2010 NBA Mock Draft

	1. Derrick Favors 6’10” 220 lbs., Georgia Tech Derrick Favors is an absolute athletic freak in the mold of Dwight Howard. Look for him to be a monster in the NBA, using his world-class athleticism to dominate. Favors is about as can’t-miss as a prospect can be, and whatever NBA team gets him will have a future superstar.
	2. John Wall PG 6'3"; 175 lbs., Kentucky Wall will instantly be the most athletic guard in college basketball. Besides being a superb athlete with long arms and explosive quickness and leaping ability, Wall possesses a tremendous basketball IQ and terrific court vision. Similar to Derrick Rose, Wall is an outstanding athlete but polished player. He should be a superstar in the NBA.
	3. Greg Monroe PF/C 6’11” 245 lbs., Georgetown Monroe had an up-and-down freshman season at Georgetown, but even during the downs his talent shone through. The big center is a great talent, with a face-up game abnormal for a player his size. Monroe is also a fantastic passer and has nice post footwork, but so far lacks the aggressiveness he will need to become an NBA star. Still, he has all the tools and is still developing.
	4. Lance Stephenson SG/SF 6’5” 215 lbs., Undecided The controversial Stephenson has been looked upon as by some people as a malcontent, trouble-making player who has too big of an ego. Still, Stephenson’s talent is undeniable. A physical, powerful and explosive guard/forward, Stephenson can overpower his opponents or go by them. He is a terrific penetrator, underrated passer and a wonderful scorer. If he ever gets his head on straight, Stephenson could make an unbelievable pro.
	5. Al-Farouq Aminu SF/PF 6’8” 215 lbs., Wake Forest The versatile Aminu is a very interesting prospect. A Shawn Marion-type athlete, Al-Farouq’s basketball skills have not yet caught up to his athleticism, but he still manages to impact a game in many ways. Aminu’s boundless energy and athleticism have allowed him to get by without a developed skill set, but he will need to improve his ball-handling and shooting in the NBA. Defensively, Aminu projects to be a very versatile defender capable of guarding a wide variety of players.
	6. Willie Warren SG 6’4” 210 lbs., Oklahoma Stuck in the shadow of Blake Griffin for his freshman campaign, Willie Warren didn’t get to show his entire game. Look for him to become Oklahoma’s go-to-guy during his sophomore season, using his advanced scoring skills to lead the Sooners near the top of the Big 12.
	7. Ed Davis PF 6’9” 215 lbs., UNC Davis is slated to be a high draft pick based on his potential rather than his production. A long, wiry 6’9”, Davis has the long arms, agile feet and leaping ability to be a great player, but he will need to fill out and work on his offensive repertoire.
	8. Donatas Motiejunas PF/C 215 lbs., Zalgiris Kaunas A rather typical European big man, Donatas Motiejunas makes a living outside rather than inside. Even at 7’0” tall, Motiejunas possesses great shooting range that extends to the NBA three-point arc. The downfall to Motiejunas is that he is considered somewhat soft and may not have the “intestinal fortitude” to compete on the blocks in the NBA. Still, he is a very skilled seven-footer.
	9. Cole Aldrich C 6’11” 250 lbs., Kansas After playing behind the talented frontcourt of Sasha Kaun, Darrell Arthur and Darnell Jackson during his freshman year at Kansas, Cole Aldrich truly came into his own during his sophomore season. A good jump-shooter despite truly hideous form, Aldrich has a pretty developed offensive game. He really shines on the glass, where he is an excellent rebounder, and defensively, with his ability to block shots and play physical post defense.
	10. Devin Ebanks SF/PF 6’8” 215 lbs., West Virginia Devin Ebanks reminds me of a young Trevor Ariza – a guy with great athleticism and an aptitude for defense. With his aggressiveness and physical attributes, Ebanks should develop into a solid offensive player, but for now he remains a work in progress at that end of the floor.
