|
Blake
Griffin 6-10 PF Oklahoma / Sophomore |
| The
Clippers get what looks to be the only sure-fire star
in this draft with Blake Griffin. The Oklahoma product
is expected to be an instant contributor for the Clippers,
which now have a logjam of big men that should soon be
taken care of. |
| Comparison:
A. Stoudemire / Kenyon Martin |
Competitors:
Zach Randolph and M. Camby |
| Rookie
season salary*: $4,983,480 |
Ranking:
1st Power Forward / 1st Sophomore |
|
Hasheem
Thabeet 7-3 C Connecticut / Junior |
| Could develop into a defensive stalwart in the NBA. Could just as easily be one of the biggest busts in the draft. Still too green to contribute significantly. |
| Comparison: Dikembe Mutombo / D. Diop |
Competitors: Marc Gasol and Darko Milicic |
| Rookie
season salary*: $4,458,840 |
Ranking: 1st Center / 1st Junior |
|
James
Harden 6-5 SG Arizona State / Sophomore |
| Oklahoma passes on Ricky Rubio to get an efficient wing scorer in James Harden. Doesn't have great size or athleticism but knows how to put the ball in the basket. |
| Comparison: Manu Ginobili / Delonte West |
Comparison: Damien Wilkins / Desmond Mason |
| Rookie
season salary*: $4,004,160 |
Ranking: 1st Shooting Guard / 2nd Sophomore |
|
Tyreke
Evans 6-5 SG Memphis / Freshman |
| Excellent physical tools for a guard. Can really create his own shot. Doesn't create much for others, though -- which is a common thing among Sacramento players. |
| Comparison: Larry Hughes / Wille Green |
Competitors: Kevin Martin and Rashad McCants |
| Rookie
season salary*: $3,610,080 |
Ranking: 2nd Shooting Guard / 1st Freshman |
|
Ricky
Rubio 6-4 PG Joventut Badalona (Spain) / 1990 |
| The recent track record of Euro guards in the NBA has been terrible. Can Rubio be the one reversing that trend? He could be, especially if he develops a consistent jump shot. He already has the playmaking skills down pat. |
| Comparison: Steve Nash / Rafer Alston |
Competitors: Sebastian Telfair |
| Rookie
season salary*: $3,269,160 |
Ranking: 1st Point Guard / 1st International |
|
Jonny Flynn 6-0 PG Syracuse / Sophomore |
| Another flashy guard for the Timberwolves. Flynn doesn't have the size, but he has the talent, athleticism and guts. |
| Comparison: Earl Watson / Omar Cook |
Competitors: Sebastian Telfair |
| Rookie
season salary*: $2,969,280 |
Ranking: 2nd Point Guard / 3rd
Sophomore |
|
Stephen
Curry 6-3 PG Davidson /
Junior |
| Curry doesn't get his wish and ends up a Warrior. He can become one of the best shooters in the NBA right away. Problem is, he might be a little bit one-dimensional. |
| Comparison: Mike Bibby / Jannero Pargo |
Competitors: CJ Watson and Monta Ellis |
| Rookie
season salary*: $2,710,560 |
Ranking: 3rd Point Guard / 2nd Junior |
|
Jordan
Hill 6-10 PF Arizona / Junior |
| Great athlete at the power forward position. Very good rebounder. Not much of an offensive player at this point of his career, though. |
| Comparison: Chris Wilcox / Ronny Turiaf |
Competitors: David Lee and Al Harrington |
| Rookie
season salary*: $2,483,280 |
Ranking: 2nd Power Forward / 3rd Junior |
|
Demar
DeRozan 6-6 SG USC / Freshman |
| The rumored pick all along. DeRozan excels in transition game, where he can showcase his quickness and athleticism. Not so much in half-court sets, where his his weaknesses (poor ballhandling skills, namely) are showing. |
| Comparison: Josh Howard / Rodney Carney |
Competitors: Anthony Parker and Quincy Douby |
| Rookie
season salary*: $2,282,640 |
Ranking: 3rd Shooting Guard / 2nd Freshman |
|
Brandon
Jennings 6-1 PG Lottomatica Roma (Italy) / Freshman |
| From Rome to Milwaukee. Jennings is a flamboyant and exceptionally talented lefty point guard with a flair for the spectacular and the demeanor of a star. Must improve decision making and shot selection. |
| Comparison: Tony Parker / Sebastian Telfair |
Competitors: Ramon Sessions and L. Ridnour |
