NBA Draft 2011: Comparing the Top 15 Prospects To Current NBA Players
While we have glued our eyes to the TV, tuning into the NCAA tournament this past weekend, not only did we get a chance to see wild finishes and upsets, but we also got a look into some of the future stars in the NBA.
Guys like Jared Sullinger, Brandon Knight and Harrison Barnes have all been spectacular thus far in the NCAA tournament. But all three of those guys are expected to be one-and-done and make the leap to the NBA next season.
One of the most popular questions that seems to surface around draft time is: Who does this player compare to in the NBA? Does he have the athleticism of Carmelo Anthony or the shooting touch of Ray Allen?
Let's take a look at which current college and international players should be selected early in the NBA draft and which current NBA players they remind us of.
15. Tyler Honeycutt
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NBA Comparison: Trevor Ariza
Standing at 6'8", Tyler Honeycutt has the ideal size and athleticism to play small forward at the NBA level. He is primarily a slasher, but has a capable outside shot as well. Honeycutt is one of those players that can create their own shot on a regular basis by using his combination of strength, speed and athleticism.
When you look at Honeycutt's game, he isn't a guy that is going to light up a scoreboard with 25 points a night, but he should be a capable scoring forward at the professional level, much like New Orleans Hornets forward Trevor Ariza.
The Hornets' starting forward averages just over 10 points and five rebounds per game. He scores most of his baskets when he slashes to the hoop for a layup or dunk, and by hitting mid-range jumpers. This is exactly what Honeycutt's role at the next level looks like it could be.
Honeycut is a guy that can score—we all saw that when UCLA took out Michigan State in the opening round of the tournament. He won't be a No. 1 scoring option in the NBA, but with some work, he could be an NBA starter sometime down the road.
14. Jimmer Fredette
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NBA Comparison: Steph Curry or Eddie House
Jimmer Fredette has lit up the college basketball world this season with his outstanding play. This BYU senior has shown time and time again that he can score against anybody, anytime, anywhere.
While Fredette is primarily used as a scorer in the college game, he will likely play point guard at the professional level. Only standing at 6'2", he doesn't possess the size to be able to play shooting guard in the NBA.
With that said, Fredette could be comparable to two different players here—Steph Curry or Eddie House. Both of these players are point guards who love to shoot the basketball.
Curry is a guy who made an immediate impact in this league with the Golden State Warriors. He plays point guard at times, but also shoots the basketball a good amount, as he is the Warriors' second-leading scorer.
House is a guy that comes off the bench, but he is an instant spark plug whenever he enters the game. He comes off the bench and provides instant offense because he can score in bunches at any given time.
This is how Jimmer Fredette should be at the next level. A guy that can provide a team with instant offense, whether it be as a starter or off the bench. Either way, with his natural scoring ability, he should find a way to fit in at the NBA level in one way or another.
13. Jan Vesely
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NBA Comparison: Andrei Kirilenko
Vesely stands at 6'11", but his game is that of a small forward. Vesely isn't going to set the world on fire with his scoring, but he does have solid athleticism to go along with a very good work ethic. He is one of those guys that plays in-your-face defense, much like that of Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko.
Kirilenko is a guy that can put up some decent scoring numbers on a given night, but he is most known for his tenacious defense and ability to take on the opposing team's best offensive player. Right now, Kirilenko might have a little more strength than Vesely, but that will come in time once he gets in the weight room.
Keep in mind that Vesely is only 20 years old, so he will most certainly be a project for whatever team selects him in this summer's draft. But after adding some strength and a few years of adapting to the NBA game, Vesely could be a project that truly plays out nicely.
12. Jordan Hamilton
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NBA Comparison: Corey Maggette
Jordan Hamilton could have come out last year, but by choosing to come back for his sophomore season, he has now assured himself as being a first-round draft pick this summer.
Hamilton very well may be the most versatile player in this draft. He can play every position on the court except center, and be efficient and productive at all of them. The Longhorns' sophomore swing man has great athleticism and can step out and hit the three on occasion as well.
The deal with Hamilton is that he isn't quite good enough at one specific role to be an NBA superstar. He should be able to step in and score 10 points per game as a rookie if he gets drafted to the right team, but it will take time for Hamilton to develop a true niche before he becomes a really good player at the next level.
