NBA Draft 2012 Speculation: Harrison Barnes and 5 "Busts" Who Won't Be Busts

With the 2012 NBA Draft just two days away, speculation is at its boiling point as to who will succeed and who will be a bust on the NBA level. After seeing some of the names thrown into the bust barrel, I'm honestly shocked at how quickly some of these players are being written off.

Take North Carolina forward Harrison Barnes, for example. Keep in mind that last year, there was speculation that he could be the potential No. 1 pick. Now, after a sophomore season of streaky shooting, people are scared of him not panning out in the NBA when he's still got potential to be a talented scorer.

The same can be said for Jared Sullinger, whose injury history has lowered his stock considerably. Still, he's got a lot of heart and great skills when he's healthy, so why not gamble?

In fact, let's take a look at some players who have been labeled as "busts" and discuss why they will be the exact opposite of that.

No. 5: Royce White, F, Iowa State

Royce White is a bit of a draft enigma, as he is a 6'8", 270-pound sophomore with just one year of college ball under his belt. On top of that, his offensive game is limited outside of the paint, and since he'll probably be playing small forward in the NBA, that definitely raises some questions.

Yet, the greatest concern surrounding White is a medical one. He suffers from a severe anxiety disorder and is also terrified of flying. Given the travel required of most NBA players, this could pose a problem.

Still, White's personal issues are not a reason to write him off. He has been very upfront in the days leading up to the draft, and given the obstacles he's overcome to become one of the most physical players in college basketball, that should count for something.

If he can be drafted by a team whose coach believes in him, that could open up a whole new set of doors.

No. 4: Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State

On paper, Sullinger looks like a dominant power forward in the making. During his sophomore season at Ohio State, he averaged 17.6 points and 9.3 rebounds, slowly improving his jump shot along the way. Once the Buckeyes' season was over, he was expected to be a potential lottery pick.

Last week, however, Sullinger was red flagged by doctors after they found concern with a back injury of his. As a result, his stock plummeted from lottery pick to late first-rounder.

Yet, it should be noted that these doctors never went into extreme detail about what they found, and even Sullinger's father, as reported by ESPN, is saying that his son is fine. That said, in spite of the cloudy details, why are teams shying away from him? He has a great NBA body at 6'9", 265 pounds and is a hard worker.

Even with the injury risks, he's too talented a player to let slip through the cracks.

No. 3: Andre Drummond, C, Connecticut

Drummond was expected to have a great impact for the Huskies this year, but the big freshman was largely inconsistent. Instead of being a dominant force in the middle on offense, Drummond averaged just 10.7 points while pulling down 7.7 boards and swatting away 2.7 shots per game. Call me crazy, but the scoring numbers seem a bit low for someone 6'10", 270 pounds.

Still, despite his unpredictable play, Drummond already has a great NBA body. In terms of potential, he's either Darko Milicic or Dwight Howard waiting to happen. Given his size and defensive toughness, I'm going to go with the latter.

No. 2: Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina

During his sophomore season, Barnes averaged 17.4 points per game for the Tar Heels, shooting 44 percent from the floor. However, he was largely inconsistent and didn't really showcase much offense besides his jumper. At 6'8", he's going to be expected to drive hard to the basket and draw some fouls on the NBA level.

On top of that, Barnes is a bit skinny at 215 pounds, and his defense is borderline nonexistent. Still, that isn't going to stop him from becoming an NBA star.

The fact of the matter is that so many NBA stars today are scorers whose defense is gradually learned. Carmelo Anthony anyone? And let's not forget Joe Johnson, who scores a ton of points and plays no defense at all.

Given the success of those two, it seems a bit unfair that Barnes has so many doubters when he's projected to be a lottery pick.

No. 1: Perry Jones III, PF, Baylor

Jones is a great scorer, but he seems to shut down on defense. Given his 6'11", 235-pound frame, that's a recipe for a bust waiting to happen.

However, there are plenty of power forwards out there who aren't great on defense. Don't believe me? Just take a look at Blake Griffin.

The fact remains that Jones has the inside game and jump shot to be an amazing scorer, and depending on which team he ends up on, he could become a star. In terms of his defense, he can be coached into becoming a legitimate rebounder. To say he'll bust is a bit premature.