June 28, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky), right, is introduced as the number two overall pick to the Charlotte Bobcats by NBA commissioner David Stern during the 2012 NBA Draft at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

Personally, I wanted Harrison Barnes to be drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats; however, I am not mad about Michael Kidd-Gilchrist aka “MKG.” In my opinion, MKG was one of the top 5 college basketball players during the 2012 season. You could argue that he was one of the top three players in the nation. Heck, he was the second pick in this year’s draft.

Some people knock his lack of a shot, but MKG’s strengths are his work ethic, his defense, and his versatility. To be honest, MKG isn’t that bad of a shooter. He may not be a Ray Allen or Reggie Miller, but he can guard and play several positions like Gerald Wallace and Shawn Marion. I actually think MKG is the Matrix 2.0. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is playing the power forward position sometimes.

All in all, kudos to MJ for drafting MKG and trading for Ben Gordon. Power moves, baby!

Mar 25, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Harrison Barnes (40) shoots as he is defended by Kansas Jayhawks center Jeff Withey (5) during the second half of the finals of the midwest region of the 2012 NCAA men

With the 2012 NBA draft less than a week away, it’s time to take a look at the top five players the Charlotte Bobcats should have on their big board.

1. Thomas Robinson:

Some say he’s the safest pick in the draft. With Robinson the Bobcats know they’ll be getting three things:

Defense and Rebounding. He averaged more than 11 rebounds a game last year, and finished the season with an 84 defensive rating (points produced allowed per 100 possessions).

Points in the paint. Robinson dropped in just over 17 points a game last year and had a 54 percent true shooting percentage. He says he’s worked on his jump shooting ability, but Charlotte needs him do most of his damage in the paint. They got outscored under the basket in way more than half of their games last season.

Upside. If this guy has proven anything over the course of his college career, it’s that he’s always getting better. In 09/10 he averaged 7.2 minutes, 2.5 points and 2.7 rebounds a game. In 10/11 he played 14.6 minutes, scored 7.6 points and grabbed 6.4 rebounds per game. Then, last year, Robinson put up the awesome numbers I mentioned above.

He’s not just the safest pick in the 2012 NBA draft, he’s the smartest pick in the draft for the Charlotte Bobcats.

2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist:

If Charlotte wants to change the culture of their team, Robinson wouldn’t be a bad choice, but MKG would be a better one.

The kid is a monster on defense, a terror in transition, and he’s got everything you’d want in a top pick… except for an offensive game in the half-court.

Some people are holding that against him, whether right or wrong. But, Charlotte was dead last in a lot of categories, including defensive rating, and Kidd-Gilchrist gives you a guy who can guard the opponent’s best player on an almost nightly basis (he won’t be guarding Dwight Howard or Dirk).

Sure, there’s work to be done on offense, but with a new head coach who’s renowned for his player development skills, I don’t think that weakness is something Kidd-Gilchrist can’t overcome.

3. Bradley Beal:

There’s a reason Beal has exploded up mock drafts recently. On a team that played a four guard lineup at times, Beal, a freshman, scored almost 15 points a game and connected on 34 percent of his three point attempts.

His true shooting percentage was 57, and he wasn’t a liability on the other end of the floor, which he proved with a 96 defensive rating in 2012.

He can create separation and get his shot from anywhere on the court, and he isn’t afraid to take the ball to the rim.

If Charlotte wants to go for an offensive player at pick two, Beal should be their guy.

4. Harrison Barnes:

With Barnes, you know what you’re getting for at least his rookie season. A big, athletic guy who can shoot, defend and play either at the two or three spot in your lineup.

The problem is this: Is that all you’ll ever get out of Harrison Barnes?

There are questions about his ball handling ability. There are questions about his ability to take his man off the dribble and attack the basket. There are questions about his ceiling as an NBA player.

Still, the kid did shoot threes at a 36 percent clip last year at UNC. His overall true shooting percentage was 53 percent.

I think the Bobcats want Barnes, and that’s why I think number five on their big board should be:

5. Trade the hell out of pick #2.

If Cleveland calls the Bobcats and offers their picks (#4, #24, 33, and 34) for Charlotte’s second pick, Charlotte has to make that deal. ESPECIALLY if they want to draft Barnes. You can defend that pick at #4, but drafting him over players like Robinson, Kidd-Gilchrist and Beal would raise a significant amount of eyebrows.

The more I read, the more I believe this is what will end up happening on draft night. We shall see, but for now, count on Barnes and a bunch of picks coming over to the Queen City on June 28.

