HoopsHype Draft prediction

The following is another site's prediction for this summer's draft, the 1st round in particular. I have my own opinions on the subject, but they will be for another day. Until then, draw your own interpretations for this.

1. Miami Heat	Michael Beasley 6-9 PF Kansas State / Freshman
	Versatile, left-handed power forward who can score equally well with his back to the basket or facing the hoop. Possesses outstanding athletic ability—particularly his quickness, strength and leaping ability. A streak shooter with range that extends even past the college 3-point line. Can create his own shot from the perimeter and get to the rim and finish with either hand. A terrific offensive rebounder thanks to the quickness in which he gets off his feet. Poor defender, lacks focus and maturity at times both on and off the court. Has a tendency to settle for bad shots from the perimeter, trying to prove he’s a small forward—which he’s not. An inch or so under the prototype, but has a 7-foot wingspan to compensate. Dominated college basketball as a freshman-- looks like a can’t miss prospect.
	Comparison: n/a	Stats: 26.2 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 1.6 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $4,822,800	Ranking: 1st Power Forward / 1st Freshman
3. Seattle SuperSonics	Derrick Rose 6-4 PG Memphis / Freshman
	Freakishly athletic point guard with all the physical tools and instincts scouts crave. Possesses great size and quickness, is terrific at changing gears, with phenomenal body control, and is very unselfish. A bit wild as a point guard at times, doesn’t always read defenses and can be out of control driving into the lane. Has lock down defensive potential with the tools to guard two positions. Has shown better scoring ability than initially anticipated—his perimeter shooting was not considered a strength, but he’s hit them well early on. Still, he’s at times been known to be streaky offensively and as a decision maker. Potential is off the charts.
	Comparison: n/a	Stats: 14.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.5 apg
	Rookie season salary*: $4,314,960	Ranking: 1st Point Guard / 2nd Freshman
3. Memphis Grizzlies	Jerryd Bayless 6-3 PG/SG Arizona / Freshman
	Quick, fluid, explosive guard with possibly the best shot-creating ability in this draft. A scorer’s deluxe--terrific perimeter shooter, with a great mid-range game, but also gets to the free throw line at an excellent rate. Superb confidence in his abilities, a go-to guy. Great intangibles, but more of a combo guard than a true point at this juncture of his career. Too small to defend shooting guards. Shot-selection is questionable at times.
	Comparison: Monta Ellis	Stats: 19.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.0 apg
	Rookie season salary*: $3,875,040	Ranking: 2nd Point Guard / 3rd Freshman
4. Minnesota Timberwolves	Brook Lopez 6-11 PF/C Stanford / Sophomore
	Solid athlete with excellent size, a nice frame, and a good basketball IQ. Very effective with his back to the basket. Can hit a mid-range jumper and has a few basic moves he executes exceptionally well around the basket. Establishes position extremely well inside, and gets to the free throw line at a high rate. A nice shot-blocker thanks to his timing and length. Plays hard, is a smart player, and has good physical tools to continue to improve and become a terrific role player. Sometimes settles for low-percentage shots, not a great passer out of the post, and a little bit predictable/mechanical. Average rebounder. Needs to get stronger.
	Comparison: n/a	Stats: 19.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.1 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $3,493,680	Ranking: 2nd Power Forward / 1st Sophomore
5. New York Knicks	OJ Mayo 6-5 PG/SG USC / Freshman
	Big, strong guard with excellent versatility on both ends of the floor. Can play either guard spot, and really knows how to create shots for himself and others. Excellent shooter with a solid mid-range game. Has nice court vision--possesses a good basketball IQ and great confidence in his abilities. Very good defender. Lacks the explosiveness to consistently get by his man and finish at the rim. Shot-selection can be poor, and is extremely turnover prone. Not very efficient, but is currently asked to do much more than he will at the next level.
	Comparison: Chauncey Billups	Stats: 20.7 ppg, 3.3 apg, 3.3 apg
	Rookie season salary*: $3,163,680	Ranking: 3rd Point Guard / 4th Freshman
6. Los Angeles Clippers	Danilo Gallinari 6-9 SF Armani Jeans Milano (Italy) / 1988
	Precocious European talent who is producing at the highest levels of international basketball, already as a teenager. A versatile small forward with great size who can play multiple positions on the floor. A solid shooter, terrific ball-handler and excellent passer. Gets to the free throw line at a high rate. Competes on both ends of the floor. Very mature both physically and skill-wise. Has an extremely high basketball IQ and excellent intangibles. Not a great athlete, lateral quickness is questionable. Can he guard NBA small forwards? Average rebounder. A special talent, although likely projects as more of a role player at the NBA level.
