Top 5 Prospects for 2012 NBA Draft

[bigboi]

But did you guys notice Drummond's lack of enthusiasm. I think that's the biggest problem of his game, sometimes he is incredibly nonchalant and doesn't give it his all. I think that hit on his nose is going to give him a wake up call and beast mode

He had this issue in HS as well especially when things aren't going his way.

We'll see how he does as the season progresses, during the exhibition games he also had a rough start, but went beast mode

[jemstar]

Lamb's highlight's from tonight, some of these moves do like KD'ish, especially the crossover 3 before the end of the 1st half

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tnktoIjtiU[/youtube]

[CKRT]

River's shooting form is awful. Did anyone else notice that tonight?

[vincecarter4pres]

I still don't know nearly enough about a lot of these players so excuse my naivety until late November into mid-December but my top 5 prospect for this draft at this point go:

1. Anthony Davis
2. Jeremy Lamb
3. Quincy Miller
4. Jared Sullinger
5. Austin Rivers

Honestly, right now I don't see McAdoo or Drummond coming out as one and dones.
They stay for another year IMO.

This class will be fluid though with rankings all year, wouldn't doubt guys we think are top 10 locks or will at least declare and go top 20 may stay an extra year if they don't like what they're hearing about their draft stock in the spring.

Every player obviously doesn't pan out, but in general there's just too much talent and not enough 1st round picks in a draft this year.

[DetroitPistons]

Lamb's highlight's from tonight, some of these moves do like KD'ish, especially the crossover 3 before the end of the 1st half

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tnktoIjtiU[/youtube]

Thanks for posting this. he looks a lot better than i thought he was. he will be top pick in the draft for sure.

[DetroitPistons]

River's shooting form is awful. Did anyone else notice that tonight?

I noticed it the first time i saw him. hes supposed to be a good shooter though.

[DetroitPistons]

I still don't know nearly enough about a lot of these players so excuse my naivety until late November into mid-December but my top 5 prospect for this draft at this point go:

1. Anthony Davis
2. Jeremy Lamb
3. Quincy Miller
4. Jared Sullinger
5. Austin Rivers

Honestly, right now I don't see McAdoo or Drummond coming out as one and dones.
They stay for another year IMO.

This class will be fluid though with rankings all year, wouldn't doubt guys we think are top 10 locks or will at least declare and go top 20 may stay an extra year if they don't like what they're hearing about their draft stock in the spring.

Every player obviously doesn't pan out, but in general there's just too much talent and not enough 1st round picks in a draft this year.

There probably won't be a one and done anymore. the owners proposal includes raising the age limit. say goodbye to drummond, miller, gilchrist, davis, rivers, beal, etc. this is my new top 5...

1. Barnes
2. Sullinger
3. Perry Jones
4. Lamb
5. Terrence Jones

This draft is looking weak now.

[vincecarter4pres]

I'm sorry but Barnes at #1 is a joke.

What are people seeing that I'm not?!

- Great shooter from deep
- Good shooter overall
- Great size and length
- Solid BBIQ
- Very good defender with great defender potential
- Relatively clutch and won't back down from the big shot


- Average 1st step
- Suspect handle
- Not a playmaker
- Only a touch above average athleticism
- Pretty bad shot selection
- Questionable decision making
- Doesn't pass the ball much
- Doesn't have the look of a player ever capable of being more then a meager 2nd option
- Doesn't get to the line much


He'll be a good NBA player, great type of player to have on your roster, highly desirable and pretty coveted, but far from a star.

Not top 5 pick worthy, especially in a strong draft.

[DetroitPistons]

^ First of all, who would you put ahead of him? remember that the age limit is going to be raised. your choices are basically barnes, sullinger, jones, or lamb.

Second of all, i think barnes will be better than you think. my only concerns with him is his ability to take defenders to the hoop off the dribble. i would like to see him do more of that. other than that i think he is a great prospect who is smart and capable of improving constantly.

[Ruzious]

Who are the top 5 prospects in the 2012 draft and 2013 draft if the NBA imposes a minimum age of 20 years? I think it is pretty likely that this change is implemented. What do you guys think that likelihood is?

Making a statement like that - you gotta tell us why you think that's going to happen. It would f up the 2012 draft.

Here's the link. http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2 ... pa-lockout Apparently, it's one of 30-40 "B List proposals" made by the NBA to the players' union. It sounds like these are all last minute proposals by the NBA - and really makes me think the NBA does NOT want to have a season this year.

[5DOM]

I would definitely take Lamb over Barnes. Lamb's got very good length for his position himself, and just seems to do everything well (and better than Barnes).

[Steely Reserve]

What makes people think Barnes will do on the pro level what he cant to in college??

People kill me with the imaginary skill hyping of certain players. Without blinking an eye, Perry Jones, Lamb, and Sullinger are better pro prospects than Barnes.

Unless Barnes goes to a team where he has zero pressure to be the man, he will be a bust. Seriously, what are you people watching? The cat can't create his own shot. Cannot pass. Forces shots.

Ironically, Cleveland would be a good fit for him. Irving would take all the pressure off him and allow him to be the spot up shooter he wants to be. He has value between #5-9 slots but #1 pick worthy, get ouuuutttaa here.

[UGA Hayes]

Wwll its too eary...but...I can't help but share VC4P pessimism on Barnes. He looked like the same player as last year. Same handle that doesn't get him by people, same questionable shot selection, same trouble getting to the rim. He just doesn't jump out as me as anything other than a solid role player at th next level. The #1 pick talk continues to baffle me. I feel like the tail is wagging the dog on this one.

