The Huddle: 2012 NBA Draft Preview

As the hours approach the much-anticipated 2012 NBA Draft tonight, we ask the community of writers at GCAS to give us their take on what we can expect.  The Huddle is a new column where we will ask 5 questions to the GCAS writers and have them answer each question in 100 words or less.  Let's huddle up!


1.  Anthony Davis is _________.

Steven: ...the next Tim Duncan.  Give him some time to polish his offense, and he'll be it.

Leu: ...too in love with his unibrow. Who trademarks a unibrow? I fear no brow.

Phil V: ...better than Hubert Davis.

Alby: ...legit. But grew up in the wrong era.

Peter: ...incredibly self-confident. Besides being the undisputed #1 pick for tonight's draft, Anthony Davis also holds the undisputed #1 spot of the most famous unibrow in the sports world.  To show his brow pride, Davis recently trademarked the phrases "Raise the Brow" and "Fear the Brow."  I'm glad to see a young athlete who's so comfortable with who he is.

JLau: ...a future Hall-of-Famer.

Mok: ...potentially Serge Garnett.  Long, athletic freak who has the ability to close out and block 3-point shooters on the defensive end, but with guard-like skills on the offensive side of the ball (seeing as he was a guard's size about 2 years ago).  But seriously, why does the kid still have a unibrow?  Why?

Phil L: ...the second-least interesting storyline in the draft.

2. Who's going to be the biggest bust?

Steven: Biggest draft bust is going to be Andre Drummond or Harrison Barnes.  

Leu: Going to go out on a limb and say Anthony Davis. The guy played on a squad with 4 potential 1st rounders. It's like 5th graders vs 2nd graders in dodgeball. He's got talent and all, but I don't see him as the perennial all-star that everyone has tabbed him to be.


Phil V: Butch McRae.

Alby:  Andre Drummond - He just doesn't have the mentality to really reach his potential. But guys like David Robinson didn't have that willpower either until he was with the right teammates/coaches. I named Robinson because they are both athletic freaks who need to be nudged in the right direction.
John Henson - Not as athletic as people thought, does not have a good motor, and too thin as a big man. Not saying you can't be successful if you're skinny, but to be a legitimate big man as a slender guy, you have to be superior athletically, and that's not him.

Peter: As much as I want to say Harrison Barnes, the bigger bust in this draft will be none other than Andre Drummond.  I've heard of the comparisons of him to Amare Stoudemire, but I just don't see it.  Though his body and physique is NBA-ready, Drummond is also known to be unmotivated outside of the game.  A big man who can't post or shoot, is immature, and can only dunk?  I'm going to prematurely put him onto every list that contains the name "Stromile Swift." One of those lists is "NBA busts." (I just hope the other list isn't ex-Rockets player.)

JLau: Harrison Barnes.  Overhyped since high school and has never shown up.

Mok: Bradley Beal.  He is projected to be drafted as high as #2, which I think is far too high of a cost for such a one-dimensional player.  Yes, he can sit on the perimeter and hit some open shots, but who can't?  When push comes to shove, the kid is a short SG who doesn't bring much else to the table other than his jumpshot.

Phil L: Any white guy drafted by a lottery team.

3. Who's going to be the biggest sleeper?

Steven: Biggest sleeper is going to be Doron Lamb.  Not even going in the first round I know, but this kid has good skills and a winning attitude.

Leu: Royce White. He carried a mediocre team all year. He can play multiple positions and do it all. He's got great NBA size and intangibles. I still don't get why people have him going in the late first round.

Phil V: Ricky Roe.

Alby: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist - He has all the measurables, is an extremely hard worker, and is motivated to play both on the offensive and defensive ends. Can have a Rudy Gay-like career arc IMO. Reminds me of Demar Derozan coming in.
Perry Jones III - Arguably the most talented player in the draft. If he is put into the right situation (great numbers on a bad team), he has the ability to put up good stats.
Austin Rivers - Overhyped because of the name, but his skills with the ball are off the charts. At worst, he can be a Nick Young. At the absolute best, he can be similar to Allen Iverson. I see him following the career arc of Jamal Crawford.

Peter: This draft is deep. Not 2003 deep, but it's close. So a sleeper in this draft for me would be any lottery pick outside of the top 5. And if Dion Waiters falls to the pre-teens, he's going to be my sleeper. I hope the Rockets can get this guy at the 12th pick because he's got everything you would want in a guard -- 6'4, athletic, strong, can create, can pass, and can shoot.  Sounds familiar? I just described to you D-Wait.

JLau: Zack Rosen.  Gotta give a shout-out to my Penn Quakers!  Rosen will probably go undrafted, but he has a chance to become the next Jeremy Lin.

Mok: Dion Waiters.  Reports have this kid going anywhere from the top to the bottom of the lottery.  Wherever he goes, he's going to produce.  Dion's got some bulk to him, and his offensive arsenal is nearly complete with his outside J, mid-range game, floater, and ability to finish at the basket.

Phil L: Harrison Barnes. Loved him in high school. Received Lebron-like scrutiny by the college basketball community after not living up the standards of being the savior of UNC Basketball. Barnes is going to be an all-star within the next 5 years.

4. True/False. Dwight Howard will be traded tonight.

Steven: False.

Leu: False (but I'm hoping so. It'll show just how bad a decision it was for him to sign his opt-in waiver. I still think he's an idiot.)


Phil V: Who's Dwight Howard?  Doesn't he play for the Phillies?

Alby: False.

Peter: False. Dwight's going nowhere until the 2013 trade deadline. Do the other NBA GMs know that he ended his season with a back injury?  Do they know that he only has one-year left on his contract? Do they know that he loves New York?  It's still too early to go all-in on Dwight at this point.  Nothing to see here, move along.

JLau: False.  Orlando's GM will be too scared to pull the trigger since he just took the job.

Mok: True.  While I'm still not sold on the idea of the Rockets going all-out for an offensively-challenged big man in today's swingman league, Daryl Morey clearly is, and he's pulling out all the stops.  Sooner or later, the Orlando Magic should realize that Houston will offer more value than the rest of the bidders, and I think that this epiphany will come to fruition tonight.

Phil L: The least interesting storyline in all of sports, especially since Dwight will never win a ring.

5. I'm turning off the TV after the __th pick.

Steven: 30th pick.

Leu: Last pick.


Phil V: 5th pick, I think, but I probably won't watch.  There's a new episode of Auction Kings.

Alby: I won't be watching the draft.

Peter: X, where x = the pick where Jared Sullinger will get drafted.  Unlike most years where I stop paying attention after the Rockets' last pick, I'm intrigued to see how Sullinger's story will play out.  Another Ohio State big man with injury problems -- I wouldn't be surprised to see him go in the 2nd round.

JLau: After the Celtics' back-to-back at 21 and 22.

Mok: 31st pick.  The Rockets don't currently own a 2nd-round pick, but I could see us making a move for the 1st pick in the 2nd round ala Carl Landry in 2007.

Phil L: I will be walking the dog during the draft.

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