Big 12 Basketball: 10 Players Bound To Make NBA Rosters in the Next Few Years
For over a decade, the Big 12 has produced multiple NBA athletes year after year.
Paul Pierce, Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin are just a few who have become the face of NBA franchises.
Some college basketball stars continue their success on the NBA level while others struggle to stay on an NBA roster.
The Big 12 is one of the best conferences in college basketball and is sure to produce some NBA quality players in the next few years.
Let's take a look at some Big 12 athletes who are sure to land on an NBA roster in the future.
Perry Jones III
1 of 10
School: Baylor Bears
Position: Forward
Year: Freshman
Ht: 6'11"
Wt: 235
Stat line: 12.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg
Perry Jones III was one of the most sought after recruits coming out of the 2010 class. Needless to say, he hasn't disappointed at Baylor so far this season. Although he came into a program with experienced upperclassmen, he's had no problem becoming an important part of the Baylor program.
Jones has adjusted to the collegiate level of basketball quite nicely. He's got great height and a 7'2.5" wingspan that can create havoc for opponents. Jones has shown that he has the ability to take the ball to the hoop as he has scored in double digits in 11 of 14 games this season. He can work off the dribble and has a nice shot, shooting 54 percent from the field on the season.
He has improved on defense and helped Baylor tremendously down low in its zone defense. Jones has yet to hold a block party as Baylor's defense usually forces smaller schools to take long jumpers, but don't count him out as a defender. He's got energy and length that NBA scouts are drooling over and will continue to improve his stock as the season continues.
Josh Selby
2 of 10
School: Kansas Jayhawks
Position: Guard
Year: Freshman
Ht: 6'2"
Wt: 183
Stat line: 13.3 ppg, 3.8 apg, 1.3 spg
Josh Selby would have been an NBA draft pick out of high school if it was still possible. Selby is still adjusting to the collegiate level after sitting out the first nine games of the season but has played well. In his first game against USC, he put up 21 points and hit the game winning three-pointer.
Selby has already shown he can be a go-to guy in the clutch and now he just needs to get a little more consistent. He can be a scoring threat, having scored 16 or more points in four of six games, and he is 17-for-18 (94.4 percent) from the free-throw line.
Josh Selby has a sweet stroke and is excellent at the catch-and-shoot. He has drained several contested shots so far and will make you pay if you don't come out on him. He can also take it strong to the hoop and finish. Josh has great body control and hang time.
Defensively, Selby is very aware of his surroundings and shows great anticipation. Sometimes he gambles, but he has come up with some big steals for Kansas so far. His stock can only increase as he keeps developing and he is looking like a potential lottery pick if he leaves Kansas after the season.
Marcus Morris
3 of 10
School: Kansas Jayhawks
Position: Forward
Year: Junior
Ht: 6'9"
Wt: 235
Stat line: 15.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Marcus Morris has become one of the most dominating post players in the nation. He can shoot over both shoulders on the baseline and gets physical in the paint for rebounds. His game has improved drastically over the past season after spending a summer with NBA players.
Another part of his game that will attract NBA scouts is his ability to shoot the three. Opposing post players are forced to step out on Marcus Morris due to his ability to drain from downtown. Morris is currently shooting 41 percent (14-of-34) from beyond the arc.
He also has a great ability to drain pull-up jumpers off the dribble. His ball skills have also improved over the past season and his decisions are getting better as well.
If he declares this season, he'll surely be a first-round pick and he still has room to improve. If he comes back to Kansas for his senior season, he'll certainly be a lottery pick in 2012.
.png?w=256 "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Championship")
Markieff Morris
4 of 10
School: Kansas Jayhawks
Position: Forward
Year: Junior
Ht: 6'10"
Wt: 245
Stat line: 12.9 ppg, 8.7 rpg
No, this isn't the same slide as the previous one. Markieff Morris, twin brother of Marcus, is also building his stock for the NBA as the season rolls along. Markieff has a larger frame than his brother, but it doesn't slow him down from running the floor.
His footwork has improved over the past season and he has been able to contain most if not all of the opposing post players he has faced this season. He's strong inside and currently leads the No. 3 Jayhawks in rebounding. Markieff has also developed a catch-and-shoot three-point game. Markieff is shooting 37 percent from three-point land, connecting on 9-of-24.
It will be interesting to see if the Morris twins declare for the draft this year. The Morris twins will be ready for the NBA at the end of the season, but they also can drastically improve their games and stock with another season at Kansas. My bet is it depends on how far Kansas ends up going in the tournament.
Jordan Hamilton
5 of 10
School: Texas Longhorns
Position: Forward
Year: Sophomore
Ht: 6'7"
Wt: 220
Stat line: 19.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg
Jordan Hamilton has the size and scoring ability that NBA scouts love. He is reminiscent of Oklahoma State's James Anderson from a season ago. He had a quiet freshman season behind Damien James, Avery Bradley and Dexter Pittman, but has exploded in his sophomore campaign.
His most attractive features for NBA scouts are his consistent scoring instincts and his shot-making ability. Over the last five contests, Hamilton has averaged a team-best 21.0 points per game. He's scored 24 points or more in six games this season. His large frame is hard to stop and he looks much stronger than a year ago.
Over the past summer, Hamilton practiced daily against Los Angeles Laker Ron Artest and that experience has taken him to another level.