	11. Evan Turner SG/SF 6’7” 205 lbs., Ohio St. A long, rangy 6’7” wingman, Evan Turner had an extremely productive sophomore season at Ohio St., averaging 17.3 points and 4.0 assists per game. A solid play-maker, Turner has the ability to create his own shot or create a shot for his teammates. He is a solid shooter, but his strength is creating off the dribble. Turner also has the potential to become an excellent defender at the NBA level.
	12. Avery Bradley PG/SG 6’3” 185 lbs., Texas Athletically, Bradley reminds me a lot of current Lakers guard Shannon Brown. They are both strong, explosive point guards with the ability to create contact and finish at the rim. At this stage of his career, Bradley is more developed than Brown was, as he really has a great offensive arsenal. Additionally, Bradley is already a very good defender, capable of shutting down his opposing player.
	13. Craig Brackins PF/C 6’10” 235 lbs., Iowa St. A very advanced offensive player, Brackins has the ability to play both inside and out. His skill level is remarkable, and he is very adept at facing up his defender from the perimeter. Still, Brackins is only an average athlete by NBA standards and is not an NBA-caliber defender. He will need to improve his quickness to be a force in the NBA, but should be a valuable pick-and-pop guy anyways.
	14. Patrick Patterson PF 6’8” 225 lbs., Kentucky Patterson put up great stats for Kentucky, and is a very active rebounder and efficient scorer, but he is still undersized. Still, with the recent success of many undersized power forwards in the NBA (including Paul Millsap and Glen Davis), Patterson can look forward to being a mid-first round pick in the 2010 NBA draft. Patterson is a strong, tough guy with above-average athleticism and excellent tenacity. He should be a work-horse in the NBA.
	15. DeMarcus Cousins C 6’10” 275 lbs., Kentucky DeMarcus Cousins is an absolute physical force. I was able to catch a high school game of his and was astounded by his sheer size. Only a high school senior, Cousins already had a build similar to Kendrick Perkins’. To go along with his terrific physique, Cousins has a developing all-around game, including a nice midrange jumper and good passing vision. Cousins is not yet a finished product and tends to stray too far away from the basket, but he could develop into a special player.
	16. John Henson PF 6’10” 200 lbs., UNC The latest in a long line of long, thin, bouncy power forwards to play at UNC, John Henson may prove to be the best out of all the recent power forwards to wear Tar Heel blue. A great athlete, Henson has shown flashes of perimeter potential to go with his terrific height and length. Though his weak frame prohibits him from being too tough down low, Henson still plays with an edge and doesn’t back down from any competition. If Henson can put on weight, look for him to skyrocket up the rankings.
	17. Tyshawn Taylor PG 6’3” 180 lbs., Kansas Although he didn’t have a great freshman year at Kansas, at least statistically, Tyshawn Taylor proved himself as a player and put his name out their for NBA scouts to see with his play for USA’s Under-19 World Championship team. Taylor is solid at most aspects of the game, including ball-handling, shooting, and passing, but doesn’t excel in any one area offensively. Still, he will have time to develop given his considerable physical talents. Defensively, Taylor is blessed with the strength, length and quickness to become a disruptive force.
	18. Jan Vesely C 6’11” 245 lbs., KK Partizan Belgrade Far different than the average European big man, Vesely has an offensive game that has yet to catch up to his above-average athleticism. Born in 1990, Vesely still has plenty of development left but has already made his mark in the Euroleague, starting for his team KK Partizan Belgrade.
	19. Solomon Alabi C 7’1” 230 lbs., Florida St. Alabi is a raw, rail-thin player with poor offensive skills who had little production during his freshman season at Florida St. So why is he being considered such a high prospect? Alabi has an incredible combination of athleticism, height and length. For a guy his size, Alabi really has outstanding athletic talent. He has a long ways to go, but if Alabi ever put on some weight and/or developed his skills he would really be a player to keep an eye on.
