The NBA Draft is almost exactly two weeks away from tonight and things are shaking up quite a bit. Players' stocks have risen and fallen dramatically in the past month with their workouts being observed around the league. There are a few players who i have as sleepers, sure shots and overrated:
Sleepers: Earl Clark- To me this guy has the potential to be a star. He's a legit 6'9/6'10 and has great skill. He's a great passer for a big man and has solid scoring ability.
Eric Maynor- Because this draft is PG heavy it is easy to overlook certain players. Eric Maynor may be the most seasoned and NBA ready point in the draft along with Ty Lawson. I think Maynor could be an immediate contributer for any team. I see Milwaukee as a great fit for him. He has the great mix of scoring and passing.
Chase Budinger- This guy had great buzz coming out of high school but didn't exactly turn into a superstar at Arizona. With that said, he still was a good scorer and has great offensive skill; he can handle, great athleticism and has consistent NBA range. I believe that if he could land in New Orleans he will be a solid starter for many years with a point guard like Chris Paul running the show.
Sure Shots: Brandon Jennings- I believe that this guy will be a star in a couple seasons. He has all the tools; he's athletic, a great passer and can score with anyone. A lot of controversy followed him because he opted to skip college to go play overseas. I think this helped him a lot. He should be an even better PG because of that move.
James Harden- This guy just has what it takes, from physical attributes to basketball IQ. Some had doubts about him because of his poor performance in the tourny this past season. I think he has star quality. He'll definitely be a starter for the majority of his career. If he lands in Oklahoma City I think this team will have a promising future ahead of them with players such as Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green and soon-to-be superstar Kevin Durant.
Stephen Curry- I'm not sure what else i could possibly say about the guy, he's a flat out star. Fans love him, he can shoot the lights out and will be an instant offensive weapon. This guy has superstar quality.
Overrated: Jrue Holiday- It's still a mystery for me as to why this kid left UCLA. I see no outstanding abilities from him except his freakishly long arms. On some mock drafts he is a lottery pick. His hype must be solely off of potential. He should definitely go back to school; with Darren Collison gone UCLA would be his team.
BJ Mullens- This is another freshman that needs to unpack his bags back to school. Just because he is 7' Mullens will be drafted in the first round, but he shouldn't be. He wasn't a factor at Ohio St. so it's very unlikely that he'll be one in the league.
Ricky Rubio- I believe that this Rubio kid is good but I'm not sure how good he really is. I don't believe his talent is enough to make him a lock to go top 5. I'm almost sure that the next 5 point guards projected to go after him would give him a fit on the court. I saw him play in the Olympics and he reminds me of a young Steve Nash; he's not very athletic but he is very crafty and knows how to use the ability he has very well. He's also a great passer. I don't doubt that he is good but is he great like many say he is? Only time will tell.
Reports have been circulating around the NBA that Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu has basically closed the door on returning to Orlando. Hedo was the key to Orlando's success the past two seasons, leading them to the Finals this year. I'm sure that Orlando's recent trade for Vince Carter has a lot to do with his decision. The two teams reportedly closest to getting Turkoglu are Portland and Toronto. Both seem to be a good fit for him but I think he should choose Portland; they have a great young nucleus and would be an automatic contender with Hedo in the lineup. Toronto would be shaky because Chris Bosh will most likely be gone after next season, leaving Turkoglu on his own. It will be interesting to see where he goes.
