2010 NBA DRAFT PICKS ARE IN...

 
             Kentucky's John Wall, #1 Draft Pick (Pic via L.A. Times Online)

The NBA Draft Pick is in full motion. Kentucky's John Wall was chosen #1 overall in the NBA. Pop the Trunk to see who had 1st pick, and for an updated list of the Chosen Ones:
Via L.A. Times online:

30th pick, Washington Wizards: Lazar Hayward, 6-6, 225, Marquette, forward. He improved his scoring output each season, and finished as Marquette's second all-time leading scorer (1,859 points). He does have some good post moves, but needs to improve his perimeter offense/defense to play in the NBA. Not a great athlete. And that concludes the first round.

29th pick, Orlando Magic: Daniel Orton, 6-10, 255, Kentucky, forward. A big player with a lot of potential, but not a lot of experience. He averaged 3.4 points per game in his freshman year at Kentucky after sitting out his senior year of high school due to a knee injury and while playing behind DeMarcus Cousins. His ball-handling is sloppy – he averaged one turnover per game despite playing just 13.4 minutes. He has a lot of upside, but it might take some time for it to show.

28th pick, Memphis Grizzlies: Greivis Vasquez, 6-6, 200, Maryland, guard. Vasquez was one of the most diverse and passionate players in the country last season. He hit the outside shot, rebounded and passed to make Maryland viable after a rough start to the season. He can, however, be erratic with the ball, sometimes anticipating or forcing a play that may not be there. But most times, at 6-foot-6, he is a calm point-guard with the ability to see over defenses.

27th pick, New Jersey Nets: Jordan Crawford, 6-4, 195, Xavier, shooting guard. He's a potent scorer who averaged 20.5 last season, including averaging 29 in three NCAA tournament games, which upped his draft stock. He has to learn to become a team player rather than a go-to option that always gets the ball, and to focus on playing defense.

26th pick, Oklahoma City Thunder: Quincy Pondexter, 6-6, 225, Washington, guard. A very athletic player with a strong work ethic. He averaged 19.3 points his senior season, showing marked improvement from the 12.1 average in his junior year. Will need to work on ball-handling as well as one-on-one defense.

25th pick, Memphis Grizzlies: Dominique Jones, 6-4, 215, South Florida, guard. The only player in the nation to average at least 21 points, six rebounds and three assists per game, Jones is a stocky, smart, athletic combo guard. On the downside, he lacks a true NBA position, his shot can be streaky, and his perimeter defense on the next level is questionable.

24th pick, Atlanta Hawks: Damion James, 6-7, 225, Texas, guard. He holds Big 12 records for rebounds and double-doubles, and led Texas in scoring (18), rebounding (10.3) and ranked second on the team in blocks (40). He's a great athlete, but is undersized to play power forward and isn't polished enough to play the guard spot. His ball-handling and shooting touch need work.

23rd pick, Minnesota Timberwolves: Trevor Booker, 6-7, 240, Clemson, forward. An athletic, undersized big man who loves to dunk, but he lacks post moves, a quick release and is questionable on defense. A high-motor player, he's strong on the glass, averaging 8.4 rebounds last season for the Tigers.

22nd pick, Portland Trail Blazers: Elliot Williams, 6-5, 180, Memphis, guard. His quick first step and ability to finish makes Williams, a lefty with athleticism, exciting. He transferred to Memphis from Duke to average 17.9 points, four rebounds and three assists. With quickness and a nice shooting touch, Williams is promising, but he needs to improve his mid-range game and ball-handling skills.

21st pick, Oklahoma City Thunder: Craig Brackins, 6-10, 230, Iowa State, forward. His length, athleticism and quick release make him a mismatch for most forwards, but he struggles with inconsistency, and saw his draft stock drop this season after he turned down a potential lottery pick by returning to school. He's an extremely versatile scorer, (he scored 20.2 points per game in 2008-09), but needs to improve defensively.

20th pick, San Antonio Spurs: James Anderson, 6-6, 215, Oklahoma State, shooting guard. Natural shooter with a quick release, he averaged 17.9 in three years in Stillwater and shot 46% from the floor in that span. Good from beyond the arc, above-average athlete, but not an adept ball-handler and spends too much time on the perimeter.

19th pick, Boston Celtics: Avery Bradley, 6-2, 180, Texas, point guard. A fast, strong combo guard who has a quick pull-up jumper and is accurate from outside, but his perimeter defense is his best strength, as his wingspan helps him lock down and frustrate. He was selfish at times, failing to find his teammates when he looked for his own shot (he averaged just 2.1 assists in his lone season at Texas).

18th pick, Oklahoma City Thunder: Eric Bledsoe, 6-1, 190, Kentucky, point guard. Lightning fast, strong, good leaper, solid three-point shooter, but he can be sloppy (3.0 turnovers per game last season) and inconsistent offensively. He played the shooting guard next to John Wall at Kentucky and might need to play with another skilled ball handler.

17th pick, Chicago Bulls: Kevin Seraphin, 6-9, 264, France, forward. A late-season knee injury might hurt Seraphin's draft stock. He was not available to workout for scouts, and this injury will compile the problems associated with being a raw player. When healthy, Seraphin is a strong and athletic player with the potential to develop into a decent pro.

16th pick: Minnesota Timberwolves: Luke Babbitt, 6-9, 225, Nevada, small forward. A skilled, crafty sharp-shooting lefty who averaged 21.9 points, shot 91% from the free-throw line and 50% from the floor overall (including 42% from three-point range). Not terribly quick, but smart, especially on defense, and he's a strong rebounder (8.1 last season).

