NBA Mock Draft II

1. Washington Wizards - John Wall - PG - Kentucky:
A quicker more athletic Derrick Rose without the same strength this is an easy pick and the Wizards hope the start of an era teaming Wall and Arenas in the backcourt together.

2. Philadelphia 76ers - Derrick Favors - PF - Georgia Tech:
While Evan Turner is seen at the consensus number 2 player in this draft, after the Dalembert trade the 76ers could use help in the post with Elton Brand near the end of his career and new coach Doug Collins favoring the young Georgia Tech post player.

3. New Jersey Nets - Evan Turner - SG/SF - Ohio State:
Turner falling to the Nets would be a dream scenario as you can play Devin Harris and the 6’7 Turner in the backcourt together to form a huge athletic backcourt with the Nets having the space to still sign a Stoudemire or Boozer in free agency to pair with Brook Lopez.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves - Wesley Johnson - SG/SF - Syracuse:
The Timberwolves have three picks in the first round but they can go a number of different ways with this pick but it looks as if they will go for the small forward out of Syracuse who has drawn comparisons to Shawn Marion for his athleticism with a better shot.

5. Sacramento Kings - Al Faruq Aminu - SF - Wake Forest:
The Kings need size toughness, and athleticism upfront to pair with Tyreke Ecans and their young big men that they have acquired the past couple years, and Aminu fits in perfectly although he is a bit of a project his athleticism will allow him to come in and contribute immediately.

6. Golden State Warriors - DeMarcus Cousins - PF/C - Kentucky:
Cousins could be the next big thing or Eddy Curry Jr. of recent drafts and it is that problem that have many people nervous about drafting him. I believe that Cousins is the most offensively skilled big men to hit the league and with his size 6’11 295 lbs. and tenacity, he has the chance to be the best center in the league in the next three years.

7. Detroit Pistons - Ed Davis - PF - North Carolina:
Detroit needs a big man with athleticism and toughness Davis has all those things, just not the production to match it, he has the chance to blossom into a dominant big man but more than likely will become a role player like Amir Johnson.

8. Los Angeles Clippers - Paul George - SF - Fresno State
The latest “Tracy McGrady” clone to come to the draft a 6’9 small forward / shooting guard who can jump out of the gym and when hes locked in score in bunches. The biggest problem with this comparison is that there has yet to be another McGrady and George really came on the scene late, so it may be a lot of hype surrounding him, that being said the GM- less Clippers seem like the most likely team to take a chance on him,

9. Utah Jazz - Greg Monroe - PF/C - Georgetown
The Jazz don’t necessarily need another big man at this spot but a post man with his moves and passing skills is hard to pass up especially in a system that is seemingly tailor made for him in Utah.

10. Indiana Pacers - Ekpe Udoh - PF - Baylor
Udoh is 23 years old and one of the most ready players in the draft this year his length and skill will fit very nicely next to Roy Hibbert as well as being a nice change of pace for the frantic Tyler Hansborough. While the Pacers have more pressing needs such as PG they don’t see the need matching up with the draft position they have.

11. New Orleans Hornets - Gordan Hayward - SF - Butler:
The Hornets could use some help on the frontline but Hayward is just too much to pass up, with the playmaking ability of Chris Paul and the post game of David West, Hayward could be the heir apparent to Peja Stoacavic who has entered the twilight years of his career.

12. Memphis Grizzlies - Luke Babbit - SF - UNLV:
The Grizzlies say that they will match any offer for Rudy Gay but they know if someone offers him the max then they need to let him go, Babbit could fit in nicely with the Grizzlies because they are team full of penetrators lacking quality outside shooters. The biggest knock on Babbit is that while he has the size to play SF or PF he really cant guard either position so a team will be a huge disadvantage on D.

13. Toronto Raptors - Cole Aldrich - C - Kansas:
The Raptors have a lot of needs with Bosh on his way out and Jose Calderon on the trading block, so they decide to go with size and toughness so they can move Bargiani back to the 4 where he is far more comfortable, while there is a very good chance that Aldrich is Greg Ostertag’s long lost twin he will bring toughness and rebounding to a team that has none.

14. Houston Rockets - Patrick Patterson - PF - Kentucky:
Patrick Patterson is ready to play for an NBA team right now and on a team full of overachievers he will fit right in. While he may never be a star in the league or even an all-star you do know that he will come in and compete at a high level and be highly productive.

15. Milwaukee Bucks - Xavier Henry - SG - Kansas:
Has an NBA ready body and the shooting stroke to make it in the league, while his stock has dropped a little bit during the college season due to lack of production, its more likely that on a team as loaded as Kansas he didn’t have the chance to produce. Teaming him with a playmaker such as Brandon Jennings will be great for both of them and give the Bucks one of the young dynamic backcourts in the league.

16. Minnesota Timberwolves - Hassan Whiteside - C - Marshall:
Whiteside is an enigma he is athletic long and seems to have the drive to succeed on the court , but people are starting to sour on him because of his attitude off the court. He is not a problem but rather it seems as if he is uninterested and it is that lack of interest off the court that is scaring teams away. The Wolves could use a player like Whiteside who’s long arms and blocking ability would match up well with the undersized post player of Kevin Love and Al Jefferson.

