Scouting Report: Richard Howell

Richard Howell led a solid North Carolina State recruiting class in 2009, a class that also brought in sharpshooter Scott Wood. Howell and Wood helped lay the foundation for a North Carolina State team that enjoyed a rise into the top half of the ACC during his 4 year tenure. After Howell and Wood came in, the Wolfpack brought in an even talented class with more star potential, with the likes of Lorenzo Brown and CJ Leslie joining the team in 2010. The addition of a couple of potential stars allowed Richard Howell to settle into a role as the garbage man, a role that he has crafted into an artform over the years.

"Do what you do the best that you can do it". Thats what Howell has done and it has enabled him to have a good shot at getting drafted this year. Often times Howell was one of the least talented players on the court for the Wolfpack, but found a way to be the most valuable. On a team with plenty of offensive talent, Howell ended up being their second leading scorer this year despite not having any plays ran for him. He was also their best rebounder (all four years), highly efficient, and was actually their leading scorer at one point in the season. Because of how physical and tough he plays, Howell got a little banged up as the season went on and a knee injury slowed him down in the final month of play.

Even though North Carolina State had a disappointing season - they entered the year ranked 6th in preseason polls but ended up losing in the Round of 64 - Howell was the one guy on the team who never disappointed and raised his draft stock through his play this season. He was the one guy whose energy was never questioned as well as the most consistent decision maker.

Playing for a talented North Carolina State team might have been the best thing for him to prepare him for the next level. The role he played at North Carolina State will be very similar to what he will do in the NBA. That is rebound, finish inside, and bring energy and toughness. Howell has plenty of experience playing without the ball in his hands and knows how to impact that game without getting touches. He worked for the ball by attacking the offensive glass. The things he was asked to do - he did them just about as well as anyone could. He excelled in a role and that is very appealing to NBA coaches. All coaches need a lunch pail type guy.

Offensively as a I mentioned, he does his best work on the offensive glass. You have got to make sure you put a body on him because he will be running to the rim every time a shot goes up. He's physical and a solid athlete for his size. He's quicker off his feet than he looks and also moves pretty well. He has good body control in the air and excellent touch and hands on putbacks at the rim.

Often times, Richard Howell will snatch an offensive rebound powerfully in the air and put the ball on the floor with one power dribble to gather himself. He's not necessarily a guy who will just rebound the ball and rise above everyone and dunk on them. He doesn't have that kind of vertical, size, or length. He's quick off the ground, but isnt a high/above the rim leaper.

Constantly bringing the ball down in the NBA may not be as easy as it was in college. But he does do a good job of using his body to create space - more space than even his size would suggest - and seeking out contact. He finishes well for a below the rim player, but will struggle against NBA athletes at the rim.

Howell even has trouble finishing over college players at times, but when he does miss, there is nobody better at chasing down his own shot. He is relentless and knows where to be to get the ball. He attacks the ball and is constantly moving which other college players really struggle with. If Howell doesnt make his first attempt, there is a good shot he will get the ball back and have another opportunity. Thats the level of his motor. It also shows that he is fairly quick off of his feet and can rebound outside of his territory.

From a skilled perspective, Howell isn't necessarily that bad. No, you won't see Howell getting many - if any - touches with his back to the basket. He has good footwork and a nice spin move, but he is better facing up. With his back to the basket, he hasn't shown a hook shot or turnaround jumper to consistently score the ball.

But as a face up player, Howell is pretty good from the high post. He's a turn and face guy when he gets it with his back to the basket. Part of the reason for his decent skill level with the ball may date back to his high school days when he was viewed as a tweener forward. There was talk that he was perhaps too small to play inside. He developed decent handles and has a pretty good first step to the rim.

His handles have improved throughout his college career and has helped him improve his field goal percentage in the process. He is able to now be more aggressive getting to the rim when he gets the ball in the high post. Howell doesn't like to settle for jumpshots anymore and is constantly looking for the highest percentage shot. He is right hand dominant, but is able to spin off the dribble to get defenders off his back. Its very hard to stay in front of a good spin move. He has a strong power dribble and likes to steady himself with a big jumpstop once he gets near the rim. His off the dribble game won't be featured in the NBA, but he does have some skills in this area.

He has enough skills where he should be able to play in the high post area. In addition to his handles, he also has good vision as a passer and a solid jumpshot. If he is able to his from 15 feet consistently - which is possible - he could have a career as a Udonis Haslem type.

