NBA Draft Player Rankings

The NBA draft is still a long way off, but ranking NBA players is a job that's never done, so here is Suite101's first pre-NBA draft analysis of future NBA players.

In our initial NBA draft analysis, we are ranking the top 20 NBA player prospects, based on ability only. Our first NBA draft player rankings do not account for the order in which NBA teams select.

1. Greg Oden, C (Ohio State, freshman) -- Greg Oden is 7-0, 280, runs like a small forward and is compared favorably to Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon. The upside for this kid is off the charts, and he is the surefire number one pick in the coming NBA draft.
2. Kevin Durant, PF (Texas, freshman) -- Kevin Durant already looks like he's been in the NBA for a decade, and he hasn't played a full season of college ball. At 6-10, Durant runs, jumps, shoots, rebounds and blocks shots. Compared to Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant may one day be even better the Dallas Mavericks superstar.
3. Brandan Wright, PF (North Carolina, freshman) -- When Brandan Wright puts his hands in the air, he looks like he's 10 feet tall. He'll block shots and rebound, in addition to scoring inside and out. One of the premeir athletes for his size in this NBA draft.
4. Julian Wright, SF (Kansas, sophomore) -- Although Julian Wright claims to be staying at Kansas another year, the lure of the NBA draft will likely be too much -- a good thing for any team landing Wright, who is as smooth and polished as any player in the draft.
5. Spencer Hawes, C (Washington, freshman) -- A legitimate NBA body, Spencer Hawes is a center with plenty of low post moves and nice passing ability for a man his size. Like Greg Oden, a huge upside for what promises to be a very talented NBA player.
6. Joakim Noah, PF (Florida, junior) -- Some experts have Joakim Noah as high as third. He is an Anderson Varejao clone, only Noah is a better scorer. This isn't a bad thing, but an NBA team will want more bang for its buck.
7. Al Horford, F/C (Florida, junior) -- The knock on Al Horford is inconsistency. Given the right NBA environment and coaching staff, Horford should blossom into an excellent NBA post player. A solid defender and excellent shot-blocker, Horford is a sure lottery pick in the coming NBA draft.
8. Dominic James, PG (Marquette, sophomore) -- Smallish, but very quick, Dominic James is the best in a very weak point guard class and fairly weak guard class overall. James is a great finisher and slasher, though, who should be a very solid NBA player.
9. Corey Brewer, SF (Florida, junior) -- Corey Brewer has all of the skills, intelligence and heart to be a very good NBA player. He needs to get a bit stronger and more consistent from the perimeter.
10. Aaron Gray, C (Pittsburgh, senior) -- The first senior selected should be Aaron Gray. Not as athletic as Oden and not the offensive player that Hawes is, Gray brings a toughness that many NBA teams will be searching for on draft day.
11. Brandon Rush, SF (Kansas, sophomore) -- Some see Brandon Rush going much lower than this in the NBA draft, because he often disappears and his overall numbers are down. Rush is the kind of shooter that isn't easy to find, though, so we like him in the top 15. Rush reminds us of a stronger version of Reggie Miller.
12. Tiago Splitter, F (Tau Ceramica, Spain) -- Sort of an NBA tweener, Tiago Splitter is a guard in a power forward's body (6-11, 235). He can shoot it from anywhere on the court, but he'll have trouble defending quick small forwards and strong power forwards. NBA teams will have a hard time passing on this young offensive force.
13. Marcus Williams, SG (Arizona, sophomore) -- Marcus Williams is a solid NBA draft prospect in virtually every way. A good rebounder and decent athlete who can shoot the three, if a bit inconsistently.
14. Daequan Cook, SG (Ohio State, freshman) -- Daequan Cook is an NBA team's dream scorer. He can shoot the basketball with almost limitless range, and he can drive into traffic with his very solid frame. We see cook as a little bigger version of Joe Dumars.
15. Tyler Hansbrough, PF (North Carolina, sophomore) -- Tyler Hansbrough has the kind of game that is perfect for a college basketball power forward; we're just not sure it's perfect for the NBA. Hansbrough plays harder than most people and is a force inside. The speed of the NBA game, though, may hurt Hansbrough's career and will likely hurt him on NBA draft day.
16. Josh McRoberts, PF (Duke, sophomore) -- Some NBA draft experts predict Josh McRoberts will be a lottery pick. We see McRoberts as more of a Christian Laettner-type Duke post player than a Carlos Boozer. McRoberts is not too offensive-minded and only a decent rebounder. Still, he's from Duke, so he's definitely a top 20 NBA draftee.
17. Yi JianLian, F/C (Guangdong Tigers, China) -- JianLian has been compared to Pau Gasol, Charlie Villanueva and even Yao Ming. The comparison to Gasol may be the most appropriate, as Yi will never be the inside force Yao is. Yi JianLian is 7-0, 230 and gets up and down the floor, but he's not very strong, so his NBA position is very much up in the air.
18. Al Thornton, SF (Florida State, junior) -- Al Thornton is a very interesting NBA draft prospect, because he can play both forward spots, but doesn't stand out at either. This will either be his downfall in the NBA, or it will make him a Charles Barkley-type player.
19. Glen Davis, PF (LSU, junior) -- Most NBA draft previews have Glen Davis a bit lower, but we love his hands and ballhandling ability for such a big man. If he can play down in weight to around 275, we believe Davis can be a force in the NBA and a steal in the NBA draft.
20. Jason Smith, C (Colorado State, junior) -- Smith isn't as heralded or as talented as the previously-mentioned Oden, Hawes and Gray, but he is a 7-footer with a nice array of offensive moves, which should easily make him a first-round NBA draft pick.

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