**Post was started prior to when players began to withdraw their names from the draft, so those included who have withdrawn will have asterisk next to their names**
1. Charlotte Bobcats | Anthony Davis/Kentucky
Davis is definitely the best shot blocker since Patrick Ewing (ignoring Hassan Whiteside, a 2010 draft pick from Marshall) and has been called the best post player since Bill Walton. UNLV head coach Steve Fisher was at the national title game, quoted as saying Davis is the best since the great redwood. His line in the title game (6 points, 16 rebounds, 6 blocks, 3 steals) speaks for itself. Davis will have to turn into the offensive juggernaut of the Bobcats, but he’ll get there.
2. Washington Wizards | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist/Kentucky
KG made it clear in the title bout that he’s all about winning, over everything else. He put his body on the line on multiple occasions, especially early in the game, banging his head and almost breaking his arm. Late in the game, it’s the effort on the blocked lay-up that’s most outstanding. Those are the kinds of plays champions make. His personality is what the Wizards need.
3. New Orleans Hornets | Thomas Robinson/Kansas
Robinson has a great engine and someone who plays hard all the time is someone that can help any team. He wears his heart on his sleeve and puts a lot of emotion into the game (sometimes too much). He showed in the title game that despite lacking size against guys like Anthony Davis, he can still get up and grab the rebounds.
Bradley Beal, Florida
4. Portland Trail Blazers | Bradley Beal/Florida
The Trail Blazers would love to replace Brandon Roy immediately and they’ll have to look no further than Beal, a sweet-guard from Florida. Beal is one of the best pure scorers in this draft, especially this high up. Beal has proven to have a short memory, never afraid to toss up the rock from three-point land. He can be an immediate scoring threat for the Blazers, which they are in desperate need of minus Roy.
5. Toronto Raptors | Andre Drummond/Connecticut
Drummond has a body built to play in the NBA. He’s no slouch when it comes to competing with the biggest NBA players. He’s a big 7-footer who can hold his own blocking shots too (similar to Davis). Where there should be concern is his ability to score whenever he wants. Maybe it was the team he was on this year, but he wasn’t the most impressive player on that team.
6. Sacramento Kings | Harrison Barnes/North Carolina
The Kings really need someone who can come in and figure out all the chaos that is the Kings’ lineup, and apparently a coach hasn’t been able to do it. Barnes is a natural leader and a natural scorer. He’s more athletic than he let on at North Carolina, especially in the NCAA Tournament. Barnes is smart. Maybe he can help.
7. Detroit Pistons | Jared Sullinger/Ohio State
Sullinger is one of those typical Piston players. He’s a hard worker and true post player. Sullinger may have some of the best post moves in his arsenal than anyone in this draft. Sullinger is really well rounded. He’ll have to be able to hold his own defensively against the bigger power forwards in the league.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers | Jeremy Lamb/Connecticut
Lamb is going to be a guy who can definitely play the shooting guard position and give the Cavs a lot of size at that position, which they lack now. At this point, the Cavs are just looking for help to surround Kyrie Irving with and Lamb is one way to start the process.
9. Utah Jazz | Kendall Marshall/North Carolina
There isn’t a lot of depth at the point guard position for the Jazz and they’ve sort of been searching for another Deron Williams ever since they traded him. You have to worry about Marshall’s hand he hurt in the tournament. TNT commentator Kenny Smith said that type of injury lingers.
10. Milwaukee Bucks | Tyler Zeller/North Carolina
Zeller impressed in the tournament, but his stock really didn’t increase much. What he offers a team is a big frame and a good distribution of points and rebounds. Zeller has good post moves and a polished hook shot he likes to go to near the hoop.
11. Portland Trail Blazers | Meyers Leonard/Illinois
In this case the Blazers will likely be pissed that Bucks drafted Zeller one pick ahead of them. Zeller would be a guarantee here, especially after the Blazers spent the fourth pick on Bradley Beal. Instead, the Blazers put together the first big reach of the draft by picking Leonard, a player who still has to prove he’s tough enough.
