NBA Mock Draft: Version C-L-E-M-E-N-T 2.0

Tweet tweet. Pay's most recent 2-round mock is HERE. I plan on having my final mock tonight or early tomorrow. Tweet tweet.

I love when big deals go down in the middle of my mock. Shaq to join Bron Bron.

I could predict trade after trade…but I won’t.

I could tell you how Minnesota won’t take four 1^st-round picks…but I won’t.

I could tell you that I did hours upon hours of research…but I won’t.

I could tell you I’m playing favorites for Flynn and Maynor (my boys)…but I won’t.

What I will do is give you a gutshot-straight interpretation, aka mock draft, of the first round of tomorrow night’s draft.

Enjoy…

Sorry Kwame, but you only get to go #1 once.
Credit: SportsFriendChronicles.com

1. LA Clippers - Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma

It’s all but 100% right now. I know Pay may kill me for this, but I wonder if this guy is going to be a star (no less superstar) in the NBA. His raw athleticism and out-of-the-gym hops will be limited until he develops a respectable jump shot or back to the basket game. I see this guy potentially shooting 95% inside 5 feet and 25% outside of it.

2. Memphis - Hasheem Thabeet, C, UConn

If I were allowed to play “virtual GM”, I’d probably predict that Rubio goes here and is dealt to another team (likely Minnesota). In the end, Thabeet’s size and shotblocking ability are sorely needed in Memphis and won’t be passed up.

3. Oklahoma City - James Harden, SG, Arizona State
Rubio here is enticing, but Westbrook works well with Durant and seems a solid fit that doesn’t need to gel alongside another point guard in the starting lineup. Harden is as unselfish a shoot-first guard can be. He’ll fit in nicely alongside this team’s young nucleus.

4. Sacramento – Tyreke Evans, PG/SG, Memphis
He’ll eeek out Rubio as the 19-year old coveted by SacTown. Selling tickets for a season or two is one thing, the potential this kid (Evans) has is another. He is committed, even at a young age, to playing tough on both sides of the ball. Good luck finding that at any age on the basketball court.

5. Minnesota – Ricky Rubio, PG, DKV Joventut
Just take the best two guys available. Of course, it’s highly unlikely Minnesota makes four 1^st-round selections, but I’ll go with it. Rubio should be lucky to be playing alongside an unselfish, skilled big like Kevin Love. Not to mention the force in the paint that has become Al Jefferson (who the Timberwolves would be quite foolish to trade).

Stephen Curry would do quite well if his career ended up like his father's, Dell.
Credit: Blox.pl

6. Minnesota – Stephen Curry, PG/SG, Davidson
Both the Warriors and Knicks would like to move up for Curry, but either won’t (Warriors) or can’t (Knicks) pay the steep price. Curry would do well in a smaller market and could eventually blossom into a lights-out shooter from all over the court.

7. Golden State – Jrue Holliday, PG/SG, UCLA
Combo him with Monta Ellis, especially with Jamal Crawford potentially on the way out, and allow Holliday’s game time to grow. He’ll fit in well on a roster that already has several guys of that ilk. With that being said, this pick might be the equivalent of the Raiders at 7 in the NFL Draft. Outside of (maybe) Curry, this team is my biggest unknown.

At least D'Antoni knows the kid can play 40+ minutes a night.
Credit: Syracuse.com

8. New York – Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse
No Curry, Evans, or even Thabeet has to make the Knicks cringe, but should be expected. Fortunately, there point guard for the future is found. Flynn likes the bright lights, has stamina galore for the offense he’d be walking into, and doesn’t mind putting up double digit assists before double digit points.

9. Toronto – Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona
I’ve had this for nearly a month. Bosh is going to end up being potentially the biggest free agent of 2010. Why? LeBron and Wade are re-signing and I still firmly believe Amare will be signed and traded at some point before next season’s trade deadline. Toronto can invest in Hill’s emerging talent, as a likely replacement for Mr. Bosh.

