FanPost

Top 2011 Draft Prospects

With the season coming to an end it looks as if the Wolves again will be enjoying another NBA Draft Lottery.  At this point the Timberwolves are nearly guaranteed a top 6 pick.

Below is a list of the consensus top prospects in the 2011 NBA Draft. 

Who should the Wolves draft if available and who should they avoid?

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2011 Draft Prospects

 

Kyrie Irving 6’2” 185 – PG

Strengths - Lightning quick point guard can score and distribute. Elite athlete with great handles. He looked nearly flawless in short stint as freshman before injury.

Weaknesses - Played only 8 college games and is coming off a season ending injury. Evaluation is based completely on high school and a few college games.

 

Perry Jones 6’11” 220lbs – F

Strengths – Skinny combo forward who is an elite athlete for his size. Good ball handler for a big with good overall skills. Good length. Perry is a very efficient scorer and a solid rebounder.

Weaknesses – Questions about his motivation, he seems to lack intensity. Uncertainty about his position in the NBA, tall and long enough to play PF or C but lacks bulk, has some SF skills but may not be able to keep up with smaller quicker SF.

 

Jared Sullinger 6’9” 260lbs – PF

Strengths – Strong high scoring PF with excellent basketball IQ. Uses bulk to rebound and score easily inside.

Weaknesses – Average size, average length, and average athleticism for his position. He plays below the rim and may have trouble finishing against and defending bigger more athletic opponents.

 

Derrick Williams 6’8” 235lbs – PF

Strengths – Super athletic PF can shoot the 3 or throwdown highlight reel dunks. He is a very effective scorer who can put the ball on the floor and finish with either hand. Good rebounder.

Weaknesses – Seriously undersized for an NBA PF. Tweener who will struggle defending NBA sized PFs and quick SF, and may not have the skills to play SF full-time.

 

Harrison Barnes 6’8” 210lbs – SF

Strengths – Do everything SF can handle the ball, shoot, drive, rebound, pass, and create his own shot. Ideal size and frame for NBA SF, high basketball IQ, and a hard worker.

Weaknesses – Good but not great athleticism. Shot poorly at beginning of Freshman year but improved dramatically in second half of the season.

 

Jonas Valanciunas 6’11” 240lbs – C

Strengths – Jonas is tall, with very long arms and decent athleticism. He is a good rebounder and an excellent shot blocker and is not afraid of contact. Scores all his points inside with a good percentage and is a good free throw shooter.

Weaknesses – He is very young (18) and raw. He is playing his first year of high level Euro ball. He may stay in Europe 1 more year.

 

Kemba Walker 6’0” 180lbs – PG

Strengths – Smart, extremely quick point guard. He can score on the drive or with his improved shooting touch from outside. He is an excellent ball-handler even at full speed.

Weaknesses – Small at 6’0” and is not a flashy superstar passer. He may not have superstar potential due to small size and lack of elite athleticism.

 

Enes Kanter 6’10” 260lbs – C

Strengths – Strong and tough inside banger can score and rebound. He is a good back to the basket scorer with a wide variety of interior moves and has a good mid-range jumper with improving distance. Good Basketball IQ

Weaknesses – Undersized center with average length and below average athleticism. Inexperienced, he played one season of high school in the US and had amateur status revoked by NCAA before Freshman season.

 

Terrance Jones 6’8” 215lbs – F

Strengths – Athletic lefty combo forward with excellent jump shot. Scores easily getting off his mid-range jumpers quickly off the dribble. An excellent passer and he can drive to the basket and finish with his soft touch or a slam.

Weaknesses – Does not have 3 point range or a good back to the basket game and favors his left too much.

 

Jan Vesely 6’11” 240lbs –F

Strengths – Big, long, and highly athletic combo forward. He scores best as either a catch and shoot jump shooter with 3 point range or flying above the rim for the emphatic slam. Quick for his size he gets a good number of steals and blocks.

Weaknesses - Poor ball-handler and decision maker who lacks soft touch inside. His back to the basket game is a work in progress. Has trouble guarding fast SFs on the perimeter and strong PFs inside.

 

Donatas Motiejunas 7’0” – PF / C

Strengths – Big, athletic stretch four or five with excellent offensive skills. He can score with his back to the basket, with an accurate jumper out to 3 point range, by beating his man off the dribble, or finishing in transition.

Weaknesses – Poor rebounder and defender due mostly to disinterest in these areas. Has size and athleticism to be a much better defender and rebounder in the future if ever motivated.