| Top Draft 2009 Prospects -- (Updated 6/26/2009 11:14:29 AM) |
| OVR | Pos. Rank | Player | Pos. | School | Ht. | Wt. | Proj. Rd. | Stock |
| 1 | 1 | Blake Griffin  | PF | Oklahoma | 6-10 | 252 | 1 |  |
| Anyone who doesn't consider Griffin to be the elite of this year's draft class only needs to see the way he performed vs. double teams in the NCAAs, where he torched Syracuse for 30 points and 14 boards in 33 minutes, followed by 23 points on 9-for-12 shooting and 16 rebounds vs. North Carolina. |
| 2 | 1 | Ricky Rubio | PG | DKV Joventut, | 6-4 | 182 | 1 | |
| Right wrist surgery after the Summer Olympics set Rubio back six weeks, but his great performance vs. the USA team has convinced scouts that he is the premier point guard in the draft, despite averaging just 7.0 points and 3.6 assists per game as a pro. Washington wants the Spaniard (but Rubio wants the Knicks) to get the Wizards back into playoff contention, but might have to trade up with Memphis. The problem for Rubio is his $6 million dollar buyout to escape his Joventut deal. |
| 3 | 1 | James Harden | SG | Arizona State | 6-5 | 218 | 1 | |
| Harden became the first Sun Devil to earn consensus first-team All-American honors with his play in 2008-09 and was just the third player in school annals to earn Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year honors, joining Eddie House (1999-2000) and Ike Diogu (2004-2005). His 373 free throws made rank second in school annals, as he averaged 19.0 points during his career. |
| 4 | 2 | Stephen Curry | PG | Davidson | 6-1 | 183 | 1 | |
| The jury is out on Curry, as some league execs feel he does not have the strength or athleticism to play at the next level. Others love his lights-out scoring ability and offensive creativity. But it is his off-ball movement that separates him from the pack. Dell Curry's baby boy averaged 28.6 points and 5.6 assists while shooting 87.6% from the line and 38.7% from three-point range last year. His successful move to point guard has the Knicks coveting him. |
| 5 | 2 | Tyreke Evans | SG | Memphis | 6-5 | 197 | 1 |  |
| The versatile Evans might be better at the two-guard spot than the point, thanks to his scoring skills and ability to create his shot. His ball handling skills are evident in transition play and on the pick-and-roll, as he averaged 17.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists while being on the court for just 29 minutes per game. The NCAAs exposed his struggles with a decent jump shot and he needs to play with better control. Coach Don Nelson loves versatile back court types, making Evans a nice fit in Golden State, but Philadelphia could look to trade up for him. |
| 6 | 1 | Hasheem Thabeet | C | Connecticut | 7-3 | 260 | 1 | |
| Possibly the biggest (literally) enigma in the 2009 NBA Draft, there is no questioning Thabeet's athleticism and shot blocking skills, an area of his game that he has few peers. But, for a 7-3 athlete, he is just an adequate rebounder with marginal offensive skills and gets backed down in the post too often for a player of his size. Some experts who call him the next Dikembe Mutombo need to get a reality check. He's a boom or bust type. |
| 7 | 3 | Jonny Flynn | PG | Syracuse | 6-0 | 188 | 1 | |
| In any other draft, Flynn could have been a lottery pick, but this year's crop is loaded with point guards. He has fine one-on-one skills and the ability to get to the rim, converting an average of 4.1 possessions in isolation, one of the best figures in this draft. His problem is realizing that he is better off trying to be patient distributing the ball rather than trying to execute the highlight reel shots, as he does not have the bulk or strength to finish at the basket at the NBA level, nor play quality defense. The Nets are showing some interest, but only if they trade down. New Jersey could lose on that gamble, as many NBA GMs are now looking at Flynn as a definite lottery candidate. |
| 8 | 2 | Jordan Hill | PF | Arizona | 6-10 | 236 | 1 | |
| With just four years of organized basketball experience under his belt, Hill has made remarkable strides in all areas of his game, especially in the paint. He is one of the premier rebounders eligible for the draft, excelling at attacking the offensive glass. 71% of his successful possessions came on his ability to drive to the rim. In 97 games for UA, his field-goal percentage of .578 ranks fifth on the school all-time record list. |
| 9 | 4 | Jrue Holiday | PG | UCLA | 6-3 | 205 | 1 |  |
