2012 NBA Mock Draft: Final Predictions for This Year's 14 Lottery Picks

Danny FlynnJun 7, 2018

When NBA league officials announced the official order of the 2012 NBA draft’s 14 lottery picks, the Charlotte Bobcats received the devastating news that they would not have the chance to select this year’s most coveted college prospect, Kentucky’s star freshman forward Anthony Davis, even though the team finished with the worst record in NBA history this past season.

Instead, it was the New Orleans Hornets who ended up winning the all-important Davis sweepstakes, while the Bobcats were left to ponder what to do with the second overall pick.

Since we all know with 100 percent certainty what will happen with the first pick in this year’s NBA draft, the focus and the speculation has shifted to what Charlotte will choose to do at No. 2.

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Michael Jordan, new coach Mike Dunlap and the rest of the team’s brain trust have remained tight-lipped about who they are possibly targeting, although it would appear that Kansas power forward Thomas Robinson, North Carolina small forward Harrison Barnes and Florida shooting guard Bradley Beal are the three most logical options.

Still, for a team that needs so much help and has so much rebuilding to do over the next few years, you have to wonder if the most logical move would be to trade down and acquire more picks.

Finding a team that’s willing to move up to No. 2 could be tricky, seeing as most other teams in the top 10 likely feel satisfied with their position and the potential player that they’ll end up with, but there is one franchise that would seem to be a great trading partner, and that’s the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It’s no secret that the Cavs have had their eye on Florida guard Bradley Beal for a while, but there’s certainly no guarantee that he’ll be there when the team is picking at No. 4, as the Washington Wizards would probably love to snatch him up as well.

Given that Cleveland has two first-round picks this year, the Cavs have the proper ammunition to work out a deal to move up to the No. 2 spot to take Beal, but it remains to be seen if they’ll actually pull the trigger or not.

With a draft that’s full of uncertainty and mystery after the No. 1 pick, there’s certainly the possibility that a lot of trades could shake things up on draft night.

There are sure to be some surprising selections and there could even be a few major moves at the Prudential Center during the first round, but as it stands now, here’s a best guess for how the 14 lottery picks for the 2012 NBA draft will ultimately play out.

Lottery Predictions (Picks 1-14)

1. New Orleans Hornets: PF Anthony Davis, Kentucky

No surprise here.

Since January, Anthony Davis has been the front-runner to be the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA draft, and he certainly solidified his status as this year’s top overall prospect with a dominant finish to his freshman season at Kentucky.

Davis had no trouble living up to his five-star high school hype during his one year in Lexington, as he exploded onto the scene and became the most talked-about player in the sport.

The 6'10'', 220-pound power forward earned National Player of the Year and All-American honors after averaging 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and an astonishing 4.7 blocks per game, while helping the Wildcats win their eighth national championship this year.

If he can bulk up and add some more muscle to his wiry frame, Davis has the potential to develop into one of the most dominant defenders in the NBA early on in his pro career, and he’s the type of franchise player that a team like New Orleans can build around for the next decade.

2. Charlotte Bobcats: PF Thomas Robinson, Kansas

Now it gets interesting.

The Charlotte Bobcats could certainly be shopping the No. 2 pick, and if they get a great offer with the right amount of picks, there’s definitely a chance that they could move down, especially with a team like Cleveland looking to potentially move up to No. 2.

If the team chooses to stay, however, Kansas’ Thomas Robinson would have to be the clear favorite, although Kentucky’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Florida’s Bradley Beal and North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes could also be possible options.

Robinson flourished as a junior this past season, as he enjoyed an eye-opening breakout campaign, averaging 17.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game.

The 6'10'', 240-pound power forward is a big, strong and intimidating physical specimen who packs plenty of muscle into his powerful frame.

While he may never become a dynamic offensive playmaker in the pros, Robinson is the type of tenacious rebounder and aggressive defender who can add plenty of attitude to an NBA team.