	Comparison: Dejan Bodiroga	Stats: 14.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.7 apg
	Rookie season salary*: $2,873,520	Ranking: 1st Small Forward / 1st International
7. Milwaukee Bucks	Blake Griffin 6-10 PF/C Oklahoma / Freshman
	Big, strong, fluid, explosive big man with great physical tools, an NBA body and possibly the best motor in this draft. Relishes contact in the paint, where he is able to score thanks to his excellent strength, tenacity and touch, as well as solid footwork. Has great coordination and is extremely reactive to things around him. Huge, soft hands make him a fantastic rebounder already at a young age. Not very skilled facing the basket, lacks some polish in his all-around offensive game. Defense needs work. Has a big upside.
	Comparison: David Lee	Stats: 14.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.8 apg
	Rookie season salary*: $2,623,200	Ranking: 1st Center / 5th Freshman
8. Charlotte Bobcats	Eric Gordon 6-3 SG Indiana / Freshman
	A bowling ball of a shooting guard, with outstanding scoring ability. Built like a brick wall, capable of just overpowering defenders on his way to the rim, thanks to his excellent first step and low center of gravity. A terrific finisher in traffic who is confident and assertive with his moves. Also a very capable perimeter shooter, either pulling up off the dribble from mid-range, or spotting up from behind the arc. Solid defender. Has a tendency to force things at times-- his shot-selection isn’t always the best. Turnover prone. Ball-handling skills are improvable. More of an undersized shooting guard than a combo. Played very poorly in February and March.
	Comparison: Ben Gordon	Stats: 20.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.4 apg
	Rookie season salary*: $2,403,120	Ranking: 1st Shooting Guard / 6th Freshman
9. Chicago Bulls	Kevin Love 6-9 PF/C UCLA / Freshman
	Super-skilled power forward with excellent instincts both facing and with his back to the basket. Has range out to the 3-point line, and outstanding footwork and touch in the post. A throwback, complete with the pump-fakes and the Tim Duncan-esqe bank shots from 15 feet. Incredibly smart and polished for a player his age—has mastered the art of creating fast-break opportunities with an outlet pass. Has excellent hands, and is a superb rebounder. Will struggle defensively, especially on the perimeter. Needs to lose 15-20 pounds still. Size, quickness and leaping ability are not off the charts—and thus his upside may be deemed limited.
	Comparison: David West	Stats: 17.3 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.3 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $2,208,960	Ranking: 3rd Power Forward / 7th Freshman
10. Indiana Pacers	DeAndre Jordan 7-0 C Texas A&M / Freshman
	7-footer with a great frame, incredible wingspan, and unbelievable athleticism. Has great hands and finishes well around the basket. A very good rebounder with the potential to develop into an excellent defender down the road. An extremely raw player who is 2-3 years away from contributing at a high level in the NBA. Lacks a great deal of strength and polish on both ends of the floor. Not very productive at the collegiate level. Shies away from contact, shows poor awareness, and is not always as active as you might hope. A high-risk, high-reward player who has too much upside not to be drafted early.
	Comparison: Amir Johnson	Stats: 7.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $2,098,560	Ranking: 2nd Center / 8th Freshman
11. New Jersey Nets	DJ Augustin 5-11 PG Texas / Sophomore
	The best point guard in college basketball? Scoring playmaker with solid quickness and outstanding ball-handling skills. Unselfish, with excellent court vision. Rarely gets rattled, keeps turnovers to a minimum, and has multiple speeds he can utilize to get by his man and create offense, particularly running the pick and roll. A very solid shooter, especially off the dribble. Lack of size is a hindrance for the next level. Defensive potential is a question mark. Having an outstanding sophomore season.
	Comparison: Jameer Nelson	Stats: 19.2 ppg, 5.8 apg, 1.2 spg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,993,560	Ranking: 4th Point Guard / 2nd Sophomore
12. Sacramento Kings	Anthony Randolph 6-11 SF/PF LSU / Freshman
	Long, left-handed, super athletic 4/3 with a skinny frame. Excellent ball-handler for his size, can create facing the basket, and will grab a rebound and take the ball coast to coast at times. Very versatile and talented offensive player who is only scratching the surface on his potential at the moment. Solid mid-range jumper, but doesn’t have great range. Settles for bad shots at times, lacks experience and a great feel for the game. Not strong enough to take advantage of his size inside, and gets pushed around defensively in the post. Blocks shots and rebounds fairly well, but doesn’t have great awareness defensively. Extremely young, and possesses considerable upside.
