Real College Basketball

Wow, less than two months after the 2009 NBA Draft, RealCollegeBasketball.com is already coming out with our 2010 NBA Mock Draft! A lot has been said about how poor the 2009 NBA Draft was, but not much has yet been said about the 2010 NBA Draft, so I will analyze that for all of you.

The 2009 NBA Draft went from bad to worse as soon as we found out some of the players who announced their decisions to return to schools. Such players as Greg Monroe, Willie Warren, Al-Farouq Aminu, Cole Aldrich, Patrick Patterson, Craig Brackins, Evan Turner... Those guys were all potential 2009 lottery picks! Now they will likely be in the 2010 draft, so as them returning hurt the 2009 draft, it just strengthens the 2010 draft.

It's not all PF's though. There is also a good amount of SG's, SF's, and C's scattered around, the only weak position in this class is PG's. And of course, there is a strong Freshman class coming in this year, so some of those guys may be looking to enter the draft. And since the season has not yet even started, you need to account for Some Players Who May Breakout This Season.

If you have seen most early 2010 Mock Drafts, you have probably noticed one common thing: John Wall going #1 overall. And at this point, I agree that he is the favorite to be called down by David Stern first to go to the lucky team that wins the lottery. He is just such a great talent, very athletic, very quick, can beat just about anyone one on one, handles the ball extremely well, has great size, scores the ball at ease, has great hops, plays intense defense... I could just go on and on about John's fantastic upside. But I do feel that there are two other players who could give him a run for his money...

One is Derrick Favors. Georgia Tech's incoming Freshman is just a beast. He's very athletic, long, strong, a great rebounder, and is phenomenal both offensively and defensively. He's got a developing post-up game, and a soft touch on his jump shot. I really believe that had the rule that you need to go to college for at least one year not been in place, and Derrick was in the NBA this up-coming season, I think that he would be capable of averaging a double-double right away. He's just that good. His ceiling is extremely high and he should be able to make a huge impact at Georgia Tech this year.

The other is a guy who not many are talking about, but they will be: Willie Warren. That's right, Willie Warren, 6'4" SG at Oklahoma. The Griffin brothers, Blake and Taylor, are both in the NBA now and Austin Johnson graduated... This is Willie's team now! He has a great opportunity to take his game another two steps forward and be the leader of the Sooners. Let's look at his scouting report: 6'4" SG, long, strong, plays hard, tough, athletic, quick, great hops, leader, great scorer, great shooter, range... Sounds a lot like D-Wade, right? I've had quite a few people call me crazy, but I really think he will be a great player.

As nothing is set and stone as far as which team drafts where at all, I'm just going to keep the teams out of this mock. Here it is, readers, our 2010 NBA Mock Draft, First Edition! 