The humble and hard-working former Jayhawk has the type of serious demeanor and non-stop motor that can rub off on his teammates, and he's the kind of glue player that can hold a team together, which we saw during Kansas' surprising run to the national championship game.

If you happened to watch the Bobcats play this past season, you know that this team that isn’t exactly oozing with effort and intensity. Adding a talented and hard-nosed player like Robinson would really help the organization begin moving in the right direction for the future, as he’s the type of on-the-court warrior and locker room leader that Charlotte desperately needs.

3. Washington Wizards: SG Bradley Beal, Florida

The Washington Wizards’ recent trade for Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza makes it much more likely that they’ll be targeting Florida SG Bradley Beal if he’s available at No. 3.

Beal may have only averaged 14.5 points per game during his only season in Gainesville in 2011-2012, but he showed the type of flashes of greatness at times, especially during the later part of the season, that you would expect to see out of a former highly-touted, five-star high school prospect.

The 6'4'', 195-pound freshman has the long-range shot to develop into a deadly 3-point shooter in the NBA, and he's the type of dangerous offensive weapon who can emerge as one of the league’s most consistent scorers early in his career.

The former Gator won't turn 19 until the night of the draft, so he's still got a lot of room to grow and mature physically in the coming years, and he should be able to get stronger and quicker once he starts working with NBA trainers.

The potential young, dynamic tandem of PG John Wall and Beal in Washington’s backcourt is certainly tantalizing for Wizards fans to think about.

If Beal’s gone by the time the team is on the clock at No. 3, the team will likely look to trade down or select Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist; but if Beal's still available, it would seem to be an almost a perfect fit.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers: SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky

You don’t have to be a genius to figure out which top prospect the Cleveland Cavaliers are hoping to land in this year’s draft. The team needs an athletic and explosive young two-guard to team with last year’s No. 1 overall pick PG Kyrie Irving, and Florida’s Bradley Beal fits that exact mold.

The problem is, in order for the Cavs to land Beal, they would likely have to leapfrog the Washington Wizards at No. 3, and to do so, they would have to part ways with some of their other key picks in this year’s draft (the team also owns the 24th, 33rd and 34th selections).

If Cleveland chooses to stay, and Beal is off the board, the team’s decision will likely come down to either one of the two highly-touted small forwards left—Kentucky’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes.

Although Irving has publicly lobbied for his friend Barnes, the better fit for the Cavs would ultimately be Kidd-Gilchrist.

After arriving at Kentucky as one of the most heralded prospects of the 2011 recruiting class, MKG stepped in and became an instant impact player for coach John Calipari, averaging 11.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as a freshman this past season, as he played an integral role in the Wildcats’ run to a national championship.

The 6'7'', 232-pound small forward is still working on becoming a consistent threat on the offensive end of the floor, but he has everything else that NBA teams are looking for in a prototypical three.

Kidd-Gilchrist has the potential to one day become one of the top defensive players in the NBA, and he's the type of aggressive and competitive rebounder who should bring some instant toughness and grit to an NBA team.

5. Sacramento Kings: C Andre Drummond, Connecticut

If there are no trades within the first four picks, and Anthony Davis, Thomas Robinson, Bradley Beal and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist all come off the board as I predicted, the No. 5 spot is where things could really start to shake up.

Sacramento holds a pick that could quickly become prime real estate, and there could definitely be a few teams interested in jumping up for either Connecticut’s Andre Drummond or North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes.

The Houston Rockets, who own the 12th, 16th and 18th selections, are a team to watch out for, as they have the ammunition to move up to No. 5 to land a big man like Drummond.

If the Kings choose to stay in this spot, which I happen to think is a very big "if," then they would decide between either Drummond or Barnes, with the former Huskies center being the likely choice.

Last summer, when Drummond announced that he would attend Connecticut, many analysts began touting him as the front-runner to be the top overall pick of the 2012 NBA draft. However, the 6'10'', 270-pound freshman didn't make the type of initial impact that was expected from him, and it didn't take long for Anthony Davis to soar by him and become the new No. 1 favorite.

