2011 NBA Mock Draft: Final Projections on Jimmer Fredette and Others

2011 NBA mock drafts have been pinballing back and forth across the sports landscape for weeks now, as NBA fans have been scouring what has been a lackluster draft class, looking for what they hope will be their team's next big stars. 

With all of the commotion surrounding the scouting reports and potential pick positions of several of this year's big name players, things can get a little crazy to keep track of. 

Take Jimmer Fredette, for example. The BYU standout has been listed as being taken anywhere from fifth overall by the Toronto Raptors to 17th overall by the Knicks, depending on whose mock you're looking at, what day of the week it is, and probably what they had for lunch that day. All the movement and shuffling in draftniks' mock picks is enough to make even diehard NBA fans' heads spin. 

That's why we're here. We're breaking down the entire first round of the NBA Draft, giving you the comprehensive mock draft to know just who your team is picking, what they're looking to do, and how the pick will help your team win. 

So, put on your Jay Bilas buzzcut wig, and brush up on Donatas' Motiejunas' re-jumpability (or the other ridiculous traits that Bilas loves to blather on about), and let's get picking, shall we?

Picks 1-5: The Cream of This Year's Draft Crop

1. Cleveland Cavaliers- Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke: Don't let anyone try to tell you the Cavs won't take Irving first overall. He's the best prospect in this draft, Cleveland needs a point guard of the future, and as great as Derrick Williams is, Irving's a pure point guard, which is incredibly tough to find. 

2. Minnesota Timberwolves- Derrick Williams, PF, Arizona: I know, I know; the T-Wolves are trying to trade this pick, and they've already got plenty of "tweener" forwards. Why do they need one more? Simple: Michael Beasley and Anthony Randolph either aren't as good or aren't as stable as Williams, and he's got the talent and upside to be a star in the very near future. They could go Enes Kanter, but I think Williams' talent is too much to pass up for David Kahn. 

3. Utah Jazz- Brandon Knight, PG, Kentucky: With Al Jefferson still in the fold, I can't see Utah grabbing at Kanter, even though it would set them up nicely to grab The Jimmer at 12th overall. Knight has considerable upside, and is a pure point guard with the kind of quickness and defensive skill you look for at the position. He's a good playmaker creating his own shots or those for teammates, and his future looks bright in the NBA.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers- Jonas Valanciunas, C, Lithuania: This pick is a tough one for Cleveland. With Enes Kanter and Valanciunas still available, they could likely take either one and be good to go. But, reports indicate that they heavily favor the Lithuanian, even with reports he won't come to the NBA for another season. He's got the tools to be a star quickly, with his polished offensive game, good defense, and excellent rebounding skills, and a reliable mid-range shot. They could chase Kanter, but reports have them snagging Valanciunas, so he's the pick.

5. Toronto Raptors- Enes Kanter, C, Turkey: The other big name big man in this year's draft, Kanter is incredibly high on Toronto's radar, alongside Jan Vesely of the Czech Republic. Kanter is a big guy, a physical force in the paint, and his post game is already incredibly polished. He's not the best athlete on the board, but he's balanced, strong, and brings the kind of grit the Raptors desperately need.

Picks 6-10: The Best of the Rest

6. Washington Wizards- Jan Vesely, PF, Czech Republic: The Wizards get an unexpected surprise here in Vesely, who gives them both the size and scoring they need to improve. He's a rangy big man who can knock down threes, and use his phenomenal athleticism to beat his defender off the dribble. He's a stellar rebounder who can leap out of the gym, which makes his defense and shot blocking strong as well. Vesely is a matchup nightmare, and for a team in need of some size and interior scoring like Washington, he's a perfect fit. 

7. Charlotte Bobcats (via Sacramento Kings)- Bismack Biyombo, PF, Congo: The Bobcats can't resist the risky pick here, shunning safer options like Marcus Morris, Klay Thompson, and Kawhi Leonard in favor of the upside of Biyombo. The big man has fantastic wingspan and athleticism, and he's already a defensive force, and a great rebounder. If his offense comes around, he'll be a star, but there's a ton of risk here. 

8. Detroit Pistons- Tristan Thompson, PF, Texas: This one was made much easier by the Bobcats trading up to grab Biyombo. Thompson is a polished big man with a sharp, balanced game. He's an excellent defender and rebounder, and his offensive game is fairly strong as well. He's a streaky shooter, but with his defensive skills, it's clear why Joe Dumars likes him. 

9. Charlotte Bobcats- Alec Burks, SF, Colorado- The Bobcats have their defensive presence, but in getting him, they had to give up one of their primary scoring options in Stephen Jackson. Fortunately, they have a younger, ready-made replacement ready to be grabbed in Alec Burks. Burks doesn't have many holes in his game, and he's the kind of smooth flowing wing they need to get things going. He's an athletic freak, and while he doesn't have one piece that sticks out, he's an all-around solid player. 