Mar 17, 2012; Louisville, KY, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Royce White (30) pressures Kentucky Wildcats forward Anthony Davis (23) during the second half in the third round of the 2012 NCAA men

With the 2012 NBA draft right around the corner, it’s time to play fortune teller and figure out which draftees will bust and which late round picks will make the teams who passed on them kick themselves in five years.

First, we’ve got to start with the busts. For some reason, everyone loves to watch someone else fall from glory, crash and burn, or just flat out fail. It makes other people feel good about themselves, whether they admit it or not.

It’s hard to pick a guy in the top five who might not live up to his draft status, but why not go against the grain and say Anthony Davis?

He was obviously the best player in college basketball last year. He’s obviously the best player in the 2012 NBA draft. It’s almost too obvious that the Hornets can’t go wrong by drafting him number one.

Maybe he will be the next Tim Duncan (I’m leaning heavily towards that outcome, because his offensive game is severely underrated), but maybe he’ll never be better than Marcus Camby in his prime.

And that’s not necessarily a bust if he was taken with any pick but the first one. In his best years Camby averaged almost four blocks per game, he has a career defensive rating (points produced allowed per 100 possessions) of less than 100 and he’s averaged 9.9 rebounds per game throughout his career. But he’s never been anything better than average offensively. And if he is who Davis turns into, there’s definitely going to be a couple players picked after him that will have better careers.

Another guy who could bust is Damian Lillard. Most mocks have him going in the top 10, and I’m not sure he’s worth it.

Lillard was a phenomenal scorer in a weak conference at Weber State, but he wasn’t really much of anything else. He never averaged more than four assists per game there, he never had a defensive rating less than 100 and as good as he was, Weber St. never won anything of importance while he was there. He’s another undersized shooting guard forced to play point guard, and if he doesn’t become a significantly better passer in the NBA, he’s not going to live up to being drafted in the top 10.

On to the happy part of telling NBA prospects’ fortunes; The dark horses. The underrated, or misunderstood guys who will be taken later than they should, and make the teams that missed out on them wish for a do-over.

Jeff Taylor is my number one candidate to come from nowhere and at the very least make a few All Star games. He was a dominant college player in every aspect of the game. He’s a deadly shooter, an efficient scorer and a great defender. He’s somewhat of a ‘tweener at 6’7″, but he can play shooting guard, small-forward and power-forward effectively. Defensively he’s strong enough to bang with power-forwards, and athletic enough to stay with point guards.

The main problem teams have with him is inconsistency. He wasn’t a great free-throw shooter at Vanderbilt and when his shot was off, it was hard for him to find other ways to score. Still, he’s got the potential to be a game changer defensively on the next level, and he’s smart enough to develop an above average offensive game.

The other guy I think will have a couple dozen NBA executives beating themselves up in the future is Iowa State’s Royce White.

White was nothing short of fantastic last year. On a team that finished with the 160th best defensive rating in the country, he still managed to hold his opponents to just 95 points per 100 possessions (estimate). He led his team in almost every single statistical category, including points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game.

He wasn’t a great three-point shooter, and he was a dreadful free-throw shooter, but he still managed to finish the season with a 54 percent true-shooting percentage.

At 6’8″, White has the potential to be the best rebounder or passer on whichever team drafts him. His offensive game, which is already above average, can only improve, so he’s going to have an instant and lasting impact wherever he lands (most mocks have him in the early to mid 20s)

There are a few other players who could bust, like Andre Drummond (if he’s drafted high enough to be considered a bust) and Jared Sullinger (if it’s really true that he’s too small to play center/forward in the pros). There are also a couple of other guys who might be the biggest surprises of the draft; Terrence Jones, Kendall Marshall (if he’s taken low enough to be considered a surprise) and Moe Harkless all come to mind.

June 4, 2012; Westwego, LA, USA; North Carolina Tarheels center John Henson shoots free throws as head coach Monty Williams and general manager Dell Demps watch during a pre-draft workout with the New Orleans Hornets at the Alario Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

It is possible that the Charlotte Bobcats could trade down and try to pick up two draft picks in the lottery. Michael Jordan has several decisions to make, in regards to what he will do the second pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Arranging a deal with Portland, owners of the sixth and eleventh picks, wouldn’t be such a bad idea. This gives rise to this question: could we see John Henson in a Charlotte Bobcat uniform next season?