While he may not have been the immediate star that he was widely forecasted to be, Drummond did end up having a very respectable freshman campaign, as he averaged 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game during his only year in Storrs.

Drummond's physical tools and skills are simply staggering. He has the type of size, strength, agility and court prowess to develop into a standout center in the NBA. However, scouts are likely concerned about how he struggled at times against collegiate competition

Still, the thought of teaming DeMarcus Cousins with Drummond in Sacrament’s front-court is certainly a scary idea, and it would be interesting to see how the two monstrous young big men end up working together.

6. Portland Trail Blazers: PG Damian Lillard, Weber State

It’s still uncertain whether or not the Portland Trail Blazers will choose to bring back free agent point guard Raymond Felton, but since Felton’s one year with the team was far from stellar, it seems that his exit is probably more likely than a return.

That means the Blazers could be looking to find a young point guard of the future in this year’s draft, and they should have a shot at the position's best prospect, Weber State’s Damian Lillard, when they’re on the clock at No. 6.

This past season, Lillard helped guide the Wildcats to a 25-7 overall record and a second-place finish in the Big Sky conference. He also earned widespread acclaim for finishing as college basketball's second-highest scorer, after averaging 24.5 points per game.

The 6'2'', 185-pound junior has the type of size and athleticism that you look for in a starting-caliber NBA point guard, and his scoring ability is absolutely unquestioned.

While he still has to improve on his passing skills, his court vision and his overall decision-making, there's no denying that Lillard has what it takes to be an electrifying offensive player in the NBA.

While Lillard may not be the same type of bona fide “elite”-caliber point guard that last year’s No. 1 overall pick Kyrie Irving was, Portland could still certainly justify taking him at No. 6, especially since it’s a position of need.

7. Golden State Warriors: SF Harrison Barnes, North Carolina

Golden State is one of the most interesting teams to try to predict a pick for in this year’s top 10, as the Warriors could go in plenty of different directions.

The team could look to add a big man such as Connecticut’s Andre Drummond or North Carolina’s Tyler Zeller, or possibly even a shooting guard such as Syracuse’s Dion Waiters or Connecticut’s Jeremy Lamb.

What could trump all of those choices, though, is if potential top-5 pick, North Carolina small forward Harrison Barnes, somehow slips to the No. 7 spot on draft night.

Barnes is a long, athletic and smooth small forward who possesses the type of tools and skills to develop into a dependable offensive contributor in the NBA.

The 6'8'', 223-pound sophomore seems to lack a killer instinct, and he isn't the most tough or aggressive player you'll ever lay your eyes on, but his physical tools are simply top-of-the-line.

While he'll probably never be the face of a franchise or the biggest star on an NBA team, Barnes is the type of talented and unselfish player who could be a perfect complement as a No. 2 offensive option.

8. Toronto Raptors: SG Austin Rivers, Duke

The Toronto Raptors are a team that would likely love for the first seven picks to play out as I predicted, as that would allow them the chance to choose between this year’s top three shooting guards—Syracuse’s Dion Waiters, Duke’s Austin Rivers and Connecticut’s Jeremy Lamb.

All three players fill a big need, and all three have the type of talent and scoring prowess to come in and instantly make their presence felt in Toronto next season, so the Raptors really couldn’t go wrong with any of them.

Rivers could prove to be the real apple of the team’s eye, though. The son of Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, Austin is a former five-star high school recruit who spent a year refining his game under coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke.

Although the 6’5’’, 203-pound shooting guard still has to work on becoming a more involved all-around offensive player, there’s no doubt that he has the potential to be a lights-out scorer at the NBA level.

While Lamb and Waiters could also both be in play, Rivers' potential to come in and become a dynamic offensive threat early in his career might make him just too difficult for the Raptors to pass up at No. 8.

9. Detroit Pistons: PF Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State

Considering the recent trade of guard Ben Gordon, there’s definitely a chance that the Detroit Pistons could select one of this year’s top shooting guards such as Syracuse’s Dion Waiters, Connecticut’s Jeremy Lamb or Duke’s Austin Rivers.

