2013 Liberty Ballers NBA Draft Big Board

Every year, the Liberty Ballers staff goes on record with how we rank the NBA draft prospects. You can view past years here: 2012 - 2011 - 2010

Of note, this is from the perspective of if we were drafting for the 76ers.

First, before we get to the aggregate final big board, we'll start off by inspecting LibertyBaller's writers big board.

Pick	Roy	Dave	Rich	Brandon	Justin	Baumann	Sean	Levin	Bodner	Jake
1	Oladipo	Noel	Noel	Oladipo	Noel	Oladipo	Noel	Bennett	Noel	McLemore
2	McLemore	Oladipo	Oladipo	Noel	Oladipo	McLemore	Porter	McLemore	Porter	Len
3	Noel	Porter	Porter	Bennett	Porter	Noel	Oladipo	Oladipo	Oladipo	Oladipo
4	Bennett	Bennett	McLemore	Burke	Len	Bennett	Len	Noel	Bennett	Burke
5	Porter	McLemore	Len	Porter	McLemore	Burke	McLemore	Porter	McLemore	Noel
6	McCollum	Len	McCollum	McLemore	Bennett	Len	Burke	Len	Burke	Porter
7	Zeller	Burke	Bennett	McCollum	Burke	McCollum	Bennett	Burke	Len	Bennett
8	Muhammad	McCollum	Burke	Muhammad	McCollum	Porter	McCollum	McCollum	McCollum	McCollum
9	Len	Schroeder	Schroeder	Adams	Adams	Karasev	Gobert	Karasev	KCP	MCW
10	Burke	Karasev	Dieng	Karasev	KCP	Zeller	Zeller	KCP	Adetokumbo	Adams
11	Schroeder	MCW	Zeller	Zeller	Dieng	MCW	KCP	Adetokumbo	Karasev	KCP
12	Adams	Muhammad	MCW	MCW	Muhammad	Schroeder	Muhammad	Schroeder	Muhammad	Zeller
13	KCP	Zeller	Adams	KCP	Zeller	Gobert	Larkin	Larkin	MCW	Muhammad
14	MCW	Noguiera	Adetokumbo	Adetokumbo	Schroeder	Adams	Adams	Muhammad	Zeller	Schroeder
15	Olynyk	KCP	KCP	Schroeder	Karasev	Olynyk	Karasev	Mitchell	Bullock	Plumlee

As you can see, there's quite a bit of variance, which is not all that surprising in a draft that has such little consensus around the league.

The next table is the aggregate Liberty Ballers big board. It's just taking the average of each players draft position from the chart above, giving a value of 20 to players who didn't appear in an individual writers board.

Pick	Prospect	Roy	Dave	Rich	Brandon	Justin	Baumann	Sean	Levin	Bodner	Jake
1	Victor Oladipo	1	2	2	1	2	1	3	3	3	3
2	Nerlens Noel	3	1	1	2	1	3	1	4	1	5
3	Ben McLemore	2	5	4	6	5	2	5	2	5	1
4	Otto Porter	5	3	3	5	3	8	2	5	2	6
5	Anthony Bennett	4	4	7	3	6	4	7	1	4	7
6	Trey Burke	10	7	8	4	7	5	6	7	6	4
7	Alex Len	9	6	5	n/a	4	6	4	6	7	2
8	C.J. McCollum	6	8	6	7	8	7	8	8	8	8
9	Cody Zeller	7	13	11	11	13	10	10	n/a	14	12
10	Kentavious Caldwell-Pope	13	15	15	13	10	n/a	11	10	9	11
11	Shabazz Muhammad	8	12	20	8	12	n/a	12	14	12	13
12	Dennis Schroeder	11	9	9	15	14	13	n/a	12	n/a	14
13	Sergey Karasev	n/a	10	n/a	10	15	9	15	9	11	n/a
14	Steven Adams	12	n/a	13	9	9	14	14	n/a	n/a	10
15	Michael Carter-Williams	14	11	12	12	n/a	11	n/a	n/a	13	9
16	Giannis Adetokunbo	n/a	n/a	14	14	n/a	n/a	n/a	11	10	n/a
17	Gorgui Dieng	n/a	n/a	10	n/a	11	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
18	Rudy Gobert	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	13	9	n/a	n/a	n/a
19	Shane Larkin	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	13	13	n/a	n/a
20	Kelly Olynyk	15	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	15	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
21	Lucas Nogueira	n/a	14	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
22	Tony Mitchell	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	15	n/a	n/a
23	Reggie Bullock	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	15	n/a
24	Mason Plumlee	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	15

Explanations:

1. Victor Oladipo (avg: 2.1)

Baumann: I love good defenders, and they don't come much more good than Oladipo. If I had the No. 1 pick, I wouldn't be thrilled to take someone with an offensive game as incomplete as Oladipo's, but he's who I'd take.

