2012 NBA Draft Board


Top 5 Prospects

1) Anthony Davis, Kentucky. Blessed with an incredible wingspan (over 7.5 feet) and a deep desire to always improve his skillset, Davis won the John R. Wooden Award and a National Championship as a freshman at Kentucky. Davis was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school, as were several of his freshman teammates at Kentucky, but Davis demonstrated leadership that exceeded all expectations and he showed that he was the best player in the country throughout the season. Davis was a force on the defensive end of the court, blocking over 4 shots per game and altering many more. He was also a viable offensive threat, especially as his low-post game developed over the course of the 2011-12 season. As an NBA prospect, Davis has the potential to be a Kevin Garnett-like player, assuming he can continue to develop his outside shooting game and refine his back-to-the-basket skills. At the very least, Davis will be a defensive menace on the court and a quality rebounder. No player in this draft class appears to have as much talent, potential, or ability to influence a game on both sides of the court as does Davis. His projected per game averages during the peak of his career: 22 points, 12 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals.

2) Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky. Front offices of NBA franchises crave players who have a motor and a knack for making plays on the defensive end. Kidd-Gilchrist fits that description better than any player in this draft class not named Anthony Davis. Coming out of St. Patrick's High School, NJ, Kidd-Gilchrist was viewed as a Top 5 player in the 2011 recruiting class, according to most recruiting publications. Consequently, Kidd-Gilchrist was expected to make an impact as a freshman at Kentucky. He did not disappoint. Kidd-Gilchrist helped Kentucky win a National Championship and was named a 3rd Team All-American. Throughout the season he showed his ability to be a "shutdown defender," cover passing lanes like a guard while possessing the size of prototypical NBA small forward, and make an impact on "fast breaks." He also guarded the opposing team's best offensive player, a responsibility that has become second nature to him. As an NBA Draft prospect, Kidd-Gilchrist has elite athleticism, great size, and excellent lateral quickness. His offensive repertoire is still a work-in-progress and he will need to develop an outside shooting game if he wants to be a "franchise cornerstone" player. Kidd-Gilchrist's projected per game averages during the peak of his career: 14 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block.

3) Bradley Beal, Florida. If you can shoot, you will play in the NBA. Bradley Beal can shoot and he can score lots of points. As a freshman at Florida, Beal helped lead the Gators to an Elite 8 appearance in the NCAA Tournament and was named to the All-SEC 1st Team. Beal has good size for an NBA 2-guard (6-5, 207 lbs.), an NBA-ready shooting stroke, and a superior ability to shoot the basketball coming off of screens. His skillset includes more than just offensive talents; he also makes an impact on the defensive end. In his one season at Florida, Beal averaged 6.7 rebounds per game, 1.4 steals per game and nearly 1.0 block per game. If Beal achieves his potential, he can be a Ray Allen-like player and make a huge impact on an NBA roster. Beal's projected per game averages during the peak of his career: 20 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.

4) Harrison Barnes, North Carolina. The first freshman to be named to the AP Preseason All-American team, Barnes was expected to make a big splash during his time at North Carolina. Although he did not dominate games on the offensive end, Barnes' presence on the court was felt throughout his two seasons in Chapel Hill, NC. He helped lead the Tarheels to a pair of Elite 8 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, he was named to the All-ACC 1st Team as a sophomore, and he was awarded the ACC Freshman of the Year as a freshman. Barnes can shoot the ball from the inside and outside, he rebounds, and he plays hard from the opening tip until the end of the game. His ability to shoot off-the-dribble is still improving, and his confidence late in games is still developing. Nonetheless, Barnes figures to be a quality NBA player capable of earning a handful of All-Star Game appearances. His projected per game averages during the peak of his career: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.5 steals.

