Rank |
Player |
Pos. |
Age |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Class |
School |
Prediction |
1.
|
Danillo Gallinari
|
SF
|
19
|
6-9
|
212
|
N/A
|
Italy
|
Lottery
|
| Strengths- The definition of an international point-forward. Excellent ball-handling skills and is a great passer. Great floor vision and anticipates where everyone will be on the floor. Great at cutting to the basket and moves well without the ball. One of the smartest players in the draft in terms of basketball IQ. Great mid-range shooter. Shoots well off the dribble and off of screens. Finishes well at the basket. Nice touch on close shots. | ||||||||
| Weaknesses- Not a very good athlete. He doesn't explode well when he jumps and he's slow in his movements. Lacks a quick first step that would make him deadly. Passes too much, even when he's the best scoring option. Questions of whether he wants to have the ball when it counts. Not a great three-point shooter. His lack of exceptional athleticism leads to poor defense. Not a great rebounder, despite his height. | ||||||||
| Pro Comparison- Toni Kukoc | ||||||||
| Pro Potential- He has the ability to be a great playmaker like Andrei Kirilenko only with a stronger mentality. Believe it when people call him the second-coming of Toni Kukoc. | ||||||||
| Likelihood to Succeed- He'll never be a good defender and probably won't be the type of player that can win you games. However, he'll rarely lose games for his teams and will be one of the most gifted all-around offensive small forwards in the NBA. | ||||||||
2.
|
Donte Greene
|
SF
|
20
|
6-10
|
225
|
Soph
|
Syracuse
|
Lottery to Mid 1st
|
| Strengths- Amazingly long and athletic swingman that flies through the air in an impressive fashion. Has a good mid-range jumper and skill set that allows him to beat his man off the dribble for ferocious dunks. Three-point shooting is improved and has some NBA range. Better shooter from the corners. Good ball-handler. Gets to the basket with ease. Really good rebounder with the potential to get better. Gifted shot-blocker. | ||||||||
| Weaknesses- Has a good build for this league but needs to get stronger without gaining a lot of weight. Doesn't really have a position right now due to a lack of great outside or inside skills. Doesn't really think his way into his next move. Often makes poor decisions. Forces passes that shouldn't go. Poor shot selection at times that are crucial. | ||||||||
| Pro Comparison- Josh Smith | ||||||||
| Pro Potential- He's one of those 5 by 5 category threats that fantasy lovers dream for. He can be a game-changing presence like Josh Smith but can easily get lost in the flow of the game and force too much. | ||||||||
| Likelihood to Succeed- He's going to be a very frustrating player. As long as his attitude is healthy, he will continue to work and turn into an All-Star threat. | ||||||||
3. |
Davon Jefferson |
SF |
21 |
6-8 |
215 |
Fresh |
USC |
Late 1st to Early 2nd |
| Strengths- Will impress you with his athletic ability. Explosive leaper that could win a couple of dunk contests. Great at attacking the offensive glass. Good off the dribble and a dangerous mid-range shooter. Smart player in moving without the ball. | ||||||||
| Weaknesses- Not a great dribbler in the open court. Does not have three-point range in the NBA. Basketball IQ is a question on defense. Not a reliable free-throw shooter. Doesn't pass well. Turnover prone. | ||||||||
| Pro Comparison- Richard Jefferson | ||||||||
| Pro Potential- He could be a pretty special player in this league. His athleticism alone can get him into a starting lineup. | ||||||||
| Likelihood to Succeed- I think that he's one of the best small forward prospects in this draft. He's a couple years away from being real good but with a good point guard, he could really shine. | ||||||||
4. |
Joe Alexander |
SF |
21 |
6-8 |
230 |
Junior |
West Virginia |
Mid to Late 1st |
| Strengths- Sleek and smooth forward that can play both forward positions. He can score from the low block and has a solid fadeaway jumper. Better at stepping out to the perimeter and taking his man off the dribble or pulling up for the jumper. Has great range and deadly consistency with his outside shooting. Able to finish with contact and can surprisingly dunk on people. Smart player and a great passer. | ||||||||
