Jared Sullinger and the Top 10 Big Men Who Could Enter the NBA Draft
With the Duke Blue Devils' loss to Florida State last week, the Ohio State Buckeyes are now once again the No. 1 ranked team in the country.
The Buckeyes are currently 18-0, including 5-0 in the Big Ten conference. It's a safe bet that the team wouldn't be in the same position without the emergence of freshman Jared Sullinger.
the 6'9'' forward leads the Big Ten with an average of nearly ten rebounds per game. Add to that his 17.6 points per game, and it's easy to see that Sullinger is the difference maker for the Buckeyes.
His draft stock is rapidly rising, as many analysts see Sullinger as a top five pick in the upcoming draft.
Sullinger isn't alone, however, as there are a number of other big men out there who could be calling the NBA home a year from now.
Perry Jones
1 of 10
The Baylor Bears are currently in the midst of an up and down season and currently find themselves with a 12-5 record, just good enough for fifth in the Big 12.
One would have to wonder where the team would be without the efforts of 6'11'' freshman Perry Jones.
The upstart freshman is averaging almost 22 points per game and pulls down nearly seven boards per game in the process.
If Jones has the NBA draft in his sights, he'll be among the most sought after prospects out there. Jones is projected as a top five pick on most analysts' draft boards.
Trey Thompkins
2 of 10
One of the surprises so far in SEC play, the Georgia Bulldogs have notched impressive wins over Kentucky and Ole Miss and find themselves atop the Eastern division of the conference.
It's safe to say the Bulldogs wouldn't have had near the success without Trey Thompkins.
The 6'10'' junior leads the bulldogs in points (17.9) and rebounds (7.3), and also averages around two steals and blocks per game.
A bruiser in the paint, Thompkins weighs in at 247 and does his share of grunt work.
Assuming the junior declares, he'll likely be a late lottery pick when draft time rolls around.
Jordan Williams
3 of 10
By Maryland standards, the Terrapins are having a down year in the ACC. The team has endured its share of success over throughout their history and has had dominating big men such as Len Bias and Lonnie Baxter call Maryland home.
While it's unlikely that he'll be there long enough to amass the numbers that some Terps have in the past, 6'10'' sophomore Jordan Williams has the talent to make his name known at the next level.
Williams shoots 56 percent from the field and leads the Terrapins in points (18.1) while pulling down 12.2 boards per game.
His aggressiveness in the paint, combined with his shooting ability, have given draft experts the confidence to label him as a early to mid first round pick in the 2011 draft.
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Enes Kanter
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The Kentucky Wildcats are currently 14-3 overall and have as much talent as ever.
It only leaves us to wonder how the team would have fared if Enes Kanter was around to help.
Kanter was sought after by many schools, but ultimately signed a letter of intent to play for Kentucky in April of 2010.
A Switzerland native, Kanter has been ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA after receiving excessive compensation while playing overseas.
Standing tall at 6'11'', the 272 pounder is highly regarded by many NBA scouts and is projected to be a top five pick upon his commitment to the next level.
Kyle Singler
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Under the tutelage of Mike Krzyzewski, senior Kyle Singler has developed into the type of player that will be remembered at Cameron for years to come.
Averaging 17.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, the 6'9'' 230 pound senior has great court presence and is helping the Blue Devils towards another ACC crown.
The court presence that Singler possesses will be an asset for whichever NBA team selects him.
Most draft boards have the senior as a late lottery pick in this spring's draft.
Terrence Jones
6 of 10
When word got out that Enes Kanter would not be making a home in the paint for the Kentucky Wildcats, head coach John Calipari hoped that someone would step up to take his place.
Calipari found his answer in 6'9'' freshman Terrence Jones. Averaging just under 19 points per game, the team relies especially on his rebounding ability.
Jones averages nine boards per game and is also good for a couple of blocks and steals each night.
It's likely that the freshman will follow the lead of many past Wildcats and declare for the draft after just one season with the team. If he does, Jones will almost assuredly be a top 10 pick.
Tristan Thompson
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In a strong Big 12 conference, the top spot is currently held by the somewhat surprising Texas Longhorns.
The team is currently ranked 11th in the country and is 2-0 in conference play.
Their success is partially due to the emergence of freshman Tristan Thompson.
With a lanky 6'9'' frame, Thompson anchors the Longhorns in the paint, averaging 7.8 boards per game.
His 53 percent field goal percentage and 12.8 points per game are an attribute to his ability to open space down low and convert offensive rebounds to points.
If the freshman leaves Texas after just one season, he can expect to find himself a mid to late first round pick in the NBA draft.
Derrick Williams
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The Arizona Wildcats find themselves in a battle with the Washington Huskies for the Pac-10 title this season.
Both teams find themselves in the top 25 polls, and each has one loss in conference play.
For the Wildcats, success as a team hinges on the success of Derrick Williams. Among other impressive statistics, Williams' 66 percent field goal percentage has helped make his team the 15th best shooting team in the country.
The sophomore forward averages nearly 20 points and 7.3 rebounds per contest. If he decides to declare for the draft this spring, Williams will likely find himself as a top five pick.
JaJuan Johnson
9 of 10
In a season that could have been considered lost when forward Robbie Hummell went down with his second ACL tear, JaJuan Johnson has kept the Purdue Boilermakers afloat.
The 6'10'' 221 pound senior has had a spectacular campaign thus far, averaging 20.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
Combined with teammate E'Twaun Moore, the two have helped the Boilermakers remain in contention for a Big Ten crown.
Given his physical nature in the paint, Johnson will be an asset for whatever NBA team drafts him.
Current mock drafts project that Johnson will be a late first round or early second round pick.
Chris Singleton
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In compiling a 13-5 record, the Florida State Seminoles made news last week in beating No. 1 ranked Duke 66-61.
Now atop the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Seminoles are there in no small part because of the play of junior Chris Singleton.
Standing tall at 6'9'', the 225 pounder leads the team in points, rebounds and blocks (15.5, 7.8, 1.9).
In addition to his prowess in the paint, Singleton spends time showing off his quick hands to the tune of a team high 2.2 steals per game. His current NBA draft stock places him in the middle of the first round.
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