by Andrew Hardison
1st – New Jersey Nets: John Wall, Point Guard (6’4”, 195 lbs)
With a 25% chance of obtaining the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, the New Jersey Nets continue to covet the uber-talented freshman point guard from Kentucky. Wall’s spectacular play has stayed consistent throughout the 2009-2010 seasons and if Kentucky wins a National Championship, there would be zero reason for Wall to stay another year. If they don’t win it, he’ll likely be gone anyways.
Kentucky dominated their first two opponents in the NCAA Tournament, beating teams by an average of 29.5 points a game. Wall has plenty to do with those outcomes. He’s averaging 15.5 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field, to go along with nine assists and two rebounds per game. Wall is also displaying an outside game, hitting 6-of-10 from behind the arc, a trait many NBA scouts want to see Wall improve in.
There’s no question that Walls’s play is significant to any success the Wildcats have had and Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup against Cornell will be no different. Depending on how the Big Red decides to play defense, Wall will be counted on to do a lot of things. If Cornell plays zone, Wall’s outside shots will have to be falling. If they play man, Wall will have to make a point to get into the paint to set up teammates on the inside and out.
Whatever it may be, you get the idea of just how important Wall is to the Kentucky program and get an idea of what he’ll be able to do at the next level. NBA Player Comparison: Dwyane Wade-Miami Heat
4th – Washington Wizards: DeMarcus Cousins, Center (6’11”, 280 lbs)
Cousins is clearly the best center in all of college basketball, not Kansas’ Cole Aldrich or even Cornell’s Jeff Foote can claim that title. Like Wall, much of Kentucky’s success hinges on the play of Cousins. He’s big, has great feet and hands, and can dominate a game in the blink of an eye. Not to mention that he’s the best offensive rebounder in the entire country.
The Wizards lock-in on Cousins at No. 4 and for good reason. His first game of the tournament against East Tennessee State wasn’t his best outing, but it did show other intangibles that Cousins brings to a game. He only had five points, but rounded out the stat sheet with eight rebounds, four assists, and four blocks. Just because his offensive game isn’t on point, doesn’t mean Cousins can’t contribute in other facets of the game. Kentucky’s next game against Wake Forest was another story. Cousins dominated the hapless interior defenders for the Demon Deacons, going for 19 points and eight rebounds on 9-of-10 shooting from the field.
Everyone has criticized the jovial big man from Kentucky for his lack of composure, as he has lost his cool at various points in the season. With the tournament in full swing and the possibility of a game being your last, Cousins has stayed calmed and collective throughout and will most definitely not be intimidated by some teams ‘tactics’ to get him off his game. NBA Player Comparison: Andrew Bynum-Los Angeles Lakers
11th – Milwaukee Bucks: Patrick Patterson, Power Forward (6’8”, 235 lbs)
Patterson is most certainly going to be a lottery pick and falls to No. 11 and the Milwaukee Bucks. Out of all the talented players on this year’s Wildcats roster, Patterson might be the hardest to project as a future NBA player. He does a lot of things well, but doesn’t have one characteristic that stands out as great. That won’t deter NBA general managers however, from selecting Patterson in the Top-14 picks of June’s NBA Draft.
He’s third on the team in scoring at 14.6 points a game and grabs over seven boards a contest as well. Patterson’s first game of the NCAA Tournament against East Tennessee State showed exactly why he’s got NBA Lottery potential written all over him. He went for 22 points on 9-of-10 shooting to go along with five rebounds and a blocked shot. Patterson’s game against Wake Forest wasn’t as spectacular—four points, four rebounds, and two blocked shots—but he didn’t have to play that way for the Cats to win.
One criticism of Patterson’s play is that he gets lost in the mix at times and doesn’t display a ‘fierceness’ that many scouts crave for. He certainly has the tools and skills to be a dominate player night in and night out, but that ‘killer instinct’ that so many people point out seems to be lacking for the pre-season All-American. NBA Player Comparison: Paul Millsap-Utah /Elton Brand-76er’s
14th– Memphis Grizzlies: Eric Bledsoe, Point Guard (6’1”, 195 lbs)
Bledsoe makes his way into the Top-14 of this year’s draft by way of some outstanding games from the freshman ‘back-up’ point guard for Kentucky. Most people figured Bledsoe would stay another year to build upon his already impressive game, but because of several late-season games, his name is being brought up more and more.
In a draft low on proven guards, Bledsoe’s last two games have NBA scouts and general managers salivating at the kind of potential the stocky guard from Alabama brings to the table. He torched the nets for Kentucky in their first round matchup in the NCAA Tournament against East Tennessee State for 29 point on 9-of-11 shooting from the field. Eight of those field goals came via three-pointers, something the Cats have struggled with
all season. Bledsoe put up another 13 points during the team’s game against Wake Forest in the second round, displaying a sense of consistency to his game that hasn’t been seen throughout the year.
Bledsoe is averaging 16.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists while hitting 57% of his three pointers in Kentucky’s last six games. There probably isn’t any player in the nation whose draft stock has risen more than Bledsoe’s. If he decides to bolt after one season with the Wildcats, it will be for good reason.
Daniel Orton, Center (6’10”, 255 lbs.)
The chatter has picked up for another Kentucky Wildcat being a lottery selection, or at least a first-round pick and that would be reserve center Daniel Orton. Wherever the chatter began, is unbeknownst to me, as I see Orton staying another year to polish his skills.
Orton doesn’t even play starter minutes—not to say he couldn’t—simply because there is a more talented center in front of him. The big man from Oklahoma has yet to experience ‘dominating’ on the college landscape, a trait I usually search for in prospects looking to enter the NBA Draft early. Orton fits this bill.
There is no doubt that Orton has ‘star’ written all over him, but this year is not it. He should stay another year at least, possibly two and prove that he can be the ‘man’ and outplay the competition on a night in, night out basis much like teammate DeMarcus Cousins. If Orton can do that, then he’ll be prepared to head to the NBA. Until then, stay in school big fella or you’ll be riding pine your rookie season at the next level.
Here’s what ESPN’s Chad Ford had to say about Orton.
Projections courtesy of ESPN
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