First Round

1.		Team Unknown	John Wall, Kentucky Wildcats, Freshman (PG)
			Wow, this kid is a stud. Early front-runner as the #1 pick, though I really feel three guys can compete for this pick as of now (Wall, Derrick Favors, and Willie Warren). He's athletic, big, strong, quick, creates for his teammates, really good scorer, has great talent, and his potential is ridiculous. Very similar to 2008's #1 overall pick Derrick Rose in many aspects. He's very fun to watch, and should be able to help Kentucky get back to their old winning ways.
2.		Team Unknown	Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Freshman (PF)
			When you have a player who is a lock-down defensive player, very good scorer, and phenomenal rebounder, he's got to be a top 5 pick. That is what Favors is. He runs the court well and plays with a purpose. His scoring has really improved over the last few years from mostly just put-back dunks and layups, to a real post game, driving to the hoop, and he even has a nice 15-foot jump shot. He's a player who I feel is already ready for NBA ball and think that he can make a huge impact right away at Georgia Tech.
3.		Team Unknown	Ed Davis, North Carolina Tar Heels, Sophomore (PF)
			Ready for a breakout season. Tyler Hansbrough, Tywon Lawson, Wayne Ellington, and Danny Green are all now NBA players, this is a great opportunity for the talent that is Ed Davis to rise to the occasion. Great offensive player, and very skilled in the post. He's got basketball in the blood as his dad, Terry, was an NBA player.
4.		Team Unknown	Willie Warren, Oklahoma Sooners, Sophomore (PG/SG)
			Look toughness up in the dictionary and you will see Warren's face. People have been calling me crazy, but I think Willie has a higher ceiling than anyone in this class. 6'4" SG, very long, athletic, tough, great scorer, great shooter, high flyer... Sounds a lot like Dwyane Wade to me. With Blake now in the NBA, this is Willie's Sooner team, and he is going to be out to prove a point.
5.		Team Unknown	Donatas Motiejunas, Aisciai-Atletas, EURO (PF)
			Many scouts have been calling Donatas the next Dirk Nowitzki. They could have a case. He broke out during the Lithuanian Basketball League, where Donatas was named an all-star as he averaged 18 PPG. He is a very talented player offensively, as he can shoot, drive, or post up. His ball handling is actually also very good.
6.		Team Unknown	Greg Monroe, Georgetown Hoyas, Sophomore (PF/C)
			Greg is a very talented player on the Georgetown Hoyas. He has a backboard shot from about 18 feet away that he can bank in all day, ala Tim Duncan. He is very unselfish and can score in plenty of ways. However, defensively, Greg has ways to go, and it seems like he doesn't always give 100% effort on the court.
7.		Team Unknown	John Henson, North Carolina Tar Heels, Freshman (SF/PF)
			Henson was a 6'4" wing man as a Junior in High School. Grows 6 inches going into his Senior year, and he finds himself as a big man. Lucky for him, his guard skills, quickness, and jump shot stayed with him, and he also has some very nice post moves. However, with the added height, John became very lengthy, and must add more strength to his frame. Henson will be a tough player to guard because he is taller than most SF's and quicker than most PF's.
8.		Team Unknown	Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Sophomore (SF)
			Al-Farouq is the best SF prospect in the last couple of years (granted, the last couple of years were weak classes for the SF position). He's athletic, skilled, a great dunker, and a very good scorer. His shot will need some work, but he drives to the hole beautifully and slashes well. Jeff Teague and James Johnson have cleared out of the way for Al-Farouq to take over as the Deacons' star player.
9.		Team Unknown	Cole Aldrich, Kansas Jayhawks, Junior (C)
			Cole is a very good defensive player and a great shot-blocker. Had Cole entered last years draft, he still would have likely been a lottery, but returning to school will allow him to raise that even higher. Offensively, his post moves are very good, and he has a smooth jump shot. He's on my triple-double watch list, as Cole already had one of them this season, in the first round of the NCAA tourney vs. Dayton when he recorded 13 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots.
10		Team Unknown	Paul George, Fresno State Bulldogs, Sophomore (SF)
			If your talking about upside, this kid sure has it. He's a great scorer and has a great all-around game. He really flew under the radar last year at Fresno State, he was actually one of the best Freshman last year in the whole NCAA. His strength is a bit of a weakness, but Paul is a gym rat, I'm sure he can work on it.
11.		Team Unknown	Evan Turner, Ohio State Buckeyes, Junior (SG/SF)
			Evan broke out last year, and was the Buckeyes' only consistently good player. He was projected last year to be drafted around 15-20 right before he announced his decision to return to the Buckeyes. Evan has a very good all-around game, he's a great ball handler, good driver, good shooter, good scorer, very good defensive player... He can do it all. I find Turner very similar to Brandon Roy in style of play. Turner amazed me last year, I'm expecting even more from him this year.
12.		Team Unknown	Solomon Alabi, Florida State Seminoles, Sophomore (C)
			When I think of Solomon, I think of last years #2 overall pick Hasheem Thabeet. Both are lock-down defensive players, run the floor well, have a similar build, and are very raw offensively. Solomon is one of the best post defenders I have seen in a long while, as well. If Solomon is so similar to Hasheem, then why do I have him getting drafted 10 picks after Hasheem was last year? Well, a lot of that is because this year's class is much stronger than last year's class.
13.		Team Unknown	Devin Ebanks, West Virginia Mountaineers, Sophomore (SF)
			Perhaps underachieved a bit during his Freshman campaign with West Virginia, but he is bursting with potential. He's deadly on the break, a very good driver/scorer, good rebounder, and has a high basketball IQ. He started to get it going towards the end of the season as he averaged an impressive 19 points and 9 rebounds over the last three games of the season. His shot has been showing signs of improvement, but if he could come back next season with a much improved jump shot and more strength, then he is set.
14.		Team Unknown	Patrick Patterson, Kentucky Wildcats, Junior (PF)
			Patrick is going to have an opportunity this year to prove his leadership with a very young Kentucky team. He is a very talented player, as he can drive and score well, as well as play very good, tough defense. Pat is looking to improve upon his stock from last year (which was about 15-20), and even with the talent level this year growing, it is still definitely very doable for him. He also worked out with trainer Frank Matrisciano, the crazy guy who is known as one of the toughest trainers in the world and worked out Blake Griffin. He should be in the best shape of his life after that!