| Holiday has a decent inside game, doing a good job of finishing around the basket, but might have been better suited returning to school and working on developing a much better jumper. He converted just 28% of his catch-&-shoot chances last year, and is too turnover prone to get anything more than mop-up minutes at the NBA level. But he has the potential for executing the pick-&-roll and developing into a nice combo guard and role player, thanks to his defensive prowess. His body is definitely NBA ready. |
| 10 | 3 | DeMar DeRozan | SG | Southern California | 6-6 | 211 | 1 | |
| DeRozan started all 35 games for the Trojans, finishing third on the team in scoring (13.9 ppg), a far cry from the 29.2 points per game he registered in his final year at Compton. He struggled to find his scoring touch most of the year, but when it mattered most late in the campaign, he scored in double figures in each of his last six games (averaging 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds). |
| 11 | 4 | Gerald Henderson | SG | Duke | 6-4 | 213 | 1 | |
| After two adequate seasons, the caterpillar emerged from his cocoon in 2008. Henderson's excellent mid-range game will see him regularly take advantage of delivering pull-up jumpers when the defense goes underneath the screen on pick-&-rolls. He is a proficient passer with the skills to draw contact and finish around the basket, doing a nice job rebounding from the offensive glass, as he averaged 4.9 boards and 16.5 points per game last season. Indiana and Milwaukee could use a talent like Henderson in their backcourt, but Charlotte is hoping that the Duke star or Stephen Curry are still around at No. 12. |
| 12 | 5 | Terrence Williams | SG | Louisville | 6-6 | 222 | 1 | |
| Williams is a high energy type defender with the ability to play the two-guard, in addition to handling small forward duties. He has great lateral quickness and does a nice job of drawing contact while finishing around the basket. But, perhaps it is suiting that Phoenix is eyeing him, as he would make Shaq look like Rick Barry at the free-throw line (58.1%). He's had some off-court issues that could scare off a few, but his defense is what excites teams, as the 12.5-point shooter pulled in 8.6 boards per game while handing out 5.0 assists. |
| 13 | 5 | Ty Lawson | PG | North Carolina | 5-11 | 195 | 1 | |
| Doing his best Willis Reed by playing through injuries in the NCAAs, Lawson's abilities on the fast break is due to being the fastest open-court player in the draft. He has a great blend of quickness, footwork and body control to be a top-notch ball handler, especially in transition. He averaged 2.1 steals and 6.6 assists while scoring 16.6 points per game on the way to the national championship. Milwaukee and Philadelphia are targeting him to play the point, but if he gets past those two teams Portland could snatch him at No. 24. |
| 14 | 6 | Brandon Jennings | PG | Lottomatica, | 6-1 | 170 | 1 | |
| Jennings is the first player to play for a European team rather than play for a college team since the NBA's age restriction was implemented. At prestigious Oak Hill Academy, he averaged 32.7 points, 7.5 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 13.7 steals per game and set the school record for points in a season as a senior. But thanks to sporadic playing time in Italy, those numbers are a paltry 6.3 points, 2.0 assists and 1.4 steals in his first pro season. Having soured on Monta Ellis, could Golden State be looking at Jennings to fill the void created by Baron Davis' departure last year? Jennings' inconsistent play in Italy and then his no-show at the Reebok Camp has caused a few NBA GMs to sour on a prospect many consider to be this draft's biggest enigma. |
| 15 | 3 | DeJuan Blair | PF | Pittsburgh | 6-6 | 288 | 1 | |
| A classic overachiever in an undersized body, Blair is a physical inside battler on offense and defense, as old time scouts liken him to Adrian Dantley and Wes Unseld during the "little man" glory days. He might stand 6-5, but will challenge any big man going for the rebound, as he averaged 12.3 boards last year, using his wingspan to manage 1.5 steals while scoring 15.7 points per game. His quick moves in the post and ability to get into the passing lanes make him a force in the paint who plays well above what the tape measurer says. With Detroit about to shake up the roster, a tough man in the front court is a pressing need, but Utah could also come calling if Carlos Boozer moves on. Still, there are some concerns about Blair's possible knee issues. |
| 16 | 4 | Tyler Hansbrough | PF | North Carolina | 6-8 | 243 | 1 | |
