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The Faces of the 2014 NBA Draft
Shaq Davis
C, LSU
Projected Pick: Top 3
It's not hyperbole to suggest that Shaq Davis is the next great NBA center. It's also not a surprise to see who Davis has modeled his game after, given both his name and his school of choice. Davis is Shaquille O'Neal 2.0, a force on the boards and in the paint. Also brimming with potential, it would be shocking to see Davis fall beyond the top 5.
SG, Alabama
Projected Pick: Top 3
There's a surprisingly large amount of competition vying for the #1 guard spot in this year's draft, but it seems fairly obvious to anyone with a pulse that Danny Jones is the best prospect of the bunch. A 6'5" SG/PG hybrid, Jones is an electric scorer who doubles as perhaps the best athlete in the entire draft. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Jones should be one of the first names said by Adam Silver.
SG, St. John's
Projected Pick: Top 3
Danny Jones' direct competition for the top guard position, some have argued that the only reason David Solomon is not projected higher than Jones is because of their relative potentials. It would be a mistake to overlook Solomon because of that, however. A strong finisher and ball handler, as well as a dynamite outside scorer, Solomon should be a great asset to have in this league for quite some time.
PG, USC
Projected Pick: Top 5
Michael Evans could be the steal of this draft, if he falls further than his projected pick. Evans can do so many things on the court already. If he works on his basketball IQ, he's going to be a superstar in this league. He's, literally, got just about everything else in his arsenal.
PG, Wake Forest
Projected Pick: Top 5
Look past the best passer in this draft at your own risk. Joe Cohen isn't too worried. He knows that he's going to be around for a while, and he has a skillset that translates very well to the NBA game. Despite being somewhat undersized for the NBA, Cohen's passing will make him a force. He's also supremely intelligent, which will only work to his advantage as he runs NBA offenses.
SG, Georgetown
Projected Pick: Lottery
What makes Christian Carter such an interesting prospect is that he began playing basketball in middle school, far later in the cycle than many fellow lottery players in this draft. After a great first year at Georgetown, Carter looks to bring his stifling defense and athleticism to the NBA. If his one year at Georgetown is any indication, he'll be just fine in the pros.
SF, Boise State
Projected Pick: Lottery
There's no denying what Trey Young is best at. The man was put on this planet to shoot and score buckets. In a draft with some pretty great shooters, Young has to be considered the top shooter of the bunch. Some have compared Young to fellow 3 point bomber Mike Miller, and the comparisons definitely make sense. He doesn't project to be much more than a shooter, but when you have a shot as great as Young's, who needs anything else?
PF, Arkansas
Projected Pick: Lottery
Out of all of the lottery picks in this draft, Byron Ford is one of the players with the best chance of seeing his draft stock improve. At 6'10" and over 260 pounds, Ford was a monster in his lone SEC season, putting up 15 PPG and 10 RPG. His battles against LSU and Shaq Davis are revered in SEC country. Many feel that Davis won the battles, but Ford hit Davis with some hard haymakers. If he can compete with the possible #1 pick in this draft, he can compete in the NBA.
SF, Brazil
Projected Pick: Lottery
By the time the Draft rolls around, Santiago will be 24 years old. Many scouts agree that Santiago has already reached his peak ability, and because of this, some believe that his stock, which was pushing the top 3 range, will drop dramatically once the draft rolls around. Whoever drafts Santiago, however, will get one of the best packages in the entire draft, an athletic force that does just about everything well.
PF, UCLA
Projected Pick: Lottery
Recently outed as an illegitimate son of NBA legend Dennis Rodman, Cam Tyus decided to roll with the punches and legally changed his last name to Rodman. In his lone season at UCLA, it was apparent that Tyus--er, Rodman plays a lot like his dad. He's not as good as his dad, but not many guys are. He's still a strong defender, a strong athlete, and a freak on the glass. You know exactly what you're getting with Cam Rodman.
PF, Saint Mary's
Projected Pick: Mid-to-Late 1st Round
Gonzaga coach Mark Few has constantly referred to Saint Mary's big man Jeff Frazier as "The Evolutionary David Lee". He doesn't really have the outside touch that Lee has, but Frazier has one particular thing that his comparison lacks: Speed. He's also a good finisher at the rim and a good rebounder. The kind of traits that Frazier has should not be slept on.
SF, North Florida
Projected Pick: Late 1st/Early 2nd
Out of everyone in the 2014 NBA Draft, the player that most scouts have the most disagreement on is North Florida sleeper Kobe Carr. They can agree, for the most part, that Carr is a great athlete, a good shooter, and a pretty good rebounder. What many can't agree on is his ceiling. While many feel Carr has potential to grow into a pretty good NBA player, some wonder if he'll ever reach his potential, with one scout actually saying that Carr "will never amount to anything more than a 12th man in the NBA". If Carr does realize his potential, that scout will be looking for work in 12 months.
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