He needs to work on his shot off the dribble if he is planning on entering the NBA draft after this season. Regardless, he has the size and athleticism to make an NBA roster whenever he decides to leave Texas.
Alec Burks
6 of 10
School: Colorado Buffaloes
Position: Guard
Year: Sophomore
Ht: 6'6"
Wt: 185
Stat line: 20.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.3 apg
Alec Burks finally got on the national radar after his 36-point performance in Colorado's upset over Missouri. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year from a year ago is currently second in scoring in the Big 12 (20.1 points per game) and has been an impact player for CU this season.
Standing at 6'6", Burks has great size for a guard of his ability and can use that size to get closer to the hoop. He has shown great playmaking and athletic ability this season and he is always a scoring threat. Burks hasn't had great success from downtown this season (11-for-31), which is something he needs to improve if he wants his NBA stock to keep climbing.
NBA scouts will probably want him to put on a little more weight if he declares this season, but his somewhat light frame hasn't slowed him down a bit.
Defensively he still needs improvement, but his large wingspan has helped him disrupt passing lanes. He averages almost five rebounds per game as a guard. He'll be a great addition to any NBA roster that is looking for a quick, athletic and long guard/forward type player.
LaceDarius Dunn
7 of 10
School: Baylor Bears
Position: Guard
Year: Senior
Ht: 6'4"
Wt: 205
Stat line: 23.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.4 apg
LaceDarius Dunn has improved each of the past three seasons and has emerged as one of the most dominant point guards in the nation.
Dunn has a solid jump shot and is money from long range. He has the ability to drain five or six three-pointers if he gets hot, and most of his threes are from NBA range. A good thing about LaceDarius Dunn is that he has an extremely quick release and he is still able to make contested shots. Dunn is very good at creating space off the dribble to find open looks.
He can penetrate the lane and use his touch do maneuver around larger defenders. Overall, Dunn has great athletic ability which will help him at the two-guard in the NBA.
He does rush his decisions sometimes which results in turnovers or off balance shots, but he's gotten a lot better during his tenure at Baylor. Look for Dunn to be a late first-rounder or early second-rounder in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Tristan Thompson
8 of 10
School: Texas Longhorns
Position: Forward
Year: Freshman
Ht: 6'8"
Wt: 225
Stat line: 12.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.2 spg
Tristan Thompson has been showing off his talent since he arrived in Austin. Fresh off a 20-point performance against Texas Tech Tuesday night, Thompson keeps developing under Rick Barnes.
A prized recruit from Canada, Thompson is a bit short for an NBA-sized power forward but makes up for it with his 7'2" wing span. He has yet to develop all of the necessary skills to be a star in the NBA, but Rick Barnes and the Longhorn staff will mold him into a terrific player by the time he is done at Texas.
Defensively, Thompson has the size, strength and quickness to guard most collegiate forwards. His post presence will get better as the season continues.
Thompson gets points off tip-ins and he is great on the fastbreak for a man of his size. If he gets the ball in transition, he has the ability to finish.
He has yet to develop all of the necessary skills to be a star in the NBA, but Rick Barnes and the Longhorns staff will make him into a terrific player by the time he is done at Texas. Thompson isn't NBA-ready yet, but there is no doubt he will develop into a big-time NBA prospect down the road.
Cory Higgins
9 of 10
School: Colorado Buffaloes
Position: Guard
Year: Senior
Ht: 6'5"
Wt: 190
Stat line: 16.9 ppg, 2.8 apg
Cory Higgins has somewhat taken a back seat to Alec Burks, but he is still a very talented and effective guard. That said, he's scored in double figures every game this season except for one.
He's a bit undersized compared to most two-guards in the NBA, but Higgins has raw talent to make up for it. He's got pretty good quickness but he needs to be quicker if he wants to be able to blow by defenders on the next level.
He's got the ability to be a pretty solid on-the-ball defender. What he lacks in defense, he makes up for in offense, as he has always found a way to score during his time at Colorado. He needs to get a bit stronger, but if an NBA team takes a chance on him, he could turn out to be a sleeper.
Marshall Moses
10 of 10
School: Oklahoma State Cowboys
Position: Forward
Year: Senior
Ht: 6'6"
Wt: 215
Stat line: 17 ppg, 8.1 rpg
The Oklahoma State Cowboys have been revolving around Marshall Moses this season and he is playing the best basketball of his college career.
Moses is a little shorter than most of the dominant forwards in the Big 12 but he is very strong inside. NBA scouts may be hesitant because of his shorter frame, but Moses has great athleticism. His best feature is his ability to get to the hoop. Moses has already posted a 30-point and a 31-point game this season.
If Moses goes in the draft, he'll be a late second-round prospect. His long range game is far from the NBA-caliber as he's only attempted one three-pointer on the season. If he can continue to improve and get more media attention, it will help him when it comes to the 2011 draft.
Marshall Moses will have a tougher time getting on an NBA roster. That said, he may be similar to Darnell Jackson, who wasn't seen as a sure NBA player until his senior season when he started playing extremely well. Monitor his status throughout the rest of the season and be sure to keep an eye on him when watching Oklahoma State.
For more Big 12 coverage follow Kip on Twitter @KipReiserer
.png?w=480 "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Championship")
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