15.		Team Unknown	Craig Brackins, Iowa State Cyclones, Junior (PF)
			Craig Brackins is the man at Iowa State... And I mean it! The team is awful, almost like a one-man show as Craig burst into the action last year, his breakout season. He had several truly great games, but none greater than his 42-point performance vs. Cole Aldrich and the Kansas Jayhawks. His offensive game is very good, but he could use some work on the defensive end of things.
16.		Team Unknown	William Buford, Ohio State Buckeyes, Sophomore (SG)
			He underperformed a bit his Freshman season with the Buckeyes, but Buford is a very talented player who could breakout any second. His form is picture perfect and his shot is silky smooth. Ohio State really needs another player to step up next year to help out Evan Turner, and Buford should be the guy.
17.		Team Unknown	DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky Wildcats, Freshman (PF/C)
			Cousins is a big boy, 6'10" 260 lbs, but he has the potential to be a franchise NBA center. He has shown signs of excellence when he is in shape, and he looks like he is in the best shape of his life right now. With Patrick Patterson down-low right next to him at Kentucky, that should also free up DeMarcus for more open looks.
18.		Team Unknown	Avery Bradley, Texas Longhorns, Freshman (SG)
			6'3" SG but what he lacks in height, he makes up in length. He is a really good offensive threat and gives as much effort in on the defensive end as well. He was very highly recruited over this past year, ESPN.com even ranked him as the #1 Senior in the country. I think plenty of teams early on will pass up on Avery because of his height, but as I mentioned, I don't think it is a big deal considering he is extremely long and very strong, so he can lock-down 6'6" SG's even, and offensively, he can score on taller players, too.
19.		Team Unknown	Sylven Landesberg, Virginia Cavaliers, Sophomore (SG)
			Flying under the radar during his Freshman season last year, Sylven was actually one of the best Freshman players, as he averaged over 16 points and 6 boards per game. He's strong and a great scorer who can draw contact and make it to the line. His defensive game improved throughout the whole season, but that will still need work. He had several games where he would just take over offensively and nobody could stop him, including a 32-point performance vs. Boston College. While Sylven was really good last year, I still think that he can be much better next season.
20.		Team Unknown	Larry Sanders, Virginia Commonwealth Rams, Junior (PF)
			Larry did not start playing organized basketball until he was in 10th grade, and didn't play Varsity until he was in 11th grade. Considering that, his improvement every year has been phenomenal. He is great defensively, real good shot blocker, and his post game is very good as well. With Eric Maynor now in the NBA, Larry will have an opportunity to be the star of VCU.
21.		Team Unknown	Luke Babbitt, Nevada Wolf Pack, Sophomore (SF/PF)
			Luke will not wow you with his athleticism, or his strength, or his defense. But what he does bring to the table is a lot of hustle and some very good offensive play. Luke is a great shooter, he shot 86% from the free-throw line last season and 43% from three. He was another Freshman who flew under the radar.
22.		Team Unknown	Xavier Henry, Kansas Jayhawks, Freshman (SG)
			Although I have him at 22 right now, I just want to say that I think this kid definitely has the potential to rise a lot. I think that he could even be a potential top 10 pick. He's very explosive and a great shooter. He's very big and strong, probably bigger and stronger than most NBA SGs even, it is very tough to guard Xavier. However, for such a great shooter, he lacks a mid-range game and his defensive game is only average at best right now.
23.		Team Unknown	Kyle Singler, Duke Blue Devils, Junior (SF)
			Singler is a leader and a great offensive weapon. Gerald Henderson is now in the NBA, which gives Kyle a great opportunity to step up his game and be the leader of the Blue Devils. If your team is looking for a great scorer who gives it all he's got each and every game, Singler is your guy.
24.		Team Unknown	Kemba Walker, Connecticut Huskies, Sophomore (PG)
			I really expect Kemba to have a great season and breakout. He showed signs last year and now with Jeff Adrien, Hasheem Thabeet, and AJ Price off the Huskies, Kemba has a great opportunity here. I can see him being able to even raise his stock up to the lottery, come June. He's a leader, good defender, and has an all-around really good game.
25.		Team Unknown	Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas Jayhawks, Sophomore (PG)
			Tyshawn is a lock-down defensive player and a leader. His offensive game lags a bit, but he has a high basketball IQ and makes sure everyone else is doing their job. If he could pick up his scoring, even a little bit, it would be able to raise his stock a lot.
26.		Team Unknown	Michael Washington, Arkansas Razorbacks, Senior (PF)
			At the end of the first round, you usually don't see players with the upside that Michael has. He broke out last year into a college star, averaging 15.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He's a great rebounder and even has a nice touch on his jump shot.
27.		Team Unknown	Jerome Jordan, Tulsa Golden Hurricane, Senior (C)
			Long, athletic center and a very good defensive player. Considering the lack of quality NBA centers, Jerome will have an opportunity this season to raise his stock up, but for now this is where I'll keep him. He needs much more strength to be able to compete with NBA players and he is still very raw.
28.		Team Unknown	Damion James, Texas Longhorns, Senior (SF)
			Damion is a college PF who will be playing SF in the NBA. He really needs to start working on his wing skills, as he can't handle the ball well and he isn't a very good shooter. However, he is very tough, a good rebounder, and a very good driver. He should be ready to contribute to an NBA team right away.
29.		Team Unknown	Terrico White, Mississippi Rebels, Sophomore (SG)
			He's a young guy who will likely be rising in the mock drafts all year. He is a really good scorer and nice size, but his jump shot definitely needs some work.
30.		Team Unknown	Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Senior (PF)
			Gani is a very tough, physical player. He was projected early on last year as a lottery pick, but his stock has really slipped. I really doubt the addition of Derrick Favors at Georgia Tech will help raise his stock either.

