2012 NBA Mock Draft - Kevin Hanson
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Updated: Saturday, May 26th
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The 2012 NBA Draft will be held on Thursday, June 28th in Newark, NJ. The NBA Draft Lottery will be held on
May 30th so the draft order for the first 14 picks may (or will likely) change.
More NBA Mock Drafts: Kyle Baillargeon | Brendan Donahue | Mock Draft Database
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For my 2013 NFL Mock Draft, click here.
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Keep track of our site updates via Twitter: @HitTheBoards (NBA), @EDSFootball (NFL), @EDSBaseball (MLB)
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Pick
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Team
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Player, Position, School
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1.
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Charlotte Bobcats
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Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky
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This is such a no-brainer pick that, as Kyle Baillargeon points out in his mock, GM Michael Jordan "can't mess
this up."
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2.
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Washington Wizards
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Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky
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Aside from his outside shooting, there are virtually no holes in Kidd-Gilchrist's game. MKG is a tough-minded,
versatile defender with good size and strength on the wing. With intangibles, leadership and a great feel for the
game, MKG will make his teammates better.
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3.
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Cleveland Cavaliers
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Andre Drummond, PF/C, UConn
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Drummond has the ability and physical tools to dominate yet the propensity to disappear at times as well. With
plenty of upside, Drummond has the size, strength and athleticism to contribute right away on the defensive end
but is a work-in-progress on the offensive end.
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4.
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New Orleans Hornets
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Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas
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Like Drummond, Robinson has good strength, size and athleticism. Unlike Drummond, there is no
questioning Robinson's motor and his offensive game is much more advanced.
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5.
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Sacramento Kings
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Bradley Beal, SG, Florida
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Both of my counterparts -- Kyle Baillargeon (view mock) and Brendan Donahue (view mock) -- have Beal going
within the top three picks as do many other sites. If he is still on the board at this spot, Beal gives the Kings a
shooter with great range and a good all-around offensive game.
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6.
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Portland Trail Blazers (via NJN)
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Austin Rivers, SG, Duke
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Rivers, the son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers, can provide the Blazers with instant offense. Many of Portland's
guards become free agents or can opt out this year: Nicolas Batum, Jamal Crawford, Raymond Felton and
Johnny Flynn.
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7.
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Golden State Warriors
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Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina
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Barnes did himself no favors in the tournament, but I don't have him slipping as far as Kyle has in his mock.
Barnes has plenty of offensive skill, but often settles for jumpers and does not get to the line as much as you
would expect for a wing player with his size and strength.
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8.
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Toronto Raptors
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John Henson, PF, North Carolina
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Although he needs to add strength and bulk to his frame, Henson is an NBA-ready defensive player with the
wingspan (7-foot-4) and athleticism to alter, affect and block plenty of shots. He will need to continue to improve
his game offensively, however, but he has continued to improve on the offensive end at Carolina.
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9.
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Detroit Pistons
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Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State
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Returning for his sophomore season means Sullinger will likely be selected (much) lower than he would have
been in 2011. While he is not the most athletic player (or tallest for his position), Sullinger has great strength,
polished moves in the post and was a dominant rebounder in college.
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10.
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New Orleans Hornets (via MIN)
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Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn
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Lamb has all the physical tools to be successful at the next level and he led the Huskies in scoring with the
departure of Kemba Walker. That said, Lamb disappeared at times for a team that was a major
disappointment given its talent and expectations.
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11.
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Portland Trail Blazers
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Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina
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A skilled seven-footer, Zeller improved his game in all four seasons in Chapel Hill posting career highs across
the board last year: 16.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 0.9 steals per game with 55.3 percent from the
field and 80.8 percent from the line.
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12.
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Milwaukee Bucks
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Perry Jones, PF, Baylor
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One of the more naturally-gifted players in the draft, Jones has the length and athleticism you can't coach. On
the other hand, Jones has been often criticized, and rightfully so, for his inconsistent motor.
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13.
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Phoenix Suns
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Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina
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With Steve Nash, the former "MP3," about become a free agent, the Suns may need to find his replacement.
Marshall is arguably the best point guard in this year's draft class.
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14.
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Houston Rockets
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Terrence Jones, PF, Kentucky
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Jones, who was a point guard early in high school, has the versatility to play and defend a variety of positions
due to his length and athleticism.
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15.