| There isn't one area of Hansbrough's game that stands out more than his work ethic. Playing within the team concept is the greatest part of his makeup. It seems like he's been in college forever and is possibly the most written about athlete in this draft, but like Rodney Daingerfield, he fails to get the respect he deserves for putting the team ahead of his own success. He averaged 20.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, shot 84.1% from the foul line and 51.4% from the field. To call him a Dave DeBusherre clone is the ultimate compliment. Knowing Steve Kerr, he won't get past Chicago at No. 26, but the Bulls might have to contend with the Jazz (No. 20) for his services. |
| 17 | 5 | James Johnson | PF | Wake Forest | 6-8 | 235 | 1 | |
| Johnson's footwork and ability to use his strength to create mismatches facing up and taking the shooter off the dribble could see him be a better fit at small forward than as a power man, even though he lacks great range from the perimeter. He's a pretty decent passer (2.0 apg) and shot 54.2% from the field for 15.0 points and 8.5 boards per game last year. He is a cinch to score or draw contact driving to the basket and excels in the half-court game. With his ability to play both forward positions and an expanding offensive game, he is being eyed by the Bulls and Detroit as a small forward, but Milwaukee also likes him as a power forward. |
| 18 | 1 | Earl Clark | SF | Louisville | 6-9 | 232 | 1 | |
| A shooting guard trapped in a power forward's body, Clark struggled with his jumper, yet seemed intent on firing up his shot from the perimeter rather than using his strength to attack the rim last year. He has the ability to defend at multiple positions, especially on the pick-and-roll, thanks to his lateral quickness and shot blocking skills. But 14.2 points was just an average year for him, even though he blocked 1.4 shots and grabbed 8.7 rebounds per game. If Chris Bosh leaves, look for Toronto to seriously consider Clark as his replacement. |
| 19 | 2 | Austin Daye | SF | Gonzaga | 6-10 | 200 | 1 | |
| Considering that he is so skinny that you can get a paper cut bumping into his side, Daye would have been well-advised to return to school and bulk up. He is a versatile athlete with a great scoring touch, but appeared to be slower last year and might not be fully recovered from the torn ACL he suffered last summer. He put up 12.7 points and grabbed 6.8 rebounds per game, but while he can catch and shoot and execute smooth pull-up jumpers, his frail-looking frame can't withstand NBA inside pounding. Dallas is highly interested in developing him, but other teams are very leery that added bulk will only reduce his already adequate foot speed. |
| 20 | 2 | B.J. Mullens | C | Ohio State | 7-0 | 277 | 1 | |
| The not-ready-for-primetime center will be drafted more on his potential upside than his production, which read 8.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Mullens never develop an offensive game and is quite turnover prone, making it an adventure any time he puts the ball on the floor. He also shows marginal post moves, but he runs the floor well for a big man and has the frame teams covet in the pivot, especially for the fast break. Some experts compare him to the Clippers' Chris Kaman, his offensive game won't likely mature to that level. Sacramento has high interest in his defensive skills, though. |
| 21 | 7 | Jeff Teague | PG | Wake Forest | 6-1 | 181 | 1 | |
| Teague was well on his way to earning ACC Player of the Year honors the first half of the season, but looked lost when moved off the point to the two-guard spot later in the campaign. He is a prolific scorer who gets to the line at a good rate. He shoots 44.1% from three-point range, 48.5% overall from the field and 81.7% from the free throw line, but he lacks discipline or the ability to create for others, evident by his average of 3.5 assists per game. Word on the street is that Milwaukee is showing strong interest. |
| 22 | 3 | Sam Young | SF | Pittsburgh | 6-6 | 219 | 1 | |
| Young's turnaround jumper and perimeter defense is going to create havoc for slower NBA small forwards, but the Panther might have cost himself a few bucks by returning to school rather than entering the 2008 draft. His work ethic and aggressiveness are evident by the way he finishes around the rim, but he is not that creative with his shot and might lack the size and passing ability teams want from the small forward position. He shot 37.2% from three-point range while averaging 19.2 points and 6.3 boards per game last year. With Martrell Webster still a question mark due to a foot injury, Portland might see fit at No. 24 to invest in Young, as Nicolas Batum failed to develop at small forward last year. |
| 23 | 8 | Eric Maynor | PG | Virginia Commonwealth | 6-3 | 180 | 1 | |