5) Thomas Robinson, Kansas. No player in this draft class possesses the emotional maturity that Thomas Robinson was forced to cultivate during his time at Kansas. Within three weeks, Robinson lost his grandmother, grandfather, and mother. The emotional trauma he faced from those losses must have been wrenching. Robinson played through those trials, however, and went on to lead Kansas to an appearance in the National Championship Game against Kentucky. Kansas lost to the Wildcats, 67-59, but Robinson showed that he was a big-time player throughout the NCAA Tournament and appeared poised for an opportunity to be selected in the lottery of the NBA Draft. As an NBA Draft prospect, Robinson possesses great rebounding ability, an NBA-ready body, brute strength, and an excellent motor on the court. To become an All-Star level player, Robinson will need to improve his spot-up shooting ability and one-on-one scoring skills. Robinson's projected per game averages during the peak of his career: 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.
Draft Board

Below are NBA Franchise's rankings for the 2012 NBA Draft (originally published June 27, 2012):

RankNameCollegePos.Yr.Ht.Wt.PPGRPGAPGSPG/BPG*Selection
1Anthony DavisKentuckyPFFr.6-1022514.210.41.31.4/4.7*#1 - New Orleans
2Michael Kidd-GilchristKentuckySFFr.6-723211.97.41.91.0/0.9*#2 - Charlotte
3Bradley BealFloridaSGFr.6-520714.86.72.21.4/0.8*#3 - Washington
4Harrison BarnesNorth CarolinaSFSo.6-821517.15.21.11.1#7 - Golden State
5Thomas RobinsonKansasPFJr.6-1023717.711.91.81.1/0.9*#5 - Sacramento
6Andre DrummondConnecticutCFr.6-1127510.07.60.40.8/2.7*#9 - Detroit
7Damian LillardWeber StatePGSr.6-319524.55.04.01.5#6 - Portland
8Terrence RossWashingtonSGSo.6-619016.46.41.41.3/0.9*#8 - Toronto
9Dion WaitersSyracuseSGSo.6-421512.62.32.51.8#4 - Cleveland
10Perry Jones IIIBaylorPFSo.6-1123513.57.61.30.8#28 - OKC
11John HensonNorth CarolinaPFJr.6-1122013.79.91.32.9*#14 - Milwaukee
12Terrence JonesKentuckySFSo.6-824412.37.21.31.3/1.8*#18 - Houston
13Meyers LeonardIllinoisCSo.7-024013.68.21.31.9*#11 - Portland
14Kendall MarshallNorth CarolinaPGSo.6-41958.12.69.81.2#13 - Phoenix
15Austin RiversDukePGFr.6-419915.53.42.11.0#10 - New Orleans
16Mo HarklessSt. John'sSFFr.6-920815.58.61.51.6/1.4*#15 - Philadelphia
17Jeremy LambConnecticutSGSo.6-518017.74.91.71.2/0.6*#12 - Houston
18Tyler ZellerNorth CarolinaCSr.7-025016.39.60.90.9/1.5*#17 - Cleveland
19Royce WhiteIowa StatePFSo.6-827013.49.35.01.2/0.9*#16 - Houston
20Tony Wroten, Jr.WashingtonPGFr.6-520516.05.03.71.9#25 - Memphis
RankNameCollegePos.Yr.Ht.Wt.PPGRPGAPGSPG/BPG*Selection
21Jae CrowderMarquetteSFSr.6-622517.58.42.12.5/1.0*#34 - Dallas
22Festus EzeliVanderbiltCSr.6-1125510.15.90.32.0*#30 - Golden State
23Draymond GreenMichigan StateSFSr.6-723016.210.63.81.5/0.9*#35 - Golden State
24Fab MeloSyracuseCSo.7-02707.85.80.72.9*#22 - Boston
25Jeff TaylorVanderbiltSFSr.6-722516.15.61.71.3#31 - Charlotte
26Arnett MoultrieMississippi StateCJr.6-1124916.410.51.20.8/0.8*#27 - Philadelphia
27Marquis TeagueKentuckyPGFr.6-218910.02.54.80.9#29 - Chicago
28Will BartonMemphisSGJr.6-617518.08.02.91.4#40 - Portland
