NBA MOCK DRAFT 2011

Kentucky's Josh Harrellson - 2011 NBA Mock Draft

2011-05-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

NBA.com’s David Aldridge submitted his Top Ten centers list for the 2011 NBA Draft.

Listed at No. 2 is Enes Kanter.

Listed at No. 3 is Josh Harrellson.

Now, let’s not get to ahead of ourselves. A lot of this can be credited to a weak class of centers. Following Harrellson on the draft board are the likes of Keith Benson of Oakland and Greg Smith of Fresno State.

Still, I think that Harrellson will get a look. He has good touch. He can step out and knock down the 12-footer. He is incredible at the two-man game. And he is exceptional at putting himself in good position when playing off the basketball.

Here’s what Aldridge had to say about Harrellson.

NBA.com – Harrelson wasn’t much of a prospect last year, playing just 88 minutes for the Wildcats and never breaking into Calipari’s rotation. He could sprint for only 45 seconds before getting winded. But Harrelson underwent a transformation last summer under the eye of Kentucky assistant coach and former 76ers swingman Kenny Payne. Working out up to three times a day, Harrelson lost weight and was able to go end to end for three minutes by the start of the season. And his increased workload from 1.2 rebounds a game to 8.8 per game this season was the largest jump in the country.

He won’t wow anyone with anything he does. But when you look at the box score at the end of the game, you see that he had an impact most nights. He uses his improved body to move opponents out of the way and gets his hands on a lot of loose balls for putbacks and second-shot opportunities.

Some scouts who saw Harrelson at Kentucky’s Pro Day earlier this month (Kanter did not work out then) were impressed with his perimeter skills and believe he could ultimately be a pick-and-pop player. But he’ll have to be drafted by the right team and be allowed to grow in a system that will take advantage of his skills. Like many players, he would benefit from going to a good team late in the first round — with the guaranteed money that first-rounders get as a bonus — and work on his game for a year or two instead of being drafted early in the second by a bad team where he’d be expected to contribute more immediately.

You know a lot of UK fans were upset when the NCAA ruled Enes Kanter permanently ineliligible. But, without Kanter’s ineligibility, does Harrellson get this opportunity? Probably not. And the fact that he took more than full advantage of the opporunity that was given to him, makes this great.

If given the same opportunity in the NBA, let’s hope that Harrellson can do the exact same.

Don’t forget the NBA Draft Lottery is tonight at 8:30. John Wall will represent the Wizards and be blanketed by a bunch of other former superstars, current stars and rich people.

Updated 2011 NBA Mock Draft: Analysis

2011-05-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

JrTips Professional Sports Handicapping Service is the #1 online sports handicapping service providing Nba Picks, Mlb Picks, free sports picks, baseball picks, Nba Playoff picks, Ncaab Picks, College basketball Picks Nfl Picks, Ncaaf picks, Nhl picks.

_______________________________________________

The 2011 NBA Mock Draft has now been updated, so now it is time for all the sports pundits to offer an analysis. Klay Thompson is in the first round of picks, but what makes things more interesting is the fact that he is almost a lottery pick, and there is a chance that the Washington State guard will head over to the Indiana Pacers.
SB Nation Seattle reports that the Pacers have a solid field of players, so we will have to keep a close eye on the Thompson situation. RealGM Articles has been taking a close look at the updated 2011 NBA Mock Draft and it is clear to see that there are no high-end players with huge franchise offers.
However, this is a good thing, as it gives a player the chance to prove his worth. Some will do well while others will fail, which is the whole idea of these drafts. Looking over things we can clearly see that the biggest winners are Utah Jazz. What do you make of these latest drafts?

__________________________________________

BASKETBALL SCORING SECRETS

Kyrie Irving - A No-Brainer First Pick

2011-05-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

Our first 2011 NBA Mock Draft after the lottery features Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams at the top, lots of Europeans in the first round and a special cameo from Jeremy Tyler.
May 18, 2011 - With the order set for the 2011 NBA Draft, it's time to roll out the totally exhilarating NBA mock draft season. We present our first post-lottery session below; as will be the case in the run-up to the June 23 draft, we'll rely on the reporting the hard-working draftniks do, our own intuition and -- in few cases -- common sense. Let's kick it.

E-Basketball drills

*****

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Los Angeles Clippers): Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke
The L.A. Clippers wanted to get rid of their point guard Baron Davis, and needed to add in their first-round pick to make him disappear. Little did they know they'd be throwing away Kyrie Irving, too. Cleveland will take Irving with glee; while the point guard won't make anyone forget about LeBron James, he fills an immediate need at a vital position and injects a dose of excitement to a bad roster.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves: Derrick Williams, F, Arizona
The Wolves would have been in a nearly impossible position with the No. 1 pick, given the team's continued lust for Ricky Rubio. There's a small issue here, too: Michael Beasley is the incumbent small forward, and All-Star power forward Kevin Love isn't going anywhere. Williams could serve as the third forward, or Minnesota could offload Beasley. Or David Kahn could take a point guard, like Kemba Walker.