| Despite his slight frame, Maynor was very effective getting into the passing lanes and disrupting the action, averaging 1.7 steals to go with 6.2 assists per game. He was the team's main scoring focus, putting in 22.4 points per game for the season. He is not the athlete Stephen Curry is, but was quite effective in transition pushing the ball up the court and savvy enough to know when to slow the game down and direct traffic in half-court activity. A younger version of Sam Cassell, the Timberwolves would love to have him feeding stud forward Kevin Love next season. |
| 24 | 4 | Omri Casspi | SF | Maccabi Tel Aviv, | 6-8 | 227 | 1 | |
| Despite his slight frame, Casspi is assertive with his inside game and in transition play. He also improved his perimeter shooting, hitting 45% from three-point range, making him a late first-round target by Sacramento. |
| 25 | 9 | Nick Calathes | PG | Florida | 6-5 | 188 | 1 | |
| His frail frame and adequate lateral quickness will keep him out of the mid-first-round picture, but he sees the entire floor and is not only an excellent passer who keeps everyone involved, but does a nice job at the perimeter (39.0% from three-point range). Calathes might be getting back in the first-round picture, as he seems to be getting cold feet in heading to Greece. If he decides to stay in the States, look for Sacramento (#23) or Memphis (#27) to make a play for him. If he heads overseas, look for an established team to take him in the second round and wait a year or two for him to return. |
| 26 | 10 | Darren Collison | PG | UCLA | 6-0 | 172 | 1 | |
| Collison's defensive presence is what will interest teams, but perhaps deferring to Jru Holiday as the team's offensive threat, the point guard's problems playing in transition will make him nothing more than a role/bench player at the next level. He seemed hesitant to create his shot in '08, even though he made 59.5% of his chances inside the arc. He has fine ball handling skills, doing a nice job of distributing the ball and executing the pick-&-roll, though. He averaged 14.4 points and 4.7 assists per game, but his defensive skills are interesting Memphis in the first and Denver in the second round. |
| 27 | 6 | Chase Budinger | SG | Arizona | 6-7 | 218 | 1 | |
| After first pulling out of the 2008 draft, Budinger might regret that decision, as he went from a possible lottery pick to a mid-to-late first-rounder. With a marginal mid-range game and bricks for hands (poor ball handler), he does have the perimeter shooting skills teams look for, especially coming off screens. But for a player with his wingspan, athleticism and size, he plays too much of a passive game. He averaged 18.0 points, shooting 39.9% from three-point range, earning interest from Larry Brown and the Charlotte Bobcats. |
| 28 | 5 | Jonas Jerebko | SF | Angelico Biella, | 6-8 | 232 | 1 | |
| With his newly sculpted body (added 35 pounds of muscle since last season), Jerebko uses his frame and wingspan as a stellar rebounds off both ends of the glass, in addition to excelling at altering shots while shooting 35% from three-point range. |
| 29 | 7 | Wayne Ellington | SG | North Carolina | 6-4 | 194 | 1 | |
| Ellington has excellent three-point range and was the team's best pure shooter, whether pulling up off the dribble or spotting up, drawing considerable interest from UNC alumni Larry Brown and Charlotte, in addition to the Lakers. |
| 30 | 11 | Rodrigue Beaubois | PG | Cholet Basket, | 6-3 | 174 | 1 | |
| Beaubois is like a condor smothering his prey covering opposing guards with his incredible wingspan, but he has failed to produce offensively and is too reckless handling the ball to be considered a steady option at point guard. He's been limited in workouts with a wrist injury leading up to the draft. |
| 31 | 6 | DaJuan Summers | SF | Georgetown | 6-8 | 231 | 2 | |
| Summers finally bought into the team concept midway through last season, using his wingspan and impressive athleticism to create mismatches in the paint rather than park himself on the perimeter. He finishes well at the rim, but is still too turnover prone when he puts the ball on the floor. He shot 38.5% from three-point range and put in 13.6 points per game, but his 4.1 rebound average makes him a better fit at small forward than playing the power position, where he can make a decent living with his jump shot. Cleveland has shown interest late in the first round, but if he falls to the second round, look for Sacramento to end his wait on draft day. |
| 32 | 7 | Derrick Brown | SF | Xavier | 6-8 | 220 | 2 | |
| The southpaw might have an unconventional release, but has greatly improved his range and overall consistency, hitting on 43.3% of his three-point shots. Cleveland has high interest in him at the end of the first round. |
