2011 NBA Mock Draft

The NBA Draft is only a few days away, on Thursday, June 23rd in Newark, NJ. So this is everyone's favorite time for mock drafts. While this draft class may be viewed as weak by many pundits, there are players to be had, it's just a matter of finding them. And without further ado, here is my 2011 NBA Mock Draft.

Kyrie Irving

1) Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving, 6-2 PG, Duke: Kyrie is a special PG with excellent court vision and playmaking skills. He has the potential to be an All-Star down the road even though he had very limited college experience. Expect Ramon Sessions to be traded after this pick.

Derrick Williams

2) Minnesota Timberwolves: Derrick Williams, 6-8 SF/PF, Arizona: Williams is a do-it-all kind of player. He can shoot, he can take you off the bounce, he can play in the low post. He is also very athletic. His only problem is that he lacks a clear-cut NBA position, but even so, he is the second best player in this draft. In my opinion, this pick will be traded, but whoever ends up making this pick will almost certainly draft Derrick Williams.

3) Utah Jazz: Brandon Knight, 6-4 PG, Kentucky: Utah will look to replace Deron Williams with this pick, and Knight is the kind of guy who can do that. He has great size for a PG and while his passing could use work, he is already a good offensive NBA PG.

4) Cleveland Cavaliers: Enes Kanter, 6-11 C, Turkey: Kanter is a legitimate 6-11 Center who already possesses a post up game, which is tremendously rare at his age. He has great size and the potential to have an offense built around him and Irving.

5) Toronto Raptors: Jonas Valanciunas, 6-11 C, Lithuania: This is a huge kid with great passion for the game and good developing skills. He could potentially be a steal with all that upside he has, but could also be a disappointment as such a high pick. Look for Andrea Bargnani to possibly be traded in this case.

6) Washington Wizards: Jan Vesely, 6-11 SF, Czech Republic: Vesely has great length and a developing outside shot, and is also very athletic. Could develop into a good NBA wing, but is definitely a risk.

7) Sacramento Kings: Kemba Walker, 6-0 PG, UConn: The Kings have long lacked a true point, and Kemba with some work could give them that. He is a dynamic scorer and will be a good sixth man right out of the gates behind Marcus Thornton (assuming he is resigned) and Tyreke Evans in the backcourt.

8) Detroit Pistons: Kawhi Leonard, 6-7 SF, San Diego State: Kawhi is a tough player and a strong rebounder, and although his outside shot isn't great, he could be a good player on the wings in the NBA. With Tayshaun Prince's contract up, Kawhi would be an ideal replacement.

Bismack Biyombo

9) Charlotte Bobcats: Bismack Biyombo, 6-9 PF/C, Congo: Biyombo has had a meteoric rise up draft boards as his stock improves, with good reason. He has an absolutely ridiculous 7-7 wingspan and uses it to block shots at extremely high rates. He will be a defensive force in the NBA.

10) Milwaukee Bucks: Alec Burks, 6-6 SG, Colorado: Burks is a tremendous prospect at the 2 guard position. He is a little skinny and may get pushed around a little at the outset of his NBA career, but that doesn't change the fact that he is tremendous offensively. He can score in a variety of ways, is great in transition, and has a great handle. Love this pick for Milwaukee.

11) Golden State Warriors: Donatas Motiejunas, 7-0 F/C, Lithuania: Valanciunas is another big kid with enormous potential. However, he shows even more polish than some of the other international guys, displaying tremendous shooting ability from anywhere on the court. Think of a very, very, very poor (almost homeless) man's Dirk Nowitzki. I hate to compare anyone to a guy as great as Dirk, but he is very similar to him in some ways. Klay Thompson is a possibility here if they trade Monta Ellis.

12) Utah Jazz: Chris Singleton, 6-9 SF, Florida State: The Jazz already have Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap up front, along with their big man of the future, Derrick Favors. So using another high pick on a big man would not make sense. However, Andrei Kirilenko is a free agent, and Singleton is an ideal replacement as a big wing defender with versatility. This is really a perfect pick for Utah.

Tristan Thompson

13) Phoenix Suns: Tristan Thompson, 6-8 PF, Texas: Phoenix needs another big man, and Thompson is a pretty good one. He can score down low, and is very athletic. Good fit here for a guy who could possibly go even higher.

14) Houston Rockets: Jordan Hamilton, 6-7 SF, Texas: The Longhorns go back-to-back here as Hamilton joins the Rockets. He is a great shooter and scorer and Houston is in need of a Small Forward. Good value here.

15) Indiana Pacers: Klay Thompson, 6-6 SG, Washington State: Thompson is a great shooter and would be a great fit as well as a good value at 15. The Pacers lack a good starting two guard, and they could be getting one here.

16) Philadelphia 76ers: Marcus Morris, 6-9 SF/PF, Kansas: The Sixers could use another rugged, tough, big man up front and Morris also has a serviceable game around the perimeter. This is the area of the draft where great value picks are being made, and this is a good one for Philly.

Jimmer Fredettw

17) New York Knicks: Jimmer Fredette, 6-2 PG, BYU: Jimmer's slide is over with what would be an incredibly popular pick. Fredette is an unbelievable shooter and would have one year under Chauncey Billups before (ideally) taking a bigger role as a popular player for the Knicks. MSG would love to learn how to Jimmer.

18) Washington Wizards: Marshon Brooks, 6-5 SG, Providence: Brooks is an amazing scorer, as evidenced by his 20+ point average in the Big East. While he could use some polish, he is very athletic and can score with the best of them. Good compliment for John Wall.