	20. Larry Sanders PF/C 6’9” 205 lbs., VCU Larry Sanders is a guy who has improved drastically over the past couple of years. Once strictly a dunker on the offensive side, Sanders now has a few post moves and the makings of a midrange jumper. Still, the defensive side of the ball is where Sanders will make his impact. With an absurd 7’7” wingspan and good leaping ability, Sanders should be a great shot-blocker for a long time to come.
	21. Jerome Jordan C 7’0” 230 lbs., Tulsa A big project along the lines of JaVale McGee, Jerome Jordan has made his impact on the college game by being bigger and more athletic than his opponents. In the NBA, he will have to develop his skills quite a bit, but a guy with Jordan’s size and athleticism rarely comes along. Look for Jordan to get drafted but not be an impact player for at least the first year or two of his career.
	22. Xavier Henry SG 6’6” 220 lbs., Kansas Despite being rated the #1 high school prospect by a number of publications, Henry doesn’t quite have the potential of a few other guys from his high school class. Henry is a solid, but not spectacular athlete with a strong frame and great shooting ability. He should become a very solid NBA player, but I’m not sure he has enough athleticism to ever become a star.
	23. Trevor Booker PF 6’7” 225 lbs., Clemson Another undersized power forward, Booker still manages to bring a lot to the table. He has an incredible work ethic and has terrific intensity and a never-ending motor. Booker also has a very good face-up game and utilizes his quickness very well, both on the perimeter and in the post. Though he will be severely undersized in the NBA, look for Booker to etch out a role for himself with his hard-nosed play.
	24. Stanley Robinson SF/PF 6’9” 215 lbs., UConn Stanley Robinson is an absolutely freakish athlete who seemed to finally put his basketball game together towards the end of last year. With extraordinary length, pogo-stick leaping ability and quickness, Robinson has all the physical tools to become a stud on both ends of the floor. His skills have not yet caught up to his athleticism, but if they ever do Robinson could be one hell of an NBA player.
	25. Gani Lawal PF 6’8” 235 lbs., Georgia Tech The physical, athletic Lawal thrives on opportunistic points off offensive rebounds or finishing layups and dunks around the rim. Still without much of an offensive game, Lawal nonetheless manages to produce at a very high rate due to his aggressive play. Lawal could become a good energy and hustle guy in the NBA.
	26. James Anderson SG/SF 6’6” 200 lbs., Oklahoma St. Thriving this past year in Travis Ford’s up-tempo offense, James Anderson displayed his sweet stroke from the perimeter. In addition to having a pure shot, Anderson also has demonstrated the ability to use his solid athleticism to get all the way to the rim. With an improved handle, Anderson could become a great scorer in the NBA.
	27. Sylven Landesberg SG 6’6” 185 lbs., Virginia The freshman from Virginia put up great numbers for a weak Virgina team. His team’s number one option from day one, Landesburg showcased a smooth, well-rounded game all season long. Landesburg is a very good scorer and a terrific penetrator and should develop better decision-making as his career progresses.
	28. Chris Wright SF/PF 6’8” 215 lbs., Dayton Wright missed parts of last season with an ankle injury, but still showed why NBA scouts have been keeping an eye on him since he got to Dayton. A terrific athlete, Wright would be a proto-typical small forward athletically. In order to reach his outstanding potential, Wright will have to continue to develop his ball skills and improve his defensive intensity.
	29. Jarvis Varnado PF 6’9” 210 lbs., Mississippi St. Despite being undersized and frail as far as NBA big men are concerned, Varnado has tremendous upside as a shot-blocker. One of the best shot-blockers in recent NCAA history, Varnado possesses a long wingspan and the ability to quickly leave his feet to block shots. He will still have to hit the weight room and progress offensively, but Varnado is a unique talent on the defensive end of the ball.
	30. Andrew Ogilvy C 7’0” 240 lbs., Vanderbilt A very productive player for the Commodores, Andrew Ogilvy is a big man with a great skill set. The Aussie has very good post moves and nice touch around the basket and from the perimeter, but still needs to work on his athleticism in order to truly become a good NBA prospect.