2005 NBA Mock Draft by Lucky Lester

It's easy enough to pick Tim Duncan with the number one overall selection, but what do you do if Duncan isn't available? Will Bogut be the next great center? Who will turn out to be the best player in the bunch? Who will be the next Sam Bowie? Is their an Amare Stoudamire waiting to be pilfered with the 10th pick? How deep is the draft? Who will be a steal? Who will go undrafted and end up scoring 20 points in the playoffs like Damien Wilkins? Is their another Dwayne Wade waiting around to be picked 5th? Will a top 5 team get a great all around player because too many donkeys think he's a tweener? The draft always poses lots of questions, and I can't remember a draft with more mind twisters than this one. I'll give you my pre-draft workout mock draft first round. Read and rebel, or accept my genius!

Below you will find links for each team in the 2005 NBA Draft. Please click on the link for the teams you are interested in for that round.

1. Bucks - Andrew Bogut, Center, Utah. The Bucks have to take Bogut. He's a piece that everybody wants and only a couple of teams have. He's a 7ft center. Yes, a center. He's big and tall and dominated college competition. The Bucks deserved the lottery 1 spot with the injury to TJ Ford. Next year TJ will hopefully get back on the court, and what would be better than a 7 footer with a low post game to welcome him back? They should be able to ignore the other teams trying to trade up to pluck Bogut away. The question is, will they be able to keep their dead eye shooter, Michael Redd. Top^

2. Hawks - Chris Paul, Point Guard, Wake Forest. The Hawks will take Paul or Bogut here, so unless a trade is too good to resist, plan on them standing pat and picking up one of their top two. I know Tyrone Lue broke out a few times late last year, but something tells me he's not the answer as team leader. Paul demands respect when he steps into the locker room. He's a general on the floor and does all the little things that need to be done. Marvin Williams might have all the upside in the world, but the need isn't there for the Hawks. Paul is the right pick if Bogut is gone. Top^

3. Trailblazers - Marvin Williams, Small Forward, North Carolina. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Blazers try to package this pick with a couple contract nukes, since they have plenty to offer, but the most talented player in the draft should mean more than salary relief. Williams has potential to flourish, and special skills on a talent laden championship Carolina team. The Blazers need players like Marvin. He's got an attitude Mo Cheeks would love, and a game that would make any coach happy. His year at Carolina speaks volumes of this young kid. Not only can he play at the highest level, but with his attitude, he can come off the bench all year and not say a word about it. Great player. Great kid. Top^

4. Hornets - Deron Williams, Point Guard, Illinois. Deron lead the most exciting, most successful team for 99% of the year. He's as tough as they come, has great polish and poise. He was the best player on a team that was ranked #1 all year. Deron will come to play every night regardless of his teams record, and that's something the Hornets need to have on their team. Williams is true point guard. A true point guard that might get New Orleans back on the right track. Top^

5. Bobcats - Raymond Felton, Point Guard, North Carolina. I wouldn't be surprised if the Bobcats wheeled and dealed to get up to one of the top two spots, but they shouldn't. Two players in the top 13 would really help this young team. Plus, everybody loves Raymond, especially me. The Bobcats aren't happy they fell down the Lottery Ladder. Sure, the Cats love Paul, but Raymond isn't a poor man's point guard. Raymond is as quick as they come. He knows how to run a team at the highest level. He's a gamer who showed he could take the next step when he became one of the best shooters on his team. Like the first four guys, he's a class act. He can run the break, hit the three, drive and dish, and he can finish. Top^

6. Jazz - Martynas Andriuskevicius, Center, Lithuania. Mart-Mart is 7'2" and shows a load of talent on the little bit of film I've witnessed. The closer we get to the draft the more I'll get to know Mart-Mart, but all I know now is that he's big, athletic, and lots of teams are interested. The Jazz take a chance here because the three top-flight guards are already gone and it's a golden rule that a big young talented question mark from some far away country needs to go right about meow. Top^

