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The NBA released the official list of 60 players invited to attend the 2012 NBA Draft combine on June 7-8 in Chicago. The event includes skill drills, scrimmages, athletic and psychological testing and interviews with players projected to be in the draft lottery. The order for the lottery is scheduled to be determined May 30. All six Kentucky players who entered the draft will attend. Among players not on the list is Wisconsin All-American point guard Jordan Taylor. Gonzaga’s Robert Sacre, Villanova’s Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek were also not on the initial NBA list of invites: Quincy Acy, Baylor. Harrison Barnes, North Carolina. HoopsWorld

Draft, Harrison Barnes, Maalik Wayns, Jordan Taylor, Dominic Cheek, Robert Sacre 

Here are the Safe Bets: Harrison Barnes, North Carolina, sophomore small forward (6-foot-8, 215 pounds): No one is predicting the next coming of Kevin Durant, but Barnes is seen by most as a high-level scorer whose skills should translate at the next level. He averaged 17.1 points last season, but left Tar Heels fans wanting more at the end as he shot just 32.8 percent in four NCAA tournament games. Still, executives are confident he'll be a productive pro even though he's not a great athlete and his dribble-drive game needs work. "Is he going to be an All-Star? I don't know, but it's not like he's going to be a bust either," a front-office source said. SI.com

Draft, Harrison Barnes 

“This is a one-player draft,’’ agent David Falk told the Observer Monday, referring to Kentucky freshman big man Anthony Davis. “Picks two through eight, there’s not a lot of separation. There’s just not a lot of difference between (Michael Kidd-)Gilchrist, (Andre) Drummond or (Harrison) Barnes. A lot of teams will be looking to trade down because the difference from two through eight is miniscule". Charlotte Observer

Draft, Agents, Harrison Barnes, Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Adrian Wojnarowski: North Carolina's Harrison Barnes has reached agreement with agent Jeff Wechsler for his pro representation, sources tell Y! Sports. Twitter

Draft, Agents, Harrison Barnes, Jeff Wechsler 

Scott Howard-Cooper: One scout told me he'd take T. Jones over Harrison Barnes. A sign of how much teams want to like Jones. And of Barnes' letdown postseason. Twitter

Draft, Harrison Barnes 

For North Carolina, injury-plagued 2011-12 will be remembered around Chapel Hill as a season of "What if?" Its offseason begins with, "What now?" Sophomore wing Harrison Barnes, junior power forward John Henson and sophomore point guard Kendall Marshall are all entering the NBA draft, the school announced Thursday. Add them to 7-footer Tyler Zeller, who is graduating, and the Tar Heels lose four-fifths of the starting lineup that led them to the NCAA regional finals. Another player, reserve forward James Michael McAdoo, is pondering his decision this weekend, though his father said Wednesday he expects that the freshman forward to be back in a UNC uniform next season. "It's a great day for three youngsters who are taking another step toward their ultimate goal of playing professional basketball," coach Roy Williams said in a statement. "On a very small stage, it's a sad day for me because I won't get to coach them again. All Tar Heel fans will miss them greatly, as well." ESPN.com

Draft, Harrison Barnes, John Henson, Kendall Marshall 

At this stage in the game, it's pretty hard for a top prospect to really do much damage to his stock. These are high-pressure games and no NBA scout is going to base an overall performance evaluation on one or two contests. With that said, Barnes' struggles this weekend without Marshall on the floor were alarming. He struggled to create any offense for himself, was often left taking off-balance jump shots and, with the exception of a hot streak toward the end of the first half versus Kansas, didn't look anything like the special player we all believed he could become. Barnes ended up going 8-for-30 from the field and, for the most part, it looked worse than the box score suggests. We've known for a while that Barnes struggles as a ball handler and can be one-dimensional, but without Marshall setting him up in the spots he wants to get to, he just isn't able to do too much. ESPN.com