Remember, though, this is a team that desperately needs help in the frontcourt, and with players such as North Carolina’s John Henson and Tyler Zeller, Illinois’ Meyers Leonard and Mississippi State’s Arnett Moultrie all possibly available, Detroit president Joe Dumars will likely look to address that need with the No. 9 pick.

While he may not be projected by many to be a slam-dunk top-10 pick, don’t be surprised if it’s Moultrie who ends up coming off the board here.

Moultrie only played for one season at Mississippi State after transferring from UTEP in 2010, but he certainly made the most of his one campaign in the SEC, as he became one of the stars of the conference this past season, averaging a double-double—15.8 points and 10.6 rebounds—per game.

The 6'10'', 230-pound power forward is extremely athletic for his size, and he can constantly create matchup problems on the offensive end of the floor.

The fact that the former Bulldog doesn't offer much as a shot-blocker at his size is the only real major downgrade that scouts will fault him for.

Henson, Zeller and Leonard may be more highly rated by the media, but don’t be surprised if Dumars goes against the grain and selects the intriguing SEC standout with the No. 9 overall pick.

10. New Orleans Hornets: SG Dion Waiters, Syracuse

The obvious focus of this year’s draft will be New Orleans’ selection of Kentucky star Anthony Davis with the No. 1 overall pick. However, if the Hornets truly want to improve as an all-around team for the upcoming season, they need to make the most out of their other first-round pick as well.

The team could go either big or small at No. 10, as they could add a center such as North Carolina’s Tyler Zeller, Illinois’ Meyers Leonard, or they could pick up one of this year’s top shooting guards such as Syracuse’s Dion Waiters, Duke’s Austin Rivers or Washington’s Terrence Ross.

After grabbing a frontcourt star like Davis at No. 1, the team may look at a highly rated scorer such as Waiters if he manages to somehow get by Portland, Golden State, Toronto and Detroit.

After a largely forgettable freshman performance, nobody was talking about the 6’4’’, 215-pound shooting guard as one of the top prospects going into this past season. However, Waiters ended up showing the type of potential that led many scouts to believe that he could be a valuable and versatile combo guard in the NBA.

Waiters averaged 12.6 points and turned out to be one of Syracuse’s most trusted defenders during the team’s 34-3 campaign this past season.

While he may take some time to adapt to the NBA game, Waiters is the type of versatile and reliable guard who could really add a tremendous boost to the Hornets’ backcourt.

11. Portland Trail Blazers: PF John Henson, North Carolina

If Portland ends up selecting Weber State PG Damian Lillard with the sixth pick, then the Blazers will likely look for frontcourt help with their other first-round selection at No. 11.

It will be interesting to see which big men make it out of the top 10, as players such as North Carolina’s John Henson and Tyler Zeller and Illinois’ Meyers Leonard could all be on Portland’s radar.

One player who could really entice Portland if he slides down to No. 11 is John Henson.

Although it took him a year to transition to life as a Tar Heel, Henson finally made his presence fully felt in the ACC as a sophomore in 2010-2011, when he averaged 11.7 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game.

The athletic 6'11'', 220-pound power forward played at the same high level as a junior this past season, solidifying his status as one of the most intriguing big men available for the 2012 draft.

Henson doesn't have the type of strong and sturdy frame to consistently bang around in the low post, but it's not every day that you see a player with his combination of size, agility, coordination, shot-blocking ability and rebounding skills.

While he still needs to develop a better offensive repertoire to be a consistent contributor on both ends of the court, Henson should add immediate value to an NBA team with his size, length and hops on the defensive side of the floor.

12. Houston Rockets: C Meyers Leonard, Illinois

Houston has already been one of the big movers and shakers of the 2012 NBA draft, as they’ve reportedly made two deals to acquire the 12th pick and the 18th pick.

There’s no telling what the Rockets could be capable of, especially with all of the rumors surrounding a possible Dwight Howard trade floating out there.

