NBA Draft 2011: Grading Kyrie Irving and Each Potential Lottery Pick
Being selected in the lottery portion of the NBA Draft is something that every little boy who picks up a basketball and gets serious dreams about at some point. But only a precious few, 14 per year in fact, get to make that dream turn into a reality.
For the purposes of this slideshow, I narrowed down the pool of potential lottery picks to the 20 most eligible candidates and then graded them purely in terms of their potential ceilings in the NBA.
An A+ grade means that they have the potential to become a future All-Star or even better, while a lower grade means that I'm much less sold on their future success.
Keep in mind that most of these grades will be on the generous side of the spectrum, because the players who are receiving them are, after all, the elite players in this draft class.
Bismack Biyombo
1 of 20
While Bismack Biyombo may be absolutely inept on the offensive side of the ball, his height, wingspan and defensive presence are absolutely incredible. Just consider the fact that he put up the first triple-double in the history of the Nike Hoops Summit a few weeks ago.
Biyombo is still only 18, or at least so we think, so there is still time to work on his offensive contributions. But he doesn't need much work at all on the other side of the ball.
Grade: A+
Alec Burks
2 of 20
Alec Burks was highly proficient at the college level thanks to his insane athleticism, quickness and scoring ability. Additionally, he's 6'6" and plays shooting guard, giving him a distinct size advantage over the other players at his position.
With great ball handling skills, Burks has been able to blow by defenders on a consistent basis, thus masking the fact that his jump shot needs a lot of work. Once he improves that and adds strength to his lanky frame, he'll be an even better player.
Grade: A
Kenneth Faried
3 of 20
Kenneth Faried was an absolutely incredible rebounder at Morehead State, and he managed to chip in quite a few points per game thanks to his ability to out-physical his Ohio Valley Conference opponents. That same strategy won't work in the NBA.
Frankly, I'm not sold on his rebounding ability yet either, solely because he's so undersized. He may surprise me, but Dennis Rodmans are once-in-a-lifetime players.
Grade: B
Jimmer Fredette
4 of 20
Jimmer Fredette can score. In other obvious news, the sky is still blue today.
The question remains, though: Can Jimmer be as deadly when he advances to the highest level of basketball? He's not the most athletic guy in the world and he relies on high-volume shooting to meet his scoring averages. Frankly, I'm not convinced yet.
It's also going to be tough for him to receive consistent playing time because he's a defensive liability to the best of our knowledge. Granted, he wasn't asked to play much defense at BYU, but he didn't do a good job when he was.
Grade: B+
Tyler Honeycutt
5 of 20
With a little seasoning and a little more experience handling the ball, Tyler Honeycutt could be a draft steal that is as sweet as honey for whichever team takes a chance on the UCLA guard/forward.
Honeycutt is insanely athletic and big; plus, he doesn't really have any big weaknesses. If he has the desire to become great, he very well could.
Grade: A
Kyrie Irving
6 of 20
One of the most complete players in the draft, Kyrie Irving is the guy I would choose if I was forced to bet one player from this year's rather weak draft class to become a superstar.
From the get-go, Irving was in control at Duke and played like an All-American. In fact, a toe injury may have been the only thing that stopped him from being awarded with that elusive honor. He can score, he can pass and he's only getting better.
Grade: A+
Terrence Jones
7 of 20
Once Terrence Jones realizes that he's a forward and not a guard, he'll be even better. The Kentucky freshman possesses great size and myriad basketball skills, but he's had trouble putting them all together on a consistent basis.
When Jones gets going to his left though, there's no stopping him. I think that this Wildcat has the potential to develop into a very productive NBA baller.
Grade: A-
Enes Kanter
8 of 20
Even though he never played a single second at the collegiate level, Enes Kanter goes into this 2011 NBA Draft as one of the prospects with the highest ceiling. There's really nothing that the Turkish center can't do.
Kanter can shoot from outside, but he can also destroy the opposition with any one of a number of post moves. He's big, he rebounds well and he plays with a high basketball I.Q. The only concern I have about Kanter is the health of his knees.
Grade: A+
Brandon Knight
9 of 20
I'm not quite sold on Brandon Knight's jump to the NBA yet, especially because I feel as though he's riding his clutch shooting in March Madness to way too high of a projected draft slot. It doesn't seem too long ago that Knight was projected to go around No. 20 and now he's a potential top five pick.
Knight is a great scorer and has fabulous intangibles, but he doesn't have the traditional point guard skills necessary to be an elite No. 1 in the NBA. He also isn't the most athletic player in this year's draft class by any stretch.
Grade: B
Kawhi Leonard
10 of 20
Kawhi Leonard is quick and understands the game of basketball quite well, which helps to explain why his game doesn't really have many weaknesses.