Draft, Harrison Barnes 

With all of that said, a number of GMs still believe he can be a very effective weapon at the NBA level. His size and shooting ability for his position are good. Put him on the right team, with the right point guard, and don't ask him to be a superstar, and Barnes could still have a very effective NBA career. I don't think he's a franchise-changer, but if he continues to develop, Danny Granger or Luol Deng might be his upside. If he doesn't live up to his potential? Maybe he is the second coming of Martell Webster. ESPN.com

Draft, Harrison Barnes 

Davis, the Toronto Raptors power forward, left the University of North Carolina after his sophomore year, declaring for the 2010 NBA draft. Barnes, a highly touted small forward, started his college career with the Tar Heels in the autumn of 2010. By then, Davis was rehabilitating a knee injury as a member of the Raptors. Still, the Tar Heels community can be a tight one, and Davis knows Barnes well. To Raptors fans who are monitoring the performances of draft prospects in the NCAA tournament, looking forward to the team’s sure-to-be-high pick in June, Davis has a message. “He’s going to be good,” Davis said of Barnes before his Raptors lost to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night. “He’s going to be a better pro than a college player. The college game slows him down.” National Post

Draft, Harrison Barnes 

Either way, when North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes, Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger, Kentucky’s Terrence Jones, Connecticut’s Jeremy Lamb and Baylor’s Perry Jones chose to spend their sophomore years on campus – and join other potential one-and-done candidates such as Connecticut’s Andre Drummond, Kentucky’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Florida’s Bradley Beal and Baylor’s Quincy Miller – it created a situation in which teams on the back end of the lottery could still pluck quality talent. That is, of course, if all of those players declare for the draft. “It’s a good year to be in the lottery because it’s one of the safer lotteries,” the scouting director said. “If you have a pick around the top 14 or 15, you might get a top five or top seven talent, just because of the amount of guys who went back. Some people make the argument that some of those guys might’ve contended for one. You’re going to get a higher quality player in whatever range you’re picking in the first round than you normally would.” Washington Post

Draft, Harrison Barnes, Terrence Jones, Jared Sullinger, Perry Jones, Jeremy Lamb, Andre Drummond 

Plenty of North Carolina fans are surprised Harrison Barnes stuck around for two seasons. As for three, that would be pushing it. The Tar Heels' star small forward figures to be a high pick in June's NBA draft. And Barnes said there’s no way he’s staying past his sophomore season if the Tar Heels win it all in April. "The goal is to win a national championship, so, if you do that, it’s a no-brainer," Barnes said Wednesday in an interview with FOX Sports Florida. "Our goal is just to win the national championship. I feel like this team, if we continue to mature, we have a great shot. And if that happens, then that’s all she wrote." FOXSports Florida

Draft, Harrison Barnes 

Barnes, who said his chances of coming back are "up in the air" if the Tar Heels don’t win it all, had just scored 23 points in his eighth-ranked team’s 73-64 win over Miami at BankUnited Center. But the Tar Heels didn’t exactly look like a national title outfit. They shot just 38.2 percent. But it sure helps to have three possible lottery picks on its front line: Barnes and big men John Henson (14 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Tyler Zeller (9 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals). When the game really mattered, Barnes took over. He scored 14 of his points in the second half as North Carolina overcame a 35-30 deficit. "(Wednesday) was Harrison Barnes’ night," Hurricanes center Reggie Johnson said. "He set the tone. He made some nice moves. I was like, wow. "If he came back next season, I’d be shocked. I really would be shocked. He’s got a bright future ahead of him… Kudos to him, and I encourage him to leave." FOXSports Florida

Draft, Harrison Barnes 

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 

What might be worse for top-ranked (for now) North Carolina than losing to UNLV 90-80 Saturday night? Having All-American forward Harrison Barnes leave Orleans Arena on crutches. The sophomore forward rolled his right ankle late in the first half scrambling on the sideline for a loose ball. He immediately flashed the tired signal and went to the bench. Although he waved off the trainer, he had a towel over his head for several minutes, before eventually returning to the game. A team spokesman said the crutches were a precautionary measure, and Barnes will be re-evaluated when the team returns to Chapel Hill. ESPN.com

