2011 NBA Mock Draft: Full 1st Round, Where Will Jimmer Fredette Land?
The 2011 NBA draft will occur on June 23 in Newark, New Jersey. There are all kinds of trade rumors about potential movement affecting draft picks, the most recent one involving the Cleveland Cavaliers, though that trade may now be dead.
The proposed three-team deal would have purportedly netted the Cavs the No. 2 pick, which means they would have drafted Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams.
But no matter what goes down, those two seem to be most everyone's top two picks in this draft. Meanwhile, what about the other so-called "lottery" picks and will Jimmer Fredette be one of them?
Well, no, I do not think that Jimmer will go that high, but he will be a certain first-round pick for somebody. Want to know who? Then check out this mock.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke
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Cleveland may not be able to pull off that three-team trade, but we know who their man is at No. 1.
Irving is a true point guard—an excellent passer with exceptional court vision and a great burst.
The Cavs, one year removed from losing perhaps the best player in the NBA, need lots of help and drafting Irving is a solid start.
He did suffer from turf toe, causing him to miss a significant chunk of his freshman season, and he seemed to be out of shape when he came back.
But assuming this was just a fluke injury and that he gets back into shape, he should return to form.
2. Minnesota Timerberwolves: Derrick Williams, SF/PF, Arizona
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The porposed three-team trade we spoke of only solidifes my belief that the T-Wolves are planning on taking Williams with the second pick.
But there has been talk that they are looking to trade the pick, so maybe the Cavs come calling?
The reason that Minnesota has this dilemna is that, as ESPN's Chad Ford points out, "The problem for the Wolves is that Williams plays the same positions as their best two players—Kevin Love and Michael Beasley."
Meanwhile, Williams is quick, with solid footwork and a big wingspan. He can play well with his back to the basket as well as facing up.
What he lacks in brute strength he makes up in length and speed.
3. Utah Jazz: Kemba Walker, PG, UConn
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The Jazz are difficult to project as they are said to be looking at several options with this pick, including a trade. But of those options, I expect them to go with Walker.
Walker is a "safe" pick as he's a guy that should be able to produce right away. He doesn't have the character issues that a couple other players do and has a freakish explosiveness about his game that is aggressive and powerful.
He is a bit undersized, and he played in a half-court offensive set at Connecticut, but he is like Derrick Rose in that he will be very difficult to guard with that speed.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Jan Vesely, SF/PF, Czech Republic
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I'm going to revise my original mock that had the Cavs taking Enes Kanter with this pick and instead go with a power forward who can contribute immediately, similar to what they would have had if they obtained the No. 2 pick and used it to draft Derrick Williams.
Vesely is a really good athlete with great size and kind of reminds one of Dirk Nowitzki in that for a big man, he can hit the long jumper as well as run the court.
His post moves have improved, and he is a solid rebounder.
Photo: www.canishoopus.com
5. Toronto Raptors: Brandon Knight, PG, Kentucky
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Toronto is happy that Knight falls to them at No. 5, and they grab this big guard who can defend multiple positions.
Knight is very fast with a quick first step. He is an excellent passer and finisher. He put up the game-winning three-pointer at the 2010 McDonald’s All-American game.
6. Washington Wizards:Enes Kanter, PF/C, Kentucky
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Kanter had a great combine, but there are questions about how his play will translate at the NBA level.
Still, I think the Wizards like him because he is so smart (in a basketball sense) and can do so many different things on the floor. With all of the needs that Washington has, Kanter could be a good fit for them.
Kanter is 6'11" and from Turkey. He is strong and is an excellent rebounder, and he can play both inside and out. The main question is whether his knees will hold up.
Photo: www.brandnewcool.com
7. Sacremento Kings: Jonas Valanciunas, C, Lithuania
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Many believe that Valanciunas will end up being the best of the international players from this draft, though he may take a bit longer to fully develop.
He just needs time to fill out his body, and he may not even be done growing yet. He has tremendous upside and can run the floor well for such a big man.
