NBA Draft 2011: Marshon Brooks and 10 Prospects Who Can Sneak into the Lottery
This year's NBA Draft is pretty slim in talent; there isn't a ton of depth or potential star-power to be had, past the top two picks (and, to be honest, both of those guys are pretty shoddy).
However, there are some players projected to be late-first round, early-second round draft picks that could become gems if the smartest teams select them.
These are usually players that didn't get a ton of props because, despite whatever success they may have had, didn't play in a Division I school; Additionally, these are also players on deep teams in college which saw them as the second-best player despite being crafty as a leader.
Whatever the case, there are always a handful of these dudes in each draft.
Here are ten of them in 2011.
Enjoy. Click away.
10. Klay Thompson, SG
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Klay Thompson is projected to be a mid- to late-first round pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, with this mock draft having him selected at No. 15.
I know, it's cheap, considering he's already projected to have just missed being a lottery pick.
But believe me, teams need to take a look at him.
Thompson isn't terribly athletic; dude can't really score off the dribble and has average explosion on his first step.
However, Thompson is a knockdown shooter, something that teams always seem to need, except if they're the Dallas Mavericks.
Either way, Thompson adds range and range spreads the floor; he's also shown a decent basketball IQ during college, which always helps the transition to the NBA level.
9. Kyle Singler, SF
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Any team selecting Kyle Singler in the top 14 would be considered crazy and, probably, stupid.
Let's be honest: Selecting Singler at picks one through 14 is a stretch.
But if you're a team that needs a point forward or some kind of initiator on offense, you need Singler.
Singler is a cerebral basketball player who has well, well, well above-average court vision and passing skills. He isn't athletic, but he's crafty with the ball for his height.
Oh, and not to mention that the dude has a friggin' shot.
Singler is a versatile point forward ala Hedo Turkoglu.
Someone needs to recognize that.
8. Alec Burks, SG
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Alec Burks confuses me.
And, really, it's not actually Burks that confuses me; rather, it's the mock drafts that are out there that confuse me about him.
Because while I've seen Alec Burks as a top-10 pick in the draft this year, I've also seen him bottom out at 20. I don't know what to believe, anymore, guys. I'm alone. Save me from myself.
Lame jokes aside, Burks is a versatile scorer and a threat on the offensive end; he may not play the on-guard position well, but he has enough size to play off the dribble well enough and slash when needed.
A team that's lacking in offensive firepower should pick him up. (We're looking at you, Milwaukee Bucks).
7. Tobias Harris, PF/SF
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Tobias Harris is so, so underrated.
Harris has proven to be an elite scorer at the college level, and that's impressive, considering the guy is only one day older than I am. (He'll be 19 in July.)
Harris can score in a plethora of offensive sets and has a high amount of basketball intelligence, something that 18-year-olds normally don't possess.
He's a crafty player who knows how to get buckets; he's liable to take any player off the dribble but can stepback and shoot when the time calls for it.
Clearly, teams need to remember that.
6. Jordan Hamilton, SF
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There's a reason that this list is composed entirely of scorers.
Jordan Hamilton continues that trend and further establishes my reasoning.
Hamilton is a unique scorer, using his shooting abilities to make him a viable threat on offense; dude can shoot far past the NBA three-point line and that, dear reader, is scary.
He has a feel for the ball, and he can stepback and shoot, although he isn't a threat to dribble penetrate, something that teams love in wing players.
Regardless, he can shoot on and off the ball, and has had experience under difficult basketball systems at the college level.
5. Kenneth Faried, PF
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Kenneth Faried is an animal.
No, seriously. He mutated when he hit the age of five, and was blessed with the ability of, um, Ronny Turiaf, minus the mid-range game.
In all seriousness, Faried is a high motor guy who hustles, fighting for every possession. He's a scrapper down low and can get boards, aggressively, despite the issue of his size.
Players need those kinds of guys because they're momentum changers. They may be, you know, a total liability on offense, but a team that's so offensively apt (Golden State Warriors!) could use him to bolster their inside-the-paint game.
4. Trey Thompkins, PF
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For some reason, it's hard to find a guy like Trey Thompkins. And when someone like this gets a shot at the NBA, he's almost always guaranteed a job.
Thompkins is an awesome outside shooter, namely at long range. Dude can spread the floor dangerously, and has the size—at 6'10''—to get a shot over rotating defenders.
He lacks the athleticism and defensive capabilities that you want in your typical starting power forward, but how often do tall shooters come along?
4. Markieff Morris
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Markieff Morris is another high energy guy that can change the momentum of games with his play.
You won't get a ton of offensive productivity out of the guy, but he'll shutdown offensively-minded centers thanks to his physicality and ability to get under your skin.
Morris knows how to push big men out of the middle, and his mean demeanor is going to be damning for the opposing offenses.
3. Tyler Honeycutt, SG
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Tyler Honeycutt is a pure athlete with the length to bother defenders and become an offensive weapon at the same time.
Dude has horribly long arms and at 6'8'' he can guard the other team's best player.
He has solid range and explosive athleticism, and though his basketball IQ is high, he relies on his athleticism perfectly, to the point where it doesn't become a problem.
2. Shelvin Mack, PG
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Shelvin Mack is a true leader.
He's gritty and crafty, and knows how to command an offense in the most adverse of situations. He's composed and can get buckets at times where it's needed most.
Mack isn't quick and doesn't have crazy athleticism, but neither does J.J. Barea, and you're seeing the impact he's had on the 2011 NBA Playoffs.
Mack is crafty enough to become a threat, at least on the bench, for any team.
1. Marshon Brooks, SG
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Marshon Brooks is the most underrated player in the NBA Draft.
Dude has the offensive capabilities that Jimmer Fredette has, as well as explosive athleticism and well-roundedness.
Brooks is a fine offensive player, and what's exciting is that he is not polished; he is still raw talent with an ability—not a skill—to score.
If given a chance to work with a good coach, it wouldn't be surprising to see Brooks as a top player, eventually.