Second Round

31.		Team Unknown	Stanley Robinson, Connecticut Huskies, Senior (SF)
32.		Team Unknown	Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Senior (PF)
33.		Team Unknown	Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech Hokies, Junior (PG)
34.		Team Unknown	Tony Woods, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Junior (C)
35.		Team Unknown	Tyler Smith, Tennessee Volunteers, Senior (SG/SF)
36.		Team Unknown	Sherron Collins, Kansas Jayhawks, Senior (PG)
37.		Team Unknown	James Anderson, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Junior (SG)
38.		Team Unknown	Iman Shumpert, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Sophomore (PG)
39.		Team Unknown	Trevor Booker, Clemson Tigers, Senior (PF)
40.		Team Unknown	Dexter Pittman, Texas Longhorns, Senior (C)
41.		Team Unknown	AJ Ogilvy, Vanderbilt Commodores, Senior (C)
42.		Team Unknown	Jerome Dyson, Connecticut Huskies, Senior (PG/SG)
43.		Team Unknown	Kalin Lucas, Michigan State Spartans, Junior (PG)
44.		Team Unknown	Jan Vesely, Partizan Belgrade, EURO (C)
45.		Team Unknown	Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati Bearcats, Freshman (SG)
46.		Team Unknown	Alexey Shved, CSKA Moscow, EURO (SG)
47.		Team Unknown	Manny Harris, Michigan Wolverines, Junior (SG)
48.		Team Unknown	Rodrick Flemings, Hawaii Warriors, Senior (SF)
49.		Team Unknown	Marcus Ginyard, North Carolina Tar Heels, Senior (SG)
50.		Team Unknown	Raymar Morgan, Michigan State Spartans, Senior (SF)
51.		Team Unknown	Greivis Vasquez, Maryland Terrapins, Senior (SG)
52.		Team Unknown	Lazar Hayward, Marquette Golden Eagles, Senior (SF)
53.		Team Unknown	Dwayne Collins, Miami Hurricanes, Senior (SF)
54.		Team Unknown	JaJuan Johnson, Purdue Boilermakers, Junior (PF)
55.		Team Unknown	Vladimir Dasic, Buducnost Podgorica, EURO (SF)
56.		Team Unknown	Deon Thompson, North Carolina Tar Heels, Senior (PF)
57.		Team Unknown	Luke Harangody, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Senior (PF)
58.		Team Unknown	Tomas Satoransky, USK Prague, EURO (SG)
59		Team Unknown	Chris Singleton, Florida State Seminoles, Sophomore (SF)
60.		Team Unknown	DeShawn Sims, Michigan Wolverines, Senior (SF)