NBA draft 2012 pick-by-pick recap

A selection-by-selection look at the 2012 NBA draft:

No. 1 New Orleans Hornets: Anthony Davis, 6-11, 222, Kentucky, power forward

Davis knew he would be the No. 1 pick before it was determined which team would get the selection. He is the centerpiece of New Orleans’ attempt to revive the team without Chris Paul. While Davis needs to add muscle and develop in the post, he is a long, athletic wing player who is a very talented rebounder and shot blocker. He can defend multiple positions and is a very tough player. Standing at just a shade under 7-feet, his reach extends nine feet.

No. 2 Charlotte Bobcats: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, 6-7, 233, Kentucky, small forward:

Like Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist played only one season in Lexington, though it was an excellent one. The 18-year-old averaged 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds a game and was named to the All-SEC first team. He is one of the most dynamic athletes in the draft, and leaves everything on the court as a tenacious rebounder and offensive attacker. The biggest knock on him entering the draft is a perimeter game that still needs to develop.

No. 3 Washington Wizards: Bradley Beal, 6-5, 202, Florida, shooting guard:

Beal is a very good athlete who can play the point or as a shooting guard. Some view him as a tweener. However, he is a terrific rebounder for a guard. His shooting is one of his best attributes, and he is not afraid to take the big shot in clutch moments. As talented an offensive player as he is, he also is an asset on the defensive end. He should be an immediate contributor.

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers: Dion Waiters, 6-4, 221, Syracuse, shooting guard:

Waiters scored in double figures in 26 of Syracuse’s 37 games this season and averaged 12.6 points as the Big East’s sixth man of the year. He loves to attack the rim, though he can become a complete package offensively by improving his jump shot. Because of his size and his ball-handling ability, he might play some point guard in the future.

No. 5 Sacramento Kings: Thomas Robinson, 6-9, 244, Kansas, power forward:

Robinson was a consensus first-team All-American following his junior season at Kansas, averaging 17.7 points and 11.9 rebounds while leading the nation with 27 double-doubles. He is long and athletic, though he is a bit undersized for his position. He is a tough defender whose offensive game continues to improve. His rebounding game benefits from a 7-4 wingspan.

No. 6 Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard, 6-3, 189, Weber State, point guard:

Lillard started all but five games in which he appeared during his college career, though he missed all but nine games in his junior season because of a foot injury. As a senior, he averaged 24.5 points and five rebounds. Offensively, he can drive and create his own shot, and he is just as talented on the perimeter. He works hard and has few turnovers, though some scouts say he needs to improve his court vision.

No. 7 Golden State Warriors: Harrison Barnes, 6-8, 228, North Carolina, small forward:

Barnes started all but two games during a two-year career at North Carolina in which he averaged 16.4 points and 5.5 rebounds. He has a terrific mid-range game and can score from anywhere on the floor. He needs to add strength to his long frame and improve his ability to create his own shot off the dribble. He is a strong defender and has a terrific basketball IQ.

No. 8 Toronto Raptors: Terrence Ross, 6-7, 197, Washington, small forward:

Ross is an explosive athlete who averaged 16.4 points and 6.4 rebounds during his sophomore season at Washington. He can get to the basket and is proficient from beyond the arc. Scouts say he tends to defer to his teammates instead of taking the shot himself. He is a playmaking defender who should be able to contribute right away.

No. 9 Detroit Pistons: Andre Drummond, 7-0, 279, Connecticut, center:

Drummond played one impressive season with the Huskies before declaring for the NBA draft, and was good enough for All-Big East rookie honors. He can hit a jump shot at an impressive rate for his size, but scouts say he settles for perimeter shots too often. He can make a difference on both ends of the court with his NBA-ready body. He was often inconsistent, though that is to be expected for a player who will not turn 19 until August.

No. 10 New Orleans Hornets: Austin Rivers, 6-5, 203, Duke, shooting guard:

Rivers is the son of Boston Celtics Coach Doc Rivers. In his only season at Duke, Rivers averaged 15.5 points, and many scouts believe another year in college could have done wonders for him. Rivers is not an elite athlete, but he has deep range and is a very confident shooter, which sometimes leads to him being selfish. He is a good ball handler and has an excellent crossover move.