| Weaknesses- Not a very strong dribbler and can turn the ball over too quickly if he handles the ball in the open court. Little too weak to bang with big men in the NBA. Needs to improve his mid-range game a little bit. A little slow for a small forward and not very fast in the open court. Still raw offensively and his free throw shooting is surprisingly unreliable. | ||||||||
| Pro Comparison- Austin Croshere | ||||||||
| Pro Potential- He's not a star by any means and if he's starting for your team, you need a good point guard and a good shooting guard alongside him. But his ceiling could be as high as Peja Stojakovic. | ||||||||
| Likelihood to Succeed- I think he's a lock to be a deadly shooter in the NBA. But he doesn't do anything else well enough to really shine in this league. Still he's a guy that I want on my team and especially coming off my bench. | ||||||||
5. |
Nicolas Batum |
SF |
19 |
6-8 |
210 |
N/A |
France |
Mid to Late 1st |
| Strengths- Another uber-athletic swingman that has come out of France. Very long and glides easily to the hoop. Great defender that shuts guys down and ends up with a few steals every time out. Extremely quick from side to side and is the ideal "floater" in a half court trap. Decent range on his jumper. Very smart player than can successfully play the 2, 3, and 4. Added enough muscle at a young age to have a pro body. | ||||||||
| Weaknesses- Doesn't have a three-point shot at all. Jumper isn't consistent enough at this time. Needs a lot more experience against good competition. Isn't always a standout in games. Often gets forgotten on offense despite being a great slasher. Could be a much better dribbler. May have a turnover problem against quicker and defensive-minded opponents. | ||||||||
| Pro Comparison- Rudy Gay | ||||||||
| Pro Potential- If he develops an outside jumper that is reliable, he could be a Josh Howard type of guy. He's very graceful on the court and will find a way to fill up the stat sheet. | ||||||||
| Likelihood to Succeed- He definitely makes it. He's not even a guy that you have to stick in Europe to develop because he can defend well enough to get by on the court right now. | ||||||||
6. |
Bill Walker |
SF |
20 |
6-6 |
235 |
Fresh |
Kansas State |
Late 1st to Early 2nd |
| Strengths- Ridiculous athlete. Was compared to Vince Carter's athleticism before his ACL injury. Extremely tough to stop from getting to the rim because of his size and strength. Can and will dunk on anybody in the NBA. Very quick for someone his size. Nice vision on the court. Handles the ball well. Has NBA range with a good jumper. | ||||||||
| Weaknesses- The guy has serious knee problems. He's had 3 major knee injuries in his life. A little overweight and hasn't been able to shed it since his last injury. Turnover problems due to trying to do too much. Goes one-on-one too much instead of moving the ball. Too much of a ball-stopper. | ||||||||
| Pro Comparison- Ruben Patterson | ||||||||
| Pro Potential- He could end up being a really special and electrifying player in this league if his knees hold up. But he probably will suffer with that and have problems most of his career. | ||||||||
| Likelihood to Succeed- I think he'll be a valuable player but will end up being a defensive specialist with decent offensive ability. | ||||||||
7. |
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute |
SF |
21 |
6-7 |
215 |
Junior |
UCLA |
Early to mid 2nd |
| Strengths- Could be a special defender in this league. Good shot blocker and a solid pick pocket on the perimeter. Great energy guy that brings it on every play. Good athleticism and runs the court very well. Is a Prince in Cameroon, which is kind of cool. | ||||||||
| Weaknesses- One of the most confusing names in the draft. Very limited offensive game but it does have the potential to get better. Terrible shot selection outside of the paint. Inexperienced. Turnovers are a problem. | ||||||||
| Pro Comparison- Ron Artest | ||||||||
| Pro Potential- He could end up working hard and becoming a repeat offender on the All Defensive First or Second teams for years to come. | ||||||||
