2012 NBA Draft Preview: Top Power Forwards

[Built Ford Tough]

1. Andre Drummond, UConn

 

Few players at any level of basketball have Drummond’s combination of size, strength and athleticism.

 

Drummond is 6’10” and combines every inch of that height with accompanying strength and athleticism. He already makes a living around the rim and can catch anything within the basket area and finish his teammates’ mistakes. He also has a high-level post-game: he knows how to create fouls, and is comfortable backing down defenders. He also has mid-range shooting ability, which is very rare for a player his age, and can drive with authority if defenders move too aggressively to close him out. He also rebounds well on both ends of the floor. He is able to block shots and use his size to intimidate offensive players, though this is an area in which Coach Calhoun should be able to help him improve the most. Most importantly, his basketball IQ is high for a bigman, which has contributed to his elite-level passing and ability to use court angles to position himself properly on almost every play.

 

So, what exactly are Drummond’s weaknesses? He is a talented player but he lacks consistency and becomes complacent when he's not challenged. However, this is most likely because he is still a teenager and has not yet learned to keep his focus and combine and blend his various skills every single game. Nonetheless, all of these weaknesses are fixable. The bottom line is that Drummond has an extremely bright future if he continues to stay hungry and motivated to realize his talent.

 

2. Anthony Davis, Kentucky

 

The crown jewel of Kentucky coach John Calipari’s best recruiting class to date, Davis is a jaw dropping specimen with his length and skill level. He is a new breed PF who reminds some of a young Kevin Garnett. Whether he can develop Garnett's fiery nature and toughness is the question. Davis has elite 6’10” size that is complemented by his off the charts length, leaping ability, and guard skills. He also shows the ability to protect the rim like a center.

 

Perhaps the best thing about Davis is that he was a guard for much of his high school career. A late growth spurt necessitated a switch to power forward and, while he has done an excellent job with the adjustment, Davis retains many of his 2-guard skills with superb ball-handling ability and vision for a power forward.

 

His body remains his biggest question mark as he still needs to add significant weight to his frame to handle to rigors of NBA post play. He may always be on the thin side, a la Garnett and Chris Bosh, and adding too much weight could negatively affect his speed and mobility. He also needs to continue to develop his post-game. Another legitimate question is whether the late growth spurt will make him more of an injury risk.

 

3. Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

 

Jared SullingerSullinger is a high effort player who uses his high basketball IQ to score on opponents and dominate the glass. He also has innate scoring abilities and his tough, competitive nature helps him excel against most opponents. He may never be an NBA superstar but he's a slam dunk prospect to be very solid.

 

Despite his polished post-game and rebounding abilities, Sullinger has some physical issues that limit his long term ceiling. With limited quickness, he struggles to defend tall 4s or to get his shot off against top athletes on the offensive end. He is a also a “big boy” with some past conditioning issues that have limited his athleticism. But, if he can get himself into better shape and continue to make the most of his abilities, Sullinger could develop into a more athletic version of Kevin Love.

 

http://www.nbadraft.net//draft-preview-top-power-forwards

 

Rest of the top 10 is:

 

4. Perry Jones

5. Mitch McGary

6. Trevor Mbakwe

7. John Henson

8. Patric Young

9. Thomas Robinson

10. Patric Young

 

I know nbadraft.net isn't exactly the crown jewel of draft sites, but I figured I'd post anyways. Thoughts on their list of the best power forwards? Obviously things are going to change during the course of the season.

[Real Deal]

I figured Jones would be in their top three, really...didn't expect to see Sullinger over him.

 

I'm not so sure I can argue with the top two, though. Drummond is obviously on top of the list. The dude is scary, and you know potential bottom-feeding teams are already drooling at the thought of getting him at #1. Plays like Amare, kind of looks like him...but Drummond could bring Amare's offensive talents, and mix them with a defensive mindset, and that's dangerous.

 

Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Karl Malone...these guys had it all on offense and were stellar defenders, and if Drummond keeps working hard (hope the hype doesn't eat him alive), he can be in that category. Sky's the limit.

 

I could probably rearrange the entire 5-10 section of the list, but there's no point. I'd rather do that in March, because really, we don't know what we're going to get from a few of those guys.

[AboveLegit]

I can't wait to see Drummond play this year, I doubt he dominates, but he should have a good season. Problem with him is that he shies away from contact, which could be a problem that scouts will take a look at.

 

The player I really want to see this year is Sullinger, the Wizards are a possibility for him in this draft, and I love the idea of pairing him up with an athletic center and SF to go along with his rebounding skills. If he's able to repeat his performance from last year, he will be a great choice for us. Hopefully he can continues to improve his midrange game.

 

As for Perry Jones, he's shown flashes of greatness, but I want to see him stay consistent. You could use the excuse that Baylor as a team were very dysfunctional, but this year there's no excuse if he plays poorly. With the addition of Quincy Miller, it's a possibility that he gets outplayed, which could lead to an even greater drop in stock.