With that said, it seems like Hamilton is most comparable to Corey Maggette. Both guys are great athletes who can score the basketball. Maggette has always been a good player, but never great, simply because he doesn't have one aspect of his game that truly stands out. That could come in time with Hamilton—he certainly has the talent to be a good player at the next level.
11. Donatas Motiejunas
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NBA Comparison: Andrea Bargnani
Donatas Motiejunas is another overseas player that NBA scouts seem to be drooling over. He stands at 7'0" and he has great outside shooting range.
We understand the hype here. That set of attributes is rare to see in this day and age, and if Motiejunas pans out, that will be great. But seriously, that is a big if.
Other then Dirk Nowitzki and Andrea Bargnani, how many 7'0" foreign players have actually panned out in the past 10 years? Not that many.
Motiejunas has a similar game to Bargnani because he has great size, and can step out and knock down that three. But as nice as it is to have a player like that, you know for a fact that this guy is going to get pushed around every time he attempts to go down low against the likes of Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard.
On paper, the guy looks good. In the NBA, his game is very much like Bargnani from a style standpoint, but if he has half the career that Bargnani has had thus far, I would be shocked.
10. Brandon Knight
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NBA Comparison: Tony Parker
There isn't a player in college basketball that has improved as much from the first half of the season to second half as Brandon Knight has.
John Calipari has coached so many great point guards over the years: Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall. But Knight is a guy who possesses the athleticism, speed, passing ability and defense that should allow him to succeed at the next level, just like those other three.
He might not be as explosive a scorer as Rose, Evans or Wall, but it could be argued that he has a wider range of skills than any of those three. He is extremely quick off the dribble and has good vision for a young point guard.
Knight can be compared to San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker, because just like Parker, he can take a game over without necessarily scoring 20 plus points. This isn't to say that Knight is going to come into the league and immediately have the type of impact as Tony Parker does.
He is a project that needs a few years to adjust, but in two to three years, this kid will be a good starting NBA point guard for some team.
9. Kawhi Leonard
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NBA Comparison: Gerald Wallace
There may not be a more high-energy guy in this entire draft class than San Diego State forward Kawhi Leonard. If you haven't had the chance to see this guy play yet this season, tune into San Diego State's Sweet 16 matchup against UConn, because he is a treat to watch.
Leonard has the perfect combination of size and strength to play the wing forward position in the NBA. He is a great athlete with really long arms, which allows him to cover a lot of space when running the floor. Leonard is a guy that plays on the perimeter, often getting the ball and taking his man off the dribble in one-on-one situations.
He is very similar to Gerald Wallace in the way he plays the game, and they kind of look alike as well. Wallace is a high leaper, good defender and a great one-on-one player. Leonard is the same way. He isn't going to lead your team in scoring, but he will play hard and put up a lot of double-doubles in his NBA career. That is a given.
8. Marcus Morris
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NBA Comparison: Antwan Jamison
Rarely do you see a 6'9" power forward who has the ability to dominate down low, but also features a polished mid-range game. Morris has both, which is what makes him such an intriguing prospect to NBA scouts.
Morris is one of those guys who plays with a high motor whenever he takes the court. He is best at backing down his opponents and then either hitting a fadeaway jumper, or using his superior footwork to back down and get a layup or dunk.
Because of his rare inside-outside abilities, he deserves a comparison to a young Antwan Jamison. In his early years, Jamison made a living in the NBA using his inside-outside skills to create scoring opportunities.
They have similar size and ability as well. Look for Morris to have a similar career to Jamison, and if you're an NBA executive looking into drafting Morris, well, Antwan Jamison is a pretty darn good person to have a similar career to.
7. Enes Kanter
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NBA Comparison: Luis Scola
If John Calipari recruited him and had big hopes for him, that has to make you believe that this guy has a ton of skill to his game. Unfortunately for Kanter, he was ruled ineligible this season, so we probably won't ever see him play a second of college basketball.
But from what we do know, Kanter is a very skilled big man that will likely play power forward at the NBA level. Unlike some of the other overseas players in this draft, Kanter has great strength and muscle to his frame, which should make him a force in the paint.
The one NBA player that comes to mind when describing Kanter's skill set is Houston Rockets forward Luis Scola. Just like Scola, Kanter is supposed to be a good scorer down low with very soft hands. He has the strength to post up players down low or face the basket and knock down a mid-range jumper, which is basically exactly what Luis Scola has built an NBA career on doing with the Rockets.
