NBA Draft 2011: Marcus Morris and the 10 Most Skilled Big Men in the Draft

A dominant big man is something that separates many of NBA contenders and pretender.  Although the 2011 NBA Draft lacks a ton of surefire prospects at the big positions there is still a deep pool of potential.

Prospects around the world are looking forward to NBA Draft night when their lives could be changed forever.  Here are a list of 10 big men who could have big impacts on NBA teams.

10. Trey Thompkins, PF, Georgia

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CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 18: Trey Thompkins #33 of the Georgia Bulldogs dunks the ball in the first half while taking on the Washington Huskies during the second round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 18, 2011

At Georgia, Trey Thompkins did a little bit of everything for the Bulldogs, showing good ability both inside and on the perimeter.  Thompkins is a superb talent with an NBA body but he never quite bounced back from an offseason injury and his stats fell across the board. 

Going into the season he was a likely lottery pick and he could make some team very happy if he falls to them late in the draft.

9. Tobias Harris, PF, Tennessee

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CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 18: Tobias Harris #12 of the Tennessee Volunteers lays the ball up in front of Stu Douglass #1 of the Michigan Wolverines in the first half during the second round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Ar

Tobias Harris is one of the most complete players in the draft despite just playing one year of college basketball at Tennessee.  There are not many forwards in the 2011 class that can handle the ball quite like Harris which will help him as he transitions to the next level. 

Harris is an excellent shooter for his size in addition to being very unselfish with the basketball.  For teams looking for a versatile forward Harris is a great value in the later part of the first round.

8. JaJuan Johnson, PF, Purdue

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CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 20: JaJuan Johnson #25 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots against the Virginia Commonwealth Rams in the first half during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at the United Center on March 20, 2011 in Chicago, Il

During his career at Purdue JaJuan Johnson was known as one of the most explosive players in the Big Ten.  He has an innate ability of using his athleticism on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. 

If Johnson can add some weight to his frame and develop a more consistent low post game he could be a starter in the league for many seasons to come.

7. Nikola Vucevic, C, USC

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 11: Nikola Vucevic #5 of the USC Trojans shoots over Derrick Williams #23 of the Arizona Wildcats in the first half in the semifinals of the 2011 Pacific Life Pac-10 Men's Basketball Tournament at Staples Center on March 11, 2011

The 2011 Draft Class lacks many true centers but Vucevic out of USC is an exception.  In the Pac-10 last season Vucevic was one of the most dominant big men in the conference averaging a double-double.  Although he is not the best athlete Vucevic has the size to bang in the paint right away in the NBA which increases his value to many teams.

6. Tristan Thompson, PF, Texas

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LAWRENCE, KS - JANUARY 22: Tristan Thompson #13 of the Texas Longhorns dunks against the Kansas Jayhawks during the game on January 22, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

After just one season at Texas NBA scouts have mixed reviews on Tristan Thompson.  There is no doubt that he is a tremendous athlete but his lack of a consistent offensive game worries some teams. 

Thompson is an explosive leaper who can rebound the ball with the best of them but for teams selecting in the lottery he is a risky pick.  If Thompson were to fall in the draft he could become a defensive weapon at forward for teams looking to take a leap in their conference.

5. Bismack Biyombo, PF, Congo

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Another talented yet unproven big man is young Bismack Biyombo.  On the defensive end of the court his skills are off the chart.  Biyombo has the size and length to lock down bigger defenders in the paint. 

Although he is very raw offensively Biyombo could develop into one of the league’s best power forwards with some good coaching.

4. Kenneth Faried, PF, Morehead State

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DENVER, CO - MARCH 19: Kenneth Faried #35 of the Morehead State Eagles dunks the ball against the Richmond Spiders during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Pepsi Center on March 19, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justi

Not very many casual basketball fans know about Kenneth Faried but he is one of the most surefire picks in the 2011 Draft Class.  The rebounding machine average 13+ rebounds per game during three of his four seasons at Morehead State while leading his team to the NCAA Tournament twice. 

Faried is going to come into the NBA and begin grabbing rebounds for some lucky team immediately.  He should be a great role player for a number of teams drafting outside the lottery.

3. Marcus Morris, PF, Kansas

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SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 25: Marcus Morris #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks drives against Justin Harper #32 of the Richmond Spiders during the southwest regional of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at the Alamodome on March 25, 2011 in San Antonio, Te

At Kansas, Marcus Morris had a knack for scoring in a number of different ways.  He displayed good perimeter shooting and adequate athleticism for his position. 

Morris is a very smart basketball player with plenty of potential but is a bit undersized for an NBA power forward.  Drafting Morris is not very risky but he may shy away a few teams because of his potentially low ceiling.

2. Enes Kanter, C, Turkey

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Even though he is only 19 years old Enes Kanter has a grown man’s body and looks like he is ready to battle in the NBA.  Kanter’s measurables are off the chart and he is a very skilled basketball player for his size. 

He displays good touch with the basketball and will likely be drafted in the top five selections.  Kanter’s potential is undeniable and with the lack of legitimate centers in the NBA he is a prospect that few teams will want to pass on.

1. Derrick Williams, PF, Arizona

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ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 24: Derrick Williams #23 of the Arizona Wildcats dunks the ball against the Duke Blue Devils during the west regional semifinal of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at the Honda Center on March 24, 2011 in Anaheim, California.

Derrick Williams is arguably one of the best scorers in this year’s draft.  He can drive and finish around the rim better than most players in college basketball thanks to his explosive leaping ability. 

Although he is a little bit undersized for the power forward position in the NBA he is a tremendous basketball player who knows how to put points on the board.  Williams is high on a lot of team’s lists so it wouldn’t be a surprise if a team traded up into the top five to take him.