2011 NBA Draft: Kyrie Irving and the Top Underclassmen Likely To Be in the Draft
The April 24 deadline for college basketball underclassmen to declare for the 2011 NBA Draft is fast-approaching, and while many of the most talented youngsters, like Duke's Kyrie Irving and Arizona's Derrick Williams, have already thrown themselves into the mix, others, like Kentucky's Terrence Jones and Colorado's Alec Burks, remain on the fence.
You may be wondering, then, why there is so much trepidation on the parts of those who have yet to declare their intentions, as well as with those like Ohio State's Jared Sullinger and Baylor's Perry Jones who are returning to school, with regard to making an early leap to the pros.
Eternal optimists, not to mention the players themselves, would likely point to the desire of these prospects to enjoy their relatively care-free experiences as college students.
However, it's tough to ignore the effect that the specter of a potential lockout in the NBA is having on those who would likely declare without hesitation in just about any other year.
That being said, there should still be an intriguing pool of underclass talent, shallow as it may be, in this year's draft. Let's have a look at some of the best, in no particular order, and their draft status as of now.
Kemba Walker, Junior, UConn
1 of 10
What better player with which to begin this list than Kemba Walker?
This year's Final Four Most Outstanding Player was the chief catalyst behind Connecticut's surprising run to the national title, for which he has garnered plenty of attention from NBA personnel types. As such, Walker didn't exactly shock the world when he announced that he would be jumping into the draft as a junior with an agent, thereby forfeiting his fourth year of eligibility.
As far as Walker was concerned, the decision was a no-brainer. Aside from having earned his degree from UConn in three years, Walker, by way of a remarkable run to finish the season, worked his way into a surefire lottery pick in the 2011 NBA Draft after starting out the year as a borderline first-rounder.
What Walker lacks in size, at 6'1" and 172 pounds, he more than makes up for with fearlessness, tenacity and leadership, not to mention his court awareness and ability to create shots for himself and his teammates.
So while Kemba might not have the supreme physical gifts of a Derrick Rose or a John Wall, he has more than enough tricks in his bag to be a successful NBA point guard.
Derrick Williams, Sophomore, Arizona
2 of 10
On the way to the Final Four in Houston, Kemba's Huskies had to squeak by the Arizona Wildcats, who sported a pretty good underclassman of their own in Derrick Williams.
By carrying Zona as far into the tournament as he did, Williams asserted himself as a candidate for the top spot in the draft, at the very least.
The sophomore from La Mirada, California averaged nearly 23 points and better than nine rebounds per game during March Madness against some rather stout competition, including, of course, UConn, along with Duke and Texas.
As a player, Williams is a 6'9", 241-pound forward who can pretty much do it all—handle the ball, create his own shot, hit from deep, crash the boards and so on.
Whether he's the first player off the board in June might depend on who exactly gets ahold of the top pick, though Williams is undeniably one of the best prospects in what is shaping up to be a rather weak draft class.
Kyrie Irving, Freshman, Duke
3 of 10
Why, pray tell, is there any debate about who will be the top pick in the 2011 NBA Draft if Derrick Williams is so good?
Simply put: because Kyrie Irving will also be available.
The freshman guard from West Orange, New Jersey blew up during the early portion of Duke's season before missing three months with a foot injury. Irving recovered in time for the NCAA Tournament, though the Blue Devils ultimately fell to Arizona in the Sweet 16.
Some analysts actually blamed Irving, who scored 28 points in that game, for Duke's loss, claiming that his return disrupted the chemistry the team had established without him over the course of the season.
Whatever the case may be, there's no denying that Irving is still an immensely talented prospect who projects as the next great young point guard in the NBA.
Brandon Knight, Freshman, Kentucky
4 of 10
As good as Irving was in March, no freshman did more to assert himself during the NCAA Tournament than Kentucky's Brandon Knight.
Over the course of five games, Knight hit two game-winning shots and twice scored more than 20 points in a game, including a high of 30 against West Virginia.
Not to mention the fact that his Wildcats nearly knocked UConn out of the Final Four.
Knight's performance in the tourney opened quite a few eyes in the NBA, with some mock draftniks projecting him to be off the board within the first five picks of the draft.
At 6'3" and 185 pounds, Knight is a bit more of a scorer than a pure point guard, though he is certainly smart enough and physically capable of running a team in the NBA.
Whether Knight is actually available in this year's draft remains a mystery, as he has yet to declare his intentions one way or another.
Terrence Jones, Freshman, Kentucky
5 of 10
Terrence Jones is very much in the same boat as Knight, his teammate at Kentucky.
