2009 NBA Mock Draft – Version 4.0

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The NBA Draft is rapidly approaching…it takes place on June 25th in none other than New York’s Madison Square Garden.

The L.A. Clippers, this year’s lottery winner, will have the first selection in the 2009 NBA Draft.

This is version 4.0 of the ATS NBA Mock Draft.   You can check out versions 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 here…

NBA Mock Draft

Many rumors are now floating around about picks 2-30. We know who the number one pick is, but who will Memphis draft or will they trade the pick? What about DeJuan Blair’s knees? Is James Johnson a lottery pick talent with a second-round attitude? Is Stephen Curry really a top five pick? The NBA Draft takes place on June 25th, just two weeks away, in New York.

Team Pos/Player School/Country Size
1. L.A. Clippers: PF Blake Griffin, Oklahoma 6-10, 252
Comment: There will be questions about his ability to defend because he has short arms. Nobody questions his desire, athletic ability or heart. That’s why at just under 6-10 and only 20 years of age, he is the best player in the draft-by far. He will be a rebounding machine to start and the Clippers will try and get rid of Zach Randolph or Chris Kaman to give him a chance to start.

2. Memphis C Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut 7-3, 265
Comment: Still puzzled by Thabeet going this high, but you can’t teach 7-3. Memphis could easily trade this pick and it could end up being Rubio. Defensively, he is the most imposing defensive player in the draft. Thabeet is light-years away from contributing much on the offensive end. He hasn’t even worked out at the combine for the physical testing, but teams know what he can do. He’s a mechanical offensive player, but there are so few true centers in the draft or even in the league, he’s worth a shot. This just shows you how weak this draft is.

3. Oklahoma City SG James Harden, Arizona State 6-5, 215
Comment: Rubio could go here as well, but then why draft Russell Westbrook last year? Harden is a very good player who can come in and play right away. He showed at the combine that he’s much more athletic (37 inch vertical) than people thought. He’s a smart player who knows how to use his body to get to the line. Similar to Mitch Ritchmond with a thick body and long arms.

4. Sacramento PG Ricky Rubio, Spain 6-4, 180
Comment: He could go anywhere from 2-4 and keeps dropping because teams are afraid of his contract. Is Rubio really that good? He did show he can play in the Olympics for Spain against U.S. players, but is still very thin and lacks great explosion. He’s also just 18 and won’t turn 19 until October. Sacramento and several other teams would trade up to get him. Boston apparently is in love with him.

5. Washington PF Jordan Hill, Arizona 6-10, 235
Comment: We’d be shocked if Washington makes this pick. Hill is wanted to by several teams because he’s the next best big man after Griffin. He’s athletic with long arms and should fill out more. Measured taller than expected. Wiz have no cap room and are maxed out. Hill could also go late lottery based on team needs.

6. Minnesota PG Stephen Curry, Davidson 6-3, 181
Comment: It’s all about the workout, right? Curry is moving up on the charts after his great workouts. He can flat out shoot, there’s no denying that, but what is he? A point guard or a combo guard? Ok, he must have hired a trainer to elevate those numbers. But he’s not going to use his speed to get past athletic defenders.

7. Golden State PG Tyreke Evans, Memphis 6-5, 221
Comment: This pick makes a lot of sense. With Monta Ellis in the backcourt, Evans can play the point or the 2. Evans has all the physical tools and instincts to be a very good point player. Let’s call him a combo guard at this point. Since he played just one season, he is still raw but he does have the body and athletic ability to play from Day One.

8. New York PG Jonny Flynn, Syracuse 6-0, 196
Comment: He has the ability to step in and play right away, which is why you draft him top 10. He great athletic ability and strength, which can make up for his lack of height. Could look at Brandon Jennings here, but he appears to be an enigma. Flynn is a little like a younger, shorter Baron Davis. Has 40 inch vertical.

9. Toronto SG DeMar DeRozan, USC 6-6, 220
Comment: This pick makes sense for the Raptors, who really need an athletic wing. DeRozan is one of the best athletes in the draft and a tremendous talent. He struggled some in agility drills and has had questionable workouts. He can jump but isn’t super fast. He’s just a bit raw and will need to work on his jumper and overall game.

10. Milwaukee PG/SG Jrue Holiday UCLA 6-4, 199
Comment: Could go higher than this but what has he proven? Played wing at UCLA with Darren Collison running the show. Has to prove he can run it at this level. Here’s another point guard in the Russell Westbrook/Gilbert Arenas mode. In other words, he’s a combo guard with tremendous talent, who could have used another year in school. But he’s moving up on a lot of team’s lists because he has star potential.

