NBA Draft 2011: Jimmer Fredette and 5 Players Vaulting Up NBA Draft Boards

For the past week, the 2011 NBA Draft Big Board has changed more times than I or anyone can count.  Some players have risen, then fallen, then gone back up only to fall again as the final countdown begins. 

One player whose stock has taken this route is BYU guard Jimmer Fredette (pictured).  Once considered a lottery pick, his stock dropped to mid-late first-round pick only to recently rise back to lottery pick.

I could go on and on about Fredette and how clutch a shooter he'll be on the NBA level, but let's move away from him for a little bit.  He isn't the only player on the draft boards whose stock has risen in recent days, so the other players should be given their due credit.

Here are five players whose stock, going into today at least, has simply flown up the big board.

No. 5: Jordan Hamilton, G/F, Texas

A few months ago, Jordan Hamilton was expected to be a late first-round, maybe early second-round pick.  Right now, he's projected to go in the middle of the first round, at the earliest.  Call me crazy, but that just seems like an injustice given how great a player he was for the Longhorns.

Last year, his sophomore season, Hamilton averaged 18.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.  From three-point land, he shot a pretty respectable 38 percent.  The odds are greater than none that his defense won't follow him to the NBA, but that doesn't take away from his overall skills.

Hamilton is a dangerous guard in that he drives to the basket hard and is just as deadly from beyond the arc.  He has great size for a guard at 6'7" and 220 pounds and has a genuine love for the game.  Wherever he ends up, teams will be receiving a key asset to the roster.

No. 4: Tristan Thompson, F, Texas

Now, when Tristan Thompson declared himself eligible for the draft, I thought it was a mistake.  He only had one year of college ball under his belt and needed just one more season to hone his skills.  Still, despite that, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas has Thompson at No. 7 on his big board.

Overall, it's safe to say that Thompson will be a lottery pick.  He has decent size for a forward at 6'8" and 225 pounds, but proved to be one of the better shot blockers in the NCAA last year.  In his lone season, he averaged 2.4 blocks per game.

Thompson also averaged 13.1 points and 7.8 boards for the Longhorns last year, so his offense and defense don't carry huge question marks.  Depending on where he goes, it's going to be interesting to see which aspect of his game helps him make his mark in the NBA.

No. 3: Jimmer Fredette, G, BYU

A few months ago, I wasn't convinced that Jimmer Fredette would be successful in the NBA.  Besides his electrifying three-point shooting, his overall game didn't impress me.  Then, as time went on, my opinion changed.

Fredette has proven that he is more than just a shooter.  He has shown that he can demand the ball and drive to the basket hard, putting his body on the line in the process.  Throw in his leadership skills, and he becomes a valuable asset.

At this point, he's projected to perhaps be a top-10 pick.  That may seem high for someone who is a great shooter who plays little defense, but believe me when I say that Fredette is going to be an NBA star.  His rising stock only proves that.

No. 2: Marshon Brooks, G, Providence

Up until recently, Marshon Brooks wasn't even being talked about in draft circles.  Yet, he has impressed enough recently to warrant being at best a mid-first-round pick, to at worst an early to mid-second-round pick.  In looking at his stats from his senior season with the Friars, it's shocking that Brooks wasn't getting discussed as a lottery pick.

Brooks was a great shooter last year as he averaged 24.6 points, but also pulled down seven rebounds per game.  That's pretty impressive for someone just 6'5" and 190 pounds.  His three-point shot needs work, but coaching can address that.

Overall, it's shocking that Brooks wasn't even being discussed as a draft pick up until last week or so.  He is a pure shooter who crashes the boards effectively as well, so he will be a valuable member of any team if those skills follow him to the pros.  Either way, it will be interesting to see where he ends up.

No. 1: Jonas Valanciunas, C, Lithuania

If I had to pick anyone as the best big man in the 2011 NBA Draft, it would be Turkey's Enes Kanter.  Yet, although he'll surely be available when pick No. 4 is on the clock, the Cleveland Cavaliers have already announced that they will use that pick to take Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas.  This might just be the most shocking event of the draft, as of now.

Don't get me wrong, Valanciunas is talented, but isn't as sure a bet as Kanter.  He is a spindly 6'11" and 240 pounds, but the greater possibility of him getting a buyout from his European club ups his stock.

If the Cavaliers do indeed take him, perhaps he can fill the void left by former Cavs center and fellow Lithuanian Zydrunas Ilgauskas.  On top of that, he should be fun to watch as he transitions to the NBA and its looser game.