Live Coverage of 2011 NBA Draft
The 2011 NBA Draft takes places in Newark, New Jersey, and features some quality depth.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have the first pick in the draft and are expected to select Kyrie Irving, a guard from Duke University.
Here is the International Business Times's Mock Draft:
First round
1. Cleveland: Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke. He's the safest pick, and the Cavaliers are desperate to not have a bust of a top pick. Irving has little chance to fail, but probably won't be as effective as John Wall.
2. Minnesota: Derrick Williams, F, Arizona. This pick will probably be traded. Williams is an excellent combo forward and deserves to be the first overall selection. It will be interesting to see which team he goes to, and what the Timberwolves get in exchange.
3. Utah: Enes Kanter, C, Turkey. This is a no-brainer for the Jazz. Kanter is a very skilled big man, and Utah needs to get bigger.
4. Cleveland: Jonas Valanciunas, C, Lithuania. The Cavaliers are so enamored with Valanciunas that they will no longer have interest in tradeing this pick.
5. Toronto: Jan Vesely, F, Czech Republic. The Raptors tend to favor international players, and Vesely has huge upside. He probably deserves to go higher than fifth.
6. Washington: Brandon Knight, PG, Kentucky. The Wizards don't need a point guard, so this pick will likely be traded. Knight was expected to go as high as third up until recently. He has room to grow, but the talent is certainly there.
7. Sacramento: Kawhi Leonard, F, San Diego State. Leonard is talented, but the Kings don't really need him. Again, expect a lot of trades, and the Kings to trade down.
8. Detroit: Kemba Walker, UConn. The Pistons need a spark, and Walker can give it to them. He can be a star based on his guts, or a bust based on his size.
9. Charlotte: Alec Burks, F, Colorado. A gem of this draft, on the Bobcats might immediately start Burks.
10. Milwaukee: Tristan Thompson, F, Texas. A post player with some good hands and good basketball sense, this is a solid pick for the Bucks.
11. Golden State: Marcus Morris, F, Kansas. The Warriors need to strengthen their frontcourt, and Morris can do that immediately.
12. Utah: Jimmer Fredette, G, BYU. Many think the Jazz will pass on Fredette. No chance. He will fit perfectly with the Jazz.
13. Phoenix: Klay Thompson, G, Washington State. A pure shooter, this is almost too good to be true for the Suns, who love offense.
14. Houston: Tobias Harris, F, Tennessee. This talented, combo forward has the athleticism to play in the NBA, and the Rockets need NBA-ready players. Chase Budinger hasn't worked out.
15. Indiana: Nikola Mirotic, F, Montenegro. This is a surprise pick, but this big man has touch, and that's a huge asset for the Pacers.
16. Philadelphia: Bismack Biyombo, C, Congo. One of the steals of the draft, Biyombo has the defense in the interior that the 76ers desperagely need.
17. New York: Markieff Morris, F, Kansas. The Knicks need a strong forward to help out Ronny Turiaf, and they get one. A good selection this deep into the draft.
18. Washington: Donatas Motiejunas, F, Lithuania. The Wizards need to get bigger, and this foreign big man is the project they need.
19. Charlotte: Marshon Brooks, G, Providence. A steal at this pick, the Bobcats could use a scorer, and this is the guy they need to get their offense going. He might be a dark horse to win the Rookie of the Year award.
20. Minnesota: Jordan Hamilton, F, Texas. Shocking that he will drop this low, but Hamilton has to refine his game. He has a versatile game and is somewhat similar to current starter Martell Webster.
21. Portland: Davis Bertans, SF, Latvia. This is a surprise pick. Bertrans is a major project, but since the Blazers have plenty of depth they can take a chance.
22. Denver: Iman Shumpert, G, Georgia Tech. This combo guard may not fit in well with Denver, unless the Nuggets trade Raymond Felton, but that's been the rumor this summer.
23. Houston: Reggie Jackson, PG, Boston College. A tremendous athlete, the Rockets need to groom Jackson to be a possible starter one day since they're thin at this position.
24. Oklahoma City: Josh Selby, G, Kansas. This would be a surprise pick, but the Thunder like exciting player, and Selby is certainly exciting.
25. Boston: Trey Thompkins, PF, Georgia. The Celtics need to add bulk iwth the departure of Kendrick Perkins, but a point guard here would help, too, since Rajon Rondo needs a backup.
26. Dallas: Shelvin Mack, G, Butler. The Mavs need to protect themselves from losing both Jason Kidd to retirement and J.J. Barea to free agency.
27. New Jersey: Chris Singleton, F, Florida State. The Nets could use another guard, but decide to select a strong forward instead, with athleticism. This is a good pick for a team that needs to make up for some past mistakes.
28. Chicago: Nikola Vucevic, F, USC. The Bulls scored big with Taj Gibson from USC, and this Trojan has good outside shooting and will be a welcomed addition off the bench.
29. San Antonio: Tyler Honeycutt, F, UCLA. This pick may be grouped in a trade on draft night, but if the Spurs sit still, they will grab the multi-talented Honeycutt, who can play in the mold of Manu Ginobili.
30. Chicago: JaJuan Johnson, F, Purdue. A potential star, Johnson might be a major steal in this draft with his scoring skills.
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