Howell also has a good feel of sneaking around in open space to get easy buckets. He also rim runs in transition and gets down the court well for a big, bulky guy. North Carolina State wasn't pick and roll heavy, but Howell looked like a solid option as a pick and pop threat. He also did a good job coming off screens and rolling towards the basket. The jumpstop he has is really valuable to help him gather himself - something that Howell has a habit of doing. Between the jumpstop or one dribble, it seems Howell feels the need to get his legs underneath him before going up for a shot at the rim.

Howell is a high IQ player on the offensive end and most importantly, unselfish and willing to do the dirty work. His IQ carries over on the defensive end too. He is a saavy defender who is able to beat drivers to their spots on the court. He's a guy without a ton of lateral quickness, but is smart enough to get in good position to draw a lot of charges. He is certainly not afraid to give up his body. Howell may struggle against quicker PFs, but did average a steal per game in college. He will be able to hold his own in post defense, although his 8'9.9'' standing reach will make it easy to shoot over him. Howell also isn't a shot blocking threat.

Howell will make his worth on defense as a team defender. He does a very good job covering the pick and roll and recovering to his man. He also can get out and contest the guard if he decides to shoot. Drawing charges and controlling the defensive boards will help him carve out a role as a junkyard dog type guy. Something he is more than OK with doing.

He is the 6th best rebounder in my top 100, trailing only Mike Muscala, Trevor Mbakwe, Jack Cooley, Colton Iverson, and Andre Roberson. Considering Muscala and Iverson are both small school guys, Mbakwe is already 24, and Roberson is more of a combo forward - Howell's numbers look even better.

Overall, Howell isn't a guy who is very flashy or exciting. He doesn't have the same allure to teammates CJ Leslie or Lorenzo Brown who are also in the draft. All of them look like second rounders right now, but Leslie and Brown both could work their way into the first round. For Howell, he just isn't sexy as a first round pick. However, there is reason to believe that Howell will end up being the best North Carolina State player out of this draft. He was arguably their most valuable player this year and showed more improvement year to year than either of the other two. So while everyone may get caught up in the potential of Leslie and Brown, it seems as if Howell is doing a better job of improving himself as a player. Howell is the only one who has already shown that he can play a role in the NBA and excels as a rebounder - the most easily translatable stat from college to the pros. He will be a guy any NBA coach will be happy to have on their team and should most definitely get drafted in the second round.

Scouting Report: Brandon Davies

At one point in time, Brandon Davies was more known for being Jimmer Fredette's teammate and his violation of BYU's honor code. Playing alongside Jimmer, Davies was an afterthought in scouts minds watching BYU games at the time, but has slowly maneuvered himself into potentially being selected in the 2013 NBA Draft. He's done so through improvement and an increased role - a role that features him as a rare playmaker and go to guy in the post. If a team is looking for the next Draymond Green in this draft, he's the closest thing to him you will find in terms of style of play. He possesses a true post game, toughness, craftiness, high IQ, good footwork, and a strong passing ability.

Since the season has ended, Davies has seen his stock increase with good showings at both Portsmouth and Chicago. He was the MVP of the event in Portsmouth. The previous two MVPs, Jimmy Butler and Kyle O'Quinn both went on to be drafted. At Chicago, he helped himself by showing more of a faceup game and measuring with legitimate power forward size.

Showing well at these events has been big for Davies because his role is certain to change in the NBA. Its unlikely that Davies will ever be featured as a go to player offensively in the post, so he will have to show that his game can transition to more of a face up threat. He will be used more in pick and roll/pop situations and showing that he can knock down the mid-range jumper consistently will be key. Neither are things that he got to do much of at BYU, although he did fare well shooting jumpers from 15 feet. Davies was even able to hit 5 of 14 college 3-pt attempts this year.

Even though he will need to play a different style in the NBA, Davies post game is far from worthless. For one, seeing him in a featured role has also forced him to become a decision maker. In that aspect, Davies has done a great job making decisions from the post.

Davies also shows plenty of patience in the post and handled the double teams he routinely saw with relative ease. He's an excellent passer from the high post and its not him just simply kicking it out to the open man. He founded cutters consistently, adjusted shots in midair to instead pass to a teammate, and developed all sorts of crafty ways to deliver the ball to teammates.

Davies ability to work hard off the ball is also evident through his post game. He constantly worked for deep position inside and sealed off his defender uses that solid base of his. He seeks out contact and is always looking to put his body on someone. His teammates did a great job rewarding him for his hard work by the way of post entry passes. Unlike most teams nowadays, Davies was able to kick the ball back out of the post, reestablish better position, and be confident that he would get the ball back. He is a natural with his back to the basket and really thrived as the focal point of an inside-outside attack.

