Analysis: How much of a lock was John Wall to
become the first Kentucky player taken No. 1 overall? Three hours before the draft began, concession stands at Radio City
Music Hall had already begun selling T-shirts with his face and a Wizards logo on them. Wall was a no-brainer for Washington
because he has both immense talent and the star power that can give the struggling franchise a shot in the arm. Yes, the
Wizards will have to move Gilbert Arenas off ball, but that's not enough of a concern to pass on a point guard with Wall's
speed in the open court, defensive potential and ability to finish around the rim. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: The 76ers spoiled what little drama
there was with this pick by accidentally releasing a page on their official website last Friday entitled "Sixers draft
Evan Turner." Still, what the choice of Turner lacked in suspense it makes up for in logic. College basketball's national
player of the year needs to extend his outside shooting range, but he has the versatility, play-making ability and scoring
touch to make an instant impact. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: This pick will be judged on whether
or not Derrick Favors turns out to be a better pro than DeMarcus Cousins. Favors wasn't as productive a low-post scorer
or rebounder as Cousins in their lone year in college, but he also was hampered by a Georgia Tech backcourt that at times
seemed to be allergic to making entry passes to him. His athleticism and upside are excellent and he'll fit in nicely alongside
center Brook Lopez in the Nets' frontcourt. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: At least Minnesota general manager
David Kahn resisted the urge to draft another point guard. At two weeks shy of his 23rd birthday, Wesley Johnson may be
more of a finished product than other elite prospects in this class, but the ex-Syracuse star's size, length and athleticism
make him a prototypical NBA wing. And besides, any player who would wear those Caddyshack-style plaid pants on draft night
can't be lacking for confidence. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: Critics of DeMarcus Cousins will probably
suggest that the Kings are taking a risk on a player with a volatile history and a questionable work ethic, but the Kings
still have to be overjoyed that the Kentucky big man fell to them. Cousins averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds as a freshman
-- not bad for a guy who played only 23 minutes a night. As for the concerns about his attitude, Cousins insists they're
unfounded. "They think I'm a monster off the floor, and I'm nothing like that," he said. As long as he's still
a monster on the court, the Kings will be satisfied. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: It's only fitting that a troubled franchise
lacking stable ownership and leadership would make the first head-scratching pick of the night. Ekpe Udoh blossomed in his
lone year at Baylor because of his solid mid-range game, shot-blocking and hustle, but does the former Michigan transfer
have the explosiveness or the upside to justify the No. 6 pick? If not, he'll add to Golden State's collection of failed
frontcourt lottery picks. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: Greg Monroe comes from a long line
of elite Georgetown centers, but Jeff Van Gundy summed up well how he's different from the likes of Patrick Ewing, Dikembe
Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning. "He actually likes to pass," Van Gundy said. Monroe isn't the most athletic big man
in this draft, but he's definitely the most skilled and the best passer. Not a bad consolation prize for the Pistons even
though DeMarcus Cousins didn't fall to No. 7. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: The biggest night of Al-Farouq Aminu's
life and he sports ... thick-rimmed Urkel glasses? Not the best decision, but still less of a wardrobe faux pas than the
Clippers' first-round pick a year ago, Blake Griffin, who wore a purple Lakers-colored suit on draft night. Aminu is an
aggressive tweener who defends well and can get to the rim, but his outside shooting and ability to score consistently remain
a question mark. Of course, the Clippers aren't exactly lacking for players who like to shoot, so maybe that makes Aminu
a good fit. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: The Pacers breathe a sigh of relief
because the pressure to take the hometown kid at No. 10 is gone. That's because Utah snapped up Gordon Hayward with the
ninth pick, the culmination of a wildly successful first six months of 2010 for the former Butler star. Jazz fans may be
surprised that their team didn't draft a big man to potentially replace Carlos Boozer, but Utah apparently thought a shooter
with decent athleticism and excellent instincts was too much to pass up at No. 9. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: College basketball fans will be completely
baffled that a kid who may not have been one of the WAC's 10 best players this past season is suddenly a top-10 pick in
the NBA, but the Pacers made this selection based on Paul George's upside. George's outside shooting is a strength and NBA
scouts like the former Fresno State star's long frame and athleticism. If the Pacers are willing to give him a few more years
to mature, this could be a good pick. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: Cole Aldrich had just finished saying
he was looking forward to playing with New Orleans point guard Chris Paul after playing with Sherron Collins at Kansas when
he got the news that he won't be bound for the Big Easy after all. Oklahoma City will trade with the Hornets to get Aldrich,
hoping that the former Kansas star will provide some of the size, shot-blocking and rebounding they need to better compete
with teams like the Lakers in the West. Jeff Van Gundy's thoughts on the trade? "You need to trade him if he just compared
Sherron Collins and Chris Paul." -- Jeff Eisenberg
Note: will be dealt to Thunder, sources tell Y! Sports
Analysis: Credit NBA commissioner David Stern
for not butchering the pronunciation of Xavier Henry's first name (pronounced Zah-vee-ay) the way so many have in the past.
