2012 Cavs.com Mock Draft
The 2012 NBA Draft is rapidly approaching and various mock drafts are imploding as we get closer to Thursday night. Cavs.com decided to get into the act and asked three members of the Wine and Gold family – Cavalier legend, Campy Russell, radio play-by-play man John Michael and Cavs.com beat writer Joe Gabriele – to weigh in with their predictions.
Of course, the opinion of this mock draft’s three wise men is purely their own and doesn’t reflect how Chris Grant and the actual Cavaliers’ brain trust feels about this year’s Draft prospects.
Our panel made the Lottery picks for the first four teams and predicted who the Wine and Gold might tab at No. 24.
All that’s left now is to see how their picks stack up against reality after David Stern puts New Orleans on the clock …
| Team | Campy Russell | John Michael | Joe Gabriele |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. New Orleans Hornets | Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky | Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky | Anthony Davis, PF, Kentucky |
| 2. Charlotte Bobcats | Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky | Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas |
| 3. Washington Wizards | Bradley Beal, SG, Florida | Bradley Beal, SG, Florida | Bradley Beal, SG, Florida |
| 4. Cleveland Cavaliers | Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina | Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina | Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina |
| 5. Sacramento Kings | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky | Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, SF, Kentucky |
| 6. Portland Trail Blazers | Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina | Andre Drummond, C, UConn | Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State |
| 7. Golden State Warriors | Andre Drummond, C, UConn | Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse | Andre Drummond, C, UConn |
| 8. Toronto Raptors | Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse | Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn | Dion Waiters, SG, Syracuse |
| 9. Detroit Pistons | John Henson, PF, North Carolina | John Henson, PF, North Carolina | Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois |
| 10. New Orleans Hornets | Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn | Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State | Jeremy Lamb, SG, UConn |
| 11. Portland Trail Blazers | Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina | Austin Rivers, SG, Duke | John Henson, PF, North Carolina |
| 12. Milwaukee Bucks | Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois | Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina | Tyler Zeller, C, North Carolina |
| 13. Phoenix Suns | Terrence Ross, SG, Washington | Terrence Ross, SG, Washington | Terrence Ross, SG, Washington |
| 14. Houston Rockets | Jared Sullinger, PF, Ohio State | Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois | Perry Jones III, PF, Baylor |
| 24. Cleveland Cavaliers | Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt | Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure | Jeffrey Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt |
