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Print and Go Back ESPN.com: Draft 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
If I were in the draft room ...
By ESPN The Magazine
Yep, we're doing it again. For the fifth straight year, The Mag has asked a player from each NBA team to draft for their respective franchise. So what did we learn this time? UCLA frosh Shabazz Muhammad will need to earn the respect of his NBA peers (the former top recruit dropped to the Clippers at No. 25), Al Horford thinks his Hawks need help in the post (the former Gator drafted two centers for Atlanta at Nos. 17 and 18), and Greg Monroe … well, let's just say he's thrilled with his pick.
(Picks compiled by Sam Alipour, Elena Bergeron, Jordan Brenner, Chris Broussard, Louise Cornetta, Brad Doolittle, Chad Ford, Molly Knight, Eddie Matz, Marc Stein, Pablo S. Torre, Brian Windhorst and Jared Zwerling.)
1. Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky
Selected by: Alonzo Gee
"Noel can play great D, and can especially help us protect the rim," Gee says about the Wildcats frosh, who averaged over four blocks and almost 10 rebounds per game. "And he can run, too. He's got great potential."
2. Ben McLemore, G, Kansas
Selected by: Jameer Nelson
"He's NBA-ready for the most part, and you can always use an athletic wing player that can get up and down the court and score the ball," the nine-year point guard says about McLemore, who averaged almost 16 points per game and shot 42 percent from 3-point range. "He'll fit right in with core of young guys we have, and I'll be there to groom him."
3. C.J. McCollum, G, Lehigh
Selected by: Trevor Booker
"You can never have enough scorers," Booker says about McCollum, who averaged 23.9 points per game, shot 51.6 percent from 3 and had a 34.7 PER last season. "I really like his scoring ability, and he could be a great complement to John Wall and Bradley Beal."
4. Anthony Bennett, F, UNLV
Selected by: Kemba Walker
"Our team gets up and down the floor, and when I'm pushing, he's a guy I know can finish a lob if I hit him on the break," Walker says of the 6-foot-8, 240-pound combo forward. "And defensively, he can stop guys in the post, and that's what we need."
5. Alex Len, C, Maryland
Selected by: Marcin Gortat
"It's not easy to find bigs, and I believe that to win a championship, you need two true big men -- Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler in Dallas, Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett in Boston -- and I think Alex can play the 4," Gortat says. "But I'd have him come off the bench for the first year or two while he's learning, just like I learned behind Dwight Howard in Orlando. Every young guy has to go through hell in the NBA, learning how to practice three hours a day, and then play the next day, for 82 games."
6. Trey Burke, G, Michigan
Selected by: Jason Smith
"I'd grab Burke because of his scoring touch, his tremendous heart and his basketball IQ," Smith says of the 2012-13 AP Player of the Year. "His playmaking ability would make him a solid addition to our backcourt." Burke averaged 18.6 points and 6.7 assists per game for the Wolverines last season.
7. Rudy Gobert, C, France
Selected by: Isaiah Thomas
"I'm taking the big guy out of France, Rudy Gobert. At 7-foot-2, he's definitely going to be a defensive presence," Thomas says. "His workout really surprised me. He can finish with both hands, and with a 7-foot-9 wingspan, he's going to scare a lot of people off just because he's in the lane. And that's what we need. I'd usually go with a shooting guard or a small forward, but just watching these playoffs, I saw how Roy Hibbert, Marc Gasol and Tim Duncan can change the game even if they're not blocking shots."
8. Otto Porter, F, Georgetown
Selected by: Greg Monroe
"He can shoot, he can handle the ball, he can rebound. To me, he's one of the top three players in this draft, and for him to fall to us, it's a blessing," Monroe says of Porter, who averaged 16.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game as a sophomore at Georgetown. "He's one of these cerebral guys who understands the game and how to be successful. I don't know what teams those guys were watching above me, but this pick is a no-brainer."
