NBA Draft time!

Many get excited for the NFL draft. I am one of those guys too, but what I really get excited about is the NBA Draft which happens Thursday!!

Over the years I have found NBADraft.net to have the best insight to how the draft will play out.

Here is their latest mock of this year's lottery:

1 Washington John Wall 6-4 196 PG Kentucky Fr.
2 *Philadelphia Evan Turner 6-7 214 SG Ohio State Jr.
3 New Jersey Derrick Favors 6-10 245 PF Georgia Tech Fr.
4 Minnesota Wesley Johnson 6-7 206 SF Syracuse Jr.
5 Sacramento DeMarcus Cousins 6-11 292 PF/C Kentucky Fr.
6 Golden St. Ekpe Udoh 6-10 237 PF Baylor Jr.
7 Detroit Greg Monroe 6-11 247 PF/C Georgetown So.
8 LA Clippers Al-Farouq Aminu 6-8 216 SF Wake Forest So.
9 *Utah Luke Babbitt 6-9 218 SF/PF Nevada So.
10 Indiana Cole Aldrich 6-10 236 C Kansas Jr.
11 New Orleans Paul George 6-9 214 SF Fresno St. So.
12 Memphis Patrick Patterson 6-9 240 PF Kentucky Jr.
13 Toronto Devin Ebanks 6-8 208 SF West Virginia So.
14 Houston Gordon Hayward 6-8 211 SF Butler So.

Admittedly over the year's my knowledge has slipped and I do not know all of the guys like I used to...but quickly here are my thoughts.

Of the lotto I like Favors the most, followed by Wall and then Patrick Patterson. Favors is great with both hands around the hoop and a great athlete, Patterson is good inside and has range outside. Wall is so quick that despite shooting problems he will be a good rook and great pro. I think Hayward has a chance with Aldrich and Babbit at being starters very soon. The rest to me seem risky. I think Evan Turner is a great college player, but I would be surprised if he is athletic enough to be a good NBA player. Monroe could be really good as he is a left handed big guy, but every time I have seen him I have been unimpressed. Aminu from Wake is a guy I like, but not sure how he shoots it. I do know he tries to flush it everytime he has a chance, which I like, but again he is 6' 7" and has to be able to shoot it to be a pro. I think Wesley Johnson is way overrated and will be a bust, and Cousins has a bad attitude and overrated as well.

Just outside of the Lotto but still projected high are guys like X Henry, Ed Davis and Lance Stephenson. I think all 3 are a waste and teams will regret selecting them.

Guys I like later first round and beyond are Damian James, though needs to improve shooting; Eric Bledsoe, overshadowed as other frosh guard at Kentucky, but has a whole lotta skills; Willie Warren if he is not a head case; and the sleeper I like best is: Larry Sanders, not the HBO character played by Garry Shandling, but a 6' 10" unreal athlete from VCU who can block shots and get up and down. He just needs to bulk up a little as he is very light in the cakes, but could turn into a great one.

Good value picks are some big guys that can take up space and score in the paint. I do not think Samardo Samuels, Harangody or Derrick Caracter can hurt you and these are all space-eaters that can clog the middle and give you a few solid minutes off the pine. Craig Brackins from Iowa State may surprise some folk too as he has range at 6'10".

Get ready for what looks to be a good draft. I am rooting for the OKC Thunder to continue to build on last year and add pieces that could make them a contender out West. They pick at 21, 26, 32 and 51. How sweet would a trade up to try to get Favors, or maybe snagging a tandem of Hayward and James at 21 and 26 be? They have the foundation to be solid and just need some size and a few skilled wing guys are they are on their way!!