In terms of post moves, Davies has them too. He uses his pivot foot as well as anyone and his footwork overall is excellent. He's shown off a little "dream shake", numerous up and under moves, a quick face up move off the bounce, and plenty of other moves. When it comes to having a bag of tricks to go to, Brandon Davies is your man in this draft. He definitely has an old school post game.

He does tend to be overly predictable. While he has plenty of flare, he almost always ends up going over his left shoulder. In college, players are more prone to flail at all the style and fall into Davies' trap. In the NBA, the scouting report will eventually catch up to him to the point where he will need to establish more moves going over his right shoulder. He has shown that he can hit shots with his left hand, he just needs to get more comfortable making moves towards that side of the basket.

Another one of Davies moves is a big time pump fake, one that will draw comparisons to Sam Young's back at Pitt. Once again though, it will be far less effective in the NBA due to scouting reports and smarter players. He does his pump fake with only one hand and it should be obvious that he isn't going to shoot out of that position. Its just a reaction thing, but NBA players will know to look for it and be more disciplined on not biting on it.

Still, that is just one of Davies' crafty moves and its a good example of just how creative he is. Its a big part of his game and some of it certainly will translate and help him in the NBA. With all his hesitation moves, he will be able to at least keep shotblockers at bay. Thats big for Davies because he isnt the most explosive player around the rim. With his strength and moves though, he was able to convert 76% of his shots at the rim - a very high number. Davies understands how to attack shotblockers by going right into their body. He also will do a lot of reverse finishes to use the rim to help shield his shot from getting blocked.

Davies is also able to make quick reads in the post and make some deceptively quick moves to the basket off the bounce. He's a solid ball handler from the power forward spot and while he won't blow by a lot of guys, he does know how to use one or two dribbles effectively to get him a better shot. Davies attacked the rim off of one or two dribbles a lot this year.

His transition to the NBA will actually be similar to Cody Zeller's. Davies too was asked to play around the rim and attack a lot, while showing that he struggled to finish against good athletes. They both showed passing skills, high IQs, and flashed the ability to play more of a stretch forward role when they had the chance. Davies isnt as quick as Zeller, but he is tougher and more skilled with his back to the basket.

Davies is certainly a guy that you have to watch his best games and balance them out by watching his worst games. At this best, he looks unstoppable in the post. But Davies wasn't always facing the greatest competition. When he did, you could really see his struggles finishing inside. Davies still scored plenty against top competition, but was inefficient in two games against Baylor and Gonzaga, as well as Iowa State and Notre Dame (to his credit though, Davies was still able to get to the line against these opponents, something he does very well).

He's also a guy that the more you watch him play, the more you appreciate him simply because he shows more and more creativity each game. Whenever you watch Davies, you are bound to see him bust out a new move or make a pass you usually don't see anyone else make.

Defensively, Davies struggled a lot with foul trouble. He plays the game physically on defense as well and is aggressive, but it ends up taking him out of games too much. Way too much for a star player like Davies. Davies, however, also had to deal with playing behind a very weak perimeter defense that forced BYU to switch to zone defense a lot later in the season. Watching Davies in the zone, you can see just how coordinated he is and how well he understands where to be on defense. He is not the quickest guy laterally, but his coordination will help him hang with quicker power forwards in the league. As will his strong frame and 7'2 wingspan.


He came up with a very high amount of steals for a power forward which is indicates that his athleticism may be a bit underrated. While Davies won't be a playmaker or a intimidating presence on defense, he does project as a solid positional defender as long as he keeps his fouls down.

In terms of rebounding, Davies isn't your typical second round steal at PF who puts up huge rebounding numbers. He did exceed 10 rebounds per 40 minutes each of his past three seasons however. He does a good job rebounding in his area and pulls down the ball with power. He's a guy you can trust to come down with the boards he should. He always boxes out and throws his body to his man and is a great team rebounder, who is more focused on just helping a teammate get the rebounder than simply being out to pad his own stats.

Overall, Davies will need to make a transition offensively in the NBA, but it is something he has already shown he will be able to make if his play at Portsmouth and Chicago are any indication. He seems to be a better shooter than the numbers indicate and his craftiness should translate to the pick and roll game as well. He certainly is already does a good job setting hard screens.

While Davies was a star at BYU, he has great qualities of a role player and should have no problem changing roles - just as Draymond Green did this year for the Warriors. He's unselfish, has a high IQ, plays with energy and toughness, knows how to set up his teammates, and is a high character guy by all accounts. He seems to be willing to do whatever his team needs him to do in order to win. At BYU, it was to be the focal point of the offense out of the post. In the NBA, his role will be more confined, but could be just as important to a playoff team. Right now, Brandon Davies is looking like a solid second round steal with the ability to come in and make an impact right away.

