1. Greg Oden (Ohio State, Freshman Center)

Oden has phenomenal shot blocking ability, and his timing is beautiful. He is a very strong man, and he gets position with ease. He’s an excellent rebounder on both ends. His combination of size, strength, and athleticism is outstanding, and very rare. He can finish with both hands well. The potential is unlimited. He does need to improve his offensive assertiveness and low-post arsenal, and maybe extend his shooting range to 10-11 feet, but this kid is a once in a decade opportunity. True centers like this just don’t come along often nowadays. This is a once in a decade player.

2. Kevin Durant (Texas, Freshman Forward)

His size and freak athleticism is unbelievable. He can score in any way, shape, or form. He has great range. His jump shot is unblockable due to his height, athleticism, and length. He is a very good rebounder. He is an above average defender who can block shots. He knows he’s a star and he has a scorer’s mentality, but he is not a selfish player. He is a good ball handler. He runs the floor well. He has a lot of heart and expresses his passion for the game every time he takes the floor. Kevin Durant has NBA franchise player written all over him.

3. Brandan Wright (North Carolina, Freshman Forward)

He is a freak athlete. He is very quick for a big man. Despite his lanky frame, he will be a good rebounder in the NBA due to the good positioning. He has large wingspan. He’s a smart player. He has a very soft touch but will also finish emphatically if he has an opening. He does need to add a little weight, improve defensively, and try and develop more of a killer instinct, however. I see him as the Chris Bosh of this draft. What I mean by that is that he is overlooked by the superstar talents in front of him, but he could very well be an multi-time NBA All-Star.

4. Yi Jianlian (China, Forward)

He’s very long and athletic, and is very mobile for a 7 footer. He has a very soft touch, good shooting mechanics, and good shooting range. His ball handling skills are great for his size. Runs the floor very well. He must add weight and get stronger, he must improve defensively, and he must develop some kind of go-to move or two in the post. We are also not 100% certain what will be his primary position in the NBA (small forward or power forward), but he has boatloads of potential. That size mixed with those natural skills and athleticism will turn out to be at least something decent. Will he be more than decent? Only time will tell, but most people associated with him think that he will be a good player in this league.

5. Al Horford (Florida, Junior Forward)

First off, he’s a very hard worker. He is very strong and he is a very tough player. He is an excellent low post defender. He can score in the post, although his offensive game needs to be polished. He has great hands and is an excellent rebounder. He does need to work on his post game, he does need to develop some consistency, and he does need to maybe get a bit quicker, but Horford is hands down one of the most NBA-ready players in this draft class.

6. Corey Brewer (Florida, Junior Forward)

He is a complete lock-down defender who was capable of shutting down virtually anybody at the college level, and that skill mixed with his length and athleticism should translate for him defensively in the NBA. He’s very long and athletic with a lot of speed and quickness to go with it. He’s a very unselfish player, moves the ball around well. Brewer is a good slasher, good finisher, and he can shoot the ball from the perimeter. He needs is work on his ball handling skills and he could get a big stronger, but he has the total package and can contribute in the NBA right away.

7. Mike Conley Jr. (Ohio State, Freshman Guard)

He has an outstanding feel for the game and is a very heady player with an incredible basketball IQ for a point guard his age. He’s always aware on both ends of the court. He’s not going to boggle your mind with flashy passes, but he continuously makes the right play. He’s an excellent ball handler with either hand, and he can finish at the rim with either hand. He is capable of running a halfcourt or up-tempo team. He’s not an outstanding shooter, but you have to respect him. He may not be outstanding right away, due to the fact that he’s coming out after just one year in college (and also has to work on his shot a bit, as well as his man-to-man defense), but in a couple years he will be one heck of a point guard.

8. Julian Wright (Kansas, Sophomore Forward)

Julian is an absolute freak athlete and a great finisher. He’s an excellent defensive player who can lock someone down 1-on-1 or play the passing lanes, he also has great anticipation/reaction skills. His basketball IQ is off the charts. He’s a good rebounder. He is a very good passer for a forward. He is a solid ball handler who is very unselfish. He runs the floor very well. He must improve his consistency at the offensive end, he must improve his jump shot, and he must learn to try and take over offensively more than he does, but Julian Wright is an excellent all-around player that does everything well on both ends, and will be a very good player in the NBA. Think Andrei Kirilenko with a better offensive game and more coordination.

9. Jeff Green (Georgetown, Junior Forward)

Green is very long and athletic. He possesses excellent ball skills and excellent court vision for a forward. He’s an above average defensive player. He can play in any style, due to his versatility and ability to play either forward position (although he’s better suited for the 3 right away). He is a good finisher who can slam it home or lay it up with his soft touch, he has an above average mid-range game, and he has 3-point range (although he needs to work on his outside shot). The biggest knock on Green is that he is passive at times, and he will sometimes completely shy away from creating his own offense. He reminds me of Lamar Odom in a lot of ways, and he has a lot of potential. Another note: don’t look at his college numbers and think he is overrated, because his individual success was held back due to the style of play Georgetown runs. He’s NBA ready, and he’s going to be a fine player for years to come.

10. Spencer Hawes (Washington, Freshman Center)

Hawes is a legit 7 footer who can really score in the post. He has the ability to knock down some 15-18 foot jumpers on a pretty consistent basis. He’s an excellent passer for a 7 footer. He is one of the most consistent freshman in the country. He’s a very solid shot blocker. He does need to get a bit quicker, he sometimes settles for outside shots rather than scoring in the post (which he can do), and he is just an average rebounder. You look at comparisons of this guy all over the place, and you see Brad Miller. To me, that is spot on, I think he will have a similar career and be a very similar player, but he also has potential to be better than Miller was.

On the Bubble: Al Thornton (Florida State, Senior Forward), Roy Hibbert (Georgetown, Junior Center), Acie Law (Texas A&M Senior Guard), Joakim Noah (Florida, Junior Forward), Thaddeus Young (Georgia Tech, Freshman Forward).

3 Responses to “Top 10 2007 NBA Draft Prospects”

1. RANDY DEARDORFF Says:
   May 24th, 2007 at 12:24 pm

   I LIKE DAVID PADGET LOUISVILLE AND THAT KID FROM TEXAS TECH ACEY
   ANY CHANCE CELTICS CULD TAKE ACEY IN THE FIRST ROUND AND STILL GET
   DAVID PADGET IN THE SECOND ROUND AS THEY NEED BOTH A CENTER AND A POINT GUARD OF THE FUTURE?

2. RANDY DEARDORFF Says:
   May 24th, 2007 at 12:28 pm

   CORRECTION I MEAN ANY CHANCE CELTICS
   FIRST ROUND ACIE LAW TEXAS A&M 2ND ROUND DAVID PADGETT LOUISVILLE

3. CelticBalla32 Says:
   May 24th, 2007 at 8:41 pm

   No, we won’t end up with Acie Law. We already have our point guard of the future, and that is Rajon Rondo. David Padgett will not be taken at 32, and I’m not even sure if he declared. The bottom line is that we need veterans, not rookies. I guarantee we package the #5 pick in a deal for a veteran or two.

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