29Quincy AcyBaylorSFSr.6-722412.07.41.00.9/1.8*#37 - Toronto
30Quincy MillerBaylorSFFr.6-1021010.64.91.40.7#38 - Denver
31Evan FournierFranceSGInt'l6-720614.03.22.21.5#20 - Denver
32John JenkinsVanderbiltSGJr.6-422019.92.91.20.8#23 - Atlanta
33Doron LambKentuckySGSo.6-421013.72.71.50.5#42 - Milwaukee
34Orlando JohnsonUC-Santa BarbaraSFSr.6-520519.75.82.91.1/0.7*#36 - Indiana
35Kevin JonesWest VirginiaPFSr.6-825019.910.91.20.7/1.0*Undrafted
36Drew GordonNew MexicoPFSr.6-924513.711.11.21.1/1.0*Undrafted
37Andrew NicholsonSt. BonaventurePFSr.6-924018.58.41.00.7/2.0*#19 - Orlando
38Bernard JamesFlorida StateCSr.6-1024010.88.00.50.7/2.3*#33 - Dallas
39Jared CunninghamOregon StateSGJr.6-419417.93.82.82.5#24 - Dallas
40David JelinekCzech RepublicSGInt'l6-51907.61.20.80.3Undrafted
RankNameCollegePos.Yr.Ht.Wt.PPGRPGAPGSPG/BPG*Selection
41J'Covan BrownTexasPGJr.6-118520.13.03.81.2Undrafted
42Tu HollowayXavierPGSr.6-018017.53.64.91.5Undrafted
43Hollis ThompsonGeorgetownSFJr.6-821212.85.51.50.7Undrafted
44Alex Young IUPUISGSr.6-621220.45.92.21.6/1.0*Undrafted
45Scott MachadoIonaPGSr.6-118013.64.99.91.6Undrafted
46William BufordOhio StateSGSr.6-622014.55.02.70.8Undrafted
47Darius Johnson-OdomMarquetteSGSr.6-221518.33.52.70.9#55 - L.A. Lakers
48Yancy GatesCincinnatiPFSr.6-928712.28.90.70.9*Undrafted
49Darius MillerKentuckySFSr.6-82259.92.82.10.8#46 - New Orleans
50JaMychal GreenAlabamaSFSr.6-822814.07.41.80.7/1.5*Undrafted
51Kris JosephSyracuseSFSr.6-721013.44.71.51.4#51 - Boston
52Kim EnglishMissouriSGSr.6-419014.54.21.61.3#44 - Detroit
53Ognjen KuzmicBosniaCInt'l7-1231DNPDNPDNPDNP#52 - Golden State
54Kevin MurphyTennessee TechSGSr.6-619520.65.22.00.8#47 - Utah
55Khris MiddletonTexas A&MSFSr.6-721513.25.02.31.0#39 - Detroit
56Miles PlumleeDukePFSr.6-102456.67.10.50.9*#26 - Indiana
57Ricardo RatliffeMissouriPFFr.6-724413.97.50.61.0*Undrafted
58Ashton GibbsPittsburghPGSr.6-119014.62.32.10.5Undrafted
59Robert SacreGonzagaCSr.7-024711.66.30.71.4*#60 - L.A. Lakers
60Rakim SandersFairfieldSGSr.6-422816.68.22.51.4Undrafted
RankNameCollegePos.Yr.Ht.Wt.PPGRPGAPGSPG/BPG*Selection
61Xavier GibsonFlorida StatePFSr.6-102656.84.30.41.3*Undrafted
62Marcus DenmonMissouriSGJr.6-318517.75.02.11.5#59 - San Antonio
63Mike ScottVirginiaPFSr.6-824018.08.31.20.7#43 - Atlanta
64Henry SimsGeorgetownPFSr.6-1025011.66.03.51.4*Undrafted
65Tyshawn TaylorKansasPGSr.6-318516.62.34.81.3#41 - Brooklyn
66Jordan TaylorWisconsinPGSr.6-119514.83.84.11.0Undrafted
67Eric GriffinCampbellSFSr.6-819015.78.61.50.9/2.4*Undrafted
68Kyle O'QuinnNorfolk StateCSr.6-1024015.910.31.40.7/2.7*#49 - Orlando
69Renardo SidneyMississippi StateCJr.6-102859.75.20.60.8/0.7*Undrafted
70Chace StanbackUNLVSFSr.6-720812.54.41.31.4Undrafted
Prospectus
Most Potential:Anthony Davis, Kentucky, PF
The "Sure Thing":Anthony Davis, Kentucky, PF
Most NBA Ready:Damian Lillard, Weber State, PG
Overrated:Austin Rivers, Duke, PG
Underrated:Jae Crowder, Marquette, SF
Sleeper:Will Barton, Memphis, SG
Most Intriguing:Andre Drummond, Connecticut, C
Overall Draft Quality (1-10 Scale):8.0
Overall Draft Depth (1-10 Scale):7.5

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