No. 11 Portland Trail Blazers: Meyers Leonard, 7-1, 250, Illinois, center:

Leonard made great strides between his first and second seasons at Illinois, though he will enter the NBA as a raw offensive player. He runs the floor well for a player his size and is effective near the basket. He is tough around the basket defensively, where he has a strong presence and can alter shots. He is a very good rebounder and shot blocker who could develop into one of the league’s better big men.

No. 12 Houston Rockets: Jeremy Lamb, 6-5, 179, Connecticut, shooting guard:

Lamb provided two illustrious seasons for the Huskies, the highlight of which was his 16.2 points a game while shooting 58% from the field during the 2011 national championship run. He uses his long arms to be a menace on defensive. Offensively, he benefits from exceptional athleticism and an effective mid-range shot, though his performance beyond the arc can improve.

No. 13 Phoenix Suns: Kendall Marshall, 6-4, 198, North Carolina, point guard:

Marshall’s draft stock has risen dramatically since March, when he broke his hand and was unable to play in the Sweet 16. He was one of college basketball’s best passers, and benefits from a draft class short on point guards. He is not an elite athlete but is often able to make up for that with his hgh basketball IQ and size for his position. His shooting has improved but he needs to make more strides in that area in the pros.

No. 14 Milwaukee Bucks: John Henson, 6-10, 216, North Carolina, power forward:

No one denies Henson’s athleticism or ability on the defensive end. He is an adroit defender who can rebound and block shots as well as anyone in this draft. The biggest task at hand for the North Carolina product is to add bulk so he can fill into his 6-10 frame. Henson, a high character player, also needs work on his perimeter game, though he should be able to help out right away in the pros.

No. 15 Philadelphia 76ers: Maurice Harkless, 6-9, 207, St. John’s, small forward:

Harkless was All-Big East honorable mention after averaging 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds as a freshman last season. He uses his athleticism to impact the game on offense, defense and in transition. He is effective at driving and getting to the rim, but he is an inconsistent shooter. One of the knocks against him is that he does not always give a full effort, especially on defense.

No. 16 Houston Rockets: Royce White, 6-8, 261, Iowa State, power forward:

White was seen as an interesting choice in the weeks leading up to the draft. He is a very talented player who suffers from anxiety disorder and has a serious fear of flying. He is a physical forward and a talented rebounder who can score inside and outside. He averaged 13.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and five assists in his only season with the Cyclones.

No. 17 Dallas Mavericks: Tyler Zeller, 7-0, 247, North Carolina, center:

Zeller finished an impressive career with the Tar Heels by averaging 16.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks as a senior. For a 7-footer, he is very mobile and can shoot well. He is a good rebounder, though he needs to add some muscle to compete at a high level in the NBA. He is expected to immediately contribute in the league. (Dallas trades Zeller’s draft rights and guard Kelenna Azubuike to Cleveland for the draft right to Bernard James, Jared Cunningham and Jae Crowder.)

No. 18 Houston Rockets: Terrence Jones, 6-9, 252, Kentucky, power forward:

Jones averaged 12.3 points and 7.2 rebounds for the national champions during the 2011-12 season. He benefits from a 7-2 wingspan. Because of his versatility and ball-handling skills, he can play up to four positions on the floor. He needs to improve his post game and not settle for three-pointers as often.

No. 19 Orlando Magic: Andrew Nicholson, 6-9, 234, St. Bonaventure, power forward:

Nicholson started all but five games in his college career, during which he averaged 17. 1 points and 7.2 rebounds. Though he is inconsistent, he is a good rebounder and shot blocker despite being shorter than a typical power forward. He is a force in the paint offensively, and can also be effective on the perimeter, where he hit the occasional three-pointer.

No. 20 Denver Nuggets: Evan Fournier, 6-7, 204, France, shooting guard:

Fournier is a scoring wing with a solid mid-range shot, though he needs to develop his shot from beyond the arc. The lanky guard needs to add some muscle to fill out his frame. His lack of lateral quickness could make him a defensive liability in the NBA. The French All-Star also has shown he can penetrate into the paint.

