2012 NBA Draft Results: From Anthony Davis To Robert Sacre

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A Stupendous Superlative Supercut From The NBA Draft

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The Maloofs, Who Insist They Are Not Broke, Continue To Prove They Are Broke

The Maloofs tell everyone who asks that they are flush with assets, liquid enough to run an NBA team like the one that they own, the Sacramento Kings, and be competitive. This is despite the fact that the Kings have been at the salary floor -- that is, the lowest legal salary a team can carry as assigned by NBA rules -- for the past two seasons. This is despite the fact that the Maloofs tanked a historic funding deal for a new arena because they didn't want to take on additional debt, debt that the NBA was prepared to cover 10 percent of.

This is despite the fact that the Maloofs have in their employment one of the lowest-paid general managers, one of the thinnest basketball operations departments and one of the lowest-paid coaches in the entire league.

This is despite numerous offers from Very Wealthy Men to purchase the team and keep it in Sacramento.

On Thursday, the Kings, who have just 11 players under contract, sold pick No. 36 to the Pacers for cash. You know who sells picks for cash? Teams with too many players under contract and teams bumping up against the luxury tax line.

Oh, and teams whose owners are broke.

For more on the Kings, visit Sactown Royalty or SB Nation Bay Area.

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VIDEO: Air Force Veteran Bernard James Drafted By Mavericks, Hears U-S-A Chants

Bernard James, a 27-year-old prospect who played center at Florida State, was taken No. 33 by a pick sent to the Dallas Mavericks. He received a reaction from the crowd larger than just about everyone else, with the crowd at the Prudential Center chanting "U-S-A" at James. The reason: James is an Air Force veteran, having served three tours of duty in Iraq.

Here's the clip of the assembled fans paying respect.

Whether James ever plays a minute in the playoffs or gets an NBA start, his draft process was worth it to see the respect paid to our military veterans. Warm and fuzzies always win.

For more on the Mavericks, visit Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas.

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David Stern, And An NBA Draft Tradition Unlike Any Other

It always happens like this, and it's wonderful. David Stern gets booed mercilessly all night at the NBA Draft, then the crowd gives him one final sendoff before cheering wildly for Adam Silver. Stern enjoys it, and has been trolling all night, and Silver plays to the crowd.

The reactions are all just so wonderful. The crowd never stopped booing Stern, giving it to him each time he made his way on stage. And as the commissioner said his goodbyes, the crowd did the same.

There's even a fan in ref attire giving Stern a tech.

Moment later, Silver appeared from backstage to wild applause, yelling out "Good evening New Jersey!" It's just a fantastic tradition, you guys.

You've been excellent, New Jersey. Excellent in your own special way.

Follow our 2012 NBA Draft results StoryStream for live pick-by-pick coverage. See our NBA Draft rumors StoryStream for full coverage in the run-up.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Festus Ezeli Selected By Warriors With No. 30 Pick

With the No. 30 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors selected Festus Ezeli from Vanderbilt. That wraps up the first round. The Warriors had gained the pick from the San Antonio Spurs in the Richard Jefferson-Stephen Jackson trade.

Ezeli is a big man, which is what Golden State passed up in taking Harrison Barnes at No. 7 over Andre Drummond. Ezeli will replace Ekpe Udoh, traded to Milwaukee in March, and play behind Andrew Bogut, who has yet to suit up for the Warriors. The Warriors also have Andris Biedrins, David Lee and Jeremy Tyler up front.

Two Vanderbilt players were taken in the first round. John Jenkins went No. 23 to the Atlanta Hawks.

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For more on the Warriors, please visit Golden State Of Mind and SB Nation Bay Area.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Marquis Teague Selected By Bulls With No. 29 Pick

With the No. 29 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls selected Marquis Teague from Kentucky. He is the fourth Wildcat taken in the first round, following Anthony Davis (No. 1), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (No. 2) and Terrence Jones (No. 18).

Teague will serve as Derrick Rose insurance as the former MVP will miss time this season due to knee surgery. Teague, the brother of Hawks guard Jeff Teague, will slide in with C.J. Watson to cover the point guard spot, assuming the Bulls don't spend money to add a backcourt player to keep Rose's seat warm.

