NBA DRAFT: Profiles Of Potential Lottery Picks Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Jimmer Fredette, and More
With the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat knotted up at 2-2 in the NBA Finals, the other 28 teams are thinking about next season.
Here's a look at potential lottery picks for the 2011 NBA Draft.
All these players have the potential to immediatley contribute to their team and lottery teams are hoping to land the one special player that will get them back into the playoff mix.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers - Kyrie Irving PG (Duke)
A true point guard with excellent court vision and offensive IQ, Irving is a great facilitator and makes players around him better. He has great ball-handling skills and the ability to pull up off the dribble. Overall, Irving is an NBA-ready prospect likely to contribute immediately.
2. Minnesota Timberwolves - Derrick Williams PF (Arizona)
Williams had an excellent season for Arizona last year, averaging better than 19 points and eight rebounds a game. He's a long, athletic power forward who's quicker than the average four and his ability to shoot from distance forces opposing players to stay tight to him, allowing Williams to beat defenders with quickness and dribble-drive moves.
3. Utah Jazz - Brandon Knight PG (Kentucky)
Knight is an explosive point guard with excellent size, speed, and scoring ability. He combines a deadly first step with an excellent jump shot and can knock down an NBA three-pointer. Scouts love his potential.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers - Enes Kanter C (Turkey)
Kanter combines good size and athleticism with a soft touch inside and great rebounding instincts. He can score in a variety of ways with his knack for scoring down low to go along with his very good mid-range shot.
5. Toronto Raptors - Kawhi Leonard SG/SF (San Diego St.)
Standing 6'6 Leonard has a wingspan of more than 7 feet. His incredible length and good lateral quickness mean he has the potential to be a great rebounder and defender at multiple positions.
6. Washington Wizards - Jan Vesely SF/PF (Czech Republic)
Vesely combines huge size for the small forward spot with great athleticism that allows him to explode to the rim over opposing players. Standing nearly seven-feet tall, he can shoot over the top of most defenders and is confident shooting the ball from anywhere on the floor.
7. Sacramento Kings - Kemba Walker PG (Connecticut)
An incredible scorer, Walker's blinding speed, quickness, and ability to change directions going full speed while maintaining ball control allow him to devastate defenders. He's also a solid facilitator, willing rebounder, and able defender using his speed and vertical to get rebounds and steals.
8. Detroit Pistons - Jonas Valunciunas C (Lithuania)
A promising big man, Valunsiunas has solid moves around the basket and can extend to knock down mid-range shots. Valunciunas is an excellent rebounder, and gets points off of offensive boards. He's efficient in pick-and-roll plays and finishes well at the rim -- a skill that translates well in the NBA.
9. Charlotte Bobcats - Marcus Morris SF/PF (Kansas)
An extremely efficient scorer around the rim, Morris puts the ball in the basket in a variety of ways. He can shoot the ball well out to 20 plus feet, has good anticipation on the glass, and is considered one of the most NBA-ready prospects in this class.
10. Milwaukee Bucks - Alec Burks SG (Colorado)
Burks is an excellent scorer and a versatile offensive weapon, both on and off the ball. His shooting stroke has improved significantly and he shows no hesitation going to the rim to either score or get fouled.
11. Golden State Warriors - Donatas Motiejunas PF (Lithuania)
Motiejunas is a solid European prospect, a big lefty power forward who can score from anywhere on the floor. He combines size with some impressive and developing post moves, and has strong rebounding and blocking skills.
12. Utah Jazz - Jimmer Fredette PG (BYU)
The BYU standout is an excellent shooter with range almost anywhere in the half court. In the right system he could develop into an excellent NBA scorer as he has an incredible shooting stroke combined with nasty ball-handling skills.
13. Pheonix Suns - Klay Thompson SG/SF (Washington St.)
Thompson was one of the best pure shooters in college last year. He displays fluid shooting mechanics and incredible range on catch-and-shoots as well as off the dribble.
14. Houston Rockets - Bismack Biyombo PF/C (Dem. Republic of Congo)
Biyombo is an absolute freak of nature, standing just under 6'8, his wingspan is more than 7 and a half feet long. His incredible length and explosive athletic ability could help him develop into an excellent rebounder and shot blocker.
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