2011 NBA Draft Results: Kyrie Irving vs John Wall and Pick-by-Pick Comps to 2010

Ladies and gentlemen, it is here.

The 2011 NBA Draft is officially underway.

While many NBA Draft experts have called the 2011 NBA Draft class one of the least star-studded groups of the last decade, there is still lots of talent being added to the NBA tonight.

In this live-updating article, I will be taking a look at each pick from tonight’s first round and comparing it to last year’s selection.

From John Wall to Kyrie Irving, Evan Turner to Derrick Williams, how will this year’s draft class stack up to last year’s, and how will the future of the NBA unfold:

1. Kyrie Irving - John Wall

For the second straight year, the first selection in the NBA Draft was a franchise-establishing point guard.

This year as expected, it's Kyrie Irving to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Irving is easily the most talented player in the 2011 draft class and in just 11 games as a freshman last season, showed enough to prove that he belonged in the NBA. Irving has a fantastic basketball IQ, and has the makings to be a true floor leader. Often compared to Chris Paul, Irving has a very high ceiling and could become of the top point guards in the NBA. He comes to a depleted Cavaliers squad, looking for a new face of the franchise after Lebron James left last summer. While he says, he's not here to replace anyone, he will be expected to turn the franchise around.

Last season, it was John Wall, the talented ball handler out of Kentucky that went first overall to the Washington Wizards. One year later, everyone would agree that he was the right pick. At 16.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game, Wall put up one of the greatest rookie campaigns of recent memory for point guards, and would have easily won Rookie of the Year honors if it weren't for Blake Griffin. Awards or not, he was electric for the Wizards and gave the Washington fans something to cheer about. You can expect to hear a lot more from Mr. Wall over the next decade.

2. Derrick Williams - Evan Turner

First off, with Ricky Rubio coming over and Johnny Flynn still in the mix can you imagine if things had gone differently at #1?

Anyway as expected, it’s Derrick Williams coming in at #2 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Williams and Kyrie Irving were the sure fire top two talents in this draft class, and it is good that David Kahn and the Timberwolves front office went with the top talent. However, it is unclear at this point whether Williams will leave tonight wearing a Minnesota hat or not. Williams will be a great addition wherever he winds up. He has the body to play either power forward or small forward and will instantly help his team in the scoring and rebounding departments. He is extremely efficient with the ball in his hands and plays with a great motor. If he sticks in Minnesota, he will form a formidable, young frontcourt with Kevin Love that could become one of the league’s best in the near future.

Last season, it was Evan Turner, the talented scorer of Ohio State that was the #2 pick to the Philadelphia 76ers. While he certainly did not make a huge splash in Philly, he showed promise at times and ended the season averaging 7.2 points per game coming off the bench. While many players after Turner had better rookie campaigns, there is still no reason to think that he won’t develop into a solid NBA shooting guard. The Sixers have a great young backcourt developing in Turner and Jrue Holiday.

3. Enes Kanter - Derrick Favors

Despite being drafted by different teams, the 2010 #3 pick and 2011 #3 pick will be teammates this season. They will also be competing against one another...

Behind Irving and Williams, Enes Kanter is the next most talented player in the 2011 draft class. As noted by his press conference earlier this week, Kanter thinks he is the best player in the class. He's extremely skilled and wowed many front offices and scouts in individual tryouts over the last couple months. Many think he can certainly defend and rebound at the NBA level, and has shown the ability to hit the NBA 3-pointer. The big question now is where he will fit in as he joins a Utah Jazz team featuring Mehmet Okur, Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson and last year's #3 draft pick.

Derrick Favors, last year's #3 overall selection by the New Jersey Nets, was the big grab for the Jazz in the Deron Williams trade last season. After coming over to Salt Late City, Favors averaged 8.2 points per game and was named to the all-rookie second team. Favors has as high of a ceiling as anyone in the 2011 draft class and looks to be the future face of the franchise in Utah. Now he's got another solid running mate alongside him in the post.

4. Tristan Thompson - Wesley Johnson

At the end of the night, Tristan Thompson at #4 to the Cleveland Cavaliers may be the biggest surprise of the entire night. Early last week, the forward out of the University of Texas was looking like a mid-first round pick but in the last couple days, his stock has soared. Not the biggest offensive threat, Thompson's value comes primarily from a rebounding and defending perspective. At 20, he's still very young and has one of the highest ceilings in the draft. Thompson is a good pick for Cleveland to team up with Kyrie Irving and form the nucleus of this team.

Last season, Wes Johnson was the #4 pick overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves and was one of the biggest contributors from last year's draft class. Johnson started 63 games for the league's worst team last season, averaging 9.0 points over 26 minutes per game last season. Although he will likely never develop into one of the NBA's top guard/forwards, he will be a core member of the Minnesota squad alongside Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love for quite some time.

