http://www.draftexpress.com/ 1 Nets John Wall PG 19 years old; 6'4"; 195 lbs. Kentucky, Freshman 2 Timberwolves Evan Turner SG/SF 21 years old; 6'7"; 205 lbs. Ohio State, Junior 3 Kings DeMarcus Cousins C 19 years old; 6'11"; 270 lbs. Kentucky, Freshman 4 Warriors Derrick Favors PF/C 18 years old; 6'10"; 246 lbs. Georgia Tech, Freshman 5 Wizards Al-Farouq Aminu SF/PF 19 years old; 6'8"; 210 lbs. Wake Forest, Sophomore 6 76ers Cole Aldrich C 21 years old; 6'11"; 250 lbs. Kansas, Junior 7 Pistons Ed Davis PF 20 years old; 6'9"; 215 lbs. North Carolina, Sophomore 8 Clippers Wesley Johnson SF/PF 22 years old; 6'7"; 195 lbs. Syracuse, Junior 9 Jazz From Knicks Greg Monroe PF/C 19 years old; 6'11"; 240 lbs. Georgetown, Sophomore 10 Pacers Ekpe Udoh PF/C 22 years old; 6'10"; 240 lbs. Baylor, Junior 11 Hornets Patrick Patterson PF 21 years old; 6'8"; 223 lbs. Kentucky, Junior 12 Grizzlies Donatas Motiejunas PF/C 19 years old; 7'0"; 215 lbs. Benetton Treviso, International 13 Raptors Daniel Orton C 19 years old; 6'10"; 260 lbs. Kentucky, Freshman 14 Rockets Hassan Whiteside PF/C 20 years old; 7'0"; 235 lbs. Marshall, Freshman
Jonathan Feigen: 2010 NBA Mock Draft May 18, 2010 By Jonathan Feigen The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com With a reminder of their greatest days on hand, the Washington Wizards finally ended a season filled with many of their worst. advertisement With representative Irene Pollin wearing the 1978 Bullets championship ring that belonged to her late husband, longtime owner Abe Pollin, the Wizards moved up from fifth to the first pick of the draft, one spot ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers, who moved from the sixth position to the second pick. Even more remarkable, a team between owners (Ted Leonsis is expected to take over in the weeks before the draft) and with their management in limbo might have cleared things up. With Kentucky's John Wall expected to be the first pick of the draft, many lottery teams went into the lottery with either young, potential stars (Minnesota, Golden State and Houston) or proven veteran (Utah, New Orleans, Los Angeles) at the point. Instead, the pick went to a team that could use help at the position. That might depend on the Wizards' plans for Gilbert Arenas and who will do the planning. But for a change for the Wizards, something finally went right. 1. Washington John Wall, G, Kentucky. After a season in which everything went wrong, the Wizards were due for some good fortune. How well the mix of Wall with Gilbert Arenas will work is difficult to predict, but Wall gives Washington a chance to rebuild around a potential star point guard. In a league suddenly loaded with point guards, the idea of taking a point guard first is no longer an issue, as it was even just two seasons ago when Derrick Rose was taken. Wall could grow into a worthy club member with Deron Williams, Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul, Rose and the league's other rapid, young point guards. 2. Philadelphia Evan Turner, G, Ohio State. Cousins and Favors might have more potential to dominate and will earn close looks in the weeks before the draft, but Turner is a solid, safe pick and a very good fit. He brings unusual polish and offensive versatility at a time when players typically leave school before they can develop as he has. The closer the Sixers look, the more they might happily stick with Turner, who should fit nicely in between Andre Iguodala and Jrue Holiday. 3. New Jersey DeMarcus Cousins, C, Kentucky. Cousins, with the draft's best combination of size and ability, might have the greatest potential to dominate or disappoint. He's only 19, and his potential shortcomings could be no more than part of the process for such a young player. If Wall and Turner are gone with the first two picks, Cousins might be the easiest pick of the draft, risky with the first pick but worth the gamble third. He might not be enough to attract LeBron James, but no one in this draft probably would have. 4. Minnesota Derrick Favors F/ C, Georgia Tech. Had the Timberwolves won the lottery, it would have been interesting see if David Kahn would have taken yet another point guard. The fall to fourth, however, provides another less obvious quandary. The Wolves seem to have their share of power forwards who are not quite centers. Favors, however, would seem the obvious choice, if not exactly one to fill a need. Another very young prospect at just 18 years old, Favors did not produce offensively as consistently or efficiently as expected but should do well in workouts with explosive moves and good hands. 5. Sacramento Wesley Johnson, SF, Syracuse. Johnson is probably not the most exciting prospect the Kings could find and might not have the upside of the top four picks. But the Kings have young big men developing and a guard who dominates the ball. Johnson could be a solid addition and rapid contributor. 