Casper's Final 2011 NBA Mock Draft

Final 2011 Mock Draft with odds that the pick is dealt and brief summaries.

Many thanks to the following people for various rumors:
Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress)
Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider)
Scott Schroeder (@ScottSchroeder)

Don't forget to check out my Final Big Board

Enjoy!

1. Cleveland (from LAC) - Kyrie Irving (PG), Duke:
Odds pick is dealt: Zero
The Cavs say “Thank you” to the Clippers for gifting them a franchise PG. Off-the-court drama could steal some of his spotlight on draft night.

2. Minnesota - Derrick Williams (PF/SF), Arizona:
Odds pick is dealt: 50%
The Wolves are stuck with a tough choice to make after they take Williams, either keep him and figure out how to make the rotation work with a forward-heavy roster, or deal him for a SG or C. There are so many rumors floating about, that I can’t do anything but label this 50:50.

3. Utah (from NJN) - Brandon Knight (PG/SG), Kentucky:
Odds pick is dealt: Minimal
Do the Jazz go guard here or at #12? That’s the million dollar question. It appears that they have fallen in love with Knight, but they are open to selecting Kanter or Vesely as well.

Casper's Final 2011 NBA Draft Big Board

Final rankings of players, with Tiers and likely ranges (guys who are considered to have the 2nd round be the highest they will be drafted labeled 31-Undrafted) - players tabbed as 1st rounders have the teams who appear to have the most interest in them.

Tier 1:
1. Kyrie Irving - Fr. PG, Duke
Range: 1-2 --- Most likely: Cavaliers

Tier 2:
2. Derrick Williams - So. PF/SF, Arizona
Range: 1-2 --- Most likely: Timberwolves

Tier 3:
3. Jonas Valanciunas - 1992 C, Lietuvos Rytas
Range: 4-11 --- Most likely: Cavaliers, Pistons

4. Enes Kanter - 1992 PF/C, Kentucky
Range: 3-8 --- Most likely: Cavaliers, Wizards

5. Kemba Walker - Jr. PG, Connecticut
Range: 3-8 --- Most likely: Raptors, Kings

Consensus Big Board Update (April 29th, 2011)

Consensus Big Board from DX, nba-draft.com, ESPN, briansbigboard, and yours truly - respectively

1. Kyrie Irving - Fr. PG: (1,1,1,1,1) Profile

2. Derrick Williams - So. PF/SF: (2,2,2,2,2) Profile

3. Enes Kanter - 1992 PF/C: (7,3,3,5,3) Profile

4. Kemba Walker - Jr. PG: (4,5,5,4,8) Profile

5. Jonas Valanciunas - 1992 C: (3,4,4,13,4) Profile

Post Early Entrant Deadline Big Board

2011 Big Board: Rules - (1) Can go down one tier for need, makes tiers more flexible and blended, (2) Skills are judged based on the position the player is projected to play.

Tier 1:
1. Kyrie Irving - Fr. PG, Duke
Smooth player whose athleticism and physical tools are overlooked due to his high skill level. Has an uncanny ability to get to the rim due to elite ball handling, including an awesome utilization of changing speeds to catch the defender off balance. Very efficient jump shooter that can create space for himself and knock down shots at high efficiency both from mid-range and beyond the 3pt line. Kyrie also possesses remarkable court vision and playmaking abilities for a PG prospect, which makes him a deadly offensive player. Defensively, he rarely takes a possession off and comes up with positive plays with regularity - however he was rarely tested at the college level. Overall, Kyrie is an excellent mix of offense and defense while also possessing a NBA size. The only downside is if his toe becomes an issue.
NBA Role: Two-way franchise PG
Elite skills/traits: Handling, shot selection, penetration, overall BBIQ
Proficient skills/traits: Jump shot, shot creation, finishing, drawing fouls, passing, court vision, overall defense, quickness, athleticism, intensity
Mediocre skills/traits: Rebounding, height, length
Substandard skills/traits:
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Tier 3:
2. Derrick Williams - So. PF/SF, Arizona
Efficient player both in the post and spotting up from distance. Had mixed results against competition with NBA-caliber big men - Texas and Connecticut posed trouble, whereas Kansas and Duke did not. He is among the best at drawing fouls and getting to the line where he knocks them down with some regularity. Has a smooth spot-up jumper, but is not comfortable creating a jump shot at this point because he lacks ball-handling ability on the perimeter. Average rebounder, but could easily improve if he works on fundamentals. Defensively, Derrick does not always give effort and when he does he’s not always effective. Clutch performer who both wants the ball and wants to guard the ball on key possessions. At his peak could be one of the more dangerous offensive players in the league and a regular 20ppg scorer.
NBA Role: All-star caliber stretch 4
Elite skills/traits: Hands, shot selection, finishing, drawing fouls, athleticism, intensity
Proficient skills/traits: Jump shot, post-up game, shot creation, length, strength, offensive BBIQ
Mediocre skills/traits: Penetration, passing, court vision, perimeter defense, off-ball defense, rebounding, height
Substandard skills/traits: Handling, post defense, defensive BBIQ

Consensus Big Board Update (April 6th, 2011)

Time for the post-NCAA Tournament big board consensus. Lots of movement from the last one (to view all consensus boards from this season, follow this link). Derrick Williams moved up from #5 to #2, while Brandon Knight went from #16 to #10. Meanwhile, guys like Perry Jones III (#3 to #5), Terrence Jones (#7 to #11), and Jordan Hamilton (#13 to #18) all fell. There will likely be a lot more movement in the upcoming weeks even though the college season is over, so stay tuned.

Without further ado, here are the latest rankings (DX, nbadraft.net, nba-draft.com, ESPN, briansbigboard, and yours truly - respectively).

1. Kyrie Irving - Fr. PG: (1,3,1,1,1,1) Player Profile

2. Derrick Williams - So. PF: (2,1,2,2,3,4) Player Profile

3. Harrison Barnes - Fr. SF: (5,2,3,3,4,3) Player Profile

4. Jared Sullinger - Fr. PF: (4,5,4,4,2,2) Player Profile

5. Perry Jones III - Fr. SF/PF: (6,9,5,5,8,5) Player Profile

Consensus Big Board Update (March 14, 2011)

It's been a while since I had an update, and for those who look at this site I apologize because I've been quite busy with other things. However, since the tournament is about to begin, I thought I'd get another update of the Consensus Big Board in so everyone can see how rankings change because of tournament performances.

(DX, nbadraft.net, nba-draft.com, ESPN, briansbigboard, and yours truly - respectively)

1. Kyrie Irving - Fr. PG: (1,2,3,1,1,1) Player Profile

2. Jared Sullinger - Fr. PF: (3,4,2,3,2,2) Player Profile

3. Perry Jones - Fr. SF/PF: (4,1,1,2,7,4) Player Profile

4. Derrick Williams - So. PF: (5,3,7,5,3,7) Player Profile

5. Harrison Barnes - Fr. SF: (12,6,6,4,5,3) Player Profile

Derrick Williams Writeup

Derrick Williams - So. SF/PF, Arizona

PER36min numbers against Quality Opponents (6 games):

24 pts, 11.1 rebs, 0.7 asts, 1.3 stls, 1.1 blks, 3.5 PFs, 3.1 TOs

53.4 FG%, 50.0 3pt% (5/10), 72.1 FT%, .93 FTA/FGA

Derrick Williams has a variety of opinions regarding how he’ll translate to the NBA level. Some think he has the tools to be a #1 option, some claim he’ll have to make the transition to SF to be effective, and some believe he’ll be like David West. What is not up for debate, however, is that he is an elite offensive weapon at the college level.