No. 21 Boston Celtics: Jared Sullinger, 6-9, 268, Ohio State, power forward:

Sullinger was medically red-flagged by doctors because of his potential for back problems only 10 days before the draft, leading to questions about where he might be picked. He was one of the most explosive players in the Big Ten the last two seasons, when he averaged 17.3 points and 9.3 rebounds. He is a strong player and a tough competitor on the court, but some are concerned about his size.

No. 22 Boston Celtics: Fab Melo, 7-0, 255, Syracuse, center:

The Brazilian player is viewed by many as a project entering his professional career. He is extremely raw offensively, where he put up just 7.8 points a game in his final year at Syracuse. He is a tough defender as well as a good rebounder and shot blocker, but his basketball IQ is not considered to be high. He averaged 2.9 blocks last season to lead the Big East.

No. 23 Atlanta Hawks: John Jenkins, 6-4, 212, Vanderbilt, shooting guard:

Jenkins, a two-time All-SEC selection, is an excellent shooter with incredible range that allowed him to finish 10th on the list of Vanderbilt’s all-time scorers. While Jenkins is a very good shooter, he is not an elite athlete and is not the typical size for an NBA shooting guard. He needs to improve his lateral quickness in order to defend some of the league’s quicker players.

No. 24 Cleveland Cavaliers: Jared Cunningham, 6-5, 188, Oregon State, shooting guard:

Cunningham broke 11 Oregon State records in three seasons with the Beavers and was chosen to the All-Pac 12 team as a junior. He will need to bulk up to be a factor in the NBA. He has a quick first step and has the ability to drive as well as create his own shot. Defensively, he uses his length to force a large number of turnovers. (Cleveland trades the draft right to Cunningham, Jae Crowder and Bernard James to Dallas for guard Kelenna Azubuike and the draft rights to Zeller.)

No. 25 Memphis Grizzlies: Tony Wroten, 6-6, 203, Washington, point guard:

Wroten is a powerful combo guard, whose size and skill allow him to play the one- and two-guard positions. He is an excellent passer and has no problem getting to the basket, but he needs to develop a better jump shot to exel in the pros. He exploded onto the scene at Washington with 16 points and five rebounds in his only season with the Huskies. He has a tendency to play a little recklessly at times.

No. 26 Indiana Pacers: Miles Plumlee, Duke, 7-0, 252, Duke, center:

A strong presence in the paint, this seven-footer has limited offensive ability but is considered an NBA-ready rebounder. Although he has good foot work, he’ll have to work on his post game. Plumlee, who only averaged 6.6 points for the Blue Devils, does have a soft touch around the basket for a big man but does not have any offensive moves.

No. 27 Miami Heat: Arnett Moultrie, 6-11, 233, Mississippi State, power forward:

Moultrie spent his first two years at Texas El Paso before transferring to Mississippi State for his third and final college season. Many were puzzled by his decision not to participate in pre-draft workouts. He runs the floor well, especially for a 6-11 forward. He tends to spend more time on the perimeter than in the post and is a poor free-throw shooter. He is a tough rebounder and led the SEC in that category last season. (Miami trades the draft rights of Moultrie to Philadelphia for the draft rights to Justin Hamilton and a future first-round pick.)

No. 28 Oklahoma City Thunder: Perry Jones III, 6-11, 234, Baylor, power forward:

Jones started in all 66 games he played during his two years at Baylor, amassing 862 points. He can do just about everything on a basketball court. He uses his size and leaping ability to be a prolific rebounder. Despite being a power forward, he can run the floor with just about anyone because of his quickness. His versatility allows him to score anywhere on the floor, making him one of the most promising prospects at forward.

No. 29 Chicago Bulls: Marquis Teague, 6-2, 180, Kentucky, point guard:

Teague started all 40 games in his only season at Kentucky, where he averaged 10 points and 4.8 assists. He is extremely quick and has a superb first step, which helps him drive to the rim. He has very good court vision, although he tends to be a bit wild at times. To become a complete player, he needs to develop a long-range shot.