| Rookie
season salary*: $2,168,520 |
Ranking: 4th Point Guard / 3rd Freshman |
|
Terrence Williams 6-5 SG Louisville
/ Senior |
| Has the NBA body already, but needs to add more NBA skills. Must improve jump shot and ballhandling to become a solid player in the league. |
| Comparison: Andre Iguodala / D. McGuire |
Competitors: Courtney Lee and J. Hayes |
| Rookie
season salary*: $2,060,040 |
Ranking: 4th Shooting Guard / 1st Senior |
|
Gerald Henderson 6-5 SG Duke / Junior |
| Extremely athletic shooting guard with a very versatile all-around game. Smart and unselfish, but just an average ballhandler and shot-creator. Projects as a terrific role player. |
| Comparison: Michael Finley / Anthony Parker |
Competitors: Raja Bell and Randy Foye |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,957,080 |
Ranking: 5th Shooting Guard / 4th Junior |
|
Tyler
Hansbrough 6-9 PF North Carolina / Senior |
| Larry Bird goes with the college superstar. More of a finished product than most players in the draft. He beat every record with the Tar Heels. There are questions about how his game will translate to the next level. |
| Comparison: Luis Scola / Brian Cardinal |
Competitors: Troy Murphy |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,859,160 |
Ranking: 3rd Power Forward / 2nd Senior |
|
Earl Clark 6-9 SF Louisville / Junior |
| Versatile forward with great natural tools and considerable potential. Has a great frame and is a superb athlete. |
| Comparison: Marvin Williams / Julian Wright |
Competitors: Matt Barnes and Grant Hill |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,766,280 |
Ranking: 1st Shooting Forward / 5th Junior |
|
Austin
Daye 6-10 PF Gonzaga / Sophomore |
| Daye gets picked earlier than expected. Not very strong or active, but quite a productive offensive player. |
| Comparison: Hedo Turkoglu / A. Croshere |
Competitors: Tayshaun Prince |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,677,840 |
Ranking: 4th Power Forward / 4th Sophomore |
|
James
Johnson 6-8 SF Wake Forest / Sophomore |
| Unorthodox combo forward with long arms and great coordination. Possesses nice scoring instincts and an advanced feel for the game. Still needs to round out his game on both ends of the floor. Looks very much stuck between positions. |
| Comparison: Ryan Gomes / Erik Daniels |
Competitors: Luol Deng and Tim Thomas |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,594,080 |
Ranking: 2nd Shooting Forward / 5th Sophomore |
|
Jrue
Holiday 6-3 PG UCLA / Freshman |
| Still a work in progress. Possesses a high basketball IQ and shows the ball-handling skills and unselfishness to project as a point guard down the road. |
| Comparison: Rodney Stuckey / K. Dooling |
Competitors: Andre Miller and L. Williams |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,514,280 |
Ranking: 5th Point Guard / 4th Freshman |
|
Ty
Lawson 5-11 PG North Carolina / Junior |
| Has excellent strength, ballhandling skills, footwork and body control, and is especially impressive in transition. Could be a good backup for Billups. |
| Comparison: TJ Ford / Jamaal Tinsley |
Competitors: Chauncey Billups |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,438,680 |
Ranking: 6th Point Guard / 6th Junior |
|
Jeff
Teague 6-2 PG Wake Forest / Sophomore |
| A combo guard with superb scoring ability and an energetic approach to the game. Undersized for the shooting guard spot. Must develop his point guard skills. |
| Comparison: Monta Ellis / Louis Williams |
Competitors: Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,373,880 |
Ranking: 7th Point Guard / 6th Sophomore |
|
Eric
Maynor 6-2 PG VCU / Senior |
| Has a good combination of scoring and playmaking skills. Proved to be a clutch player at the college level. |
| Comparison: Sam Cassell / JR Holden |
