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2011 NBA Mock Draft Discusses International Prospects The 2011 NBA Mock draft is under two weeks away. Some believe they know for sure Kyrie Irving will be the top overall pick, but nothing is certain quite yet. We do know that Irving, along with Derrick Williams, will be at the top of the draft. After that it's really a mystery. A number of trades could happen in the early part of the draft, which could alter everyone's plans. For this piece I will be looking at which international prospects could possibly land in the top five. I will not consider Enes Kanter because he has spent a year with the Kentucky Wildcats. He may not have played, but he has a leg up on other overseas players because of his time at Kentucky. Here are a few international players that could squeeze into the top five of the 2011 NBA Draft. READ MORE: Top 50 Prospects and Where They Could Be Headed
Jan Vesely: The Toronto Raptors have the No. 5 pick in the draft, and I firmly believe they will be selecting an international prospect. They will look long and hard at Vesely, a 6'11", 240-pound power forward from Czech Republic. Vesely has the size and shooting ability to make it at the next level. Scouts are calling him the most NBA ready international player. His lack of strength could mean a move to the small forward position. His height certainly intrigues scouts, as does his athleticism. Jonas Valanciunas: The 6'10", 230-pounder from Lithuania can either play the center position or the power forward spot. Several scouts consider Valanciunas the most talented international prospect on the board. Valanciunas is a phenomenal rebounder. He has a soft touch around the basket, as well as a high basketball IQ. He needs to improve on his perimeter game, and his lack of strength concerns scouts. However, because of his large frame many believe he can get stronger. Bismack Biyombo: The 6'9", 243-pounder from the Congo has the most upside of any international prospect. I believe he is boom or bust prospect. Biyombo is only 18-years-old, which means he has plenty of time to develop. If chosen by the right team then Biyombo could really turn into a star. He is already drawing comparisons to Serge Ibaka. Biyombo is currently playing in Spain where scouts have noticed his tremendous rebounding skills, as well as his ability to play shut down defense. He lacks a strong offensive game. Other than dunks and easy layups his skills are weak, which is why he could be a major bust. These three all have the potential to make their way into the top five. I don't believe all of them will because there are some very talented college kids available. However, one of them will crack the top five, and I'm willing to bet money one of these three turns out to be a big time bust. International prospects often never amount to much at all in the NBA. Of course there are exceptions, but a lot of times they're just a bust in the NBA. -Eric Bowman
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