The NCAA tournament is now down to its Final Four and the NBA Draft stock of players is starting to solidify. With just five first-rounders left in the tournament, the ability for players to go up or down on the board will soon stop until the lottery order is decided and workouts begin. There has however, been some significant changes from our last edition, including a new No. 1.
Keep checking back for continued coverage of the 2013 NBA Draft!
1. Charlotte Bobcats – Nerlens Noel, PF/C
6’11”, 216lbs, Kentucky, Freshman
You know it’s a strange NBA draft when a player recovering from a torn ACL injury has his stock go up. After a disappointing tournament from the other top draft prospects, Noel has likely regained his position as the top prospect and is unlikely to move from that position.
Noel showed enough in his single season in Kentucky prior to his injury to show that he will be an impact defensive player, an elite shot blocker and an athletic finisher around the rim. The question will be how he recovers from his injury and his ability to stay healthy, but his mix of size, potential and athletic ability makes him worth the risk in this draft.
2. Orlando Magic – Marcus Smart, PG
6’4”, 200lbs, Oklahoma State, Freshman
The impressive performances of the Orlando Magic’s new young players have surprised many. In what was expected to be a long road to rebuilding in Orlando, the likes of Nikola Vucevic, Tobias Harris, Andrew Nicholson and Co. seem to have the team on the fast track back to relevance.
With veteran point guard Jameer Nelson still running the offense, the Magic’s biggest area of need right now is adding a young lead guard to grow with the rest of their young team. A number of teams would take Ben McLemore with the No. 2 pick, but Smart is unquestionably a top five talent and fits the Magic’s long-term plans perfectly.
3. Phoenix Suns – Ben McLemore, SG
6’4”, 195lbs, Kansas, Freshman
Ben McLemore had mixed results in the NCAA tournament and perhaps missed an opportunity to move to the top of the NBA draft. The No.1-seeded Jayhawks were sent home by the outstanding clutch shooting of Trey Burke and Michigan in the Sweet 16 in what was the last in a disappointing run of games for McLemore. He had a much-improved performance with 20 points after struggling in his previous games, but it was not enough to avoid elimination.
The Suns would be extremely happy to land McLemore with a third selection as he could wind up being the best scorer, or potentially player in the draft. Playing in Phoenix’s high-paced offense alongside point guard Goran Dragic would give McLemore open space to get his shots, run the fast break and potentially put up impressive rookie numbers.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers – Shabazz Muhammad, SF
6’6”, 223lbs, UCLA, Freshman
Disappointing tournament performance aside, Shabazz Muhammad has long been one of the most intruiging and talented prospects in this draft class. The Cavaliers are in need of a star to build around and Muhammad offers perhaps the highest potential of becoming an All-Star and leading scorer of anyone else on the board.
The Cavaliers already boast an impressive core of young talent. Adding the potential of Muhammad to Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and a number of skilled frontcourt players could see the Cavaliers field the most impressive young core in the NBA.
5. Detroit Pistons – Otto Porter, SF
6’8”, 200lbs, Georgetown, Sophomore
Otto Porter did not have much of a chance to impress in the NCAA tournament, but he had already established himself as a sure-fire top 10 pick and could not be a better fit for the Detroit Pistons as currently constructed. With a young, talented frontcourt set and the continued development of point guard Brandon Knight, Porter would complete an extremely talented young starting five that could lead the team back towards the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Porter has great size for an NBA small forward and a versatile game that should complement those around him. His ability to defend, finish and improved shooting stroke would be an ideal fit in Detroit.
6. New Orleans Hornets – Trey Burke, PG
6’0”, 190lbs, Michigan, Sophomore
One of the biggest stories in the NCAA tournament thus far, Trey Burke and the Michigan Wolverines have been outstanding on their way to the Final Four. After two easy victories early one, Michigan faced a huge test with No.1-seeded Kansas in the Sweet 16. After trailing for much of the game, Burke led Michigan back from the brink of defeat and nailed shot after shot down the stretch to extend the game to overtime. His hot shooting continued and he finished with 23 points and 10 assists in the victory.
