NBA Draft 2010: Evaluating This Year's Crop's Good, Bad and Mysteries
The draft is only a few days away and it’s as unpredictable as the last draft. Before today we thought the top 3 were set, Wall, Turner, Favors in that order. Now, however we are hearing otherwise, maybe Wesley Johnson could sneak into the top 3. One thing I do know is that after John Wall it’s a crapshoot, especially picks 3, 4, and 5.
Every team is under pressure to get it right, the Wizards and Sixers are franchises losing loyal fans and in need of a franchise changer after seasons of misery. The Nets are coming off a 12 win season, a team that at one point looked like it would rival the 1972-73 Sixers as the worst team of all time.
The Timberwolves and Kings were both teams that were blocked off by the Lakers in the western conference but now find themselves in the western conference cellar, looking to reverse the past few seasons. The Warriors have the talent but are still pieces away from building a contender. The Detroit Pistons are looking to return to their tough gritty teams that contended in the eastern conference.
The bottom line is that every team in the top 7 was a very bad team last season, and these picks are part of a rebuilding process. All of these teams can’t afford to blow these picks. I’m going to give my predictions on who will succeed, who won’t, and who it’s just too early to tell.
The good-
John Wall
John Wall simply has it all, the natural athleticism, the speed, and the intangibles. He’s might be the best guard prospect since Allen Iverson. Wall is going to come in and help the Wizards recover from two miserable seasons. Wall is going to play the point immediately, and Arenas will play off guard. This is no longer Gilbert Arenas’ team, he isn’t a franchise player for many reasons. John Wall is now the face of the Wizards franchise. Wall is the next big thing.
Evan Turner
I don’t know if Evan Turner is a sure fire superstar, but I do know Turner will be a great player who plays a long career. His upside is Brandon Roy due to his ability play 3 positions exceptionally well. Turner has good enough floor vision to play point forward, but he’s more of a 2 guard. Turner averaged 9 rebounds at Ohio State, and 6 assists, certainly the most versatile player in the draft.
Turner like Wall is a player who is good enough to succeed no matter the situation. Turner could’ve been a lottery pick last season, but decided to go back to school and significantly improved his draft stock. It would be a shock if Turner turns out to be a bust.
Wesley Johnson
Wesley Johnson has a very smooth game. Johnson was never thought of as a lottery pick at Iowa State, however he transferred to Syracuse and finds himself a lock to go in the top 4. Johnson is very versatile; he is a great passer, an aggressive scorer, and a knock down shooter. Johnson can be a player who gets 20-5-5, he reminds me of Joe Johnson.
DeMarcus Cousins
Most of you will be surprised to find DeMarcus Cousins on the good, and not under the mysteries, or bad section of this article. Cousins, however has all the tools to be a superstar player in the NBA.
The most efficient player in college basketball, Cousins overpowered his opponents last season. Cousins has wowed many teams in workouts, and impresses many with a jump shot he didn’t use at Kentucky.
Cousins has been compared to many ranging from Moses Malone to Eddie Curry, he can be either. The only thing keeping Cousins from reaching his full potential is Cousins himself. Cousins scares some teams away with his attitude, many teams don’t want to take the risk. I firmly believe that if Cousins didn’t have the attitude problems, many would be split on who should be the first overall pick. There are only a handful of centers that can get 20-10, and Cousins has the chance to be a very special player.
Patrick Patterson
Patrick Patterson did it all at Kentucky, he was a winner, a leader; he stayed 3 years at Kentucky, and even sacrificed his stats for the team in his last season. Patterson may be a bit undersized and he won’t be a star, but you know what you’re going to get. Patterson is going to bring it every night, be a leader, rebound, and score when needed. Patterson is projected to go in the late lottery, which is bargain.
The bad-
Daniel Orton-
Some scouts feel Orton can be a Kendrick Perkins type of player. He has all the tools, but I can’t risk a lottery pick on a player who averaged 3 points and 3 rebounds. Orton is a solid shot blocker, he’s relatively strong, and he’s a good rebounder. Orton however isn’t a great athlete, and is undersized. Using a lottery pick on a guy who played 13 minutes per game at Kentucky is a huge mistake.
