SB Nation's Tom Ziller, on the heels of the NFL Draft completing, keeps the mock draft season going with his first mock for the NBA Draft, held June 26th. Because of the lottery system employed by the NBA, where the top 3 picks are randomly selected from those teams that did not make the Playoffs, the draft order will not be set until May 17, when they announce the results of the Lottery. Add in that any college player that declared early, and did not sign with an agent, can go back to school up until June 13th, and this makes creating a mock draft a little more difficult, but that didn't stop Ziller.
He only selected the lottery picks, so the Pacers aren't represented as of yet. Ziller believes Duke's Kyrie Irving, who missed most of the season last year with a toe injury, but returned for the NCAA Tournament, and Arizona's Derrick Williams are the top 2 players in the draft, and will go 1-2 in some order come draft night. The Timberwolves and Cavaliers have the best chances at grabbing these two guys, but any of the non-playoff teams could end up with them.
Ziller includes five international players, the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player Kemba Walker from Connecticut, and two players from Kentucky, Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones. He also makes a joke about BYU star Jimmer Fredette:
I refuse to publish a mock draft that does not have Jimmer Fredette going to the Utah Jazz at No. 12. Unless I decide Utah would pick him at No. 6.
2011 NBA Mock Draft: Kyrie Irving, Derrick Williams Have Separated From The Pack
SB Nation's Tom Ziller, on the heels of the NFL Draft completing, keeps the mock draft season going with his first mock for the NBA Draft, held June 26th. Because of the lottery system employed by the NBA, where the top 3 picks are randomly selected from those teams that did not make the Playoffs, the draft order will not be set until May 17, when they announce the results of the Lottery. Add in that any college player that declared early, and did not sign with an agent, can go back to school up until June 13th, and this makes creating a mock draft a little more difficult, but that didn't stop Ziller.
He only selected the lottery picks, so the Pacers aren't represented as of yet. Ziller believes Duke's Kyrie Irving, who missed most of the season last year with a toe injury, but returned for the NCAA Tournament, and Arizona's Derrick Williams are the top 2 players in the draft, and will go 1-2 in some order come draft night. The Timberwolves and Cavaliers have the best chances at grabbing these two guys, but any of the non-playoff teams could end up with them.
Ziller includes five international players, the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player Kemba Walker from Connecticut, and two players from Kentucky, Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones. He also makes a joke about BYU star Jimmer Fredette:
I refuse to publish a mock draft that does not have Jimmer Fredette going to the Utah Jazz at No. 12. Unless I decide Utah would pick him at No. 6.
Be sure to check out his entire Mock Draft for full explanations of his picks:
1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke
2. Cleveland Cavaliers: Derrick Williams, F, Arizona
3. Toronto Raptors: Jan Vesely, F, Czech Republic
4. Washington Wizards: Enes Kanter, C, Turkey
5. Sacramento Kings: Jonas Valanciunas, C, Lithuania
6. Utah Jazz: Kemba Walker, PG, UConn
7. Detroit Pistons: Brandon Knight, PG, Kentucky
8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Bismack Biyombo, F, Congo
9. Charlotte Bobcats: Marcus Morris, PF, Kansas
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Donatas Motiejunas, PF/C, Lithuania
11. Golden State Warriors: Kawhi Leonard, F, San Diego State
12. Utah Jazz: Jimmer Fredette, G, BYU
13. Phoenix Suns: Tristan Thompson, PF, Texas
14. Houston Rockets: Terrence Jones, F, Kentucky
May 03 3:02p by Matt Grecco