He followed up his clutch performance against Kansas with another great game against Florida in the Elite Eight. Burke went for 15 points, but showed his value all over the court with eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Burke has proven his talent, his leadership abilities and will get another chance to impress in the Final Four against Syracuse. Justifying his previous shot up the rankings, Burke has locked himself as a top 10 selection and the Hornets would love to have a leader at point guard like Burke to develop with big man Anthony Davis.
7. Sacramento Kings – Victor Oladipo, SG
6’5”, 210lbs, Indiana, Junior
Despite the No.1 seeded-Indiana falling to Syracuse in the Sweet 16, Oladipo did himself no harm with a solid 16-point performance, shooting 5-for-6 from the field, pulling in three rebounds, three steals and again displaying the defensive prowess that will be his calling card in the NBA.
The Kings are in desperate need of a change of culture and Oladipo’s defensive mindset could be one of a number of positive moves needed to turn the franchise around. Already with young players on the roster capable of scoring, especially big man DeMarcus Cousins, having a versatile wing defender to set the tone for the team would prove extremely beneficial.
8. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Toronto) – Alex Len, C
7’1”, 255lbs, Maryland, Sophomore
The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to be one of the most dominant teams in the Western Conference and will have the opportunity to add even more young talent to their roster with the Raptors’ lottery pick. The Thunder need to manage their cap situation carefully over the next few seasons and one major change may be trying to find a cheaper, younger replacement for starting center Kendrick Perkins.
Alex Len has great size and raw talent that he showed in flashes during his freshman season. The 7’1” Len would be given the opportunity to develop on a championship team with a long-term view of becoming the team’s starting center. He has ideal length, size and is athletic enough to become a great defender at the NBA level, if he can continue to work on his positional play and further develop his offensive repertoire he could become an extremely serviceable starting center.
9. Washington Wizards – Anthony Bennett, SF/PF
6’7”, 239lbs, UNLV, Freshman
The Washington Wizards are having an impressive end to the season with a healthy John Wall leading the team to a better than .500 record since his return. With a young backcourt set for the foreseeable future, the focus will turn to finding a big man to take over from the incumbent veterans.
Anthony Bennett has displayed the potential to be a star in the NBA. An athletic, physically imposing forward, albeit slightly undersized for the power forward position, Bennett has a versatile offensive game that would benefit from the speed and passing ability of Wall. The Wizards would love to have an athletic forward who could consistently finish above the rim on lobs while also providing the spacing needed to allow the Wizards’ guards to drive into the paint.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves – Cody Zeller, PF/C
7’0”, 240lbs, Indiana, Sophomore
Cody Zeller’s performance in the Sweet 16 could not have been any worse for his draft stock, seemingly displaying all of the existing concerns that scouts have had about him throughout his NCAA career. In the loss to Syracuse, Zeller managed to put up 10 rebounds but scored just 10 points on 3-11 shooting, often struggling with the interior size of the Syracuse zone and got blocked on multiple occasions.
Despite the concerns, Zeller has still proven to be one of the most consistently productive big men in college basketball and with uncertainty around Nikola Pekovic due to his restricted free-agent status, the Timberwolves could add an additional productive player to their frontcourt. The Timberwolves would love to add a go-to scoring wing player but there is no one worth taking a flyer on with a top 10 selection and Zeller would seemingly be the best player available.
11. Philadelphia 76ers – Glenn Robinson III, SF
6’6”, 210lbs, Michigan, Freshman
Glenn Robinson III and the rest of the Michigan Wolverines have seen their stock continue to rise on the back of an impressive run to the Final Four. Robinson was solid in the Sweet 16 upset over the No.1 seed Kansas with 13 points and eight rebounds to go along with stifling defense on the Jayhawks’ backcourt. He was much quieter against Florida with just six points to go along with two rebounds and blocks, but again was instrumental on defense and is proving he could be an elite defensive wing in the NBA.
