2012 NBA Draft: A Look Ahead to the Excitement for Next Year

Well, the 2011 NBA draft just finished, and this may be riding the wave of the draft that just occurred, but why not speculate?

Guessing is fun, and there is another year of prospective draftees to wonder about.

It will also help to gauge the talent that will be seen in the 2011-12 NCAA campaign.

There is no real way to properly predict who will enter the draft, but let’s take a chance here.

Lots will change, but here is one of the first mock drafts you’ll see, and why not have some fun with it?

Draft Picks 30-25

30. Alex Oriakhi

29. Tarik Black

28. Josiah Turner

27. Mason Plumlee

26. Tyler Zeller

25. Maalik Wayns

Draft Picks 24-20

24. Doron Lamb

23. John Henson

22. Evan Fournier

21. Patric Young

20. Marquis Teague

Draft Picks 19-15

19. LeBryan Nash

18. Kendall Marshall

17. Jeffery Taylor

16. James McAdoo

15. Thomas Robinson

Draft Picks 14-10

14. Myck Kabongo

13. Adonis Thomas

12. Will Barton

11. Jeremy Lamb

10. Quincy Miller

Draft Picks 9-6

9. Perry Jones

8. Cory Joseph

7. Bradley Beal

6. Terrence Jones

Draft Pick No. 5: Austin Rivers

Austin Rivers is the son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers. A lifetime of coaching from one of the best coaches in the NBA has to help make you into a premier player.

He is also going to be a Duke Blue Devil and playing for one of the best, if not the best, college coaches there is in Mike Krzyzewski.

Draft Pick No. 4: Jared Sullinger

With NBA-ready strength and post play, he has the capability to beat his defenders down low by using his force.

Another season with Ohio State will be a growing experience, and he will improve his mid-range jumper and become a more versatile offensive player.

Draft Pick No. 3: Harrison Barnes

Harrison Barnes is a very talented prospect and will surely help the University of North Carolina obtain a season of successful winning basketball. After he finishes the season, he will enter the draft, where he will be a top-five pick.

Barnes needs to improve his weak hand and become more versatile going that way, and his game will be all the more complete.

Draft Pick No. 2: Michael Gilchrist

Michael Gilchrist is a talented forward. He will have to adapt to playing more of a small forward role than power forward.

With this he will have to improve on his perimeter defense, but he is a talented athletic player that is a proficient rebounder and can create space for his own shots.

Gilchrist will be another quality one-and-done for coach John Calipari at Kentucky.

Draft Pick No. 1: Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis is a very athletic power forward who will learn under Coach Calipari at Kentucky. He will be a one-and-done like Gilchrist, but they will be a formidable pairing while playing together.

Davis needs to hit the gym and build his strength. With a good weight-lifting regimen he will certainly be worthy of the No. 1 pick.