Scouting Report: Grant Jerrett

Grant Jerrett was part of Arizona's very talented recruiting class this past season, when they brought in three big men all in the top 15 by RSCI rankings. As expected, playing time was a problem and Jerrett ended up splitting time at power forward with fellow freshman Brandon Ashley. By the end of the year, playing time was still inconsistent for Jerrett and it looked more like Ashley would earn the starting spot heading into next year. With two more talented forwards coming to Tuscon next year (Aaron Gordon and Rondae Jefferson), Jerrett's playing time situation didn't look like it would improve much. So instead of settling for another year of playing 20 minutes a game at the most, Jerrett decided to declare for the NBA Draft.

It is an interesting decision for sure. Generally, if you have to leave your college team because of playing time, that isn't a good sign. But this Arizona Wildcat team is very talented up front and filled with multiple NBA prospects. Ashley, Tarczewski, and incoming forwards Rondae Jefferson and Aaron Gordon may have more upside than Jerrett, but Jerrett has NBA size and a skillset fit for the power forward position.

This year at Arizona, Jerrett was mainly a pick and pop threat. He has an odd looking shot, but a very consistent stroke without any unnecessary movement. He also has a fairly high release point and his jumper looks similar to the Spurs' Matt Bonner. Over half of his shot attempts this season were three point attempts, which should give you a good idea of what kind of player he projects to be as a pro.

He shot 40% from 3-pt range and 82% at the line, both very impressive numbers for a freshman big man. He has a big body that helps him set screens and he does a good job getting himself open when popping out behind the 3-pt line. He doesn't force up any shots and has a very pure, balanced stroke.

As an athlete, Jerrett doesn't have the body you'd expect from a NBA player. He looks very unathletic, uncoordinated, and out of shape. He's a little chubby, has high shoulder, and will never be the most explosive or quickest big on a team. But Jerrett is more athletic than he looks and moves pretty well once you can get past looking at his awkward running style.

The biggest asset he has physically is his size. Even though his frame isn't that of a normal basketball player, he does have a body that can take up space and bang inside. At this point, Jerrett shies away from contact and doesn't have much of a post game, but that can change once he gets stronger. Its obvious that his frame hasn't had any kind of weight training and he gets backed down in the post too easily for a guy his size. His height may never be used to its full capabilities inside, but it will allow him to get his jumper off with ease.

Unsurprisingly, Jerrett was just an average at best finisher at the rim. He didn't show he could finish with contact nor was he very explosive. But he did show good touch around the rim and the ability to move around the baseline without the ball. You have to keep in mind that Jerrett wasn't featured in the offense much this year so there may be some things he is capable of that he just hasn't shown yet.

Still, up to this point there is no notable mid-range game or post game. He shot poorly on his 2-pt jumpers, although they were scarce.

Jerrett does have a fairly good feel for the game though and is able to put the ball on the floor when the defense closes out on him. He is a skilled player who can finish with both hands as well. Compared to Brandon Ashley, Jerrett relies on his size and skills more while Ashley lives more off of athleticism and feel for the game.

In the NBA, Jerrett will be more suited for a team that wants to spread the court and run pick and pop plays. Unlike other stretch 4s, he isn't a guy who can also beat you in transition, so a halfcourt offense is more suited for his needs. His conditioning needs a lot of work as he was seen with his hands on his hips and breathing heavily often at Arizona.

Defensively, Jerrett doesn't have the strength to handle back to the basket guys yet, but did a surprisingly good job getting out and defending the pick and roll in space. His footwork improved throughout the year and he did a good job recovering and picking up block shots. He averaged 2 blocks per 40 minutes which is a testament to his timing and ability to not take himself out of defensive plays. There is also some truth that defenders weren't intimidated by his presence inside.

Overall, Jerrett isn't your typical one and done prospect despite his high ranking out of high school. It was a shock to see him enter the draft and while it may not have been the wisest decision, it is now too late to turn back. Getting an invite to the Chicago combine was a good sign and he was able to show his size and shooting ability there. He was said to be one of the best shooting big men at the event.

When it comes to stretch 4s, I like his upside more than Kenny Kadhi or Ryan Kelly, but teams don't usually look to develop a stretch 4. Teams generally take a stretch 4 with the idea of them contributing to their team sooner than later. For Jerrett, he still needs to gain plenty of experience and get himself in shape before contributing. Thats what makes his draft stock interesting - I don't think a team wants to use a first rounder on a stretch four that will be in the D-League the next two years. Its more likely to see Jerrett go towards the mid to late second round range. His game actually fits Europe well so that could be a good option for him to develop the next couple of years if he believes he has the maturity to play overseas. 

