[Awilliamson19]

I have a good friend that is very good when it comes to the NBA draft. I have his mock draft posted on my site and I will post it here for you guys to sift through and give your opinions. He sent it to me this morning and had spent most of the night working on this first round. This IS NOT his final mock by any means. Its subject to change several times and Ill keep it updated as he updates the one on my site.. Hope you guys enjoy it.

Again , This is NOT my mock , but is posted on my own site. My buddy is not a member of SBR. Thanks for checking guys!!


[1] Kyrie Irving (Pg) - Cleveland Cavaliers
• Best overall player; true point guard and a great player to build a team of the future around.

[2] Enes Kanter (Center) – Minnesota Timberwolves
• Minnesota does not need to jam up the Power-Forward position but they do need a force inside. Kanter can be that presence that helps Kevin Love to continue to bloom.

[3] Jan Vesely (Sf/Pf) – Utah Jazz
• With Kirilenko potentially leaving for free agency, Utah needs some depth at the Small-Forward position. Vesely is quite athletic for a 6’11” body and his shot is pure. With a great transition Pg in Devin Harris, Vesely could be a major contributor on the fast break.

[4] Derrick Williams (Pf/Sf) – Cleveland Cavaliers
• Williams is very productive and has the body to bang on the block with upside as a wing player.

[5] Tristan Thompson (Pf) – Toronto Raptors
• Bring him home to Canada! Thompson has tremendous potential and could utilize the space created in the paint by Andrea Bargnani stretching the defense. I do not expect him to have the same success as Chris Bosh in Toronto but I see him playing a similar role with more emphasis on the defensive end.

[6] Kawhi Leonard (Sf) – Washington Wizards
• The Wizards need a consistent player off the bench especially if Rashard Lewis’ numbers continue to drop. With Josh Howard’s contract up, Leonard could replace him with the same size and skill.

[7] Brandon Knight (Sg/Pg) – Sacramento Kings
• Many might question this pick since the Kings already have Tyreke Evans running the point but combo guards together in the back-court have become big in the NBA. Knight can score at the two as well as run the point (which his skills are continuously progressing). Over time this pick might benefit Evans in the sense he will be able to slide back to his more natural Sg postion.

[8] Kemba Walker (Pg) – Detroit Pistons
• Rodney Stuckey could leave if Detroit does not match the qualifying offer he is seeking. Detroit also desperately needs a scorer and someone to go to in the last few minutes of a close game. Who better left on the board the Kemba.

[9] Jonas Valanciunas (C/Pf) – Charlotte Bobcats
• Charlotte, more specifically Jordan, does not typically take chances on foreign players but they do take chances (ex: Kwame Brown, Adam Morrison). Not to mention their lack of skill in the post. Valanciunas has a potential packed body at 6’11”, 240 lbs and only being 19 years old.

[10] Bismack Biyombo (Pf/C) – Milwaukee Bucks
• Milwaukee does not necessarily need a post player but the main focus of the team is defense. Biyombo is the most defensive minded player in the draft and with the wingspan he has, his slightly smaller stature will not limit him guarding some of the best offensive post players in the game.

[11] Donatas Motiejunas (C/Pf) – Golden State Warriors
• David Lee needs another offensive post presence to help him continue to evolve his game. Donatas is a true scoring threat who can open the floor and create space for Ellis to attack the rim and Curry to knock down open jumpers. This would also put Andris Biedrins on the bench where he would be more effective coming in the game to be a defensive stopper and rebounder.

[12] Jimmer Fredtte (Pg/Sg) – Utah Jazz
• Again this is a pick leaning toward the combo guard aspect. Being slightly undersized for a true 2 guard, his range makes up for it. Combining Jimmer and Devin Harris could prove to be deadly if ego does not affect either player.

[13] Alec Burks (Sg) – Phoenix Suns
• With both Aaron Brooks (Suns might not match his qualifying offer) and Vince Carter (Suns might not pick up his option) possibly leaving town, Alec would be a good fit in Phoenix. The suns need a solid body both defensively and offensively at Shooting-Guard and Burks fits that mold more so than any other Sg in the draft.

[14] Jordan Hamilton (Sf) – Houston Rockets
• Small-Forward is their most glaring weakness for the Rockets. Despite having a few young Small-Forwards already, Houston could use his ability to stretch the floor. Hamilton would be another good scoring threat to attract defenders away from Kevin Martin.

[15] Marcus Morris (Pf) – Indiana Pacers
• With Jeff Foster and Josh McRoberts probably leaving via free agency (both of which contributed to what success Indiana had this year), a Power-forward should be under the Pacer’s radar. Marcus could be the perfect fit. Probably coming off the bench behind Tyler Hansbrough, Marcus could get legitimate playing time and contribute immediately.

[16] Markieff Morris (Pf) – Philadelphia 76ers
• Despite the already numerous amount of young, potential filled Power-forwards on the roster, the Sixers need another post presence. If Philadelphia does not meet the qualifications for Spencer Hawes’ contract, they could lose him to free agency. So stockpiling big bodies has become a necessity and Markieff is the best post player left on the board. Not a center, which they need, but a big body none the less.