The sweet-shooting Kansas freshman gives Memphis a much-needed 3-point threat at wing, either providing a replacement if
Rudy Gay leaves in free agency or depth if he stays. The knock on Henry has been that he can't create his own shot, but this
could be a good fit for him if the Grizzlies surround him with other guys who can get to the rim and set him up for open
jumpers. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: Ed Davis would have been a reach in
the top 10 like some mock drafts were suggesting, but the North Carolina sophomore is a better value at the back end of
the lottery. The raw but athletic power forward was a force on the boards and a good finisher around the rim at North Carolina,
but he'll need to get stronger and develop a mid-range game at the NBA level. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: Great value for the Rockets in the
final pick of the lottery. Patrick Patterson won't be a star in the NBA, but the former Kentucky big man will be successful
as a post defender, a back-to-the-basket scorer and a mid-range shooter on pick-and-pops. Utah fans are already screaming
that this is who the Jazz should have taken at No. 9 instead of Gordon Hayward. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: Milwaukee dealt Dan Gadzuric to Golden
State in the Corey Maggette deal this week, so the Bucks needed a replacement to back up injury-prone Andrew Bogut. Enter
Virginia Commonwealth's Larry Sanders, one of the more intriguing big man prospects left on the board. He's 6-foot-11 and
is very raw offensively with his back to the basket, but he has good length and athleticism and averaged 2.6 blocks per game
last season. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: A source tells Yahoo! Sports that Portland
will trade with Minnesota to acquire the rights to Luke Babbitt, but let's hope it didn't give up much for the former Nevada
star. Babbitt is very reminiscent of former Oregon forward Luke Jackson, another highly skilled swingman whose lack of athleticism
prevented him from creating his own shot in the NBA or being a competent defender. Babbitt will probably have a longer NBA
career than Jackson, but will he crack Portland's rotation?
Note: Traded to Blazers with Ryan Gomes for Martell Webster
Analysis: At last, our first European prospect
is off the board, prompting a round of "U-S-A!" chants from the ever-classy New York crowd. ESPN's European expert
Fran Fraschilla said Chicago Bulls draft pick Kevin Seraphin "an outstanding rebounder and shot blocker, but very raw
on the offensive end." Seraphin, who will likely be headed to Washington in a trade, may remain overseas for another
year or two to mature. Certainly the Wizards would be thrilled if he continued the trend of successful French prospects
a la Portland's Nicolas Batum and Dallas' Roddy Beaubois.
Analysis: The 2009 draft was the year of the
point guard with nine going in the first 21 selections. In 2010, it took all the way until Kentucky's Eric Bledsoe came
off the board at No. 18 for the second point guard to be taken. Bledsoe was selected by Oklahoma City at No. 18, but he
will be dealt to the Clippers for a future first-rounder. He'll provide a backup and potential heir apparent to Baron Davis.