Competitors: Deron Williams |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,318,920 |
Ranking: 8th Point Guard / 3rd Senior |
|
Darren
Collison 6-1 PG UCLA / Senior |
| A steady point guard that plays really unselfish basketball. Terrific defender. Doesn't take many risks offensively. |
| Comparison: Chris Duhon / Mario Chalmers |
Competitors: Chris Paul and A. Daniels |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,266,120 |
Ranking: 9th Point Guard / 4th Senior |
|
Víctor Claver 6-10 SF Pamesa Valencia (Spain) / 1988 |
| Missed most of the season due to injury. Had showed impressive athleticism and great basketball IQ before that. Likely to be stashed in Europe. |
| Comparison: Tayshaun Prince / Zarko Cabarkapa |
Competitors: Travis Outlaw and Nicolas Batum |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,215,480 |
Ranking: 3rd Shooting Forward / 2nd International |
|
Omri Casspi 6-8 SF Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) / 1988 |
| Will be the first Israeli player in NBA history, unless they keep him in Europe. Rugged forward that can contribute down the road. |
| Comparison: Andres Nocioni / Viktor Khryapa |
Competitors: Andres Nocioni and Francisco Garcia |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,167,000 |
Ranking: 4th Shooting Forward / 3rd International |
|
BJ
Mullens 7-0 C Ohio State / Freshman |
| One of the top centers in a draft lacking in quality seven-footers. Didn't do much in college. Has everything to prove in the NBA. |
| Comparison: Chris Kaman / Kwame Brown |
Competitors: Nenad Krstic and Nick Collison |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,120,200 |
Ranking: 2nd Center / 5th Freshman |
|
Rodrigue Beaubois 6-2 PG Cholet (France) / 1988 |
| Athletic French point guard that needs to improve his playmaking and strength. |
| Comparison: Ronnie Price / Mustafa Shakur |
Competitors: Jason Kidd and Jose Barea |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,075,440 |
Ranking: 10th Point Guard / 4th International |
|
Taj Gibson 6-9 PF USC / Junior |
| Active and aggressive power forward with a warrior’s mentality. Long and lanky, but extremely tough in the post. A good, but not amazing athlete. Very little range on his jumper. |
| Comparison: Drew Gooden / Keon Clark |
Competitors: T. Thomas and J. Noah |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,039,800 |
Ranking: 5th Power Forward / 7th Junior |
|
DeMarre
Carroll 6-8
PF Missouri / Senior |
| Tough and energetic forward that could develop into a good role player in the NBA. Quite an athlete. Runs the floor very well and can get his points in garbage baskets. Not a very polished offensive player. Doesn't really have a go-to move. |
| Comparison: George Lynch / Renaldo Balkman |
Competitors: Hakim Warrick |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,009,680 |
Ranking: 6th Power Forward / 5th Senior |
|
Wayne Ellington 6-5
SG North Carolina / Junior |
| Mostly a jump shooter. Can he get his shots off against bigger players in the NBA? |
| Comparison: Michael Redd / Rashad McCants |
Competitors: Randy Foye |
| Rookie
season salary*: $1,003,560 |
Ranking: 6th Shooting Guard / 8th Junior |
|
Toney Douglas 6-1
PG Florida State / Junior |
| Undersized point guard that excels on the defensive end. Plays with strength and agressiveness. Has great ballhandling skills, but lags in the playmaking department. |
| Comparison: Eddie House / Troy Bell |
Competitors: Chris Duhon |
| Rookie
season salary*: $996,240 |
Ranking: 11th Point Guard / 9th Junior |
|
Christian Eyenga 6-5
SG Joventut Badalona (Spain) / 1989 |
| The most obscure player in the first round. Played for Ricky Rubio's club. No way he's joining the Cavaliers in the near future. |
| Comparison: Gerald Green / Mickael Gelabale |
Competitors: Delonte West |
| Rookie
season salary*: $989,040 |
Ranking: 7th Shooting Guard / 5th International |