	Comparison: Travis Outlaw	Stats: 15.6 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.3 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,893,840	Ranking: 4th Power Forward / 9th Freshman
13. Portland Trail Blazers	Darren Collison 6-1 PG UCLA / Junior
	Athletic point guard with an excellent feel for the game. Very poised, disciplined playmaker who executes in the half-court and gets out in transition well. Reads the floor and is fantastic running the pick and run. Terrific man to man and team defender who puts tremendous pressure on the ball. Shoots an excellent percentage from behind the arc, but will he be able to hit NBA 3’s with his awkward mechanics? Small and skinny. Not an amazing offensive threat, gets passive at times, especially finishing around the rim. A likely role player at the next level.
	Comparison: Earl Watson	Stats: 15.1 ppg, 3.8 apg, 2.6 rpg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,799,160	Ranking: 6th Point Guard / 1st Junior
14. Denver Nuggets	Chase Budinger 6-7 SG/SF Arizona / Sophomore
	Athletic wing with excellent size and leaping ability. A very good perimeter shooter, both spotting up and coming off screens, thanks to his picture perfect mechanics. Intelligent player who knows how to move off the ball, find the open man with heady passes, and is very unselfish. A former world-class volleyball player who is still only scratching the potential on his basketball potential. A poor ball-handler--lacks the ability to create his own shot effectively, and has almost no mid-range game. Doesn’t utilize his athleticism effectively enough, and hasn’t shown go-to scoring mentality at this point. Lateral quickness is questionable.
	Comparison: Brent Barry	Stats: 17.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.9 apg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,709,280	Ranking: 2nd Small Forward / 3rd Sophomore
15. Phoenix Suns	Roy Hibbert 7-2 C Georgetown / Senior
	Efficient big man with outstanding size and average mobility. Possesses a high basketball IQ and excellent work ethic. Establishes great position on the low block and is a very good finisher thanks to his solid touch and footwork. Can also pass effectively out of double teams. Has good potential on the defensive end as a shot-changing presence. Looks fairly mechanical at times and can get too passive on the offensive end. Not a great rebounder. Numbers went down in what was a disappointing senior season. Can his body survive 82 games?
	Comparison: Zydrunas Ilgauskas	Stats: 13.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.2 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,623,720	Ranking: 3rd Center / 1st Senior
16. Philadelphia 76ers	Nicolas Batum 6-8 SF Le Mans Sarthe Basket (France) / 1988
	Smooth athlete with physical attributes and a style of play that is tailor made for the NBA. Great length, excellent quickness and superb leaping ability. Creates shots with ease and has a beautiful mid-range game. Has shut-down defensive potential in the NBA. Shooting mechanics need work, not a great ball-handler yet. Is fairly passive at times and doesn’t have show the willingness to dominate his opponents, particularly late in games. Still inconsistent, but has terrific upside.
	Comparison: Rudy Gay	Stats: 8.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.7 apg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,542,600	Ranking: 3rd Small Forward / 2nd International
17. Toronto Raptors	Tywon Lawson 5-11 PG North Carolina / Sophomore
	True point guard who might be the quickest end to end player in college basketball. A master at igniting fast-breaks after made baskets. Has excellent strength, ball-handling skills, footwork and body control, and is especially impressive in transition. Court vision is fantastic, although has a tendency to over-do things at times, particularly with his decision making in the half-court. Gets to the basket extremely well, and uses his strength to score even with contact. Possesses poor shooting mechanics, particularly off the dribble, and no real mid-range game. Gets in the passing lanes defensively, but lack of size and effort hurts his NBA potential on this end of the floor.
	Comparison: Raymond Felton	Stats: 12.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.7 spg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,465,440	Ranking: 7th Point Guard / 4th Sophomore
18. Washington Wizards	Joe Alexander 6-8 SF West Virginia / Junior
	Tournament riser with prototypical tools for the small forward position. Has great size, length and frame, and is a high riser. Versatile scorer—possesses an excellent mid-range game, and likes to go to work in the post, particularly with his turnaround jumper. Has solid form on his shot, but doesn’t have great range. Ball-handling skills need work. Lateral quickness is questionable. A late bloomer who couldn’t get off the bench in high school, his learning curve is steeper than most players in this draft, and therefore his ceiling is extremely high.