Scouting Report: Solomon Hill

Solomon Hill is a known commodity in the college basketball community at this point and has developed a reputation as a hardworker throughout his career. Even back in high school, Hill started off as an undersized mid-major forward who was working on becoming more perimeter oriented. He eventually became a top 100 recruit and landed at Arizona, where his versatility made him into one of the best players in the Pac-12.

Solomon Hill started off as the "other forward" on Arizona, playing alongside fellow class of 2009 prospect, Derrick Williams. Williams, of course, left after his sophomore year and ended up being taken as the number two overall pick in the draft.

At the time, they were fairly interchangeable on both sides of the ball between both forward spots. Williams took over the team, became a star, and overshadowed Solomon Hill in the process. Since then, Williams hasn't necessarily lived up to expectations in the NBA and has proven to be more of a fit at power forward than on the perimeter.

Hill has benefitted from staying in college and noticeably improving every year. Like Williams, Solomon Hill has great intangibles and a strong work ethic. He has transformed himself into a guy who played within 15 feet of the basket his first couple of years, to becoming strictly a perimeter player this season. He has improved both his volume and percentages each year from behind the arc as well as his assisting and A/TO ratio.

At this point in his development, Hill is definitely closer to a legit small forward prospect than a tweener. His ball handling has become a strength, he shoots the ball with his feet set very well, and he has always had good passing skills and feel for the game.

As an athlete, I have some reservations about Hill's ability to play the same game in the NBA that he currently plays in college. He doesn't possess good quickness and isn't explosive off the bounce. In college, he makes up for that with a vast array of moves. He utilizes hesitations, ball fakes, and can use a spin move in the lane while maintaining perfect balance. Hill also uses a jumpstop a lot, something you don't see a lot of players using nowadays. Hill is solid at changing directions on drives as well, but his moves aren't quick.

With these moves, Hill is able to manuever himself anywhere on the court while being under complete control. Thanks to his strength, he doesn't have to be quick to the rim. He can also put his head down and bully his way into the lane at times. He doesn't get great separation all the time, but has more than enough strength to muscle up shots in the lane. He also has an arsenal of post moves from his early career and hits the turnaround jumper with consistency. Everything Hill does with the ball is very smooth and under control, albeit a little mechanical.

In the NBA, it will get tougher to rely on those moves. Not only will it be harder for him to get by defenders and use strength, but it will be harder for him to finish in the paint. Hill doesn't have great height for a small forward and he will need to do a much better job at drawing contact. Hill only got to the line 3.5 times per game, despite driving into the lane a lot. A lot of it has to do with his ability to avoid avoid contact with pump fakes, but it also shows that he's not explosive going straight to the cup.

The good thing with Hill is, he's not a guy who needs the ball in his hands to be successful. He's also effective as a spot up shooter and moving without the basketball. He can cut to the rim and finish in traffic. He's also a fairly explosive jumper off of two feet, although he isn't elite. His explosiveness at the rim is better than his first step, lateral quickness, or ability to change directions. He's more creative and skilled than guys with similar profiles like Sam Young, Alonzo Gee, David Noel, Denham Brown, and Joey Graham.

Speaking of lateral quickness, that is another one of my concerns with him translating to the next level. Hill has been able to hang his hat on his solid defense in college, but how much of it will translate? His wingspan is only average for a small forward at 6-9.75 and he doesn't have the speed side to side to compensate for it.   Hill reminds me of Sam Young from a physical and athletic perspective, but Young has almost a 2 inch longer wingspan. I don't doubt that Hill will be a good defender, but will he be a good enough defender to overcome his average scoring output?

Overall, Hill does possess a lot of the qualities of a solid role player. With the success teams have found in drafting experienced SFs in the second round, you can be sure the Hill will hear his name called on draft night. Guys like Chandler Parsons and Jimmy Butler have shined in past weeks and should help his stock. However, Im just not convinced he is the same type of player either of those two are. He isnt as fluid or tall as Parsons (both are great passers, but Parsons passing ability has translated to the NBA because he can still see over defenses, Hill will have a tougher adjustment) or as great of a defender as Jimmy Butler. Hill needs something to hang his hat on at the next level and you can be sure he will continue to improve his game. He is a guy you can't count out and he deserves to have his name called on draft night.