No. 30 Golden State Warriors: Festus Ezeli, 6-11, 264, Vanderbilt, center:

The native of Nigeria graduated as the school’s all-time leading shot blocker and has the size to play in the NBA. Despite his weight, he runs the floor well and quickly gets back on defense. He is still developing offensively and needs to improve his play in the post, though he is valuable as an offensive rebounder.

Second round

No. 31 Charlotte Bobcats: Jeffrey Taylor, 6-7, 213, Vanderbilt, small forward.

No. 32 Washington Wizards: Tomas Satoransky, 6-7, 200, Czech Republic, shooting guard.

No. 33 Cleveland Cavaliers: Bernard James, 6-10, 230, Florida State, center. (Cleveland trades the draft rights of James, Cunningtham and Jae Crowder to the Mavericks for guard Kelenna Azubuike and the rights of Zeller).

No. 34 Cleveland Cavaliers: Jae Crowder, 6-6, 241, Marquette, small forward. (Cleveland trades the draft rights of Crowder, James and Cunningham to Dallas for guard Kelenna Azubuike and the draft rights of Zeller.)

No. 35 Golden State Warriors: Draymond Green, 6-7, 236, Michigan State, power forward.

No. 36: Sacramento Kings: Orlando Johnson, 6-5, 224, UC Santa Barbara, shooting guard (trade proposal has Sacramento trading the draft rights of Johnson to Indiana for cash).

No. 37 Toronto Raptors: Quincy Acy, 6-7, 235, Baylor, small forward.

No 38 Denver Nuggets: Quincy Miller, 6-10, 219, Baylor, small forward.

No. 39 Detroit Pistons: Khris Middleton, 6-8, 216, Texas A&M, small forward.

No. 40 Portland Trail Blazers: Will Barton, 6-6, 174, Memphis, shooting guard.

No. 41 Portland Trail Blazers: Tyshawn Taylor, 6-4, 177, Kansas, point guard.

No. 42 Milwaukee Bucks: Doron Lamb, 6-5, 199, Kentucky, shooting guard.

No. 43 Atlanta Hawks: Mike Scott, 6-8, 241, Virginia, small forward.

No. 44 Detroit Pistons: Kim English, 6-6, 192, Missouri, shooting guard.

No. 45 Philadelphia 76ers: Justin Hamilton, 6-11, 264, Louisiana State, center (Philadelphia trades Hamilton’s draft rights and a future first-round pick to Miami for the draft rights to Moultrie).

No. 46 New Orleans Hornets: Darius Miller, 6-7, 233, Kentucky, small forward.

No. 47 Utah Jazz: Kevin Murphy, 6-6, 194, Tennessee Tech, shooting guard.

No. 48 New York Knicks: Kostas Papanikolaou, 6-8, 230, Greece, forward.

No. 49 Orlando Magic: Kyle O’Quinn, 6-10, 241, Norfolk State, power forward/center.

No. 50 Denver Nuggets: Izzet Turkyilmaz, 7-0, 211, Turkey, forward.

No. 51 Boston Celtics: Kris Joseph, 6-7, 215, Syracuse, small forward.

No. 52 Golden State Warriors: Ognjen Kuzmic, 7-0, 240, Bosnia and Herzegovina, center.

No. 53 Los Angeles Clippers: Furkan Aldemir, 6-9, 230, Turkey, power forward.

No. 54 Philadelphia 76ers: Tornike Shengelia, 6-9, 228, Republic of Georgia, forward.

No. 55 Dallas Mavericks: Darius Johnson-Odom, 6-3, 212, Marquette, shooting guard. (Trade proposal has Dallas trading the draft rights of Johnson-Odom to the Lakers for cash.)

No. 56 Toronto Raptors: Tomislav Zubcic, 6-11, 229, Croatia, forward.

No. 57 Brooklyn Nets: Ilkan Karaman, 6-9, 236, Turkey, small forward.

No. 58 Minnesota Timberwolves: Robbie Hummel, 6-8, 218, Purdue, small forward.

No. 59 San Antonio Spurs: Marcus Denman, 6-3, 188, Missouri, shooting guard.

No. 60 Los Angeles Lakers: Robert Sacre, 7-0, 260, Gonzaga, center. (Trade proposal has Lakers acquiring the draft rights to Darius Johnson-Odom from Dallas for cash.)