| 33 | 6 | Taj Gibson | PF | Southern California | 6-9 | 223 | 2 | |
| An aggressive player who does a good job establishing position in the paint and his face-up game has greatly improved, showing better range with his jump shot. Also a productive shot blocker (2.9 bpg), he could replace Ben Wallace in Cleveland (No. 30) as the Cavs' new tough man or still be around for Joe Dumars and the Pistons at No. 35. |
| 34 | 12 | Marcus Thornton | PG | LSU | 6-4 | 213 | 2 | |
| The JUCO product is best when moving off the ball, as he's become a nice scoring option off screens. He's a bit undersized for the two-guard spot and has questionable ball handling skills to play the point. |
| 35 | 7 | Victor Claver | PF | Pamesa Valencia, | 6-10 | 218 | 2 | |
| Turnovers and a knee injury and left leg fracture in December will keep him out of the first round, as he also lacks a mid-range game. But he's a good scoring option underneath, thanks to his consistency finishing around the basket. He recently resigned with Pamesa for three years, ruining any hope he had for sneaking into the end of the first round. |
| 36 | 8 | Dante Cunningham | SF | Villanova | 6-7 | 233 | 2 | |
| Cunningham has always shown defensive prowess, but after three non-descript seasons as a shooter, he discovered a turnaround jumper that saw him average 16.1 points per game as a senior, earning Big East Most Improved Player honors. |
| 37 | 13 | Patrick Mills | PG | St. Mary's | 5-11 | 182 | 2 | |
| The Aussie product showed in the Summer Olympics that his game is NBA ready, and with the success that Aaron Brooks had this year, the "little men" are becoming more inviting to teams that like to push the ball up and down the court. He has great shooting mechanics from NBA three-point range, but even before breaking two bones in his right hand in late January he was too turnover prone and lacked defensive fundamentals that combined with his lack of size could see him slip out of the first round. He shot 85.9% from the line, as he averaged 18.4 points and 3.9 assists per game. Cleveland could make a play for him late in the first round to provide depth behind Mo Williams and use Daniel Gibson as trade bait. |
| 38 | 8 | Toney Douglas | SG | Florida State | 6-1 | 196 | 2 | |
| Douglas has the size and wingspan that teams covet in a point guard, as he is an aggressive defender with above average ball handling skills. But marginal passing ability and decision making relegates him to two-guard or sixth man combo duties. |
| 39 | 9 | Jermaine Taylor | SG | UCF | 6-5 | 203 | 2 | |
| The star of the Portsmouth Tournament, Taylor was constantly double teamed last year, yet still averaged 26.2 points per game for UCF. |
| 40 | 8 | Josh Heytvelt | PF | Gonzaga | 6-11 | 238 | 2 | |
| Heyvelt is a fine rebounder who has a quick release and the speed to run in the open court, where he does a nice job scoring off screens. He had some off-field issues in his past, but has been upfront with teams and made a concerted effort to rectify those problems to the satisfaction of several teams. |
| 41 | 9 | Jeff Pendergraph | PF | Arizona State | 6-9 | 230 | 2 | |
| An all-out battler under the basket, he excels in the post, making 66% of his shots from the field last year to draw interest from the local Suns. |
| 42 | 10 | Jon Brockman | PF | Washington | 6-7 | 259 | 2 | |
| Always in a supporting role, Brockman would not have it any other way, as he is another Kurt Rambis clone who takes pride in his rebounding skills and ability to get the offensive put-backs while physically boxing out anyone that gets in his way. |
| 43 | 11 | DeMarre Carroll | PF | Missouri | 6-8 | 229 | 2 | |
| Carroll quietly made a successful move out to the wing from power forward, averaging 16.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game last year. The Tiger forward would be rated much higher, but whispers out of Chicago are he might need a liver transplant and teams are concerned about his big drop in weight (229 to 207). |
| 44 | 14 | Sergio Llull | PG | Real Madrid, | 6-3 | 179 | 2 | |
| Llull is a cinch to connect from the free-throw line, but needs to do a better job of drawing contact to get there and there are glaring holes in his defensive game. Look for an NBA team to take him in the second round and keep him in Europe for a few years. |
| 45 | 15 | Patrick Beverley | PG | DNI Pro, | 6-0 | 179 | 2 | |
| Having an NBA ready mid-range and three-point shot, Beverley wanted to hone his skills at point guard, leaving Arkansas for the Ukraine last year, where he averaged 3.6 assists and 16.9 points per game. |
