2012 NBA Mock Draft: Final Edition

The NBA draft is just a few hours away and to celebrate FanSided is releasing its final mock draft. The following is a consensus mock draft created by the team writers across FanSided NBA.

Check it out and be sure to keep it here to FanSided.com throughout the night and tomorrow for all your NBA draft coverage.

1. New Orleans Hornets – PF Anthony Davis, Kentucky
swarmandsting.com

Anthony Davis is the top prospect and consensus #1 overall pick in this years draft. No other
prospect in this draft class has been said to have the potential to be a franchise player. It does not
take too much decision making to select Davis #1 overall.

2. Charlotte Bobcats – PF Thomas Robinson, Kansas
robertogato.com

Some people say Robinson is the safest pick in the draft. I say he’s the smartest pick in the draft. He’s shown an impressive propensity for growth, he’s got an NBA-ready body, and his skill set is one that should transfer to the professional level. The Bobcats need help everywhere, and Robinson is the only guy in this draft who can give them help everywhere.

3. Washington Wizards – SG Bradley Beal, Florida

With the acquisitions of Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza, the Wizards’ lone glaring need is at the shooting guard spot. Jordan Crawford is best suited coming off the bench and the Wizards need someone who can shoot from the perimeter – Bradley Beal can be that guy.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers – SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky
rightdowneuclid.com

With Anthony Parker’s departure from the Cavaliers, Cleveland’s need for a wing player and his experience with Kyrie Irving are all attractive reasons as to why Kidd-Gilchrist should go to the Cavaliers at pick No. 4. Although he only attempted 8.2 field goals per game, the Kentucky freshmen will give Irving another option to go to, further expanding on Cleveland’s idea of an eight-player team.

5. Sacramento Kings – SF Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
aroyalpain.com

With Thomas Robinson off the board early and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist going to Cleveland with the fourth pick, Sacramento was left to pick the final piece of the ‘five man draft’. While players like Damian Lillard and Andre Drummond were still on the board, a need for outside shooting and an improvement to the Kings small forward position was too good to pass up. Barnes also proves to be the more NBA ready talent of other players considered, giving the Kings a better opportunity to win now then three to four years down the road. While Barnes was not the preferred pick (we were hoping Robinson or Kidd-Gilchrist would fall), he was the safest and most logical remaining prospect.

6. Portland Trail blazers – C Andre Drummond, Connecticut
ripcityproject.com

Portland has two huge holes to fill in the off-season, and the point guard position is the one I don’t think they should try to address through the draft. Drafting a point guard can be dangerous. Even if there’s a chance that Portland’s draft choice turns into Derrick Rose, the chances that he ends up like Sebastian Telfair or worse is much much higher. For that reason, I think the Blazers should use their first pick on a center. Drummond is raw and young. We all know what happened the last time Portland picked a raw young center, and if the Blazers do end up taking Drummond with the sixth pick expect to hear plenty of Greg Oden references. That being said, I don’t think the Blazers’ brass should let GO’s history stop them from going after a legit big guy. There are very few in the league right now. Taking Drummond, and building him into an elite level player could mean victories for Portland for a long time. Looking for an aging center in free agency, or making a two or three to one deal to get Dwight Howard probably won’t.

7. Golden State Warriors – PF John Henson, North Carolina
bluemanhoop.com

He’ll certainly help the Warriors, who are looking for another big man to help. While David Lee has been impressive, his surrounding casts of big men are unproven or coming back from injury. The Warriors got a big man in Andrew Bogut last year after a blockbuster trade, but the man is injury prone and hasn’t looked his all-star from in a couple of years. Bring in a young guy who has the height and the skill set to help this team and give the Warriors a look they haven’t had in years.

8. Toronto Raptors – SG Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut

The Raptors are looking to take a shooting guard here. It was between Lamb, Dion Waiters and Austin Rivers. Lamb feels like he has the most upside so we went with him.

9. Detroit Pistons – C Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State

The Pistons need a big man and with John Henson off the board who we expected to have fall to us, we graded Moultrie as the next best big. He and Greg Monroe will make a good team together.

10. Boston Celtics (from NOH) – C Tyler Zeller, North Carolina

We traded our 21st and 22nd picks to New Orleans for this pick and a second rounder. The Celtics need a center for the future and Zeller can be that guy.