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| Prospect-Central: 2012 NBA Draft |
Written by: Prospect-Central
The 2012 NBA Draft should be one of the deepest drafts in quite sometime. NBA general managers believe there should be a number of potential franchise changing players littered throughout the lottery (first 14 picks). It is not yet determined how many of these future stars will leave college after the 2011-12 season, but it's safe to say there should be a decent amount that make the leap to the professional rankings. Whether these ten players become the NEXT big thing in the NBA or not, no one knows, but it should be very exciting to watch the future of these ballers unfold. * Player's are in NO specific order
Harrison Barnes is an athletic wing who is able to score the rock quite easily at the collegiate level. He uses his excellent strength and quickness to his advantage by posting up smaller defenders and blowing by bigger ones. He's also shown a very nice jumper, with the ability to catch fire rather quickly. Barnes displays good effort on the defensive side of the ball and at times can really cause havoc on his opponents. Moving forward in his career, Barnes will need to work on his ball handling skills, in particularly his left hand, in order to consistently create his own offense at the next level. By all indications, Harrison Barnes should be a solid NBA pro.
There is no player in college basketball that has the combination of size, strength and athleticism that Andre Drummond possesses. Because of these elite attributes, there is a consensus among NBA gm's that Drummond might have the most future potential of all the 2012 draft prospects. Drummond has a nice skill-set as well, showing a soft touch around the basket and some impressive court vision. On the defensive side of the ball, he's a dominating force, currently averaging over three blocks per game. Drummond needs work on his offensive aggression and foul shooting (33%), but he should still be one of the first players selected in any NBA draft.
One of the more intriguing prospects for the 2012 NBA draft, Perry Jones III has the size, skill level and versatility to dominate almost any opponent he faces in college basketball. He truly is the definition of a match-up nightmare. Uses his ball handling skills and quickness to beat larger defenders to the basket as well as his size and athleticism to dominate smaller ones. Perry Jones III missed the first five games of the season due to a suspension, but in his first two games back, he's averaging a solid 19.8 ppg. He needs to work on his overall consistency as well as rebounding, but there is no question he has the potential to be an excellent pro.
The most polished freshman in college basketball, Brad Beal is a smooth shooting guard with a high basketball IQ and a tremendous jump shot. Along with Beal's solid athleticism and skill-set, he has a great work ethic and is said to be very coachable. He's a high impact player that happens to be low maintenance, something not usually found in todays star athletes. Beal is also a good defender and excellent rebounder. His 6.9 rpg leads all guards in the nation. At 6'4'', he's slightly undersized for an NBA sg, but more than makes up for it with effort and hustle. If Brad Beal decides to declare for the 2012 NBA draft, he more than likely will be a lottery selection.
Of all the potential superstar prospects for the 2012 NBA draft, Jared Sullinger might be the biggest enigma for NBA general managers. While Sullinger is a dominating post presence in college, averaging a career double-double, he's predominately a below-the-rim player and lacks the elite athleticism usually needed to be an All-Star NBA power forward. He also may have back issues. With that being said, Jared Sullinger is a very intelligent basketball player and extremely hard worker. I will not be surprised at all, if he proves all doubters wrong and eventually becomes an excellent NBA baller.
When watching Anthony Davis play basketball it's easy to see why he's a consensus top 3 draft pick among NBA gm's. It was only a little more than two years ago when Davis was an unknown 6-foot 3-inch guard in Chicago, IL. Now, the 6-foot 10-inch power forward is the crown jewel of the #1 team in the nation, Kentucky Wildcats. Davis possesses excellent ball handling abilities and athleticism as well as tremendous length and mobility. The best part of Anthony Davis's game though has to be his shot blocking. He's currently averaging an outstanding 4.5 bpg. If Davis is able to add weight while keeping his mobility, he should become a terrific NBA player.
The expression, "cool as the other side of the pillow" fits the game of Jeremy Lamb perfectly. Lamb of course emerged last year while helping the Huskies win the 2011 NCAA championship. He's a silky smooth shooting guard who is more than capable of taking over a game offensively. His demeanor never changes and he plays with a calmness about him that is almost zen like. His incredible length (7' wingspan), excellent athleticism and overall high skill-set makes him one of the more intriguing prospects for the 2012 NBA draft. Lamb needs to continue to add strength and work on his overall game, but he definitely has a chance to be a very successful NBA player.
Possibly the most offensively skilled forward in the 2012 NBA draft, Quincy Miller can break the opposition down in a number of ways. Uses his excellent ball handling abilities and deceptive quickness to beat opponents off the dribble and create for himself or his teammates. Miller has tremendous length as well, which allows him to get his shot off against nearly any defender at the collegiate level. He does needs to bulk up however, as well as assert himself more on the defensive side of the ball. He's also coming of an ACL injury, which can be worrisome for NBA gm's, but he still might be too talented a baller to pass up come draft time.
Of all the elite players that came back to school for their sophomore year, Terrence Jones might be benefiting the most from the decision. Projected as a mid to late first round pick in 2011, Jones is now considered by many NBA gm's to be a lottery selection for the 2012 draft. He's more focused in his second year of college ball and his play shows it. He is much smarter, improving on his shot selection and cutting down on turnovers. Jones athleticism, size and strength along with his skill-set allows him to be a dominating force on both sides of the ball. He needs to continue to work on his perimeter game, but should still be drafted fairly early in 2012.
Of all the elite players that might be in the 2012 NBA draft, Thomas Robinson has to be the the one I am rooting for the most. Last year, in a span of only 1 month, Robinson's mother and both grandparents passed away, leaving him to raise his 9-year old sister by himself. You can see why he's my sentimental favorite. Robinson should be able to provide for his sibling soon enough. His tremendous strength and athleticism has helped him average a double-double this season and has cemented him as one of the top players in college basketball. He needs to work on his overall skill-set, but should still be a lottery selection in 2012.
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