#5- Sacramento Kings:
Harrison Barnes, SF North Carolina
After a high school career filled with success, Harrison
Barnes’ failed to fulfill expectations during his two seasons at the University
of North Carolina. A pre-season All-American his freshmen year, Barnes never
achieved the lofty standards expected of him by the press and himself (he would
go on to only average 15 points his first year at UNC). During his sophomore season as a Tar Heel,
Barnes faired better, gaining much needed confidence and displayed flashes of
the jaw-dropping ability that had recruiters drooling when he was coming out of
high school. However, Barnes never lived
up to the high expectations during his college career, at times seemingly more concerned
with building his “brand” than winning basketball games.
By this point in time, it is pretty obvious what attributes Harrison
Barnes brings to the table as a basketball player. He has a terrific basketball
IQ, plays lockdown defense, and possesses a smooth scoring touch. But by NBA
standards, he is not particularly quick or strong, and struggles to create
offense for himself.
The bottom line with Harrison Barnes is that you get what
you get. He won’t be the next Lebron James, but there is a high chance he’ll
succeed as a professional basketball player. His strong character and great
midrange game would be welcome additions to the Kings roster.
#4- Cleveland
Cavaliers: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF Kentucky
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist simply loves to play the game of basketball;
his greatest strength on the court is his limitless supply of energy. He gives 100% night in and night out, a rare
trait for such a young and talented player.
An elite athlete, Kidd-Gilchrist shines brightest on the defensive end
of the court as a physical defender and a superb rebounder. Don’t sleep on his offensive game, either.
While not flashy or as consistent as his defense, Kidd-Gilchrist knows how to
attack the rim and score.
At first, spending the year at Kentucky in fellow freshmen
Anthony Davis’ shadow did not do any favors for Kidd-Gilchrist’s basketball
celebrity, but once the Wildcats got more national exposure during their
championship March Madness run, it became apparent that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
was a special basketball player. Now analysts are saying he will be the steal
of the draft if he is selected at #4 by the Cavaliers.
Cleveland should be ecstatic to get Kidd-Gilchrist at fourth
overall; he would fit right into their post-Lebron rebuilding plan (after all,
they need to win a championship before Lebron does- oh wait… forget about that).
MKG would be a great complement to Kyrie Irving and would instantly form one of
the best 1-2 “crazy hustle tandems” in the league when paired up with fellow
energizer bunny Anderson Varejao.
#3- Washington
Wizards: Bradley Beal, SG Florida
SG Bradley Beal is often compared to Ray Allen, and that
comparison alone should make the Wizards (and any other team, for that matter)
ecstatic to add Beal to their roster. His skill set is incredibly desirable for
any team trying to contend for championship. NBA teams are always looking for a
smart, clutch player with deep range; it’s why players like Caron Butler or
Rashard Lewis get grossly overpaid and it’s why Ray Allen will have a spot on
an NBA roster until he has to play in a wheelchair. Simply put, Bradley Beal is
the type of player a winning team has on its roster. Now, the recent trades the
Wizards have made are not moves winning teams make (could some one please
explain to me how the Wizards, after the Nene/Okafor and Ariza trades, will
have enough cap space to buy new shoes, let alone make improvements to their
roster?), but drafting Beal would certainly be a step in the right direction. (Another
step in the right direction? Changing your franchise’s name to something other
than “Wizards”. Harry Potter never
intimidated anybody on the basketball court. But if you ask Jay Bilas, Potter
did have “great wingspan, just superb length”).
#2- Charlotte
Bobcats: Thomas Robinson, PF Kansas
In his first season as a starter at Kansas, Thomas Robinson preformed
much better anybody had anticipated. Sure,
the public knew that the 6’9” PF was a good player, but he had only averaged 14
minutes a game the previous season (stuck behind the Morris twins on the Jayhawk
depth chart) and had never played a prominent role at Kansas. Last season, Robinson
took full advantage of his first real chance to prove himself. Showing the
nation what kind of player he really is, Robinson averaged 17.7 PPG and 11.9
REB.
Robinson’s great season proved to scouts that he is one of
the most consistent players in this year’s draft class. Long, athletic, strong,
tough and physical, Robinson has nearly every desirable aspect of an NBA
player. An explosive jumper with elite rebounding skills, Robinson is simply a solid
basketball player, something the Bobcats severely lack (losing the draft
lottery could be a fatal blow to professional basketball in Charlotte). Right
now, the Bobcats are not in a position to select a high risk, high reward
player. They need somebody to come in from day one and make them a better
basketball team. That player is Thomas
Robinson.
#1- New Orleans
Hornets: Anthony Davis, PF/C Kentucky
Anthony Davis is the lone “can’t miss” prospect in this
year’s draft. In his first and only season as a college basketball player,
Davis established himself as an incredible defensive force by registering an
astonishing 4.7 blocks per game and
grabbing 10.4 REB as well. He was no offensive slouch, either, scoring 14.2 PPG
and posting a .623 FG%. Not only did Davis’
brilliant play earn him a National Championship at Kentucky and the status of
consensus #1 NBA prospect, but it also earned him a spot on Team USA’s
preliminary roster for the London Olympics (despite having played a grand total
of zero NBA games).
Do I think Anthony Davis should make America’s Olympic
team? Absolutely. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if
Davis managed to take away minutes from starting center Tyson Chandler (Dwight
Howard will be injured for the Olympics). Davis is truly that good. As soon as
he is in the NBA, he’ll be a top 3 power forward, and is already a much more
complete player than all-star Blake Griffin. One of the most exciting subplots
of the NBA season in the next decade will be the battle for the blocks title
between Davis and Serge Ibaka. A double-double machine, Davis will be an all-star
for years to come, undoubtedly winning multiple Defensive Player of the Year
awards in his career.
And I haven’t even mentioned his unibrow yet.
Scott Partington is a contributor at DailyShootout.com. For more
articles by Scott, check out his sports and pop culture blog at http://lifeandtimesofscott.wordpress.com. Follow him
on twitter @LATOS14.
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