HoopsHype.com Rumors

Mete Aktas: Donatas Motiejunas, the 20th pick in the '11 draft whose rights belong to the H.Rockets is on the verge of signing with A.Efes. Twitter

Houston Rockets, Draft, Donatas Motiejunas 

With advice from various NBA college scouts and looking at the Bobcats' needs, here's an early view of what could be available in June. "With the first pick in the 2012 NBA draft, the Charlotte Bobcats select ... Kentucky's Anthony Davis (6-foot-10, 220 pounds; 13.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg): What does he do? He can be a Marcus Camby-type shot-blocker/rebounder at the NBA level. Camby averaged 10 points and 2.5 blocks in 16 seasons. Davis is interesting because he grew up as a guard, then had a sudden, dramatic growth spurt late in high school (somewhat like what happened to former Spurs star David Robinson). That means he didn't always rely upon height, and developed skills and coordination. The downside of a sudden growth spurt is he hasn't filled out. He sometimes gets pushed around like he's made of cotton balls. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Draft, Anthony Davis 

With the second pick in the 2012 NBA draft, the Charlotte Bobcats select...Connecticut's Andre Drummond (6-10, 270; 10.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg): What does he do? He's potentially a big-time pick-and-roll center, a bigger, less mechanical version of what the Bobcats hoped they were getting in Emeka Okafor in 2004. Big men typically take years for their coordination and athleticism to catch up with their bodies. Not Drummond. He's ready to play and figures to have a huge upside going forward. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Draft, Andre Drummond 

Mississippi State forward Renardo Sidney likely won’t be brought back to the team for his senior season, a source close to the program told SNY.tv Sunday. Sidney, a 6-foot-10 junior who has battled weight and attitude issues for most of his career, will likely seek a professional paycheck although it’s possible he could transfer. ZagsBlog.com

Draft, Renardo Sidney 

When asked if he would be chosen in the 2012 NBA Draft, one veteran NBA scout said flatly, “No.” ZagsBlog.com

Draft, Renardo Sidney 

Hoopshype.com has the Suns selecting ninth and taking Baylor's Perry Jones III, a 6-foot-11 sophomore small forward. What's up with Baylor and IIIs anyway? Hoopshype.com notes that Jones is considered by some to be a possible No. 1 overall pick with "jaw- dropping physical attributes," but he lacks intensity. Great. Arizona Republic

Draft, Perry Jones 

Brian T. Smith: Kings' Jimmer Fredette said he heard rumors #UtahJazz tried to move up during draft day to pick him but he's never received clarification. Twitter

Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz, Draft, Jimmer Fredette 

Chad, one thing I always wondered was, is your draft big board your big board or more of a representation of how people you talk to are feeling? If it's the latter, is there any player that you personally disagree with how NBA scouts/GM's view him? Chad Ford (1:55 PM): It's a consensus from what I'm hearing from NBA scouts/GMs and this year, I'm talking to a few more team stat heads as well to include that dimension in the rankings. Do I personally disagree with some of the rankings? Of course. But I think the Top 10 is pretty solid right now. My personal rankings would be close. I'm probably a bit higher on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist that some scouts/GMs are. They're probably higher on Perry Jones than I am. ESPN.com

Draft, Perry Jones 

Robinson won the game, but afterwards, the debate began. Should Robinson be in serious contention for one of the top two or three picks in the draft? Up until now, the top four have remained steady all year. Anthony Davis has been No. 1 on our Big Board since day one. Harrison Barnes, Andre Drummond and Jones have all held the No. 2 spot at various times. None of them have slipped below No. 4 on our board. Does Robinson deserve to be in the equation? The numbers clearly say yes. So do the various NBA stat heads who have their own formulas for picking who NBA teams should select in the draft. But the actual decision makers have been reluctant to put him there. Until now. "I've been a skeptic," one GM said. "I've always felt like he was a NBA player. But when you talk about a top pick like that, you are looking for a guy who can turn a franchise around, not an energy guy who may or may not start on a good team. But I'm sold. I didn't think he could handle the double teams. I didn't think he could handle being the focus point on offense. When I saw him in Maui, I was still hesitant. Now? He's gotten better. He's gotten more disciplined. He's improving skill wise, especially with his footwork in the post. And to me, he's become a true leader. He set the pace against Baylor. He took it right to Jones. He's not afraid. I just don't see how he fails." ESPN.com

Draft, Harrison Barnes, Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond 

We've been waiting two-and-half years, but Minnesota's Rodney Williams is finally living up to his lofty potential. We've always been in awe of Williams' raw athletic gifts and his ability to lock people down on defense, but his offensive game has been a major work in progress. With Trevor Mbakwe out for the season, Williams has begun to come on. He's still not a great shooter, but his ability to get to the basket and his work on the boards have caught NBA scouts' eyes. He's not ready to make a major impact in the NBA, but for the first time in a year, he's back in the discussion as a potential draft pick. ESPN.com

