Top 25 NBA Draft Prospects in College

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Nov 17, 2010

Top 25 NBA Draft Prospects in College

Jereme Richmond

Strengths: Versatile and ultra athletic wing player with ideal physical tools. Great frame, length and explosiveness. Outstanding transition threat. Intense, competitive player who can guard multiple positions defensively. Shows solid potential offensively. Needs Work: Must fill out his frame and improve his skill level. Needs to polish shot-creating ability and perimeter shooting consistency. Lacks experience in a major way.  Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 15-35

Kyle Singler

Strengths: Experienced, competitive combo forward with a national championship on his resume. Skilled, smart player who excels first and foremost as a perimeter shooter. Contributes defensively and as a rebounder thanks to his toughness and strong fundamentals. Needs Work: May lack the length and lateral quickness to keep up with some of the more explosive wing players defensively in the NBA, but likely not big or strong enough to see much playing time at the 4 like he often does in college. Good not great ball handler and finisher inside the arc due to his average athleticism. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 15-35

Nolan Smith

Strengths: Proven winner with a complete and highly versatile game. Unselfish, mistake-free player who executes in the half-court. Very good shooter with feet set. Excellent defender with a tremendous basketball IQ. Has strong intangibles. Needs Work: Just an average athlete by NBA standards. Somewhat stuck between point guard and shooting guard. More of a complimentary player who is not very dynamic creating his own shot or operating off the dribble. Upside not off the charts. Great college player, but ... ? Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Late-first-round pick

Elias Harris

* Harris was injured in a loss to San Diego State. If serious, this could obviously impact his NBA draft standing. Strengths: Super tough and athletic German combo forward. A competitor who plays with great passion for the game and makes full use of his excellent strength and explosiveness. Excels in transition and gets to the free-throw line at a high rate. Solid rebounder who shows considerable potential defensively with his athleticism and motor. Needs Work: Very much stuck between the forward positions. Perimeter game still lacks polish and consistency. Defensive fundamentals not always the best. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 18-35

Tobias Harris

Strengths: Highly skilled forward who can score inside and out. Nice ball handler who makes shots from the perimeter and isn't afraid to step into the post. Intelligent player with strong intangibles who understands how to operate within a team setting. Needs Work: Somewhat stuck between the 3 and 4 spots. Physical tools may be better suited for the power forward position. Must improve defense, experience level. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Mid-to-late-first-round pick

Travis Leslie

Strengths: Arguably the most athletic player in all of college basketball. Sports a long wingspan, a chiseled frame and NBA dunk contest-caliber leaping ability. Plays with great intensity and can be a menace on both ends of the floor when fully dialed in. Gets to the free-throw line, crashes the glass prolifically and is a highlight reel waiting to happen in transition. Needs Work: Skill level and fundamentals have yet to catch up with physical tools. Average ball handler who struggles to score efficiently inside the arc. Not a consistent shooter either. Focus wavers on the defensive end. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 14-25 overall

C.J. Leslie

Strengths: Physical specimen. Has nice size, a good frame, a long wingspan and tremendous athleticism. A terror in transition with his speed and explosiveness. Shows an intriguing skill level from the perimeter in flashes. Has lock-down defensive potential. Needs Work: Doesn't always play up to his potential. Falls in love at times with proving his small-forward skills. Can be a little too individualistic. Ball handling, jump shot, passing ability all improvable. Must transition his game from AAU star to consistent ACC producer. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 14-25 overall

Trey Thompkins

Strengths: Highly skilled power forward who can score from anywhere on the court. A go-to type player who can operate with his back to the basket, makes shots from the perimeter and is a capable shot-creator. Still has upside to continue to improve. Needs Work : Doesn't have great physical tools, showing average size and athleticism. Has a very casual demeanor on the defensive end. Must improve his intensity level and show that he can produce on a winning team, something he didn't do in his first two seasons. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 14-25 overall