7. Raptors - Gerald Green, Strong Forward, High School. Green looked like the real deal in the McDonalds All American Game. He shot the lights out, and scored 24 points in 20 minutes against the best high school ballers in the land. He's not just a high school superstar either. He's 6'8" with a good-looking shot. Athleticism? Green took the slam-dunk contest which is often more competitive than either college or the NBA festivity. Look for Green to take a little time to mature, but he could turn into a Larry Hughes type player. If you haven't been paying attention lately, that means he's going to be real good. Top^

8. Knicks - Fran Vasquez, Power Forward, Spain. Isiah Thomas needs to get out or get things under control. He had a good draft a year ago, picking up Trevor Ariza in the second round. This year he needs to get a hold of a talented big man with the 8th pick. There might not be a more talented player than Vasquez. Jerry West traveled over to Europe to see the youngster play, enough said. Vasquez has tons of upside, and it looks like all he lacks is experience and strength. So he needs to play more high-level ball and eat his ham like Tina. Don't bet Thomas will do the right thing though, he is known to bugger things up. If you see his team, you'll notice they don't have a true point guard or a center. In fact all they have is shooting guards and power forwards. (Marbury isn't a true point) Vasquez doesn't change that, but he does allow Thomas to make some changes to his front line to acquire guys at spots he does need. Top^

9. Warriors - Charlie Villanueva, Power Forward, Connecticut. Chris Mullin is hard to read, but I bet he takes one of the talented unmotivated big men here. He's got his young team excited and playing well. A young extremely talented guy like Charlie could have great upside with Mullins tutelage. With the improving Warriors Villanueva could come off the bench, with guys like Barron Davis and Jason Richardson demanding he gets after it. Charlie can shoot, pass, rebound, play defense and score. He should only get better. Top^

10. Lakers - Jarret Jack, Point Guard, Georgia Tech. I don't know where the Lakers are going to start, but a point guard with no negatives might be a good choice. The Lakers need a center, Bogut is gone. The top three rated point guards are gone too. So the Shaq-Curse continues. If they ignore what they need and choose to go with a forward here, look for Taft or maybe Splitter to go. I think they get smart and choose a passing, defensive, clutch, and tough point guard who can step up and put his foot down when Kobe decides he should be the only one who touches the ball. Top^

11. Magic - Danny Granger, Small Forward, New Mexico. There are many who see no downside in Granger. He's a 6'8" small forward who played most of the season under the sun in New Mexico. That's why many think he's going to slip a little. Some scouts think Granger is a top 5 talent, and why not? He doesn't have negatives. He can play every position but center. He can really shoot the ball and rebound a ton. He's got tenacity on defense. If Orlando gets Granger with this pick, their team really improves across the board. Top^

12. Clippers - Tiago Splitter, Power Forward, Brazil. Splitter could hippity-hop into the earlier part of the lottery with some good workouts. He could also land right here with the power-forward hungry Clippers. Splitter might just be too popular to let past. He's got a good post game and a motor on the offense and defense. Some scouts love him, to the point where teams might trade up to get him early. The Clippers need someone to get them over the hump. Young players like Livingston provides the Clippers a chance to fight themselves into playoff contention, but losing players like Bobby Simmons (free agent) might keep them in mediocrity. Picking up a possible superstar like Splitter could keep them on track. Top^

13. Bobcats - Martell Webster, Shooting Guard, High School. Webster is said to have the sweetest shot of all the high school prospects. He's tall with a gifted shooting ability. He's projected to be a good 3. Since the Bobcats aren't about to win any championships, picking up a good youngster like Webster, who could turn into a Reggie Miller type, seems to be a good option. Webster is already stronger with a better body than Miller, and his shot is on track to compete. I like Webster, and I like the Bobcats getting Webster and letting him compete for a starting spot from day one. Top^

14. Timberwolves - Sean May, Power Forward, North Carolina. May was the centerpiece of an offence littered with offensive playmakers. He was the go to guy on the best team in basketball. He was the MVP of the NCAA Tournament. He's slipping this far because many consider him to be a short center. He's better than that. He has a jumper and his low post game is solid. He's a rebound machine, and a perfect fit for a Timberwolves team that needs to give Garnett help on the glass. Going to May down low would open up some room for KG and company. May's a good pick that fits well here. Top^

