2011 NBA Draft Breakdown

In his first post as a Creature, Big T deciphers the 2011 NBA Draft in a way that only he can. Beware readers, some of his New York biases may prove to be more overt than we had previously thought.

The NBA draft is over and I am hard at work memorizing the colleges of the 46 players drafted from the NCAA.  Here is my list of the teams with the Best and Worst Drafts along with my All NBA Draft Teams:

 

Best Drafts:

1. Utah Jazz: Enes Kanter (3), Alec Burks (12)

The Jazz added a future super-star Center, Enes Kanter, and a hard slashing scorer, Alec Burks, to a lineup that desperately needed scoring and size.  Kanter and Burks will team up with Paul Millsap, Gordon Hayward, and Devin Harris to make up a very solid core for this Utah team to build around.

2. Washington Wizards: Jan Vesely (6), Chris Singleton (18), Shelvin Mack (34)

By drafting Vesely and Singleton the Wizards have become even more athletic while also addressing their need for better defenders.  Singleton has the potential to be a lock-down defender while Vesely will combine with JaVale Magee and John Wall to create one of the most feared fast-break teams in the league.  Mack is a nice piece who will be able to lead the 2^nd team offense for years to come.

3. Miami Heat: Norris Cole (28 via Bulls)

While other teams may have gotten more players, the Heat were able to address their main weakness by drafting Cleveland St. product Norris Cole.  Cole should be able to adjust to the pro game quickly as he played 4 years of college and brings maturity that many young players don’t have.  He won’t be asked to do much, but he will be able to provide the Heat with a steady PG for the future.

Worst Drafts

1. New York Knicks: Iman Shumpert (17), Josh Harrellson (45 via New Orleans)

The Knicks main need in this draft was an inside defensive presence.  Instead of drafting a hard-nosed big man, they selected a defensive oriented combo guard in Iman Shumpert.  With Toney Doulas filling a similar role as Shumpert is projected to play, Shumpert will have to ride the pine for most of his rookie year, causing Knicks fans to grow impatient as they often do.  Harrellson is a big Center out of Kentucky who lacks the athleticism and conditioning to match up with any Centers in the NBA.

2. Boston Celtics: JaJuan Johnson (27  via New Jersey) , E’Twan Moore (55)

With aging super-stars, the Celtics should have looked to acquire a pick with a high upside.  With their current roster, they could have afforded to pick someone with more potential and let him develop behind established veterans.  JaJuan Johnson and E’twan Moore are both solid players, but also players who have pretty much hit their ceilings in terms of potential.

NBA Draft All 2^nd Round Team

PG – Shelvin Mack (Butler) (WASH)

SG – Andrew Goudelock (Coll. Charleston) (LAL)

SF – Tyler Honeycutt (UCLA) (SAC)

PF – Justin Harper (Richmond) (ORL)

C – Jordan Williams (Maryland) (NJ)

6^th Man – Chandler Parsons (Florida) (HOU)

NBA Draft All Undrafted Team

PG – Ben Hansbrough (ND)

SG –Scotty Hopson (Tenn)

SF – David Lighty (OSU)

PF – Jamie Skeen (VCU)

PF/C – Greg Smith (Fresno St.)

6^th Man – Matt Howard (Butler)

NBA Draft All-White guy team (Foreign Guys Don’t Count)

PG –  Jimmer Freddette (BYU) (SAC)

SG – Jon Deibler (OSU) (PORT)

SF – Chandler Parsons (Fla) (HOU)

PF – Jon Leuer (Wisc)(MIL)

C – Josh Harrellson (Kentucky) (NYK)

6^th Man – Kyle Singler (Duke) (DET)

NBA Draft All Mid-Major Team  

PG – Norris Cole (Cleveland St.) (MIA)

G – Charles Jenkins (Hofstra) (GSW)

SF – Kawhi Leonard (San Diego St.) (SAS)

PF – Kenneth Faried (Moorehead St.) (DEN)

C – Keith Benson (Oakland) (ATL)

6^th Man – Lavoy Allen (Temple) (PHI)

NBA Draft All-Reach Team

PG – Iman Shumpert (Ga. Tech) (NYK) (1^st round 17^th)

SG – Nolan Smith (Duke) (POR) (1^st round 21^st)

SF – Targuy Ngombo (Nigeria) (DEN) (2^nd round 27^th)

PF – Tristan Thompson (Texas) (CLE) (1^st round 4^th)

C – Josh Harrellson (Kentucky) (NYK) (2^nd round 15^th)

6^th Man – Cory Joseph (Texas) (SAS) (1^st round 29^th)

NBA Draft All-Sleeper Team

PG – Isaiah Thomas (Wash) (SAC)

SG – DeAndre Liggins (Kentucky) (ORL)

SF – Davis Bertans (Latvia) (IND)

PF – Trey Thompkins (Georgia) (LAC)

C – Keith Benson (Oakland) (ATL)

6^th Man – Darius Morris (Mich) (LAL)

NBA Draft All-Foreign Team

PG – Kyrie Irving (Born in Australia) (CLE) (No Foreign PGs were taken in the Draft)

SG – Adam Hanga (Hungary) (SAS)

SF – Jan Vesely (Czech) (WAS)

PF – Bismack Biyombo (Congo) (CHA)

C – Enes Kanter (Turkey) (UTH)

6^th Man – Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania) (TOR)

Jay Bilas’s NBA Draft All-Upside Team

PG – Brandon Knight (Kentucky) (DET)

G – Josh Selby (Kansas) (MEM)

SF – Jan Vesely (Czech) (WAS)

PF – Bismack Biyombo (Congo) (CHA)

C – Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania) (TOR)

NBA Draft All-I Should Have Stayed in College Team

PG – Josh Selby (Kansas) (2^nd Round)

SG – Scotty Hopson (Tenn) (Undrafted)

SF – Jereme Richmond (Ill) (Undrafted)

PF – Tobias Harris (Late First Round)

C – Jordan Williams (Maryland) (2^nd Round)

6^th Man – Jeremy Tyler (Should have gone to a school to start with) (2^nd Round)