19) Charlotte Bobcats: Tobias Harris, 6-8 SF, Tennessee: Having already selected Biyombo in this Mock Draft, Charlotte goes with a young but extremely talented SF to eventually replace Stephen Jackson. He may be one of the youngest players in the draft, but he has great polish and basketball IQ along with good athleticism and offensive ability.

20) Minnesota Timberwolves: Nikola Vucevic, 7-0 C, USC: Minnesota desperately needs a Center (they start Darko Milicic, yes, you heard that right) and Vucevic measured extremely well at the combine and is one of the few 7 footers in this draft. He can also shoot well, even if he isn't the most athletic guy.

21) Portland Trail Blazers: Markieff Morris, 6-10 PF, Kansas: Portland needs some depth in the frontcourt and Markieff is the bigger and tougher Morris twin. He can rebound well and brings incredible intensity whenever he's on the floor.

22) Denver Nuggets: Tyler Honeycutt, 6-8 SF, UCLA: Pretty much all of Denver's wings are free agents (Chandler, Afflalo, Smith), so they need to have some insurance. Honeycutt is a good, versatile player who can shoot off the dribble, rebound, and pass.

23) Houston Rockets: Iman Shumpert, 6-5 SG, Georgia Tech: Athletic wing defender that can play both positions in the backcourt. The Rockets need some depth at the point.

24) Oklahoma City Thunder: Justin Harper, 6-10 SF/PF, Richmond: Harper is a stretch 4 with great shooting ability. He is skinny and not a great rebounder, but he certainly has the length for the PF position. He is a great replacement for Jeff Green.

25) Boston Celtics: Kenneth Faried, 6-8 PF, Morehead State: Boston is thrilled to land the sliding Faried. He gives them much needed intensity and rebounding down low, with the departures of Shaq and Perkins and the pending Free Agency of Big Baby Davis, Faried fills a big need after his big drop.

26) Dallas Mavericks: Kyle Singler, 6-9 SF, Duke: After their great championship run, the Mavs know their window for greatness is closing fast. So, with this pick, they pick up a mature SF who can help them now with his shooting ability.

27) New Jersey Nets: JaJuan Johnson, 6-10 PF, Purdue: Johnson is a great scorer, shooter, and athlete, who fills a need in Jersey as backup PF behind Kris Humphries. He may also get some minutes at Center behind Brook Lopez.

28) Chicago Bulls: Josh Selby, 6-3 SG, Kansas: Chicago has a pretty glaring need at SG, and Selby is a great athlete who could potentially bring scoring to the Bulls bench.

29) San Antonio Spurs: Trey Thompkins, 6-10 PF, Georgia: Tim Duncan isn't getting any younger and the Spurs need to start grooming his eventual replacement. Thompkins is a good athlete and scorer and has potential.

30) Chicago Bulls: Jimmy Butler, 6-8 SF, Marquette: A hard working kid with a great story, Butler adds more much-needed depth to the Chicago wing.

SECOND ROUND:

31) Miami Heat: Reggie Jackson, 6-3 PG, Boston College

32) Cleveland Cavaliers: Davis Bertans, 6-10 SF, Latvia

33) Detroit Pistons: Nolan Smith, 6-3 PG/SG, Duke

34) Washington Wizards: Chandler Parsons, 6-10 SF/PF, Florida

35) Sacramento Kings: Nikola Mirotic, 6-10 SF, Serbia

36) New Jersey Nets: Charles Jenkins, 6-3 G, Hofstra

37) LA Clippers: Jon Leuer, 6-11 PF, Wisconsin

38) Houston Rockets: Bojan Bogdanovic, 6-7 SF, Croatia

39) Charlotte Bobcats: Malcolm Lee, 6-5 SG, UCLA

40) Milwaukee Bucks: Norris Cole, 6-2 PG, Cleveland St.

41) LA Lakers: Shelvin Mack, 6-3 G, Butler

42) Indiana Pacers: Jordan Williams, 6-10 PF, Maryland

43) Chicago Bulls: Andrew Goudelock, 6-3 PG, Charleston

44) Golden State Warriors: Isaiah Thomas, 5-9 PG, Washington

45) New Orleans Hornet: E'Twaun Moore, 6-4 SG, Purdue

46) LA Lakers: Scotty Hopson, 6-7 SF, Tennessee

47) LA Clippers: Jeremy Tyler, 6-11 C, USA

48) Atlanta Hawks: Jereme Richmond, 6-7 SF, Illinois

49) Memphis Grizzlies: Demetri McCamey, 6-3 PG, Illinois

50) Philadelphia 76ers: Jon Diebler, 6-6 SG, Ohio State

51) Portland Trail Blazers: Cory Joseph, 6-3 PG, Texas

52) Detroit Pistons: David Lighty, 6-5 SG, Ohio State

53) Orlando Magic: DeAndre Liggins, 6-6 SG, Kentucky

54) Cleveland Cavaliers: Jamine Peterson, 6-6 SF, Providence

55) Boston Celtics: Rick Jackson, 6-9 PF, Syracuse

56) LA Lakers: Ben Hansbrough, 6-3 PG, Notre Dame

57) Dallas Mavericks: Keith Benson, 6-11 C, Oakland

58) LA Lakers: Malcolm Thomas, 6-8 SF/PF, San Diego State

59) San Antonio Spurs: Matthew Bryan-Amaning, 6-9 PF, Washingotn

60) Sacramento Kings: Willie Reed, 6-9 PF, St. Louis