6. Golden State Al-Farouq Aminu, SF, Wake Forest. The Warriors took a one-year break from drafting athletic, multi-position big men in the lottery with last year's pick of Stephen Curry. It might be time to return to form. Aminu's skills and strength give him potential to move up a few spots after the individual workouts. The Warriors have not relied on a true center in years, however, and will have to look hard at Aldrich and Monroe, but Aminu might be tough to let slip any further. 7. Detroit Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas. The Pistons have been using 35-year-old Ben Wallace in the middle, making the center position as good a spot as any to rebuild. The solid additions of Austin Daye and Jonas Jerebko last season should have Joe Dumars choosing between big men. Aldrich might be the most ready and well-rounded of the options left. 8. L.A. Clippers Greg Monroe, C/PF, Georgetown. Assuming Blake Griffin returns as expected, the Clippers have a star to build around, along with cap room to spend in free agency. Monroe would give them another center to play in a rotation with Chris Kaman in the role Marcus Camby filled. A strong rebounder and passer, Monroe is nowhere near that polished but has outstanding potential as a finesse frontcourt player. 9. Utah Ed Davis, PF, North Carolina. Though Davis was expected to have improved more last season, that potential is still clear. While the Knicks might be relieved that the pick they gave up to get Stephon Marbury from the Suns did not end up being a top-three selection, the Jazz has a chance to develop a frontcourt player the way it did Paul Millsap, especially if Carlos Boozer leaves in free agency. 10. Indiana Ekpe Udoh, PF, Baylor. Danny Granger should not have looked so disappointed. This could work out well for the Pacers, especially if they are ready to move away from their reliance on 3-point bombing and volume shooting. With Roy Hibbert developing nicely at center, Udoh can offer athleticism at power forward between Hibbert and Granger, with an improving shot and solid rebounding and shot-blocking potential. 11. New Orleans Donatas Motiejunas, PF, Benetton Treviso. Will be the next player compared to Dirk Nowitzki, though for now, Andrea Bargnani seems a better comparison and more reachable goal. With great size, he has similar shooting touch and a solid all-around offensive game. 12. Memphis Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky. The Grizzlies could work hard to move up, and failing that, might move back. They have several picks to offer to a team that could still find their big man available a few spots later, and they would have reason to try, given that they would not seem to have a spot for another young power forward, having filled the roster with big men (Hasheem Thabeet, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Darrell Arthur, Hamed Haddadi) in recent seasons. Patterson is their type and it would be too soon to grab one of the remaining wings, though they would better fill a need. 13. Toronto Hassan Whiteside, PF/C, Marshall. If Chris Bosh moves on as seems likely, Andrea Bargnani can move to power forward, where he probably belongs, and the Raptors can look to develop a center and a defense. Whiteside has a lot of work to do offensively, but that is not the Raptors' problem. He is extremely long, jumps well and led the nation in blocked shots last season. 14. Houston Daniel Orton, C, Kentucky. The Rockets have been unusually determined under GM Daryl Morey to ignore need to draft the player they like most. The depth of big men in the latter half of the lottery should allow them to get both. Orton's size would help behind Yao Ming, but teams will closely examine his knees in the coming weeks. 15. Milwaukee Xavier Henry, G, Kansas. After a series of big men go in the lottery, the Bucks will likely start a run on wings. Though just a freshman, Henry appears the most NBA ready with a solid build and smooth offensive game. Henry could be a good complement for John Salmons or successor to Michael Redd. More than the other options, he seems suited for the discipline coach Scott Skiles would demand. 16. Minnesota James Anderson, SG, Oklahoma State. Anderson could go a few spots earlier, but if the run on big men pushes him to the Wolves, David Kahn could take advantage of the opportunity to grab him. Kahn showed last season a determination to take the best available player rather than draft for need. Anderson would offer both, as a prolific and efficient scorer with good length for the position. 17. Chicago Gordon Hayward, SF, Butler. Hayward surprised many by staying in the draft but does have an NBA-style game, with an ability to score off the dribble with either hand, shoot with range and move the ball in the offense. He might lack the lateral quickness to defend as a three but would need to get stronger to be a range-shooting four. The Bulls would be able to give him time to develop. 18. Miami Solomon Alabi, C, Florida State. The years with Alonzo Mourning would make the Heat especially fond of a shot-blocker with Alabi's potential. He would bring the length the Heat has lacked, and his athleticism could make him more of a contributor offensively than advertised. But he is a project who would need some time, especially to defend bulkier centers. 