Another thing to note is that Orton broke his knee in high school and though it showed no effects last season, I certainly don’t think Orton is ready for the NBA, he will likely play limited time in his rookie year, but I just don’t see the reasoning in picking Orton considering he likely won’t be ready until another 3 years.
Hassan Whiteside
Hassan Whiteside is another one of those raw big men, he has a great upside. Whiteside was thought of as a lottery pick earlier this season due to his stats, however he scared many teams off during his interview process.
Whiteside also thought he was bigger than the team at Marshall and played selfishly. Certainly red flags for any teams looking for a center. I see Whiteside at best as a Tyrus Thomas type, he can wow you at times with his athleticism, but in the end personality issues keep him inconsistent.
Luke Babbitt
Luke Babbitt came into the season as an unknown; Babbitt however has climbing up GMs boards during the draft process. Babbitt is a tough player to judge because he played at a small school, got his stats, but on a team that didn’t make any noise.
Babbitt doesn’t have the ideal size to play the 4, however the big problem with Babbitt is that he won’t be able to guard anyone in the pros. He is too small to guard 4s, and he doesn’t have the quickness to guard 3s. some see Babbitt as the next Chris Mullin, however Babbitt will struggle to stay on the court due to his defense, and could potentially have a career similar to Adam Morrison’s.
Gordon Heyward
Gordon Heyward is the darling of college basketball; he took a relatively unknown program in Butler and came a heave away from beating powerhouse Duke. Heyward however will struggle in the NBA. Heyward has the reputation as a knock down shooter, however Heyward shot under 30 percent from 3 in the tournament.
Heyward is a versatile player; however he needs to add significant size. Heyward needs to bulk up if he wants to stay on the court. Heyward isn’t extremely athletic, and will struggle defending more athletic wings in the NBA.
The mysteries-
Avery Bradley
When I first looked at Avery Bradley I saw a player who was passive on offense, I didn’t feel Bradley had a shot at the lottery despite being the top recruit according to some scouts. However the more and more I see Bradley, I see a player with raw offensive skills, and great defensive skills. Defensively Avery Bradley is the best perimeter defender in this draft.
Bradley reminds of the Russell Westbrook Jrue Holiday type, both of those players are rising young stars in the league, but before the draft many doubted that both had the ability to play point guard in the league. Bradley can make a living off his defense, but he remains a mystery because he can be a great player if he polishes his offensive skills.
Al Farouq Aminu
AL Farouq Aminu came to Wake Forest with very high expectations and established himself as the best player in the team. Aminu didn’t dominate, he certainly has the tools to be a great player, but he’s still very raw. Aminu is still finding a post game, and a perimeter game. We don’t know what position he’ll play in the pros, is he a 3 or 4.
Aminu is one of the best athletes in this draft, and has a freakish wingspan, and a great rebounder. He improved his midrange game and ball handling skills but Aminu still remains inconsistent, and struggles to get his own shot off. Aminu has all the tools to be a great player, but he needs time to develop.
Ed Davis
Ed Davis could’ve left school after his freshman year and likely be a top 3 pick. Davis however returned to school and was expected to dominate. Davis’ season ended in disappointment as he injured his wrist and missed the last 6 weeks of the season.
During his sophomore season Davis left scouts wanting more, they wanted to see him dominate. Instead scouts are saying the same things they did about Davis last season. He needs to add strength, and develop an offensive game more than 12 feet away from the basket.
Davis however shows all the raw abilities to be a successful big ma n in the NBA. He has a terrific motor, he is a great rebounder, and shot blocker. Offensively Davis is still ways away from being NBA ready, but he has the tools.
Eric Bledsoe
Eric Bledsoe played in the shadow of John Wall last season and didn’t show his ability to run a team. Some feel that had Bledsoe gone to a program where he was featured he would’ve been a surefire lottery pick.
Bledsoe is very athletic; he has point guard skills, a terrific motor, and a tough defender for his size. Bledsoe however averaged more turnovers than assists which is a major red flag. Bledsoe is a natural point guard, so he could come in and start at point immediately but I don’t know if he can succeed playing point guard at the NBA level due to the fact that he didn’t get many reps at Kentucky.