[UGA Hayes]

Just finished watching the Duke game. A lot of interesting stuff from Mason Plumlee. For the first time that I can remember he actually made a concerted effort to get involved offensively both in the post and with a jumpshot, and didn't look all that bad in the process, granted its against likely midlevel competition. If he turns out to be a passable offensive player I would move him way up in my mock.

[vincecarter4pres]

Just finished watching the Duke game. A lot of interesting stuff from Mason Plumlee. For the first time that I can remember he actually made a concerted effort to get involved offensively both in the post and with a jumpshot, and didn't look all that bad in the process, granted its against likely midlevel competition. If he turns out to be a passable offensive player I would move him way up in my mock.

Yeah not to do the stereotypical comparing white college guy to white NBA player but he could be like Nick Collison who was an underrated role player earlier in his career and is still a serviceable rotation guy even now.

[vincecarter4pres]

^ First of all, who would you put ahead of him? remember that the age limit is going to be raised. your choices are basically barnes, sullinger, jones, or lamb.

Second of all, i think barnes will be better than you think. my only concerns with him is his ability to take defenders to the hoop off the dribble. i would like to see him do more of that. other than that i think he is a great prospect who is smart and capable of improving constantly.

The age limit will still allow Lamb and Rivers to declare of which I have both healthily over him.

And yes I take Sullinger over him for sure and although I lean towards Barnes right now, both the Jones' could easily overtake him if they show me growth, especially mentally, although that is quite the task.

Then there's Terrence Ross and Khris Middleton.

Kendall Marshall and John Henson as well.

I like Barnes a lot more then some of those guys, but the point is, he is not this top prospect the hype machine has been churning out and all the guys I listed have and likely will have even more so after this season, a completely legitimate argument to be taken over him.

I mean, Jeff Taylor is a guy who's a senior so people will scoff at, but might have a very similar career to Barnes when we look back say even 6 or 7 years from now and he'll likely go between late lotto and pick 20, so where's the value with Barnes?

You want him to take defenders off the dribble more, but he has an average first step and suspect handle. A quick first step you more or less have or you don't at this point and handle is one of the hardest aspects of basketball to hardily improve.



To wrap this all up, who says the age limit even stands?

Personally I feel it's going to remain 19 years old and at least one year of college or out of high school.

We'll see though.

[vincecarter4pres]

Wwll its too eary...but...I can't help but share VC4P pessimism on Barnes. He looked like the same player as last year. Same handle that doesn't get him by people, same questionable shot selection, same trouble getting to the rim. He just doesn't jump out as me as anything other than a solid role player at th next level. The #1 pick talk continues to baffle me. I feel like the tail is wagging the dog on this one.

The way I feel about Barnes and have felt is 16ppg Shane Battier.

Maybe he'll have a couple seasons hovering around 20ppg on lower percentages and efficiency while he's on bad team and he's forced to jack up a lot of bad shots.

Maybe he'll have a couple around 20ppg instead as a high efficiency low usage 3rd, even 4th option on a super fast paced offense like an old Phoenix or Golden State.

But I'm just not seeing anything that says star to me, not even really an All Star or really even fringe All Star, at least not a perennial one.

16ppg Shane Battier would be a wonderful player to have. One that would be highly desirable and coveted league wide. But not with a top 5 pick, or at least DEFINITELY not a top 3 pick even if the 20 year rule comes into effect.

Right outside the top 5 sounds about right for him though, in that 6 to 10 range.

[UGA Hayes]

I do wonder if he is getting the same treatment as other high character "stars" from big school a la Battier and Okafor. Meaninf, there were members of the media who thought Battier should be the number one pick b/c he was articulate and used the same argument for Okafor over Howard. And honestly I kind of like both of those guys more than Barnes.

[Dr Positivity]

Barnes stock is going to drop hard. Is he even an elite shooter or guaranteed defender? I mean it's not like Jeremy Lamb's shooting. I would be closer to saying 50% Sean Elliot Nick Anderson tier, and 50% Marvin Williams "WTF did we just do" pick than saying he's a guaranteed 17/7

[theboomking]

Who are the top 5 prospects in the 2012 draft and 2013 draft if the NBA imposes a minimum age of 20 years? I think it is pretty likely that this change is implemented. What do you guys think that likelihood is?

Making a statement like that - you gotta tell us why you think that's going to happen. It would f up the 2012 draft.

Sorry Ruzious. Been busy. As someone else posted, it is one of the issues that is on the 'B-list' of issues between the league and the players. It is rumoured that the players don't particularly object, which makes me think it is possible the age limit will be raised.
http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/ ... -proposal/

VC4P:
I think your general assessment of Barnes is dead on. He will be a very good defender and shooter that doesn't handle the ball exceptionally well, and probably isn't suited to be the best player on a championship caliber team. On the other hand, I think Barnes will be better at getting his shot than you do. Barnes has a very mature game, can score in catch and shoot situations and off the dribble, has good hands, and can actually score in the post a bit as well.

I have Anthony Davis, and Drummond over Barnes right now, and think that Lamb may also wind up over Barnes.

What makes you think Sullinger will be a better pro? Sullinger lacks prototype size for his position, won't be a great defender at the 4, and probably won't be any better of an offensive option than Barnes. With the prohibition against hand checking in the NBA, you really want solid interior defenders, and Sullinger doesn't fit that mold.

And, Rivers? I'm really coming more around to Manualram's position. Rivers will probably score a lot, but doesn't make plays for others, likely won't be very good defensively, and is essentially an undersized volume scorer. Against Belmont? Rivers was 3-9 FGA, 2 reb, 2 stl, 1 ast, 5 TO. Not so hot.

Barnes probably isn't a great option if you are looking for a franchise player for your team. For a team like the Wizards however, Barnes would be great. He can defend, is smart and hard working, and should be able to thrive as a 2nd or 3rd option on a very good team. Not everyone can be a star.