| 46 | 10 | Danny Green | SG | North Carolina | 6-6 | 211 | 2 | |
| Sort of the "bridesmaid" playing with "brides" Hansbrough, Lawson and Ellington, but Green has better three-point range (41.8%) and good shot-blocking ability (1.3 bpg) |
| 47 | 11 | Jack McClinton | SG | Miami (Fla.) | 6-1 | 188 | 2 | |
| More of a role player/combo guard, McClinton excels from the perimeter (45.3% three-point) but gets bounced around quite a bit when trying to finish around the basket. |
| 48 | 12 | Ahmad Nivins | PF | Saint Joseph's | 6-9 | 237 | 2 | |
| A fine rebounder (11.8 rpg) and solid mid-range shooter (19.2 ppg), Nivins struggled throughout the Portsmouth Tournament, as he does not have the quickness to stay with the big, athletic forwards. |
| 50 | 13 | Jodie Meeks | SG | Kentucky | 6-4 | 209 | 2 | |
| Meeks has a nice pull-up jumper and does a good job of drawing contact, shooting 90.2% from the line last year. Following a good Chicago camp, he has skyrocketed to early second-round consideration. |
| 51 | 16 | A.J. Price | PG | Connecticut | 6-2 | 191 | 2 | |
| Price needs to return to form, as he is much better attacking the rim and playing off the pick-and-roll rather that sitting back to play his game from the perimeter - despite 40.2% shooting from three-point range. A brain hemorrhage as a freshman could scare off a few teams. |
| 52 | 14 | Jerel McNeal | SG | Marquette | 6-1 | 191 | 2 | |
| The combo guard does a nice job of applying pressure defense, and his 19.8-point average shows that he can shoot coming off screens or from the dribble. |
| 53 | 15 | Nando De Colo | SG | Cholet Basket, | 6-5 | 208 | 2 | |
| The spectacular slasher is known for his ability to create his own shot, and is especially effective from the perimeter, making 35.2% from three-point range. He was one of the best performers at the Reebok Euro Camp. |
| 54 | 13 | Henk Norel | PF | DKV Joventut, | 6-11 | 226 | 2 | |
| With Ricky Rubio injured earlier in the year, Norel picked up his offensive game, but is better playing the post and crashing both boards for the rebounds than operating as a main scoring option. |
| 56 | 17 | Paul Harris | SG | Syracuse | 6-5 | 220 | 2 | |
| Harris' ball handling skills earned him a few minutes at the point, but his scoring suffered, averaging just 8.6 points per game after averaging 14.5 the previous season. Would have been better served returning to school. |
| 57 | 18 | Dionte Christmas | SG | Temple | 6-4 | 211 | 2 | |
| It took several years for Christmas to develop offensively, but his mid-range jumper is NBA-ready thanks to his very quick and high release. |
| 58 | 14 | Alade Aminu | PF | Georgia Tech | 6-10 | 223 | 2 | |
| The former prep track star with a 7'3" wingspan greatly improved his basketball skills last year, as he averaged 11.8 points and 8.0 rebounds after putting up just 6.0 points and 4.1 boards per the previous season. Scouts felt he was the most impressive looking athlete at the Portsmouth Tournament. |
| 59 | 3 | Slava Kravtsov | C | BC Kyiv, | 7-0 | 260 | 2 | |
| Scouts love his size, offensive rebounding skills and shot-blocking ability, but he has no offensive game whatsoever and was bothered late in the year by back problems. |
| 60 | 19 | Courtney Fells | SG | North Carolina State | 6-5 | 210 | 2 | |
| Shooting guard trapped in a small forward's body. He is an efficient perimeter shooter with good upper body strength, but he needs to improve his lower frame power in order to attack the basket more at the next level. |
| 61 | 20 | Emir Preldzic | SG | Fenerbahce Ulker, | 6-9 | 222 | FA | |
| An efficient spot-up shooter, Preldzic shows good strength driving to the rim and decent ball handling skills to even earn a few minutes at the point, despite his lanky frame. |
| 62 | 21 | Lester Hudson | SG | Tennessee-Martin | 6-0 | 196 | FA | |
| Projected as a late second-rounder in the 2008 draft, Hudson again ranked with the nation's top scorers (27.5 ppg), but will need to show better in pre-draft camps than he did last year to get back in the late-round draft picture. |
| 63 | 15 | Jeff Adrien | PF | Connecticut | 6-7 | 244 | FA | |
| A Kurt Rambis type who will hustle for every loose ball, take out the trash and fight for position to secure the rebound. He has a nice mid-range jumper, too boot. |
| 64 | 9 | Taylor Griffin | SF | Oklahoma | 6-6 | 238 | FA | |
| While they won't rival the Lopez brothers (Brook of New Jersey and Robin of Phoenix), Blake Griffin's older brother could be a nice role player for a team. Last year, he averaged 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds, but is too small to play power forward in the NBA. |
| 65 | 17 | Curtis Jerrells | PG | Baylor | 6-1 | 199 | FA | |