Draft, Rodney Williams 

The success rate for draft picks can be barely 50-50. Of the 30 first-round picks in 2006, for example, half are no longer in the NBA after Brandon Roy’s retirement. “It all comes down to timing,’’ said Chris Webber, the former All-Star who is now an NBA TV analyst. “If you are a young kid and you come in and they can’t use you right away, the team has to figure out if they are trying to win a championship now or whether you fit in the team’s plans. As a young player, you can’t take that personal.’’ Boston Globe

Draft, Brandon Roy, Chris Webber 

Midway through the season, Drummond has the pole position to be the top overall pick. At 6-foot-10 and 270 pounds, Drummond is said to be the fastest player on the UConn team. Remarkable when you consider that most players lose their mobility when they bulk up to his size. This from an NBA scout: "I see guys like (Anthony) Davis all the time, guys like Drummond are rare. It's been five years since the last one (physically dominant, elite level big man) which was Oden." He is in the same category athletically with Amare Stoudemire and Dwight Howard and while he's still raw offensively, he shows excellent finishing touch around the basket. The biggest chink in his armor is his free throw shooting, where he hits at a miserable sub-40 percent rate. HoopsHype

Draft, Andre Drummond 

(Thomas) Robinson has really impressed scouts with his added face the basket skills. With a huge wingspan, the junior has played with great energy all season. Showing the ability to consistently knock down mid-range shots, as well as get to the rim off the dribble has elevated his stock to a likely Top 10 pick, according to scouts. He's got the consistent motor and fire that seems to be lacking from fellow Big 12 forward prospect Perry Jones. HoopsHype

Draft, Perry Jones, Thomas Robinson 

Despite being projected as a lottery pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, UConn freshman Andre Drummond said he plans to return for his sophomore season. “As of right now, I know I’ll be back,” he told SNY.tv exclusively following No. 8 UConn’s 67-60 loss to Rutgers Saturday. “That’s all I could tell you, I’ll be back.” Even if you’re a Top 5 pick? “Yeah, I’ll be back,” added the 6-foot-11 Drummond, who tallied 10 points, 12 rebounds, seven turnovers, two blocks and one highlight-reel dunk in which he took off eight feet from the basket and flushed it. ZagsBlog.com

Draft, Andre Drummond 

Scott Howard-Cooper: Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist now being mentioned by NBA teams as possible No. 1 pick. A longshot, but what a move up the draft boards. Twitter

Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Overseas journalists were a little astonished at how you dress yourself, they didn’t like your white coat. Have you noticed that? “Something yeah, but I rather thought that I was the best dressed of them all, I don’t know (smiles). I simply had a white coat, but my teammates made fun of me, that I look like that police detective in Miami Vice [Sonny Crockett]. I don’t think that the coat was bad, it’s just white. By the way, there are strict rules for it, as soon as we are to appear somewhere in the public, we have to be well-dressed all the time.” Truth About It

Washington Wizards, Draft, Jan Vesely 

Baylor's Quincy Miller (Rank: 12) is slowly beginning to fade as a potential top-10 pick this season. The talent is there, but questions about his maturity and a fading perimeter game abound. He still has the talent to be a top-10 pick someday, but it's looking more likely it won't be this season. ESPN.com

Draft, Quincy Miller 

I've been a major Thomas Robinson (Rank: 5) fan since the start of his sophomore year. Last season we had him ranked as a late lottery pick on our Big Board and came into this season with him in our top 10. After seeing him live for three games in Maui, I was really impressed and inched him up a few spots on the board. But lately? Wow. Robinson is clearly getting more comfortable in his role as KU's go-to guy and is showing more of his offensive repertoire and quietly winning over a number of skeptical NBA scouts. "I've always thought he was a bit of niche player," one prominent NBA GM said. "To me he was an undersized rebounder who gave you some energy off the bench. But I've watched him a ton this season and every game I think he gets better. He's got more to his game than I've given him credit for. If he's going to keep up this learning curve, he could be a great NBA player. Great." ESPN.com

Draft, Thomas Robinson 

Charlotte media's first interaction with Biyombo, the day after the Bobcats chose him seventh overall during June, was entertaining and enlightening. Someone asked a perfunctory question about new general manager Rich Cho's interest. Biyombo's animated reply made it sound like a manhunt. "Everyone knows he was trying to move up to pick me," Biyombo said of Cho, who spent part of last season with the Portland Trail Blazers before joining the Bobcats front office. "When I first met him, he was like, 'Wow, I'm in Portland wanting to move up now!' And then he has No. 9 (in Charlotte), so he says, 'We'll pick you up.' "And then, after all my workouts, it's 'Nah-nah-nah-nah. You are not getting to nine!' So after that, they move up again." Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Portland Trail Blazers, Draft, Rich Cho, Bismack Biyombo 

The bottom line is that (Khem) Birch, who was the highest rated recruit in Dixon's tenure, wasn't happy. There are some who felt he should have stuck it out longer, but Birch said that he and his mother decided it was best for him to play elsewhere. "I'm not in a rush to get to the NBA," he said "I know I have a lot of work to do." CBSSports.com

Draft, Khem Birch