L.A.'s other team was planning on drafting Griffin before the season
started. Clippers hope Blake is the next Elgin Baylor - the player, not the
recently fired GM. Other No. 1 overall picks were Michael Olowokandi (1998)
and Danny Manning (1988).
#2
Ricky Rubio, PG
6'3" / 180lbs
Team: Spain
Class: International
Trades, rumors and Spanish rejection surround this pick. Rubio's the best
value at No. 2, but the Grizz or any trade partner will have to deal with a
ridiculous $6-8 million buyout from DKV Jovenut. Kings and Knicks are
especially interested.
#3
Stephen Curry, PG/SG
6'3" / 180lbs
Team: Davidson
Class: Junior
Arguably the best shooter-slash-small-school-winner since Indiana State's
Larry Bird. Dell's son is a combo guard with ice water in his veins, a high
basketball IQ and a deadly stroke from old NBA range. A Thunder-storm paired
with Russell Westbrook.
#4
Hasheem Thabeet, C
7'2" / 260lbs
Team: Connecticut
Class: Junior
A poor man's Dikembe Mutombo whose value rests on niche shot-blocking
potential. There aren't many 7-footers like Thabeet, but there are even
fewer who have succeeded in the NBA. Toughness is an issue; recent shoulder
injury doesn't help stock.
#5
Tyreke Evans, PG/SG
6'5" / 205lbs
Team: Memphis
Class: Freshmen
As expected, the Wizards traded away the No. 5 pick and acquired Randy Foye and Mike Miller. Minnesota receives the fifth pick, giving the Wolves four selections in the first round, along with Etan Thomas and Oleksly Pecherov. Evans is an O.J. Mayo-style combo guard ready to play now.
#6
James Harden, SG
6'4" / 218lbs
Team: Arizona State
Class: Sophomore
Highly rated, polished, yet unathletic, Harden could go as high as OKC at
No. 3, but a fall down the board on draft day wouldn't surprise. The
T-Wolves have three first-rounders and the luxury of taking whoever they
feel is the best player available.
#7
Jrue Holiday, PG/SG
6'4" / 200lbs
Team: UCLA
Class: Freshmen
A combo guard who many feel can play point guard at the NBA level, Holiday
is an outstanding athlete who was forced to play mostly 2-guard at UCLA -
much like Russell Westbrook (No. 4 to OKC last year) - behind Darren
Collison.
#8
Jonny Flynn, PG
6'0" / 175lbs
Team: Syracuse
Class: Sophomore
The Madison Square Garden fans have not forgotten Flynn's six-overtime
heroics in the Big East Tournament against UConn. Everyone expects coach
Mike D'Antoni to draft the "next Steve Nash" but the Knickerbockers have
needs across the board.
#9
DeMar DeRozan, SG/SF
6'6" / 210lbs
Team: USC
Class: Freshmen
Arguably the NBA's most European style club, Toronto needs to add additional
athleticism and toughness in Chris Bosh's final year under contract. DeRozan
is raw but his ceiling is as high as anyone in this year's supposedly weak
draft class.
#10
Jordan Hill, PF
6'9" / 210lbs
Team: Arizona
Class: Junior
One of the few legitimate big men in this year's draft, Hill was once
expected to be a Top-5 pick, and could still go that high. But if anyone is
going to experience a Paul Pierce (No. 10 in 1998) or Amare Stoudemire (No.
9 in 2002) fall, it's Hill.
#11
Brandon Jennings, PG
6'2" / 170lbs
Team: Italy
Class: International
The wild card of the class, "Young Money" has taken a professional route to
the NBA - from Compton's Dominguez HS to Oak Hill (Va.) Academy to Italy's
Lottomatica Roma. Unless he's "all hype," Jay-Z (and Brooklyn?) would love
to have him.
#12
Gerald Henderson, SG
6'5" / 215lbs
Team: Duke
Class: Junior
Despite having Michael Jordan and Larry Brown at the helm, Charlotte has had
a tough time establishing itself. Henderson Jr. is the son of an NBA player
and one of the toughest, most athletic players out of Duke in many years. A
solid pick.
The final pick of the lottery could be traded away - as part of a deal
including Shaquille O'Neal, or more likely Amare Stoudemire, or just as a
cost-cutting measure for Phoenix. Clark has undeniable talent, but his
desire never materialized at the U of L.
#15
Austin Daye, SF/PF
6'10" / 190lbs
Team: Gonzaga
Class: Sophomore
With A.I. and Sheed out the door, Motown needs to make a big move. Everyone
assumes Joe Dumars is positioning for the 2010 free agent class. Daye is
tall and skilled, but weighs about the same as Jonny Flynn and Ty Lawson.
Tough times in Motown.
