2010 NBA Mock Draft

The NBA draft is Thursday, a week after a classic NBA finals. That is one reason to love the NBA and there are others, one player can change the fortunes of a franchise and maybe best of all the draft day suits.

1) Washington Wizards: John Wall (PG, Kentucky); Huge talent who can be a major NBA star and moves Gilbert Arenas back to a more natural two guard position. The Wizards hope he can continue the Washington sports revival along the lines of Ovechkin, Strasburg, and Shanahan and be the new face of the franchise.

2) Philadelphia 76ers: Trade this pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 4th and 16th picks in the draft. The T-Wolves select Evan Turner (SG, Ohio State). The T-Wolves have the draft picks to make this move and they need a dynamic wing player who can be a game changer. Evan Turner fills this need and the 76ers get more picks and still have a chance to get the big man they need.

3) New Jersey Nets: Derrick Favors (PF, Georgia Tech); Athletic enough to be the next Amare Stoudemire, but it will depend on how he develops. Didn't show a whole lot at Tech but that could be a product of the players around him. Could develop nicely running pick and rolls with Devin Harris next to Brook Lopez. That is the makings of a decent core to change this team around.

4) Philadelphia 76ers via trade with Minnesota: Demarcus Cousins (C, Kentucky); The best big man in the draft who can step right in and bang with NBA centers and run with guards. Questions about his attitude have followed him from Kentucky, but he is too talented for the 76ers and new coach Doug Collins to pass up when they desperately need a big guy.

5) Sacramento Kings: Greg Monroe (PF, Georgetown); Different kind of big man who is best in the high post and would fit in with how the Kings and Tyreke Evans want to play. He could run with the Kings up tempo offense and new addition Samuel Dalembert would be able to protect him a little on the defensive end so he could start immediately.

6) Golden State Warriors: Wesley Johnson (SF, Syracuse); Golden State would like to move this pick for a veteran and it will be interesting to see how active teams are in this draft with the free agent market looming. If they stay in this slot Johnson is the pick and his age (23) will be a benefit to a young team that needs a running mate for Curry while they continue to try to develop big men from previous drafts.

7) Detroit Pistons: Ekpe Udoh (PF, Baylor); Joe Dumars knows the value of big men who can defend and Udoh clearly fits that mold. He has been steadily climbing during the combine season and will be a welcome addition to a team with perimeter players but no one to help them if they get beat off the dribble or to rebound.

8) Los Angeles Clippers: Gordon Hayward (SF, Butler); This might seem a little high for a player with some questions about his overall game, but he is a winner who would fit into the Clippers current roster nicely. He will do the little things and would be a glue guy that could fit in seamlessly with Davis, Gordon, Griffin, and Kaman from day one.

9) Utah Jazz: Cole Aldrich (C, Kansas); The Ostertag comparisons are inevitable, but Aldrich is a tough player who will defend the paint and in turn be a rookie Sloan can trust. His offense game did not improve much in college, but he will get easy baskets playing with Williams and next to Millsap and the Jazz can live with that for the next couple of seasons.

10) Indiana Pacers: Ed Davis (PF, North Carolina); Will Larry Bird double down on UNC power forwards, he reached for Hansbrough last year and still doesn't know what he has with that pick. Davis is all Hansbrough is not, he is all potential who has shown very little in college, but is athletic enough to rebound and defend from the start and the Pacers need a power forward.

11) New Orleans Hornets: Al-Farouq Aminu (SF, Wake Forest); The Hornets would like a big man but Aminu is too talented to let him slip past. Very athletic player who will need to work on his defense and ball handling, but will benefit on the offense end by getting easy baskets playing with Chris Paul.

12) Memphis Grizzles: Luke Babbitt (SF, Nevada); The Grizzles could be in the market to replace Rudy Gay's scoring and Babbitt can score the ball. He has one of the most polished offensive games of any draftee and is adept at putting the ball on the floor and shooting the mid range jumper as well as the three. His defense needs work, but he is still young and is coming out as a sophomore.

13) Toronto Raptors: Daniel Orton (C, Kentucky); One of the biggest upsides in the draft, he is a legit center who was in the shadows with Kentucky last year. Could be a steal outside of the top ten and Toronto will be looking to replace Bosh and Orton can by the physical presence this team needs to pair with Bargnani.

14) Houston Rockets: Paul George (SF, Fresno State); Athletic wing player who has the ability to get his shot anytime he wants and the stroke to be consistent beyond the arc. Could team with Ariza and Brooks to form a potent offensive group. His physical skills allow him to defend at a high level when committed to doing so, one red flag is his teams have never been better than average.

