Welcome to the first edition of our mock draft database. This table will compile the Hornets' picks at #11, as projected by illustrious and dubious sources alike. I'll update the table at least once a week (or as often as needed).
Interestingly, not a single player is picked twice in the first edition of this database. Obviously, that should change as the workout process begins, but the wide range of possible picks is interesting to note. The list is mostly populated by frontcourt players, however.
Finally, the third column contains notes from Draft Express. We'll be analyzing these prospects ourselves over the upcoming weeks, but until then, these comments should come in handy.
Source |
Projection |
DX Comments |
|
Patrick Patterson PF, Kentucky 6-8, 223, 21 |
Intelligent, undersized power forward with long arms, a great frame and nice athleticism. Very aggressive inside, can operate with his back to the basket with great touch, and is a terrific finisher around the hoop. Can knock down jump-shots with solid accuracy. Footwork and overall offense polish still improvable. Not a very good rebounder. Relies too much on his natural tools at times, particularly on the defensive end. |
|
|
Daniel Orton C, Kentucky 6-10, 260, 19 |
True center with all the physical attributes look for in a big man, including a chiseled frame, a great wingspan and solid athleticism. Showed great flashes of potential in tiny doses on both ends of court this year. Didn't play much behind DeMarcus Cousins coming off an injury plagued year in high school. Numbers are incredibly underwhelming, but potential is anything but. |
|
|
Hassan Whiteside C, Marshall 7-0, 235, 20 |
Raw young big man with exceptionally rare physical tools. Has great size, solid athleticism and freakishly long arms. Led the NCAA in shot-blocking as a freshman. Very productive rebounder. Shows intriguing skills offensively, both facing and with his back to the basket. Feel for the game, fundamentals leaves a lot to be desired. Poor passer who's thin frame makes him a project on both ends of the court. Has serious off-court red-flags he must overcome. |
|
|
Cole Aldrich C, Kansas 6-11, 245, 21 |
True center with terrific size, an excellent frame, and an extremely long wingspan. Big-time rebounder who plays a physical brand of defense. Has good hands and is a capable finisher around the basket. Still needs to work on improving all-around offense polish. Has glaring limitations, but is a rare commodity thanks to his physical attributes, mobility and the intensity in which he plays with. |
|
|
Donatas Motiejunas C, Italy 7-0, 215, 19 |
Athletic left-handed European big man with great size and length. Possesses a versatile skill-set: can handle the ball, shoot with range, pass or operate inside. Not the toughest player around, struggles at times on the defensive end, is a very poor rebounder and can get frustrated when things aren't going his way. Upside as a scorer is considerable. |
|
|
Gordon Hayward F, Butler 6-8, 200, 20 |
NCAA tournament darling has great size and a superb skill-level. Smart player who can create his own shot and has nice potential as a perimeter shooter. Can pass, rebound and will have no problem operating within a team setting. Just an average athlete with a frame that may struggle to carry much more weight. Defensive potential looks limited. |
|
|
Xavier Henry SG, Kansas 6-6, 210, 19 |
Swingman with good size and an excellent frame. Possesses excellent scoring instincts and deep range on his jump shot. Smart, unselfish player who understands the game. Good, not great athlete who may struggle to create his own shot at the next level. Lateral quickness is questionable. Mature complimentary player. |
|
|
Prenocephale 8-0, 290, 65,000,000 |
Small, speedy, and with gigantic eyes that indicate its superior vision, Prenocephale is yet another prime point guard to call New Orleans home. Chris Paul is a crown jewel of today's NBA, and Darren Collison might have been the finest PG in last year's rookie class. The Hornets, who have so little to their name, really have choice but to try and play them together. Marcus Thornton brings some pure scoring fire power, but someone has to spell Paul and Collison if the team really does go with a "best available" approach to the starting line-up. Or, if one is traded, the team will need a back-up. Or, if things get really crazy, and someone recognizes that even a 4-foot tall dinosaur is still really fucking strong and athletic, maybe Preneocphale can become like a scaly cross between Tyson Chandler and Brad Miller. |
|
|
Ekpe Udoh F/C, Baylor 6-10, 240, 22 |
Long, fluid big man with a nice skill level both facing and with back to the basket. Shows good potential with his solid ball-handling and perimeter shooting skills. Makes a big impact on defensive end thanks to activity level, timing and wingspan. Needs to get stronger, tougher and continue to improve all-around polish. Not a finished product, despite being a bit older. |