Who is Number 3?

Posted on 09. Mar, 2010 by Marcus Kwamie in nba-draft

With championship week and tourney time upon us, the increased media attention on college basketball offers prospects the greatest opportunity to position themselves on the draft board. Since John Wall committed to play for John Calipari and agreed to be next in line to run the dribble drive offense, it has been a foregone conclusion that he would be the first player selected.  Once his senior year highlight package hit the net last spring, it was all but a done deal. With the year that Evan Turner has had at Ohio State and given how well he has played since returning from two fractured vertebrae, he is touted as the consensus number two pick. After that, things are a lot less clear in determining who the third player selected overall will be.

Conventional wisdom leads us to believe that much could depend on the draft order determined by lottery. However, many teams unwisely draft according to need rather than selecting the best player available. If the Nets are awarded the #1 pick and drafted by need, would they really pass on Wall simply because they already have a solid PG in Devin Harris? It’s such a flawed approach. When teams draft by need rather than by selecting the best player available, they end up with Darko Milicic when Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade are still on the board. So the big question is: who is the best player available?

After Wall and Turner, the five players jockeying for the number three spot are DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Favors, Wesley Johnson, Al-Farouq Aminu and Ed Davis. Impressive individual performances combined with deep tournament runs can significantly raise the draft stock and solidify any of these players’ status as a top prospect. In 2003, Dwyane Wade went from lottery outsider to top five pick by recording a triple double in the Elite Eight and carrying Marquette to the Final Four. The tournament is the ultimate showcase for prospects, as it gives them the opportunity to audition for the pros on the biggest stage.

When the season began, UNC sophomore Ed Davis was high on many draft boards. Davis showed a great scoring touch with the ability to create his own shot and finish in the paint. His impressive wingspan and rebounding ability make him the ideal post player. However, the defending Champion Tar Heels have had a disastrous season and things didn’t get any better for Davis when he fractured his wrist in a February clash with Duke. Barring a miraculous run in the ACC tournament, UNC will miss the big dance and Davis would most likely have played his last game at Chapel Hill. Even though when healthy, Davis put up solid numbers, leading UNC in rebounds, blocks and second in scoring, the lack of visibility due a late season injury and tournament absence will ultimately hurt his draft stock.

Travelling down Tobacco Road leads us to Wake Forest and Al-Farouq Aminu. The sophomore runs the floor well, can finish on the break and is a fierce rebounder. He averages a double-double for the Demon Deacons. At 6-8, he has great size and length for a perimeter player, but will need to improve his shooting range and ball handling to play the 3 position in the pros. Wake have been inconsistent in conference play (9-7), but should avoid the bubble and sneak into the tournament giving Aminu further opportunity to exhibit his skills.

Derrick Favors was among the most highly touted players in this year’s freshman class. The 2009 McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic MVP is a physical presence in the paint. His athleticism allows him to be a great low post defender as he averages over two blocks a game. His one weakness is that he can be considered one-dimensional offensively, which has led to comparisons between Favours and Amaré Stoudamire. Georgia Tech (19-11) is currently on the bubble and will need a strong showing in the ACC tournament in order to make it to the big dance. If Favors has strong performances over the next week, and can lead GT to the tourney, he will have the chance to display all the facets of his game and prove to any doubters that he’s not a one-trick pony.

Wesley Johnson led Syracuse to the summit of the AP 25 poll. The 6-7 jr. might rank as one of the best transfers in history. He sat out last year after transferring from Iowa State and has been indispensable for Jim Boeheim and the Orange this year.   As a result, his stock has risen.  Johnson is a versatile playmaker with a high basketball IQ. He plays the game above the rim and has good range on his jumper. He is an excellent defender and is averaging 2 blocks and 2 steals per game. Syracuse will most likely have a #1 ranking and are poised to make a deep tournament run. Johnson will be a big reason for that and the increased national exposure that he will receive in the next month will only serve to raise his profile.  He's currently nursing a hand injury which has hampered his production of late, and if he hopes to land the #3 spot in the draft, he'll have to overcome the injury and perform despite the pain.  He proved earlier in the season vs. North Carolina (then #4 in the country) that the brighter the lights, the better he performs. 

DeMarcus Cousins is the other super-freshman at Kentucky. His dominant low-post presence is the perfect compliment to Wall and together they should lead Kentucky deep into the tournament. Cousins has good mobility for a big man. He has displayed a wide array of post moves and the ability to create his own shot. He plays the game with high intensity, is a great on the offensive glass and is averaging a double-double. Questions have arisen about his volatile demeanour, but as long as his new mobile number doesn’t get out he should be all right.

Basically the tournament is the deciding factor as to who is selected third overall as the performances of these players will be fresh on the minds of scouts getting ready to make their selection. This gives Johnson and Cousins a decided advantage over the other three, because Syracuse and Kentucky are favorites to reach the Final Four.  As a result, these two players will get loads of national media exposure. All Cousins and Johnson have to do is to continue to play at a high level and punctuate individual performances with memorable tournament moments.

Tags: Al-Farouq Aminu, DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Favors, Ed Davis, Feature, Wesley Johnson