19. Boston Paul George, SF, Fresno State. The Celtics won a championship with James Posey coming off the bench, and George could offer similar length and athleticism, with outstanding shooting range. He'd need to become much more disciplined on both ends for the Celtics, but there might be no better place for him. They could use the addition of young athleticism. 20. San Antonio Larry Sanders, PF/C, Virginia Commonwealth. Another team that traditionally drafts without regard to immediate need, Sanders might be a good fit for the Spurs, anyway, especially if Tiago Splitter does not come over. He does not have the bulk to defend consistently inside but is long, athletic and energetic enough to contribute in some matchups. 21. Oklahoma City Damion James, SF, Texas. James would fit extremely well with the young and athletic Thunder. He struggled when asked to be a go-to scorer with Texas, but with Oklahoma City he would be able to be able to be an athletic role player with a good shooting touch and an NBA-ready body. 22. Portland Avery Bradley, SG, Texas. With the league suddenly loaded with quick, scoring point guards, Bradley's ability to defend on the perimeter could be valuable. He shows signs of being a potentially prolific scorer himself, able to score off the dribble and shoot with range. His defense and ability to score in a halfcourt offense would fit well with the Blazers. 23. Minnesota Luke Babbitt, SF, Nevada. The Wolves could go many directions with their third first-round pick, particularly with Ricky Rubio slotted to eventually join them. The roster changes that are needed and seem certain would make the needs and position irrelevant, but it might be difficult to take another guard, especially a point. Babbitt would offer the shooting touch and range to fit well around Rubio's playmaking or Johnny Flynn's speed, and would go from the Wolf Pack to the Wolves. 24. Atlanta Eric Bledsoe, PG, Kentucky. After Jameer Nelson tore through the Hawks in the playoffs, Atlanta might be drawn to a tough, competitive point with greater quickness than Mike Bibby will ever show again. Bledsoe did not get much time at point with John Wall around and will need work and time at the position, but he could be a steal at this point of the first round. 25. Memphis Willie Warren, PG, Oklahoma. Warren fell far from where he was projected to go before the season. There are red flags about Warren's attitude, including some strong comments from Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel in December, but none seems worth letting him slip much more and the Grizzlies have been known to gamble in recent seasons. He struggled with the greater offensive responsibility that came his way without Blake Griffin, but he did play well with Griffin, an indication he could fit well with Zach Randolph and the Grizzlies. 26. Oklahoma City Kevin Seraphin, PF/C, Cholet (France). The Thunder has shown great patience in building around Kevin Durant and would happily wait for Seraphin to hone his skills to go with his outstanding strength and physical tools, either in the NBA or with another year in France. Though he needs time to develop offensively, he already shows a good skill set. Seraphin could still back out of the draft but might not be able to do better than a selection by Oklahoma City, a few miles up the road from his former home in Dallas. 27. New Jersey Quincy Pondexter, SF, Washington. A rare senior in the first round, Pondexter benefited greatly from sticking around and improving his game. He has improved as a shooter but is still not an outstanding shooter, especially from range. He has, however, shown himself to be reliably productive. The Nets choice might be impacted with how they use their first pick, but they could use the immediate influx of talent rather than a less mature project. 28. Memphis Stanley Robinson, SF, Connecticut. Opinions on Robinson are widely varied and he could go much earlier, though more of a consensus could come by the draft. An outstanding athlete with potential to cause mismatch problems, Robinson has not seemed to develop the consistency or well-rounded game that he would seem able to produce. His abilities, however, warrant a late first-round gamble, especially for a Memphis team with two first-round picks. 29. Orlando Terrico White, SG, Mississippi. White might have been well-served to stick around for another season. White's scoring ability might fit well with an Orlando team that does not have many players geared toward getting their own shot. He did not develop as a point guard but could be a solid instant-offense type off the bench with the physical abilities to develop into a solid defender. 30. Washington Jordan Crawford, SG, Xavier. Another player who draws mixed reviews, Crawford could move up or back in the next few weeks. His potential and offensive skills might fit well with a Washington team that needs to reload. The choice could depend on what the Wizards do with their own pick, but Crawford's stock has seemed to rise in recent weeks.
