NBA Tickets – Draft Prospect Watch
The Wizards have won the lottery and are likely to select Kentucky point guard John Wall. Everyone seems to like Wall and he’s sure to sell a lot of NBA tickets. I like Wall’s potential a lot as well, but here are some players that I’m probably higher than on than most people:
Wesley Johnson, Small Forward, Syracuse: If you’re thinking that he’s going to be a takeover player you’re sorely mistaken, but I love what he brings to the court. He’s a high energy player with the potential to be an elite perimeter defender. He shoots the ball well and runs the floor like a gazelle; he’d be deadly in an up-tempo offense. I think Johnson could develop into a fantastic third offensive option, perhaps even a solid second, for a good team while being its best perimeter defender.
Greg Monroe, Power Forward, Georgetown: Monroe is one of the more skilled bigs I’ve seen in a while. He shoots the ball and passes it extremely well for a player of his size. He’s got a great basketball IQ and I think his numbers were a bit limited by the Hoyas’ offense. If he finds the right system, he could be a very good player for a long time. He does need to get tougher on the boards and bang down low a bit more.
Ed Davis, Power Forward, North Carolina: Davis was a top five prospect going into this past collegiate season but the lack of guard play at UNC and a mid-season injury hurt his stock. I still think he could be a top-level prospect. He’s already a very good rebounder and interior defender; he just needs to refine his offensive game. Not many 20-year-olds have much of a post game, so we need to give him time. I think he could be a major steal if he falls out of the Top 10.
Avery Bradley, Point Guard, Texas: If you’re looking for him to be a pure point guard then you’re going to be disappointed, but Russell Westbrook isn’t really a pure point guard either. The things I like about Bradley are that he’s already a fantastic defender and he can hit outside shots. I think he was stifled a bit by Rick Barnes’ system and game plans at Texas. I see him as a starter in the pros.
Gordon Hayward, Small Forward, Butler: People know his name thanks to Butler’s storybook NCAA Tournament run, but I expect him to climb boards more and more as we approach the draft. He’s going to measure better and test better athletically than one would assume, which will help his stock, and the fact that he doesn’t have any holes in his game will only bolster it further. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him work his way into the Top 10.
Paul George, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Fresno State: George has an incredible amount of offensive upside for a player that could easily slip out of the lottery and perhaps even into the 20s. He’s a really good outside shooter, possesses good size for either the two or three position and could develop into a takeover offensive machine. He’s not ready yet, but his potential is definitely worth looking toward the end of the lottery, in my opinion.
Eric Bledsoe, Point Guard, Kentucky: I am a big Bledsoe fan. He was overshadowed by John Wall at UK, but he’s the real deal. He’s already got an NBA body and he can hit from distance. He still needs to learn how to run a team, but I think he’s got the tools to do so.
Craig Brackins, Power Forward, Iowa State: I was really high on him last year, soured on him early in the 2009-10 season and now I’m back on board again. His ability to hit the three at his size could result in him developing into a poor man’s Rashard Lewis, which would be pretty solid for where he’s likely to be drafted. Brackins is also a much better athlete than most people realize.
Devin Ebanks, Small Forward, West Virginia: Ebanks might not go in the first round, but I think he’s a first-round talent. He needs to add weight and work hard on his offensive game, but I think he’s got the defensive chops to make it in the league on that end of the court alone.