Gottlieb's top 30

Email Print Comments61 By Doug GottliebPlayers get hurt. Players improve. Players just aren't as good as advertised. A lot can happen in a year. But if I were an NBA player personnel director looking ahead to the best college prospects for the 2011 draft, the following list would be my starting point …


1. Enes Kanter, Kentucky: A tough big man who seems to rise to the challenge of elite competition, Kanter should not be a Turkish ball of hype like Deniz Kilicli was last year for West Virginia. Whether he plays is up to the NCAA (two Pac-10 assistants told me they felt he would have major amateurism issues because of his club experience in Turkey), but playing or sitting will have little effect on his draft status. He's legit.

2. Harrison Barnes, North Carolina: A uniquely skilled and intelligent prospect who has a bit of Kobe to his game. One question remains: Does he have the killer instinct to be great? With no baggage, a wide array of skills and an unfazed demeanor, Barnes could move up or down based on how he plays late in games in March.

3. John Henson, North Carolina: He will be the textbook example of the benefits of at least two years in college. Henson looked totally lost much of last season until the light started to come on late. He is at least 6-foot-9 and very long, and if he can find a position (probably best as a face-up 4 in college), he should explode this season.

4. Perry Jones, Baylor: Long and thin and really skilled, Jones is a KG type -- a face-up 4 man who would rather handle and shoot than score down low. He must continue to work on his body size, but his skill level is very advanced, especially as big as he measures out.


[+] EnlargeJason O. Watson/US Presswire
Klay Thompson averaged 20 points a game last season, but will he able to turn around the Cougars?
5. Klay Thompson, Washington State: Next year's Evan Turner with a jump shot. Thompson shoots it way better than Turner and handles it just as well. Although he is far less well known to many college hoop fans (despite being the son of former No. 1 pick Mychal Thompson), scouts only need to see "Turner-like" toughness and wins to totally buy in. Thompson was punked by physical teams (e.g., Kansas State) last season, but, like Turner, he makes everyone else better and can play two or three positions.

6. Kyrie Irving, Duke: A slashing, scoring, dime-dropping chip off the Jay Williams block, Irving will give the Blue Devils their first athletically elite point guard in a long while. Those Duke fans who wonder what could've been had Shaun Livingston not skipped college to go pro finally have their man.

7. Renardo Sidney, Mississippi State: Thick? Yes. Prone to shoots 3s like Tiny Gallon? Sure. But talent to be an NBA All-Star? I think so. Sidney has paid his penance and likely improved by going against Jarvis Varnado in practice last season. If he will buy into dominating down low and keeping his weight right, he should have a big year.

8. Brandon Knight, Kentucky: Might be a bit too much of a tweener for scouts to love, but with Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans and John Wall as predecessors and a dominant pull-up game to boot, scouts should dismiss his lack of true point guard skills and focus on his out-and-out scoring ability.

9. Kyle Singler, Duke: Singler is a ferocious competitor and tremendous shooter all over the floor. With another year on the wing under his belt, he should be the most refined prospect in the 2011 draft.

10. Marcus Morris, Kansas: A double-double machine who can also shoot it, Morris is among the most underrated players coming back to school. He'll have a big season for the Jayhawks.

11. Josh Selby, Kansas: An undersized 2 who will play some point, Selby is a another hybrid guard who must show he can run a team. But he is a very talented scorer who can and will guard, as well.

12. Kenneth Faried, Morehead State: An old-school starting NBA power forward type, Faried has averaged 13 rebounds each of the past two seasons. He is active, can score, can board, and can defend and block shots.

13. Terrence Jones, Kentucky: There was a reason Washington fans were so crushed to lose Jones to John Calipari and UK. He is a 6-8 man among boys who loves to handle the ball like a point forward. Jones is a dynamic personality who might be even more successful at the NBA level with his vast array of overall skills.

14. C.J. Leslie, NC State: Leslie remained in his hometown of Raleigh and is ready to get Sidney Lowe a contract extension. The incoming freshman has some of the skills of Barnes, though he's not as good a passer.

15. Elias Harris, Gonzaga: Had zero interest in going pro this year, but scouts love him. Harris will need better point guard play as Demetri Goodson's man was in his lap all of last season.

