2009 NBA Draft Prospectus

The following projections represent not who the NBA teams will likely pick but, rather, who they should select. Draft order is based on NBA records as of Jan 16. This exercise assumes all players are eligible to be drafted, regardless of intent to enter the draft.

1 Thunder: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Soph 6-10 240 PF
The Oklahoma City native is a perfect fit for the newly-minted Thunder. An explosive, crowd-pleasing big man who is a beast on the glass and plays physical defense, Griffin has an NBA body and possesses elite athleticism. His post presence would open things up for superstar-in-the-making Kevin Durant.

2 Wizards: James Harden, Arizona State
Soph 6-4 220 OG
Harden possesses an extremely mature offensive repertoire. Reminds me of a more powerful but not as smooth Brandon Roy. Plays longer than his height suggests. Would be an excellent fit with the Wizards regardless of what they do with Gilbert Arenas.

3 Clippers: Ricky Rubio, International
N/A 6-3 180 PG
Chris Paul sings his praises, and that's just about good enough for me. Has excelled playing against more mature European players for years. Would give the Clippers a marquee attraction and help the fanbase move past the heartbreak of Shaun Livingston's unfulfilled potential. Plus, a backcourt of Rubio and Gordon looks quite nice moving forward. The Baron Davis experiment has been a failure thus far, and, while B-Diddy may find success elsewhere, there's no point in delaying the parties' inevitable separation.

4 Kings: Jeff Teague, Wake Forest
Soph 6-2 175 PG
An absolute competitor. Equally adept at driving to the hoop and scoring from long-range. Reminds me of Gilbert Arenas and not just because he wears number zero in Agent Zero's honor. Beno Udrih's not going to cut it as a starting point guard in the Association, and Teague's the type of player that raises the level of play of those around him.

5 Warriors: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
Sr 6-8 245 PF
Surprised? While his vertical might be lacking, Pyscho T runs the floor well, is extremely strong, and has better lateral quickness than he gets credit for. Plus, if you haven't noticed, he has quite the motor. The all-time leading scorer in Tar Heels history may not be an All-Star caliber talent, but he's going to be effective. As Nellie-ball is more often than not small ball, Hansbrough would be an interesting fit in the Golden State system.

6 Grizzlies: Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest
Fr 6-8 210 SF
Long-armed and uber-talented, Aminu also has an extremely high basketball I.Q. and a natural feel for the game. There's some Lamar Odom to Aminu's game.

7 Timberwolves: Greg Monroe, Georgetown
Fr 6-10 230 PF
Like Aminu, there is a preternatural ease to Monroe's game. And while Monroe isn't as athletic as Aminu, he's bigger and even more cerebral. One would be hard-pressed to find a post player more adept at handling the rock and finding the open man. Would provide Minnesota with a nice alternative to their present behemoths of the post, Al Jefferson and Kevin Love.

8 Pacers: Jordan Hill, Arizona
Jr 6-9 235 PF
Hill's game is still developing, but scout's can't deny his potential. A long athlete, who's not afraid to bang, Hill is a rotation post player at worst.

9 Bobcats: Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
Jr 7-3 260 C
Should be higher but has a tendency to dominate against the weak and disappear against the talented. Still, his shot-blocking abilities warrant a Top 10 pick. At times, Thabeet looks very quick to the hoop but has yet to exhibit any semblance of consistency on the offensive end of the floor. With Thabeet and Okafor patrolling the paint, the lane would be a perilous place to venture for Charlotte opponents.

10 Raptors: Tyreke Evans, Memphis
Fr 6-6 220 OG
Yes, Evans has shot selection issues, and he can come across as a gunner. Still, despite his detractors, it is difficult to deny his ability to impose his will on the game. A top-shelf athlete who is quick with the ball in his hands, Evans would add much needed athleticism to a Raptors club full of shooters.

11 Knicks: Chase Budinger, Arizona
Jr 6-7 220 SF
After the Gallinari disaster, New York fans may not be thrilled with the selection of another white small forward -- particularly one who doesn't play defense and doesn't seem to be able to will his team to victory. But Budinger can score buckets in bunches (in a variety of ways), and it's this talent that will allow him to thrive in D'Antoni's Seven Seconds or Less system.

12 Bulls: Damion James, Texas
Jr 6-7 225 SF
The rugged small forward would be a nice fit on any team. Solid but not spectacular in every facet of the game. There are much flashier players but not many that are as effective or as versatile.

13 Bucks: Patrick Patterson, Kentucky
Soph 6-8 235 PF
Speaking of rugged, Patterson is that rare post player who is gifted athletically (though 2PAT is not a top-tier athlete) and yet has a blue-collar approach to the game. Patterson in Milwaukee just makes sense. At worst, a rotation post-player but potentially an excellent fit on a small-forward heavy and soft Bucks team.

14 Mavericks: DaJuan Summers, Georgetown
Jr 6-8 225 SF
An adequate defender and rebounder, Summers really excels on the offensive end of the floor as a versatile scorer. Coming out of the Hoyas' Princeton offense, it's difficult to predict what Summers' ultimate output will be. Still, the guy's a winner, and his presence would allow Dallas to move Josh Howard.

15 76ers: Stephen Curry, Davidson
Jr 6-3 180 PG
Not entirely sure Curry is a sure-thing at the next level, but the kid keeps proving his detractors wrong. Quick release and extreme range will minimize the ability of defenders to take advantage of his small stature. Would be a nice fit with a Sixers team in need of outside shooting.