Teague won the national championship and, like Rose, played under John Calipari. Unlike Rose back in Memphis, Teague wasn't the featured scorer for Kentucky.

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For more on the Bulls, visit Blog-a-Bull and SB Nation Chicago.

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Rece Davis Fires Shots At Heat Fan

Gotta be honest: Rece Davis is doing an absolutely wonderful job at the NBA Draft. He's expertly keeping things on track on the ESPN set, and still has time to get a few jokes in.

I wholeheartedly endorse this #ShotsFired moment. It was wonderful.

The delivery, the insult, the wry smile ... it's all just wonderful. Well played.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Perry Jones III Selected By Thunder With No. 28 Pick

With the No. 28 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder selected Perry Jones III from Baylor, who had a stunning fall from lottery status.

Jones didn't have a great career at Baylor, despite the team's success; the common perception is that Perry's uncommon gifts were largely wasted. Luckily, that has never happened in the NBA. It's hard to pin a prospect's NBA potential on how good of a situation he lands in, but that seems all too true here: He needs to have the right coach and system to make his talent really sing. Even at the low end of his potential, he should be a useful NBA player, though. Anthony Randolph is still around, right?

Follow our 2012 NBA Draft results StoryStream for live pick-by-pick coverage. Check out our NBA Draft hub for analysis, draft grades, videos and more.

For more on the Thunder, visit Welcome To Loud City.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Arnett Moultrie Selected By Heat With No. 27 Pick, Will Be Traded To Sixers

With the No. 27 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Miami Heat selected Arnett Moultrie from Mississippi State. The Heat will reportedly send him to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Moultrie is an active, athletic big man who has some skills but doesn't figure to be a great defender, rebounder or bruiser at the NBA level. The Sixers will reportedly send Miami a future first-round pick and the No. 45 in this draft to take Moultrie, who slots in behind Elton Brand (who may be waived via amnesty), Spencer Hawes (who is a free agent) and Thaddeus Young (who is sorta kinda a small forward).

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For more on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more on the Sixers, please visit Liberty Ballers and SB Nation Philly.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Miles Plumlee Selected By Pacers With No. 26 Pick

With the No. 26 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Indiana Pacers selected Miles Plumlee from Duke.

Plumlee is a near 7-footer who anchored the middle for the Blue Devils for (most of) four years. He figures to contribute primarily on defense in the NBA and he'll back up Roy Hibbert, Indiana's All-Star center. That's a strong position for a player like Plumlee to come into.

Also of note: he'll play alongside Tyler Hansbrough, former North Carolina star. Hibbert, a Georgetown product, may need to mediate.

Plumlee is the second Duke player taken in 2012. Austin Rivers was the No. 10 pick. He'll play for the New Orleans Hornets. Plumlee's brother, Mason, also of Duke, is expected to be a first-round pick next year.

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For more on the Pacers, visit Indy Cornrows.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Tony Wroten Selected By Grizzlies With No. 25 Pick

With the No. 25 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies selected Tony Wroten from Washington. Wroten is the second Husky to go in the first round as the Raptors picked up Terrence Ross at No. 8.

Wroten is a promising combo guard who came into college as one of the most touted prospects in the country. He figures to at least audition at back-up point guard by Mike Conley at point guard, and could make O.J. Mayo, a restricted free agent, expendable. That said, he's young and could need time to get up to speed. (He has no problem actually playing with speed.)

Memphis was rumored to be interested in John Jenkins, who went No. 23 to Atlanta.

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For more on the Grizzlies, please visit Straight Outta Vancouver.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: John Jenkins Selected By Hawks With No. 23 Pick

With the No. 23 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks selected John Jenkins from Vanderbilt.

Jenkins is one of the most prolific shooters in the draft, a two-guard with range galore and two years of top-notch scoring at Vandy. He'd been rumored to be a target of the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 25, who are now expected to take a look at Washington guard Tony Wroten.

Jenkins' teammate Festus Ezeli is also expected to be in play in the first round, possibly to the Miami Heat at No. 27. The Hawks have a need behind Joe Johnson and Jeff Teague at guard, and Jenkins could receive plenty of playing time early. This is the first move from new Hawks GM Danny Ferry.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Fab Melo Selected By Celtics With No. 22 Pick

With the No. 22 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected Fab Melo from Syracuse.