	Comparison: n/a	Stats: 16.8 ppg, 6.3 apg, 2.4 spg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,392,240	Ranking: 4th Small Forward / 2nd Junior
19. Cleveland Cavaliers	Robin Lopez 7-0 PF/C Stanford / Sophomore
	7-footer with good physical tools—size, length, mobility and agility. Not very skilled offensively, but has good hands and some basic moves. Good passer and has a nice feel for the game. Physical tools and activity level make him tough to keep off the offensive glass. Emotional player who competes hard on the defensive end, where he’s a solid shot-blocker. Lacks strength, footwork, polish. Intensity wavers at times. Likely an energy guy in the NBA.
	Comparison: Joakim Noah	Stats: 10.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.4 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,329,480	Ranking: 4th Center / 5th Sophomore
20. Golden State Warriors	Hasheem Thabeet 7-3 C Connecticut / Sophomore
	True center with unbelievable size, frame and wingspan. Extremely mobile, runs the floor and is explosive getting off his feet. Shoots a very high percentage from the field, draws plenty of fouls, and has improved drastically from the free throw line. One of the top shot-blockers in the country. Extremely limited offensively, possesses poor hands and balance. Limited feel for the game and passing ability. Man to man defense is average. Poor lateral quickness on perimeter. Work ethic and true age are question marks.
	Comparison: Desagana Diop	Stats: 10.5 ppg, 7.9 apg, 4.5 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,276,320	Ranking: 5th Center / 6th Sophomore
21. New Jersey Nets	Chris Douglas Roberts 6-6 SG Memphis / Junior
	Unorthodox player, but one of the best slashing wing players in the country. Possesses a good first step, terrific toughness, outstanding body control, and is ambidextrous on both his drives and finishes. Plays extremely strong with the ball, despite his lanky frame. Excellent defender thanks to his length, quickness and toughness. Very efficient player who shoots a high percentage from the field. Perimeter shot was considered a weakness going into the season, but has shown major improvement. Ball-handling skills and mid-range game are improvable.
	Comparison: Jerry Stackhouse	Stats: 17.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.8 apg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,225,200	Ranking: 2nd Shooting Guard / 3rd Junior
22. Orlando Magic	Darrell Arthur 6-9 PF Kansas / Sophomore
	Smooth big man with a scoring mentality, and very nice potential both facing and with his back to the basket. Possesses a terrific frame and wingspan, with excellent athletic ability. Possesses great hands, nice touch, solid finishing ability around the rim and a beautiful turnaround jumper. Can also face up and knock down jumpers out to 17 feet. Solid defender with excellent lateral quickness. Length and quickness make him a solid presence on the offensive glass, but is a poor defensive rebounder. Not particularly active--has a tendency to coast too often. Not always 100% focused on or off the court. Poor passer. Needs to add strength. Not always productive enough. Big upside.
	Comparison: Shareef Abdur-Rahim	Stats: 13.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.3 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,176,240	Ranking: 5th Power Forward / 7th Sophomore
23. Utah Jazz	Tyler Hansbrough 6-9 PF North Carolina / Junior
	The best player in college basketball? A beast around the basket-- relishes contact and makes a living with an incredibly soft touch and some of the best post moves seen in the NCAA. Gets to the free throw line at a superb rate. Unstoppable motor. Face-up game is coming around nicely. Lacks size, length, quickness and explosiveness, which limits him defensively, and is a bit more advanced age-wise than most players in his class. Average passer. Production is what gets him in the first round, more than potential.
	Comparison: Luis Scola	Stats: 22.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 1.5 spg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,129,320	Ranking: 6th Power Forward / 4th Junior
24. San Antonio Spurs	Brandon Rush 6-7 SF Kansas / Junior
	Swingman with excellent size, wingspan, basketball instincts and athletic ability. Solid perimeter shooter with feet set or off the dribble. Shown great improvement in his defense, but needs to improve his ball-handling skills, particularly with his left hand. Unselfish to a fault at times, refuses to take over games and quickly loses his confidence when things don’t go well. A little bit old for his class, and coming off a torn ACL that forced him to remove his name from the 2007 draft. Production was disappointing early on, but really came on late in the season.
