NBA Draft 2011: Derrick Williams and the 10 Top Rebounders in the Draft
We've heard over and over again about the lack of overall talent in the 2011 NBA Draft, but we haven't heard about the depth of the rebounding talent.
These guys won't necessarily be the first players taken in the draft, but they will be some of the biggest contributors.
Because rebounding is such a commodity in the NBA, these players will provide some of the greatest value of any of the players available.
With that being said, here are the top 10 rebounders in the 2011 NBA Draft.
10. Markieff Morris, PF, Kansas
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Markieff Morris may be the less talented than his twin brother Marcus offensively, but this Morris is a much better rebounder.
Markieff makes up for his 6'9" height with excellent jumping ability and athleticism.
With a fairly big frame at 241 pounds, Morris uses his body to his advantage and possesses good footwork and technique when boxing out.
In 2010, Morris averaged 8.3 rebounds per game.
9. Derrick Williams, PF, Arizona
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Is there anything Derrick Williams doesn't do well?
The number two prospect in the 2011 NBA Draft averaged 8.3 rebounds his sophomore year with Arizona last season.
Williams has all the physical tools to rebound well in the NBA. At the 2011 NBA Combine he measured a 9'0" standing reach and managed a 35 inch vertical jump.
No matter what position Williams plays at the next level, he will be a good rebounder and one of the best in this draft class.
8. JaJuan Johnson, PF, Purdue
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Jajuan Johnson was one of the most improved rebounders in all of college basketball.
From the 2007-08 season to the 2010-11 season Johnson improved from an average of 3.1 rebounds per game to 8.6 rebounds a game. In fact, Johnson improved steadily throughout his college career and shows no signs of stopping.
Johnson has a great work ethic, but also possesses some of the best athletic ability at his position. He's got good size at 6'10", is fairly long with an 8'10" wingspan and jumped 38 inches at the NBA Combine.
Putting up 15 reps at the combine, Johnson displayed enough strength to be able to battle with NBA big men down low.
7. Travis Leslie, SG, Georgia
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Although only a 6'4" shooting guard, Travis Leslie is one of the best rebounders available in the 2011 NBA Draft.
He is one of the best leapers in the draft and he possesses enough body control around the glass to rebound with some of the best big men in the NBA.
At Georgia, Leslie averaged 7.2 rebounds a game, an average rivaling some of the best power forwards in college basketball.
6. Jordan Williams, C, Maryland
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Jordan Williams isn't likely to be taken in the first round and probably won't be taken until the middle of second round, but whoever takes him will be getting a great rebounder.
Williams only spent two years at Maryland and he rebounded well both of those years. His final year with the Terrapins as a sophomore, he averaged almost 12 rebounds per game.
The one knock on Williams coming into the draft was his weight, but after losing 10 pounds before the NBA Combine, he appears to be addressing that problem and will continue to improve his already elite rebounding skills.
5. Nikola Vucevic, C, USC
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Nikola Vucevic is one of the only true centers available in the draft.
He is a legit seven footer with an impressive 7'5" wingspan and a 9'5" standing reach.
At USC, he showed his ability to use his big frame to dominate the glass. He averaged 9.4 rebounds and 10.3 rebounds in his sophomore and junior seasons in college.
As Vucevic continues to add strength, he will continue to improve his already refined rebounding ability.
4. Bismack Biyombo, C, Spain
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There haven't been many players in any NBA Draft that have the physical qualities of Bismack Biyombo.
Biyombo's 6'9" frame is small in comparison to his 7'7" wingspan. Not only is he long, but he is also athletic.
His lack of offensive skill set will likely prevent him from being an All-Star in the NBA, but Biyombo should be a candidate for an all-defensive team for many years.
3. Enes Kanter, C, Turkey
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One of the reasons NBA teams are so high on Enes Kanter is because of his rebounding ability.
At almost seven feet tall, Kanter has legitimate center size. When he combines that size with a 33 inch vertical jump and good strength he makes for a pretty good rebounding big man.
His 260 pound body will be enough to block out NBA centers.
If Kanter can utilize his skill set the way many scouts believe he can , look for Kanter to be an excellent rebounder in the NBA.
2. Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Diego State
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Kawhi Leonard is the best rebounding wing player in the draft, and one of the best overall rebounders.
He is a rebounding enigma and doesn't possess any of the usual physical characteristics of a good college rebounder.
At 6'7" he isn't a tall small forward and with a 32-inch vertical jump, his athletic ability isn't very impressive.
Yet somehow Leonard finds a way to be one of the best rebounders in the country. At San Diego State he averaged 10 rebounds both his junior and senior seasons and displayed great fundamental rebounding ability.
Expect those intangibles to transfer over to the NBA level.
1. Kenneth Faried, PF, Morhead State
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Without question, Kenneth Faried is the best rebounder available in the 2011 NBA Draft.
In his last three seasons at Morehead State, Faried averaged no less than 13 rebounds and finished his senior year averaging over 14 rebounds per game.
Faried combines his 9'0" reach and 7'0" wingspan with one of the highest verticals in the NBA Draft.
For more 2011 NBA draft coverage, stay tuned to Bleacher Report for updated NBA mock drafts, NBA draft rumors, NBA draft results and draft grades.