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Philadelphia 76ers
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Arnett Moultrie, PF/C, Mississippi State
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After sitting out a year since he transferred from UTEP, Moultrie averaged a double-double (16.4 points and 10.5
rebounds per game) for the Bulldogs last year. Athletic with a high motor, Moultrie would fit well with the athletic
Sixers squad.
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16.
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Houston Rockets (via NYK)
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Terrence Ross, SG/SF, Washington
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Ross is an explosive athlete that finishes strong around the rim and has a nice outside shot.
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17.
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Dallas Mavericks
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Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State
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Lillard is more of a scorer than a true point guard, but he can potentially fill the void of some potential free-agent
losses. Guards Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and Delonte West are all scheduled to become unrestricted free
agents after the season.
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18.
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Minnesota Timberwolves (via Utah)
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Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor
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Miller lacks elite athleticism and needs to add some bulk to his frame, but he has above-average length (7-2
wingspan) and a well-rounded offensive game.
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19.
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Orlando Magic
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Tony Wroten, PG/SG, Washington
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With good size (6-5+) and athleticism as a combo guard, Wroten is held back by his outside shooting (16.1%
on three's and 58.3% from the line) and left-hand dominance. Having just turned 19 in April, however, Wroten
has plenty of upside.
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20.
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Denver Nuggets
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Moe Harkless, SF, St. John's
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Harkless, the Big East Rookie of the Year last season, may have benefitted from another year at St. John's. On
the other hand, his combination of height and athleticism at the wing may even push him into the end of the
lottery.
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21.
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Boston Celtics
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Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois
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Despite inconsistency at the collegiate level, Leonard is an intriguing prospect with a rare combination of
athleticism for someone with his size (7-1, 245 pounds). Well worth the pick here, it's also likely that Leonard
will be off the board by the time the Celtics are on the clock for their back-to-back picks.
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22.
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Boston Celtics (via LAC)
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Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse
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Here's an eye-popping quote from ESPN's Chad Ford from an unnamed NBA general manager: "There are
really only two potential superstars in this draft. One is a sure thing -- freshman Anthony Davis. The other one is
Waiters. He can be an electric scorer in the NBA. There's some Dwyane Wade in him." Wow.
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23.
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Atlanta Hawks
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Fab Melo, C, Syracuse
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From an offensive standpoint, he's very raw, but he has the size and mobility to make an immediate contribution
on the defensive end.
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24.
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Cleveland Cavaliers (via LAL)
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Jeff Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt
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One of the best athletes in this year's draft class, Taylor is a lockdown defender with an improving outside shot.
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25.
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Memphis Grizzlies
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Andrew Nicholson, PF/C, St. Bonaventure
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With a strong post game already in his repertoire, Nicholson improved his outside shooting and knocked down
43.4 percent of his three's this past season. In fact, he made 19 of 30 three's down the stretch.
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26.
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Indiana Pacers
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Marquis Teague, PG, Kentucky
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Teague, the younger brother of Atlanta's Jeff Teague, has the explosiveness and quickness to penetrate and
finish or kick the ball out to his teammates. Teague is a local product that played at Pike High School in
Indianapolis.
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27.
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Miami Heat
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John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt
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Jenkins is a cold-blooded sharpshooter. When he's on the court with D-Wade and LeBron, Jenkins will get a lot
of open looks and make teams pay with his deadly range.
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28.
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Oklahoma City Thunder
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Royce White, PF, Iowa State
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Despite his size (6-8 and 270 pounds), White is a versatile player that led the Cyclones across the board in
stats last year: 13.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.9 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. That said, White
previously had some off-the-court issues and was diagnosed with an anxiety order that led to his fear of flying.
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29.
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Chicago Bulls
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Tyshawn Taylor, PG, Kansas
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Taylor is a great athlete with an improved outside shot (although he was only one for 21 from three-point range
in the tournament). Considering Derrick Rose may miss the entire 2012-2013 season after tearing his ACL last
month, Taylor would provide the Bulls with some insurance and/or depth.
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30.
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Golden State Warriors (via SAS)
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Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky
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With their two picks in the first round of this mock, the Warriors add a pair of scorers in Barnes and Lamb.
Lamb is a good outside shooter that knocked down almost 50 percent of his three's in his two seasons in
Lexington.
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More mock drafts: Our 2012 NBA Mock Draft Database - Our 2013 NFL Mock Draft Database
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NBA Conference Finals Predictions: Eastern Conference Finals - Western Conference Finals
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