Another of the rare 7-footers in the 2012 class, Melo was a part of Syracuse's impenetrable defense this season. Unfortunately for NBA scouts and analysts, picking out the great defenders in Jim Boeheim's zone is pretty much impossible. I mean, Donte Greene, Jonny Flynn and Wes Johnson were all drafted in part for their defensive potential. Welp. Melo, the center, is a bit easier to read thanks to very good size and athleticism. The question at the next level will be whether he can crack the fine art of rim-protecting; JaVale McGee has proven that size, athleticism and a will to swat at everything in sight isn't always a winning formula.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Jared Sullinger Selected By Celtics With No. 21 Pick

With the No. 21 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected Jared Sullinger from Ohio State.

Sullinger would almost assuredly have been a top-5 pick in 2011, and perhaps the No. 1 pick overall. But he remained in school to take another shot at it with Ohio State. This class is much more stacked, pushing Sullinger down a bit. Reports of a back condition didn't help either. But Sullinger has a proven record as a scorer and rebounder in Columbus, and looks to prove he deserved to go higher. He averaged 17 points and 9 rebounds per game last season, shooting a great 52 percent from the floor. He's a natural if undersized power forward who has shown a decent stroke from the perimeter. Adding a reliable jumper from 18 feet would boost Sullinger's potential quite a bit.

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For more on the Celtics, visit CelticsBlog and SB Nation Boston.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Evan Fournier Selected By Nuggets With No. 20 Pick

With the No. 20 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets selected Evan Fournier from France.

Fournier is the top-rated international player in the draft, and is widely predicted to be the only foreign prospect taken in the first round. That's a low number as the crops have been picked quite clean over the last couple of years; teams are also taking advantage of salary rules to focus on picking up foreign players in the second round to offer some salary leeway to address often hefty European buy-outs. Fournier is one of the bigger two-guard prospects in the draft, and that helps plenty. Unfortunately, his wingspan isn't great (could be a problem defensively) and he needs to prove he can hit the three in game situations. He reportedly sunk a bevy of them in a workout for teams visiting EuroCamp in June, but shot below 30 percent in the French League last season.

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For more on the Nuggets, visit Denver Stiffs and SB Nation Denver.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Andrew Nicholson Selected By Magic With No. 19 Pick

With the No. 19 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic selected Andrew Nicholson from St. Bonaventure.

Nicholson is a power forward with good offensive skills and good length despite a 6'9 frame. Like every power forward in recent Magic history, he can shoot. As Ryan Anderson is a restricted free agent, Nicholson could be a back-up plan or an understudy. There's also a lack of clarity on what new Orlando GM Rob Hennigan will do about the whole Dwight Howard clusterfluff. Nicholson certainly doesn't play center, but could be valued well by other teams in any sort of swap to build up the Magic's ranks.

Nicholson is the first foreign-born player drafted this year. He is from Canada.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Terrence Jones Selected By Rockets With No. 18 Pick

With the No. 18 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets selected Terrence Jones from Kentucky.

Jones was the old man at Kentucky ... as a sophomore. He arrived in Lexington with Brandon Knight (a lottery pick in 2011) and left with Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and a national championship. He subjugated his own game for the team, but still offered up tremendous defense and timely offense. He's comparable to Earl Clark and the Morris twins. If he can extend his jumper out to the three-point line, morphing into an Al Harrington type could be in the cards. But as was the case in '12, his calling card early in his career will need to be defense.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Tyler Zeller Selected By Mavericks With No. 17 Pick, May Be Traded To Cavaliers

With the No. 17 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks selected Tyler Zeller from North Carolina. He will reportedly be traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Zeller, one of four Tar Heels in the first round, is considered a solid prospect at center who won't challenge for All-Star teams but could become a solid NBA starter. He's quite a good offensive rebounder, but will need to shore up his body to perform on the defensive glass. He's also not much of shotblocker, so his defensive impact will be determined by footwork, strength and smarts. On offense, he claims to have a shooting stroke and ball-handling skills, but he'll have to prove it against better competition in the coming years. Until he does, his size could help keep smallball opponents honest on offense; even without filling out, he should be able to back up many NBA power forwards.

