2011 NBA Mock Draft has Foreign Talent Selected Early
As another Bleacher Report writer noted, the 2011 NBA Draft looks to have less international flavor than in recent history, but on the other hand it seems the lottery will be dominated by foreign born and raised talent.
Taking a foreign player is always more risky than taking a talent from the states simply because the levels of scouting are so much higher and done so much more often on our shores as opposed to abroad.
The international game also does not always translate over to the NBA, where the players are the biggest, fastest, and strongest in the world. Many of these foreign wunderkind are looking best against levels of competition that do not measure up to what they will face after being drafted.
Enes Kanter will probably be drafted in the top five, with some rumors being spread that he could potentially go number 1 overall in the 2011 NBA Draft. Kanter is a 6?11?, tall Turkish born center who immigrated to the United States in an attempt to play college basketball.
Following Kanter in the lottery could be Jan Vesely, Jonas Valanciunas, Bismack Biyombo, and perhaps Donatas Motiejunas.
These players are all relative question marks for the prospective teams that will draft them. Taking a foreign player in the lottery is akin to gambling, and it often does not work out well.
In a draft where the homegrown talent is so weak, the 2011 NBA Draft is a smart time to gamble on some of these international ?stars? and hope one of them will pan out.
No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving
No. 2 Minnesota Timberwolves: Derrick Williams
No. 3 Utah Jazz: Brandon Knight
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers: Enes Kanter
No. 5 Toronto Raptors: Jonas Valanciunas
No. 6 Washington Wizards: Kawhi Leonard
No. 7 Sacramento Kings: Kemba Walker
No. 8 Detroit Pistons: Jan Vesely
No. 9 Charlotte Bobcats: Marcus Morris
No. 10 Milwaukee Bucks: Alec Burks
No. 11 Golden State Warriors: Klay Thompson
No. 12 Utah Jazz: Jimmer Fredette
No. 13 Phoenix Suns: Tristan Thompson
No. 14 Houston Rockets: Chris Singleton
No. 15 Indiana Pacers: Bismack Biyombo
No. 16 Philadelphia 76ers: Markieff Morris
No. 17 New York Knicks: Josh Selby
No. 18 Washington Wizards: Marshon Brooks
No. 19 Charlotte Bobcats: Donatas Montiejunas
No. 20 Minnesota Timberwolves: Davis Bertans
No. 21 Portland Trail Blazers: Jordan Hamilton
No. 22 Denver Nuggets: Tobias Harris
No. 23 Houston Rockets: Darius Morris
No. 24 Oklahoma City Thunder: Nikola Mirotic
No. 25 Boston Celtics: Kenneth Faried
No. 26 Dallas Mavericks: Trey Thompkins
No. 27 New Jersey Nets: Justin Harper
No. 28 Chicago Bulls: Reggie Jackson
No. 29 San Antonio Spurs: Jeremy Tyler
No. 30 Chicago Bulls: Tyler Honeycutt
Jenny McCarthy Zooey Deschanel Tara Reid Coco Lee Katy Perry
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