10. Sacramento Kings (via Milwaukee Bucks)- Kemba Walker, PG, UConn- Will this be Kemba, or will the Kings go with Jimmer Fredette, who they're said to be incredibly high on? Both are available, even after trading down, but in the end, I think the Kings take Kemba and make him their point guard. We know Tyreke Evans is better suited to shooting guard, but Walker has the smarts and skills to get to the basket and hit shots and create chances for his teammates. He's a tough kid, whose mentality could really benefit this franchise, and he's just the kind of on court leader they need. Of course, so is the Jimmer, but I've got a hunch that Kemba's the pick here.

Picks 11-15: The End of the Lottery

11. Golden State Warriors- Klay Thompson, SG, Washington State: We've known Jerry West and the Warriors have been huge fans of the sharpshooting Thompson for quite some time now, and with him falling to them at no. 11, he's a logical choice. He's a matchup nightmare with his size, and can play three different positions, point guard, shooting guard and small forward. He's not the best athlete, but he's a hard-worker, and would slide well into one of the most exciting back-courts in the sport. The Warriors could grab Marcus Morris here, but I think Thompson is their guy.

12. Utah Jazz- Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Diego State: The Jazz need an athletic swingman, and Leonard fits the bill perfectly. He's an excellent slasher with good leaping ability, lockdown defensive skills and the ability to hit mid-range jumpers all day long. He's extremely long and can be a beast on the glass, which would also help the Jazz. They could go hunting for a forward, like Chris Singleton here, but the likelier course of action is getting Leonard, if he falls this far. 

13. Phoenix Suns- Marcus Morris, PF, Kansas: How did the smaller, more athletic Marcus brother slide this far? I'm not sure, to be honest, but with his inside-out game and excellent motor, he's the perfect fit at power forward for the Suns. He's just the kind of hybrid forward who will thrive in Phoenix's high-octane system, and brings enough defense to the table to improve them from the power forward spot. They could go for Alec Burks if he's here, but if not, Morris is the guy.

14. Houston Rockets- Markieff Morris, PF, Kansas: The second Morris comes off the board here, as the Rockets get themselves the post presence they were lacking last season. Markieff is the bigger, stronger of the twins, and is more capable of posting up big men and getting to the hoop. He's a pure power forward, a great rebounder, and has the kind of potential for greatness that GM Daryl Morey can appreciate. They could grab a wingman in Chris Singleton, but my gut says they go big in this draft, so Morris is the pick.

15. Indiana Pacers- Jimmer Fredette, PG, BYU: The other logical landing place for Jimmer. The Pacers need a clutch-time scorer, and some serious help shooting from the outside, and Fredette provides it in spades. He's the kind of leader this team needs, and his offensive gifts are a definite boon to the Pacers hopes of improving their playoff standing next season. They could chase a forward here, but with Jimmer on the board, I don't see that happening.

Picks 16-20: The Middle of the Pack

16. Philadelphia 76ers- Jordan Hamilton, SF, Texas: The Sixers need size, but there's not much of it worth taking here. So, look for them to grab their Andre Iguodala replacement in Hamilton. He's already a polished scorer, good rebounder and excellent athlete, and his defense is starting to come around. Hamilton is essentially Iguodala 2.0, and the Sixers seem likely to grab him here. They could chase someone like Donatas Motiejunas, but I feel like Hamilton is the better choice.

17. New York Knicks- Iman Shumpert, PG, Georgia Tech: The Knicks have their franchise small forward in Carmelo Anthony, so look for them to find Chauncey Billups' heir apparent in Shumpert. He's not great offensively by any stretch, but he's a lockdown defender and solid ball handler, and can finish at the rim when he gets there. He's an intriguing pick for this team here, although they could go for someone like Marshon Brooks instead. 

18. Washington Wizards- Chris Singleton, SF, Florida State: The Wizards continue building a solid nucleus by grabbing a steal in Singleton at no. 18. A phenomenal athlete, Singleton is a lockdown defender, a great slasher to the hoop, and brings a little bit of everything to the table. He's capable of playing both forward positions, and if his three-point consistency improves, Singleton could be a great grab at this stage of the game. 

19. Milwaukee Bucks (via Charlotte Bobcats) Donatas Motiejunas, PF, Lithuania: The Bucks traded down to bolster their roster, but the move still leaves one glaring hole on their squad: power forward. They lack one capable of scoring (or doing anything, really) consistently, but there just so happens to be a fix available in Motiejunas. He's one of the most offensively gifted bigs in this class, with range out beyond the three point line and the athleticism to beat his man off the dribble. Paired with Andrew Bogut, suddenly the Bucks look like contenders in the Eastern Conference, and give the young Lithuanian a chance to improve his low post game. 

