There is one overriding reason why Duke freshman Kyrie Irving is the consensus number one pick in the 2011 draft. The NBA has become a point guard dominated league, and Irving is the best point guard prospect in the draft.

Unfortunately for the Toronto Raptors, Irving is not going to be available when they pick fifth and neither is the consensus number two pick, Arizona sophomore power forward Derrick Williams.  After the second pick however, there is no consensus as to who should go in the next three spots and the Raptors can legitimately pick based on need.

Love them or hate them, Toronto is building their team around DeMar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani for now and neither power forward or shooting guard represent a current Raptors need.  While there is an obvious gaping hole at center and the small forward slot is uncertain, the Raptors should be looking for a possible future All-Star point guard.

Kemba Walker, Connecticut Junior, Point Guard

After signing a two year extension with the Raptors, President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo can’t afford to draft a prospect who is not NBA ready or needs two or three seasons before they will be in a position to contribute.  No one looked more NBA ready in this year’s NCAA tournament than Kemba Walker.

The 21-year-old Walker was the undisputed leader of the Huskies this past season, and on the big stage during their conference and NCAA championship runs, he stepped his game up even further.  Walker averaged 24.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.1 steals in 38.3 minutes over his last 11 games and was his coach’s and teammates’ go-to-guy in every tough situation down the stretch.

A knock on Walker has been that he is undersized, but Walker measured a surprising 6′ 1" tall at the NBA draft combine and had a 39.5" vertical jump, something that should not have surprised anyone who saw his amazing block on Kentucky’s Doron Lamb fast break attempt during the Final Four.

There may be a concern that Walkers upside is not as high as some of the younger talent available, but in a draft that the Raptors cannot afford to be wrong, he is the safe choice.

Brandon Knight, Kentucky Freshman, Point Guard

Head-to-head Brandon Knight’s Wildcats lost twice to Walker’s Huskies, but the 19-year-old Knight was his team’s leading scorer and playmaker and is considered by many to be the second best point guard prospect in this year’s draft.

Knight has good size for a point guard at 6′ 3.5" tall, is one of the fastest players tested in his draft class, and shows excellent athleticism with a 37.5" maximum vertical jump.  Add in his 17.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists and it is easy to see why NBA general managers have moved this freshman well up on their draft boards.

There is a good chance that Knight is drafted before the Raptors select at five but is unlikely that both Knight and Walker are off the board.  Either point guard would be a solid choice for Toronto.

Jonas Valanciunas, Lithuania, Center

The 6’11" 19-year-old center has made it clear that he wants to play in the NBA next season, and even though he does not have a buyout in the three years remaining on his contract with Lietuvos Rytas, there are strong indications that a reasonable deal can be reached based on where he is drafted.

Playing at the highest level in Europe for 14 games this past season, Valanciunas averaged 7.6 points on 70 percent shooting, 5.4 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in 14.9 minutes.  A feat Valanciunas attributes to his very long arms which give him a reported 7′ 6" wingspan.

Considered to be a good pick and roll player already, the rest of Valanciunas’ game is still raw at both ends of the floor, but his high motor and excellent performances against his rival Enes Kanter suggest it will be worth the wait as he develops.

Enes Kanter, (Kentucky) Turkey, Center

When Kanter agreed to come to Kentucky last year, he was expected to be the player to watch of his draft class.  Unfortunately all Kanter did last season was watch as the NCAA ruled him ineligible and his NBA draft status has become largely based on the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit and his play from previous seasons in Europe.

What Kanter was able to do was participate in the NBA draft combine drills and leave NBA general managers wanting to see more.  Kanter showed up at the combine in great shape as evidenced by his 5.9 percent body fat and proved he had center worthy measurements at 6′ 11.25" tall, 259 lbs, a 7′ 1.5" wingspan, and a 32.5" maximum vertical jump.

As intriguing as Kanter is as a prospect, no one can really say for sure what he will be able to contribute at the next level.  Kanter has all the physical tools to be a quality center in the NBA, and with the difficulty the Raptors have faced in obtaining a center, Kanter is worth the risk.

Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State Sophomore, Small Forward

The top ranked wing player in his draft class, the 6′ 7" Kawhi Leonard has uniquely long arms and huge hands.  The 19-year-old showed up at the NBA draft combine in great shape, measuring just 5.4 percent body fat and amongst the fastest small forwards tested.  Not surprisingly, Leonard projects to be a very good defender at the next level.

Leonard averaged 15.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.4 steals for the Aztecs last season and could be the rebounding, defensive minded small forward that the Raptors have been looking for.

{AUTHOR_BOX}Bismack Biyombo, Congo, Power Forward/Center

Bismack Biyombo seemingly came out of nowhere as he didn’t join the senior roster of Baloncesto Fuenlabrada in Spain until January, but in 14 games, Biyombo has averaged 6.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 17 minutes, and has shot up draft boards everywhere.

Further solidifying Biyombo’s draft stock was his performance at the 2011 Nike Hoop Summit in April where he went 5-7 from the field with 11 rebounds and 10 blocks.

This big man from the Congo is reportedly 6′ 9" tall and 243 lbs with just 4.8 percent body fat.  He has an unbelievable 7′ 7" wingspan and is considered very athletic with a high motor.  His game is raw and his basketball I.Q. is suspect, but big men like this just don’t come along every day.

Biyombo will not be 19 until August, but just about everyone drafting in the lottery will want to have a look at this prospect before making a decision.

Raptors Dilemma

No matter who the Raptors draft, it will create repercussions in their lineup.  Colangelo has shown that he will create minutes for his high draft picks, even at the expense of players who are currently better or have more experience.

The Raptors current starting point guard Jose Calderon averaged 10.4 points and 9.7 assists as a starter last year and has been in the top three of the NBA for assist to turnover ratio in each of the past three seasons.  Unfortunately Calderon has only played in 68 games in each of the past three seasons and his untimely injuries have directly affected the Raptors fortunes.  

Jerryd Bayless averaged 18.1 points and 6.7 assists in 14 games as a starting point guard for the Raptors last season, but untimely injuries prevented the team from really finding out what the 22-year-old might be able to do over longer stretches.

Calderon will be 30 in September and would likely be the oldest player on a very young team if he were to stay.  Last summer, Colangelo attempted to trade Calderon.  If the Raptors draft a point guard, Calderon will likely be on the block again.

Unlike previous seasons, the Raptors have two 6′ 8" small forwards who can rebound and provide a presence in the paint already under contract.  If they draft another small forward, someone will have to be moved eventually to make room.

While the only true center under contract for next season is the developing prospect Solomon Alabi, the Raptors have committed to three big men in Bargnani, Johnson, and Davis.  Plus, there are the free agents Reggie Evans, Joey Dorsey, and Alexis Ajinca.  Unless Toronto is willing to bring along a new center prospect with very limited playing time, something has to be done.

In a year that Colangelo cannot afford to be perceived as making a bad decision, the safe choice is a proven college player with championship pedigree.  Selecting another big man from Europe would have to pan out before Colangelo’s new contract expires in two seasons or the scrutiny from the media would make another extension unlikely.

When the Raptors select fifth at the draft in June, Colangelo should be taking the NCAA champion UConn Huskies’ Kemba Walker, and if Walker is gone, Kentucky’s Brandon Knight.

Send me your comments or questions about the NBA draft, the Toronto Raptors, or anything else in the NBA to my weekly NBA chat and check back on Thursday at noon ET for a response.