10. Milwaukee – Demar Derozan, SG/SF, UCLA
With the Richard Jefferson experiment over, Milwaukee has to decide what its point guard (particularly Ramon Sessions) situation looks like. While Holliday would be nice, Derozan offers versatility and – give or take 2-3 years – a lot of what they had to have seen in Jefferson.

11. New Jersey – Gerald Henderson, SG, Duke
I scratched my head a little about this after I typed it, but decided that Henderson – who won’t go #8 to the Knicks – is tough, physical, and the type of attack the basket player that will soon be in the lineup next to Devin Harris.

12. Charlotte – Tyler Hansbrough, PF, North Carolina
Doesn’t this sound like an MJ pick? Unlike the questionable Sean May selection, Hansbrough is tough enough for the NBA game and would bring heart and hustle to a team that lacks any star credibility whatsoever. Funny how he worked his way into the lottery. Doesn’t surprise me one bit. Pay, please never post that picture again though.

13. Indiana – Brandon Jennings, PG, Lottomatica Roma
TJ Ford must hate all the love for the point guard position in most mock drafts for the Pacers. Jennings is a little too raw right now; however, he can be given plenty of time to develop. I still have a feeling this guy isn’t the next Sebastian Telfair.

This kid impresses me more and more daily. He might be the gem of this draft class. Seriously.
Credit: Wordpress.com

14. Phoenix – Ty Lawson, PG, North Carolina
What Phoenix does with Amare over the next 12 months, or even 12 days (hours?), is going to dictate the future of this franchise potentially for the next 5-10 years. While Steve Nash isn’t likely to be let go, the Suns need backcourt depth and Lawson is as about as good as it gets. His defense is underrated and he will adjust to the half court much better than most critics are willing to accept.

15. Detroit – BJ Mullens, C, Ohio State
I’ll drink the Kool-Aid on the “guarantee”, which means it ain’t happening. Mullens is a bonafide BUST. There, I called it.

Am I cray to make a comparison between Blair and JR Reid? Am I!?!?
Credit: SI.com

16. Chicago – DeJuan Blair, PF/C, Pittsburgh
The knee issues shouldn’t be ignored for a guy with such a physical game. Tyrus Thomas may not be in Chicago past draft night, either way Blair offers physicality that is vital for this team.

17. Philadelphia – Jeff Teague, PG, Wake Forest
Edges out my boy Maynor for his “instant offense” ability. Will there be enough shots though if he and Louis Williams form a future backcourt? Not likely.

18. Minnesota (from Miami) – Terrence Williams, SG/SF, Louisville
Corey Brewer isn’t going to work out in the NBA. Williams should study the maturation of Chris Bosh from college (albeit one season) to the NBA. Add in some defensive toughness and this guy might make a lot of teams regret letting him slip out of the lottery.

19. Atlanta – Eric Maynor, PG, Virginia Commonwealth
Acie Law and Speedy Claxton may be going to Golden State for Jamal Crawford. That tells me this team needs a pass-first point guard for the future. Enter perhaps the top pick-and-roll guard in this draft, who could start and produce very early for this talented up-and-coming team. Sorry Mike Bibby.

20. Utah – James Johnson, SF/PF, Wake Forest
You know they want Hansbrough, but Johnson is young and can develop nicely under Jerry Sloan and company. Although let it be stated again, I don’t like this kid’s NBA potential at all.

21. New Orleans – Earl Clark, SF/PF, Louisville
If he falls/plummets to 21, I’d trade up to get him. Portland is furious right now as Clark would’ve been an intriguing fit, sorry Channing Frye, in their young nucleus.

If Young's shot fake can work in the NBA, that's 8-10 more points a game for him.
Credit: CNNSI.com

22. Portland – Sam Young, SF/PF, Pittsburgh
This team needs to draft a mature, responsible, and multi-versatile player this late in the 1^st round. Couldn’t ask for a much better option honestly.

23. Sacramento (from Houston) – Omri Casspi, SF, Maccabi Tel Aviv
Here’s the import who might be able to help this team more than you expect, just not immediately. In a relatively tiny international crop, he might be the clear-cut #2 option (although well behind Rubio).

