NBA Draft 2012: Instant Recap of Round 1 (Picks 1-10)

Could this go down as one of the best drafts in NBA history?

The last few weeks have been pretty busy with teams trying to trade up into the lottery, and teams even stockpiling picks to trade for already proven talent. We have known for months that the No. 1 pick would be Anthony Davis, and that prediction proved its worth. But everything from the No. 2 pick and below was pretty unpredictable, at least to a certain degree.

Who picked who? How did each team do? Check it out...

New Orleans Hornets, Anthony Davis, Kentucky

We all know Davis was going to be the first pick. Although I'm excited for the kid, I couldn’t be happier for head coach Monty Williams. He’s a phenomenal coach who’s finally going to have some talent to work with.

As he showed all throughout his freshman season at Kentucky, Anthony Davis knows how to make a difference without scoring a single point. His offensive game needs some work, but he'll have plenty of time to develop that in the coming years.

Davis is an exceptional weak-side shot-blocker, ala Marcus Camby, and he has the mold that Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett had when they first entered the league. Trust me, I'm not saying that he'll end up being the Hall of Fame player that TD and KG ended up being, but Davis has the raw abilities and, more importantly, the focus and attitude, to be just as good.

He joins Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to win AP Player of the Year, a national championship and be the first overall pick in the NBA. That's some special company to be a part of. 

The future is looking brighter for New Orleans.

Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky

Two UK players picked one and two. This is the first time ever that the first two picks have come from the same school. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is a high-motor guy and works his butt off. At 6'7", he can guard positions from the 1 to the 4. He's very strong and I like the way he runs the floor, but his defense is where he’ll make his money.

MKG is going to make an impact…immediately.

He has the ability and mental aptitude to be an elite defender, and he’s no joke on the offensive side either. Not only does he provide defense to a team lacking exactly that, but he’ll be fantastic running the break with Kemba Walker. The kid has the length and athleticism to impact every facet of the game and will provide leadership even as a rookie.

You can’t teach ambition (you can try, but it comes from within), and MKG has that so-called NBA-ready attitude.

Charlotte needs help at every position, there's no doubt about that, and MKG gives them versatility. This might be the best pick by Michael Jordan in his career as a front-office guy.

Now it's time for Rich Cho to add some more talent through trades. 

Washington Wizards, Bradley Beal, Florida

Not a bad 19th birthday for Beal to get drafted into the NBA. 

The Wizards already have a franchise player at the PG spot in John Wall, and adding a player like Beal solidifies their backcourt as one of the more explosive ones in the league. 

Beal could be the missing piece in making that backcourt one of the best in the NBA. The Wizards need some shooting to spread the floor and, more importantly, need a "good-character" guy who can stay focused. He's a team-first guy, and that's not always easy to find.

He has a very smooth, easy-to-watch game, and everyone seems to agree that he has the right attitude. Beal is great shooter with plenty of range, who also has the ability to create off the dribble.

I question his size (although his long arms make up for being undersized), but in today’s league, athleticism and speed are much more important than size. He’s a weapon at both ends of the floor and would be a great fit with John Wall.

I did think, though, that Thomas Robinson would have been a better pick for the Wizards. Kings get a steal with him at No. 5. 

Cleveland Cavaliers, Dion Waiters, Syracuse

The Cavs needed someone on the wing, and with MKG and Beal taken in top three, they really had no choice. They're content with their big-man projects already on the team and want to develop the backcourt.

Waiters is a 6'4", 210-pound shooting guard and, in my opinion, is the best scorer in the draft. He might see himself move up to top-14 status in the next couple weeks. 

From the get-go he’ll be a solid spark off the bench. Waiters can get to the basket at will, and he has the mentality needed to score in the NBA.

Sacramento Kings, Thomas Robinson, Kansas

Thomas Robinson and DeMarcus Cousins on the same team? Good luck trying to rebound the ball when they're on the floor.

