ICYMI: The WBN 2014 NBA Mock Draft
By Tyler Cox
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#26 Miami Heat – Jusuf Nurkic C 7’0 280 Bosnia
Team Needs:Center, Shooting Guard, Point Guard
Explanation: The Miami Heat now have needed a legitimate center for quite some time now. They went out and brought in former #1 overall pick Greg Oden in the offseason, but as the Portland Trailblazers could have told them from past experience, that it wasn’t going to work. Now the Heat may finally have their center when they draft Jusuf Nurkic. Nurkic is a 7-footer with a big body who can run the floor, which is exactly what the Heat need, seeing that the Heat are all about fast break points and run out dunks. Nurkic is able to move people with his lower body to create better space to attain better position for scoring and getting rebounds. The only knock on Jusuf is that most of the shots he takes could very likely be blocked, a lot, in the NBA. Only time will tell.
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#27 Phoenix Suns – KJ McDaniels SF 6’6 196 Clemson
Team Needs: Small Forward, Center, Power Forward
Explanation: McDaniels is a playmaker and will be making Sportscenters Top 10 many years to come. He will dunk on you, he will dunk over you, he will block your shot and make you look like a little school girl doing it. With their 3rd pick in the first round the Suns finally take care of their number 1 need in a small forward. McDaniels will bring an uncontested excitement to the Suns, and in a few years will sell tickets, just because of the way he plays. Yeah, he is that good folks.
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#28 Los Angeles Clippers – Elfrid Payton PG 6’4 185 Lafayette
Team Needs:Small Forward, Power Forward, Center
Explanation: Chris Paul is going to need some help when he gets tired, Elfrid Payton will help ease his tiredness. Payton is an underrated point guard with decent size. The Clippers, had a more than interesting off-season, and drafting Payton and him turning out to be a really good player, could make it even more interesting.
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#29 Oklahoma City Thunder – Walter Tavares C 7’3 265 Gran Canaria
Team Needs: Shooting Guard, Center, Point Guard
Explanation: The Thunder like themselves some really tall Centers. Walter Tavares at 7’3 will fulfill the Thunder’s craving, all the while helping fill a big need for a center. Tavares picked up basketball only 4 years ago, when he started playing in 2010. He has a lot to learn, but he upside/potential is unreal. He averaged 12 rebounds a game last year. He can run the floor pretty well. I think the Thunder wont regret taking Tavares here.
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#30 San Antonio Spurs – Shabazz Napier PG 6’1 175 Connecticut
Team Needs: Power Forward, Shooting Guard, Center
Explanation: Tony Parker is getting old and its time for the Spurs to start looking to their future at point guard. If the Spurs beat the Heat in the Finals this year, I have a feeling that their big three (Parker, Duncan and Ginobli) will all retire, leaving the Spurs with some gaping holes that they need to address. Shabazz Napier is a great start, and someone you can form your team around. Also, Napier is everything the Spurs are about, selfless, gritty, smart basketball players.
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#31 – Milwaukee Bucks – Jarnell Stokes PF 6’8 265 Tennessee
#32 – Philadelphia 76ers – Jordan Adams SG 6’5 209 UCLA
#33 – Cleveland Cavaliers – Isaiah Austin C 7’0 220 Baylor
#34 – Dallas Mavericks – Bogdan Bogdanovic SG 6’6 200 Partizan
#35 – Utah Jazz – CJ Wilcox SG 6’5 201 Washington