	Comparison: Eddie Jones	Stats: 13.0 ppg, 2.2 apg, 43.9 3P%
	Rookie season salary*: $1,084,080	Ranking: 5th Small Forward / 5th Junior
25. Houston Rockets	Richard Hendrix 6-9 PF Alabama / Junior
	Strong and fundamentally sound power forward—one of the most productive big men in college basketball. Possesses a massive frame, which he uses extremely well to carve out space in the post and score efficiently. Nice footwork and a solid jump-hook. An outstanding rebounder with terrific hands. Smart and aggressive—plays like you would expect a coach’s son to. Average athlete who plays below the rim. Still yet to show much of a face-up game from the perimeter, which he will surely need as a 6-9 power forward. Lateral quickness defending pick and rolls is questionable.
	Comparison: Paul Millsap	Stats: 17.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 2.0 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,040,640	Ranking: 7th Power Forward / 6th Junior
26. Seattle SuperSonics	DeVon Hardin 6-11 C California / Senior
	Promising big man with the physical tools and upside NBA scouts crave. Excellent wingspan, combined with great frame and fantastic athleticism, makes him the type of big body every team needs inside. Runs the floor well, hits the glass, and is a very good finisher inside. Excellent lateral quickness defensively. A bit of a tease, doesn’t always play up to potential. Very limited offensively-- average hands, no face up-game, no left-hand, and unpolished footwork in post. Intensity wavers, gives up space inside, and is often in foul trouble. Not productive enough in senior year. Average shot-blocker. Young for his age, has solid intangibles, and still has great upside if the light bulb ever comes on.
	Comparison: Brendan Haywood	Stats: 9.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.2 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $1,006,200	Ranking: 6th Center / 2nd Senior
27. Memphis Grizzlies	Tyler Smith 6-7 SF Tennessee / Sophomore
	Versatile forward with terrific physical tools—an NBA body, wingspan and athleticism. Naturally instinctive, extremely aggressive player who likes to face the basket from the power forward position. Excellent passer and very efficient offensively. Outstanding in transition—finishes well at the basket. Very active defensively. Still making the transition to the small forward position. Ball-handling skills are improvable, especially going rigt. Doesn’t take many shots from behind the arc. Plays out of control at times. What’s his bread and butter in the NBA? Regardless, has a big upside.
	Comparison: Damien Wilkins	Stats: 13.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.5 apg
	Rookie season salary*: $977,160	Ranking: 6th Small Forward / 8th Sophomore
28. New Orleans Hornets	Sam Young 6-6 SF/PF Pittsburgh / Junior
	Strong and extremely athletic forward with an NBA body and a terrific wingspan. Gets his points mostly on the catch and shoot—where he excels out to beyond the 3-point line, as well as in transition and in the post. Loves to shoot turnaround jumpers. Excellent rebounder and defender. Tough as nails. Still making the transition to being a full-time wing player. Limited ball-handler. Struggles shooting off the dribble. Not a very creative offensive player. Projects as a role player who can knock down shots when needed.
	Comparison: James Posey	Stats: 18.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.2 apg
	Rookie season salary*: $964,080	Ranking: 7th Small Forward / 7th Junior
29. Detroit Pistons	JJ Hickson 6-9 PF North Carolina State / Freshman
	Long, strong, athletic big man with a nose for the rim. Likes to operate with his back to the basket, where he is very effective. Great hands, toughness and aggressiveness make him a high percentage finisher. Has good quickness and footwork. Solid rebounder. Not very versatile, doesn’t have a very high skill level facing the basket. Poor defender and not much of a passer. Put up big numbers on a mediocre team with bad chemistry. Clearly a work in progress, but has nice upside for the future.
	Comparison: Brandon Bass	Stats: 14.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $957,120	Ranking: 8th Power Forward / 10th Freshman
30. Boston Celtics	Courtney Lee 6-5 SG Western Kentucky / Senior
	Mid-major gem who is arguably the most complete wing player in the country. Smooth athlete with a great body and a super high basketball IQ. Outstanding shooter with a deadly mid-range jumper. Plays excellent defense—fundamental, and really competes. Gets in the passing lanes extremely well. A real team player, unselfish to a fault at times, but an excellent passer. Shot-creating skills are improving, but his ball-handling skills could still get better. Athleticism is good, but not great. Looks passive at times. Did not get great exposure in the Sun-Belt conference, but has fared extremely well against all types of competition, and led his team to the Sweet 16.
	Comparison: Anthony Parker	Stats: 20.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.7 bpg
	Rookie season salary*: $957,120	Ranking: 3rd Shooting Guard / 3rd Senior