24. Dallas – Austin Daye, SF, Gonzaga
I don’t expect Josh Howard to be going anywhere…yet. Nevertheless, Dallas will take Daye, despite the interesting physicality issues that Pay – and a few others – have noticed recently, to add depth to the position.

25. Oklahoma City (from San Antonio) – Taj Gibson, PF, USC
Oklahoma City needs a body who can fill the paint. While his offensive game might need minor retooling, I think Gibson’s blend of physicality and an impressive wingspan would work well for the Thunder (what a stupid team name, by the way).

26. Chicago (from Denver through Oklahoma City) – Wayne Ellington, SG, North Carolina
I’ve seen him as high as the late lottery to the early-half of the second round. He’s a smooth shooter who could develop into a talented first-tier reserve in the NBA. What Pay and I disagree somewhat about is his ability, at least in the NBA, to attack the hoop and create his own shot.

Still room on the "Patt Mills in the 1st Round" bandwagon. Hope on!!!!
Credit: SQPN.com

27. Memphis (from Orlando) – Patrick Mills, PG, St. Mary’s

I was stubborn that somehow Darius Hayward-Bay would be taken before Michael Crabtree in the NFL Draft. Fortunately, Al Davis bailed me out. Meanwhile, I still stick to my guns that Mills finds a way to go in the 1^st round. It’s just me sitting out here. It’s lonely and cold.

28. Minnesota (from Boston) – Nick Calathes, SG, Florida
Let him play overseas for a year or two and then come to the NBA. With four first round picks, which as you know I have them all keeping, it doesn’t hurt to let an investment accrue interest for a short while.

29. LA Lakers – Darren Collison, PG, UCLA
Derek Fisher isn’t getting any younger, Farmar could be interesting trade bait if an injury arose for the Lakers, and Collison plays enough defense to be a backup point guard in the NBA.

30. Cleveland – Chase Budinger, SF, Arizona

He has lottery talent and likely will prove critics and detractors wrong and go much much earlier than this. However, there are a lot of things worse than going to play with LeBron James. Just ask Luke Jackson. I mean, don’t ask him. Nevermind…

Here's a few of the reasons why I think Eric Maynor is lottery potential, despite a ton of depth at the position.

InClement Weather: NBA Draft Rumblings & Grumblings

Tweet tweet, of course. Remember, live blogging HERE at PHSports and here at Twitter all Thursday night (aka NBA Draft night) long.

Update: Major draft implications with the recent Washington/Minnesota deal. Key players include Randy Foye, Mike Miller, and the 5th pick in this year's draft. READ HERE.

Here's Pay's most recent 2-round mock.

As well as a few of his thoughts...
* Pick 2 is most intriguing. Why would Thabeet sit out during a workout with Memphis? Would you take a player if he sat out? I'd take Rubio and trade him to whoever wants him.
My Comment: I couldn't agree more. Thabeet worries me a TON. More on that later...
* Totally feel like the Kings are going with Tyreke Evans.
My Comment: Evans is my man crush, sans the obvious (Maynor & Flynn), this year.
* Spurs scalped the Bucks and got RJ for declining talent. Even if they get 60 games out of him, that's still a huge coup. Each of the Spurs' big four will miss at least 10 games at one point next year.
My Comment: The injury comment could not be more dead on, including Jefferson. LA's Bill Plaschke (of Around the Horn "fame"), thinks this is as close to a Pau Gasol-deal as the Spurs could've made. They may be #2 in the West "Power Rankings". More on that later...
* T-Will is going in the teens
My Comment: I am seriously doubting if Earl Clark or Terrence Williams will be NBA contributors. Jay Bilas disagrees strongly. Good.
* NBADraft.net really hates Jrue Holiday
My Comment: VCU hates the guy too. He saved his best game for the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season.
* Maynor won't be a lottery pick unfortunately.
My Comment: A few weeks back, the trend had Maynor slipping to the late teens or even early 20s. The interesting threesome I see is Maynor, Lawson, and Teague. I think we know why Flynn came out, dude could go as high as 4 to Sac Town. Although I've seen him as low as 14 (NBADraft.net). I'm still ecstatic for Maynor and VCU and HOPE that 17 is where he lands, so I can see him play once in a while. I think he'd be a PERFECT fit for a pick-and-roll offense. Jay Bilas agrees. Uh oh.