3. Utah Jazz (via New Jersey Nets): Enes Kanter, C, Turkey
Kanter might not be the perfect center to match with Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap, but the Jazz had stayed with the "best player available" strategy in the past, and depending on who you read, Kanter could be it. Whoever picks him will be relying mostly on the workout season and combine measurements as he hasn't played competitive basketball in a couple years. He's perhaps the biggest question mark on the board in the top 10.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers: Jonas Valanciunas, C, Lithuania
After landing a franchise point guard in Irving up top, the Cavaliers can further bolster the backcourt by choosing Kemba Walker here or go big. Given that Walker has been fashioned an NBA point guard -- we'll see -- I'll guess big man here. Valanciunas isn't close to a finished product, but Cleveland is in full-on rebuild mode. (They'd probably prefer Kanter, should he drop.)

5. Toronto Raptors: Kemba Walker, PG, UConn
Walker is the second- or third-best perimeter player in the draft behind Irving and possibly Brandon Knight; while Toronto needs a true point guard to get that offense going, it's hard to pass up NBA-ready leadership that a player like Walker offers. The Raptors love shooting seemingly above all else, but Walker's dribble-creation will help boost the team in the short term while the rest of the roster is sorted out.

6. Washington Wizards: Bismack Biyombo, PF, Congo
The Wizards have their shotblocking interior presence (JaVale McGee), but Biyombo, the top shotblocker in the Spanish league per DraftExpress, is another level of prospect. Given the franchise's lack of faith (or is that wishful thinking?) in Andray Blatche, power forward could be a spot they look to address despite a gaping hole behind Rashard Lewis at small forward and a couple of solid PF prospects in the pipeline (Trevor Booker, Kevin Seraphin).

7. Sacramento Kings: Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Diego State
The Kings desperately need help at small forward, where none of Francisco Garcia, Donte Greene or Omri Casspi stood out (for good reasons) in 2010-11. Leonard is a big SF, and less of a shooter than the Kings would like, but the team is being rebuilt with an eye on energy and toughness. He fits that.

8. Detroit Pistons: Brandon Knight, PG, Kentucky
The Pistons have an unsettled backcourt; Knight may not be the answer next year or ever, but outside of the top two this whole draft is a carp shoot. (If you've ever shot an arrow at a fish, you know what I'm talking about.) Knight has landed higher on other mocks, and a good workout season could boost him even ahead of Walker.

9. Charlotte Bobcats: Marcus Morris, PF, Kansas
How many times will the Morris twins get compared to the Collins twins? More than the number of times they'll get compared to the Lopez twins! That's a small joke about how players are only ever compared to players of their race. You know, like how Jimmer Fredette is the next J.J. Redick but not the next Bobby Jackson. (Note: he's probably closer to Redick than Jackson.)

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Alec Burks, SG, Colorado
Burks isn't a great shooter, but he's a fine scorer and could be a great long-term fit with Brandon Jennings. John Salmons didn't get the job done last season, and is in his early 30s. Milwaukee might instead go big in an attempt to settle the frontcourt alongside Andrew Bogut. It's a wide open draft for the Bucks. Also: Bucks. Burks. Bucks. Burks. Canny like X-Men.

11. Golden State Warriors: Kenneth Faried, PF/C, Morehead State
The Warriors need more defense, despite taking Ekpe Udoh last year. You ask for defense, you get rebounding and defense. Note: if Faried begins to go by "Ken" or "Kenny," I'm dropping him to the second round.

12. Utah Jazz: Jimmer Fredette, SG, BYU
You can pry my Jazz-taking-Jimmer prediction from my cold, dead hands.

13. Phoenix Suns: Tristan Thompson, PF, Texas
Thompson is No. 6 on Jay Bilas' big board; power forwards with potential always rise, and Thompson is a top candidate to get up in the top 10. But if he's around, and assuming more talented big men aren't too tempting, it'd be hard for the thin Suns to pass him up.

14. Houston Rockets: Chris Singleton, SF, Florida State
The defensive specialist could be Daryl Morey's next Shane Battier; Singleton is a smart, rangy defender with some toughness and a developing (if slowly) offensive game.

15. Indiana Pacers: Donatas Motiejunas, C, Lithuania
Motiejunas won't likely fall this far, not with a certain 7-foot European gunner lighting up the NBA Playoffs. The Pacers need help on offense, and a stretch big man could be a nice addition to the Roy Hibbert-Tyler Hansbrough tandem.

16. Philadelphia 76ers: Jan Vesely, SF, Czech Republic
Another player who should be higher. I guess I'm biased against Euros! Vesely is reportedly more of a gazelle, and Omri Casspi-type transition star with little in the way of halfcourt refinement. That sounds exactly like the Philadelphia 76ers.

17. New York Knicks: Markieff Morris, PF, Kansas
Q: Which player will draw the most obnoxious catcalls from the Knicks' faithful inside of MSG for the draft? A: Some Euro, duh. But Morris The Lesser will do.

18. Washington Wizards (from Atlanta Hawks): Klay Thompson, SG, Washington State
Thompson's an interesting draft case; he's a perimeter-based scoring who might struggle to adjust to a lower-usage role in the NBA, but who has the skills to excel if he can find the right niche. I'm not sure Washington is that place, but the teens are the assumed range for him.