2013 NBA Mock Draft - Post Declaration Deadline/Pre-Lottery

1. Orlando Magic - FR Nerlens Noel, F/C, Kentucky
2. Charlotte Bobcats - FR Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas
3. Cleveland Cavaliers - SO Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown 
4. Phoenix Suns - SO Trey Burke, PG, Michigan
5. New Orleans Hornets - JR Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana
6. Sacramento Kings - FR Anthony Bennett, PF, UNLV
7. Detroit Pistons - FR Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA
8. Washington Wizards - SO Cody Zeller, PF, Indiana
9. Minnesota Timberwolves - SR CJ McCollom, G, Lehigh
10. Portland Trailblazers - SO Alex Len, C, Maryland
11. Philadelphia 76ers - JR Kelly Olynyk, PF, Gonzaga
12. Oklahoma City Thunder - FR Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh
13. Dallas Mavericks - SO Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse
14. Utah Jazz - FR Archie Goodwin, SG, Kentucky
15. Milwaukee Bucks - 1993 Sergey Karasev, SF, International
16. Boston Celtics - 1994 Dario Saric, F, International
17. Atlanta Hawks - 1992 Rudy Gobert, F/C, International
18. Atlanta Hawks - SO Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Georgia
19. Cleveland Cavaliers - 1993 Livio Jean-Charles, F, International
20. Chicago Bulls - JR Jamaal Franklin, SG, San Diego State
21. Utah Jazz - 1993 Dennis Schroeder, PG, International
22. Brooklyn Nets - SR Mason Plumlee, F/C, Duke
23. Indiana Pacers - SR Erick Green, PG, Virginia Tech
24. New York Knicks - JR Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville
25. Los Angeles Clippers - 1994 Giannis Adetokunbo, SF, International
26. Minnesota Timberwolves - JR Reggie Bullock, G/F, North Carolina
27. Denver Nuggets - SR Jeff Withey, C, Kansas
28. San Antonio Spurs - SR Mike Muscala, F/C, Bucknell
29. Oklahoma City Thunder - SO BJ Young, G, Arkansas
30. Phoenix Suns - Glen Rice Jr, SF, D-League
31. Cleveland Cavaliers - 1994 Mouhammadou Jaiteh, C, International
32. Oklahoma City Thunder - JR Allen Crabbe, SG, California
33. Cleveland Cavaliers - 1993 Alex Abrines, SG, International
34. Houston Rockets - SR Jackie Carmichael, PF, Illinois State
35. Philadelphia 76ers - SR Richard Howell, F/C, North Carolina State
36. Sacramento Kings - SO Adonis Thomas, SF, Memphis
37. Washington Wizards - JR Ray McCallum, PG, Detroit
38. Detroit Pistons - SR Nate Wolters, PG, South Dakota State
39. Portland Trailblazers - SO Myck Kabongo, PG, Texas
40. Portland Trailblazers - SO Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas
41. Memphis Grizzlies - SR Erik Murphy, F, Florida
42. Philadelphia 76ers - SO Shane Larkin, PG, Miami
43. Milwaukee Bucks - JR Tim Hardaway JR, SG, Michigan
44. Dallas Mavericks - 1992 Lucas Noguiera, C, International
45. Portland Trailblazers - FR Ricky Ledo, SG, Providence
46. Utah Jazz - SR Michael Snaer, SG, Florida State
47. Atlanta Hawks - SR Pierre Jackson, PG, Baylor
48. Los Angeles Lakers - JR Andre Roberson, F, Colorado
49. Chicago Bulls - SR Brandon Paul, SG, Illinois
50. Atlanta Hawks - SR Ryan Kelly, PF, Duke
51. Orlando Magic - JR Phil Pressey, PG, Missouri
52. Minnesota Timberwolves - SR Trevor Mbakwe, PF, Minnesota
53. Indiana Pacers - JR Deshaun Thomas, F, Ohio State
54. Washington Wizards - 1991 Bojan Dubljevic, F/C, International
55. Memphis Grizzlies - SR Solomon Hill, SF, Arizona
56. Detroit Pistons - 1991 Nemanja Nedovic, PG, International
57. Phoenix Suns - SR James Ennis, SF, Long Beach State
58. San Antonio Spurs - SR Robert Covington, SF, Tennessee State
59. Minnesota Timberwolves - JR Tony Snell, G/F, New Mexico
60. Memphis Grizzlies - JR Lorenzo Brown, PG, North Carolina State

