2011 NBA Draft Prospect Profiles: Top 15 Prospects
The 2011 NBA Draft has been marked as one of the weaker ones in recent memory.
While this may be true, it won't come anywhere near the draft that occurred in 2000, a draft where Marko Jaric was considered one of the better picks.
Some consider this to be a two player draft, with Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams being those rookies-to-be. I would go as far as to say it is a three player draft. There is one individual that most have dismissed as a potential star and have labeled as a future reserve.
This list will dwell into the strengths and weaknesses of 15 of the prospects expected to make some noise in the NBA in their very young basketball careers.
NOTE: This listing of players isn't predicting the order of the draft, nor is it an exact ranking of the prospects that I will look into.
Kyrie Irving
1 of 15
College: Duke
Position: PG
Height: 6'3
Weight: 191
NBA Comparison: Darren Collison w/ a better jumper
2010-11 Stats: 17.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.3 apg
Strengths
- True point guard
- Pass first point guard
- Good scoring ability
- Good shooting form
- Lightning quick
Weaknesses
- Missed all but eight games of his only college season
- Not freakishly athletic
- Durability concerns?
Outlook- By most, Irving is considered to be the consensus No. 1 pick, going to Cleveland. With the departure of LeBron James, the Cavaliers need a new face of the franchise. Irving could be that guy. If a few college stars would have decided to enter the draft, he probably wouldn't be considered to be picked with the top selection, or even the second. With that said, Irving is a great young prospect with great point guard instincts, as well as the ability to take over the game with his scoring.
Derrick Williams
2 of 15
College: Arizona
Position: SF/PF
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 248
NBA Comparison: Antwan Jamison
2010-11 Stats: 19.5 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.1 apg
Strengths
- Physical inside presence
- 3-point range
- Great athleticism
- Very fast for his size
Weaknesses
- Weak slashing ability
- Tweener forward
- Below average rebounder
- Below average post passer
Outlook- For those who believe that this is a two-man draft, Williams is the other half of the duo that people are talking about. He has ability to score inside as well as a great jumpshot from three-point land. He will almost definitely go No. 2 to the Timberwolves; it is just a question over whether they will keep the pick or not. They won't be replacing Kevin Love at power forward, but they may see Williams as an upgrade to Michael Beasley at the small forward. So the Wolves have to ask themselves two questions. 1) Can he play small forward in the NBA? 2) If so, is he an upgrade to Beasley?
Kemba Walker
3 of 15
College: Connecticut
Position: PG
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 184
NBA Comparison: Quicker Gilbert Arenas
Strengths
- Go-to scorer mentality
- Can score from anywhere
- College success
- Good court vision
Weaknesses
- Suspect defense
- Tweener guard
- Undersized to score in bunches in the pros?
Outlook- As I said in the opening page, I see this as a three-player draft. Kemba is that third player. Not only was he a great scorer in college, he was able to step up in late game situations in a smooth fashion that most NBA players do not have the capability to duplicate. He absolutely needs to improve his defense and define his role as a score-first point guard. Even with that being the case, he, along with Williams and Irving, have the best chances to be stars at the next level. I either see him going third to the Jazz or fifth to the Raptors, depending on who they prefer between him and Kentucky's Brandon Knight.
Enes Kanter
4 of 15
College: Turkey (Practiced during 2010-11 season w/ Kentucky)
Position: C
Height: 6'11"
Weight: 259
NBA Comparison: Al Horford
2010-11 Stats: N/A
Strengths
- Great polish inside
- Steady jumper
- Quick for a big man
Weaknesses
- Not an elite defender
- Missed an entire year
- Knee problem history
Outlook- Enes Kanter is certainly one of the more intriguing prospects in this year's draft. Had he played this year at Kentucky, people may be looking at this kid much differently. His beyond-dominant play at the Nike Hoops Summit a couple years ago earned him a reputation that has stuck to him and will up to draft day. Some have said that he could go third to Utah, but with the surplus of bigs that they already have there, I don't see that happening. The fourth pick with Cleveland is much more likely of a destination.