Photo: www.eurohopes.com
8. Detroit Pistons: Bismack Biyombo, PF, Congo
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This is a big guy who can defend the paint. He is long and athletic, though he is somewhat of a mystery.
Biyombo is a terrific defender who is a monster shot-blocker. He has very long arms with an NBA-ready body. But his game is raw and scouts question his age (according to nbadraft.net).
Photo: www.roundballdirect.com
9. Charlotte Bobcats: Tristan Thompson, PF, Texas
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The Bobcats really want a big man, and this lefty has a huge wingspan to go along with a solid frame.
Thompson has such terrific length that he can be a very effective defender in the paint, so he should be a good match for Michael Jordan and the Bobcats.
His main drawback is that his jump shot needs work, so he's mainly a low-post, back-to-the-basket player who is more of a center at this point.
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Diego State
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The Bucks don't need a center or point guard, so Leonard would be a good fit for them.
Leonard had a good combine and is ready to produce immediately. Not only does he show an improving jump shot, but he appears to be a good defender at the NBA level.
Leonard is very agile with good length, but as a perimeter player at the next level, he will need to refine his play on the wing.
11. Golden State Warriors: Marcus Morris, PF, Kansas
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Since the Warriors have so many needs, the fact that Morris can play multiple positions should appeal to them.
Morris is a mature kid who can score on the perimeter and in the post. He has good range on his jump shot, though he is not long.
Overall, Morris should be ready to contribute right away though he lacks the upside of some other players.
12. Utah Jazz: Chris Singleton, SF, Florida State
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With their second pick in Round 1, the Jazz are set up to combine a speedy scorer in Knight with a 6'9" small forward who could replace Andrei Kirilenko, who is heading into free agency.
That small forward is Chris Singleton, a junior who can guard multiple positions and has excellent size and length for the position.
A great athlete with tremendous hops, Singleton has a strong upper body and is a good rebounder. The only knock against him is his lack of ball-handling skills.
13. Phoenix Suns: Jimmer Fredette, PG, BYU
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In this updated mock, I have Jimmer moving up two spots and going to the Suns.
I don't know if Jimmer has the athleticism to be an effective point guard at the next level, but he can shoot, and the Suns need scoring. Plus, he should be ready to contribute early.
14. Houston Rockets: Jordan Hamilton, SF, Texas
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The Rockets need a small forward, and Hamilton's shooting skills combined with his size make him the perfect fit for Houston.
Hamilton is strong on the glass and is good at pushing the ball in transition.
15. Indiana Pacers: Alec Burks, SG, Colorado
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Burks is a bit of a project but has a lot of upside. According to nbadraft.net, Burks is a "late bloomer who displays a ton of promise."
Meanwhile, the Pacers need scoring, and Burks is a good scorer with excellent hops and has the athleticism to play above the rim, flashing some awesome dunks.
Burks is only 18 and needs to let his body develop, but once it does, he could be a beast.
16. Philadelphia 76ers: Markieff Morris, PF, Kansas
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Morris is from Philadelphia and the Sixers need a big man, so this is a good match.
He can rebound, defend and block shots, but he also can hit the three-ball, shooting 42 percent from downtown.
He has an NBA body, and while he may not have the highest upside, he is a safe pick.
17. New York Knicks: Josh Selby, PG/SG, Kansas
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On my previous mock, I had the Knicks bypassing Selby because of his questionable character. Upon further review, to use a football term, I have decided that his talent will be too much for the Knicks to pass on.
New York needs a point guard, and an aggressive scorer, and Shelby can do it all—handle the ball up-court, pass, score—and is a tough kid as well so he should be able to handle the glare of the Big Apple.
He is a bit of a gamble, but he has huge upside.
18. Washington Wizards: Klay Thompson, SG, Washington State
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The Wizards could use another shooter to complement John Wall. So enter Mr. Thompson.