9. Victor Oladipo, G, Indiana
Selected by: J.J. Barea
"We need a 2 to help us here in Minnesota, and Oladipo's a great choice," Barea said of the 2012-13 All-American who was No. 1 in the Big Ten in field goal percentage, true shooting percentage, steals per game and defensive win shares. "He's quick, he can defend, he can finish at the basket and he carried that team in Indiana for a while. He's ready to give us good minutes." Oladipo averaged 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.2 steals per game last season for the Hoosiers.
10. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G, Georgia
Selected by: Meyers Leonard
"I know right now we're looking at getting another center, but I liked Kentavious' energy -- how he talks on defense, his passing and his strength," Leonard says of KCP, who poured in almost 19 points a game for the Bulldogs last year. "Plus, he has a really nice shot with great range. He'd fit right in."
11. Michael Carter-Williams, G, Syracuse
Selected by: Thaddeus Young
"We definitely have a need for a dominant center -- a game-changer -- but we still have a chance to sign or trade for one, and we have a solid group of young bigs and a chance to re-sign Andrew Bynum," Young says. "But we also need a guard like Carter-Williams to complement our All-Star Jrue Holiday and someone to run that second unit."
12. Kelly Olynyk, F, Gonzaga
Selected by: Kendrick Perkins
"The first I check? Tenacity. And I can see the fire in him. I can see the determination in him to win. But it really starts with what we need. And we need a stretch 4 who can hit that corner 3," Perkins says about Olynyk, who led the nation in PER (36.2) and tied for fourth in true shooting percentage (67.5 percent). "He'll create openings and space for Russ and KD."
13. Shane Larkin, G, Miami
Selected by: Dirk Nowitzki
"Last year we were able to trade down and get better value, so I can't guarantee that we'll keep the 13th pick, but I do like Shane Larkin," the former NBA MVP says. "He's a gritty point guard, and he looked like a great leader when I watched him lead Miami to the Sweet 16."
14. Cody Zeller, F, Indiana
Selected by: Marvin Williams
"I'm taking Cody Zeller out of Indiana. He's so athletic for his size and plays really hard," Williams says of Zeller, who averaged 16.5 points and eight rebounds per game last season and accumulated the highest career PER (30.6) since 2009-10. "You can never have enough athletic bigs on your team."
15. Dennis Schroeder, G, Germany
Selected by: John Henson
"With so much uncertainty on our roster this offseason, the perfect place for him to start is at the point," Henson says. "And if Brandon Jennings comes back, Schroeder can learn from him because their games are similar. The league is trending toward point guards who can score and dish, and he can do both."
16. Peyton Siva, G, Louisville
Selected by: Jason Terry
"I think Peyton's a phenomenal NBA talent. I've known him since he was a sophomore in high school, and he's a winner," Terry says of Siva, who averaged 10 points, 5.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game last season for the champion Cardinals. "Obviously we have Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley, but he can bring another floor general, and defensively, he's almost in the same class as Avery. He's played in plenty of big games, too, so he'll understand the Celtics organization and the pressure that comes along with playing here."
17. Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville
Selected by: Al Horford
"Dieng's not just a great shot-blocker," Horford says of the Cardinals center, whose career 84.6 defensive rating ranks first since the 2009-10 season. "But he also alters so many shots. Plus, he's got that championship pedigree."
18. Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh
Selected by: Al Horford
"Adams is a big-bodied guy who can help us in the post," Horford says about the Pitt frosh, who in just 23.4 minutes per game, averaged 7.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks, while compiling a 23.2 PER in the Big East. "He's got a lot of upside."
19. Allen Crabbe, G, California
Selected by: Alonzo Gee
"Crabbe's a pure shot-maker with NBA range," Gee says of Crabbe, who averaged 38 percent from 3 during his three years at Cal. "His ability to come off screens would be very beneficial for us."
20. Mason Plumlee, F, Duke
Selected by: Taj Gibson
"I'll take Mason Plumlee from Duke," Gibson says of the former Blue Devil. "I can't believe he was still available!" Plumlee averaged 17.1 points and 9.9 rebounds on 59.9 percent shooting last season, while also leading the ACC in win shares with 6.9.
