1. PF Anthony Davis, Kentucky A high school point guard still growing into his frame, Davis has the coordination to be more than a defensive demigod and paint-patrolling shot blocker he's projected to become quickly. He can't survive at his current playing weight, but he's two years from being an offensively skilled version of gifted leaper and defender Tyson Chandler. 2. SF Michael-Kidd Gilchrist, Kentucky Strong, sturdy and a better shooter than he's often given credit for by draftniks, MKG needs polish but the foundation is there for an All-Star future. He can defend the likes of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James and isn't a cardboard cutout on the offensive end because of his energy and hops. 3. PF Thomas Robinson, Kansas KU's Drew Gooden was the fourth overall pick in 2002. Robinson's similar body type makes the comparison natural, but Robinson might separate himself with a more consistent jumper and away-from-the-ball skills. Gooden's mid-range shot became a weapon, but Robinson can do more with a similar package of natural gifts. 4. C Andre Drummond, Connecticut The draft's most polarizing lottery prospect, Drummond is a superstar on paper -- but he wasn't productive consistently in one season at UConn and some teams in the lottery view him as a long-term project who might not contribute in his first two seasons. He played at nearly 280 and must convince teams he won't be on the Eddy Curry diet and dedicated plan. 5. PF Perry Jones III, Baylor Packed with potential, PJIII is a springy defender with an undeveloped offensive game. Not ready to body up NBA 4s, he's agile and anticipates well. Had he left Baylor after the 2010-11 season, he was a lottery lock. After a medicore encore, he could fall into the middle of the first. 6. SF Harrison Barnes, North Carolina The biggest question emerged in point guard Kendall Marshall's postseason absence: Can Barnes consistently create his own? Carolina's recent run of 2s and 3s have underwhelmed in the NBA. Barnes has good range and a pure jump shot. Teams convinced he's a pure scorer at any level will jump for Barnes here. 7. SG Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut Combo guard with length, lateral agility to defend small forwards. He's rail-thin, but soft touch at the rim and will eventually be able to consistently stretch defenses with jumper. 8. PG Austin Rivers, Duke Rivers is a shoot-first point guard, and recalibrating his NBA value demands shedding most of his memorable moments at Duke. That said, he's a lightning-quick ballhandler with arguably the top crossover move in the 2012 draft and range well beyond NBA depth. In the right situation, there are observers who believe he'll be a top-tier point guard if his defense catches up with his offensive ability. 9. SG Brandley Beal, Florida Beal is a poor perimeter shooter and thus isn't considered an elite 2-guard prospect. He's a lottery target for teams who value the jack-of-all-trades elements to his game -- on-ball defense, rebounding and ability to create his own shot. If teams aren't hung up on his height, he'll get top-five consideration. 10. PG Kendall Marshall, North Carolina The wiry lefty sees the floor as well as any pure point guard in the past five drafts. Questions include ability to defend NBA guards and whether he can develop enough range to keep defenses honest and balance the floor. At present, he's an elbow-and-in set shooter and average defensive player on an NBA scale. 11. PF Jared Sullinger, Ohio State Two years ago, Sullinger seemed destined to be a top pick whenever he chose to climb to the NBA. But he's been exposed as a below-the-rim big man in the Carlos Boozer mold and whether he has the tenacity to make vital improvements and become a force in the paint at this level has been openly questioned. 12. PF Tyler Zeller, North Carolina A 7-footer with versatility, Zeller is a high-percentage shooter and polished rebounder. Can play the 5 for an up-tempo team in a smaller lineup and hit the 15-footer from the baseline to bring opposing bigs out of the paint. 13. SG Dion Waiters, Syracuse Instant offense and the kind of player NBA teams expect to thrive as a sixth man or fourth-quarter finisher. Has a scorer's mentality and college coach Jim Boeheim wasn't always pleased with his focus or potential. Waiters has superstar potential if the light comes on to stay. 14. PG Tony Wroten, Washington Just 19, Wroten is one of the more gifted boom-or-bust prospects in the 2012 draft. Looks the part, but his shot isn't yet an asset and he's not a pure point guard. 