Draft, Injuries, Harrison Barnes 

How much does being the number one pick matter to you and, if it does, will you be watching some of those other guys you’re competing against? “Being the competitive guy I am you always want to be number one, you never want to be number two or three. “But what’s different with the NBA draft is that it’s all about the fit. Just because you’re the number one pick that doesn’t mean you’ll be a good fit.” ACCSports.com

Draft, Harrison Barnes 

So to you is it important to be the number one overall pick, just personally, as a competitor? “It’s a competitive thing and it’s important to an extent, but going at a lower pick to a better system that’s going to benefit you in the long run is obviously more important. I like more of a free-lance offense with a lot of ball screens, a lot of spreads, more isolation. “It also matters what kind of team you’re going to, though. Is it a program where it looks like it’s going to improve and go uphill or are you going to a team that’s notorious for having losing seasons but at the end of the year having great cash revenues? I’m not trying to point at anybody specifically but people do that every year.” ACCSports.com

Draft, Harrison Barnes 

5. Tu Holloway, Xavier – Too high for one of the 5 best players in the history of the Atlantic-10? Nope. 4. Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut – Is this too high for a quiet kid who won’t have Kemba Walker around anymore and will have to become the team’s leader? Nope. 3. Terrence Jones, Kentucky – Inconsistent as a freshman (who isn’t?), but I’d say he’s the most talented player on Kentucky’s loaded roster (right now). 2. Harrison Barnes, North Carolina – Inconsistent as a freshman (who isn’t?), but enjoy him while you can before he’s a top 3 pick in the 2012 NBA draft. 1. Jared Sullinger, Ohio State – I’m just glad he stuck around for his sophomore year. Stay all four, like Hansbrough did! The Big Lead

Draft, Harrison Barnes, Terrence Jones, Jared Sullinger, Tu Holloway, Jeremy Lamb 

In a normal year, he would have been snatched up in the lottery and signed to an NBA team. But this is not a normal year. The NBA lockout has assured that he'll donate at least one more year of pro bono highlights, going against the flow of one-and-dones and returning for his sophomore year. And he's not alone. Ohio State's Jared Sullinger, Kentucky's Terrence Jones and Baylor's Perry Jones III are among the other second-year stars who delayed their draft entries. Together with Barnes, the group's collective return means that this season, the fight for a national championship will be more rugged than it's been since before one-and-dones existed. "It's going to raise the competition for everyone involved," says Carolina head coach Roy Williams. "Back to when Tim Duncan stayed four years." ESPN.com

Draft, Harrison Barnes, Terrence Jones, Jared Sullinger, Perry Jones 

But when contemplating a lockout-clouded future versus coming back to the country's best frontcourt and the preseason's No. 1 team, the decision was easy. "I feel that going to college another year won't hurt my draft stock, and it will probably help it, actually," Barnes says. "It'd be different if everyone jumped ship and I was returning to a team that wasn't going to be in the top 25. We have an opportunity to compete for a national championship." ESPN.com

Draft, Harrison Barnes 

In truth, he'd never had to face being bad at anything. Barnes, a business administration major, arrived on campus with enough AP credits to bypass several introductory classes. In high school, he played cello (because he was good at it) and saxophone (so he could march in the band). Besides hoops, he'd also been a standout track and soccer star. "If he wasn't good at something," Shirley says, "he'd just make himself good at it." But this time, there wasn't an easy solution that could fix Barnes' game. He'd watch hours of tape to see where he could shorten moves or dribble out of defensive traps. He'd practice those moves in his morning workouts and again later with the team and yet, come game time, still overthink. "He'd catch on the wing," says Tar Heels forward John Henson, "and he'd jab, step back, crossover, between the legs and then shoot it. He'd make it a much tougher shot instead of just shooting the three." ESPN.com

Draft, Harrison Barnes