11. New Jersey SG Gerald Henderson, Duke 6-5, 215
Comment: A couple of players look ok here, but they have red flags. Henderson’s red flag is he went to Duke. He’ll come in as one of the best perimeter defenders and athletes even though he didn’t quite jump as high as expected in combine (35 inches). He measured at 6-5 in shoes and has a 35 inch vertical with long arms. He’s lacks a consistent jumper, but at times, took over games for Duke. He’s not Grant Hill in his prime, but is very underrated.

12. Charlotte PF Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina 6-10, 234
Comment: Why not. Just call them the Charlotte Tar Heels. Hansbrough is more athletic than people think, but in a quality draft, he’d be selected in the 20s. Is he the next David Lee? More like Paul Milsap. An energy guy off the bench or a role player as a starter. He won’t be able to score as easily on the low block like he did in college. He is a very hard worker and can step in and be a rotation player right away…and the local fans will be happy.

13. Indiana SF Earl Clark Louisville 6-9, 220
Comment: This will be a tough pick if Blair or James Johnson are around. Clark gives them another athletic wing defender to play alongside Danny Granger. Clark, who can also play some power forward, was very impressive in the agility workouts, though he needs to get stronger to play the post.

14.  Phoenix PG Brandon Jennings Lottamatica Roma 6-1, 170
Comment: They need a backup who they can groom to take over for Steve Nash. Jennings is still a bit of an enigma, but the talent is there. He has the talent to be a big-time point guard down the road.

15. Detroit C B.J. Mullens, Ohio State 7-0, 260
Comment: Mullens keeps moving up on the draft boards because of his athletic ability. Dumars is looking for another big man with his starting frontcourt aging. He won’t help right away as he didn’t even start at Ohio State. He’s very raw and a gamble, but could eventually pay off. You can’t teach his size and pontential.

16.  Chicago SF/SG Terrence Williams, Louisville 6-6, 220
Comment: Another guy who appears to be moving up on the board. Questionable work ethic and other issues will scare some teams off. Very versatile wing who can also play the point. Could end up being a tremendous defender. Nobody doubts the talent and potential, though he never realized it in college.

17. Philadelphia PG Eric Maynor, VCU 6-3, 164
Comment: Eddie Jordan takes over as head coach and now needs a point guard to help run the Princeton offense. Now he doesn’t have all the measurables you are looking for. Needs to get bigger. Good, but not great athlete. He can play. Will take the big shot when needed, but can also be a pure point guard and with Andre Miller expected to leave, he can step in right away and at least play some minutes behind Lou Williams.

18. Minnesota SF Austin Daye, Gonzaga 6-10, 192
Comment: The T-Wolves could move up in the draft and deal this pick. If they keep it and Mullens is gone they have a need for another shooter. Daye obviously needs to get stronger and is just an average athlete. But you can’t teach his skills and his basketball IQ. Father Darren was a standout at UCLA and was a solid role player in the NBA.

19. Atlanta PG Ty Lawson, North Carolina, 6-0, 197
Comment: Do these guys grow after college? Here’s a guy that could go from 11-25. Teams are worried about the toe injury he suffered during the season and think he might just be a backup. The Hawks could use a point guard if Lawson falls here because Mike Bibby might not be back and Acie Law looks like a bust. Lawson has great speed and can really push the ball as well as anybody in the draft. Also improved his jumper to be more than adequate.

20. Utah PF DeJuan Blair Pittsburgh 6-6, 277
Comment: One of the high-risers on the board by some and but a low-riser by others due to his questionable knees and his lack of height. Would be a nice replacement for Carlos Boozer or Paul Milsap. He has a 7-2 wing span, which makes up for his lack of height. Blair adds rebounds and size inside to a team that needs to get more physical. Similar to Elton Brand in terms of wingspan, but not in terms of offensive moves. Big-time rebounder.

21. New Orleans PF/SF James Johnson Wake Forest 6-8, 255
Comment: One of the most talented big men in the draft, Johnson tended to disappear at times last year. Also a red flag guy. Why did Wake Forest drop so precipitously last year? Was it Johnson or Jeff Teague? Should not have much of a problem scoring. He’ll need to improve his defense and effort once he gets in the NBA. Better athlete than expected and already has the NBA body.

22. Dallas SG Sam Young, Pittsburgh 6-7, 223
Comment: The Mavs should package this pick to move up or trade their higher pick. Young, who can rebound and defend from the wing spot to get a look here. He’s a great athlete who has made himself into a decent shooter.