5. Jonas Valanciunas - Demarcus Cousins

While Tristan Thompson was a shocker for how early he went, the Toronto Raptors selection of Jonas Valanciunas with the 5th pick in the draft was a surprise for team selection. All week, Valanciunas has been linked to a select group of teams including San Antonio and most recently Cleveland. Instead he ends up in Toronto, a team that had been linked to Bismack Biyombo all week. The 18-year old Lithuanian is already 6'11" and will only continue to develop his raw skills with time. Rumors indicated that Valanciunas will not be coming over next season, but should join the NBA for the 2012-13 campaign.

Last year, the Sacramento Kings looked past the red flags, and drafted the highly talented, but highly volatile Demarcus Cousins out of Kentucky. Cousins was one of the top talents to emerge from the 2010 draft class and posted an impressive 14.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game for the Kings, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting. As long as Cousins continues to develop, he will form one of the NBA's most feared inside-out combos with Tyreke Evans in the near-future. 

6. Jan Vesely - Ekpe Udoh

For the second straight year, the 6th pick comes in as a fairly unknown, high upside big man.

This year's sixth pick is Jan Vesely, a highly regarded offensive forward out of the Czech Republic. At 6'11", 240 pounds with exceptional athleticism, Vesely is often compared to Andrei Kirilenko of the Utah Jazz and will be a great partner for John Wall in the fast break. Alongside Wall and center JaVale McGee, the Wizards will have one of the most enjoyable to watch teams in the NBA this season. 

Last season, Ekpe Udoh, a defensive stopper out of Baylor was the 6th selection to the Golden State Warriors. While Warrior fans only got to see him for 58 games after a summer wrist injury put him on the shelf until mid-December, Udoh proved to be exactly as advertised: a great post defender, that truly lacked an offensive game. He did finish the season well blocking 12 shots over his last 3 games, but certainly left the fans in Oakland wanting more.

7. Bismack Biyombo - Greg Monroe

When the Charlotte Bobcats traded up to the 7th pick, it was thought that it would either be for Texas' Tristan Thompson or Bismack Biyombo, a big man out of the Congo. WIth Thompson off the board, the Bobcats' selection was a pretty easy one. In my opinion, Biyombo is one of the most intriguing players in the 2011 draft class and often draws comparisons to the Thunder's Serge Ibaka. With a 7'7" wingspan, it is clear that he will be a tremendous shot blocker right away, but he also has shown flashes of a solid offensive game. Biyombo may be one of the most risky picks in the 2011 lottery, but it could very well pay off.

Last season, the Pistons got a great steal at #7 drafting power forward Greg Monroe out of Georgetown. With all of the internal issues that plagued the Pistons down the stretch, Monroe emerged as a bright spot for the rebuilding squad. On the season, Monroe averaged 9.4 points and 7.5 boards per game, and solidified his role as an everyday starter for the Pistons next season.

8. Brandon Knight - Al-Farouq Aminu

And you said that this draft class was worse than last year's...

Arguably the third most-NBA ready talent behind Irving and Williams in the 2011 draft class, Brandon Knight, a point guard out of Kentucky fell all the way to the Detroit Pistons at #8. If the Kings knew he would be available, I guarantee they would not have shipped away the 7th pick. Knight wowed quite a few teams at the Draft Combine last month and looks prepared to make an immediate impact in the NBA. He showed a knack for knocking down the big shot in the NCAA tournament and has the makeup to be a solid floor leader early in his career. The current problem at hand: Knight's skill set is very similar to Rodney Stuckey and it is unclear whether Knight will be looked to contribute right away.

Last season, it was Al-Farouq Aminu, an athletic small forward out of Wake Forest, that landed in the eighth spot to the Los Angeles Clippers. Aminu had some very impressive moments during the 2010-11 season including a solid month of November, but also demonstrated why may considered him a project coming out of college. While he may never develop into a perennial all-star, Aminu fits in very well alongside Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin. 

9. Kemba Walker - Gordon Hayward

For the last week, Kemba Walker has been hearing his name projected anywhere from 5th to 15th. He ended up as the ninth pick to the Charlotte Bobcats. Walker really hit the national spotlight last season, leading his UConn Huskies to the NCAA championship but no matter how good he was, he has been one of the most heavily criticized prospects in the 2011 draft class. While no one denies that he is lightning quick, many wonder how his shooting will translate to the next level and if he can matchup defensively at just 6'1". He's shown great character throughout the entire process and can really mature into a starting point guard if given the opportunity. With DJ Augustin taking over the point in Charlotte, Walker may not get that opportunity right away.

Last year's selection at #9 by the Utah Jazz was Gordon Hayward, another collegiate star who led his team to the championship game. Hayward showed all-around improvement as the season wore on and even had a 34-point game late in the season, but beyond that wasn't much of a factor. At just 21, he still has time to develop and could become an above-average rotation player in Utah.