Brandon Knight
5 of 15
College: Kentucky
Position: PG
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 177
NBA Comparison: Jason Terry
2010-11 Stats: 17.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.2 apg
Strengths
- Great size for at the PG position
- Well rounded offensively
- Good shooting range
Weaknesses
- Below average athlete
- Forces too many shots
- Turnover prone
Outlook- Everyone knows about the fantastic NCAA tournament that Knight had this past season. In years past, it has helped the draft stock of many players. That has been good, as well as bad, for certain teams. The same thing happened to Tyrus Thomas, the former LSU standout, but he has never panned out since entering the league. Obviously good players have had this situation and had success in the league as well. Knight could be another one of those players. Just like Kemba Walker, he will likely either go third to the Jazz or fifth to Toronto.
Kawhi Leonard
6 of 15
College: Sand Diego State
Position: SF
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 225
NBA Comparison: Gerald Wallace
2010-11 Stats: 14.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.5 apg
Strengths
- Very high energy
- Extremely productive
- Great rebounder for his size
- Solid defender
Weaknesses
- Often settles for the jumper
- Weak slashing ability
- Does not have NBA range
- Unimpressive college opponents
Outlook- Leonard is one of those guys who could either break out quickly and become an important part to a good team, or he could simply be a high energy role player. It all depends on the situation, but it's for certain that whichever team drafts him will be getting a guy willing to do whatever it takes to win. He could really go anywhere in the top 10, as every team could use a player like Leonard.
Jonas Valanciunas
7 of 15
College: Lithu ania
Position: C
Height: 6'11"
Weight: 240
NBA Comparison: Brad Miller
2010-11 Stats: 7.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 0.2 apg
Strengths
- Good jumper for a big man
- Solid defender
- Somewhat agile for a big man
Weaknesses
- Needs to add strength
- Buyout issues?
- Average post game
Outlook- This kid has a lot of potential to be a very good contributor in the league, but a few things need to happen: He needs to get his buyout completely settled, and once that is done, he needs to hit the gym. He has all the skills in the world to be a good talent in the NBA, but those skills will go to waste if he isn't strong enough to showcase them. He will likely be in the middle or towards the end of the lottery.
Bismack Biyombo
8 of 15
College: Congo
Position: PF/C
Height: 6'9"
Weight: 243
NBA Comparison: Serge Ibaka
2010-11 Stats: 6.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.3 apg
Strengths
- Supreme shot blocker
- Great leaping ability
- Very smart defender
- Quick up and down the floor
Weaknesses
- Very raw offensively
- Poor jump shot
- Post moves need work
- Needs to bulk up
Outlook- Biyombo may be the biggest project of any other player in the first round. While his defensive game is stellar, his offensive game is so raw to this point that it may be to the point that it is detrimental to the team to have him out that at many minutes at a time. That, along with his skinny frame, is what makes him a guy that may take a year or two before he becomes the player that many people, including myself, believe he can be. He is a guy who could really go anywhere in the first round-from the Raptors pick at five, to all the way down in the lower teens. It all depends on who wants to take a chance on this talented kid.
Alec Burks
9 of 15
College: Colorado
Position: SG
Height: 6'6
Weight: 193
NBA Comparison: Evan Turner
2010-11 Stats: 20.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.9 apg
Strengths
- Great athlete
- Impressive slashing ability
- Good ball handler
Weaknesses
- Shot selection issues
- Defensive IQ
- Needs to work on his shot off the dribble
Outlook- Burks is a kid that impressed a lot of people and jumped up the draft boards due to his stellar play for Colorado this season. His scoring abilities are something that will interest a lot of teams. He will most likely be picked somewhere in the lottery and could go as high as seven to Sacramento.
