NBA Draft 2011: Kyrie Irving and 10 Players with the Brightest NBA Future
The 2011 NBA Draft is widely regarded as a weak one. Far are the days of superstar prospects like Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Kevin Durant. The poor quality of this year's NCAA Tournament attests to the fact that college basketball took a dip in talent in 2010-2011.
However, that doesn't mean that this June's draft is void of players with strong NBA candidates. A contingent of college standouts are looking to establish themselves at the next level in hopes of avoiding being labeled as just good college players.
(Check out earlier mock drafts featuring Duke star point guard Kyrie Irving and a pair of fabulous Kentucky freshmen).
With his official declaration for the draft last week, Kyrie Irving leads a fabulous troop of freshman-age and underclass players who think they're ready for the league.
Some of them are ready, while others will be mistaken as they struggle to keep up.
Let's sift through the hay and find the few needles that will gleam when the light hits them.
Trey Thompkins, PF, Georgia
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Age: 20 Height: 6'10" Weight: 245 Class: junior
Why is his future bright?
Viable big men don't typically stay in college very long, but Thompkins played three years at Georgia. He isn't a great athlete like his opponents will be, but he compensates with good skills around the basket and can even move away from the basket to score. He is a serviceable rebounder and shot blocker who won't hurt his team and will have a short learning curve.
Draft Projection: early second round
Reggie Jackson, PG, Boston College
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Age:20 Height: 6'3" Weight: 208 Class: junior
Why is his future bright?
Jackson is shooting up draft boards because of his stellar third year in Chestnut Hill. He filled up the box score without hurting his team in efficiency (50 percent shooting) or turnovers (2.4). His size and quickness is rare for a point guard, which will allow him to enjoy frequent advantages over smaller guards. He can defend because of a frighteningly long wing span, and might even block some shots (.5 per game).
What scouts are worried about is his basketball intelligence and shot selection. He has a tendency to blind himself to in-game situations and play the same way no matter the circumstances. He will learn that lesson quickly in the NBA, or he will spend a lot of time sitting on a padded chair with his warm-up still on. Tons of athleticism and potential for one of the lesser appreciated point guards in the draft pool.
Draft projection: mid to late first round
Nikola Mirotic, SF, Montenegro
3 of 11Age: 20 Height: 6'10" Weight: 226 Class: plays for Real Madrid of the Spanish ACB
Why is his future bright?
The positives greatly outweigh the negatives on the talented forward. He has great size for his position, can play both forward spots, shoots as well as anyone in the draft, has great fundamentals and is cerebral. There's not a lot known about Mirotic, but the mold he is cut from is; Dirk Nowitzki, Andrea Bargnani and Danilo Gallinari are recent examples of successful perimeter players with guard skills and center size.
He isn't a fantastic athlete and lacks the requisite strength to play in the post, but which of the previously mentioned three players satisfies fits those criteria? None by my count.
Draft projection: mid-first round
Terrence Jones, SF, Kentucky
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Age: 19 Height: 6'8" Weight: 244 Class: freshman
Why is his future bright?
Back in November at the Maui Invitational, Jones played so well that many were priming him to be the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft. He displayed the inside-outside game that undersized NBA forwards need, and possesses the length that leads to versatility that NBA coaches love. What he's doing in the slide picture, going by a bigger defender with the dribble, is one of his best attributes offensively.
Jones has some growing up to do in how he carries himself on the court, and needs a little work on his shooting mechanics. Otherwise, he has all the tools and athleticism to become a valued contributor in an NBA rotation.
Draft projection: top 10 (if he enters the draft)
Enes Kanter, C, Kentucky
5 of 11Age: 18 Height: 6'10" Weight: 255 Class: disqualified freshman (formerly of Fenerbach Ulker in Euroleague)
Why is his future bright?
Still a teen, Kanter possesses a body and game beyond his years. He uses his big body well in the paint to maximize a scoring craftiness. He is physical and likes contact, dispelling the stereotype about soft, perimeter-oriented Euro big men.
Don't be fooled, though. When he feels like he's punished defenders enough, he'll take them outside where he comfortable scores from just inside the three-point arc. He is young and allegedly undersized for an NBA center, but he won't have to deal with the growing pains that most immature college bigs have when they transition to the pros.
Draft projection: top 10, possibly sneaks into top five
Brandon Knight, PG, Kentucky
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Age: 18 Height: 6'3" Weight: 185 Class: freshman
Why is his future bright?
Anytime a freshman point guard leads a Final Four team in scoring, he's going to garner lots of attention and a high draft pick. Knight was last year's No. 1 recruit by some recruiting services for his quickness, shooting and defensive prowess. His talent stood out on the college court all year long, but his game showed some big holes that need to be filled.
Knight went through serious bouts of inconsistency with his shooting and was erratic with the ball. He was hard to stop for opposing defenses, but was just as likely to shoot himself and his team in the foot as other teams were to stop him. His size and scoring attitude will make him an asset in the NBA, and as he matures and possibly moves off the ball to the two-guard, he could really shine.
Draft projection: top 10 (if he enters the draft)
Jan Vesely, SF, Czech Republic
7 of 11Age: 20 Height: 6'11" Weight: 240 Class: N/A (plays for KK Partizan Belgrade in Euroleague)
Why is his future bright?