23. Sacarmento SG Chase Buddinger, Arizona 6-7, 206
Comment: Buddinger is another one of those guys that could fall from the lottery to the 20s. Doesn’t really do a lot well except shoot. He’s basically Wayne Ellington except two inches taller with slightly better hops. He can play shooting guard or small forward. Not much of a defender and has short arms.

24. Portland PG/SG Jeff Teague, Wake Forest 6-1, 175
Comment: Teague is a talented scorer, who’s stock fell last season after Wake Forest collapsed last in the season. He can play some shooting guard since Portland has so many good ballhandlers. Similar to Devin Harris. Could fit in well with Brandon Roy.

25. Oklahoma City SF Omri Casspi, Isreal 6-9, 211
Comment: Solid blue collar-type who has moved up on some draft boards. Ok City could stash him away and let him grow some in Europe. Similar to a Andre Noccioni, but lacks strength. Good enough athlete to play small forward and will likely play overseas for another year or two. Just 20 years old.

26. Chicago PG Darren Collison, UCLA, 6-1, 165
Comment: Collison is another good point guard, though thin, will play some defense and run a team off the bench (kind of like Brevin Knight). It would be tough for Chicago to pass up on him even though they have a great one in Derrick Rose.

27. Memphis SF/PF DaJuan Summers Georgetown 6-9, 243
Comment: Summers was a zone-buster at Georgetown. He’s has a big body, but plays like a wing player. He was held back by the Hoyas’ Princeton offense. Decent enough athlete for his size. Very talented and could be a sleeper if he learns to play more physical and crash the boards.

28. Minnesota SG Wayne Ellington, North Carolina 6-5, 202
Comment: Could go anywhere from 15-30. Just depends on team needs. Very good shooter who hasn’t proven he can create his own shot. Decent athlete who needs a screen or a strong point guard like Rubio to get him the ball.

29. L.A. Lakers SG Toney Douglas, Florida State 6-2, 184
Comment: Solid player and decent but not great athlete. Can really stroke the ball and looks like a good fit in the Triangle (assuming Phil Jackson stays). He’s more of a dynamic scorer off the bench on most teams than a true starter. But here he could be a nice fit.

30. Cleveland PF Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech, 6-9, 220
Comment: Lawal is a raw athlete who should have stayed in school for two more years. Cleveland needs a more athletic big man. He is seriously considering a return to college. He has great upside though and Oklahoma City can afford to sit him for a year or two to learn the game.

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Second Round

31. Sacramento PG Patrick Mills St. Mary’s (CA) 5-11, 175
Comment: Speedy point guard who should have stayed in the draft and would have been a potential lottery pick next season. He missed most of last season with a broken hand, but was considered a lottery player before the injury.

32. Washington PF Victor Klaver, Spain 6-11, 217
Comment: Wiz won’t have room for him so they can keep him overseas for a year or two. He’s a tough and physical player who has great potential if he keeps getting stronger.

33. Portland G Marcus Thornton, LSU 6-4, 205
Comment: A big-time scorer at LSU, he’s a little undersized for the two-guard spot. Very questionable ball handling. Needs screens and a set offense to score.

34. Denver PF Jeff Adrien, UConn 6-7, 245
Comment: Undersized power forward who can play some small forward. Has very long arms. Denver could use more toughness up front. He can also shoot it well for a big guy.

35. Memphis SF/PF Jonas Jerebko, Angelico Biella 6-9, 210
Comment: Look great at the Eurocamp. Swedish forward who has bulked up from 192 pounds. Has very long arms and plays a bit like Andrei Kirilenko and “Bird Man” Andersen. Could be a very good role player.

36. Detroit SF Derrick Brown, Xavier 6-8, 225
Comment: Very athletic small forward who needs to work on his range on his jumper. Is most likely a tweener who will play both positions in the NBA.

37. San Antonio SF/PG DeMarre Carroll, Missouri 6-8, 208
Comment: Former power forward who made transition to the wing. Runs the floor very well and can finish. Not an elite athlete for a wing but is agile enough to run the floor and board. Bubble first rounder.

38. Portland PF Taj Gibson, USC 6-9, 225
Comment: An athletic shot blocker who will do the dirty work inside. Needs to get bigger and not much of an offensive force.

39. Detroit SF Danny Green, North Carolina 6-6, 210
Comment: Portland looking for some bench help. Green is a very athletic wing who can shoot the ball. But mostly, he’ll provide energy and spark off the bench.