Tyler Honeycutt

Strengths: Long, fluid small forward with excellent size. Highly skilled perimeter player with an outstanding feel for the game. Operates as somewhat of a point forward with his excellent passing skills. Shows potential with his jumper. Fills up the stat sheet and should develop into an excellent defender in time. Needs Work: Frame is still underdeveloped. Overly unselfish at times, deferring to teammates. Ball-handling skills are improvable, rendering him extremely turnover prone. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 12-25 overall

John Henson (31)

Strengths: Physically underdeveloped but extremely talented forward with a Kevin Durant-esqe frame. Shows an intriguing skill level facing the basket which he's yet to fully harness. Possesses a freakish wingspan which gets his team plenty of extra possessions in the form of steals, blocks and offensive rebounds. Upside is considerable as his body continues to develop. Needs Work: Painfully thin, which hampers him significantly on both ends of the floor. Struggles to finish around the basket, and doesn't possess a consistent jump shot. Can get pushed around on the defensive end. Still very far from being a finished product. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 10-20 overall

Terrence Jones

Strengths: Smart, versatile forward with strength and athleticism. Can operate inside and out. Solid ball handler who is capable of making shots from the perimeter, but is not afraid to throw his body around inside the paint. Excellent rebounder. Needs Work: Still transitioning to playing out on the wing full time, particularly defensively, where he shows average awareness and fundamentals. Needs to continue to add polish to his offensive game. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 10-20 overall

Brandon Knight

Strengths: Point guard with size and athleticism. Capable shot-creator who can operate effectively in both the half and full court. Gets to the rim effectively and finishes well around the basket. Intelligent prospect who can make plays for others. Has great potential defensively with his physical tools and smarts. Needs Work: Tends to get out of control at times and force the issue looking for his own offense. Needs to improve consistency, shot selection and decision-making skills. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 10-20 overall

Chris Singleton

Strengths: Explosive athlete with the physical tools and upside NBA scouts covet at the combo forward position. Quick and fluid in the open floor, and capable of making shots from the perimeter at times. Has the ability to defend multiple positions on the perimeter or in the post, and is a productive rebounder. Not a finished product yet, but appears to have strong intangibles. Needs Work: Just an average ball handler and all-around shot-creator in the half-court. Extremely turnover prone. Tends to fall in love with his jumper rather than attacking the basket. Needs to show he can take the next step in his development as a junior. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 10-20 overall

Mouphtaou Yarou

Strengths: Big man with prototypical physical tools for an NBA center. Has size, length, soft hands, a massive frame and is very mobile. Major interior presence defensively, sets bruising screens and does a solid job cleaning the glass. Shows flashes of potential offensively, a quickly developing feel for the game and has terrific intangibles. Needs Work: Played a very limited role offensively as a freshman for Villanova, ranking ninth on the team in field-goal attempts. Must improve skill level and continue to garner experience. Not always assertive enough. Can be very foul prone. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 10-20 overall

Rodney Williams

Strengths: Arguably the most athletic player in all of college basketball. Has outstanding size and incredible explosiveness. Lethal transition threat with lock-down defensive potential. Perimeter jumper shows very good potential. Upside is huge. Needs Work: Ball-handling skills are poor. Jumper is streaky. Experience level, feel for the game are clearly underdeveloped. Barely played as a freshman, so burden of proof is on him. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: All over the map: 5-25 overall

Marcus Morris

Strengths: Smooth, polished power forward with a fairly complete all-around game. Can create his own shot from the perimeter, knock down an open jumper and operate effectively around the basket. Competes defensively and does a very good job hedging the pick and roll. Needs Work: Does not possess incredible physical attributes, as he has just average size and length, and good but not great athleticism. So-so defensive rebounder. Was tremendously efficient playing alongside Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, but must now show he can be the leading player on a top-ranked NCAA team. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Mid-first-round pick

Kemba Walker

Strengths: Pure point guard with jet-like quickness. A terror in transition and a constant threat to create his own shot in the half court. Good mix between scoring and passing, likes to get others involved. Has improved his perimeter shooting ability. Does a good job putting pressure on the ball. Needs Work: Undersized at just 6-foot. Struggles finishing around the basket at times. Decision-making and consistency still a work in progress. Jumper can get very streaky at times. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Late lottery pick  

