NBA Draft 2011 Predictions: 10 Players Who Have Already Hurt Draft Stock
NBA Draft 2011 Predictions are already in top form as the mock drafts start to flow in and the college season begins to heat up.
There are some players like Demetri McCamey and Jimmer Fredette, for example, who have been climbing up the draft boards and putting themselves in very good situations for June and next year's Draft. But there have been others who were expected to be top picks last year in very early mock drafts that have slipped, including Harrison Barnes.
Barnes is still in pretty good shape right now, but he's losing his grip on the top draft pick. Here are some other players who have hurt their draft stock.
10) Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina
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Barnes was the consensus No. 1 draft pick in many minds in early mock drafts last year, as I mentioned before. But he's been almost invisible at times in Chapel Hill and as the Tar Heels have struggled, so has he. Barnes has not shown any of the explosiveness he did in high school that made him a top recruit and has struggled to stand out. He'll still be a top-three pick, but how much longer will he be No. 1?
9) Enes Kanter, C, Kentucky
2 of 10Kanter's stock dropping is not because of his play on the floor, because he hasn't been able to get on the floor. The NCAA ruled him permanently ineligible because he received more than the allowable compensation when he played overseas. He's still a first-round pick, but one has to wonder if any teams will be weary of drafting a player who hasn't played competitively in a while.
If there's footage of him making spin moves around folding chairs, be worried.
8) Jeff Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt
3 of 10Taylor's stats have slipped a little bit this season, but it's more the style of player he is (someone who lives on the perimeter and can disappear at times) that have dropped him a little bit towards the middle to the back of the first round. If he can become more consistent and be more of a driver and create his own shots as a wing, he can come back up.
7) Jan Vesely, PF, Czech Republic
4 of 10Vesely was a lottery pick in last year's draft before he bowed out. According to ESPN though, he's struggling in Europe and averaging less than 10 points per game. Most draft boards still have him as a first rounder but he's starting to slip into the teens now. One must wonder if perhaps Vesely waited a year too long.
6) Chris Singleton, SF, Florida State
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Singleton has all the tools to be a good NBA player, but his stats have not been that impressive. He had one 30-point performance this season, but hasn't scored more than 14 points since and has struggled from the field on top of it.
He's still putting up career highs and this could very well just be a slump, but it's dropped him back towards the end of the first round. It doesn't help that this draft is full of small forwards either.
5) Wally Judge, PF, Kansas State
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Judge is a tough one to figure out because he hasn't put up good numbers in college; he was more of an upside/potential pick than a "based on past merits" pick. Still, ESPN had him in the low-30s range of its Top 100 players and projected him as a late first to early second round player. But the numbers haven't materialized once again this season and Judge is now fallen back to at least the second round.
4) Fab Melo, C, Syracuse
7 of 10Melo was extremely raw, but extremely talented and the No. 1 center in the latest recruiting class. Most thought he probably wasn't a one-and-done but there were a couple of draft boards that had him going and going somewhat high. Any chance of that has been nipped in the bud, thanks to his 2.1 ppg, his 0.3 rpg and the fact he spends most of his time on Jim Boeheim's bench.
3) Elias Harris, SF, Gonzaga
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Harris has been up and down this season, and has played better of late. But he's still suffering in a extremely deep draft at the SF position and as a result of other players rising, has dropped down to the late first round and even early second round with Judge in some mock drafts.
He's inconsistent and forces his shot too much, but he still has the tools. He hasn't been helped by a struggling Gonzaga squad either.
2) Durrell Summers, G, Michigan State
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Summers was a hot name after his performance in the NCAA Tournament, so much so that Fox Sports projected him to be a mid first round pick in its first mock draft. But Summers has fallen back to a supporting role to Kalin Lucas and has disappeared off the draft boards because of it. He's averaging close to 15 ppg a game, but he's inconsistent and doesn't take charge of a game.
Because of that, he's fallen back to the second round.
1) Rodney Williams, SF, Minnesota
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Because of his athleticism, talent and increased role in Tubby Smith's system, there were a lot of people projecting high on Williams. But for the increased role, Williams is only averaging five points a night and is not consistent on offense. He's struggled to shoot as well, as both his field goal and three-point percentages are down.
Williams was projected by ESPN as a mid to late first round pick. He's now fallen in some draft boards well into the second round.