16 Nets: Derrick Brown, Xavier
Jr 6-8 225 SF
Extremely athletic and talented small forward with room for growth. Yet another in a long line of underrated Xavier forwards (Tyrone Hill, Aaron Williams, Brian Grant, James Posey, David West). The only knock on Brown is a question concerning his focus.

17 Timberwolves: Patrick Mills, St. Mary's
Soph 5-11 180 PG
If you haven't seen Mills play, you're missing out. Shades of Tony Parker. Waterbug quick and great at scoring in the paint despite his lack of size. Has proven himself on the international level playing for the Australian national team so it's not as if Mills has just been beating up on WCC foes.

18 Jazz: Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech
Soph 6-9 235 PF
Long and active big man cleans the glass and has a developing post game. With the impending departure of Carlos Boozer, Lawal would be a nice fit as Paul Milsap's backup.

19 Pistons: Willie Warren, Oklahoma
Fr 6-4 210 PG
A physically imposing guard, Warren already has a polished game. Still, if Warren learns to use his body in a Deron Williams-type fashion, the sky is the limit. Joe Dumars likes big combo guards who know how to win, and Warren fits the bill.

20 Kings: Dionte Christmas, Temple
Sr 6-5 190 OG
Christmas reminds of a less athletic, less versatile Paul Pierce. However, he's a better shooter at this point in his career than Pierce was. Like Pierce, Christmas has mastered the jab step, the most underrated tool in the scorer's bag of tricks. The Kings could use a true power forward here, but there aren't any available that warrant this high a pick.

21 Hawks: Lester Hudson, Tennessee-Martin
Sr 6-2 190 PG
The 24-year old point guard knows how to fill up a stat sheet (only member of the D-I quadruple double club, although the feat occurred against a non-D-I opponent). An excellent rebounder and defender, Hudson needs to work on his decision-making. That being said, he's a scorer and plays longer than his measurements suggest. The Hawks need a true point guard (since Mike Bibby stopped playing the point during about his fourth NBA season), and Hudson would be a nice pickup.

22 Suns: Jodie Meeks, Kentucky
Jr 6-4 210 OG
A pure scorer, Meeks has incredible range and a natural stroke. While he's a little short-limbed for a two guard at the next level and lacks the lateral quickness needed to be a superior defender, Meeks has more athleticism than your average pure shooter, has a NBA-ready build, and is fast with the ball in his hands. Would probably be even more effective in D'Antoni's frenetic system as a sort of Quentin Richardson-type three-point specialist but would also provide a boost to Terry Porter's sometimes stagnant halfcourt set.

23 Trailblazers: Ty Lawson, North Carolina
Jr 6-0 195 PG
Will be interesting to see how Lawson adjusts outside of the Tar Heels secondary break pace. However, Lawson is used to facilitating a talented cast on the offensive end. He's virtually impossible to turn over and rarely makes poor decisions. An improved outside shot and excellent speed/quickness means he will be effective on the offensive end. Real question is his ability to guard larger guards (witness Jeff Teague's manhandling of Lawson this season).

24 Hornets: Gerald Henderson, Duke
Jr 6-4 210 OG
Top-level athlete that hasn't really clicked in the Duke system. That being said, he's had a really nice collegiate career, plays excellent defense, rebounds well, and is a solid passer. The NBA game will allow him to take advantage of his athleticism in one-on-one situations. Hornets have lacked athleticism at the two since the dawn of time, so Henderson is a nice fit. May never be anything more than a rotation player, but I think Henderson has upside.

25 Thunder: Tyler Smith, Tennessee
Jr 6-7 220 SF
See entry for Damion James.

26 Thunder: B.J. Mullens, Ohio State
Fr 7-0 275 C
Years away from being able to contribute in the Association (which means that historically he's exactly what the Supersonics/Thunder is/are looking for). Possibly even another year or two away from being a solid college player. Still, it's hard to ignore a 7-footer with athleticism and coordination. If the Thunder take Blake Griffin with the first pick and Tyler Smith at 25, they can reach with Mullens here.

27 Timberwolves: Jrue Holiday, UCLA
Fr 6-3 205 PG
Holiday should stay in school for another year, but, if he comes out, he'd be a nice pickup at this point in the draft. Has a nice feel to his game and plays longer than his measurements. Appears to have potential to be a lockdown defender. Just a matter of time before Holiday is able to contribute at the next level.

28 Magic: Brandon Jennings, International
N/A 6-1 170 PG
Jennings doesn't appear to have exactly wowed the European scene. However, the bouncy Jennings has excellent playmaking skills and is committed to being a pass-first point guard. The Magic have lingering doubts as to whether Jameer Nelson is the long-term answer at the point, so they'd love to see Jennings this late in the draft.

29 Cavaliers: Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
Jr 6-7 245 PF
Like Hansbrough, Harangody gets no respect from scouts. While he may not be a star at the next level, Harangody has great skills, plays hard, and has underrated athleticism. Lacking an impressive vertical, Harangody is a bowling ball in the paint and possesses a decent long-range game. Would be a nice fit with a Cavs team that always has a second power forward on the floor in Lebron James. Possible that Harangody will end up playing some three in the Association.

30 Lakers: DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh
Soph 6-6 280 PF
A monster on the boards with a developing face-up game. One of those guys who is going to add wins to your team. Barkley-like without the bounce. Much like Jason Maxiell, his wingspan means he plays longer than 6-6.