15. Nets - Hakim Warrick, Forward, Syracuse. Warrick was solid all year. His highlight reel is second to none. He led his team, and did all the little things. He can run, shoot a little, and finish a lot. He's tougher than his frame would indicate. This pick would be perfect for the Nets. Warrick running the floor with Vince Carter, Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson would give him plenty of room to finish plenty of breaks and succeed real quickly in this league. Hakim is one of the most underrated players in the draft. Top^

16. Raptors - Chris Taft, Power Forward, Pittsburgh. Taft is a mystery to most. One night the kid shows oodles of talent to scouts everywhere. The next night even I can tell you that he doesn't belong in the first round. But these draft things have become an investment for the future more than a fix for the now, which might send Taft up the board. He's a big kid with good athleticism who at times can have a flare for the big play. Whoever picks Taft has to believe they can motivate him for an 82 game season. Pittsburgh coaches couldn't do it for a 30 game march. Top^

17. Indiana Pacers - Rudy Fernandez, Shooting Guard, Spain. The Pacers might be looking for a two guard to replace Reggie. Fernandez is aggressive offensively and defensively, fitting right in to the tough and tumble scheme in Indiana. Rudy, Rudy, Rudy! Actually he's nothing like the other Rudy you've heard of. He's as athletic as they come. Some scouts say he has an unmatched aggressiveness that propels him to try amazing things on the floor. His confidence is sky high, a great thing to possess as a young international player. Had a great Olympics. Top^

18. Celtics - Channing Frye, Power Forward, Arizona. I don't know why I don't like Channing as a player, maybe it's the super soft toilet paper way he goes about playing the game. He's 6'11" and only a mere 250lbs. He has never been the rebounder he could be, or even the rebounder I could be. He's too tall and athletic to go about getting handled the way does by some big men. Frye can be awesome, a highlight film draft pick. If you only watch his highlights and his big games you pick him with the 5th pick thinking to yourself, 'this kid's gonna be a cornerstone on my team'. On the other hand if you watch his poor games you pick him in the second round, saying to yourself, 'hopefully we can separate this kid from his Barbie dolls and flower blanky and get him to play like he can'. Ainge is a highlight man. Top^

19. Grizzlies - Nemanja Alexandrov, Small Forward, Serbia-Montenegro. I don't know what Jerry West sees in the guy's he picks, but he might see some big things from Alexandrov. This kid has been called a sure-fire top 10 pick for the last couple of years, but has lost a little of that top end value with injuries and a couple off games in front of important people. He has been called great, and then again passive; superstar material, and heartless. West picks good players, though I think he's struggled of late. The Grizzlies could use a big man with a low post game, Nemanja seems to have that. Top^

20. Nuggets - Rashad McCants, Shooting Guard, North Carolina. Rashad might be the best scorer in the draft. He improved in all aspects of his game last year. He's as clutch as anyone on that Carolina team, and I think his future is as bright as any. He gets the job done. People like to question his attitude because of some of the things that he said at NC, but he's a steal in this draft, wherever he gets drafted. The Nugg's need shooting, McCant's has a beautiful stroke and keeps defenders honest because he can slash and finish strong. He would be a great fit in CO. Top^

21. Suns - Francisco Garcia, Shooting Guard, Louisville. Francisco had a great season. He showed he can do anything and make the big shot anywhere. He and Taquan Dean carried their squad to the final four. Garcia can shoot, pass, and most of all lay it all on the line. His defense is stout. Garcia will be an instant fix for bench production in Phoenix. He's also a winner. Top^

22. Nuggets - Johan Petro, Center, France. I know my knowledge is limited about this young kid, but I know he's 7 feet tall and a true center. I know he's real young, and there are too many important people talking about his potential to get past the first round. The Nuggets have about 15 power forwards and no center. Drafting a young kid that could be a tree in the middle would be a good move now that they filled their need for a solid shooter. Look for the Nuggs to future-build with this pick. Top^

