Draft Notes: Amick, Goodman
The latest news and notes regarding the NBA Draft on Tuesday evening:
- SI.com's Sam Amick says that Kentucky's Anthony Davis has drawn high reviews from scouts and general managers. Davis is expected to be drafted first overall.
- Amick also says there is plenty of talent in the draft beyond Davis, singling out Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Thomas Robinson, and Andre Drummond as names to watch.
- CBSSports.com's Jeff Goodman has posted his latest mock draft. Goodman has Davis going first and Florida's Bradley Beal going second.
Odds & Ends: World Peace, Eyenga, MKG
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com tweeted that Metta World Peace will be suspended for seven games as punishment for elbowing James Harden during Sunday's game in Los Angeles. One interesting thing to note is that the suspension could potentially carry over into the second round of the playoffs depending on if and how the Lakers advance past the first round. Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes that Harden remains day-to-day and will continue to undergo evaluation and testing. You can find the rest of this evening’s news here:
- Even with the suspension of World Peace and Matt Barnes ailing from a sprained right ankle, Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times tweeted earlier that Christian Eyenga isn't considered to be an option for the team. Andy Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles delves into the ripple effect of World Peace's suspension as it affects the Lakers, saying that it makes them a vulnerable first-round matchup and that it may have an impact on his future with the team.
- Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress provides a breakdown of how Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's game could translate onto the NBA level and views him as the type of prospect who will maximize his potential.
- While Dwight Howard is expected to miss the Olympics this summer, his surgeon is optimistic that Howard will be able to return for the 2012-13 season (Ric Bucher of ESPN.com reports).
- Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman had no problem with J.J. Barea's postgame comments after a loss to the Warriors on Sunday (according to an ESPN.com report via the Associated Press). Barea had indirectly called out his teammates, claiming that "there are a lot of guys that don't care."
- Tom Reed of The Plain Dealer writes that Antawn Jamison and Anthony Parker are likely making their final farewell to Cleveland fans after the conclusion of Wednesday's game at home against the Wizards.
- The Nuggets' underdog mentality heading into the playoffs isn't a feeling that's anything new to them, says Aaron J. Lopex of Nuggets.com.
- Shaun Powell of NBA.com lists his second-half All-Stars.
Poll: Which UK Prospect Will Be The Best Pro?
On Tuesday, NCAA champion University of Kentucky's full starting five declared for the 2012 NBA draft. Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb, and Marquis Teague will all be going pro, with Davis expected to be the first pick overall. Which of these highly-touted prospects do you think will have the best NBA career?
Which Kentucky Player Will Have The Best NBA Career?
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Anthony Davis 57% (434)
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Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 32% (241)
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Terrence Jones 5% (39)
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Doron Lamb 3% (23)
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Marquis Teague 2% (18)
Total votes: 755
Five Kentucky Players Enter NBA Draft
Five players from the NCAA Champion Kentucky Wildcats declared for the 2012 NBA Draft in a press conference on Tuesday (Associated Press link via ESPN.com). As expected, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones, Marquis Teague, and Doron Lamb, the entire Kentucky starting five, will all turn pro.
Davis, the winner of the 2012 Naismith College Player of the Year award, is the overwhelming favorite to go first overall in June's draft, with Kidd-Gilchrist and Jones also expected to be lottery picks. HoopsRumors writers have previously covered Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist in our Prospect Profile series.
Kentucky Players To Announce Decisions Tuesday
TUESDAY, 9:41am: The press conference for the five Kentucky underclassmen has been delayed until Tuesday evening at 7:00pm local time due to travel issues and class schedules, tweets Kyle Tucker of the Courier-Journal.
MONDAY, 4:09pm: Five Kentucky underclassmen expected to declare for the NBA draft will announce their decisions at a Tuesday afternoon press conference, according to Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com. Barring a surprise, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones, Marquis Teague, and Doron Lamb will all officially declare for the NBA draft.
Earlier today, it was reported that Davis, Teague, and Jones will be entering the draft pool, though Kidd-Gilchrist's and Lamb's final decisions were still unknown. The five underclassmen made up most of the core of a Wildcats team that won the 2012 NCAA national championship.
Davis, a freshman, will likely be picked first overall, while Kidd-Gilchrist (freshman) and Jones (sophomore) are also expected to be lottery picks. Teague (freshman) is also a likely first-rounder, while Lamb (sophomore) could crack the first round as well.
Hoops Rumors' full list of early entrants for this June's draft can be found here.
Anthony Davis, Marquis Teague To Enter Draft
Kentucky's Anthony Davis and Marquis Teague will join teammate Terrence Jones in entering this year's NBA draft, reports Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (via Twitter). Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Doron Lamb are also expected to forgo their remaining college years, though nothing is official yet.