As for today's weather report...

Rondo, seen here with his buddy Ice Cube, didn't react well to the trade rumors.
Credit: ClubTaurus.com

1) Danny Ainge knows the Celtics are getting old and standing pat for a championship run in 2010 may be too costly for the C's future, specifically with the summer of 2010 ("Free Agency Summer") approaching. Curiously though, perhaps the top young talent on the team (point guard Rajon "Triple Double" Rondo), was linked by Yahoo! Sports with a blockbuster deal with the Detroit Pistons.

In the "supposed" proposed deal, Detroit would've sent Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Rodney "50 Cent" Stuckey to Boston for Ray "He Got Game" Allen and Rajon Rondo. I might need to check out a few contracts; however, I'm shocked Rondo was paired in any deal, especially since Allen's expiring-next-season $20-million contract is easy to sell on its own. I knew immediately Stuckey would be involved, who's an intriguing point guard talent himself, although no Rondo (yet). Even more surprising, in the end, was Detroit potentially passing on the move, with Joe Dumars making mistake after mistake in recent trades and free agent signings (aka Kwame and AI).

Once talk of those Perfect Strangers reunion show die down, maybe Manu can focus on staying healthy on the court. Dance of JOY!!!

Credit: NBASportsMedia.com

2) San Antonio pulls the trigger, sending a trio of "role players" (Kurt Thomas, Fabricio Oberto, and Bruce "Trips" Bowen) for swingman Richard Jefferson. I hate to quote other articles, but this clearly sums up the thoughts of Milwaukee Bucks basketball as of late:

This is what happens, general managers and fans alike, when you shoot for 45 wins, and nothing higher. This is what happens when you overvalue talent. Like, perhaps, Luke Ridnour's talent. This is what happens when you pin your hopes on Richard Jefferson as a second go-to guy, even when he should be a third or fourth, while being paid as a first option. It's a lopsided deal, talent-wise, even taking into consideration the way people tend to overrate Jefferson. But it's a necessary deal, in Milwaukee's eyes, as Jefferson is due over $29 million over the next two seasons, on a team with little upside and no real reason to pay a luxury like Jefferson to stick around.

This should allow the Bucks enough money to sign their lottery pick and potentially hang onto Ramon Sessions (do it!); however, they could go PG, bench Ridnour, and let Sessions bolt (mistake!).

What surprises me, for the better, is the Spurs making the move for Jefferson. A 3rd option, at best, who gets paid WAY TOO MUCH (shocker), Jefferson actually might fit in well with the Spurs...if he starts playing actual defense. The #2-spot in the West isn't exactly locked up, despite Denver's lift-oft post-Chauncey last season, and Tim Duncan will love having Jefferson - if healthy - ready to score; especially if Ginobli can stay healthy come playoff time. Duncan/Parker/Ginobli/Jefferson is a pretty solid four. The only concern is this doesn't allow the Spurs to be freed up next summer, although I didn't see them being able to add an elite superstar (Amare, Bosh, Wade) anyways.

Surprisingly, Caron "Clipse" Butler isn't part of this Washington Wizards' trade discussion.
Credit: HoopDoctors.com

3) ESPN.com's "trade rumors" (shocker, you don't have to pay for them) has the following "never-gonna-happen-in-a-million-years-trade-proposal". The question is: how dynamic might this be for all or some parties concerned? A LOT.

It would look like this: The Suns send Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland and Amare Stoudemire to Washington. The Cavs send Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic to Phoenix and Zydrunas Ilgauskas to Washington. The Wizards send the No. 5 pick, Etan Thomas, Mike James and JaVale McGee to Phoenix and Antawn Jamison to Cleveland. Call me crazy, but isn't this the ideal deal for all three teams?