12. New Orleans Hornets | Damian Lillard/Weber State
At this point the draft runs into a bunch of teams drafting for the second time and a handful of them looking for centers. The Blazers couldn’t have traded down because the Hornets would have probably drafted him. The Hornets go for a point guard, another one of the many needs on the team.
13. Utah Jazz | Cody Zeller/Indiana**
Zeller is a solid power forward. He’s young, but he has a lot of room to grow. The general consensus is that Cody is better than Tyler, as is a trend with a family of sports stars. Zeller definitely needs to fill out his body.
14. Phoenix Suns | Austin Rivers/Duke
There isn’t a point guard to draft here to potentially replace Steve Nash, so the Suns will go with another need at shooting guard. Rivers is a true scoring threat and will be in the NBA. He’s not afraid of late game situations and will step up without being asked. That said, Rivers loves going to his right.
15. Houston Rockets | James Michael McAdoo/North Carolina**
McAdoo is one of the stud freshmen this season even though he really didn’t get a lot of time to prove himself, sitting behind guys like Tyler Zeller and John Henson. However, his potential is what the scouts like. He improved game-to-game this season and you can’t teach length.
16. New Jersey Nets | Terrence Jones/Kentucky
Early in his NBA career, Jones is going to figure out if he’s a power forward or small forward in the league. He needs to figure that out quickly in order to be effective from the get-go. Though even if he’s not a power forward, he’ll get most of his time at that position because the Nets are weak in the post.
17. Boston Celtics | Perry Jones III/Baylor
PJ3 is similar to Kevin Garnett in that he has an mid- to long-range shot and is a big long athlete. However, Jones doesn’t come close to matching the high octane engine that Garnett has even though people think he could develop one. He didn’t show it at Baylor, disappearing on the court sometimes.
18. Denver Nuggets | Patric Young/Florida**
Young is the kind of high-energy, physical forward the Nuggets like. After trading away Nene, the Nuggets are looking to make up rebounding and Young is a guy who could do that for them. Also, playing for the Gators got him used to play with a fast-paced offense.
19. Atlanta Hawks | Terrence Ross/Washington
The Hawks have a lot of athleticism everywhere except the shooting guard position because none of the three guys they have on the depth chart are pulling their weight. Kirk Hinrich is not the answer. Ross is a top tier shooting guard.
20. Philadelphia 76ers | Dion Waters/Syracuse
Waters is one of the guys from Syracuse who is athletic enough to have a long, healthy career in the NBA. He has all the ability in the world and could contribute from the start. Waters is a guy who could guard the 1-2-3 and probably play the two or three.
21. Houston Rockets | Quincy Miller/Baylor**
It’s been said Miller lulls you to sleep with his playing style. He’s a quiet killer. His shot is so smooth that you barely notice it. Miller could fit in perfectly as a sixth man, for sure, on this team.
22. Indiana Pacers | John Jenkins/Vanderbilt
A lot of people say Jenkins’ teammate Jeff Taylor is the better NBA prospect and that might be true, but we all know how great of a scorer Jenkins is. He’s a great shooter and a slashing guard. Lance Stephenson was a wasted pick for the Pacers last draft. Jenkins wont be.
23. Memphis Grizzlies | Tony Wroten Jr./Washington
Wroten is a 6-foot-6 point guard. At least that what he was with Washington this season. He had an awful end to the season, which really hurt the Huskies, but he’s shown a lot of potential.
24. Boston Celtics | John Henson/North Carolina
A solid shot blocker in his own right. Henson is a good defender and protects the paint well. He could have issues dealing with guys who are bigger than him.
25. Orlando Magic | Andrew Nicholson/St. Bonaventure
Who knows what will happen with Dwight Howard this offseason, but the Magic are in desperate need of a power forward and Nicholson is a good one. Although he comes from a small school, he got his spotlight in the tournament.
26. Cleveland Cavaliers | Royce White/Iowa State
27. Golden State Warriors | Doron Lamb/Kentucky
28. Miami Heat | Arnett Moultrie/Mississippi State
29. Oklahoma City Thunder | Fab Melo/Syracuse
30. Chicago Bulls | Moe Harkless/ St. John’s