Often switching on to opposing teams’ point guards to pressure the ball, Robinson III’s versatility on the defensive end as well as his improving offensive ability gives him an extremely high ceiling and would offer the 76ers a wing player with star potential to grow alongside All-Star Jrue Holiday and potentially Andrew Bynum.
12. Portland Trail Blazers – Steven Adams, C
7’0”, 250lbs, Pittsburgh, Freshman
In what was considered a surprise, Pittsburgh freshman Steven Adams has declared for the 2013 NBA draft and instantly becomes one of the most intruiging prospects in the entire draft. The 7’0” Adams had an inconsistent freshman season in the NCAA, but has all the physical tools to become successful in the NBA.
Still extremely raw, Adams has displayed immense natural talent, but needs to continue developing his understanding of the game. He shows the potential to become a true defensive anchor and has all the physical tools to become successful. The Trail Blazers need to find a long-term fit at the center position to go along with their existing young stars. Between Adams and rookie Meyers Leonard, the Blazers would be in the ideal situation to develop two young big men and find their starting center of the future.
13. Dallas Mavericks – Michael Carter-Williams, PG
6’6”, 185lbs, Syracuse, Sophomore
Michael Carter-Williams has perhaps seen his draft stock rise more than any other player in the NCAA tournament with an impressive string of performances leading Syracuse through to the Final Four. He was dominant in the team’s win over the No.1 seed Indiana with 24 rebounds, five rebounds and four steals. He was scoring from all over the court, hitting 3s, mid-range jump shots and getting it inside. He then backed it up with one of the most unique and all-around performances in the entire tournament with 12 points, six assists, eight rebounds and five steals against Marquette in the regional final.
He has shown his ability to lead a team, can score when needed or rely on setting up others depending on how the game develops and his length defensively is consistently producing turnovers from the opposition. The Mavericks are in need of a primary ball handler and Carter-Williams could become a leader in the next generation of Dallas basketball.
14. Utah Jazz -C.J. McCollum, PG
6’3”, 190lbs, Lehigh, Senior
The Utah Jazz seem set to free their young, talented big men next season with their current veterans both seemingly on their way out as free agents. With their front court solidified and swingman Gordon Hayward looking better and better with every season, the attention in Utah must turn to developing a guard to lead this team into the next phase of their development.
C.J. McCollum is an experienced NCAA combo guard with great scoring ability and leadership qualities. Despite injury cutting short his senior season, McCollum has had ample opportunity to display his talent and will still be a borderline lottery selection come draft time. The Jazz will be searching for a point guard in the off-season and McCollum is the best on the board in this position.
15. Milwaukee Bucks – Archie Goodwin, SG
6’5”, 195lbs, Kentucky, Freshman
Archie Goodwin has said that he will enter the 2013 NBA draft, but his Kentucky teammates Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley-Stein have both decided to stay on for their sophomore years after an extremely disappointing season for Kentucky basketball. Despite the team’s performance, Goodwin proved to be one of the most naturally gifted guards in the draft and he will likely warrant a top 20 selection based on his potential alone.
Capable of playing either guard position and with great size, Goodwin is an ideal fit for a Bucks team that goes into the offseason with a great deal of uncertainty around their backcourt. With the majority of their guards off contract, the Bucks will look to the draft for a talented guard to develop with their immensely talented and youthful front court. Regardless of which guards they retain, Goodwin would have the ability to play alongside them in either guard spot.
16. Phoenix Suns (via L.A. Lakers) – Kelly Olynyk, C
7’0”, 238lbs, Gonzaga, Junior
Quite simply the best player left available at this position, Olynyk and his Gonzaga teammates had a disappointing tournament performance, but that cannot undo the consistent production that the big man put up all season long. Olynyk is a versatile offensive big man, capable of posting up or knocking down the mid range jump shot.
In Phoenix, he would form a great combination with starting center Marcin Gortat and playing alongside point guard Goran Dragic would give Olynyk the opportunity to get open looks and convert easy baskets for the Suns.