15. PG Damian Lillard, Weber State You probably thought the same thing when the Pistons drafted Rodney Stuckey out of Eastern Washington -- 15th overall in 2007. Who? Stuckey acquitted himself nicely and Lillard is of the same ilk -- shorter but sturdy enough to play either guard position and proven scoring senses -- second nationally in points last season. He's a scoring point guard but limited turnovers imply he can handle the ball regularly at the next level. 16. PF John Henson, North Carolina Henson's 7-foot-7 wingspan is his key to NBA survival until he carves out out a more significant niche in the NBA. His body type can be compared to well-traveled eighth overall pick (2007) Brandan Wright, who is just 24 but not close to being more than a rotational player. 17. PF-C Meyers Leonard, Illinois Whether Leonard brings the mental and emotional maturity and toughness and how he'll respond to initial failure are legitimate questions being asked by pro evaluators. Judging him only on natural ability and upside, he's a top-12 pick with a developing jumper and the vision and hands to star in a pick-and-pop offense. 18. SG Terrence Ross, Washington Can contribute in half-court offense and defense at the NBA level, which is enough to get Ross drafted a few spots higher than his ranking if he can fill an immediate need. Good range, lateral quickness to defend and enough handle to help run an offense off the bench. 19. SF Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt Teams targeting perimeter defenders outside the lottery will zero in on Taylor, a 6-7 small forward or shooting guard who can stay on the floor because he's a deadly set shooter. 20. SF Moe Harkless, St. John's One of the top athletes likely to be on the board in the bottom half of the round, Harkless needs a year or two for his game to evolve. At 6-8 with very good hops, he adds instant versatility and knows how to break down a defense. 21. PF Royce White, Iowa State He doesn't have a natural position, but White's many skills for his size make it easier for a team to bring him in and let him figure it out on the fly. He's 270 with soft hands and was a de facto point guard for the Cyclones at times. His average range, foul shooting and off-court concerns add risk to drafting White with surer things on the board. 22. PF Terrence Jones, Kentucky A combo forward with a chiseled frame and range to become a threat beyond 17 feet, Jones should make his living as a poor man's Shawn Marion with ability to rebound, slash and become a reliable secondary scorer. 23. SG Jeremy Lamb, Kentucky A greatly improved perimeter threat with a natural knack for scoring off the bounce. At 6-4, the conundrum with Lamb is he'll be physically overmatched defending 2-guards and isn't a natural point guard. 24. PF Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State A transfer from UTEP, Moultrie continues to remake his body and has plenty of potential because of his rebounding, shot-blocking acumen and shooting touch. 25. SG Evan Fournier, France A 19-year-old with two years pro experience in France, Fournier plays with a maturity and calm under pressure that indicates he's ready to play a role on an NBA team immediately. His slight frame, restrained defensive effort and average rebounding for his size might give teams pause. 26. PF Kevin Jones, West Virginia A 20-10 player out of the Big East -- 19.9 points, 10.9 rebounds last season -- Jones can be a skilled reserve in the NBA in a system that gives him some flexibility to float to the perimeter and attack in isolation from the wing. 27. SF Quincy Miller, Baylor Miller's long arms and explosive scoring prowess might be enough to push him into the top 20. A torn ACL as a high school senior limited him at times in his only season at Baylor, and scouts want to see more consistency in all areas of his game. He has pipe-cleaner arms and legs and early in his pro career might be cast only in a bit part. 28. PF Fab Melo, Syracuse The Brazilian big man won't warrant regular touches in a half-court offense until he develops around the basket. Like many 7-footers before him, draft Melo for defense and wait for the rest of his game to evolve. 29. SG John Jenkins, Vanderbilt The Brazilian big man won't warrant regular touches in a half-court offense until he develops around the basket. Like many 7-footers before him, draft Melo for defense and wait for the rest of his game to evolve. 30. SF Jae Crowder, Marquette Stronger than an ox, Crowder can defend the 4 and also has the combination of range and strength to finish to be a matchup nightmare on the offensive end.
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