He is a good passer and as good of a shooter as there is in college. He may not be the best athlete or the strongest guy, but he should fit in well on the Wizards.
19. Charlotte Bobcats: Tyler Honeycutt, SG/SF, UCLA
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Honeycutt is a good shooter who can handle the ball.
He has long arms and can rebound well. And while he doesn't create well, Wall can get the ball to him, and Honeycutt can stretch the defense.
20. Minnesota Timberwolves: Donatas Motiejunas, PF, Lithuania
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ESPN's Chad Ford writes: "The Wolves have the best group of international scouts in the NBA." If that's true, then they'd probably welcome Motiejunas, who comes from Lithuania.
At 7'0" tall, he is certainly a big man, but he sometimes lacks focus and gets by on talent alone. He needs to add some bulk to his frame.
21. Portland Trail Blazers: Kenneth Faried, PF, Morehead State
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ESPN's Chris Ford writes that the Blazers wanted Faried last year, but he withdrew from the draft. Recognizing that, it makes sense that they would go for him here if he falls to them.
Ford goes on to write that, "His (Faried's) relentlessness on the boards is a nice complement to LaMarcus Aldridge's more offensive-minded style."
22. Denver Nuggets: Tobias Harris, PF, Tennessee
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Both ESPN and nbadraft.net have the Nuggets taking Harris with this pick, and I'm not going to suggest I know better than they do.
The Nuggets like his versatility (he can play the 3 and the 4), and while he isn't elite at any one thing, he is good at several things and has an NBA-ready body.
The main knock on him is his inconsistent shooting.
23. Houston Rockets: Reggie Jackson, PG, Boston College
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Jackson is a classic modern point guard, who should be a good complement to Kyle Lowry.
24. Oklahoma City Thunder: Davis Bertans, SF, Latvia
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If the Thunder are willing to wait, Bertans could end up being a good one. Chad Ford says some scouts compare him to Dirk Nowitzki, high praise indeed.
He's a project, but he can shoot.
Photo: www.captfact.wordpress.com
25. Boston Celtics: Jeremy Tyler, PF/C, Tokyo Apache
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Boston needs size, and while they would need to be patient with Tyler, he could prove worthwhile in the long run. Good upside and got rave reviews at the predraft camp.
Tyler left high school to go to Israel and skipped college, electing instead to play in Japan. But he is a good athlete with a big body.
Photo: www.sportsagentblog.com
26. Dallas Mavericks: Nikola Vucevic, PF/C, USC
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Vucevic is a project, but Dallas will like his size, and he had a good combine. He's a big, skilled post player who could really help the Mavs down the road.
27. New Jersey Nets: Justin Harper, PF, Richmond
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Harper is a big, strong forward, and that's something the Nets could use. He can also shoot from long range.
He could use more strength and tends to fall in love with his jump shot, but he has good quickness.
28. Chicago Bulls: Marshon Brooks, SG, Providence
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If Brooks falls this far, the Bulls should snap him up quickly. They need a 2 to complement Derrick Rose, and while Keith Bogans can hit an occasional three-ball and plays good defense, Brooks would be a younger, cheaper alternative.
Brooks was a big hit at the combine, so he may be gone before the Bulls pick. He is the aggressive scorer the Bulls need.
29. San Antonio Spurs: Nikola Mirotic, SF, Serbia
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We don't know if Mirotic will stay in the draft, but if he does, expect the Spurs to be patient and draft this guy. After all, they have a track record of stashing players overseas.
Photo: www.euroleague.net
30. Chicago Bulls: Shelvin Mack, PG, Butler
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Mack can score, a trait the Bulls need, and he takes care of the basketball very well. He can create, and his length allows him to play bigger than his size (6'2").
Mack is more of a scorer than a point guard, so he should mesh well with Derrick Rose.
With the NBA Draft approaching, NBA Mock Draft season is here. Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for updated mock drafts, along with the latest NBA Draft news, analysis, rumors and predictions.
