With the NBA Draft just days away, here is a sneak peak at how the lottery portion of the first round could shake out.
1. Los Angeles Clippers select Blake Griffin (PF, Oklahoma)
There’s no suspense this year. The Clippers are absolutely drafting Griffin with the No. 1 overall pick.
The National Player of the Year is a double-double machine, as he averaged 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds per game during his sophomore season at OU.
Combine those numbers with Griffin’s tremendous athleticism, strength and work ethic on both ends of the floor, and he is by far the most NBA-ready player in this year’s draft.
2. Memphis Grizzlies select Hasheem Thabeet (C, Connecticut)
7-foot-2 players don’t just grow on trees.
Thabeet was far from a prolific scorer at UConn, but he earned the Co-Big East Player of the Year award this past season because of his ability to crash the boards (10.8 rebounds per game) and block shots (4.2 per game).
With O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay already providing the offense, Thabeet will handle the rebounding and interior defense that will give the Grizzlies a young trio to build around.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder selects James Harden (SG, ASU)
Despite a disappointing showing in the NCAA Tournament, Harden has impressed teams during workouts and has crept up to as high as No. 2 on many mock draft boards.
The Pac-10 Player of the Year was one of the best finishers in college basketball this past season (20.1 points per game), and his ability to do a little bit of everything and unselfish style will be the perfect complement to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
4. Sacramento Kings select Ricky Rubio (PG, Spain)
Rubio is about as hyped as any European player could possibly be, but evaluating and drafting overseas talent is usually a crapshoot (Darko Milicic, anyone?).
Rubio is a pure point guard and an exceptional passer, and because he’s only 18, the sky’s the limit as far as potential goes.
Sacramento needs help across the board, but if the hubbub surrounding Rubio is legit, he could quickly develop into the Kings’ ever-important floor general for years to come.
5. Washington Wizards select Jordan Hill (PF, Arizona)
Hill played his way into the lottery this past season, as he had a breakout year and averaged 18.3 points and 11 rebounds per game.
The Wizards could use a young presence down low, and Hill is a hard-nosed player that still has plenty of upside at power forward.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves select Stephen Curry (PG/SG, Davidson)
This is where things get a bit hairy.
This is such a guard-heavy draft, and any of them could be taken at a number of different positions.
Curry is undersized, but he can flat out shoot the ball, as he led the nation in scoring this past season (28.6 points per game).
And after trading away O.J. Mayo on draft day last year, Minnesota won’t miss out on the chance to snag, and keep, a scoring perimeter player this time around.
7. Golden State Warriors select Jonny Flynn (PG, Syracuse)
Tyreke Evans is probably the better pro prospect, but I love Flynn.
His stock rose dramatically during the postseason when he showed he’s as tough as nails in a six-overtime win against UConn in the Big East Tournament, and he is exceptionally quick and has an uncanny ability to finish at the rim.
Golden State needs a point guard, and unlike most of the Warriors’ roster, Flynn also takes pride in playing solid perimeter defense.
8. New York Knicks select Brandon Jennings (PG, Italy)
Coach Mike D’Antoni will also be looking for a point guard to be in charge of his “run and gun” offense in the Big Apple, as Chris Duhon and Nate Robinson don’t appear to be the answer.
While Curry would be the ideal fit in New York, if he and Flynn are both off the board, look for the Knicks to go with the former Arizona commit.
Jennings was considered the best high-school point guard prospect before deciding to play in Europe for a year, and his speed, ball handling and offensive style will certainly fit in D’Antoni’s system.
9. Toronto Raptors select DeMar DeRozan (SG, USC)
The Raptors need athleticism and versatility on the wing, and they would definitely get that in DeRozan.
DeRozan is explosive around the bucket and can also knock down the mid-range jumper. He had a very strong finish to his freshman season at USC (he averaged over 17 points per game in the Trojans’ final nine contests), and he still has tons of potential that could be reached at the next level.
10. Milwaukee Bucks select DeJuan Blair (PF/C, Pittsburgh)
This is probably a bit high for Blair, but Milwuakee is in need of a big, physical presence on the inside, especially if the Bucks are unable to match an offer for restricted free agent Charlie Villanueva.
Blair is an outstanding rebounder (12.3 per game this past season), and as long as he can keep his weight down, he has the motor to be a force in the paint in the NBA.
11. New Jersey Nets select Earl Clark (SF/PF, Louisville)
The Nets will likely go with the “best player available” strategy here, as they seem to be set with Devin Harris on the perimeter and Brook Lopez in the middle.
Clark, who averaged 14.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists during his junior season, would be a nice fit as a combo forward and could turn out to be Richard Jefferson’s official replacement.
12. Charlotte Bobcats select Tyreke Evans (SG, Memphis)
Charlotte needs offensive help, and the Bobcats will be licking their chops if Evans is still on the board at No. 12.
He averaged 17.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists while frequently running the point during his freshman season, but he’s better suited to play shooting guard in the NBA because it will give him more opportunities to score.
But it’s very possible that Evans will be long gone by the Bobcats’ pick, which means that someone like Flynn or Jennings could still be available.
13. Indiana Pacers select Gerald Henderson (SG, Duke)
The Pacers are looking for a shooting guard that can play both ends of the floor, and they will get that in Henderson.
Henderson is one of the more balanced swingmen in the draft, as he averaged 16.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game during his junior season. His offensive game really improved from year to year at Duke, and he’s a valuable asset on defense.
14. Phoenix Suns select Jrue Holiday (PG/SG, UCLA)
Holiday’s stock has been skyrocketing the last few weeks, with some mock drafts predicting him to go in the top five.
I don’t buy it.
Holiday had a decent first season at UCLA (8.5 points, 3.7 assists per game), but he was far from the freshman phenom that many expected him to be.
While I would rather see the Suns take Ty Lawson or Eric Maynor with this pick, it’s unlikely that they will let Holiday slip past them with all the hype he has been getting lately.
Reach the reporter at gina.mizell@asu.edu