Chad Ford of ESPN reports that Cleveland will send multiple picks to the Mavericks for Zeller.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Royce White Selected By Rockets With No. 16 Pick

With the No. 16 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets selected Royce White from Iowa State.

White is a banger who has been popular with draft experts and scouts, but an inability to work out individually for teams due to anxiety flying threatened to drop him. But he didn't fall too far. The Rockets acquired this pick in a 2010 trade from the New York Knicks.

The Rockets picked up UConn guard Jeremy Lamb at No. 12 and also own the No. 18 pick. They do not have a center on the roster, leading many to believe that North Carolina center Tyler Zeller would have been the choice at No. 16.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Maurice Harkless Selected By Sixers With No. 15 Pick

With the No. 15 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Maurice Harkless from St. John's.

Harkless is a small forward prospect, but he played center last season at St. John's due to size deficiencies for the Red Storm. He drew raves as a scorer despite his lack of a jump shot. He's also got the size and physicality to become a strong NBA defender, provided he maintains his good lateral quickness (a key in guarding the modern NBA small forward). As with so many players of similar ilk, his ability to stretch his range out to the three-point line will be critical to his offensive success. It worked for Kawhi Leonard in San Antonio.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: John Henson Selected By Bucks With No. 14 Pick

With the No. 14 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks selected John Henson from North Carolina.

Henson is a lanky forward/center whose specialty is defense; he's more or less a poor man's Anthony Davis. One of the major questions about Henson is whether he'll ever be able to put on legit weight. He's quite thin and has developed physically in only limited ways at North Carolina. His primary strengths are on the defensive end, where he can block shots and rebound well. He could be a longer Ekpe Udoh in the end, which would be a boon (if you're a member of the Udoh plus-minus army, which ... why wouldn't you be?). On offense, he averaged 13 points per game at UNC last year, but isn't expected to be a whole lot more than a garbage man coming into the league. Developing a strong pick-and-roll relationship with his point guard could pay huge dividends down the line.

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For more on the Bucks, visit BrewHoop.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Kendall Marshall Selected By Suns With No. 13 Pick

With the No. 13 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns selected Kendall Marshall from North Carolina.

Marshall was the engine for North Carolina; the Tar Heels went off the rails when an injury knocked the point guard out of commission in the NCAA Tournament. A supreme distributor, Marshall has spent the pre-draft season convincing teams he can shoot and score, too; he was so reluctant a shooter in Chapel Hill that he averaged fewer than 10 points per game despite running the offense constantly. He's like the opposite of a Jeremy Lin: Marshall is a passer who dabbles in scoring. In the NBA, Brevin Knights are few and far between, but Lins last forever. Marshall hopes to follow the mold of Ricky Rubio and break that trope.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Jeremy Lamb Selected By Rockets With No. 12 Pick

With the No. 12 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets selected Jeremy Lamb from UConn.

Lamb, who took over for Kemba Walker as leading scorer at UConn, is a two-guard with decent size, scoring instinct and athleticism. The key to his NBA potential is a consistent effort, shoring up a shaky but not terrible shooting stroke and being an active defender. He has the quickness and length to stay in front of most NBA shooting guards, but so do plenty of other prospects who, unfortunately, can't put it all in place in the pros. An ankle injury early in workout season hampered Lamb's ability to get in front of more teams.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Meyers Leonard Selected By Blazers With No. 11 Pick

With the No. 11 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Meyers Leonard from Illinois.

Leonard is one of the top-rated centers and one of the few 7-footers in the 2012 class. Despite Leonard's size, rebounding is a concern: He averaged 8 per game in about 31 minutes. He doesn't have near the skill level of a Chris Kaman, but he's still young (20, having spent just two years at Illinois), so that could develop. Depending on how his body develops -- he appears to have the frame to take on more weight -- he could end up as a bigger Jason Thompson, which wouldn't be bad at all.

The Blazers took point guard Damian Lillard with the No. 6 pick.

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For more on the Blazers, visit Blazers Edge.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Austin Rivers Selected By Hornets With No. 10 Pick

With the No. 10 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Hornets selected Austin Rivers from Duke.