20. Minnesota Timberwolves- Marshon Brooks, SG, Providence: The T-Wolves actually have a solid team going here, but they're still in need of a reliable shooting guard. Unless David Kahn loses his mind (don't rule it out), they'll grab Marshon Brooks, one of the most gifted scorers in this draft. Brooks can get to the basket and score with ease, and his athletic ability makes him an excellent rebounder at his position. He's got the range to knock down threes, and the ball-handling skills to be just what the T-Wolves need at the 2. 

Picks 21-25: Beginning of the End

21. Portland Trail Blazers- Kenneth Faried, PF, Morehead State: The Blazers could use an interior defender and rebounder to complement LaMarcus Aldrige, and Faried might be the best in the draft. He's a stellar shot-blocker and rebounder and a freakish athlete. His offense is a bit spotty, and he's a little short, but Portland could use a player like him to pair with Aldridge, so they're not relying on shaky big men anymore.

22. Denver Nuggets- Tobias Harris, PF, Tennessee: He's a bit of a tweener in terms of size, but Harris' all-around game will ensure he'll be an excellent fit in Denver. He can shoot, defend, rebound, and is an explosive athlete. He's a virtual steal at 22nd overall, and figures to be a valuable contributor to Denver's cause almost immediately after arriving.

23. Houston Rockets- Nikola Vucevic, C, USC: Here's the real size the Rockets need. Vucevic is one of the biggest players in this draft, and while he lacks the upside of some other bigs, he looks like a consistent, reliable piece in the center of Houston's lineup. He's not the most athletic big man in the world, and he's a lousy ball handler, but he can hit shots and is an intelligent player. Plus, the Rockets need his size to get Chuck Hayes out of the center spot. 

24. Oklahoma City Thunder- Nikola Mirotic, SF, Serbia: This is a project pick for Sam Presti and the Thunder, but they've got the time to wait on him. He's a sharpshooting big man, and his combination of height (6'10"), shooting range beyond three and athletic ability make him a matchup nightmare. His buyout is pretty hefty, but in a year or two, this pick could pay serious dividends. 

25. Boston Celtics- JaJuan Johnson, PF, Purdue: The Celtics have to be tired of using aging big men with bad knees with no backup plan, right? Enter Johnson, a beanpole who emerged as a big time scorer last season for the Boilermakers. His rebounding could use a bit of work, but with his athleticism and range, he figures to be a matchup nightmare in the NBA. If he gets a little better on the glass, he could be a steal here. 

Picks 26-30: Best of the Worst

26. Dallas Mavericks- Reggie Jackson, PG, Boston College: Jason Kidd is officially older than dirt at this point, and J.J. Berea's height is a concern in terms of durability over the long term. So, the Mavs grab the best point guard available in Jackson, and stash him on their bench until Kidd is ready to hang it up. He's offensively gifted, with good range and athleticism, and as long as his knee is healthy, he could be the franchise point guard they've been looking for.

27. New Jersey Nets- Josh Selby, PG, Kansas: The Nets are terrified of being left without a point guard should Deron Williams bolt after next season, and for all his faults, Selby has the natural gifts to be one. He's a strong ball-handler with the kind of athletic skills to blow past defenders, and the passing skills to create shots for teammates. He struggled at Kansas, but given how low we're picking and how highly he was rated before last season, he could be quite a steal. 

28. Chicago Bulls- Justin Harper, PF, Richmond- The Bulls need shooters capable of spreading the floor around Derrick Rose, and Harper is just that kind of player. He's a long, athletic power forward, and a skilled ball-handler. He has range well beyond the three point line, and is a solid rebounder as well. He gives them the outside shooting they sorely lacked last season, and while he's not great in the paint, Chicago doesn't need him to be. 

29. San Antonio Spurs- Davis Bertans, SF, Latvia: The Spurs need to start rebuilding soon, and to do that, they have to find good young talent, like Bertans. He won't come over for a couple of seasons because of his buyout, but he's already flashing the kind of range that makes scouts drool, and his height and wingspan make him a matchup nightmare. Stash him in Europe for another season or two, and San Antonio could have a potential star on their hands. 

30. Chicago Bulls- Tyler Honeycutt, G/F, UCLA- Another player the Bulls could really use, Honeycutt slots perfectly into the Bulls lineup at shooting guard, where his height and athleticism would make him a perfect fit. He's a solid defender and a decent shooter, and he has the upside to be just what the Bulls need to complete their squad next season. 

For more 2011 NBA draft coverage, stay tuned to Bleacher Report for updated NBA mock drafts, B/R's Big Board of Recruits, NBA draft rumors, NBA draft results and draft grades.