Dave Del Grande: 2010 NBA Mock Draft May 18, 2010 By Dave Del Grande The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com Gilbert Arenas' roller-coaster ride just got a whole lot dizzier. And potentially more fun, if you're a Wizards fan. advertisement Washington entered Tuesday's NBA Draft Lottery focused on midsized talents but came away with the ability to draft franchise-changing point guard John Wall after lucking into the right combination of ping-pong balls. So where does that leave Arenas, one of the most talented -- and troubled -- point guards in the NBA? Well, as they'll be saying in July when this year's monster class of free agents hits the market: Let the bidding begin. The Wizards and 76ers moved up in the draft Tuesday; the Nets, Timberwolves, Kings and Warriors went south. And among those not affected at all: the Lakers, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Nuggets and Suns. None has a pick in the first round on June 24. So let's call it a lightweight draft with a few heavyweight prospects and now at least one very interested bystander. Here's a first look at how it might play out: 1. Washington John Wall, PG, Kentucky. The Wizards now have a second asset (other than a virtual National Treasury of cap-friendly money) with which to attract free agents. They will go down as the lottery's big winner, but don't discount the Heat. The path to their point guard of the future - Arenas - just became clearer. 2. Philadelphia DeMarcus Cousins, C, Kentucky. While teams are calling the Wizards about Arenas, the 76ers should expect at least as many pleas for the second pick and a shot at Ohio State swingman Evan Turner. The 76ers would rather have a big man, even if he has Stanley Roberts written all over him. Alas, it wouldn't be the first vastly overrated center taken No. 2 in NBA history. It's a tradition. 3. New Jersey Evan Turner, SF, Ohio State. Devin Harris lost a lot of games as a member of the Nets during the 2009-10 season, and his run of bad luck continues. He would have been in Arenas' enviable position -- likely to get dealt out of a bad situation -- had form held and the Nets landed the rights to Wall. Instead, he'll find himself passing to Turner next season. It could be worse ... but not much. 4. Minnesota Wesley Johnson, SF, Syracuse. The Timberwolves no doubt had their eye on Turner when they arrived at the lottery in the second seat. Dropping two spots to No. 4 sounds bad, but they still get a much needed upgrade at small forward. Johnson has to like this position -- it means being reunited with old Orange teammate Jonny Flynn. 5. Sacramento Derrick Favors, PF, Georgia Tech. This is the guy the Kings would have taken third, so apparent bad luck in the lottery really wasn't bad luck at all. Why a power forward when two of your three best holdovers are big men? Because before you say they should draft for need, consider this: A last-place team's greatest need is talent. Favors is clearly the best left at this point. 6. Golden State Al-Farouq Aminu, SF, Wake Forest. Warriors fans have to be hoping Cousins gets taken earlier because no team has a worse history drafting big men. Dropping from fourth to sixth probably means losing Johnson, but landing Aminu means adding much needed athleticism to the small-forward position. They can only hope he has as long and generally successful a run as a similar pick in their not-so-distant past -- Antawn Jamison. 7. Detroit Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas. The Pistons were this season's biggest underachievers, so who better to remedy that than a need-position player from one of college basketball's most consistent programs? Bill Laimbeer entered the league with a similar portfolio and turned out to be one of the franchise's all-time plums. 8. L.A. Clippers Gordon Hayward, SF, Butler. For years, the Clippers tried to find a way to create a Dunleavy family reunion in Los Angeles, but dad Mike could never pry son Mike from the Warriors or Pacers. It wasn't just a paternal thing. Son Mike actually would have been a nice fit. Hayward, a similar talent, is, too. 9. Utah Greg Monroe, PF, Georgetown. Not long ago, Team Europe would have jumped on an opportunity like this to add an intriguing talent such as Donatas Motiejunas to the mix. But the way Andrei Kirilenko has gone south, the Jazz has to be thinking this side of the Atlantic for a change. The board-sweeping Monroe is a nice addition to a roster that's likely to lose Carlos Boozer come July. 10. Indiana Xavier Henry, SG, Kansas. The Pacers need firepower. The best shooting guard in the land. The next Reggie Miller. Henry assuredly isn't the latter, but he's the best shooting guard in the draft. That's not a bad catch when you're picking 10th. 11. New Orleans Ed Davis, PF, North Carolina. The Hornets have fewer needs than most lottery teams because, frankly, they aren't really a lottery team. They're here because Chris Paul got hurt. No lottery team is in more of a best-athlete-available mode. Davis has to be the top guy on any draft board at this point. 12. Memphis Ekpe Udoh, PF, Baylor. The Grizzlies entered last year's draft thinking they were a top-flight center away from becoming, well, what the Thunder became. Now they have to be aware they are nowhere near that status. Yes, they still need a center, but it's now obvious they need much, much more than that. This type of athlete is a start back in the right direction. 