40. Charlotte SG Dionte Christmas, Temple 6-5, 211
Comment: An underrated player who can get his shot off against most people. Physical guard. Not very athletic, which is why he’ll go second round. Needs to improve his handle.

41. Milwaukee C Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga 6-11, 245
Comment: Big man who has been through off-the-court and injury issues. Is very skilled but lacks explosion. Worth the risk this late. Very strong and was more athletic than expected in workouts.

42. L.A. Lakers PF Jeff Pendergrph, Arizona State 6-10, 235
Comment: A lunch-pail type of guy who is also extremely agile and athletic. Decent size for a power forward, but could get stronger. Very good rebounder.

43. Miami PG Curtis Jerrells, Baylor 6-1, 195
Comment: Very fast lefty point guard who is underrated because he played at Baylor. Average shooter. Has the physical strength to play in the league.

44. Detroit SG Jermaine Taylor, Central Florida 6-4, 203
Comment: Taylor can really stroke it from deep. Isn’t a pure two but is powerfully-built. Problem is he can’t create off the dribble, but that’s why he’s a second-rounder.

45. Minnesota SF/PF Robert Dozier, Memphis 6-10, 215
Comment: Lanky forward who needs to bulk up to play power forward. Has some potential as a rebounder and defender.

46. Cleveland PG A.J. Price, UConn 6-2, 190
Comment: Strong point guard from Connecticut who had an outstanding senior season. Some red flags on a knee injury two years ago and character issues.

47. Minnesota SF Dante Cunningham, Villanova 6-8, 230
Comment: Another hard working, undersized power forward. He’ll have to play small forward in the pro’s, though he did improve his accuracy from beyond 15 feet this year at Villanova.

48. Phoenix PG Rodrigue Beaubois, France 6-2, 180
Comment: Looking for the next Leandro Barbosa? More like Steve Nash, but is a few years away. Thin point guard with very long arms, making up for his lack of size. Very good shooter.

49. Minnesota PG Greivis Vasquez, Maryland 6-5, 200
Comment: Very talented player who carried the Terps to the NCAA’s. Scored 35 against North Carolina. Can play the point but looks too often for flashy play instead of basic pass. Size makes him intriguing but could go back to college.

50. Utah SF Tyler Smith, Tennessee 6-7, 210
Comment: Great athlete who can really defend. Could go overseas if he doesn’t get a guarantee. Also has a very quick first step and can get to the basket as a slasher. Big question on ball handling ability.

51. San Antonio PF Milan Macvan, Croatia 6-9, 265
Comment: Big man who is just 19-years old. Has great basketball IQ and just needs to refine body. Average athlete at best. Very strong. Will need at least another year overseas.

52. Indiana SF Damion James, Texas 6-7, 225
Comment: James may still go back to college and he needs to. Does have a strong body with excellent leaping ability. Has to improve his shooting ability.

53. San Antonio SG Jodie Meeks, Kentucky 6-4, 205
Comment: What year for Meeks at Kentucky. He went from 8.8 points per game to 24.2 ppg. Lack of height hurts his stock.

54. Charlotte SG Wesley Matthews, Marquette 6-5, 215
Comment: Powerful shooting guard who is decent athletically. Needs to improve his handle like most players who play small forward in college.

55. Portland PG Sergio Llull, Spain 6-3, 176
Comment: Very solid combo guard who can shoot it, but will have to play the point in the NBA. Uses pick-and-roll very well.

56. Portland PF Alade Aminu, Georgia Tech 6-10, 235
Comment: Has a 7-3 wingspan and tremendous potential. Should have stayed another year in college. He came off the bench in the team’s final 12 games, which says a lot about how far he is from being a productive player.

57. Phoenix PF Jon Brockman, Washington 6-7, 255
Comment: A semi-local banger, who will rebound like gangbusters when given a chance. Lacks a dependable offensive move and lack of height will make him a role player at best.

58. Boston PG Jack McClinton, Miami (FL) 6-0, 185
Comment: Another small shooting guard, who will have to adjust to the point in the NBA. Can really shoot it and loves taking the clutch shot.

59. LA Lakers PG Tyreese Rice, Boston College 6-0, 190
Comment: A local player who is very explosive. Can flat out score, but can he play point at the next level?

60. Miami PF Henk Norel, Holland 6-11, 212
Comment: Very thin big man who needs to seriously bulk up. Can shoot it from deep. Worth taking a shot this late.

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