This year's draft is pretty weak at the forward position with nobody really emerging as a top-10 lock. Centers Roy Hibbert, DeAndre Jordan, and Brook Lopez all do not project very well into the NBA due to their lack of athleticism and/or polished rebounding skills. Although Arthur hasn't put up the gaudy numbers of an elite power forward, he has shown tremendous raw ability. At 6'10", 230 he runs the floor very well given his size. Although as a GM I'd stay away from drafting players in his mold, if you're looking for an athletic big man with loads of potential, Arthur is your guy.
9. D.J. Augustin, G, Texas
Although most mock drafts have Augustin going later in the first round, I feel that skill wise he should be in the top 10. At only 5'11", he is small but his quickness more than makes up for his lack of size. As a sophomore, Augustin exemplified what it means to be a true point guard, putting up an impressive assist/turnover ratio of 2.09. Although most point guards under 6' have trouble in the NBA, Augustin has shown the ability to score (19.2 PPG last year) from anywhere on the court (38% 3PT shooting) while maintaining his mantra as a pass-first point guard.
8. Kevin Love, PF, UCLA
At 6'9", 255 lbs. Love is a little undersized to be full-time PF and doesn't seem to have the quickness of true SF, so it'll be interesting to see where he plays in the NBA. Love is a very intelligent basketball player who thrived on the collegiate level, very much like UNC standout Tyler Hansbrough. His lack of athleticism and size is his biggest drawback and I'd be careful about drafting him before pick 8. Love is a low risk pick and reminds me a lot of Luke Walton of the LA Lakers. It's hard to project Love as a star in the NBA, but he will be a solid contributor on a playoff-caliber team.
7. Anthony Randolph, SF/PF, LSU
Probably the best comparison for Randolph is another former LSU Tiger currently playing for the Chicago Bulls, Tyrus Thomas. Only a freshman, Randolph has plenty of time to add muscle to his 6'10", 200 lb frame. Scouts are in love with his freakish athleticism and scoring touch around the basket. He has also shown promise as a free throw shooter, shooting 70% from the line last year. The only real drawback is his quiet personality and a tendency to really go cold if things aren't going well for him. I'd love to see him go to the Knicks at 6, but his personality could be a problem in a big-time market like NY. More than any other player in this draft, Randolph could use another year at LSU to refine his skills.
6. Eric Gordon, SG, Indiana
As a big-time recruit out of high school, Gordon backed out of a verbal commitment with Illinois, deciding to attend Indiana. A coaching scandal and a new coach later, one has to wonder if Gordon regrets not going to Illinois. After getting off to a fast start, Gordon struggled down the stretch due to a wrist injury which has certainly affected his stock. I'm surprised that Gordon has chosen to leave Indiana so early, he could really benefit from another year or two in college. Most of skills are pretty raw--he isn't a great passer and tends to fall in love with his 3 point shot instead of aggressively attacking the rim. At 6'3", Gordon is a little undersized to play the 2 at the NBA level, even given his athleticism.
5. Russell Westbrook, PG, UCLA
One of the more underrated players in this year's draft, Russell Westbrook had a solid year statistically, averaging 12.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. However, most of that is due to the high level of talent around him (see Kevin Love). At 6'3", 190 lbs Westbrook has shown good quickness and strength along with a solid mid-range shot. He'll need to improve his outside shooting to become a star in the NBA. Most importantly, Westbrook works hard on D and is very coach-able.
4. Jerryd Bayless, Guard, Arizona
Impact point guards are hard to come by, and Bayless happens to be one of the better guards in this draft who have shown the ability score (19.7 PPG) and run an offense (4 APG). He has great size for a point guard (6'3") and can shoot from anywhere on the court (40% from 3 point range). Given the great tradition Arizona has of producing elite guards, Bayless seems like the best pick for the Seattle at 4. Bayless would look real good teamed up with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green in Sonic green.
3. O.J. Mayo, SG, USC
Arguably the best athlete and hardest worker in the draft, Mayo will excel in the NBA. Arguably the most hyped player out of high school since Lebron, Mayo has succeeded on every level, and the NBA should be no different. Mayo has the quickness to get by defenders and can shoot all the way out to the NBA 3-pt line. The main knock on Mayo is that he tends to fall in love with the 3-ball and doesn't seem to have the point guard mentality needed to run an offense, probably confining him to shooting guard.
2. Michael Beasley, SF/PF, Kansas State
Statistically, there isn't much of an argument that Beasley shouldn't be the #1 pick in this draft, averaging 26.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and even 1.3 steals per game. Beasley flat out dominated the Big 12, showing not only great touch around the basket but even shooting 38% from beyond the arc.
1. Derrick Rose, PG, Memphis
Led the Tigers to an appearance in the NCAA Championship Game, only to see Mario Chalmers of Kansas knock down a game-tying 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds on the clock. As a freshman, Rose excelled, averaging 14.9 pts, 4.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. Although Rose didn't put up the gaudy numbers of some other notable freshman, he did an outstanding job leading a talent-rich, veteran Memphis squad to the championship game. It takes tremendous leadership ability to be able to run an offense with two other potential first round picks, forward Joey Dorsey and fellow guard Chris Douglas-Roberts. Probably the most impressive sign of Rose's development throughout the year was his performance in the NCAA tournament where Rose averaged 20.8 pts, 6.5 rebs, and 6 assists per game.