| The southpaw has blazing speed and simply flies past defenders to get to the basket in an instant coming off the dribble. |
| 66 | 18 | Tyrese Rice | PG | Boston College | 6-0 | 192 | FA | |
| With his explosive speed, he combines it with his body control and lateral quickness to make highlight reel-type shots on a regular basis and is also a crafty passer (5.3 apg). |
| 67 | 19 | Milenko Tepic | PG | KK Partizan Belgrade, | 6-7 | 201 | FA | |
| The 21-year-old just finished his seventh professional season, as his passing skills and defensive fundamentals made him the biggest point guard in the Adriatic League, averaging 10.1 points per game. |
| 68 | 16 | Robert Dozier | PF | Memphis | 6-10 | 211 | FA | |
| A borderline first-rounder last draft, Dozier's decision to return to school did not pan out as he expected. While he improved his scoring (12.9 ppg this year from 9.2 in 2007-08), he's woefully thin and got pushed around quite a bit. |
| 70 | 22 | Wesley Matthews | SG | Marquette | 6-5 | 217 | FA | |
| Matthews discovered his scoring touch as a senior, improving his average by seven points (18.3 ppg), as he shot 36.8% from three-point range. |
| 72 | 5 | John Bryant | C | Santa Clara | 6-10 | 277 | FA | |
| Even though he failed to play vs. top level competition, this small college board banger could be a great find, as he averaged 18.1 points and 14.2 rebounds last year. |
| 73 | 17 | Leo Lyons | PF | Missouri | 6-9 | 238 | FA | |
| A versatile scorer with the capabilities of powering inside or fading away with a smooth mid-range jumper, but his basketball IQ and lateral quickness are suspect. |
| 74 | 18 | Chris Johnson | PF | LSU | 6-11 | 211 | FA | |
| With his frail looking frame, NBA scouts are worried that he will never develop the strength and bulk needed to man the post. He also lacks lateral quickness. |
| 75 | 23 | A.J. Abrams | SG | Texas | 5-10 | 161 | FA | |
| Abrams might lack size, but he's an outstanding long-range shooter with a quick, high release and is quite effective drawing contact to get to the free throw line, where he made 84.8% of his shots last season. |
| 76 | 19 | Goran Suton | PF | Michigan State | 6-10 | 249 | FA | |
| The Bosnian native really honed his rebounding and scoring skills last year under coach Tom Izzo and forces slower forwards to defend him along the perimeter, where he connected on 43.8% of his three-point attempts. |
| 77 | 20 | Tony Gaffney | PF | Massachusetts | 6-8 | 207 | FA | |
| An outstanding defensive player who averaged 10.2 boards and 3.8 blocks per game, he's beginning to develop decent inside scoring skills. His excellent quickness gave him confidence beating his man off the dribble. |
| 78 | 20 | Bryan Mullins | PG | Southern Illinois | | | FA | |
| The two-time league Defensive Player of the Year is a strong, physical lockdown-type with good floor vision and solid passing ability. He spent most of his career creating shots for others, but has an emerging perimeter game, making 43.4% of his three-pointers last season. |
| 79 | 21 | Vitor Faverani | PF | Unicaja Malaga, | 6-11 | 233 | FA | |
| While he runs the floor well and plays bigger than his size when blocking shots and rebounding, his motor is highly inconsistent and he disappears for long stretches. |
| 80 | 24 | Micah Downs | SG | Gonzaga | | | FA | |
| The Kansas transfer never got into a consistent offensive rhythm at Gonzaga, but showed in Portsmouth Tournament action that he has the three-point range and the length to cover ground with his one-dribble pull-up shot. |
| 81 | 6 | Luke Nevill | C | Utah | | | FA | |
| An excellent finisher at the rim, the Australian is in desperate need of adding strength to his imposing frame, as he gets pushed around quite a bit in the paint. He averaged 16.8 points per game last year, evident that he is a quality scorer in the low post. |
| 82 | 25 | Lee Cummard | SG | Brigham Young | 6-7 | 188 | FA | |
| Cummard has an excellent stroke shooting from the perimeter, thanks to his quick release. But lacking defensive skills, he might have to head to Europe for a few years. |
| 83 | 11 | Dar Tucker | SF | DePaul | 6-4 | 213 | FA | |
| Despite averaging 18.5 points per game, this ball hog needs to improve his shot selection, making just 39% of his attempts from the field. |
| 84 | 12 | Luigi Datome | SF | Lottomatica, | 6-8 | 213 | FA | |
| Relegated to role-playing duties, Datome has that sweet outside shot that saw him shoot 49.8% from three-point range in the Italian League, but the rest of his game has failed to develop after showing much promise on the junior circuit several years ago. |
| 85 | 21 | Jeremy Pargo | PG | Gonzaga | 6-2 | 219 | FA | |