| Likelihood to Succeed- I like his chances of becoming a lockdown defender in this league. He's good enough in a couple of years to start alongside a really good wing player. | ||||||||
8. |
Josh Duncan |
SF |
22 |
6-8 |
225 |
Senior |
Xavier |
Mid to Late 2nd |
| Strengths- Josh Duncan is extremely active on both ends of the floor and usually finds himself in the middle of most scrums. Finishes well around the basket and has decent range on his jumper. Ability to get hit threes is sporadic. Good free throw shooter. | ||||||||
| Weaknesses- Not a terribly gifted rebounder but makes up for his poor fundamentals with hustle. Not a great defender and was unable to crack the rotation as a senior at Xavier. That has to throw up a red flag or two. | ||||||||
| Pro Comparison- Eduardo Najera | ||||||||
| Pro Potential- He could definitely make a team with great hustle and a tireless work ethic. He doesn't have many skills that are that sharp but could fill an Ira Newble type of role in the NBA for a team. | ||||||||
| Likelihood to Succeed- I think he'll get drafted but it isn't guaranteed that he makes a team. He'll be drafted late in the second round if at all so he'll have to make a roster that is filled with good players. Will need to improve many aspects of his game to have a career. | ||||||||
9. |
Keith Brumbaugh |
SF |
22 |
6-10 |
215 |
Junior |
Hillsborough CC |
Late 2nd to undrafted |
| Strengths- A smooth left-handed scorer that can do just about anything on the offensive end of the court. Exceptional athlete that uses his explosiveness to finish strong at the basket. Good feel for the game and knows how to make plays. Good rebounder. Above average defender. | ||||||||
| Weaknesses- His life. Has been arrested 6 times in the past couple of years. Kicked out of Oklahoma St because of shoplifting charge and poor ACT score. Extremely immature and will be 23 in July. | ||||||||
| Pro Comparison- Darius Miles | ||||||||
| Pro Potential- He could be one of the best offensive players in this league at the small forward position. He has that kind of potential. | ||||||||
| Likelihood to Succeed- He's failed almost everywhere in life. Why would he pull it together now? I see another Lenny Cooke story before us. | ||||||||
10. |
Pat Calathes |
SF |
22 |
6-10 |
210 |
Senior |
St. Joseph's |
Mid 2nd |
| Strengths- Amazing all around offensive skill set that reminds people of a big point guard. Good shooter with pro range. Great dribbling skills. Good passer with excellent court vision. Can play the point guard, shooting guard, and small forward positions. | ||||||||
| Weaknesses- Not a great athlete. Slow on defense from side to side. Not a great leaper. Weak frame that needs muscle to play effectively in the pros. Bad defender that you have to hide on the floor. | ||||||||
| Pro Comparison- Mike Dunleavy Jr. | ||||||||
| Pro Potential- He won't become Hedo Turkoglu but he has that type of talent on the offensive end of the floor. Expect a bench player version of Mike Dunleavy Jr. | ||||||||
| Likelihood to Succeed- He's a good shooter and someone that can handle the ball so he'll definitely make a team. But he may not be more successful than Steve Novak. | ||||||||
11. |
Gary Forbes |
SF |
23 |
6-7 |
220 |
Senior |
Massachusetts |
Late 2nd to undrafted |
| Strengths- Volume scorer that knows how to get to the basket. Solid playmaker in the half court and is a good rebounder for someone his height. Tough defender that isn't afraid to get physical. | ||||||||
| Weaknesses- Where do you play him? He's a tweener that is too slow for small forwards in the NBA but too small for NBA power forwards. He's a terrible shooter and completely unreliable from long range. Definitely a ball-stopper on offense. | ||||||||
| Pro Comparison- Boris Diaw | ||||||||
| Pro Potential- He has to become a smarter player but there is definitely a place for him in this league if he can learn to play both forward positions effectively. However, he won't be a key man in a good rotation. | ||||||||
| Likelihood to Succeed- I don't see him making this league. He looks like a D-Leaguer that would be better suited overseas. | ||||||||