Jeff Taylor

Strengths: Physical specimen at the wing position, standing 6-7, with a great frame and excellent athleticism. One of the most impressive leapers in the college level. Currently at his best on the defensive end, where his physical attributes, intensity level and fundamentals give him lock-down potential. Needs Work: Struggles badly as a perimeter shooter, lacking range and confidence. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 7-20 overall

Patric Young

Strengths: Chiseled big man with length, strength and an NBA-caliber frame. Plays with toughness and intensity, allowing him to offer a massive presence in the paint defensively and on the offensive glass. Has a solid feel for the game and strong intangibles, giving him a huge upside to continue to develop down the road. Needs Work: Lacks polish, particularly on the offensive end, where he has plenty of work to do improving his skill level. Still gaining experience and learning the nuances of the game. Much more of a center than a power forward, despite his size. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 5-15 overall

Mason Plumlee

Strengths: Fluid, athletic big man with size and a frame that should fill out in time. An explosive finisher who runs the floor well and has excellent quickness for a player his size. Flashes intriguing skills offensively both in the post and especially on the perimeter. Huge upside to continue to develop. Needs Work: Currently lacks strength in a major way, which affects everything he does on both ends of the floor. Struggles to finish through contact at times and can get pushed around in the post. Toughness, intensity leaves something to be desired at times, particularly on the glass. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 5-15 overall

Jared Sullinger

Strengths: Very advanced freshman with a tremendous skill level. Excellent post-up threat with soft touch, huge hands and smooth footwork. Can also step outside and knock down a mid-range jumper. Very productive rebounder. Coach's son who brings outstanding intangibles to the table. Needs Work: Undersized, and not particularly athletic to compensate. Conditioning has improved but still not ideal. Upside won't be deemed as high as other freshman. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: All over the board: anywhere from 5-25 overall

Josh Selby

* Kansas is still waiting for the NCAA to make a decision on Selby's eligibility. Strengths: Scoring machine combo guard with highly developed natural instincts for putting the ball in the basket. Can create his own shot effortlessly, but is also a highly capable shot-maker from perimeter, particularly off the dribble. Needs Work: Has the size of a point guard but the mentality of a shooting guard. Needs to learn to operate more effectively and efficiently in the half court, especially with his playmaking and decision-making skills. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: 5-20 overall

Kyrie Irving

Strengths: Point guard with prototypical physical tools, standing 6-2, with an excellent frame and very good athleticism. Pretty complete offensive player for a freshman. Very aggressive shot creator who excels on the pick and roll. Can also make shots from the perimeter. Competitive defensively. Has great intangibles. Needs Work: Must polish playmaking skills and show that he can run a team in the half court. Lacks experience like all freshman do. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Top 10 pick

Perry Jones

Strengths: Rare physical specimen with phenomenal size, length and athleticism. Smooth, talented big man with intriguing perimeter skills. Handles the ball extremely well in transition, which, coupled with his long and very quick first step, can make him a huge mismatch threat attacking defenders off the dribble. Also shows signs of a nice perimeter jumper. Finishes everything around the basket with the greatest of ease. Has excellent potential defensively, and appears to be a highly coachable and humble young prospect as well. Needs Work: Doesn't always play up to his potential. Had relatively underwhelming numbers as a high school senior (16.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg), and did not enjoy much team success either. Has a laid-back demeanor that causes him to coast at times. Needs to continue to add strength and develop his inside game. Can get too enamored with his perimeter game at times. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Top 5 pick

Harrison Barnes

Strengths: Smart, competitive small forward with size, strong rebounding skills and both the willingness and talent to make his presence felt on both ends of the court. Brings a very complete package to the table, with excellent physical attributes, a versatile skill set, and outstanding intangibles. Needs work: Must prove that he can produce under the bright lights of the national spotlight, play winning basketball and lead Carolina back to the NCAA tournament. Early 2011 NBA Draft Projection: Top 3 pick

Top 25 NBA Draft Prospects in College