#16
B.J. Mullens, C
7'0" / 260lbs
Team: Ohio State
Class: Freshmen
From top incoming freshman to bench-rider in Columbus, Mullens has 7-feet
worth of skills to sell an NBA club but no real track record to point to. As
a result, he could go surprisingly high or fall to his "promised" team in
Chicago.
#17
Eric Maynor, PG
6'2" / 165lbs
Team: VCU
Class: Senior
Maynor proved himself to be a tough competitor and winner while playing for
Anthony Grant at VCU, upsetting Duke as a sophomore and front-rimming a
potential game-winner against UCLA as a senior. The Sixers will likely take
a point guard.
#18
Ty Lawson, PG
6'0" / 175lbs
Team: North Carolina
Class: Junior
The second of three T-Wolves first rounders, expect Minnesota to load up on
guards to get the ball to young stud forwards Al Jefferson and Kevin Love.
Lawson was more than just the "next Ray Felton" during his title run,
showing off an all-around game.
#19
Darren Collison, PG
6'1" / 165lbs
Team: UCLA
Class: Senior
A track star in sneakers, Collison has single-handedly moved two potential
Top-10 picks - Westrook and Holiday - from point to shooting guard at UCLA.
But the steady senior has not been given credit for production, while those
two bank on potential.
#20
Chase Budinger, SG/SF
6'7" / 190lbs
Team: Arizona
Class: Junior
Ex-Zona coach Lute Olson compared Budinger to Sean Elliot, but that ability
never materialized. A great athlete, who thrives on the volleyball court,
Budinger may need a coach like Jerry Sloan to realize his full potential at
the NBA level.
#21
Jeff Teague, PG
6'2" / 180lbs
Team: Wake Forest
Class: Sophomore
This team was trying to give away young talent like Tyson Chandler at the
trade deadline and may do the same on draft day. Teague may or may not have
maximized his draft value by declaring this year, but he will go somewhere
in round one.
#22
Omri Casspi, SF
6'8" / 220lbs
Team: Israel
Class: International
The first Israeli in the NBA would add depth to a young Blazers team that
exceeded expectations this season without having former No. 1 overall pick
Greg Oden as a significant contributor. Casspi would bring much-needed
toughness to Portland.
#23
Jonas Jerebko, SF/PF
6'9" / 220lbs
Team: Sweden
Class: International
If Sacramento makes a trade to move up at the top of the draft, this pick
will likely be a bargaining tool. Otherwise, Sweden's finest prospect - who
is the son of Syracuse's Chris Jerebko - would fit in nicely on a
need-filled Kings roster.
#24
Terrence Williams, SG/SF
6'5" / 207lbs
Team: Louisville
Class: Senior
Mark Cuban is impatient and Dallas has decisions to make regarding Jason
Kidd, Josh Howard and others. So, this pick could go elsewhere. If not,
Williams has the type of Howard-like skills that will allow the Mavs
offseason maneuvering freedom.
#25
Sam Young, SF
6'6" / 215lbs
Team: Pittsburgh
Class: Senior
One of the most polished offensive players at his position, Young is a role
player with the potential to bring instant offense off the bench, thanks to
his deceptive pump-fake, mid-range game and ability to drive to the basket
off the dribble.
#26
DeJuan Blair, PF
6'7" / 250lbs
Team: Pittsburgh
Class: Sophomore
A 6'6" MRI disaster with two bad knees, Blair could slide on draft day. But
the big man plays like a wrecking ball in the paint and brings a resume that
includes the repeat domination of Hasheem Thabeet during the Big East
schedule this past season.
#27
James Johnson, PF
6'8" / 235lbs
Team: Wake Forest
Class: Sophomore
An unpolished product, Johnson will be a fingers-crossed pick for any team
desperate for a big man who projects as NBA quality. If the Grizz are unable
make a draft day move, expect them to hedge their bets with late-first size
down low.
#28
Nick Calathes, PG/SG
6'5" / 185lbs
Team: Florida
Class: Sophomore
Having already signed to play for Greece's Panathinaikos, Calathes is a
luxury pick for any team, since he will not play in the NBA's 2009-10
season. Minnesota has three first round picks, but other playoff teams would
love to add Calathes' basketball IQ.
#29
Victor Claver, SF
6'9" / 236lbs
Team: Spain
Class: International
Another Spaniard with the ability to make a splash in the league, expect the
injury-prone Claver to go somewhere in the late-first, early-second range to
a draft-savvy, playoff team. Pau Gasol knows first-hand whether Claver is
the real deal or not.
#30
Wayne Ellington, SG/SF
6'5" / 202lbs
Team: North Carolina
Class: Junior
Anyone who watched this year's playoffs realizes LeBron needs shooters who
can make long-range shots under pressure. Ellington is fresh off an NCAA
title where he did just that. An underrated prospect, Cleveland would be
lucky if the UNC guard fell this far.
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