Rivers, the son of Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, spent just one season at Duke. It didn't go particularly well for anyone: Rivers' stock dropped based on easy-to-see holes in his game, Duke couldn't really put together momentum during the season as Rivers looked like too much of a gunner and all the effort spent recruiting him went to relative waste. In the pros, Rivers should be better. He has a pro-style game, which is usually the opposite of what works in Durham. One concern is his poor free throw shooting (65 percent); guards who can't hit their free throws rarely have consistent jumpers (See: Rajon Rondo).

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For more on the Hornets, please visit At The Hive.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Andre Drummond Selected By Pistons With No. 9 Pick

With the No. 9 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons selected Andre Drummond from UConn.

Drummond is widely considered the biggest risk in the 2012 class. He has the combination of size and athleticism that scouts covet, but his skills leave so much to be desired, and he's so bad shooting free throws (29 percent at UConn), that you wonder if he'll ever be anything more than a very large body. The DeAndre Jordan comparisons are apt, though Drummond is much more exciting based on his potential; his footwork isn't completely horrible, and he has shown some ability to score outside of lobs and offensive rebounds (which constitute Jordan's limits). The key for Drummond could very well be how he's coached at the NBA level. We've seen countless big men fade out of memory because of a lack of development, which is partly on the franchise that picks them.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Terrence Ross Selected By Raptors With No. 8 Pick

With the No. 8 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors selected Terrence Ross from Washington.

Ross is a promising wing prospect from the University of Washington, where he spent two seasons playing under Lorenzo Romar. He earned one of the coveted green room invites to the draft, which pushed him up the boards a bit coming into the derby. He's a versatile player best suited for small forward, though he's better at taking (and making) jumpers from the perimeter than putting his head down and driving to the rim. Last season, he attempted 5.5 three-pointers per game but only 2.7 free throws. Depending on how he's used in the pros, that could be a downward press on his shooting efficiency numbers.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Harrison Barnes Selected By Warriors With No. 7 Pick

With the No. 7 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors selected Harrison Barnes from North Carolina.

Barnes was a top recruit for North Carolina in 2010, and while he never quite reached the heights that those incredible expectations set, he had a pretty strong two years at Chapel Hill. He's considered one of the best small forward shooters to enter the draft in a couple of years; the comparisons are typically Kevin Durant and Rudy Gay. Unfortunately, Barnes isn't anything close to the dribbler/driver that those guys were even in college. Barnes can take defenders on a ride to the rim, but doesn't do so with particular conviction and is much, much more comfortable spotting up and letting it fly. In that sense, maybe a young Peja Stojakovic -- provided Barnes's range improves in the NBA -- is the right comparison.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Damian Lillard Selected By Blazers With No. 6 Pick

With the No. 6 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Damian Lillard from Weber State.

Lillard is the 2012 class's top point guard, despite playing in the Big Sky for Weber State (the last combo guard to go from the Big Sky to the first round: Rodney Stuckey). Coming out of Oakland, where they breed Hall of Fame point guards (Jason Kidd, Gary Payton), Lillard is styled after the modern scorer-distributors like Deron Williams. Adjusting to the faster, longer NBA defenders will be the biggest challenge he'll face, but the same can be said for most prospects. As an older draft pick, he'll likely be ready to contribute from Day 1, though.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Dion Waiters Selected By Cavaliers With No. 4 Pick

With the No. 4 pick in the 2012 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Dion Waiters from Syracuse.

Waiters quickly rose up the charts as the draft season began, and a reported promise from a lottery team after Day 1 of the Chicago combine was the most important topic that followed the Orange guard through June. Waiters is an efficient scorer, but really triumphed in transition (which may be harder to come by in the NBA). He's also not a distributor and stands at 6-foot-4, so he'll be limited to shooting guard exclusively. If his offense is good enough to get him a featured role, he could be a steals leader down the road; his ball-hawking instincts are tremendous, though it's always hard to tell what's real when it comes to Syracuse's defense.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Bradley Beal Selected By Wizards With No. 3 Pick

With the No. 3 pick in the 2012 NBA draft, the Washington Wizards selected Bradley Beal from Florida.