| Scouts expected the high-elevation leaper to break out last year, but he regressed offensively and his long-range game all but disappeared. |
| 86 | 22 | Aaron Jackson | PG | Duquesne | | | FA | |
| Jackson's numbers (5.7 assists/19.3 ppg) drew some attention from teams, but he is better served as a ball facilitator rather than as a shooter, as he shows good ball handling skills and excels at executing precise passers to create shots for others. |
| 87 | 26 | K.C. Rivers | SG | Clemson | 6-5 | 218 | FA | |
| Some scouts thought Rivers could go late in the first round prior to the season, but he is a marginal ball handler and gets pushed around quite a bit by the more physical two-guard types. |
| 88 | 22 | Chinemelu Elonu | PF | Texas A&M | 6-9 | 238 | FA | |
| While Elonu has an NBA-ready body, he lacks an offensive game and would have been better served returning to school. He did improve his shot blocking and rebounding as a junior, but not to the point where he will get anything more than a lot of DNPs (did not play) next to his name on an NBA box score. |
| 89 | 23 | Dominic James | PG | Marquette | 6-0 | 177 | FA | |
| The explosive point guard should have come out after his freshman year, when every scout called him a mid-first-rounder. He's battled injuries and inconsistency ever since, making his NBA dreams close to disappearing, as he has lost any semblance of a scoring touch. |
| 90 | 24 | Antonio Anderson | PG | Memphis | | | FA | |
| Anderson is a decent ball handler for a shooting guard, but his perimeter shooting and strong desire to keep putting up bricks from three-point range (25.4% shooter) did not endear him to scouts. He is a solid defender, but might be a better fit at the point, as long as it keeps him from shooting the ball. |
| 91 | 27 | Terrel Harris | SG | Oklahoma State | | | FA | |
| Harris has excellent lateral quickness and solid ball handling skills, but he's stuck between both backcourt positions, as he's not really a good shooter and will never be an offensive threat you look for in a two-guard. He's best when creating for himself off transition, but has limited deep range and needs to add strength if he is hoping to gain action at the point, as he lacks good court vision. He also has off-field issues dating back to 2007 that resulted in a suspension. |
| 92 | 13 | Brandon Costner | SF | North Carolina State | 6-8 | 231 | FA | |
| One of the school's premier recruits, a stress fracture in his foot as a freshman, poor conditioning thereafter and marginal shot selection skills will see this junior vie for D-League playing time after he left school. |
| 94 | 25 | Rudy Mbemba | PG | Vanoli Soresina, | 5-11 | 176 | FA | |
| Mbemba has a nice shooting touch with his pull-up jumper and is a great ball handler with great crossover ability, but he is a frail-looking athlete who gets pushed around often. |
| 95 | 23 | Kevin Rogers | PF | Baylor | 6-9 | 235 | FA | |
| Rogers is quick off his feet and has that explosive burst to be effective operating around the rim, but looks uncomfortable with his back to the basket due to adequate footwork. He also struggles to establish position vs. bigger centers because of a lack of size and bulk. He will more likely shift to power forward, but has an uphill battle ahead of him in rookie camp. |
| 96 | 28 | Daniel Hackett | SG | Southern California | | | FA | |
| The third USC underclassmen to declare for the draft, Hackett is a certain D-League candidate. He is nowhere ready for NBA competition, but by signing with an agency, he lost his right to return to school. |
| 97 | 26 | Ben Woodside | PG | North Dakota State | | | FA | |
| Woodside has excellent court speed and great vision reading defenses, but with his lack of size and lack of length, he gets punished by bigger guards. He has a fine jumper coming off the dribble, though, leading to his scoring average of 23.2 points last year. |
| 98 | 29 | Alonzo Gee | SG | Alabama | 6-6 | 219 | FA | |
| Gee's wingspan (6'10") caught the attention of scouts at the Portsmouth Tournament, but he lacks creativity and must do a better job finishing around the basket. |
| 99 | 1 | Paul Delaney III | G | UAB | | | FA | |
| After missing all but four games of the 2007-08 season due to a knee injury, Delaney came back to have a stellar senior campaign, averaging 16.1 points per game while shooting 55.9% from the field, the highest field-goal percentage of any guard in the Division I ranks last year. |
| 100 | 30 | Alex Ruoff | SG | West Virginia | 6-6 | 220 | FA | |
| Ruoff can play any of the three perimeter positions and his body is still growing, along with his offensive game, as he averaged 15.7 points last year. |