13. Toronto Donatas Motiejunas, PF, Lithuania. What do you do when you know your star power forward isn't coming back, but you don't want to let him know you know he's not coming back? Motiejunas will be a great complement to Chris Bosh. Or so the Raptors will say on draft night. Actually, they hope he'll be a great replacement. 14. Houston Luke Babbitt, SF, Nevada. Having dealt Carl Landry at the trade deadline, the Rockets could use more size even with Yao Ming returning. At the same time, they need someone who won't get in Yao's way, which Landry did at times. Babbitt is a rich man's Matt Bullard, who had a nice little career in Houston. 15. Milwaukee Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky. The Bucks have one more chance to do something special before Michael Redd walks next summer. That kind of short-term mindset should get them thinking power forward. Patterson becomes a no-brainer once you head down that road. 16. Minnesota Hassan Whiteside, C, Marshall. Last year's draft strategy, "Focus on One Position," has gone the way of Kevin McHale. So while another perimeter scorer seems logical even after securing Johnson, going with a high-potential big man makes more sense here over a dime-a-dozen shooting guard. 17. Chicago Daniel Orton, C, Kentucky. We've all read about the Calipari package deal to the Bulls. Involving LeBron James? Unrealistic. More likely, involving another of coach Cal's old pals. The still-developing Orton would be a nice guy for Calipari to latch onto. 18. Miami Eric Bledsoe, PG, Kentucky. If the Heat is serious about keeping Dwyane Wade and/or luring some difference-making free agents, it needs to demonstrate a willingness to get these guys the ball. That starts at the point. And it starts with a guy with a proven ability to complement a superstar. 19. Boston Avery Bradley, SG, Texas. The Celtics don't look so old anymore, do they? That said, it's time to envision a future without Ray Allen. That future would look a lot more promising with a multi-talented guy like Bradley. 20. San Antonio Stanley Robinson, SF, Connecticut. Postseason workouts have identified this collegiate mystery man as an NBA-level talent. But is that enough to overcome a troubled past? A professionally run team like San Antonio is in a position to take that risk. 21. Oklahoma City Dwayne Collins, PF, Miami. No team has drafted better than the Thunder in recent years. Then again, no team has had as many high picks. The world awaits what the league's fastest risers can do when 20 players already have been taken. Their secret: Avoid the temptation of drafting centers. 22. Portland Larry Sanders, PF/C, Virginia Commonwealth. The Trail Blazers really don't need another big man ... unless Greg Oden were to get hurt again. In other words, they're desperate for another big man. 23. Minnesota James Anderson, SG, Oklahoma State. Seven slots after they might have taken a shooting guard, the Timberwolves are happy to see that just one has gone in the interim. That makes the Whiteside reach a wise move. And makes landing Anderson here very lucky. 24. Atlanta Armon Johnson, PG, Nevada. One of the shrewdest acquisitions league-wide last summer was the Hawks' plucking of supersub Jamal Crawford from Golden State. The two-position guard's role could change with Joe Johnson perhaps taking the free agent train out of Atlanta, so bringing in another Crawford type would seem like an enlightened thing to do. 25. Memphis Solomon Alabi, C, Florida State. The earlier selection of Udoh masked the fact the Grizzlies need a do-over on last year's early selection of Hasheem Thabeet. They'll call Alabi a project, but in reality, he'll compete with Thabeet for minutes from the first minute he hits the floor. 26. Oklahoma City Art Parakhouski, C, Radford. Unlike the Grizzlies, the Thunder has been patient drafting its center of the future. This guy probably isn't him, either, but you never know with young big men. Say this about the Thunder: They've positioned themselves brilliantly to throw a couple of darts like this. 27. New Jersey Paul George, SF, Fresno State. Let's be realistic: The Nets aren't getting James. With Turner and George aboard, their free agent attention could turn to the best big man available -- and there will be a lot of them out there this summer. But would any want to play for the Nets? No doubt they're more attractive after these two picks than they were before. 28. Memphis Damion James, SF, Texas. In recent drafts, there has been a run on foreign players late in Round 1 as elite-level teams opt to allow fringe NBA prospects to blossom overseas rather than pay them guaranteed bucks to sit on American-made benches. But the Grizzlies, like many around them this year, don't have that luxury. They need talent and need it now. 29. Orlando Willie Warren, PG, Oklahoma. With few point guards having been taken so far, the Magic gets its choice of several good ones. Warren would have gone much higher a year ago. Now he's risky, but not so much to an employer that recently entrusted Rafer Alston. 30. Washington Lance Stephenson, SG, Cincinnati. Postseason workouts and testing have vaulted this relatively undistinguished collegian into the first round. You get the feeling that you'll see him higher in mock drafts as the big day approaches. His measurables are impressive.
