NBA Draft update: Wall, Wizards set in stone; Detroit Pistons like UK's Cousins

1st – Washington Wizards: John Wall
This one is short and sweet.
John Wall will be selected by the Washington Wizards on June 24, 2010.

5th – Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins (7, 6, 4, 6, 3, 4)
Cousins has the honor of facing off against Georgia Tech’s Derrick Favors June 21st, during a one-on-one session in front of the top New Jersey Nets management. The consensus between NBA managers and scouts is that Cousins and Favors are the two best big-men in this year’s draft hands down. I’ll take Cousins, simply because he’s got a bigger frame and the ability to muscle opponents around more so than Favors.

The problem—if it could ever be one—is the fact that Cousins position in the draft is completely unknown at this point. Some NBA teams don’t like the fact that Cousins is a little on the ‘big side’ when it comes to physique, while others push that ‘fact’ aside. Several top lottery teams like the Sacramento Kings and Detroit Pistons would gladly have Cousins’ services for next year, while teams like the Sixers, Timberwolves, and Nets may not be as sold at this point. If Cousins dazzles Nets personnel on June 21, he could very well go No. 3 to New Jersey.

12th – Memphis Grizzlies: Patrick Patterson (12, 11, 11, 5, 10, 22)
Patterson hasn’t shied away from taking part in plenty of workouts with various lottery teams including the Kings, Warriors, and Pacers. I know for a fact, that any NBA would be fortunate to have Patterson on their team, but more likely than not, he’ll be a Top-10 pick on June 24, 2010. Even teams like the Milwaukee Bucks who pick at No. 15 have their eyes set on Patterson in case the former Kentucky Wildcats star slips in the draft.

A word of advice for the Bucks: don’t get your hopes up too high. Patterson is as all-around as they come in this year’s draft and one team that is really impressed by Patterson’s workouts is the Indiana Pacers. Chicago Tribune sports writer Cliff Blunt said, “his background in communication and leadership development could pay off once he’s drafted. Patterson exuded a polished, cool confidence while taking questions after the workout.” It’s important to note that Patterson’s attitude has always been superb, especially while at Kentucky and should carry over during his NBA career.

18th – Miami Heat: Daniel Orton (18, 19, 13, 28, 11, 19)
Orton could very well understand that his stock is slipping in the draft due to foretold circumstances like lack of experience and athleticism. Orton recently worked out for the Miami Heat, the third Kentucky Wildcat to do so this summer. It looks as if Orton’s so called potential, something ESPN’s Chad Ford raved about for weeks, has taken a back seat to the official workouts he’s participated in during the off-season.

Potential is one thing, but facts are another. Orton has a couple of facts about his game that he can’t seem to shake and it will certainly affect his positioning within the 2010 NBA Draft. Going back to Ford, he recently spoke about the Blazers general managers Kevin Pritchard and his desire to draft a solid prospect with the No. 22 selection, one of those being Orton. The Blazers struggled mightily with injuries last season, especially to the teams front-line. Orton would be a defensive-minded prospect that could bring depth to a depleted Blazers bench.

25th – Memphis Grizzlies: Eric Bledsoe (25, 25, 25, 32, 18, 28)
There hasn’t been a lot of news on Bledsoe regarding his draft position, but he is still making headlines because of this high-school basketball fiasco. Apparently the Birmingham school superintendent will investigate the investigation to figure out whether Bledsoe’s transcripts from Parker High School are legitimate. It is a redundant story and may never reveal anything more than what has been seen already, but it simply won’t go away.

Back to draft news, it seems as if Bledsoe and other elite prospects are turning down the opportunity to work out for the Memphis Grizzlies. I guess the chance to play in Memphis isn’t all that appealing, but there are a lot of players for Memphis to choose from, especially with the fact that the team has three first-round picks.

WBB’s 2010 NBA Mock Draft contributors: NBADraft, DraftExpress, Hoopshype, Andrew Hardison’s, ESPN’s Chad Ford, Hoopsworld

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