Who do you think the Sixers will take if they stay at 17?

by sports00fan00 on Jun 25, 2009 11:40 AM PDT Comment 7 comments

Since the sixers have no 2nd rounder, and Ed Stefanski already said they probably won't trade unless it's quite a deal, there's a good chance that the Sixers will stay at 17. Here's a list of several guards projected to go in the 1st round tonight. Who do you think they will take?

— Eric Maynor. The 6-foot-3 guard out of Virginia Commonwealth averaged 22.4 points last season. He made a national name for himself in the 2007 NCAA tournament when he nailed a 15-foot jumper in the final seconds to eliminate Duke in the first round.

— Ty Lawson. The 6-foot guard out of North Carolina was a leader and a true point guard for the Tar Heels. He can push the ball in transition (the Sixers led the NBA last season in points in transition) and averaged 16.6 points and 6.6 assists.

— Wayne Ellington. Another Tar Heel, the 6-5, 202-pound Ellington was the most outstanding player of the Final Four and would be a nice fit in the uptempo game. Like Lawson, he’d need to improve his defense to be more of a contributor.

— Jonny Flynn - http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/BDL-2009-NBA-Mock-Draft-Pick-No-17-Sixers?urn=nba,172183

— Jeff Teague - G, Wake Forest - 6-2, 175, 21 - He excels in transition, putting pressure on opposing defenses. He also scores, with 1,000 points in two seasons, and shot 44.1 percent from three as a sophomore. He finished up his predraft workouts with a cranky medial collateral ligament in his left knee. He's a nice combo guard who made a huge leap between freshman and sophomore years. Can create his own shot and has shown decent range (77-of-183 on career three-pointers.) Only 183 assists in 61 games makes you wonder about his ability to play the point.

— Jrue Holiday - G, UCLA - 6-3, 185, 19 - He went from being the Gatorade National Player of the Year at Campbell Hall High, Chatsworth, Calif., to averaging just 8.5 points as a freshman shooting guard at UCLA. The good news is, he shot 45 percent from the floor. He didn't dazzle in his one season in college, but he also played out of position at the two-guard next to senior point guard Darren Collison. He has a point-guard body and was the 2008 Gatorade National Player of the Year and a first-team Parade All-America in high school. High ceiling. A steal if he slips to 17.

— Brandon Jennings - G, Lottomatica Roma - 6-1, 170, 19 - His expectations are probably significantly higher than No. 17, but in his post-high school season with Lottomatica Virtus Roma in Italy, he played behind former Penn star Ibby Jaaber. Asked to choose between Jennings and Euro sensation Ricky Rubio, Jaaber said Jennings is the better athlete. If he falls this far, I'd worry. ESPN analyst and former coach Fran Fraschilla had the best analysis of Jennings. There are people who know, ones who don't know, and then Jennings - people who don't know they don't know. Confidence isn't good when it impedes your willingness to learn. Jennings' celebrated jump from high school to the Italian League didn't show much as he rode the bench. Too much of a wild card. The Sixers can't afford to risk it. Still if his potential is ever realized ...

— Marcus Thornton - G, LSU - 6-4, 198, 22 - He knocked down 168 threes in 66 games in two seasons at LSU after two seasons at Kilgore CC. He was the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year as a senior, and is known for a quick release and an ability to use screens. A prolific scorer who averaged 21.1 points and was the consensus SEC Player of the Year. A guy who's generating some buzz and could be moving up the draft board. Can catch-and-shoot and free himself off screens. Uses strength and toughness to create space. Quick release. Shot 47.2 percent from the floor and 38.8 percent on three-pointers.

— Jodie Meeks - G, Kentucky - 6-4, 208, 21 - He set a Kentucky record with 117 threes as a senior and is known for moving without the ball. Of course, that only helps if you have someone who can deliver it. Most mock drafts have the Kentucky junior as a second-round pick, but it only takes one team that likes you to improve your stock. Meeks set a UK record with 117 three-pointers, so he fits the Sixers' need for a shooter. The Sixers saw something in the workout with Meeks that intrigued them.