2010 NBA Mock Draft You're Ted Leonsis. You've just purchased the Washington Wizards and your first dividend is the No. 1 pick in your first NBA draft. Do you worry about pairing point guard John Wall with point guard Gilbert Arenas? The answer is no, not only because Arenas is a scorer who can play alongside a true point guard, but also because he has missed 199 games over the past three years. Unless history stops repeating itself, you may never have to worry about the conflict. 1 PG John Wall Kentucky Fr. 6-4 195 Wall provides Washington with a chance to instantly reinvent itself around the most exciting player in the draft. He will change the face and style of the franchise, not only with his open-floor ability but also with his potential to be among the league's best defenders at his position. 2 SG Evan Turner Ohio State Jr. 6-7 210 Turner, Derrick Favors or DeMarcus Cousins? The Sixers need help everywhere. They'll go with Turner in hopes that he'll become their version of Brandon Roy, settling down their team and providing the leadership and playmaking that were lacking this season. 3 PF Derrick Favors Georgia Tech Fr. 6-10 246 The presence of Brook Lopez at center compels the choice of Favors, an active big man with the energy and range to help defend the paint. The blend of low-post skill from Lopez and the explosive athleticism of Favors -- together with their shared length -- should provide New Jersey with one of the league's most intimidating front lines. 4 C DeMarcus Cousins Kentucky Fr. 6-11 270 The presence of an enormously talented -- and simply enormous -- center will enable the Timberwolves to deal Al Jefferson. Cousins' size and athleticism will complement the perimeter shooting and passing of Kevin Love. 5 SF Al-Farouq Aminu Wake Forest Soph. 6-9 215 Sacramento could use an athletic wing and Aminu -- a frontcourt tweener -- will provide length and explosiveness. He's raw but the rebuilding Kings are in no real hurry, and in the meantime he'll rebound and defend. 6 PF Greg Monroe Georgetown Soph. 6-11 247 Other teams will view him as a complementary frontcourt playmaker, but Don Nelson will imagine the possibilities of playing through the best passing big man in college basketball. The highly skilled Monroe can create a shot for himself as well as for others. 7 C Hassan Whiteside Marshall Fr. 7-0 235 Is he the next Marcus Camby? The Pistons -- desperate for frontcourt athleticism -- will gamble on the explosive shot-blocking and open-court potential of Whiteside with an eye toward reinventing their old defense-first formula. 8 SF Wesley Johnson Syracuse Jr. 6-7 205 Johnson is a smart scorer who will provide length alongside fellow forward Blake Griffin. Whomever the Clippers hire as coach needs to start working with Johnson to make better use of his athleticism defensively than he showed at Syracuse. 9 PF Ekpe Udoh Baylor Jr. 6-10 240 Udoh has a high work rate (to borrow a line we'll hear often at the World Cup) and he's a decent passer with a mid-range jumper. He isn't especially explosive, but he'll fill in some of the size that's been lacking in Utah. 10 PF Ed Davis North Carolina Soph. 6-10 225 He regressed this season and he's still far from a finished product offensively, but Davis comes from a strong program and he has the skills to help in a lot of ways at both ends of the floor. Will he learn to create his own shot? If so, he could be a star someday. 11 C Cole Aldrich Kansas Jr. 6-11 245 A solid center who has some fight to his game, Aldrich has limited shooting range and he isn't a leaper. But he'll provide defense and frontcourt depth to a franchise in desperate need of size. 12 SF Stanley Robinson Connecticut Sr. 6-9 210 He can run with this team and has the potential to defend and rebound. The Grizzlies will welcome his athleticism -- whether or not they re-sign Rudy Gay. 13 PF Larry Sanders VCU Jr. 6-11 235 Don't view the athletic big man as a potential replacement for Chris Bosh; Sanders isn't of that class. But he can score in transition and could ultimately learn to complement Andrea Bargnani up front. 