15) Milwaukee Bucks: Patrick Patterson (PF, Kentucky); The most polished of the three Kentucky big men who can score with his back to the basket or facing up and hitting a jumper. Not a great rebounder but he will be a valuable addition to a young Buck's team that would love to see him on the board when they draft.

16) Philaelphia 76ers via trade with Minnesota: Xavier Henry (SG, Kansas); Every team can use a shooter like Henry and he has the 6' 6'' frame and mental game to have a long NBA career. He has the stroke and basketball IQ to fit in with any team and the 76ers would be a good landing spot.

17) Chicago Bulls: Solomon Alabi (C, Florida State); He is a hit or miss big guy with unbelievable athletic ability and retains the common theme for most big men in this draft, he can defend but is very raw on offense. The Bulls can take a flyer on a center with upside as they look to free agency to make their mark.

18) Miami Heat: Eric Bledsoe (PG, Kentucky); One of the most hard to gauge players in the draft, he played off the ball last year at Kentucky but has been impressive in workouts as a point guard. The Heat are still looking for the right point guard to play next to Wade and drafting Bledsoe would be a potentially intriguing backcourt.

19) Boston Celtics: Hassan Whiteside (C, Marshall); Like Alabi, he is a 7 footer with a raw offensive game, but the wingspan and current defensive ability to dominate in the paint. The Celts proved in the finals that you can never have too many big guys and Whiteside can help immediately as Perkins heals and Wallace contemplates retirement.

20) San Antonio Spurs: Larry Sanders (C, VCU); Look for the Spurs to try to move up and make a play for one of the first big men off the board. Sanders is another athletic big man that the Spurs covet to contribute immediately on the defensive end to take some stress away from Duncan. Sanders is in the group of big men who will determine the tale of this draft depending on how they develop offensively.

21) Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Seraphin (PF, Cholet France); France might seem like the wrong place to try to find the enforcer the Thunder need, but Seraphin has a NBA ready body and the attitude that the Thunder need to take the next step. He will actively defend with an attitude and rebound while not commanding shots on the offensive end.

22) Portland Trail Blazers: James Anderson (SG, Oklahoma State); A big time scorer with an offensive game that will translate well to the NBA. One of the best at putting up points in the college game who could be a real asset to the Blazers by coming off the bench and the Blazers showed last year they need a scoring threat outside of Roy.

23) Minnesota Timberwolves: Jordan Crawford (SG, Xavier); The T-Wolves need perimeter players and Crawford fits the bill and would be an interesting piece to team with Turner and Flynn. Crawford's ability to get his own shot and score would make the T-Wolves exciting as they search for a winning combination.

24) Atlanta Hawks: Avery Bradley (PG, Texas); The Hawks will most likely lose Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby is on the the back nine of his career so it makes sense to bring in a hungy combo guard like Bradley who is a very intense defender and distributor. He is not the athletic shot creator or shooter like some of the other guards in this draft, but he will bring intensity to the minutes he plays.

25) Memphis Grizzles: Terrico White (G, Mississippi); Terrico is a combo guard who can defend one through three and plays through the team on the offensive end. Every good team needs a player like this and he can help fill the void defensively left by Gay.

26) Oklahoma City Thunder: Damion Jones (SF, Texas); The Thunder can afford to take two players who have the capability to defend and add toughness. Jones has an NBA body and the willingness to defend, rebound, and set screens. He will play extremely hard and can defend shooting guards to power forwards.

27) New Jersey Nets: Armon Johnson (G, Nevada); Good workouts and interviews have pushed him into the first round and would make a nice back up to Devin Harris. With Harris' injury history and Avery Johnson as head coach Armon Johnson will be asked to handle major minutes.

28) Memphis Grizzles: Willie Warren (SG, Oklahoma); Would have been a top ten pick had he come out last year. Instead he showed questionable shot selection and decision making last year in college. He is a streaky shooter but has aggressive scoring instincts and could team with Mayo to be a scary 15 minute a game backcourt duo.

29) Orlando Magic: Quincy Pondexter (SF, Washington); Underatted overall athlete and basketball player with the biggest question mark being his jump shot. Orlando needs some toughness and some basketball IQ and Pondexter will add both. He would be a much needed breath of fresh air and a welcome break from the Carter and Lewis show.

30) Washington Wizards: Devin Ebanks (SF, West Virginia); The Wizards book end the first round and Ebanks is an ultra tough player who will rebound through contact. He is the type of player coaches and GM's love so it would be a major steal for the Wizards to get him with the last pick of the first round.