NBA Mock Draft: Who Will Go Where?
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It’s that time of year again. The NBA draft is just around the corner, and we’ve got all the latest information on who will go where. Stay up to date with our Mock Draft and be ready for the real thing!
Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving is expected to go first overall in the upcoming NBA Draft The Cleveland Cavaliers have the first pick, and they are reportedly leaning towards taking Irving. The point guard played one season at Duke, and he is considered one of the best pure scorers in the draft. He has good size for a point guard (he is six feet three inches tall) and he has a great handle. He is also a good shooter, although he needs to work on his consistency from beyond the arc.
Derrick Rose
In the 2009 NBA Draft the Los Angeles Clippers selected Blake Griffin with the first overall pick. The Oklahoma Sooners Power Forward was seen as a can’t-miss prospect, and he went on to win Rookie of the Year. But there was one player in that draft who many thought should have been the No. 1 pick: point guard Derrick Rose
Rose, who played one season at Memphis before declaring for the draft, was seen as the best point guard prospect since Chris Paul He was extremely quick, could get to the basket at will and had great vision. The Chicago Bulls ended up taking Rose with the No. 1 pick, and he went on to win Rookie of the Year.
Rose’s career took a turn for the worse in 2012 when he tore his ACL in the playoffs. He missed most of the next two seasons recovering from that injury, and when he came back, he wasn’t quite the same player. Rose averaged just 16 points per game in 2016-17, his lowest mark since his rookie season.
Still, Rose is only 29 years old, and there’s a chance he could return to form if he can stay healthy. He’s an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and it will be interesting to see where he ends up signing.
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony is one of the most polarizing players in the NBA. A 6-foot-8 small forward from Syracuse, Anthony was the third overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets He was an immediate success, averaging 21 points per game and winning the Rookie of the Year Award
Anthony has been a very good player for his entire career, but he has never quite reached the superstar level that many thought he would. He has been an All-Star ten times, but he has only made it to the NBA Finals once, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009.
Despite his lack of team success, Anthony is still one of the best scorers in the NBA. He is currently seventh in league history with 25,417 points. He is also a nine-time All-NBA selection and won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 2008.
The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly interested in signing Anthony as a free agent this offseason. With Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant already on the roster, adding Anthony would give the Nets one of the most talented trios in NBA history
Chris Paul
Chris Paul is a 6-foot tall point guard from Winston-Salem, North Carolina He was drafted fourth overall by the New Orleans Hornets in the 2005 NBA draft Chris Paul has been one of the best point guards in the NBA for many years. He is a nine-time All-Star, and he was the NBA assists leader for six straight seasons from 2007 to 2012. Chris Paul was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2017, and he has helped them become one of the best teams in the Western Conference
Blake Griffin
As the number one overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft Blake Griffin was highly touted from the start of his college career. The 6’10” power forward did not disappoint, winning the Naismith and Wooden College Player of the Year awards in his only year at Oklahoma. He also became the first player since Tim Duncan in 1997 to be named consensus first-team All-American and Rookie of the Year in the same season.
LeBron James
No matter what team he’s on, Lebron James is always a force to be reckoned with. The four-time NBA MVP has led his teams to the playoffs in each of the last thirteen seasons, winning three championships along the way. He’s also a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and he was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year in 2012.
At 6’8” and 250 pounds, James is an incredibly physically imposing player. He’s got tremendous speed and athleticism for someone his size, and he’s an excellent passer and rebounder. He can score from anywhere on the court, and he’s an excellent defender. In short, there’s really no weakness in his game.
The only thing that could slow down James is age, as he’ll turn 34 in December. But even though he’s getting up there in years, there’s no reason to believe that he won’t continue to be one of the best players in the NBA for years to come.
Kevin Durant
No one can seem to agree on where Kevin Durant will end up in the NBA Draft Some say he’ll be the first pick, while others have him going later in the first round. Whatever happens, one thing is for sure: Durant is a special player with a lot of potential.
At 6’10”, Durant has the size to play either small forward or power forward at the next level. He’s an excellent shooter with a high release point, and he has the ability to put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket. Durant is also a very good rebounder and shot-blocker for his size.
The biggest knock on Durant is his thin frame; he weighs just 190 pounds and will need to add some muscle before he’s ready to compete against NBA-caliber players. There are also questions about his ability to create his own shot off the dribble, as well as his decision-making skills (he had a tendency to force shots in college).
Still, there’s no denying Durant’s talent and potential. He could be a very good player in the NBA if he can improve his strength and decision-making.
Dwyane Wade
Many experts are predicting that Dwyane Wade will be drafted by the Miami Heat in the first round of the NBA Draft Wade is a 6’4″ guard from Marquette University who is considered one of the best players in this year’s Draft Class He is a skilled scorer and playmaker who has the ability to take over a game. While he is not considered a “superstar” in the mold of Lebron James or Kobe Bryant he is considered a very good player who has the potential to be an All-Star in the NBA.
Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard is one of the most dominant centers in the NBA, and he is still only 28 years old. He is a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and he has led the league in rebounding four times. He has also been named to eight All-Star teams.
Despite all of his individual success, Howard has never won an NBA Championship He has come close, leading the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals in 2009, but he has never been able to get over the hump.
Now, Howard finds himself in a situation where he can become a Free Agent this summer, and he will have many suitors. The Los Angeles Lakers are desperate to keep him, but they may not have enough cap space to sign him to a max contract The Houston Rockets are also expected to make a strong push for him.
Wherever Howard ends up signing this summer, he will be one of the most sought-after free agents in recent memory.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant is one of the NBA’s most popular players, and he is often considered one of the best players in the league. He was drafted 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA draft and he has played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers He has won five NBA championships and he is a two-time Olympian.