17. Chicago Bulls - James Anderson - SG - Oklahoma State:
The Bulls need outside shooting so that teams will stop collapsing the middle of the lane on Derrick Rose as he penetrates. Anderson is the answer to these problems he’s one of the best shooters in the draft this year and has a knack for knocking down threes from the corner spreading out the D



18. Miami Heat - Eric Bledsoe - PG - Kentucky:
Mario Chalmers and Carlos Arroyo are not the answer at PG and the Heat desperately need somebody to take control of the position and right the ship. Bledsoe who played in the shadow of John Wall this year is a great playmaker and defender who can step out of Wall’s shadow and be a star PG in his own right.

19. Boston Celtics - Solomon Alabi - C - Florida State:
Is he the second coming of Dikembe Mutombo or is he the next Desagna Diop? Alabi is a great shot blocker with the mean streak to go with it but after four years he was unable to develop an effective offensive game so he cannot be counted on in that facet of the game. The Celtics need big men with Rasheed Wallace’s pending retirement and Kendrick Perkins foul trouble and Alabi would fit into the defensive scheme of the Celtics.

20. San Antonio Spurs - Damion James - SF - Texas:
When drafting a player like James you know exactly what you’re getting he/‘s never going to take over a game or be a star but he will a productive member of the team who can be counted on to make shots and not make mistakes on the offensive or defensive side of the ball.

21. Oklahoma City Thunder- Daniel Orton - C - Kentucky:
Anytime a player averages 3 points and 3 rebounds a game in college you have to draft him, because he will clearly be star in the league, that is the message many teams are spreading about Orton leading up to the draft saying that his skill set was just hidden behind the many stars of Kentucky. Orton recently stopped working out for teams and there is speculation its because of a promise from the Thunder. The Thunder are in need of a big man who can rebound block shots and play with his back to the basket, Orton can do all of these things, how productive he will be in the league is another question altogether.

22. Portland Trailblazers - Kevin Seraphin - PF/C - France:
The Trailblazers are looking for help on the frontline but the people they have locked on are already gone so they decide to grab Seraphin a player with Serge Ibaka like skills who they can stash overseas for a season or two.

23. Minnesota Timberwolves - Avery Bradley - SG/PG - Teaxas:
Bradley had the talent to be drafted way before this pick but due to his lack of size and position many teams weren’t sure where to place him on the draft board. The T-Wolves on the other hand are looking for a SG who can be a lockdown defender and still knock down the open shot. Bradley can do all these things and would team nicely with Johnny Flynn in the backcourt since there strengths and weaknesses offset one another.

24. Atlanta Hawks - Dominique Jones - SG - South Florida:
Joe Johnson is on his way out, they have a new coach that nobody has heard about and still are in need of some size up the middle so its difficult to peg what the Hawks will do. While most of the league realizes with an elite 5 the Hawks could be a great team the Hawks seem to think playing Horford out of position there makes the most sense, so they try and replace Johnson with Jones a high scoring guard from South Florida.

25. Memphis Grizzlies - Larry Sanders - PF - Virginia Commonwealth:
Larry Sanders is a great rebounded and shot-blocker who plays great in the post, the Grizzlies while still having Gasol and Randolph could use some help off the bench and Sanders is a great pick up this late in the draft.



26. Oklahoma City Thunder - Craig Brackins - PF - Iowa State:
Brackins could be one of the real steals of the draft, he dominated for two years and than this year his numbers really just dropped due to the constant double teams he faced by being the best player on the court at all times. Brackins is a great inside-out post player who could excel on a team like the Thunder where he is not the focal point of the team allowing him to focus on his game and not the constant pressures of being a star.

27. New Jersey Nets - Gani Lawal - PF - Georgia Tech:
By getting Evan Turner with the first pick the Nets can focus on shoring up their PF position where they are a little weak next to Brook Lopez, Lawal is an athletic PF who can rebound and run the floor well and can score without his name being called which is exactly what the Nets will need him to do.

28. Memphis Grizzlies - Jordan Crawford - SG - Xavier:
OFFENSE, by drafting Crawford that’s what you’re getting, he can score in any number of ways, shooting threes, mid-range jumpers, “dunking” on Lebron James, he has all these things in his arsenal and any team that drafts him will do so hoping that he can be a spark off the bench. The Grizzlies have one of the weaker benches and could use some instant offense and will be ecstatic if Crawford is still there.

29. Orlando Magic - Quincy Pondexter - SF- Washington:
Pondexter is a great athlete with a high basketball IQ who has the size and skill set to be a star in the league. While he lacks a great jump shot and his shot selection is questionable there is no denying that if he puts it all together he can be a star. With Vince Carter still locked into his contract Pondexter could ease his way into the lineup until he is ready.

30. Washington Wizards - Devin Ebanks - SF- West Virginia:
Ebanks was a potential lottery pick coming into this year, but after no real improvements in his game and questions about his character Ebanks has dropped on many draft boards. At the end of the first round Ebanks is a steal because he has great size and can defend a couple of positions, things that the Wizards could definitely use.