2011 NBA Mock Draft: Comparing This Season's Top 20 Players to NBA Players
The NCAA season has finished and the NBA regular season is winding down so now is the perfect time to look at some of the top prospects that will be entering the draft this year.
Players like Jared Sullinger and Perry Jones have already announced that they are returning to school so they will not be featured in this article; however, there are still many intriguing names to look out for and maybe none bigger than Jimmer.
All 20 of these players will have a future in the NBA, and while some will certainly be stars, some may spend most of their time riding the professional pine.
Here are the top 20 players in this year's draft and the NBA players that they are comparable to.
Jimmer Fredette
1 of 20
Jimmer has one of the best jumpers of any prospect entering this year's draft but he is severely lacking in the athleticism department and that could be his downfall at the next level.
His teammates claim he can play defense, but he just chose not to this year, so we will have to see what kind of defense he plays in the NBA. I expect him to kick his intensity up a notch when he gets in the NBA, but I don't know if that will be enough for him to be successful on that end of the floor.
Even though he isn't the most athletic player in this year's class, Fredette is still good with the ball in his hands and when it comes to driving and dishing. He also showed the ability to shoot from well behind the arc, so knocking down threes in the NBA shouldn't be a problem.
NBA Comparison: Gary Neal
Kemba Walker
2 of 20
Kemba had a terrific season while leading the Huskies to their first national title since 2004, as he averaged 23.5 points per game this year. Walker will almost certainly find himself as a lottery pick when the draft rolls around, mainly because of his speed and ability to get to the rim.
Kemba is not only a great player on the offensive end of the floor, but he is also a solid defender and that should help him get plenty of minutes at the next level.
Walker will have to look to pass more than he did at UConn when he reaches the NBA, but he appears to have all of the tools to be a successful player for whichever team drafts him.
NBA Comparison: D.J. Augustin
Nolan Smith
3 of 20
Nolan Smith had a big senior season for the Blue Devils this year averaging 20.6 points per game and 5.1 assists per game.
Smith decided to come back to Duke for his senior year in an attempt to defend his team's national title, and while the Blue Devils were unable to get it done this year, the 22-year-old was a major reason that they were still one of the top teams in the country.
Smith is not an elite scorer but he does everything pretty well offensively and he defends very well. Smith is a little undersized for a shooting guard but he is a tough player that brings a versatile game to the table and he should be able to help an NBA team in the near future.
NBA Comparison: Monta Ellis
Marcus Morris
4 of 20
Marcus Morris improved greatly during his three seasons at Kansas, and he saved his best for his final season with the Jayhawks, averaging 17.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.
Morris is a good scorer who has some nice moves in the post but he may be a bit undersized to score a lot down low in the NBA. He should be a good rebounder as he was for the Jayhawks; he has the ability to hit mid-range jumpers so Morris should be a versatile player for whoever drafts him.
Morris should continue to improve and polish his game as he enters the NBA, likely playing without his twin brother Markieff for the first time.
NBA Comparison: Lamar Odom
Kyrie Irving
5 of 20
Irving spent just one season with Coach K and the Blue Devils, and he spent most of it watching as he recovered from an ankle injury.
The freshman was fantastic for Duke when he was on the floor and many experts have him ranked as the top player heading into the draft.
Irving averaged 17.5 points and 4.3 assists per game this season and while he doesn't have the elite speed of other point guards like Derrick Rose and John Wall, Irving does have good quickness and the ability to penetrate.
NBA Comparison: Chris Paul
Derrick Williams
6 of 20
Williams will most likely be a top five pick after tearing up the Pac-10 for the Wildcats this season. The 6'8" forward is similar to Marcus Morris in that he is a bit of a tweener but he offers plenty of versatility.
Williams averaged 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game this season for Arizona while connecting on an amazing 56.8 percent of his three point attempts. Don't expect him to be shooting a lot from beyond the arc in the NBA, but he definitely showed the ability to hit the mid-range jumper with consistency.
Williams is a great athlete who finishes strong near the rim and has a game that should translate very well to the NBA.
NBA Comparison: David West
Trey Thompkins
7 of 20
Thompkins is yet another versatile power forward in this draft that has the ability to play inside and out. Thompkins had a strong junior season while helping the Bulldogs get to the NCAA tournament, but he did not make the progress that was expected from him after suffering an offseason injury.
The 20-year-old is a good shot-blocker and rebounder with the ability to shoot from long range, so he should find a home somewhere near the middle part of the first round.
NBA Comparison: Channing Frye
Enes Kanter
8 of 20
Kanter was ruled ineligible for the Wildcats this season due to receiving "excess benefits," but he should have no problem playing in the NBA as he is a virtual lock to go in the top 10.
The Turkey native has shooting range out to the three-point line but he should do most of his damage down low where he can exploit opponents with his size and long arms.
Kanter has the potential to be a big time player in the NBA, but he will have to continue improving to make that a reality and he could be a big risk-reward pick early in the draft.
NBA Comparison: Kevin Love
Harrison Barnes
9 of 20
Barnes will likely be a top five pick in the draft even though he didn't have the quite the impact that many were expecting him to have before the season.