21. Reggie Bullock, G, UNC
Selected by: Marvin Williams
"Reggie's a solid all-around player, good on both sides of the ball, and he's able to do a lot of different things, which is very important at this level," Williams says about Bullock, who ranked second in the ACC in offensive rating at 130.4, and averaged 13.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game and shot 43.6 percent from 3 last season. "Plus, he's a shooter and a fellow Tar Heel!"
22. Lucas Nogueira, C, Brazil
Selected by: Reggie Evans
"I'd love to work with Nogueira and take him under my wing," Evans says about the Brazilian center, who averaged 1.1 blocks in just over 13 minutes per game in Spain's ACB League last season. "He's a 7-footer and already so athletic. He can protect the paint and have my back in the post because he's already such a good shot-blocker."
23. Tim Hardaway Jr., G, Michigan
Selected by: Roy Hibbert
"We have a great backup 2 in Orlando Johnson, but wings with size are always needed," Hibbert says of the 6-foot-6 Hardaway Jr., who averaged 14.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game for the Wolverines last season. "Plus, he can hit his own shot and play a little 3, as well."
24. Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas
Selected by: Chris Copeland
"He's a great energy player -- good rebounder and great work ethic," Copeland says about the Mean Green forward, who averaged 13 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game last season. "Those are all things we need next season."
25. Shabazz Muhammad, G, UCLA
Selected by: DeAndre Jordan
"Shabazz is a local kid, so we've seen him play a few times. He's a great slasher and scorer, and he's got a good feel for the game," Jordan says about the Bruins frosh. "He's also got a wingspan of about 7 feet, so that could help him against smaller wings. We need backup 3s, and he can come right in and give us good minutes." The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Muhammad averaged 17.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game for the Bruins.
26. Sergey Karasev, F, Russia
Selected by: J.J. Barea
"He's got good size for the small forward position, and he'll bring shooting and a high basketball IQ to our team," Barea says of Karasev. Minnesota ranked 24th in field goal percentage and 30th in 3-point percentage. "He's just 19, too, so he's got a lot of room to grow, and he could possibly learn from his country-mate, Andrei Kirilenko, as well."
27. Dexter Strickland, G, North Carolina
Selected by: Ty Lawson
"I was a fan of his while he was at UNC," Lawson says of his fellow Tar Heel, who averaged 7.8 points and 4.2 assists last season. "He could really fit in with our style of play."
28. Nate Wolters, G, South Dakota State
Selected by: Matt Bonner
"At the point guard spot, Wolters seems capable of doing a little bit of everything: He can facilitate, score and shoot from the perimeter," Bonner says of the Jackrabbits senior, who averaged 22.3 points, 5.8 assists, 5.6 rebounds and led the Summit League in PER (32.0), assist percentage (34.3), points per game (22.3), offensive rating (126.9) and win shares (8.6) last season. "To make it this far from a place like South Dakota State, I'm sure he has a crazy work ethic, too, and that fits right in with the Spurs way -- everybody doing everything they can to help the team win."
29. Jeff Withey, C, Kansas
Selected by: Kendrick Perkins
"I've been thinking about this one, and I have to take the nice center out of Kansas, Jeff Withey. The way our coaching staff develops our young guys, I think he'd be a great fit, particularly because he's so defensive-minded," Perkins says of Withey, who led the Big 12 last season in defensive rating (83.7) and blocks per game (3.9). "And he finishes really well around the rim, too. Every year, he's improved. I have to go with him."
30. C.J. Leslie, F, North Carolina State
Selected by: Marcin Gortat
"Some say Leslie's an early second-rounder, but I'd give him a shot here. One thing we're missing is a 3 or 4 who can rebound, and I've seen his workouts. He reminds me of Hakim Warrick, but better," Gortat says of Leslie, who tallied 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last season. "That's what we need. We need a guy like him to attack the rim and play with energy."
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Steph: I was just fooling about
Kyrie: I wasn't.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8OWNspU_yE
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