NBA Mock Draft - Post Draft Order Edition

Round 1

1. Orlando Magic - FR Nerlens Noel, F/C, Kentucky
2. Charlotte Bobcats - FR Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas
3. Cleveland Cavaliers - SO Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown
4. Phoenix Suns - JR Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana
5. New Orleans Hornets - SO Trey Burke, PG, Michigan
6. Sacramento Kings - FR Anthony Bennett, PF, UNLV
7. Detroit Pistons - 1993 Sergey Karasev, SF, International
8. Washington Wizards - SO Cody Zeller, PF, Indiana
9. Minnesota Timberwolves - FR Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UNLV
10. Portland Trailblazers - SR CJ McCollom, G, Lehigh
11. Philadelphia 76ers - SO Alex Len, C, Maryland
12. Oklahoma City Thunder - FR Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh
13. Dallas Mavericks - FR Isaiah Austin, PF, Baylor
14. Utah Jazz - SO Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse
15. Milwaukee Bucks - JR Kelly Olynyk, F/C, Gonzaga
16. Boston Celtics - 1994 Giannis Adetokunbo, SF, International
17. Atlanta Hawks - SO Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Georgia
18. Chicago Bulls - JR Allen Crabbe, SG, California
19. Atlanta Hawks - SR Mason Plumlee, C, Duke
20. Cleveland Cavaliers - 1992 Rudy Gobert, C, International
21. Utah Jazz - SR Erick Green, G, Virginia Tech
22. Brooklyn Nets - JR Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville
23. Indiana Pacers - FR Archie Goodwin, SG, Kentucky
24. New York Knicks - 1993 Dennis Schroeder, PG, International
25. Los Angeles Clippers - JR Reggie Bullock, G/F, North Carolina
26. Minnesota Timberwolves - 1994 Dario Saric, F, International
27. Denver Nuggets - SO BJ Young, G, Arkansas
28. San Antonio Spurs - 1994 Mouhammadou Jaiteh, C, International
29. Oklahoma City Thunder - SR Jeff Withey, C, Kansas
30. Phoenix Suns - JR Jamaal Franklin, G/F, San Diego State

Round 2

1. Cleveland Cavaliers - JR Cory Jefferson, PF, Baylor
2. Oklahoma City Thunder - 1993 Livio Jean-Charles, F, International
3. Cleveland Cavaliers - SO Myck Kabongo, PG, Texas
4. Houston Rockets - SR Nate Wolters, PG, South Dakota State
5. Philadelphia 76ers - JR Tim Hardaway, SG, Michigan
6. Sacramento Kings - SO Adonis Thomas, SF, Memphis
7. Washington Wizards - 1993 Alex Abrines, SG, International
8. Detroit Pistons - SO Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas
9. Portland Trailblazers - SR Richard Howell, F/C, North Carolina State
10. Portland Trailblazers - 1992 Lucas Nogueira, C, International
11. Memphis Grizzlies - SR Pierre Jackson, PG, Baylor
12. Philadelphia 76ers - SR Erik Murphy, F, Florida
13. Milwaukee Bucks - 1991 Glen Rice, SF, NBDL
14. Dallas Mavericks - SR Michael Snaer, SG, Florida State
15. Portland Trailblazers - SR Brandon Paul, G, Illinois
16. Utah Jazz - 1991 Nemanja Nedovic, G, International
17. Atlanta Hawks - JR Doug McDermott, F, Creighton
18. Los Angeles Lakers - JR Phil Pressey, PG, Missouri
19. Chicago Bulls - 1992 Ricky Ledo, SG, Providence
20. Atlanta Hawks - 1992 Bojan Dubljevic, F/C, International
21. Orlando Magic - JR Ray McCallum, PG, Detroit
22. Minnesota Timberwolves - SR Trevor Mbakwe, PF, Minnesota
23. Indiana Pacers - JR Deshaun Thomas, F, Ohio State
24. Washington Wizards - SR Carrick Felix, SF, Arizona State
25. Memphis Grizzlies - SR Ryan Kelly, PF, Duke
26. Los Angeles Clippers - SR Solomon Hill, SF, Arizona
27. Phoenix Suns - JR CJ Leslie, PF, North Carolina State
28. San Antonio Spurs - SR Matthew Dellavedova, PG, St. Mary's
29. Minnesota Timberwolves - 1992 Marko Todorovic, C, International
30. Memphis Grizzlies - SO Jarnell Stokes, PF, Memphis

Scouting Report: Pierre Jackson

Coming out of Southern Idaho as a JUCO player in 2011, Pierre Jackson was an already decorated player having been named MVP of the Junior College Tournament en route to winning the National Title. He was considered the #1 junior college recruit that year over the likes of Nurideen Lindsay and Sam Grooms and inked his letter of intent to Baylor. With Tweety Carter having graduated, Baylor was in need of a point guard and Scott Drew elected to go with AJ Walton to start the 2011-12 campaign. But right before conference play, he made the switch to Pierre Jackson and he never looked back from there. Jackson took the point guard spot and ran with it, leading Baylor to the Elite 8 while averaging over 17 points and 6 assists during their NCAA Tournament run. While most of his teammates headed for the NBA, he returned for one more year at Baylor - his senior season and has continued to post impressive numbers. Jackson led the Big 12 in both scoring and assisting this season, becoming the first player to lead a major conference in those two stats since Jason Terry did it in the late 90s for Arizona. Despite his strong individual play, Baylor underachieved to their talent level and winded up in the NIT - where they play Iowa in the championship game Thursday Night.

