February 12, 2010 – Matt Anaya
Matt graduated from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in May of 2007 majoring in TV Production. Matt is currently a writer at StaticMultimedia.com, TheBleacherReport.com, NationalSportsNation.com, SportsMixed.com, FanFever.com, Filmcatcher.com, and TheHoopDoctors.com. Matt will provide you with insightful wit and an eager eye for sports.
For more Mock Drafts from all sorts of Blogs and Analysts check out The Hoop Doctors 2010 NBA Mock Drafts Database!
These are only my choices and not the consensus picks of all of The Hoop Doctors writers, with that said here is my 2010 Mock Draft Version 4.0 – Top Prospects:
Draft Order | College Team | Projection | Position | Physical |
1. |
Kentucky | John Wall | PG | 6’4”, 190 lbs |
John Wall is the clear cut number one pick. He is a combo guarg, not a PG like everyone thinks because PGs do not stop and pop and attack the rim like Wall does. He is an electric player who can do a lot of things on offense and is similar to Tyreke Evans. Wall needs to work on his shooting, but that is nitpicking, as most 19 year olds do not have a consistent shot. | ||||
2. |
Syracuse | Wesley Johnson | SF/PF | 6’7″, 195 lbs |
Wesley Johnson is the man as he can do almost everything on the court. The ‘Cuse 2-3 zone does not let us see what kind of defender he will be but he does everything on offense superbly. Johnson is a great athlete, has a beautiful jump shot, and will be a very good professional. He is a better prospect than James Harden. | ||||
3. |
Ohio State | Evan Turner | SF | 6’7”, 200 lbs |
Evan Turner is can do a lot of things on the court including shoot, rebound, defend, and facilitate. Even with a near devastating injury, Turner is still considered one of the best talents in the 2010 draft. | ||||
4. |
Kentucky | DeMarcus Cousins | C | 6’11, 270 lbs |
DeMarcus Cousins loves to bang on the block and that is why he will be drafted high. He has very long arms, soft hands, and good feet already and when he figures out what he is doing in the post he will be a very good NBA player. The only detriment to Cousins game is his lack of athleticisim and lack of maturity. | ||||
5. |
Georgia Tech | Derrick Favors | PF/C | 6’9”, 230 lbs |
Derrick Favors has been playing well in his Freshman season and has not done much to hurt his stock. He is a huge talented althletic big man that can do a lot of things and he will be drafted on potential alone. He has a very high ceiling and might be taken as high as the second pick in the draft. | ||||
6. |
Lithuania | Donatas Motiejunas | PF | 7’0”, 215 lbs |
Donatas Motiejunas has struggled as he went up in classes this season but there is no doubting this kid’s talents. He can shoot, run, dribble, and will be one of the best players in the NBA in ten years. He dropped in the mock because talented American kids are showcased more in college and you are starting to see International kids come over early (i.e. Enes Kanter and Deniz Kilicli). | ||||
7. |
UNC | Ed Davis | PF | 6’10”, 230 lbs |
Ed Davis is one of the best big men in college, as he has tremendous upside and has a great understanding for the game and his position. He likes to play in the post, is a true big man, has a very high ceiling and might end up near the top of the draft. | ||||
8. |
Wake Forest | Al-Farouq Aminu | SF | 6’9”, 220 lbs |
Al-Farouq Aminu is a very talented big man. Comparisons to Luol Deng are slightly off because he is more of a post player. Aminu can run, jump, defend, rebound, and shoot and as a 6’9” big man that might still be growing, he is a very good NBA prospect. | ||||
9. |
Kansas | Cole Aldrich | PF | 6’11”, 250 lbs |
Cole Aldrich is a beast on defense with limited offensive potential. He should shoot a higher percentage for being such a long-armed big man but he will be drafted as a defender. He takes up a lot of space, blocks a lot of shots because of his arms and good timing, has nice hands, average feet, and will be able to rebound on the next level. | ||||
10. |
Marshall | Hassan Whiteside | PF/C | 7’0”, 235 lbs |
Hassan Whiteside has burst onto the NBA draft scene as he is averaging a near double double along with over five BPG. He is long, athletic, and already honing his post skills. Whiteside is not a huge project but still has development needs. If he were to stay in school he would have a chance to be the number one pick next season. Given the attention he’s been getting recently however that may be doubtful. | ||||
11. |
Georgetown | Greg Monroe | PF | 6’11”, 245 lbs |
Greg Monroe is also one of the best big men in college as he is a natural scoring big man that can do everything you want a post player to do. He can score, rebound, and pass and any questions about his game have been silenced with his much improved sophomore season. | ||||
12. |
Florida State | Solomon Alabi | C | 7’1”, 230lbs |
Solomon Alabi is a talented big man with long arms who has made positive strides already this season. He still needs more seasoning but will be 22 years old in March and might have to consider going pro after this year. He rebounds well, shoots a high %, and also shoots an astonishing 82% from the FT line. | ||||
13. |
Kentucky | Patrick Patterson | PF | 6’8”, 223 lbs |
Patrick Patterson is having a great season for the Wildcats and he can thank his teammates John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins for the numerous double-teams they command leaving PP wide open more than half the game. Patterson does a few things well, like rebound and make high percentage shots, and he will be graduating in three years, which is outstanding, and shows he is mature and can focus, unlike most kids in their 20s. | ||||
14. |
Kansas | Xavier Henry | SG | 6’6”, 210 lbs |
Xavier Henry is another great SG prospect to come out this year. It was Tyreke Evans last season and this year it is Wall, Henry, and Lance Stephenson. Henry is one of the strongest SGs to come out in a long time and he does not belong in the college game. He will likely be one and done and produce right away for an NBA team. | ||||