Brandon: Lots to love here. Athletic, great defender, plays well in transition and off the ball. Efficient offensive game and great finisher at the hoop.

Roy: Oladipo has plenty going for him: He's a great leaper, a fantasic defender and has a motor that doesn't quit. Oladipo's athleticism will make up for his less-than-ideal size, and he'll be the best player in this draft two years from now.

2. Nerlens Noel (avg: 2.2)

Rich: I know Kentucky was a relatively disappointing team, but they also fell off a cliff after losing Noel at the end of the season. With the way offenses are working smarter nowadays, rim protection is at a premium. He provides it.

Baumann: I will not keep falling for the same gag again. Not after Oden. Not after Bynum. Once bitten, twice shy and all that.

Bodner: Kentucky was one of the best teams in the league defending in two point field goal percentage. He had more than a small part in that. I definitely have my concerns, the jump shot more-so than the injury, but a shot blocking big man can impact the game in so many ways. Admittedly, I probably tend to overrate them, but in a draft that contains few players with a shot to change the course of a franchise, I'd still go with Noel.

Jake: I struggle to see Noel developing into a great scorer in the NBA, but he makes up for that defensively. He can easily play in the league for 10+ years, but in my eyes he's not worth the first overall pick.

3. Ben McLemore (avg: 3.7)

Bodner: I have McLemore rated fairly low, at least compared to many others. It's not that I hate him, I just think it's about expectations. I think he has a fair probability of giving you 15, 16, 17 points per game, with average to above-average pick and roll defense. But if I'm drafting a guard this high, I want somebody who can create not only for himself, but more importantly for other teammates. McLemore doesn't do that. He'll open up the court and help an offense, you just won't be able to build an offense around him.

Jake: I don't think most will have McLemore at #1 on their big board, but I think he's got the skill set to be a game changer in the NBA. He's got good range, and sees the floor extraordinarily well. If he bulks up a bit, he could be a force at the next level.

4. Otto Porter (avg: 4.2)

Sean: I know he's not ideally athletic, but I just love his all-around game, and I think his improved shooting is legit. He's also a huge wing, which is kind of important in a league full of tough ones to stop.

Baumann: I can't look at him without thinking of Jeff Green. That's not a good thing.

Rich: He's probably not good enough to be a top option on offense, but Porter's length and three-point shooting will be a welcome fit in almost any team's starting lineup. The rest of his skills, especially his passing, are gravy.

Roy: Otto Porter is good at a lot of things, but not all that great at anything. Nothing for nothing, that's not a bad thing: It's hard to envision a future where Porter isn't a solid NBA player for the next 10-12 years. But is he another Evan Turner, or will he be able to develop his game and grow into a star?

Michael Leeeeeeevin: I really love everything about his game but I'm still smarting from drafting another guy with limited athleticism that early, so I have him lower than I'd like.

5. Anthony Bennett (avg: 4.7)

Sean: Has a high ceiling, but a pretty low floor, so he's 7th. Tweener bigs have been pretty hit or miss in the draft recently, too. Looking at you, Mike Beasley, Derrick Williams.

Levin: I'm in love with what Anthony Bennett could be. They don't make too many power forwards like this anymore. I'm fully aware that I like him a whole lot more than I probably should.

6. Trey Burke (avg: 6.4)

Brandon: Great handles and I love how he attacks the basket. From there he can effectively finish or dish the ball.

Rich: I loved watching Trey Burke in college, but at the same time, I worry about him as a pro. I worry about his lack of size, especially defensively against a point guard crop that is getting bigger and stronger every year.