The team now has three valuable assets with the 12th, 16th and 18th picks, and even if they can’t get a package together for Howard, they could still definitely make a big move up the board into the top 10 to land one of this year’s big-name prospects.

If Houston chooses to hold on to all three picks, which seems unlikely, it will be interesting to see which direction the team will choose to go in, as there should still be plenty of intriguing prospects to choose from in the 'teens.

Since the team just traded away swingman Chase Budinger to Minnesota for the No. 18 pick, it would make sense for the Rockets to look at small forward prospects such as St. John’s Moe Harkless, Iowa State’s Royce White and Kentucky’s Terrence Jones. However, since they also just traded away Samuel Dalembert, they could look to add a center such as Illinois’ Meyers Leonard or North Carolina’s Tyler Zeller as well.

Leonard is one of the most interesting prospects in this year’s draft class, and he’s also been one of the biggest risers up the board over the last few months.

The surprisingly athletic 7’1’’, 250-pound center is still extremely raw, and he’s going to take a few years before he becomes a big contributor in the pros, but he’s managed to create quite a buzz this offseason, and now has scouts enamored with his potential.

13. Phoenix Suns: SG Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut

The Phoenix Suns are obviously going to be in need of back-court help this offseason, especially if free agent PG Steve Nash leaves as expected.

While there might not be a point guard worth taking with 13th pick, as Weber State’s Damian Lillard is expected to be long gone by this time, the Suns could definitely take an interest in one of this year’s top shooting guards, especially if Connecticut's Jeremy Lamb is still on the board.

Expectations were high for Lamb going into this past season and he seemed to manage the hype as well as possible, as he ended up averaging 17.7 points per game and earning first-team All-Big East honors.

The Huskies' struggles as a team during their national title defense season may have hurt the perception of Lamb as a team leader a bit, but his solid individual performance had to leave scouts impressed.

While he still needs to add some more bulk to his frame to survive against the bigger, stronger players he'll face in the NBA, the 6'5'', 185-pound shooting guard possesses explosive athleticism, and he can handle the ball with ease and create and make shots for himself without a problem.

Lamb has the potential to grow into a reliable wing player in the NBA, and he's the type of athletic and dangerous scorer who could ultimately change the complexion of Phoenix’s offense if the Suns can snag him in this year's draft.

14. Milwaukee Bucks: C Tyler Zeller, North Carolina

After trading Andrew Bogut back in March, it became clear that the Milwaukee Bucks needed to find center help this offseason.

Trading for Samuel Dalembert is a nice short-term solution, but given the fact that Dalembert’s contract is up at the end of next season, the Bucks could be looking to find a young big man of the future in this year’s draft.

One player they would likely pounce on if he’s available at No. 14 is North Carolina’s Tyler Zeller.

Zeller is an athletic seven-footer who really boosted his stock with a strong senior season. He earned ACC Player of the Year honors after averaging 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in 2011-2012.

Although he's still a bit of a finesse big man, Zeller looked noticeably stronger and tougher in his final season in Chapel Hill.

With his combination of size, athleticism and low post game, Zeller is the type of experienced four-year college player who could come in and make an immediate impact as an offensive big man for a team like Milwaukee next season.

Projecting the Rest of the First Round Selections (Picks 15-30)

15. Philadelphia 76ers: SF Moe Harkless, St. John’s

16. Houston Rockets: SF Royce White, Iowa State

17. Dallas Mavericks: SG Terrence Ross, Washington

18. Houston Rockets: PG Marquis Teague, Kentucky

19. Orlando Magic: PG Kendall Marshall, North Carolina

20. Denver Nuggets: PF Perry Jones, Baylor

21. Boston Celtics: SF Terrence Jones, Kentucky

22. Boston Celtics: C Fab Melo, Syracuse

23. Atlanta Hawks: PF Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure

24. Cleveland Cavaliers: PF Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

25. Memphis Grizzlies: PG Tony Wroten, Washington