19. Charlotte Bobcats (from New Orleans Hornets): Tyler Honeycutt, SF, UCLA
The Bobcats are restocking from almost scratch after selling off Gerald Wallace at midseason. Honeycutt has promise, but he'll need to prove his value in competitive workouts. Can he handle himself against stronger, more developed prospects like Leonard and Singleton?

20. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Memphis Grizzlies): Jordan Hamilton, SF, Texas
This selection is made with a big ol' wink to my friend David Kahn. You think the draft lottery being fixed is a problem? Wait until Hamilton is shooting from midcourt five times a game.

21. Portland Trail Blazers: Davis Bertans, SF, Latvia

22. Denver Nuggets: Josh Selby, SG, Kansas
If J.R. Smith really leaves the Nuggets, George Karl is going to miss having a "difficult" two-guard gunner. Enter Selby.

23. Houston Rockets (from Orlando Magic): Tobias Harris, SF, Tennessee
Ideally, the Rockets trade all of their draft picks for a time machine to 2004, they wrap Yao Ming's feet in bubble wrap, they get back in the time machine, and they let Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin play off the big fellow on their way to 47 wins.

24. Oklahoma City Thunder: Lucas Nogueira, C, Brazil
"Bebe" is the latest South American wonder to grace my dreams and nightmares. He looks like Mikki Moore but supposedly plays like countryman Nene. Also, his nickname is Bebe! What more do you want?

25. Boston Celtics: JaJuan Johnson, PF/C, Purdue
The Celtics obviously need help in the middle; Nenad Krstic is not the answer, Jermaine O'Neal and Shaq may both retire, and Glen Davis was shown up in the playoffs. Johnson is more a blue chip handyman than a heralded prospect, but he could be a nice fit.

26. Dallas Mavericks: David Lighty, SF, Ohio State
The Mavericks love shooters and need help on the wings. Lighty looks poised to make a smooth transition to the pros, based on his universally needed skill set.

27. New Jersey Nets (from Los Angeles Lakers): Jeremy Tyler, C, Newspaper Articles From Two Years Ago
I just needed to get Jeremy Tyler into the first round of one mock draft to settle a bet from 2008. Move along.

28. Chicago Bulls (from Miami Heat): Kyle Singler, SF, Duke
Kyle Singler is the Taj Gibson of private schools in the ACC.

29. San Antonio Spurs: Andrew Goudelock, PG, College of Charleston
I'm not going to lie: I found the most obscure domestic name in DraftExpress' two-round mock, and picked it.

30. Chicago Bulls: Isaiah Thomas, PG, Washington
Isaiah Thomas deserves a shot in the first round; he can outplay a handful of NBA point guards, and a year from now he could seriously be putting in good minutes for a playoff team. He has all the skills. Size matters, but haven't we learned you can't discount a player solely because of their height?

Be sure to check out our 2011 NBA Draft hub for full draft coverage.

_________________________________________________

This site provides Top Sports Picks & Predictions for College Football, Ncaa Basketball, Nfl, Nba, Mlb, and even the Nhl.

Washington Wizards

2011-05-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

The Wizards will have the sixth, 18th and 34th picks in the 2011 NBA Draft. You know what this means, right?

2011 NBA Mock Draft time!

Chad Ford: Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson.
Draft Express: Jan Vesely, Jordan Hamilton, Trey Thompkins.
NBADraft.net: Jan Vesely, Chris Singleton.
NBA.com (David Aldridge): Markieff Morris, Davis Bertans.
NBA.com (Scott Howard-Cooper): Bismack Biyombo, Trey Thompkins.
Ben Golliver, CBS Sports: Kawhi Leonard, Kenneth Faried.
Dave Del Grande, CBS Sports: Jan Vesely, Jordan Hamilton.

Wizards

John Wall brings his mother as a good luck charm, but it doesn't work. [Michael Lee]
On how following the "Oklahoma City Model" means nailing this draft. Stuff we've covered here, but maybe isn't grasped by people in the Washington Post's audience. [Jason Reid]
The Wizards have sent scouts overseas, which will come in handy now. [Carla Peay]
An ongoing rundown of the Wizards' draft options - keep checking it out. [Bismack Biyombo | Jan Vesely]
John Wall says the Wizards can "still find somebody." [CSN Washington]
But he also says this isn't a good draft. [Brian Jackson]
Should the Wizards "seriously consider" moving up, as Michael Lee suggests? Eh. This doesn't feel like the right draft to try that, unless Derrick Williams somehow starts slipping.
Ernie Grunfeld says John Wall should have been Rookie of the Year, since Blake Griffin wasn't a real rookie. [Wizards Insider]

GET YOUR IN-SEASON BASKETBALL WORKOUT BOOK HERE!

Around the league

Really great study on the draft and what it means to have each pick. Highly recommend this one. [Brew Hoop]
Past No. 6 overall picks. [via DavidDunn]

MAXIMIZE YOUR VERTICAL JUMP WHEN PLAYING BASKETBALL/ VOLLEY BALL!