6. Terrence Jones
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NBA Comparison: Lamar Odom
The one word that comes to mind when trying to describe Terrence Jones' game is versatility. This left-handed wing player has the dribbling and playmaking skills of a guard, but the strength and rebounding ability of a power forward.
Jones will be successful at the next level because he has the ability to score in a variety of ways, using both his size and athleticism to get to the rim as well as knocking down mid-range shots. He is a very good rebounder as well, and should put up a lot of double-doubles in the future.
When comparing Jones to a guy, there isn't anyone that could possibly be a more ideal fit than Lamar Odom. They are both lefties who are extremely versatile players, using a variety of ways to score the basketball.
Some say that Odom is the most versatile player in all of basketball. Someone is going to have to take over that title once he hangs up the laces.
5. Perry Jones
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NBA Comparison: Rashard Lewis
It's not every day that you get a 6'11" kid coming out of college that can play the small forward position. Hello Perry Jones, and get ready for a special NBA career.
The No. 1 thing about Jones that makes NBA scouts drool is how much room he covers. The kid has a 7'3" wingspan, which is practically unheard of. Add that to the fact that he can shoot the three, pull up off the dribble, and attack the basket off the dribble, and you have a diamond in the rough here.
It wasn't easy finding a player who Jones is comparable to because players with these features just simply don't come along all that often. But if you had to choose one, Jones may be a lot like Rashard Lewis when he came into the league. Lewis had the height of a power forward, but had the athleticism to blow by anyone who tried to guard him.
Keep in mind, Jones will be 20 years old when he enters the NBA. He is by no means NBA-ready right now. But with some good coaching, this kid has the chance to be special in a few years.
4. Harrison Barnes
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NBA Comparison: Kevin Durant
When you talk about great scoring forwards in the NBA, Kevin Durant has to come to mind. When you talk about great scoring forwards in college, North Carolina forward Harrison Barnes immediately comes to mind.
Barnes was the top-rated freshman coming into this season, and he certainly hasn't disappointed with his play. The thing about Barnes is that he has a ton of upside and will continue to get better as he plays against NBA-caliber players.
He is most comparable to Kevin Durant in the sense that both of them are pure scorers. They can each get to the basket off the dribble or by using their deadly shooting range. Look for Barnes to be a top-five pick in this year's draft—he's simply too good to pass up beyond that.
3. Jared Sullinger
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NBA Comparison: Kevin Love
Jared Sullinger has been the most dominant big man in college basketball this season. He is an extremely physical player that uses his body to wear down whoever draws the assignment of guarding him.
Sullinger has shown that he has very advanced post moves for a freshman in college. He has good footwork and is able to draw fouls and knock down free throws from the line. If needed, Sullinger can also step out and hit a little 10-foot mid-range jumper.
The most comparable player to Sullinger in the NBA has to be Kevin Love. We all know what a double-double machine Love has been this year, and Sullinger has a very similar game. He is a rebounding machine that has good post moves that are only going to get better with time and good NBA coaching.
2. Derrick Williams
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NBA Comparison: David West
Derrick Williams is hands-down the most NBA-ready player in this year's draft class. He has great size, athleticism, strength and really possesses the knowledge of the game that should make him a star at the next level.
One of Williams' best assets his ability to move without the ball. If you've watched Arizona play this season, you will notice that the majority of his points come from timing his cuts properly and receiving the ball as he is en route to the basket.
This means that if Williams gets drafted to a team with a good point guard, he should have a stellar rookie season and beyond.
When comparing Williams to an NBA player, New Orleans Hornets forward David West comes to mind. This is a guy that can score while facing up to the basket and with his back to it. West has turned into an elite NBA player and a large reason for that is because he has such a good relationship with Chris Paul.
If Derrick Williams is fortunate enough to find the right point guard for him, he should be a special player at the NBA level.
1. Kyrie Irving
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NBA Comparison: Chris Paul
It's only every so often that a point guard comes around who is able to take over a basketball game despite being the smallest player on the court. Well, this is one of those years, and the player is Duke guard Kyrie Irving.
Irving has superior vision and passing skills, which in return makes every player that he plays with better. He can also score at his own will, using a unique combination of speed and athleticism to beat players off the dribble and create his own shot in traffic.
When comparing Irving to a current NBA player, the first and only guy that comes to mind is New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul. They are both excellent ball handlers and facilitators. Not to mention that they both have the ability to take over a game when needed.
This kid is going to be a special player at the next level and certainly a fan favorite.