Pierre Jackson stands under 6 feet tall - listed at 5'10 - but has a good built to him. He's not the bowling ball type guard, but he is able to handle contact and use his strength to combat his lack of height. His athleticism and skillset is his biggest tool for compensating his height, however, as he possessing great quickness and solid explosiveness at the rim.

Ever the passer, Jackson holds the all-time assist record in the state of Nevada and has continued to carve up defenses at Baylor. He has an extremely tight handle that he is able to use to toy with defenses. There is nobody in college basketball who is able to dribble around defenders and make guys look silly quite like Jackson can. He is always in control with the ball and is able to get to whatever spot on the court he wants - often looking to deliver a pass to a teammate. He's great at pushing it in transition, driving and kicking, finding guys going to the rim, and uses angles to create looks for his teammates. When it comes to passing, Jackson appears to be a natural and more than willing.

Jackson is also able to provide scoring and often scores in bunches. He uses the same ability to get to whatever spot he wants on the court to set up jumpers, where he is able to stop on a dime and pull up from anywhere. He takes jumpers from all over the court and is not afraid to pull up early in the shot clock if he catches a defender trying to play off of him. He constantly looks to keep the defense honest with his jumper so he can beat them with the drive the very next play. Its the balance in Jackson's game that makes him so lethal as he literally can do just about anything on the court.

Jackson can rely on his jumpshot too much at times and is better when he is in attack mode. He can get jumpers at any point of time which makes it tough to pass up the looks, but its also the exact reason he should be patient and look to create more plays inside for himself and teammates. Jackson takes nearly half of his shots from 3-pt range and hits them at a 35% clip. For the undersized guard, range is not an issue and he does not hesitate to pull up from a few steps behind the arc.

For the most part, Jackson plays the game smart and does a good job balancing his own scoring and assisting. Its really hard to argue otherwise - after all  he did lead the league in both categories and he had a lot on his plate. There will be times where Jackson looks almost exclusively to pass the ball and racks up plenty of assists and there are other times where he knows his team needs him to score and he is able to flip that switch to score on and off. He seems to have a knack for stepping his play up at the most important times which speaks to just how much talent he has. There literally isn't anything or anybody he can't do/score against at the college level. He won MVP in the National JUCO tournament, posted big numbers in the NCAA tournament, and has scored over 20 points and 10 assists in each of this years NIT games. This is a big time player.

Saying that, it is hard to say there isn't a role for Jackson in the NBA. Put him in an environment with even better competition and you can guarantee that his play will take an even bigger step up. Jackson has shown the ability to run the pick and roll to perfection, showing the he is able to slow down his play and take apart a defense with more smart play rather than just quickness. This year, he has played with two good pick and pop big men (Jefferson and Austin) and has been able to manipulate the defense into getting them open looks. His pick and roll game can get even better because of his mastery of ball handling, his ability to dribble around defenses in traffic, the threat of his pull up game, his ability to split defenders, and his passing. Really, he has everything needed to be a good pick and roll player minus the idea size. Much like Isaiah Thomas, I see him being able to carve out a solid role off the bench providing both scoring and stability at the point - whatever the team needs on any given night.

I'd actually rate Jackson as a better prospect as Thomas coming out of college as well. His biggest concern that he will be able to answer is his defensive intensity. Jackson will never be a great defender because of the height he gives up - offensive players even in college have shown that you can score over top of him at will - but a better effort from him for a full game is expected.

Jackson is very young for a senior and won't turn 22 until late August. That combined with only two years at a D1 school give him a little bit more upside than a normal player in his position. If he had a chance to play one more year in D1, I think he'd have a very realistic shot at being a 1st team All-American. He is a high character guy and there is good reason to believe Jackson could carve out a long NBA career in a bench/spark plug role.

Jackson currently projects as a second rounder and he could even potentially go undrafted, but I think with good workouts and interviews - two things I expect - Jackson should find himself a home in Round 2.