15th pick, Milwaukee Bucks: Larry Sanders, 6-11, 235, VCU, forward. One of the most athletic players in this draft, Sanders had a breakout season as a sophomore, when he averaged 2.7 blocks per game. As a junior, he averaged 14.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. He still has some developing to do, but his combination of size and speed give him plenty of potential. Some have compared him to Theo Ratliff.

14th pick, Houston Rockets: Patrick Patterson, 6-9, 235, Kentucky, forward. One of the more NBA-ready forwards in the draft, he made significant improvements to his game in his junior season, including becoming an outside threat (35% from behind the arc) and a defensive presence (1.3 blocks per game). His intelligence, maturity and ability to learn should help him on the next level, though he's still undersized to be a power forward.

13th pick, Toronto Raptors: Ed Davis, 6-10, 225, North Carolina, forward. After being overshadowed by Tyler Hansbrough, Davis had a breakout freshman year (13.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.8 blocks) and showcased his potential as one of the top talents. Long, athletic, with several post moves and speed to run the floor, the main knock against him is his lack of strength – he also needs a reliable jump shot – but his upside is huge.

12th pick, Memphis Grizzlies: Xavier Henry, 6-6, 220, Kansas, shooting guard. The smoothest player in the draft, he moves effortlessly and is a natural scorer who is deadly from outside (40%). He can slash if he needs to and finish at the rim, but he often relies on his left hand too much and can settle for outside shots. At times, he looks passive; at others, fiercely competitive.

11th pick, New Orleans Hornets: Cole Aldrich, 6-11, 245, Kansas, center. A throwback-style big man that has good footwork and an awkward-but-efficient shooting touch, he's also a strong shot blocker (averaged 3.5 last season) and cleans the glass well (10.5 boards his last two seasons). While not terribly athletic and fairly calm, a la Tim Duncan, Aldrich possesses strong fundamentals and better-than-average vision for his size.

10th pick, Indiana Pacers: Paul George, 6-8, 210, Fresno State, forward. A great athlete who has deep range on his jump shot, rebounds well and can run the floor, NBA teams covet players with his size and skill set. Needs to improve his ball-handling and learn to not settle for the outside shot, but he's an enticing player.

Ninth pick, Utah Jazz: Gordon Hayward, 6-8, 207, Butler, forward. He led the Bulldogs on their magical run to the NCAA title game and has a high basketball IQ, an outstanding touch (84% from free-throw line) and sneaky athleticism. He lacks post moves and will need to improve his defense in the NBA. Some question his lack of aggressiveness.

Eighth pick, Clippers: Al-Farouq Aminu, 6-9, 215, Wake Forest, power forward. One of the best athletes in the draft; he uses his explosive first step to get to the bucket. He became a double-double player last season (15.8, 10.7), but is turnover prone (3.2 per game last season) and lacks ball-handling skills, relying too often on his athleticism. Still, a fine pick for an up-tempo team.

Seventh pick, Detroit Pistons: Greg Monroe, 6-11, 253, Georgetown, forward. A huge upside--some call him a less-athletic Lamar Odom. Monroe can play with his back to the basket or face up. He averaged 16.1 points and 9.6 rebounds last season, and also dished 12 assists against Providence, the most by a center in Big East Conference history. Needs to prove he can dominate a game, and develop a more consistent jump shot.

Sixth pick, Golden State Warriors: Ekpe Udoh, 6-10, 240, Baylor, forward. Udoh was one of the reasons Baylor emerged in the Elite 8 to face off with eventual-champion Duke. His ability to run the floor in a fast-paced offensive possession or hit a midrange shot in the half-court game led to 13 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.7 blocks. He needs to improve his overall offensive game, ball-handling and add some weight.

Fifth pick, Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins, 6-11, 270, Kentucky, power forward/center. A top-five talent, with excellent athleticism, offensive and defensive skills, he's a nightmare matchup. But there are serious character/maturity concerns and his weight is also an issue (it's closer to 290). Still, he was one of the best players in the country last season (15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds).

Fourth pick, Minnesota Timberwoves: Wesley Johnson, 6-7, 205, Syracuse, forward. A lottery-level talent that is NBA-ready, he's an explosive athlete who has a good mid-range game and can finish at the rim. He's a good teammate and an underrated passer, but last season's Big East Player of the Year needs to add weight and be more aggressive when his jumper isn't falling.

Third pick, New Jersey Nets: Derrick Favors, 6-10, 246, Georgia Tech, forward. A rare athlete who can explode from the floor, he's also got a massive 7-4 wingspan. Though raw, he has shown signs of being a dominant force on both ends. He needs to add weight, improve his conditioning/shooting/ball handling and learn to play against double-teams, but he should become a special player.

Second pick, Philadelphia 76ers: Evan Turner, 6-7, 205, Ohio State, guard. There was nothing Turner didn't do for Ohio State, and he's the most dynamic player in the draft. He averaged 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists last season. With a good game around the basket and a solid midrange shot, Turner only needs to work on his outside shooting and ball handling. He shot 36% from three-point range and turned the ball over 4.4 times per game.

First pick, Washington Wizards: John Wall, 6-4, 195, Kentucky, point guard.: The lock No. 1 pick, Wall has been called the most electrifying player in this year's draft. A product of the John Calipari one-and-done mold, Wall averaged 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. Wall is already on his way to the Washington Wizards, taking his superior speed, athleticism, and late-game shot making with him.

Pre-draft trade:

The Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls have agreed to a trade that will send Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich and Chicago's first-round pick (17th overall) to Washington for a future second-round pick. The deal will clear Hinrich's $9-million salary off of the Bulls' salary cap, which would allow the Bulls to be able to sign two maximum salaried free agents.

[L.A. Times online]