This can't be Vinsanity, can it? Can it!?!?
Credit: GotMilk.com

4) David Lee, Vince Carter, and Luol Deng will have their names bounced quite a bit the next 48-72 hours. Guess who's getting moved? NONE OF THEM!!!

Stephen Curry can borrow this suit come draft night. No need for the lawyer, though.
Credit: GossipBoulevard.com

5) A couple quick hits to end things...
-Tyreke Evans is going to be the best player, production-wise, out of this draft. I called it with Paul Pierce in 1998 and Danny Granger in 2005 (okay, CP3 and Deron Williams are better). Both Pierce and Granger slipped way too far, which Evans shouldn't, and ended up developing into dynamic NBA talents (check the numbers on Granger, folks). I'm calling it with Evans, too. Bring him to MSG for good!!!
-I'm nervous about Stephen Curry being a shooter on a team like Golden State (at #7). Very very nervous.
-(My boy) Eric Maynor turned down an invitation to MSG to stay at home with his family in Fayettville. Might waiting until 17 (Philly) be too long for one of the the top senior prospects in the draft?
-I'm always going to wonder how different Kentucky might've been next year with those recruits, Patterson, and Jodie Meeks. Wow.
-DeJuan Blair won't be an impact starter in the NBA or any professional league. That doesn't mean he can't be a valuable reserve...in 3-4 seasons.
-Hasheem Thabeet is a perfect #2 pick. He's as stiff as bigs come and doesn't have a basketball IQ I want anywhere near my starting 5 just yet.

When it comes to poor drafting, I know far too much pain.

10 Questions to the Editor - Bracket Style [Take 3]

The past few weeks have proved highly beneficial, so no need to banter anymore.
Questions: [Take 1] [Take 2]
Answer: [Take 1] [Take 2]

Let's roll!!!
I'm also freaking out WAY too much about Bart Scott (man crush). Geez.

What's it gonna take for Tyreke Evans to lead Memphis to a (quasi) improbably #1-seed?
Credit: Yahoo! Sports

Question #1: "On the Outside Looking In...Sorta"
Who has the best shot at a #1 seed: Memphis or Michigan State? And please, don't tell me neither (even if that's the case).

Question #2: "East Coast Bias"
Which team west of the Mississippi isn't getting enough respect: Washington, Arizona State, or Utah?

Question #3: "Bengals from the Bayou"
How has LSU remained under the radar so much? Is SEC basketball that unexciting and uninspiring this season (outside of Mr. Meeks)? Are they a legitimate threat in the tournament?

Question #4: "Hurricane Season???"
Which team is more likely to have a costly hiccup in their remaining games: Miami (Fl) or South Carolina?

Question #5: "(Mid) Major Dilemma!"
What's the (updated) prognoses on teams like Utah State, Creighton, and Sienna, assuming neither of the three wins their conference tournament?

I'm afraid March madness will be Maynor-free, as long as VCU lacks a second scoring threat.
Somehow, Mason-ites won't miss him too much.
Credit: CNNSI.com

Question #6: "50/50"
Pick an ACC and a Big Ten team - out of each pairing - who you favor as being more likely to secure an at-large birth: Big Ten (Penn State or Michigan) & ACC (Virginia Tech or Maryland).

***Bonus Question***
What did you answer for the poll (Chalmber is Chalmers, btw...thanks Clement) and why? Just a sentence or two will do.


Oh yeah - for the audience - why exactly aren't you watching 30 Rock, yet?
It's funnier than The Office. Yeah, I said it. Meant it, too.

Saturday Morning College Basketball Musings...

Far from a STACKED lineup today; nevertheless, it's still an entertaining set of matchups.

