HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

The 2011 NBA Draft is less than a week away and there are by far more questions than answers over how it is going to play out right now. For months it seemed like Duke point guard Kyrie Irving was a lock to go first overall, but now there’s some controversy over whether or not the Cleveland Cavaliers could end up going in a different direction. With the Cavs considering all options at the top of the draft, it’s safe to say nothing is guaranteed for next Thursday. Draft night is always crazy and this year we could see lots of surprises. 

Although his status as the number one pick is in question, Irving has very little to be concerned about in comparison to the rest of the 2011 draft class. Irving knows he’ll be hearing his name called by NBA Commissioner David Stern very early, while others could have a lengthy wait on their hands.

Just being drafted period is an honor, but the benefits of being taken in the first round outweigh those in the second. Having the guaranteed contract is the most important thing. It provides security that second-round picks don’t have.

Currently there are a handful of players who are right on the first-round bubble with the potential to slip into the second depending on how things shake out. In our latest draft feature we take a look at those prospects and try to predict where they’ll be picked.

Travis Leslie (Georgia, Jr.) - 6’4, 205 lbs. Shooting Guard
It’s hard to make an argument for anyone in this draft class being a better athlete than Georgia’s Travis Leslie. His leaping ability is world class as Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins can testify to. However, as James White and Gerald Green have taught us, it takes more than being a high flyer to last in the NBA.

Leslie will be the first one to tell you his all-around game has a ways to go. He’s not as comfortable handling the basketball as a NBA shooting guard should be and his jump shot is not yet reliable.

Ferocious dunks don’t impress in workouts like they do in games. Teams have serious concerns about how well his game is going to translate, especially after he only minimally improved from his sophomore to junior year. Leslie looks poised to slip into the second round; staying at Georgia another year to polish his game probably would have been the best decision.

Reggie Jackson – 6’3, 208 lbs. Point Guard
This past year at Boston College Reggie Jackson was one of the most underrated players in the nation. His choice to leave came at the right time as his stock appeared to be peaking after averaging 18 points, four rebounds and four assists as a junior.

If Jackson was healthy he wouldn’t be on this list. Unfortunately, he isn’t as a knee injury has kept him off the court for the majority of the draft process.

Concerns over that injury have him projected by most to be a second-round pick. He’s undoubtedly been thoroughly evaluated and examined by teams interested him, though, and if he checked out then he should definitely be picked up in the later portion of the first round. He has the makings of a very serviceable point guard who can help sooner rather than later.

{AUTHOR_BOX}Nikola Mirotic – 6’10, 210 lbs. Power Forward
In terms of pure talent, Nikola Mirotic is worthy of a first-round selection. The Montenegroan power forward exploded this past year and has all of the physical tools necessary to be a successful NBA player.

What’s severely hurting his stock is his massive buyout that is north of two million euros and the belief he isn’t eager to leave Spain any time soon.

{AUTHOR_BOX}For a team like the Chicago Bulls or San Antonio Spurs picking late in the first round, that isn’t necessarily a problem. They wouldn’t mind waiting a year or two, but they don’t want to end up like the Orlando Magic with Fran Vasquez. The Magic drafted Vasquez 11th overall in 2005 and he has never come close to donning their jersey. Without a strong desire to play in the NBA, Mirotic likely won’t be picked until the second round.

Malcolm Lee (UCLA, Jr.) – 6’5, 198 lbs. Point Guard
Throughout the last four weeks UCLA point guard Malcolm Lee has been performing quite well. He’s completely reformed his jump shot and has seen great improvements as a result. As well as he’s played, teams understandably aren’t overlooking how much he underachieved in his three years at UCLA.

Billed as a top-flight recruit coming out of high school, Lee never lived up to expectations as a Bruin. He really struggled running the point under Ben Howland, but at 6’5 he could end up playing shooting guard if his issues at point persist.

What makes Lee deserving of a first-round pick is his defense. He really gets after it on that end and is capable of making a major impact there right away. If his floor general skills come along, he could end up being one of the better point guards in this class.

JaJuan Johnson – 6’10, 219 lbs. Power Forward
When it comes to experience and productivity, JaJuan Johnson ranks as one of the top post players in this draft. He steadily developed over his four years at Purdue, capping off his career with 20 points, eight rebounds and two blocks a game as a senior.

At 219 lbs. with a score-first, rebound-second mentality, though, Johnson is seeing his stock jump back and forth between the first and second round.

He isn’t plagued by the notion that he’s peaked like most seniors; teams are worrying about is his ability to defend and willingness to rebound. Those are questions that are hard to answer during the draft process, so odds are Johnson is going to have to work his way onto a team with a non-guaranteed deal as a second round pick.

Nolan Smith (Duke, Sr.) – 6’3, 187 lbs. Point Guard.
In a draft class like this that isn’t overwhelming with top-tier talent it’s hard to believe Nolan Smith can slip all the way to the second round, but he is projected as to do so by many right now.

Throughout his career at Duke all Smith did was give it his all every single night and produce at a rate few others in the country could match. He has a national championship to his credit and the versatility offensively to play both point guard and shooting guard.

He may not be the biggest or quickest player in this class, but he knows how to play the game and is a winner. He’s going to work extremely hard, do what is asked of him and stay within the system. For a team in need of a leader on their second unit, he’s an ideal fit and certainly worthy of a guaranteed roster spot.

Yannis Koutroupis is a senior NCAA and NBA analyst for HOOPSWORLD. You can follow him on twitter.