23. Kings - Wayne Simien, Power Forward, Kansas. I have no idea how Simien could possibly drop this far, but I haven't seen a mock draft that has him in the top 25. He's solid in every area. He's a good scorer, defender, and teammate. He hasn't had the healthiest of careers, but he was pretty solid last year. He was the only reliable source on a Kansas team that faltered down the stretch. I think people are forgetting the loads of potential this kid possesses when he's healthy. He could be a great plug in player for the loss of Chris Webber. Simien is another player I think is very underrated. Top^

24. Rockets - Joey Graham, Small Forward, Oklahoma State. Graham is an athletic gunner whose shooting gets a lot of people talking a bunch of smack, but it's better than advertised. He can be a 2 or 3, and is said to have the body of a 4. He's got a dunk happy game, and he loves to slash to the hoop. He has hit better than 40% from three point land the last two years. If he slips to 24 the Rockets could have a good match to go with Tracy. Top^

25. Sonics - Ike Diogu, Power Forward, Arizona State. Diogu is better than he's being treated. He's as high energy as they come, and he has skills to go with that athletic game of his. He may be short for a power forward, but he's got a great feel for the game, a good shot, and plays tough defense. He doesn't play 6'7". I think whoever gets Ike ends up real happy with their selection. The Sonics could use a guy in the mold of Evans and Fortson with a better all around game. Top^

26. Pistons - Antoine Wright, Shooting Guard, Texas A&M. Wright had a great year, well most of the year. He had some trouble near the end, but overall his game improved immensely. He went from a career 36% shooter to a 50% slinger. His 3-point percentage went from 29 to 44. He's improved so much that many mock drafters have him slipping into the lottery. He's a 6'7" shooting guard with all the skills in a draft with only a few ideal prospects. To say the least, he picked a good year to come out. Top^

27. Jazz - Marko Thomas, Shooting Guard, Croatia. Thomas is an international player with an exciting scorer's mentality and a little bit of a laziness factor on the defensive end of the court. Sounds familiar. What happens to be a little more exciting about this guy is he's a big time scorer. He's lighting it up in the European League he's in right now, scoring just about 20 a game. He's hot and might be moving up way past this spot. The Jazz would love to get a couple more international players who upgrade their team like Kirilenko. Getting the best international scorer in the draft would be a good start for a team that lacks options on that end of the floor. Top^

28. Spurs - Ronny Turiaf, Power Forward, Gonzaga. The Spurs always need people to take heat away from Timmy. Turiaf can help on both ends of the floor. He's been stuck at the same level for the last few years, but he's had some really big games. He's an interesting prospect. He can be all over the place carrying his team on his back and then he can disappear into the hedges. I can't figure it out. I know he shows a lot of motor in big games, and his will to win is great. Set up next to Duncan could be a nice place for Ronny to make a living. Top^

29. Heat - Yaroslav Korolev, Small Forward, Russia. Korolev could be a steal this late in the draft for the Heat. He's 6'9" and he can play. Many tout him as a sure-fire NBA prospect. He might be making his way up the draft board in pre-draft camps, but then again he might not. The Heat could use this 17 year old kid who will take some time to grow, but could very well find himself a home learning to play with the future of NBA basketball, Dwayne Wade. Yaroslav has a picture perfect jumper that is very effective and can handle the rock well for a 17 year old who stands 6'9". Top^

30. Knicks - Andrew Bynum, Center, High School. The Knicks have been dying to get a true center in New York since Ewing left. Bynum is 7ft and 300lbs. He's a little over-weight, but could be a great kid to grab with the last pick of the 1st round. Thomas might be planning on dealing his entire set of first round picks for shooting guards but this would be a great pick here. A young kid who is a center. The Knicks need that combination. Bynum is a little raw offensively, but he's 17. Bynum is why the NBA wants an age restriction. He's got all the skills and potential to get drafted by teams willing to wait, but he doesn't have a chance of starting or playing any role significant enough to justify going from high school to the league. Top^

If you want to send Lucky Lester an email or you would like to add his articles to your web site, you can reach him at LuckyLester@hotmail.com.

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