams.
One by one, the organizations are starting to see that Ross could be one of the eventual superstars to come out of this draft.
He would be a perfect replacement for Trevor Ariza and provide some scoring for a team that will be fine defensively.
11. Portland Trail Blazers: Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois
Portland needs to replace Greg Oden, and Leonard could be the player that Oden never was. He is still raw, but he can grow with the team as they rebuild as a whole.
12. Milwaukee Bucks: John Henson, PF, North Carolina
Henson is the second-best shot-blocker in the draft behind Anthony Davis. That alone should keep him in the NBA, but other similar players have failed to impress at this level.
13. Phoenix Suns: Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse
In a draft full of uncertainty, Dion Waiters might be the biggest mystery heading into the big night.
Waiters turned himself from a borderline first-round pick to possibly sneaking into the top 10. It is unlikely he falls past this point, but the Suns might have to trade up to get him.
The Syracuse product was a big producer off the bench, often coming through in the clutch for one of the top teams in the country. He knows how to use his body in traffic and is a great finisher when attacking the basket.
He might not have a true position, but all signs point to him being a quality NBA player.
14. Houston Rockets: Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina
Marshall lacks the athleticism of other elite point guards, but he displayed great passing ability at North Carolina when he finished second in the nation with 9.7 assists per game.
15. Philadelphia 76ers: Arnett Moultrie, PF, Mississippi State
With a deep team, the 76ers can now draft for best available to create a little more depth. Moultrie can rebound well and should instantly be a part of the rotation.
16. Houston Rockets: Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky
Houston needs a big man or two in this draft, and Jones is one of the safer picks. He is a solid rebounder and learned a lot about blocking shots from former teammate Anthony Davis.
17. Dallas Mavericks: Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky
There are few true point guards in this draft, but the Mavericks need to grab one in case neither Deron Williams nor Jason Kidd sign with the team.
18. Minnesota Timberwolves: Austin Rivers, SG, Duke
It is likely Austin Rivers goes higher than this based on his scoring ability, but he is not a good defender nor passer. Without a true position, he likely never becomes more than a bench player.
19. Orlando Magic, Moe Harkless, SF, St. John's
He needs to improve his shot after hitting only 20 percent of his three-point attempts this past season, but otherwise can be a solid contributor who fills up the stat sheet in every category.
20. Denver Nuggets, Perry Jones III, PF, Baylor
Once considered a top-three pick, Jones has done nothing but hurt his stock since the beginning of the basketball season.
He has great athleticism but continually looks lackadaisical on the court.
During the college basketball season, Jones did not come through in big games when Baylor needed him, and that is likely to affect the way professional teams think of him.
Teams should always take caution when dealing with players who do not work to get better from one year to the next.
21. Boston Celtics: John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt
There is no one who can replace Ray Allen, but John Jenkins can come very close. The shooter has a quick release and long range that will allow him to have an immediate impact on any contender.
22. Boston Celtics: Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State
Sullinger fell from a top-five pick during the college basketball season due to questions about his athleticism. He struggled when facing taller opponents, like his 5-19 performance in the Final Four against Jeff Withey of Kansas.
This week his stock dropped even more when it was released that doctors red-flagged the forward due to concerns over his back. They felt there were issues that would cause durability problems down the line.
Still, Sullinger knows how to use his body in rebounding and offensively in the post.
With two consecutive picks, Boston might take a risk with one of them on a player who has been very productive in college.
23. Atlanta Hawks: Royce White, SF, Iowa State
White might be the most versatile prospect in the entire class, as he can be somewhat of a point forward for his next team. Last season, he led Iowa State in points, assists, rebounds, blocks and steals.
24. Cleveland Cavaliers: Fab Melo, C, Syracuse
The Cavaliers need defense, and that is one thing Fab Melo can do well. While he will not be able to stand in the middle of the paint like he did in the zone at Syracuse, the center still has good timing around the ball and a solid vertical jump.
25. Memphis Grizzlies: Tony Wroten, G, Washington
Memphis could use some backcourt depth, but Wroten's high turnover numbers will likely prevent him from being a starting point guard in the league. Still, he knows how to get to the basket and make things happen.
26. Indiana Pacers: Jeffery Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt
Jeffery Taylor is one of the best on-ball defenders in the class and could help guard some of the better guards or small forwards in the Eastern Conference.
27. Miami Heat: Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure
If the Heat want to continue winning championships, they will need to get younger up front. Nicholson is a solid rebounder who can get the ball back to the playmakers who do everything else.
28. Oklahoma City: Draymond Green, PF, Michigan State
On a team filled with one-dimensional players, Draymond Green can do a little bit of everything. He can score it himself or pass to the open man while playing hard on defense.
29. Chicago Bulls: Will Barton, SG, Memphis
Barton is not only a good scorer but can rebound well for his size. The Bulls would like a backup point guard, but none are worth the reach at this point.
30. Golden State Warriors: Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky
Doron Lamb proved this year that he can be a very good third or fourth option on a good team, and that is what he will need to be at the next level. He is an excellent shooter who will spread the floor for the rest of the team.