15. |
VCU | Larry Sanders | PF/C | 6’9”, 205 lbs |
Larry Sanders is an unknown to most outside of VCU. He is Ben Wallace/Tyrus Thomas/Shawn Marion/Julian Wright type who can do a lot of things well but what position will he play in the NBA? He protects the rim as well as anyone in college and will be a good defender at the next level but his offensive game is lackluster. | ||||
16. |
UConn | Stanley Robinson | SF/PF | 6’9”, 225 lbs |
Stanley Robinson is not very skilled but it is hard to not notice Sticks on the court. Robinson is very long and slim but can jump out of the gym and should be able to defend at the next level. | ||||
17. |
Iowa State | Craig Brackins | PF/C | 6’10”, 230 lbs |
Craig Brackins is a very talented scoring big man. He can do everything offensively but lacks the other skills and intangibles that make the good players great. He does not rebound as much as scouts would like and refuses to defend. You get drafted because of your offensive game and let’s hope Brackins can develop his game even further as a professional. | ||||
18. |
Texas | Damion James | PF | 6’7”, 225 lbs |
Damion James reminds me of a young Gerald Wallace. Wallace can shoot better but James attacks just like Crash Wallace does. James can rebound and defend, is very athletic, gets steals and blocks regularly, and shoots a high % from the field. He is not very skilled yet but he is all over the court. | ||||
19. |
KK Partizan Belgrade | Jan Vesely | PF | 6’11”, 240 lbs |
Jan Vesely is a 6’11” big man from Czech Republic who likes to play all over the court. His offensive game reminds me of Andrei Kirilenko but he will never be a defender like AK47. Vesely is a fun player to watch and is the 2nd best international player eligible for the 2010 draft. | ||||
20. |
Georgia Tech | Gani Lawal | PF/C | 6’8”, 233 lbs |
Gani Lawal is your typical college big man. He scores, rebounds, shoots a high %, has long arms but slow feet. If he were a better athlete he would be higher on the list. | ||||
21. |
Oklahoma | Willie Warren | SG | 6’4”, 200 lbs |
Willie Warren averages nearly 20 PPG as a super sophomore and might stay another season in school. OU will be much better next season and World Wide Willie might average nearly 25 PPG next season. His stock might rise a lot next season but it might stand still this season. Still, Warren is a very talented although short SG prospect. If he can learn how to handle the rock better his ceiling would drastically improve. | ||||
22. |
Gonzaga | Elias Harris | SF/PF | 6’7”, 220 lbs |
Elias Harris is a highflying freshman most people do not know about. He plays on the west coast when most people are asleep and has been balling since game one of the season. Although a freshman, Harris is originally from Germany and is already 20 years old. He rebounds like a forward, shoots like a guard, and will likely be drafted higher than 22nd. | ||||
23. |
Baylor | Ekpe Udoh | PF/C | 6’10”, 240 lbs |
Ekpe Udoh transferred from Michigan to Baylor and worked his tail off in the mean time. Averaging a double double with two APG and over four BPG is outstanding and he is a very good athlete. There are limits on his skills but his athleticism makes up for it and Udoh might go higher in the draft. | ||||
24. |
Oklahoma State | James Anderson | SG/SF | 6’6”, 195 lbs |
James Anderson has a nice offensive game as he is averaging over 22 PPG for the Cowboys and his huge frame 6’6” 195 makes NBA scouts drool. He rebounds well, shoots a high FT%, but will need to work on a lot of things including moving without the ball, which is essential as a SG at the NBA level. | ||||
25. |
West Virginia | Devin Ebanks | SF/PF | 6’8”, 205 lbs |
Devin Ebanks has noticeably slipped from the lottery to nearly out of the first round. Ebanks is very athletic and can rebound but is very skinny without many offensive skills. He has not improved much from last season and might have regressed. His shooting %s are down from the field and he cannot shoot the three, but he does shoot over 80% from the line. | ||||
26. |
Fresno State | Paul George | SF | 6’7”, 190 lbs |
Paul George started out high on our draft board but has sunk lately but it is not because of his abilities but because of everyone else’s abilities. He is in a rough SG class for players not named Wall, Warren, and Henry, I mean Avery Bradley cannot even crack the list. George can do it all offensively as he is averaging 17 PPG, nearly eight boards a game, and has vastly improved his FT%. George is currently injured right now. | ||||
27. |
Mississippi State | Jarvis Vanardo | PF | 6’9”, 210 lbs |
Jarvis Vanardo is a presence in the middle to say the least. Averaging a double double with five BPG, Vanardo has been the man in the middle the last four years at MSST. He is not very skilled but will defend and should be able to rebound at the next level. If he had any offensive game he would be a lottery pick. Needs to add weight. | ||||
28. |
Duke | Kyle Singler | SF/PF | 6’9”, 210 lbs |
Kyle Singler is your typical Duke basketball player. He is smart and efficient but not athletic enough to make it in the NBA. He has had a down year this season but will likely stay for another year, and will have a lottery pick (Kyle Irving) dishing to him. | ||||
29. |
Texas | Avery Bradley | G | 6’3”, 180 lbs |
Avery Bradley has dropped a little on our board after starting out very high. A superb athletic guard who is already a better defender than an offensive player, Bradly really struggles on offense. He cannot play the PG position and is not a SG prospect at all, as Bradley shoots 48% FTs. If Bradley wants to become a legitimate pro prospect he will need to work on his offense all off-season because the NBA drafts offense, not defense. | ||||
30. |
Michigan State | Kalin Lucas | PG | 6’0”, 180 lbs |
Kalin Lucas is a total monster of a PG, averaging 16 PPG, four APG, two RPG, and one SPG. He can do it all and is the leader of one of the best teams in the nation. It is likely Lucas will stay, which is good but look for him to be a top 20 pick by the end of his career. |