17. Boston Celtics – Giannis Adetokunbo, SF
6’9”, 198lbs, Greece
Confirming that he will enter the 2013 NBA draft, Gianni Adetokunbo instantly becomes one of the most interesting prospects in the draft class and will attract a great deal of attention for his physical talents alone. For an NBA small forward he possesses great size at 6’9” complimented by a 7’3” wingspan, giving him the natural gifts to become an elite defender. Even more intruiging is his versatile skill set, a great rebounder and a developing shooter, Adetokunbo has also displayed an ability to run the offense and set up teammates.
Celtics general manger Danny Ainge recently travelled to Greece to scout Adetokunbo after previously sending team-affiliated scouts, so there is genuine interest from Boston. He is a raw talent and may take years to develop into a productive NBA player but if a veteran team like Boston can be patient and allow him time to come along slowly he could reward them by becoming one of the very best players in the entire draft.
18. Atlanta Hawks – Rudy Gobert, C
7’1”, 235lbs, France
With some players in the NCAA tournament doing themselves more harm than good, Rudy Gobert’s size and raw talent will be enough to see him as a surefire first-rounder. Gobert has the ability to become a game-changing defensive big man and his length should allow him to be a force in the paint.
If he can develop quickly, he would allow Al Horford to play more at his natural position of power forward and take some of the pressure of him both defensively and on the boards.
19. Chicago Bulls – Mason Plumlee, PF/C
6’11”, 240lbs, Duke, Senior
Mason Plumlee’s impressive NCAA career came to an end in an Elite Eight loss to the No. 1 seed Louisville Cardinals, but Plumlee did not go down without a fight. He put up an impressive 17 points and 12 rebounds in the loss on 6-of-9 shooting. He added that to a solid 14-point performance in the team’s victory over Michigan State in the Sweet 16.
Plumlee’s proven ability to score inside and rebound the ball should translate well to the NBA and at least allow him to become a productive role player. The Bulls would love Plumlee’s energy, rebounding and interior scoring. He could instantly carve out a niche with a championship-caliber team coming off the bench for All-Star center Joakim Noah.
20. Atlanta Hawks (via Houston) – James Michael McAdoo, SF/PF
6’9”, 226lbs, North Carolina, Sophomore
James Michael McAdoo and the North Carolina Tar Heels had a disappointing showing in the NCAA tournament and it only adds to the question marks around McAdoo as an NBA prospect. He has great natural talent but has yet to show the aggressiveness to regularly take over games like he seemingly should be able to.
With the question marks around Josh Smith’s status as a free agent, the Hawks could take a chance on McAdoo’s unquestioned natural abilities and hope they can help him develop into the player he is capable of being.
21. Brooklyn Nets – Dario Saric, SF/PF
6’10”, 225lbs, Croatia
One of the most unique talents in the draft, Dario Saric has a versatile skill set for a big man that contains the ability to set up plays for teammates. Capable of playing both forward positions, Saric would be in the ideal situation in Brooklyn where there are minutes available, but also no pressure on a rookie with a number of star players on the roster.
22. Utah Jazz (via Golden State)- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG
6’5”, 205lbs, Georgia, Sophomore
The Jazz will be searching for long-term solutions in their backcourt in the draft and with two selections it will give them the opportunity to take a chance on two guards to develop along with their young frontcourt.
Caldwell-Pope is likely to develop into the ideal sixth-man type of impact scoring guard and would give the Jazz a reliable scorer off the bench.
23. Indiana Pacers – Tim Hardaway Jr., SG
6’6”, 190lbs, Michigan, Junior
Tim Hardaway Jr. had been solid, but not spectacular in Michigan’s previous two games which has taken them through to the Final Four. Against Kansas in the Sweet 16, Hardaway put up 10 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists, he displayed good defense down the stretch and was a vocal leader for the team as they completed an impressive overtime win.
Against Florida in the Elite Eight, he continued his solid play with nine points to go along with four rebounds and five assists. He has shot poorly recently, with just 4-for-11 and 3-for-13 shooting in his previous two games, his leadership, improved defense and ball handling will ensure he is a first-round prospect. His experience, shooting and ability to handle the ball from the shooting guard position would be a welcome addition to Indiana and if he could develop into a rotation player, he would allow All-Star Paul George to continue playing at his natural position of small forward.
