NBA Draft 2011: Jimmer Fredette and 5 Prospects Philadelphia 76ers Should Avoid

The 2011 NBA draft is upon us and mock drafts are being produced faster than a Roy Halladay strikeout victim. There is little certainty about how this draft will shake out, with a plethora of trades rumored to be in the making.

The Philadelphia 76ers showed great improvement in all facets of their game in 2010. Doug Collins clearly put an emphasis on team defense and transition offense and the results spoke for themselves. They played the Miami Heat in the playoffs before being ousted by the eventual Eastern Conference champions. 

The 16th pick really is a crapshoot for the 76ers as to which player they should select, but here are five players they should avoid at all costs.

5. Jimmer Fredette

Chad Ford's latest mock draft (version 6.0) has Jimmer Fredette being taken with the 15th overall selection by the Indiana Pacers. Hopefully Fredette is off the board so Rod Thorn and Ed Stefanski are not burdened with the possibility of having to take the "sexy" pick in this year's draft.

While Jimmer had a terrific college career at BYU, his game does not improve the 76ers in any way. I actually believe that Fredette will be a solid professional for a long time due to his hesitation dribble and shooting ability, but he is too small to play the 2-guard and has never played a lick of defense.

Philadelphia basketball is based around tough defense, and that is something Jimmer has never done. Do we really expect that to change now that he is a pro?

Jodie Meeks can already do all of the things for the Philadelphia 76ers that Jimmer Fredette would provide offensively, and he is a solid defensive player as well.

I may be in the minority on this one, but I would avoid Jimmer Fredette at all costs.

4. Jordan Hamilton

Chad Ford's mock draft (version 6.0) actually has the Philadelphia 76ers selecting Jordan Hamilton with the 16th overall pick. The 6'9'' small forward out of Texas would provide more outside shooting and a willing rebounder, but are the 76ers really getting better with this selection?

The roster is loaded with swingmen that can play multiple positions and Hamilton would be another player that would struggle to find minutes at the 2 or 4 spot.

Besides, the drafting of Jordan Hamilton might mean the end of the Thaddeus Young era in Philadelphia. I'm pretty sure that no one is ready to see that.

3. Markieff Morris

Many draft "experts" have the Philadelphia 76ers taking Markieff Morris with the 16th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft.

Markieff can shoot the ball from anywhere on the court and is a willing rebounder, but he plays awfully stiff and lacks the agility needed to be a versatile defender in the NBA.

Morris can really score the ball playing face-up to the basket, but he lacks the post-up game that would benefit this current 76ers roster.

Morris is not as good as his brother Marcus, or Elton Brand for that matter, and the 76ers should look elsewhere from the former Prep Charter star.

2. Nikola Vucevic

Chad Ford has Nikola Vucevic falling to the 19th pick in the 2011 NBA draft, and he could be a very attractive option to the Philadelphia 76ers and their fans.

After all, at 7'0" and 260 lbs, he is the biggest player in this draft.

But don't let his size fool you, that's one seven-foot teddy bear. He can shoot the ball and displays a soft touch around the basket, but he's not a great athlete and really struggles moving laterally.

Spencer Hawes, anyone?

1. Iman Shumpert

Iman Shumpert is projected to be a mid-first-round selection in the 2011 NBA draft. Shumpert possess good size for a point guard, so the Philadelphia 76ers may be inclined to find Jrue Holliday's backup with the 16th pick.

Holliday has proven that he has all of the skills necessary to be an All-Star point guard in the NBA for the next decade, and the 76ers would be better served finding a veteran backup to the young star out of UCLA.

Selecting another talented point guard who could push Jrue for minutes would do nothing but hurt the mental psyche of a guy who has blossomed right before Philadelphia's eyes.

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