The all-time Big East NBA mock draft

No. 9 overall pick in 2012

2011-12 UConn stats (Freshman): 10.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.7 blocks per game (Lost in 1st round to Iowa State)

This might seem absurdly high for Drummond, especially given his NBA career. But the potential here was too strong to put him any lower. Drummond is massive, at 6-foot-11 and 280 pounds with a 7-foot-6 wingspan, and he adds a 33-inch vertical and decent enough lateral quickness that he could conceivably defend the perimeter well. Detroit is not the best development situation for him, and it’s very possible in another situation he could have more fully bought in to the pick-and-roll finishing he was always destined to succeed at. At the very least, he was going to be a machine scoring off cuts and offensive rebounds, which was his primary role at UConn. Drummond also looked the part of an elite defensive prospect at UConn, with advanced shot blocking timing and perimeter mobility for his age. While he struggled with some of the more advanced concepts of defense for the Huskies, he was a wrecking ball in the middle of the paint and even offered some value as a transition defender.

Drummond’s work ethic and complete rawness on offense were problematic, and those things have been consistent problems for him in the NBA. But his upside as a rim protector and rebounder were immense, and he represents one of the biggest home run swings in Big East history from a draft perspective. Many would have him lower, but I’m of the opinion that you take the massive center that can move, because if he pans out you have the main key to an upper-echelon NBA defense. He hasn’t worked out for Detroit, but like Andrew Bynum, DeAndre Jordan, and Tyson Chandler, a player of Drummond’s mold in the draft is absolutely worth the risk.