Davis is, of course, a near-lock to be the first overall pick in June. The AP Player of the Year averaged 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.7 blocks per game during his first and only season at Kentucky. While Davis is considered the number one prospect by both DraftExpress and ESPN.com, his teammate Teague is ranked 18th and 25th respectively. Both freshmen helped lead the Wildcats to a national championship.
Earlier today, it was reported that Jones would enter the draft, with an official announcement coming as early as tomorrow. Players have until April 29th to formally declare their intent to enter the draft pool. Hoops Rumors' full list of early entrants can be found here.
Draft Notes: Kentucky, Leslie, Taylor, Drummond
Two lottery picks officially entered the draft today, in Andre Drummond and Bradley Beal. As the 2012 class continues to expand, let's round up a few of today's draft-related items….
- At Rivals.com, Brett Dawson writes that Kentucky coach John Calipari is anticipating losing five underclassmen to the NBA draft — Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marquis Teague, Doron Lamb, and Terrence Jones.
- Sophomore C.J. Leslie, ranked 34th among this year's prospects by DraftExpress.com, is undecided on his future, tweets Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com. People close to Leslie think he's a good bet to return to N.C. State.
- Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor has signed B.J. Armstrong as his agent, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (via Twitter). The senior point guard is ranked 68th by DraftExpress.
- A lot of teams rank Kentucky's Davis as a better prospect than former first overall pick Blake Griffin was, tweets Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. Howard-Cooper spoke to one executive who cited "substance over style" when comparing Davis to Griffin (Twitter link).
- Drummond has "other-worldly" potential and will be a top-five pick, an NBA scout told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
Draft Links: Davis, MKG, Robinson, Sleepers
Chad Ford of ESPN.com has released the third version of his NBA mock draft (Insider only), and Kentucky's Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist continue to occupy the top two spots. Of course, those two players haven't even officially entered the draft yet, as Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer notes (via Twitter). Kentucky coach John Calipari is only paying attention to the NBA's early-entry deadline, so Kentucky players will have until April 29th to make a decision on their futures.
Here are a few more of today's draft-related links:
- Chad Ford and FOX Sports Ohio's Sam Amico both answered plenty of draft questions in their respective chats today.
- If they don't win the lottery and land Davis, the Bobcats' best pick would be Thomas Robinson, according to ESPN.com's David Thorpe.
- Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld identifies five potential sleepers in this year's draft: Darius Miller, Jae Crowder, Will Barton, Khris Middleton, and Kevin Jones.
Prospect Profile: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Last night, in the biggest game of his life, Kentucky forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was held scoreless for the first 30 minutes. But after Louisville's Peyton Siva tied the game on a three-pointer midway through the second half, the freshman sensation scored two quick baskets that put the Wildcats up for good. He finished the game with nine points, all coming in late, crucial moments.
Kidd-Gilchrist is one of the NCAA's best players. He spent his first season contributing in almost every aspect to a team some believe might be the best college basketball has ever seen. With averages of 11.9 PPG (on just 8.2 shots per game) and 7.5 RPG, while delivering elite defense every minute he's out there, Kidd-Gilchrist has been a consistent force of ferocity.
One possible negative to take away from his only collegiate season has been the slightly alarming fact that as his minutes have gone up, Kidd-Gilchrist's FG% and PPG have gone down, according to StatSheet.com. Also, he's only surpassed the 20-point scoring mark two times.
But looking at these arguments from another angle, the fact that Kentucky's roster is filled with future NBA players may be a reason for the "tempered" scoring numbers. Also, his FG% and scoring didn't exactly fall off a cliff.
Most draft analysts predict the 6'7" forward will be a top three pick in the upcoming draft, and his ability to impact the game both ways makes him one of the surest high value selections to come along in a while. His game is high energy, attacking in transition, and finishing at the basket with incredible efficiency.
If there are any current NBA players who Kidd-Gilchrist could end up emulating, Luol Deng, Andre Iguodala, and Gerald Wallace would be the biggest names. He's a hard worker who should only improve as his career progresses. His versatile style would make him a perfect fit on almost any team likely to receive a high draft pick, but if he's picked by Washington and paired with John Wall, the situation could be extremely beneficial for everyone involved.
Ultimately, his success could be decided on whether he can defend the perimeter like those three All-Stars, knock down wide open shots, and create occassional offense on his own. There's no doubting the future for Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is a bright one.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist To Enter Draft
Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will declare his intent to enter the 2012 NBA draft after the Wildcats' season ends, reports Chad Ford of ESPN.com.
Kidd-Gilchrist, a certain lottery pick if and when he enters the draft, told reporters last month that he intended to stay in school. However, according to Ford's sources, that stance has changed.
"He hopes he'll be able to announce right after they win the NCAA championship," one source said. "But even if they don't win it all, he's coming. He knows he's going to be a top-five pick. He can't pass that up."
Mock drafts by Ford, Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio, and Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com earlier this week all had Kidd-Gilchrist projected to be selected in the top five.