The problem is, he doesn't really have all that many things he excels at. This is especially true on the offensive end of the court, where Leonard often has trouble finding his niche. He's still talented enough to score, but specialization is going to help his chances of being successful in the future.
Grade: B
Marcus Morris
11 of 20
Marcus Morris is going to be a very solid NBA player. There is no doubt in my mind about that.
He has a very polished jump shot for such a big guy and really doesn't struggle with any aspect of the game. Yet Morris is never going to be a superstar simply because he doesn't have the size necessary to dominate in the paint.
He's one of the safest picks in the draft, but he offers far less upside than some of the players that will be selected around him.
Grade: B-
Markieff Morris
12 of 20
To illustrate just how balanced a player Marieff Morris is, I'm going to show you how NBADraft.net scored each of his attributes.
Morris received a 7 in potential, post skills and intangibles. He got an 8 in athleticism, size, defense, strength, quickness, leadership, jump shot and rebound. His lone 9 was in NBA Ready. See what I mean?
The only reason why Morris is going to get a fairly low grade here is because of that category called potential. He simply may already be as good as he's going to be.
Grade: B
Donatas Motiejunas
13 of 20
Not even 20 years old yet, the Lithuanian forward is an absolutely unbelievable prospect. He's blessed with great size and athleticism, and his ball handling skills and shooting abilities are both off the charts for a seven-footer.
Once he learns how to play defense, fills out his tall frame and gets the right mentality, he could be unstoppable.
Grade: A+
Trey Thompkins
14 of 20
Oh, the enigma that is Trey Thompkins. No player has been as simultaneously rewarding and frustrating to watch over the past few years than Thompkins, at least in the opinion of this Georgia Bulldog.
He possesses absolutely incredible skills: he breaks full-court presses, shoots threes, looks unstoppable in the post, etc. But then he just checks out of the game at times and never seems to play with any sort of fire in his belly. Additionally, he's not a great athlete, and that will be a hindrance in the NBA for sure.
Grade: B+
Klay Thompson
15 of 20
A 6'6" shooting guard from Washington State, Klay Thompson is arguably the best shooter in the draft without the initials J.F. If you don't know who I'm referring to, please do more research on this draft.
Thompson is big for his positions and has all the skills you'd expect for a guard to possess, but he's simply not that fast. In fact, he may be too slow to make it in the NBA. Only time will tell.
Grade: B-
Tristan Thompson
16 of 20
Tristan Thompson is a great player inside the paint, but as soon as he steps outside the colored area, problems arise.
Thompson simply can't shoot the basketball thanks to his awkward-looking, inconsistent, high release. Even when no one guarded him, he had problems. This was quite evident in his 49 percent shooting from the foul line.
Grade: B+
Jonas Valanciunas
17 of 20
Personally, I think that Jonas Valanciunas needs one more year before entering the draft. After all, he's still only 18 years old.
The 6'11" center from Lithuania is a great athlete, but right now, the biggest thing that he's got going for him is his age. Not many of skills are developed yet at all, and he needs to put on a good bit more weight before he's ready to endure the rigors of the NBA season.
Entering the draft this year may actually inhibit his development, but there is still a great deal of promise.
Grade: A-
Jan Vesely
18 of 20
Jan Vesely only just gained the ability to legally consume alcoholic beverages in the United States, but he's already going to be a sure lottery pick, one that will contribute to the team that drafts him sooner rather than later.
Vesely is ridiculously big for a small forward considering that he stands at 6'11". He possesses the size to guard power forwards, but he has the skills of a No. 3. The young man from the Czech Republic still has lots of work to do on offense, but he is overflowing with potential.
Grade: A+
Kemba Walker
19 of 20
I'm probably going to get slaughtered in the comment section below for saying this, but I don't believe that Kemba Walker has the ability to become a superstar in the NBA, as many believe he will.
Walker is a great scorer, but sometimes he has to shoot a little too often to get his nightly points. That worked in the NCAA, but it could be a different story in the NBA. Walker is going to have trouble creating separation from defenders at the next level because of his height, or lack thereof. He may have blazing speed, but that can only get him so far.
Grade: A-
Derrick Williams
20 of 20
One of the most complete players in all of the 2011 NBA draft class, Derrick Williams is projected to go first overall in many mock drafts for a reason. The sophomore forward from Arizona has everything necessary to be a star in the NBA, with the sight exception of defensive prowess.
Williams is 100 percent ready to make the leap to the NBA, and he should bring with him his trademark efficiency. Additionally, his athleticism and play-making abilities on both ends of the court will translate to the next level.
Grade: A+