#20 Syracuse @ #17 Villanova
Note: I started this post before tip-off, by the time I finished typing it was 12-2 Villanova. Crocodile tears are ready to flow.
Syracuse and 'Nova split last year (each winning by double-digits on the other's home court). While neither may be "bubbling it" come March, both have a somewhat realistic shot at the coveted 4-seed (UCONN, Marquette, Louisville, & Pitt have the inside track). Keys for the road Orange have to center around the healthy of there center (yes, I just said that) Arinze Onuaku and 'Nova will need backcourt balance combined with an ability to force the Cuse into sloppy passes and lazy turnovers.
Call it: 'Nova trades baskets for the first 35 minutes, pulling away mid-way through the second-half for a 8 point victory.

Notre Dame @ #15 UCLA
Notre Dame dropped to 3-7 in conference with a brutal 2nd half showing at Cincinnati. With Louisville, UCONN, and Villanova still on their schedule, the Fighting Irish need to start piling up impressive victories. While this tussle in Pauley Pavilion won't help their conference standing, it'd be a MAJOR boost before Thursday's visit from Rick Pitino and company. Meanwhile, UCLA has been under the radar - even for a West Coast team - and can't afford a slip up against the struggling Irish.
Call It: UCLA withstand an early 3-point barrage and balances their way - on both sides of the ball - to a hard fought 6-point victory.

Miami (FL) @ #2 Duke
Miami has had an up-and-down campaign to say the least. Forcing OT against Tech two weeks back was trivial as they lost down the stretch in OT. However, pounding Wake (Mistake?) Forest has them 4-5 in conference. Unfortunately, they will need another upset - at Cameron of all places - to reach .500 and respectability in conference. Statements wins are the only way the Cannes will be dancing in March.
Call It: Duke rebounds - by shooting the 3 better and Henderson enforcing the middle - and pounds Miami by 20+. It's gonna be ugly.

Indiana @ #13 Michigan State
Remember when this game mattered? Indiana is 1-8 in the Big 10 and you can't blame Tom Creen yet, can you? Seems a lot like Rich Rodriguez over here. Except Kelvin Sampson can take the majority of this blame. It's great he still assumes little to no responsibility.
Call It: Indiana will be competitive, for around 8 minutes, before Michigan State cruises to a W. In the Big Ten, that means they win by 10.

Florida State @ #10 Clemson
A couple ACC friends of mine claim that there will be two spots for Boston College, Virginia Tech, and Florida State. While the Noles and Hokies are 4-3 in conference, FSU still has two shots to beat a top 10-team like Clemson; whereas the Hokies blew a 15-point lead (at home, no less) to the Tigers. While FSU appears to easily be the team "outside" the aformentionmed equation, no time like the present to make a statement. Meanwhile, Clemson is riding high off of perhaps its most impressive regular season showing in the last 10 years.
Call It: The word letdown has to have been talked about in the locker room. It will be close, but it won't happen today. Clemson wins a squeaker by 5.

#19 Minnesota @ Ohio State
I can't figure out either of these teams. If someone much smarter than me can shed some light, I'll owe you. I will enjoy the coaching matchup though. You call it, I'm too scared.

#14 Memphis @ #18 Gonzaga
The WCC is entirely different with St. Mary's sans-Patrick Mills; meanwhile, Memphis may never again lose a Conference USA game. The Tigers haven't seen much - outside of Tennessee I suppose - since a tough home loss to Syracuse. Tyreke Evans has turned it around and Coach Calipari has his few veteran leaders playing much better. Nevertheless, this is a brutal matchup in Spokane and I'm take the home team.
Call It: Memphis has plenty of athleticism and momentum; however, the only thing I love more than semi-colons in this post, is picking the sturdier home team.

Enjoy the matchups.

Top 10 Impact Freshman – College Basketball

It’s another year for our top-notch college basketball. When you go to the real media for your Top 10 Impact Freshman, you get a list of the same ten guys you’ve heard about since NBADraft.net started its mock drafts two years ago.