Robinson brings strength/toughness to the paint, and even some scoring ability down low. Robinson is coming off a breakout season where he averaged 17.7 points and 11.9 rebounds for Kansas. I’ve even read a few articles suggesting that if Robinson were a few inches taller (he’s 6'8"), he could have challenged Davis for the top pick.

Robinson plays incredibly hard, and he goes hard every minute. He led the nation with 27 double-doubles last season at Kansas, and I think the Kings struck gold with this pick. He's an absolute steal. I think he's actually going to be a good influence for DMC; he has the talent, but his work ethic is what makes him the player he is.

Robinson was well-coached at Kansas, and he brings a ton of NBA-ready capabilities to the Kings.

What's most impressive was his average of 15-plus rebounds per 40 minutes of play. He'll get plenty of playing time in Sacramento, and look for him to maximize every minute of that.

Portland Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard, Weber State

There is nothing more important in Portland other than the pick-and-roll offense, and there is no other way to describe this fit other than "perfect."

Lillard was the second-leading scorer in the nation last year, and he’s easily the best PG in this year’s draft. His range is unbelievable, which always translates well into the NBA, especially when you have the type of handles that he does.

Blazers fans are going to love this guy, and if the team can keep Nic Batum along with Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge long-term, they have a solid core.

Golden State Warriors, Harrison Barnes, UNC

When I did a mock draft a few weeks back, I was hoping the Warriors wouldn't select Barnes, because I didn't see him being a good fit.

I was wrong, very wrong. He's a great fit for Mark Jackson's team, and he'll get some good coaching to improve his footwork.

Barnes is a great shooter; someone who has the ability to hit spot-up jumpers and also create his own shot. He struggles at times with ball-handling, but with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson drawing some attention, Barnes should be able to get the looks he wants.

If the team can stay healthy (Andrew Bogut and Curry especially), the future is looking bright in the Bay Area.

Toronto Raptors, Terrence Ross, Washington

He was great for U-dub the two years he was there, as one of the most exciting players to watch in the conference.

He’ll be a threat on the wing with his athleticism and, more importantly, ability to shoot—Ross gives Toronto another asset at that spot.

Although the pick was a surprise to some, Ross is talented enough to be drafted this early—he has the size and skills to easily join any rotation in the league. Good pick for Toronto.

If Jonas Valanciunas does come join the team and they can move Bargnani to the 4 spot, the team is slowly building a nice squad. DeMar DeRozan is getting better and better—all they need is a better PG.

Detroit Pistons, Andre Drummond, UConn

Cousins/Robinson and Monroe/Drummond: two intriguing, young, frontcourt pairs.

This might be a risky pick in the lottery, but I do like the pick for the Pistons. Great size and length with limited offensive game, but that's not a big deal at the moment, because he'll pair up with Greg Monroe.

Scouts have questioned Drummond's maturity and mobility, but I think playing alongside Monroe will help some of those qualms. The only problem with the pick is that Drummond is extremely young (was in high school just a year ago, left high school early), and I'm not too fond of the coaching staff in Detroit.

If he's not molded the right way, he might get lost in the NBA life. As stated, I'm not sold on his "desire," and I'm worried that Detroit might not be the right situation for him.

Regardless, Detroit gets a great player in Drummond, who will defend the paint for them—something they've needed for a while now.

New Orleans Hornets, Austin Rivers, Duke

Coach Monty Williams continues to get the right players for his system. 

The Hornets need a perimeter player who can score and distribute, and Rivers provides just that. He’s a fearless scorer—though he sometimes takes ill-advised shots—but he has the potential to be a very effective combo guard.

He’s an uptempo player who loves to push the rock, and the thing I like most about his game is he wants the ball in his hands with the game on the line. He’ll give them the boost they’ve lacked in the backcourt since losing Chris Paul.

The pick also moves Jarrett Jack to the bench, which is a great situation for them in NOLA. He's a smart guy who'll solidify their bench.

I'm liking the squad they're building down in New Orleans.