Vesely is part Jeff Trepagnier for his ferocity in attacking the rim, part Lamar Odom with his ballhandling and part Pau Gasol with his passing skill. Yes, I just likened a draft prospect to Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and the immortal Jeff Trepagnier.
In all seriousness, there is nothing to joke about with Vesely's game. He has all the skills like a lot of Euro players, but he has something that most don't: a vicious swagger that comes out in his thunderous dunks. It's almost startling to see a lanky, fundamentally sound European big man dunk like that. You never thought they had it in them until you watch Vesely.
If he's going to play in the post, he needs to add to his 240 pounds and learn to push around with some bulldozer NBA power forwards. Luckily, he will likely play on the perimeter to suit his game and get regular size advantages. However, he will have to go inside occasionally. His pace in adding that to his game will go a long way in determining whether or not he's worth the high pick he will be.
Draft projection: top 10, possibly top five
Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina
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Age: 18 Height: 6'8" Weight: 210 Class: freshman
Why is his future bright?
It has been heavily documented that Barnes took a long while to get going this season, and that his second half was significantly stronger than his first. At his worst, he looked lost and unconfident in his jumpshot. At his best, he was UNC's physically-imposing go-to guy that could score from anywhere he wanted to. He is composed and mature for a freshman, which sprinkles itself nicely throughout his game.
His proclivity for being even-keel and not getting rattled will serve him well in the NBA, where adjustments and transitions can be very frustrating to a young player who has never struggled to play basketball before. Barnes knows what awaits him in the league, which is why his relative lack of athleticism and suspect jumper won't hold him back as it would other players less mature than he is.
Draft projection: top five (if he enters the draft)
Derrick Williams, SF, Arizona
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Age: 19 Height: 6'8" Weight: 241 Class: sophomore
Why is his future bright?
Williams shone as the temperature heated up in the NCAA Tournament. He flashed unparalleled athleticism, physicality and shooting accuracy while elevating his team's level to reach the Elite Eight. Williams is considered one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft with the IQ and demeanor of a mature NBA player.
He doesn't take bad shots, makes 57 percent of his threes, explodes to finish at the rim, plays inside and outside and has the athleticism to play the three and size to play the four. He's LeBron with less quickness and 20 fewer pounds, basically. Ideally, he plays the four spot, which he is slightly undersized to play, but any team that drafts him will immediately have a 30 minuter per game contributor.
Draft projection: top five (if he enters the draft)
Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke
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Age: 19 Height: 6'2" Weight: 180 Class: freshman
Why is his future bright?
When he wasn't missing 25 Duke games with a toe injury, Irving was the best player on the court for the Blue Devils. When he was in the lineup, he truly changed the game. Only the most prodigious college players possess that quality.
Irving scored at ease in his 11 college games, pouring in 17 points on blistering 53/90/46 percentages. No scout is worrying about his jumpshot with that kind of accuracy. He dished out only 4.3 assists, but is considered a true NBA point guard with elite court vision and the necessary quickness to push the ball or blow by defenders to the rim.
The trajectory of young elite PG like Derrick Rose, Deron Williams and Chris Paul was to improve steadily until their third year, when each broke out statistically to join the elite. Irving, as a No. 1 overall pick, will be counted on early to produce, but the wise team would patiently wait for him to develop, then look for him to come into his own around Year Three.
Most agree that he is ready for the draft, though playing in just 11 college games is not favorable. He doesn't have the look of a transcendent young floor leader, but the double-edged sword of his limited experience is that no one can really judge what his ceiling is.
Whoever wins the ping-pong battle will be ecstatic to have him.
Draft projection: First overall
Diamonds in the Rough
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In every NBA draft, some unheralded draft entries always turn out with better NBA realities than their first round peers. Teams who do their scouting homework in the second round routinely get paid off with a low pick that ends up contributing greatly to their rotation.
Here are a few players who have potential to make a team look good for taking them later in the draft.
JaJuan Johnson, 6'10", 221-pound Purdue PF. Fans and media seem to be forgetting about this former lottery-projected senior. He could return to the front of everyone's mind very soon with a late first round or second round selection.
Keith Benson, 6'11", 230-pound Oakland C. The senior averaged a double-double for his last two college seasons and blocked nearly four shots per game this year. There are concerns about defending his position and low-post strength, but he is an excellent athlete who can shoot from almost anywhere inside the arc.
Shelvin Mack, 6'3", 215-pound Butler PG. The junior has been instrumental in Butler's back-to-back National Runner-up finishes. The added exposure and primetime performances are adding up to a rise in Mack's draft status and a respect previously unknown. He is mature, can shoot and doesn't make a lot of mistakes. However, no one really knows what position he naturally fits at, and he isn't a fantastic shooter.
Nikola Vucevic, 6'10", 260-pound USC PF. The early entry out of Southern California has added strength, coordination and low-post skills to his perimeter-oriented foundation. Vucevic rounded out nicely his junior year, averaging a strong double-double while shooting over 50 percent from the field and 35 percent from three on an offense-starved Trojan squad. He is stronger than he looks and more athletic than he gets credit for. Another year in college would be great for him, but he will provide some nice post depth for a team in the second round.