Beal is the top-rated shooting guard in the class, one of just a few slotted for the lottery and one of only a handful scheduled for the first round. He struggled as a shooter during the regular season for Florida, but came around during the tournament, putting together a fantastic run that showed why he was so heavily recruited. He has a more traditional two-guard body type than, say, Eric Gordon, but fits the same general mold -- an athletic slasher with a clean stroke and high, high potential for offensive damage. Two-guards tend to be brought on slowly in the NBA, as it takes time to figure out spots offensively and how to deal with faster, longer, smarter defenders. But he should be an impact player as a rookie.

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2012 NBA Draft Results: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Selected By Bobcats With No. 2 Pick

With the No. 2 pick in the 2012 NBA draft, the Charlotte Bobcats selected Michael Kidd-Gilchrist from Kentucky.

Kidd-Gilchrist was the No. 2 star on Kentucky's championship squad, behind No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis. Like Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist's draw comes from his intense work ethic, high-character personality and defensive prowess. But MKG lacks offensive polish, a crime for NBA small forwards. To truly excel at the pro level, he'll need either improved dribble-drive skills or a reliable jumper. Because he's so athletic and burns so hot, he can get by on physical gifts, tenacity and smarts to a certain level. But stardom will demand more, and small forwards in the NBA need to score. In what flavor(s) that scoring comes is mostly irrelevant; Danny Granger, Carmelo Anthony and Gerald Wallace show disparate paths, and all three have been All-Stars. MKG just needs to find his path on offense.

Follow our 2012 NBA draft results StoryStream for live pick-by-pick coverage. Check out our NBA draft hub for analysis, draft grades, videos and more. For more on the Bobcats, please visit Rufus On Fire.

• 12 months ago
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David Stern Gets Booed, Trolls So Hard

You knew David Stern was going to get booed. David Stern knew he was going to get booed. So, of course, he just rolled with it and trolled so hard along the way.

As Stern walked to the podium, the boos rang out. But instead of letting the boos pass, Stern immediately thanked everyone for their warm welcome. And the trolling continued.

The ear cup was a nice touch from Stern. As was adding in a quick bit about the Heat, which set the crowd off again.

Say one thing for Stern: He just doesn't care at all.

Follow our 2012 NBA draft results StoryStream for live pick-by-pick coverage. See our NBA draft rumors StoryStream for full coverage.

• 12 months ago
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2012 NBA Draft Results: Anthony Davis Selected By Hornets With No. 1 Pick

With the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA draft, the New Orleans Hornets selected Anthony Davis from Kentucky.

Davis was the best player in college basketball this season and has been the unquestioned favorite to become the No. 1 pick for several months. A superlative defender with surprising offensive ability, the big man will allow coach Monty Williams to lean on his versatility while providing the stability all young franchises need. Davis is the surest bet since, well, Greg Oden and Kevin Durant in 2007. (There is no such thing as a "sure thing.") Barring catastrophe, he'll be in the All-Star discussion before his rookie deal ends, and is the overwhelming favorite to be the best player from this draft class years down the road, even if dice-rolls like Andre Drummond pay out.

Follow our 2012 NBA draft results StoryStream for live pick-by-pick coverage. Check out our NBA draft hub for analysis, draft grades, videos and more. For more on the Hornets, please visit At The Hive.

• 12 months ago
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Andy Katz Starts The Draft Off The Right Way

It's tricky to get out "bulging disk" when talking about back problems. And when the tongue gets tied up, a phrase like "bulging disk" can come out wrong live on national television.

I'm so sorry, Andy Katz.

Yes, that's bulging dicks. It's an unfortunate, but hilarious, slip of the tongue. It's draft time, y'all.

Related: Never forget!

• 12 months ago
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Craig Sager's Suit Is Blinding Jeremy Lamb

Doesn't look like Jeremy Lamb is feeling it. He might need some shades.

via Dan Rubenstein

Nice to see Sager sticking with the spring line, despite summer being in full swing.

• 12 months ago
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Terrence Ross' Green Bow Tie Is Tonight's Early Winner

NEWARK -- We have an early winner for most ridiculous suit at the 2012 NBA draft. While it doesn't approach some of the weird attire choices of years past, Terrence Ross' green bow tie is definitely a little out of place.

Ross played college ball at Washington and is projected to go late in the lottery. The Milwaukee Bucks have the 14th pick and have green uniforms. Foreshadowing!

• 12 months ago
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Can You Have An NBA Draft Without Players?