Barnes was a preseason All-American despite being just a freshman this season and he showed glimpses of brilliance but his numbers were nothing spectacular this year. Barnes averaged 15.7 points and 5.8 rebounds this season, while connecting on 34 percent of his three point attempts.
Barnes will need to get stronger at the next level to become a true impact player, but he definitely has the tools to be a big time player in the NBA.
NBA Comparison: Wesley Johnson
Kawhi Leonard
10 of 20
Kawhi Leonard was a major reason for the success at San Diego State this season but he will need to improve his perimeter game if he wants to make an impact in the NBA.
Leonard averaged 15.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game but his biggest strength is his athletic ability and excellent motor. The 20-year-old would benefit from another year at SDSU to work on refining his offensive game, but he is reportedly leaning towards going pro.
NBA Comparison: Julian Wright
Jonas Valanciunas
11 of 20
Valanciunas is one of the top international players in this year's draft but he is just 19-years-old and still has a ways to go before he is truly NBA ready.
The 6'11" center from Lithuania is a very solid player down low but his perimeter game could use improvement and he needs to get stronger if he wants to dominate down low in the NBA.
NBA Comparison: Andrew Bogut
Jan Vesely
12 of 20
Vesely is another of the top international players in this draft and he has the potential to be a top five pick.
The 20-year-old from Czech Republic can play either forward spot with the ability to shoot all the way out to the three-point line. Vesely needs some work before he is NBA ready, particularly with his back-to-the-basket game, but once he spends more time on the court, he should turn into a very productive player.
NBA Comparison: Shawn Marion
Brandon Knight
13 of 20
Knight is likely going to be the most recent one-and-done under John Calipari's watch, and if he does declare for the draft it is going to be because of his offensive prowess.
Knight averaged 17.3 points per game for the Wildcats this season, making over 37 percent of his three-point attempts. Knight does go hot and cold with his jumper too often though and he will need to keep improving his shooting to improve that he can be a consistent perimeter threat.
Knight is an excellent defender who will bring energy to any team that selects him in the draft.
NBA Comparison: Russell Westbrook
Terrence Jones
14 of 20
Like his teammate Knight, Terrence Jones is expected to make the jump to the NBA after just one season at the college level.
Jones averaged 15.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season at Kentucky, but he did not show the consistency that many wanted to see from him this year.
Jones needs to make better decisions on the court and try to take his game inside more often if he wants to realize his full potential in the NBA.
NBA Comparison: Wilson Chandler
Alec Burks
15 of 20
Burks helped lead the resurgence at Colorado this season that saw the Buffaloes as one of the last teams to get left out of the NCAA tourney.
Burks put up a lot of points this season (20.5 per game), but he is not a great shooter as he made just over 29 percent of his three point attempts this season.
Getting to the rim is Burks biggest strength but he will need to refine his jumper if he is to be a major contributor in the NBA.
NBA Comparison: Evan Turner
Kenneth Faried
16 of 20
Faried made a name for himself during the NCAA tournament when his Morehead State team upset Louisville in the first round.
Faried was the top rebounder in the country this season at 14.5 per game and he also added 17.3 points per game, but he will need to continue improving as he will be facing significantly tougher competition when he gets to the NBA.
At just 6'8", Faried may find it harder to make a living down low on the glass where he has become accustomed to dominating.
NBA Comparison: Kris Humphries
Jordan Hamilton
17 of 20
Hamilton has not yet declared for the draft but he is expected to eventually throw his name into the hat, and with his ability to shoot the ball, he has a chance to be a very successful player at the next level.
Hamilton shot over 38 percent from beyond the arc this season while averaging 18.6 points per game.
Most of the physical tools are there for Hamilton, but he will need to improve his shot selection and decision-making in the NBA to really take his game up a notch.
NBA Comparison: Martell Webster
Markieff Morris
18 of 20
Markieff Morris finally stepped out from behind his brother's shadow this season and turned into a legitimate player for the Jayhawks this season.
Markieff was a force on the boards this season as he pulled down an average of 8.3 rebounds per game while putting up 13.6 points per game.
He did not shoot the ball at the ridiculous clip that Derrick Williams did, but he still showed that he is a capable jump shooter by shooting over 42 percent from the three-point stripe this season.
Markieff improved even more than his brother in his final season in Lawrence this year and that bodes well for his NBA future as he likely ventures out on his own.
NBA Comparison: Ryan Anderson
Donatas Motiejunas
19 of 20
Motiejunas is the third and final international player on this list and at 7'0" tall he is the biggest.
The 21-year-old Lithuanian runs the floor well for a big man and passes well but he needs to put some weight on his big frame because he weighs just 220 pounds right now.
Motiejunas is a few years away from being an impact player in the NBA and he may never develop into one, but he has some of the tools teams are looking for in the mid-to-latter part of round one.
NBA Comparison: Andrea Bargnani
Tobias Harris
20 of 20
Harris had a good season throughout all of the turmoil that surrounded his team at Tennessee this season, and he has already declared for the draft.
The 18-year-old small forward averaged 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season for the Vols while displaying many strong qualities that should make him mid first-round pick when the draft rolls around.
Harris can handle the ball and he does it well with his high basketball IQ, but he needs to work on his strength and athleticism to further develop his game for the NBA.
NBA Comparison: Travis Outlaw