[17] Kenneth Faried (Pf) – New York Knicks
• Ranked near the bottom of the league in rebound differential, the Knicks need someone who can eat glass. Who better than the nations leading rebounder. Faried might not come in and elevate the Knicks to elite status, but he will be the rebounding machine the Knicks desperately need.

[18] Lucas Nogueira (C/Pf) – Washington Wizards
• Lacking both size and athleticism behind Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee, the Wizards need another defensive presence inside. Nogueira is gifted with both size and length and can change most anyone’s shot at the rim. Being young and a raw talent, Nogueira will need a few years to mold as a player (much like any other post player that young). He will not make much of an impact immediately but with the offense running through John Wall, defensive stoppers are key.

[19] Nolan Smith (Sg/Pg) – Charlotte Bobcats
• Considering the Bobcats do not have a point guard behind D.J. Augustine, Nolan Smith would be the perfect fit. Charlotte is also in need of a 2 but I do not look for them to use Smith as the answer to that problem although he is a great defensive guard who can defend both positions. Considering he has played his entire career thus far at Duke, the transition from Durham to Charlotte should not be a big change.

[20] Klay Thompson (Sg) – Minnesota Timberwolves
• Despite taking questionable shots from time to time, Klay Thompson is a scorer and that is exactly what Minnesota needs. His defensive abilities are weak and some question how well he might do in an offense that does not focus on him, but I believe Minnesota will get him his touches. Considering mostly that the Timberwolves do not have a definite offensive force, especially when Michael Beasley is having an off night.

[21] JaJuan Johnson (Pf) – Portland Trailblazers
• Portland needs a back-up for LaMarcus Aldridge and JaJuan Johnson fits the bill. Even more intriguing is the fact that not only do they not have a back-up for Aldridge, but they do not have anyone off the bench that can score in the post. Johnson is a bit older than most in the draft, being 22 years of age, but this should benefit the Trailblazers in the long run. Even having both Aldridge and Johnson on the floor at the same time will create a dynamic post duo offensively.

[22] Chris Singleton (Pf/Sf) –Denver Nuggets
• The Nuggets are the first team that does not have a stand out weakness. Singleton is a solid defensive presence with improving offensive skills. Considering the Nuggets might lose Kenyon Martin to free agency, Denver needs a defensive stopper to go along with the offensive firepower they possess.

[23] Nikola Vucevic (C/Pf) – Houston Rockets
• With the contracts of both Chuck Hayes and Yao Ming expired, Houston needs to bring in a young center that can score at a decent rate. He is not a great offensive player, but compared to the college careers of Jordan Hill and Hasheem Thabeet he shows much more potential offensively. Since this year’s draft is limited, particularly at the Center postion, Vucevic is the best choice for the Rockets.

[24] Travis Leslie (Sg) – Oklahoma City Thunder
• Leslie is a very good defender and a tremendous athlete. O.K. City needs a defensive Shooting-guard to come off the bench and lock down major scoring threats. He is still growing offensively but his athleticism and defensive prowess make up for his lack of offensive ability.

[25] Shelvin Mack (Pg/Sg) – Boston Celtics
• With the contracts of Delonte West, Von Wafer, and Carlos Arroyo expiring, Boston will be looking to bring in scorer off the bench and a back-up point guard. He is a solid combo guard who prefers to play off the ball, which will only benefit him playing with Rondo.

[26] Davis Bertans (Sf/Pf) - Dallas Mavericks
• Bertans has one of the purest shots in the draft. With the inside-out, predominately three point shooting style of the Mavericks offense, Bertans will be a perfect fit. Not to mention Mark Cuban’s love of bringing in young, promising foreign players.

[27] Tobias Harris (Pf/Sf) – New Jersey Nets
• Tobias has questions around his size and speed but his versatility makes up for it. Some believe he is too small to guard most NBA Power-forwards and too slow to guard slashing small forwards. This will be made up by his ability to find and take high percentage shots as well as his touch around the rim.

[28] Bojan Bogdanovic (Sg/Sf) – Chicago bulls
• Bojan is one of the international players who has blossomed the most in the last couple of years. He has issues turning over the ball and creating his own shot, but playing with league MVP Derrick Rose those issues should not be a problem. He also is below average defensively but a few years playing under Tom Thibodeau will change that.

[29] Kyle Singler (Sf) – San Antonio Spurs
• The spurs are in need of a Small-forward to come off the bench and produce at both ends of the court. Popovich seeks out fundamentally sound players and with Singler coming from Duke’s program, he is a perfect fit.

[30] E’Twaun Moore (Sg/Pg) – Chicago Bulls
• This is a pick for the Bulls with the future in mind. After next season both Bogan’s and Watson’s contracts will be expired. Moore is a well rounded player who can score and defend well. Given a year to learn the system, Moore will be a solid fit for the Bulls. More than likely as a back-up but as with all project players only time will tell.

-D.Hofer

[HoulihansTX]

IMO, you just draft whoever Kentucky sends to the NBA. You really cant lose.

Kentucky's players are men amongst boys. Brandon Knight is the dark horse in the draft, since he played out-of-position during the season. He is a combo guard, that handled the PG duties out of necessity for Kentucky. He is a scorer, w/ unlimited range. He does better catching and shooting though never had that luxury, while playing PG. All of Kentucky's players are usually better pro, than college players also.

[tatddy]

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