-- Jeff Eisenberg
Note: Will be traded to Clippers, a source tells Y! Sports
Analysis: A consistent scorer off the bench would
certainly improve the Celtics, and Texas combo guard Avery Bradley has the potential to fill that role. Bradley lacks prototypical
size for a shooting guard or the ability to get to the rim like a point guard, but he's a consistent perimeter shooter and
a fierce defender. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: The Spurs have a knack for finding
tremendous value late in the draft, so it should come as no surprise that they're the ones to draft Oklahoma State's James
Anderson. The 6-foot-6 junior shot 34.1 percent from 3-point range and led the Big 12 in scoring this past season at 22.3
points per game, earning conference player of the year honors. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: It's a surprise that Craig Brackins
went this early after a somewhat disappointing sophomore season at Iowa State, but the 6-foot-10 junior has potential. He
might have been a lottery pick in 2009 after averaging 20.2 points and 9.5 rebounds as a sophomore, but his production and
his efficiency slipped this past season, accounting for him dropping to No. 21. Brackins will likely provide some depth in
New Orleans behind David West. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: General manager Kevin Pritchard has
every reason to sabotage Portland's draft after the team inexplicably fired him on Thursday afternoon, but he landed a solid
value pick at No. 22. Jay Bilas described Memphis' Elliot Williams as the best pro prospect in Conference USA last season.
Although that's not saying much, his developing mid-range game and ability to consistently get to the free-throw line should
be an asset to the Blazers. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: It's no surprise that it took 23 picks
for a senior to finally be taken in this underclassmen-heavy draft, but it's a mild shock that the first one to go is Clemson's
Trevor Booker. An undersized 6-foot-7 power forward would have been an odd choice for a Minnesota team that seems to have
plenty of similar players on its roster, so it makes sense that they will deal Booker to the Wizards. --Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: And now a sudden run on seniors as
the Atlanta Hawks select Texas' Damion James, though sources tell Yahoo! Sports that he will be dealt to the Nets. James
is a solid defender and transition scorer but excellent in none of those areas, making him a low-risk, low-reward late first-rounder
and a good potential backup at wing for the Nets. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Note: Traded to Nets for Jordan Crawford and
Tibor Pleiss
Analysis: The high-scoring combo guard is a volume
shooter who can score in bunches, averaging 35 points a game over a four-game stretch in Big East play this past season.
Jones is a tad small to play shooting guard and may not distribute the ball well enough to run the point, but he can get
to the rim and finish as well as anyone in this draft besides John Wall. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: Tweener forward Quincy Pondexter blossomed
as a senior at Washington after underachieving his first three years of college, improving his outside shooting and perimeter
defense. The senior is the Pac-10's first -- and perhaps only -- pick of the night. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: Some fans may only remember Jordan
Crawford as the kid who dunked on LeBron last summer, but the Xavier star made a name for himself in the NCAA tournament
as well. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard averaged 29 points a game and nearly led Xavier to a Sweet 16 upset of Kansas State,
showcasing good range on his jump shot. He's not much of a passer and he has a tendency to over-dribble, but he can create
his own shot. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: Maybe the best moment of the night
when former Maryland star Greivis Vasquez celebrated with his family and then planted a bear hug on David Stern after Memphis
selected him with the 28th pick. Vasquez's lack of speed is a drawback, but he has good size for a shooting guard and the
long-range shooting prowess that Memphis coveted. Plus his fiery, energetic play could be a good fit coming off the bench
in the NBA. -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: Orlando's selection of Daniel Orton
means Kentucky makes history as the first school to produce five first-rounders in the same draft. Of course the teams that
have produced four first-round picks at least have a Final Four berth to show for it, but let's allow Wildcats fans to savor
the accomplishment. As for Orton, his selection is a curious one for the Magic because they're well-stocked at center. Are
they merely planning to groom Orton behind Dwight Howard and Marcin Gortat, or is there a chance they drafted Orton as Howard's
backup so they can use Gortat as trade bait? -- Jeff Eisenberg
Analysis: Marquette's Wesley Matthews came from
nowhere to emerge as a starter for Utah as a rookie last season. Lazar Hayward will try to follow the same formula with
the Timberwolves. Most mock draft had the 6-foot-6 shooting guard going mid-to-late second round, but obviously Minnesota
felt strongly about his chances of becoming an impact player. --Jeff Eisenberg
