NBA Draft 2014: Mock Draft Roundup 1.0
The NBA Draft is hastily approaching and with the draft order all figured out, the mock drafts have begun to flood the internet. So we’ve gathered up several to give you all a look as experts take a gander at whom the Los Angeles Clippers will select with the 28th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft.
Draft Express – Shabazz Napier, G, UCONN
NBADraft.net – Semaj Christon, G, Xavier
NBA.com (Scott Howard-Cooper) – Glenn Robinson III, F, Michigan State
"The son of Big Dog Robinson, in the lottery conversation at the start of the season, did not take advantage of the chance to star after the departures of 2013 first-rounders Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. and the injury to Mitch McGary. The Clippers were picking up a lot of small forwards — Danny Granger, Hedo Turkoglu — for help on the bench."
CBS Sports (Gary Parrish) – Semaj Christon, G, Xavier
"There’s no guarantee backup PG Darren Collison will be back in LA next season, and I’ve always liked Christon. He’s a point guard with good size and a great first step."
CBS Sports (Zach Harper) – Patric Young, F/C, Florida
"Late first round could be a reach for Young, but the Clippers can’t keep hoping Big Baby and Ryan Hollins can be rotation big men. Reach with Young and grab a great defensive backup big man"
CBS Sports (Matt Moore) – Elfried Payton, G, Lousiana-Lafayette
"The new hot ticket, to give some depth at a position of need."
Sports Illustrated (Chris Mannix) – Jerami Grant, F, Syracuse
"The Clippers like to play up-tempo, and Grant is a superior athlete who runs the floor as well as anyone at small forward. He will need to polish his perimeter game after shooting only 6-of-20 from beyond the arc in two seasons at Syracuse, but his defense and athleticism are NBA-ready."
SB Nation (Ricky O’Donnell) – Cory Jefferson, F, Baylor
"This might seem high for Jefferson, but it shouldn’t. He’s a 6’9 forward with a seven-foot wingspan and a nice face-up jumper. Jefferson wasn’t as productive as his physical attributes suggest at Baylor, but he’s hardly the first player to come out of that program with production issues. The Clippers have an obvious need for a third big man, and Jefferson’s ability to man the power forward position or play as a small-ball center seems like a logical fit."
Yahoo Sports (Marc J. Spears) – P.J. Hairston, F, NBA D-League
"Scout’s take: “Big, physical two-guard who shoots the ball really well. Great athleticism. Character issues are the main concern.”"
Celtics Blog – T.J. Warren, F, N.C. State
"Although I’m not a big fan of T.J. Warren and his clunky shooting form, he still presents far too much value this late in the first round. In a sense, he’s a victim of the changing game, which places a great emphasis on the three-pointer. Maybe the Clippers could develop Warren’s shot and turn him into the steal of the draft."
Bleacher Report – Glen Robinson III, F, Michigan
"His stock fell off a bit during the season after he failed to take that next step—he told me at the combine he was hearing his range was 20-40, but had he declared in 2013, he could have been a top-15 pick.And it’s a real possibility that Robinson’s inability to shine in year No. 2 had something to do with the absence of Trey Burke in the lineup.With two solid point guards in Los Angeles, Robinson should be able to get back to doing what he does best: scoring off the ball, getting out on the break and finishing plays from the wing."
Sporting News – Glenn Robinson III, F, Michigan
"Robinson helped himself at the combine as he confirmed the athleticism he showed from time to time with the Wolverines. The question is why he does not dominate more with his natural skills. Still, for a Clippers team looking for athleticism on the wing, Robinson is a good pickup."
HoopsHype – Semaj Christon, G, Xavier
"Christon helped Xavier to an excellent season, but the issues with his shot and ability to play PG make him a borderline first rounder. He has the speed and quickness to get to the basket, as well as the length to give opposing point guards headaches as an on-ball defender. He shot very effectively as a sophomore, but his mechanics leave some question marks about his ability to extend his shot with consistency at the next level. His shooting in workouts will likely be key to his draft stock."