Like Knight, Jones is coming off a remarkable freshman campaign during which he averaged 15.7 points, 8.8 boards and 1.9 blocks per game while helping coach John Calipari's Wildcats reach the Final Four.
And, like Knight, Jones has yet to decide whether he'll be back in Lexington for his sophomore season or if he will instead be taking his talents to the pros.
At 6'8" and 244 pounds, Jones possesses a skill set quite similar to that of Derrick Williams, though Jones may be a tad bit more athletic than his counterpart at Arizona.
Regardless, Jones figures to be a lottery pick if, in the end, he concludes that one-and-done is okay by him.
The Morris Twins, Juniors, Kansas
6 of 10
Marcus and Markieff Morris aren't just teammates or twins; they're also classmates in the 2011 NBA Draft and are likely to both end up being lottery picks.
Their parents must sure be proud.
Both Morris twins project as versatile forwards in the NBA, though Marcus, at 6'9" and 218 pounds, is more of a wing while the 6'10", 245-pound Markieff prefers to do his work down low.
The Morris twins have also garnered acclaim for their defensive tenacity since arriving in Lawrence, Kansas to play for coach Bill Self, who will certainly miss the twins now that they've jumped into the draft pool with an agent.
Tristan Thompson, Freshman, Texas
7 of 10
Elsewhere in the Big 12, Texas' Tristan Thompson's draft status seems to be a bit more uncertain, though not at all due to his ability as a basketball player.
At this point, the 6'9", 225-pound forward from Ontario, Canada projects as a borderline lottery pick, which perhaps is why Thompson has yet to make official his return to Austin for his sophomore year since suggesting during the NCAA Tournament that he would do so.
Some reports have suggested that Thompson, who looks like the second coming of LaMarcus Aldridge, has already hired an agent, though his mother has since refuted such rumors.
Chances are, Thompson will return to Texas to play with former AAU teammate and incoming Longhorns freshman Myck Kabongo.
However, if he does, in fact, decide to take the plunge into the NBA Draft, Thompson figures to be off the board with a guaranteed contract in hand.
Trey Thompkins, Junior, Georgia
8 of 10
This year's crop of underclassmen in the NBA Draft is positively replete with versatile forwards, not the least of whom is Howard "Trey" Thompkins.
The son of former Atlanta Hawks draftee Howard Thompkins Jr., Trey has more than established himself as a quality candidate in the 2011 draft class. At 6'10" and 245 pounds, the now-former Georgia Bulldog can operate from just about anywhere on the court, whether it be knocking down shots from the perimeter or banging in the post.
Thompkins has drawn much attention for his tremendous skill and polished offensive game, though his detractors would point to his soft body and middle-of-the-road athleticism as reasons to pass on him.
Either way, if your team is looking for a big guy who can score, then Thompkins might just be your guy.
Tyler Honeycutt, Sophomore, UCLA
9 of 10
Versatility might as well be Tyler Honeycutt's middle name, which is probably why he finds himself firmly committed to the NBA Draft, agent and all, after just his sophomore season.
Coming out of Ben Howland's program at UCLA, Honeycutt enters the draft as a smooth-operating wing with deceptive athleticism, a fluid shooting stroke and terrific court vision.
On the flip side, the 6'8", 185-pounder is still a bit on the lithe side, especially if he's going to be defending threes and fours in the NBA, and was a bit erratic throughout the season. Questions about Honeycutt's health, with which he had issues during his two years as a Bruin, and his shaky ball-handling will likely plague him during the evaluation process.
Though he still figures to get snatched up some time in the mid-to-late first round, Honeycutt will still have plenty of work to do to shore up his body and his game.
Kawhi Leonard, Sophomore, San Diego State
10 of 10
Not to be forgotten in the shuffle of wing-forwards jumping into the 2011 NBA Draft is San Diego State's Kawhi Leonard.
The 6'7", 225-pound wing is a jack-of-all-trades-type with terrific length and athleticism who can operate from the perimeter, get up and down the floor with ease and still have enough left over to crash the boards.
However, like any player coming out of college with an all-around game, Leonard is a still a master of none, with a strange shooting stroke and a somewhat shaky handle. Such doesn't exactly bode well for Leonard on the next level, where he'll have to play more on the outside, as he won't have the comparative size and strength to be effective against NBA posts down low.
That being said, someone is likely to take a chance on this Gerald Wallace clone at some point in the first round now that he's in the draft pool and has brought an agent with him.