Roy: Trey Burke's competitiveness & diehard mentality all but ensures that he'll have a solid NBA career. Size is clearly an issue, but Burke has more than enough going for him to make up for the fact that he stands just 6 feet tall.

7. Alex Len (avg: 6.9)

Jake: If a team is looking for a big man, Len is a much more logical option than Nerlens Noel. Len has the frame to bang down low with NBA Centers, and a more developable post game than Noel.

8. C.J. McCollum (avg: 7.4)

Justin: I do not think there is a chance in the world McCollum falls to the Sixers at 11, but I just want to note how awesome it is that someone who went to Lehigh, a Patriot League school not all that far from the Philadelphia area is going to be selected as a lottery pick.

Bodner: He went to Lehigh! That's so cool. I gradudated high school in Stabler Arena. I like him, but I'm not sure he fits all that well with Jrue Holiday, unless you want Jrue defending shooting guards all the time they're on the floor together. He'd probably end up being a 6th man on the team.

Dave: Beat Duke in the first round and earned an invite to my wedding as a result. Respectfully declined.

9. Cody Zeller (avg: 12.1)

Justin: It is popular to bag on Zeller, and I'm doing it to an extent by placing him at 13 on my Big Board, but he will be a solid rotational big man in the NBA. Problem is the Sixers have so many other needs that another rotational big just is not something that will excite me.

10. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (avg: 12.7)

Justin: KCP is a name I've seen some fans really like, but I don't think there is a chance he gets past Minnesota and I am not convinced he is the guy you give up assets to trade up for. I like him, but I don't like him that much.

Dave: Dweeb likes him.

11. Shabazz Muhammad (avg: 13.1)

Bodner: In all honesty, if Shabazz ends up falling ot the Sixers at 11, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. He has more than enough question marks that the idea of him being a top 5 pick, as he was projected, should be out the window. But The 76ers could really use somebody of his skill set, somebody who will seek out contact and get to the foul line, and his jump shot improved from where it was in high school. He doesn't pass (at all), but he also doesn't create many plays on the perimeter. He's a finisher more-so than a creator.

Roy: Shabazz Muhammad is the ultimate wild card in this year's draft. If he's good, he has the potential to be an above-average defender who has the ability to score 20-plus points per game. If he's bad, he's a bigger version of O.J. Mayo. With so much uncertainty in this year's draft class, Muhammad may be the most intriguing player on the board.

12. Dennis Schroeder (avg: 13.7)

We have Schroeder way higher than most places, yet nobody cared enough to submit a blurb about why they like him so much. Makes sense? Didn't to me either. But we like him, apparently.

13. Sergey Karasev (avg: 13.9)

Baumann: He's kind of my pet draft prospect at this point. I love the jump shot, and I think the concerns about his lack of athleticism are either exaggerated or fixable.

Brandon: Questions about his defense but no questions he can shoot. Not the best athleticism but he can shoot. Did I mention he can shoot?

Levin: Gotta love a lefty that can shoot. He basically carried his pro team at age 19, so I'm counting on his efficiency numbers going up when he's not being depended on quite so much. Shoot it, Sergey, shoot it.

14. Steven Adams (avg: 14.1)

Justin: I've seen Adams really vary on people's big boards. Anyone drafting a kid with only six years of organized basketball is taking a huge risk so the skepticism is understandable, but the reward with Adams is ginormous. Adams has the frame to be an NBA center and his malleability makes him a very desirable project to take on.

Brandon: I'm really torn on Adams. I like his upside but I fear he could easily be a bust. Not much of an offensive game but offers good defense, dunks, and offensive rebounds.

15. Michael Carter-Williams (avg: 14.2)

Another guy we have rated lower than the consensus. His questionable shooting and fit with Jrue Holiday likely plays a big part in this.

Others receiving Votes:

Giannis Adetokunbo (Rich: 14, Brandon: 14, Levin, 11, Bodner: 10), Gorgui Dieng (Rich: 10, Justin: 11), Rudy Gobert (Baumann: 13, Sean: 9), Shane Larkin (Sean: 13, Levin: 13), Kelly Olynyk (Roy: 15, Baumann: 15), Lucas Nogueira (Dave: 14), Tony Mitchell (Levin: 15), Reggie Bullock (Bodner: 15), Mason Plumlee (Jake)