16. Trey Thompkins, Georgia: A legit 6-9 or 6-10, 250 pounds, Thompson is a prototype 4 for the NBA level. He has to take better shots and handle the ball better, but his upside is sizable.

17. Jared Sullinger, Ohio State: A wide body who is skilled like an NBA vet. Although he should have a very good year in Columbus, his NBA value will come down to how big he really is (my guess is 6-7), how long his arms are, how much lift he has, and his ability to face up and hit a 15-footer. Look for Sullinger to be really productive, but a bit of an acquired taste at the top of the draft.

18. Kris Joseph, Syracuse: Big and a very good driver, Joseph must develop into a better shooter. But as a 2-3 mix, Joseph is a dynamic rebounder who can handle and score.


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High-flying Chris Wright led Dayton in scoring, rebounding and blocks last season.
19. Chris Wright, Dayton: An explosive athlete who continues to try to play on the wing, Wright is of the Damion James, Desmond Mason and Sam Young variety of college 4s who have to play on the perimeter to play in the league. Wright plays very hard at both ends and is a nasty rebounder and dunker.

20. Tyler Zeller, North Carolina: The tallest Tar Heel and one of the fastest, Zeller needs to stay healthy and improve his game on offense. But his speed, length and hands give him great upside.

21. Charles Jenkins, Hofstra: A bit undersized for an NBA 2, but bigger than Brandon Knight and Kenny Boynton at about 6-2 or 6-3. Jenkins is built like a truck, is tremendous off the bounce and loves contact in the lane. He needs to continue to improve his deep jump shot, but he should be the Dominique Jones of the 2011 draft.

22. Travis Leslie, Georgia: The new human highlight film, Leslie is coming to your town to put you on a poster. He is also a decent ball handler and shooter who can get his own shot. He just has to make more of them.

23. Mason Plumlee, Duke: A big, strong physical specimen who can really get off the floor, Plumlee and brother Miles give the Devils the athleticism they sorely need inside. Losing Brian Zoubek hurts, but Mason's continued improvement will make up for it.

24. Robbie Hummel, Purdue: Although he is coming off an ACL injury and although the Big Ten has been essentially ignored in recent drafts, Hummel is still a good bet to be a solid pro. He can handle and pass, and although his release is funky, it is quick and usually works.

25. Ravern Johnson, Mississippi State: Built like a pogo stick and jumps like one, too, Johnson is a freak athlete who can score from the wing. It was wise of him to come back to school, however. Another year of seasoning will do him well.

26. Derrick Williams, Arizona: The one truly bright spot in Sean Miller's first year, Williams is a skilled 6-7/6-8 face-up 4 who is a rare combination of talent and toughness.

27. Kenny Boynton, Florida: Struggled with his jumper all season until the last couple of weeks, Boynton is an undersized 2 who could go either way on a draft board. When he gets it rolling, you might think he is a Ben Gordon type, but he was far too slight and inconsistent last season for us to say for sure what he is.

28. Jimmer Fredette, BYU: With Michael Loyd Jr. gone, expect Fredette to play more at the point in an effort to show his NBA viability. Before you think "undrafted Scottie Reynolds," remember that he is bigger and stronger and frankly, far more explosive a scorer.

29. Tristan Thompson, Texas: Two years ago, he was one hell of a prospect out of his native Canada. After some reported attitude problems and stops at two basketball powerhouses, Thompson has slipped some and might have added too much bulk. On the other hand, he is smart, quiet, and a winner with the ability to play inside and out in a Lamar Odom sort of way. If he can wrest the ball from Jordan Hamilton every now and again, Thompson should thrive in Austin.

30. Cameron Clark, Oklahoma: Silky smooth wing who has a nice midrange game. As an incoming freshman, the Texan will have a huge load to carry for the revamped Sooners. But based on his talent and makeup, Clark can do it.

Sleeper

Dante Taylor, Pittsburgh: Taylor is coming off a weak freshman showing after being the first McDonald's All-American to sign with Pitt in nearly 20 years. But he has the body and is in a program that consistently produces big men who improve by leaps and bounds. He should've been better last season, but Taylor should dominate a very young, yet talented group of Big East big men this season.

Doug Gottlieb is an ESPN.com contributor and hosts "The Doug Gottlieb Show," which airs weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m. ET on ESPN Radio and ESPNradio.com. You can e-mail him at douggottlieb@espnradio.com