Marcus Morris
10 of 15
College: Kansas
Position: SF/PF
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 230
NBA Comparison: Robert Horry
2010-11 Stats: 17.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.6 apg
Strengths
- Versatile big man
- Great jump shot
- Can score well around the hoop
Weaknesses
- Below average shot blocker
- Not a great athlete
- Lacking "star" potential
Outlook- Marcus Morris really made a step up this past season, stepping in with his brother to make a splash on the campus over at the University of Kansas. His great jumper, along with his solid handle, will give him an opportunity to be a very versatile player. He should go somewhere in the lottery, but will definitely be a top 20 pick.
Jan Vesley
11 of 15
College: Czech Republic
Position: SF/PF
Height: 6'11"
Weight: 240
NBA Comparison: Andrei Kirilenko
2010-11 Stats: 10.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.3 apg
Strengths
- Great length and size for position
- Good athlete
- Decent post game
Weaknesses
- Needs to get stronger
- Not an ideal offensive skillset
- Poor free throw shooter
Outlook- Whoever drafts Vesley will be getting a guy who is able to do a lot of things on the floor, both offensively and defensively. His size alone will be a benefit for teams to create matchup problems for them. He is definitely a guy who should get drafted somewhere in the lottery.
Jimmer Freddette
12 of 15
College: BYU
Position: PG
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 196
NBA Comparison: Eddie House
2010-11 Stats: 28.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.3 apg
Strengths
- Outstanding college player
- Best shooter in the draft
- Calm in clutch situations
Weaknesses
- Not a great athlete
- Lacks true PG skills
- Below average ball handler for a PG
Outlook- Arguably the best player in college basketball a year ago, Jimmer is definitely someone teams should take a look at if they need a scoring spark off the bench. His jump shot has virtually no competition in this draft, and that was displayed multiple times this last season in Butler. With that said, his lack of true point guard skills will push him back in this draft-anywhere from the late lottery, all the way to the late teens, could be the fate for this college phenomenon.
Markief Morris
13 of 15
College: Kansas
Position: PF
Height: 6'9"
Weight: 241
NBA Comparison: Udonis Haslem
2010-11 Stats: 13.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.4 apg
Strengths
- Well-rounded game
- Good moves around the hoop
- Solid defender
Weaknesses
- Not too much potential
- No real mid-range jumpshot
- Poor ball handler
Outlook- The other half of the Morris brother duo-Markieff Morris made leaps and bounds with his abilities this college season. While not quite putting up the numbers that Marcus did, Markieff held his own, and made a good resume for himself as a prospect. He'll very likely be a top 20 pick and could sneak into the lottery if he impresses at the workouts.
Jordan Hamilton
14 of 15
College: Texas
Position: SG/SF
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 228
NBA Comparison: Stephen Jackson
2010-11 Stats: 18.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.1 apg
Strengths
- Very good all-around scorer
- Smooth jumper
- Great rebounder for his size
Weaknesses
- Shot selection issues
- Average defender in college
- Can be streaky
Outlook- Hamilton is one of the few people in this draft who won't go in the top 10 that has an opportunity to be a star in the league. His shooting ability alone and some of the huge games he had this past season showcased that opportunity. The games when he would force shots said otherwise, though. It all depends on which Hamilton will suit up for his first NBA practice. Some have Hamilton in the lottery (which is where I like him), but others have him as low as a late first rounder.
Chris Singleton
15 of 15
College: Florida State
Position: SF/PF
Height: 6'9"
Weight: 230
NBA Comparison: Trevor Ariza
2010-11 Stats: 13.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.2 apg
Strengths
- Arguably the best defender in the draft
- Great length
- Can guard multiple positions
Weaknesses
- Not a great scorer
- A bit of a tweener
- Weak ball handling skills
Outlook- Singleton is likely to become a fan-favorite somewhere. His defense, hustle and intangibles will thrill fans, as he'll likely become a player who can instantly get some playing time on an NBA squad. The lottery is a bit of a stretch for him, but he'll probably end up somewhere in the top 20.