Beasley: Rivals.com rated him #1 while others balked

Credit: CNN/SI

For that reason, we are going to exclude the odds-on best freshmen at each position per Rivals.com. You will most certainly hear about these players early and often. Perhaps too often for your sanity. They include the following:

PG: Jrue Holliday, UCLA. Rivals.com lists him Holliday as the top point guard while Scout.com ranks him as the top shooting guard. The jury is out on how much he’ll play at the 1, it’s no secret that Darren Collison struggles against big guards.
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXVuaMLcaTA

SG: Demar DeRozan, USC. DeRozan has all the tools to dominate. Is his 6’7”, 200-pound frame enough to withstand the rigors of conference play?
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbOgK1tTFQw

SF: Al Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest. A consensus top 10 recruit, Aminu presents mismatches allowing him to rent space in the paint against smaller defenders and race to the hoop past bigger ones.
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN16chqIaaE

PF: Greg Monroe, Georgetown. To prepare for the college game and dog-eat-dog mentality of the Big East, Monroe beefed up 25 pounds. Skilled and able to rebound, Monroe will certainly learn how to become an elite defender within JT3’s system.
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkobJjBaLig

C: BJ Mullens, Ohio State. The odds-on #1 pick in next year’s draft, Mullens is the latest in Ohio State’s giant factory. He instantly makes the Buckeyes relevant in the Big Ten and is a mortal lock for a double-double average.
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGxXFfNQBLI

With the most obvious impact players out of the way, let’s take a look at ten others that you should keep your eyes peeled for.

1. Willie Warren, SG, Oklahoma. Last season, Oklahoma lacked a perimeter presence to match that of Blake Griffin and Longar Longar. This season, Warren and an improved Tony Crocker will bring the backcourt on par with the frontcourt. If Warren performs (and Griffin stays healthy), Oklahoma will take the Big 12.

2. Tyreke Evans, SG, Memphis. Among the nation’s most touted recruits, Evans has a NBA-ready body with prototypical two-guard size. Not to mention, his 6’11” wingspan (real height: 6’6”) is sure to disrupt passing lanes. With their two top scorers gone, Evans will be expected to light up, but he’ll have to learn how to be unselfish to win.

3. Chris Singleton, SF, Florida State. Considered the 3rd-best small forward in the recruiting class by Rivals.com, Singleton has great size, can shoot the rock, rebound and plays aggressively around the rim.

4. Scotty Hopson, SG/SF, Tennessee. Exit Lofton. Enter Hopson. They’re not the same type of player. Hopson’s athleticism and skill level are superb, and Bruce Pearl will be sure to work on his shot.

5. Devin Ebanks, F, West Virginia. When Ebanks was being recruited, Bob Huggins was envisioning a pairing with Joe Alexander, who of course is now in the NBA. He’s an explosive forward who’ll benefit from the backcourt of Joe Mazzulla and Alex Ruoff.

6. Samardo Samuels, PF, Louisville. To compete in the Big East, you need bigs who can ball. Rick Pitino won’t expect Samuels to have David Padgett’s basketball IQ, but he will expect him to work hard in the blocks against the likes of Harangody, Thabeet and Monroe.

7. DeAndre Liggins, PG, Kentucky. With Ramel Bradley, Joe Crawford and Derek Jasper out of the program, the consensus top 30 recruit has a chance to shine like none other. Liggins is a stat-sheet stuffer with the intangibles to boot.

Liggins: Could be the key to Patrick Patterson dominating the SEC

Credit: USA Today

8. JaMychal Green, PF, Alabama. Anchor. That’s the word Davidson head coach Bob McKillop used to describe Green. He will have a learning curve playing in the SEC, but it’s not as steep as one would imagine. Green’s a great replacement for Richard Hendrix.

9. Luke Babbitt, F, Nevada. Babbitt can score. How much? He holds the Nevada high school scoring record with nearly 3,000 points. Inside or outside, Babbitt brings it.

10. Klay Thompson, SG, Washington State. The son of Mychal Thompson, Klay has crazy range and fits nicely into Tony Bennett’s system. If he’s not a strong defensive player now, he’ll at least pick up team defense by March. In the meanwhile, his coaches would be happy if he fills some of the scoring void left by outgoing guards Kyle Weaver and Derrick Low.