24. New York Knicks – Jeff Withey, C
7’0”, 235lbs, Kansas, Senior
Jeff Withey had a disappointing end to his NCAA career, unable to advance beyond the Sweet 16 when his Kansas Jayhawks fell to Michigan. Withey was solid, but failed to make a huge impact with 12 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots.
The Knicks would love to have a rim protecting big man to bring off the bench for former Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler and Withey could immediately make an impact on the defensive end. His four years of college experience, great defensive awareness and timing on blocked shots would make him an impact role player from day one.
25.Los Angeles Clippers – Isaiah Austin, C
7’1”, 220lbs, Baylor, Junior
Despite not playing in the NCAA tournament, Isaiah Austin got an opportunity to improve his draft stock in the NIT and did not disappoint, leading Baylor to the title. In the championship game, Austin was all over the court. He finished with 15 points of 6-for-7 shooting, nine rebounds, four assists, five blocked shots and two steals. While still extremely raw, Austin has rare physical and athletic gifts, his length and mobility make him an imposing force protecting the rim and finishing inside.
The Clippers are already an extremely deep team and would be the ideal situation for Austin to develop slowly. If Austin could work his way into the rotation, he would benefit greatly from playing alongside All-Star point guard Chris Paul, who would get the athletic Austin easy finishes around the rim.
26. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Memphis) – Allen Crabbe, SG
6’6”, 210lbs, California, Junior
The Minnesota Timberwolves have been searching for a wing scorer that can open the floor up for stars like Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love. In Allen Crabbe, the Wolves would get a gifted shooter with good size, capable of scoring right out to NBA 3-point range. With their cornerstone pieces already in place, the Timberwolves need to add role players to round out their roster and Crabbe would be an ideal, cheap addition to a team looking at making a big improvement next season.
27 .Denver Nuggets – Lucas Nogueira, C
7’0”, 220lbs, Brazil
On a deep, successful team like the Nuggets it is unlikely that any draft selection will be in the rotation short-term. Lucas Nogueira may take a few years to develop into a contributor at the NBA level but he has impressive physical talents that would be worth developing for a team like Denver. They could take a chance on his high potential and allow him to continue developing overseas before bringing him over for an instant impact in a couple of season’s time.
28. Oklahoma City Thunder – Gorgui Dieng, C
6’11”, 245lbs, Louisville, Junior
The Louisville Cardinals continue their impressive season with an appearance in the Final Four. In their last two victories against Oregon and Duke, Dieng has been instrumental, anchoring the defense and intimidating opposing post players with his rim protection. He had 10 points, nine rebounds and four blocks against Oregon before an impressive 14 point, 11 rebound and four block effort against Duke. He is shooting with extreme efficiency and doing everything he needs to in order for his team to win.
With his NCAA experience, NBA-ready body and defensive mentality he could instantly provide minutes even for a contending team like the Thunder and would give them maneuverability with some of their existing frontcourt contracts.
29. San Antonio Spurs – Tony Mitchell, SF/PF
6’8”, 235lbs, North Texas, Sophomore
A relentless rebounder and athletic finisher, Tony Mitchell has wonderful physical gifts and the attitude to become a high level role player in the NBA. The Spurs continue to add young talent to their veteran roster and could really use an impact rebounder to take some pressure off Tim Duncan on the glass. With the development young forward Kahwi Leonard has shown, Mitchell could truly reach his potential with a team like San Antonio.
30. Cleveland Cavaliers – Myck Kabongo, PG
6’1”, 180lbs, Texas, Sophomore
One of the most gifted playmakers in the draft, the Cavaliers get the opportunity to add a leader for their second unit and the ideal back up for All-Star Kyrie Irving. Kabongo’s elite passing ability and speed would be a perfect fit with the youth and athleticism on the Cavaliers roster and at times would allow Irving to play off the ball as a scorer in small ball lineups.