14 SG Xavier Henry Kansas Fr. 6-6 220 Henry will score as a rookie within the offense -- he isn't among the many do-it-yourself athletes. But he'll help defensively and he's not a bad passer -- traits the Rockets covet from role players. 15 SF Damion James Texas Sr. 6-7 225 An aggressive and versatile defender, he'll fit into the program Scott Skiles is building in Milwaukee. He rebounds and finishes strongly in traffic, and Brandon Jennings makes it possible for the Bucks to live with James' lack of passing skills. 16 C Daniel Orton Kentucky Fr. 6-10 255 Minnesota is taking the long-term view to rebuilding and Orton will need time. He has the size, hands and toughness to become a low-post center. 17 PF Patrick Patterson Kentucky Jr. 6-9 235 Patterson is a smart, skilled scorer with a post-up game, which has long been a need in Chicago. His strengths don't include defense and rebounding, but the Bulls have Joakim Noah to do those things. 18 PG/SG Eric Bledsoe Kentucky Fr. 6-1 190 A long-armed combo guard to come off the bench as a scorer and defender. He may never be a point guard, but the ball is usually in Dwyane Wade's hands anyway. 19 PG/SG Willie Warren Oklahoma Soph. 6-4 199 His stock dropped this year, but the Celtics will latch on to his ability to run pick-and-roll and create his own shot from the three-point line and in. Questions about his attitude are worth the risk of landing him this late in the draft. 20 SF Quincy Pondexter Washington Sr. 6-6 215 San Antonio is always looking for shooters and here's another one who can also handle the ball and attack the offensive glass. A decent defender who has upside as a college senior. 21 PF Gani Lawal Georgia Tech Jr. 6-9 234 It was easy to forget about Lawal as he was overshadowed by Favors this year, but the Thunder will appreciate his soft hands and potential to score in the post. Will he show the upside of their previous wise draft picks? 22 SF Luke Babbitt Nevada Soph. 6-9 225 He's a shooter with a competitive streak who rebounds and tries to defend. Babbitt can score off the dribble and supplements his three-point shooting with a mid-range game. 23 PF Donatas Motiejunas Benetton Treviso (Italy) -- 7-0 215 This skinny, skilled three-point shooter, 19, will have trouble defending either of the big positions, but at the other end he'll create matchup problems. He's a floor-spacing, face-up scorer who can pass and handle with both hands. 24 SG James Anderson Oklahoma St. Jr. 6-6 210 Anderson will score off screens and off the dribble -- and he'll convert his free throws (81 percent last season). All told, not bad for the late first round. 25 PF/C Kevin Seraphin Cholet (France) -- 6-10 258 He hasn't shown the potential of Serge Ibaka, but the 20-year-old Seraphin is another late comer to basketball with excellent size and athleticism and good hands. He's raw and his focus has been inconsistent, so patience will be mandatory. 26 SF Gordon Hayward Butler Soph. 6-9 207 The Butler star isn't overwhelming athletically, but he plays hard and he can shoot. Another complementary piece who will fit nicely with the OKC program. 27 SF Paul George Fresno State Soph. 6-8 210 He's a deep shooter who needs help creating his shot. George may turn into a second-unit game-changer with his ability to create steals and instant offense. 28 SG Elliot Williams Memphis Soph. 6-5 180 They'll keep the former Tiger at home in hopes of finding a third guard to fill in at either position. This lefty is not a reliable shooter yet, however. 29 SF Devin Ebanks West Virginia Soph. 6-9 215 Though he had a frustrating year, Ebanks is a fluid, complementary athlete who could help Orlando as a playmaker and occasional scorer. Count on Stan Van Gundy to help him become more aggressive. 30 PG/SG Dominique Jones South Florida Jr. 6-4 205 A combo guard with leadership skills, he could eventually come off the bench to fill in for Arenas or Wall. An inconsistent shooter who will need to drive the ball inside as a rookie.