10. Jimmer Fredette - Paul George

It goes without saying that Jimmer Fredette, the BYU guard that everyone has grown to know and love, is a truly gifted scorer. With range from nearly anywhere on, Fredette quite literally shot his way into the #10 pick in 2011 draft by the Sacramento Kings (via Milwaukee). It's not quite clear how Fredette's game will translate to the NBA level as he lacks both elite athleticism and length but he has a great makeup, and will certainly fight every step of the way. More than any other in the past, it seemed like teams were either completely enamored with him or made a pre-draft decision to steer away from temptation. The Kings looked at the situation, traded down three slots and turned Beno Udrih into John Salmons, while still getting their guy in Fredette. It's not quite clear how Jimmer will line up with Tyreke Evans, but that will surely be a high scoring duo if the cards fall right in Sacramento.

Last year's tenth selection, had a great first season and ended up starting each of his team's playoff games.  That man was the uber-athletic forward/guard Paul George to the Indiana Pacers. Initially viewed as a project, George went from a man who drew crickets from the MSG crowd on draft night into arguably one of the biggest steals of the draft. Talk drifted from "Will he pan out?" to "How good can this kid be?". When given the chance to play late in the year, he was a human highlight reel, making big plays on defense, hammering down dunks and knocking down the big shot late in the game. He even drew the assignment of Derrick Rose in the first round of the playoffs, and succeeded in slowing the league MVP. Paul George is a prime example of why sometimes taking projects is the right thing to do.

11. Klay Thompson - Cole Aldrich

With the 11th pick in the draft, the Golden State Warriors looked to the Pac-10, drafting sharpshooting guard/forward Klay Thompson out of Washington State. For me, this effectively marks the point of the draft when teams are no longer looking for a rookie that can initially start, and instead are looking for the high-upside rotation guys. Despite the Warriors' needs for defensive-minded guard/forwards and big men, Jerry West & Co. went with a prolific scorer to primarily come off the bench behind Monta Ellis and Dorrell Wright. No doubt, Thompson is a serious scoring threat and will fit well into the Warriors system, its just there were certainly options available to fill more pressing needs, leaving Warriors fans (like myself) scratching their heads.

Last season, the 11th pick also represented the shift in the draft from potential starters to role players as Cole Aldrich, a big man out of Kansas, was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder (via New Orleans). While many viewed Aldrich as an immediate impact for the eventual Western Conference runner-ups, Aldrich played in just 18 games last season and had three separate NBA Development League stints. Call it an adjustment year, Aldrich will be back fighting for minutes in 2011-12. 

12. Alec Burks - Xavier Henry

Historically, the 12th pick has been a crapshoot in the NBA Draft. You could say that.

After selecting Enes Kanter with the third pick, the Utah Jazz followed up selecting Alec Burks, an athletic two-guard out of Colorado, with the 12th selection overall. Burks is a great fit out in Utah and has been rising up draft boards over the past month, due to his great work ethic and overall athleticism. The most common knock on Burks is despite having great size and the aforementioned athleticism, he doesn't excel at any one on-the-court skill. He does score, but he is not a great shooter and could very well struggle making the adjustment to the NBA. 

Meanwhile, Xavier Henry, last year's 12th selection to the Memphis Grizzlies, was a non-factor for most of the season, and will look for a more significant role in 2011-12. Injured for most of the season, Henry possesses the abilities to be a big time scorer off the bench for Memphis and will look to make a step in that direction this next season. Considered a project, Henry still has a couple more seasons to develop. 

13. Markieff Morris - Ed Davis

I didn't see a single mock draft that had Markieff drafted ahead of his twin brother Marcus, but just that happened Thursday night as Markieff Morris, a power forward out of Kansas was selected 13th overall to the Phoenix Suns. By first glance, one would expect Markieff to be the better of the two (he's taller and looks stronger), however scouts agree that its Marcus who is more talented. Regardless, Markieff fits right into the Phoenix Suns' system, supplying the mental and physical toughness that was missing last season after Amare Stoudemire's departure. 

Last year, the Toronto Raptors scooped up UNC power forward Ed Davis at #13 and developed into one of the top big men in the 2011 draft class. Down the stretch, Davis averaged 12.9 points and 9 rebounds in the month of April and solidified his name alongside Demar Derozan in the nucleus that Toronto plans to build around for the future. 

14. Marcus Morris - Patrick Patterson

Closing out the lottery at #14 to the Houston Rockets was the previous selection's twin brother, Marcus Morris out of Kansas University. Despite playing big throughout college, Morris has recently indicated that he views himself as an NBA small forward, drawing lots of questions and concerns from team scouts and staff. While some view him as soft, he simply possesses a unique skillset that he wants to utilize more on the NBA level. He is a very talented passer, likes to hit the fadeaway against larger opponents while backing down smaller opponents and could develop into one of the top offensive rebounders in the league. He could be special, and the best part is you will be hearing from him every step of the way.

Last year's final lottery selection also belonged to the Rockets as they selected Patrick Patterson, a forward out of the University of Kentucky. Patterson came to a forefront last season by playing great help-side defense while showing the ability to shoot the ball well. Despite spending a large chunk of last season in the Development League, expect Patterson to give Luis Scola a run for the starting job at the beginning of the 2011-12 season.