Good and bad decisions about the draft
The early entry deadline for the June NBA draft is midnight.
The league won't reveal the official list of players who have declared until May 3. But the list of players that have made good (Greg Oden, Kevin Durant) and bad (Daequan Cook, Glen Davis) decisions should be obvious:
NO-BRAINERS
• Greg Oden, 7-1, center, Ohio State: Oden's decision to come out now — he's already signed with an agent — was a foregone conclusion for the teams in the draft lottery. He won't disappoint. His combination of raw athleticism, skill and limitless upside makes him an easy No. 1 pick.
• Kevin Durant, 6-10, forward, Texas: Anyone thinking his one year on campus did wonders for Kevin Durant's NBA stock doesn't pay attention to this process. Like Oden, he'd have been a top-two pick last summer if not for the NBA's age-limit rule. But his endorsement potential got a huge boost from his player-of-the-year performance for the Longhorns.
• Brandan Wright, 6-10, forward, North Carolina: Wright's another freshman that would have been a top-five pick last summer if not the for the age-limit rule. He didn't have the season either Oden or Kevin Durant did, but his stock remains high. He's similar to Hawks forward Marvin Williams in that his true impact won't come until he's had a couple of years to develop.
• Al Horford, 6-10, forward, Florida: His standout performance in the NCAA tournament vaulted Horford past his Florida teammates and into the mix for one of the draft's top three or four spots. Horford's greatest value is that he's already in possession of a pro body and can be slipped into a team's playing rotation immediately. The polish will come later.
• Mike Conley Jr., 6-1, guard, Ohio State: No player, not even Horford, has benefited more from his performance during the NCAA tournament. A paper-thin point guard crop in this draft class is another reason the mature-beyond-his-years Conley had no choice but to toss his name into the pool. He should be the first point guard off the board and could go in the top eight of the draft.
SOLID DECISIONS
• Joakim Noah, 6-11, forward/center, Florida: Joakim Noah's decision to return to Florida for his junior season, and ultimately a second straight NCAA title, cost him his spot among the top five picks. He's still a lottery pick, and shouldn't slide past the top 12. But the extra year scouts had to scrutinize his game and the rise of other prospects no doubt pushed him down.
• Jeff Green, 6-8, forward, Georgetown: By not signing with an agent Green has given himself the option of returning to school. That shouldn't be a problem for one of the draft's most underrated players. Not even his puzzling showing in the Final Four will be enough to discourage smart teams that have already done their homework on the versatile forward.
• Julian Wright, 6-8, forward, Kansas: A wealth of NBA-ready attributes have propelled Wright up the draft board of many teams. His shooting stroke is not one of them. Still, players with Wright's combination of size and athleticism are always given a pass when their offensive game trails the rest of their skill package. His relentless motor will carry him early in his pro career.
• Corey Brewer, 6-9, guard/forward, Florida: Anyone that watched Brewer's Most Outstanding Player performance during the Gators' title run realizes now that Brewer's ability to change the game on both ends of the floor is what made him so valuable to his team. It's also what has endeared him to NBA teams. Elite perimeter defenders that are also capable scorers are as hard to come by in the NBA as great point guards and centers.
• Roy Hibbert, 7-2, Center, Georgetown: A half hour of action against Oden and Ohio State in the Final Four did more for Hibbert's NBA stock than the rest of his season. He's the largest center prospect in this draft and the only that can claim to have played Oden even. And his improvement from high school until now is a testament to the power of hard work and perseverance.
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