The Orton pick would be someone Morey would select and doubt he'll select whiteside, henry, or babbit
Mike McGraw/The Sports Xchange: 1.(WAS) John Wall, PG, Kentucky 2.(PHI) Evan Turner, SG, Ohio State 3.(NJ) Derrick Favors, PF, Georgia Tech 4.(MIN) Wesley Johnson, SF, Syracuse 5.(SAC) DeMarcus Cousins, PF, Kentucky 6.(GS) Ed Davis, PF, North Carolina 7.(DET) Greg Monroe, C, Georgetown 8.(LAC) Al-Farouq Aminu, SF, Wake Forest 9.(UTAH) Cole Aldrich, C, Kansas 10.(IND) Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky 11.(NOH) Hassan Whiteside, C, Marshall 12.(MEM) James Anderson, SG, Oklahoma State 13.(TOR) Donatas Motiejunas, C, Benetton Treviso 14.(HOU) Xavier Henry, SG, Kansas 15.(MIL) Paul George, SF, Fresno State 16.(MIN) Larry Sanders, PF, VCU 17.(CHI) Lance Stephenson, SG, Cincinnati 18.(MIA) Ekpe Udoh, PF, Baylor 19.(BOS) Elliot Williams, SG, Memphis 20.(SAS) Solomon Alabi, C, Florida State 21.(OKC) Gordon Hayward, SF, Butler 22.(POR) Luke Babbitt, SF, Nevada 23.(MIN) Quincy Pondexter, SF, Washington 24.(ATL) Dominique Jones, SG, South Florida 25.(MEM) Damion James, SF, Texas 26.(OKC) Gani Lawal, PF, Georgia Tech 27.(NJ) Armon Johnson, PG, Nevada 28.(MEM) Kevin Seraphin, PF, France 29.(ORL) Eric Bledsoe, PG, Kentucky 30.(WAS) Willie Warren, SG, Oklahoma
I kind of like Henry. At least he knows how to articulate. <object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iB2SiNQua48&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iB2SiNQua48&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
Last Updated: 2010-06-04 15:48:49 http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2010/ First Round 1 WAS John Wall 2 PHI Evan Turner 3 NJ Derrick Favors 4 MIN DeMarcus Cousins 5 SAC Greg Monroe 6 GS Wesley Johnson 7 DET Al-Farouq Aminu 8 LAC Ekpe Udoh 9 UTA Cole Aldrich 10 IND Ed Davis 11 NO Patrick Patterson 12 MEM Paul George 13 TOR Xavier Henry 14 HOU Avery Bradley 15 MIL Gordon Hayward 16 MIN Hassan Whiteside 17 CHI Damion James 18 MIA Daniel Orton 19 BOS Larry Sanders 20 SA Luke Babbitt 21 OKC Solomon Alabi 22 POR Kevin Seraphin 23 MIN James Anderson 24 ATL Stanley Robinson 25 MEM Eric Bledsoe 26 OKC Elliot Williams 27 NJ Dominique Jones 28 MEM Willie Warren 29 ORL Quincy Pondexter 30 WAS Devin Ebanks Second Round 1 NJ Gani Lawal 2 OKC Jordan Crawford 3 SAC Miroslav Raduljica 4 GS Terrico White 5 WAS Armon Johnson 6 DET Mikhail Torrance 7 MIL Lance Stephenson 8 NY Darington Hobson 9 NY Craig Brackins 10 IND Jarvis Varnado 11 MIA Jerome Jordan 12 MIA Trevor Booker 13 LAL Paulao Prestes 14 POR Latavious Williams 15 MIN Samardo Samuels 16 PHO Alexey Shved 17 MIL Sherron Collins 18 MIA Artsiom Parakhouski 19 SA Charles Garcia 20 DAL Derrick Caracter 21 OKC Greivis Vasquez 22 BOS Lazar Hayward 23 ATL Dexter Pittman 24 LAC Jerome Randle 25 UTA Sylven Landesberg 26 MIN Robin Benzing 27 IND Nemanja Bjelica 28 LAL Pablo Aguilar 29 ORL Luke Harangody 30 PHO Brian Zoubek
Hmm, I wonder why they have us picking Bradley. I think he has more potential than Taylor...then again apparently Taylor has been working really hard over the summer. The only way I see us picking Bradley is as the 3rd PG on our roster. Unless Brooks or Lowry ends up leaving. But Bradley is obviously more suited to play SG. I don't know, this mock doesn't make much sense to me. I wouldn't mind picking Bradley though. Reports say he's a great shooter and can really defend.
draftexpress.com moved Paul George from mid to late 1st into the lottery. Also, they updated his profile while everyone else's stayed the same. I wonder if they see something special in him. http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Paul-George-5688/
Man, it would be interesting to know what discussions are going on between GM's. If there are some handshake deals and the GM's have an idea of whom they will be moving after the draft it would clear up some priorities. ie. If Battier is likely to be moved in a Sosh deal Paul George could be picked at #14. If Jefferies and Hill are in the discussion we could take Udoh. The possibilities are endless and we can't even start considering them until we see the little anomalies in who is selected. I'm still thinking about the Flynn and Rubio picks and have to think Rubio was taken for trade value and Flynn was taken to play in Minny.
You know this is the less excited I have been from any draft. As someone alluded previoulsy, I dont' think we are keeping the pick anyways. The other thing is that there aren't any glaring needs on the Rockets. Yao / Hayes Scola / Hill Ariza / Battier Martin / Budinger Brooks / Lowry I really also like that team!!!!!