John Henson is in a similar position that Antawn Jamison faced in the 1998 NBA Draft. Jamison started out his career playing the small forward position. However, after several years in the NBA Jamison began to play more minutes at the power forward position. This predicament is one of few similarities between Henson and Jamison, besides playing power forward at the University of North Carolina and earning first team all-conference honors. Unlike Jamison, John Henson possesses more complete offensive skills at the college level.

The ACC’s 2011 and 2012 Defensive Player of the Year is not known for being a bruiser. Being physical does not describe Henson’s game. However, he has an uncanny ability at defending power forwards and centers. Henson knows how to play defense. His blocking ability is advanced, evident of his 2.9 blocks a game during the 2012 season which ranked 10^th amongst all men’s collegiate basketball players. The 2012 season also marked the emergence of John’s jump shot. I felt like I was watching Rasheed Wallace during the 1995 season, when Henson shot the ball. In one summer, Rasheed helped Henson revamp his offensive game. The disadvantage to Henson’s jump shot is that he got a little too comfortable on the perimeter at times during games.

With the NBA Draft embarking on us in less than four weeks, I ponder what kind of role Henson will have in the NBA.  Several current and former NBA players come to mind when I think of John Henson. Lamar Odom, Donyell Marshall, Derrick McKey, Jonathan Bender, Jared Jeffries, Walter McCarty, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Antawn Jamison, Charles Smith, Chris Bosh, Raef LaFrentz, and Earl Clark were/are “tweeners.” Many of these players played the small forward, power forward, and center positions at various points in their careers. I placed LaFrentz on this list because he started out his college career playing small forward for Roy Williams at Kansas. By the time he left Kansas in 1998, Raef was manning the center position. The other players spent time playing the small forward and power forward positions. Most of these players have had long successful careers in the NBA, with the exception of Jonathan Bender (career cut short due to injury) and Earl Clark (a four year veteran, which is not long). Being a tweener is not necessarily a bad thing; however, when you match with certain teams then not having a particular position can be a hindrance.

Roy Williams was unclear as to what position John Henson would play when he arrived in Chapel Hill. John started out as a small forward during his freshman year at Carolina. I think John will have a similar experience with the team who drafts him. He is indeed an interesting draft pick. John Henson will play both the small forward and power forward positions. I feel that he will eventually become a power forward, once he adds more bulk to his slender frame. As for his time spent donning the argyle and Carolina blue, Henson had that O’Koren number, one over Al Wood.

Not sure if "luck" is the right word to describe this. "Conspiracy", maybe... Definitely not "luck". Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

When it comes to the 2012 NBA draft, there’s one word the experts throw around to describe it: Deep.

And with college greats like Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd Gilchrist, Thomas Robinson, Harrison Barnes and Jared Sullinger all available to whichever team wants them in the top five, it’s hard to argue that this isn’t one of the deepest drafts in history.

It’s at least the deepest in recent memory.

2003 saw LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade all go in the top five. Solid players like Chris Kaman, David West, Kendrick Perkins, Leandro Barbosa and Josh Howard were all taken in the first round, too.

The best draft class ever, though, was probably 1984′s.

Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Alvin Robertson, Otis Thorpe, Kevin Willis, and John Stockton were all taken in the top 16. There were, however, seven players taken in the first round who did not play a single game in the NBA.

The 2012 NBA draft will probably look more like ’84 than ’03.

I think there are five to seven future All Stars in this year’s draft, and even a few that will have a shot at the Hall of Fame.

Anthony Davis is a future All Star. Based on what he did with one year of college ball, he very well could be a Hall-of-Famer, too. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Harrison Barnes, Kendall Marshall, Thomas Robinson, and Perry Jones all look like future All Stars to me. Dion Waiters, Bradley Beal and Andre Drummond all have that potential too.

The class of ’84 had four Hall-of-Famers (Jordan, Barkley, Stockton, Olajuwon) in it.

2003 definitely gave us two future Hall-of-Famers (James and Wade) and maybe three (Carmelo Anthony or Chris Bosh).

Will the class of 2012 live up to all the hype?

All signs point to a resounding “yes”.

Dec 03, 2011; Lexington, KY, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Harrison Barnes (40) dribbles the ball against Kentucky Wildcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) during the first half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated North Carolina 73-72. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-US PRESSWIRE

Why? There are various reasons why each player will be selected by the Charlotte Bobcats. Thomas Robinson has the size of an NBA power forward. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is an excellent defender, and Harrison Barnes has the capability to put up 40 points any given night. However, the #2 pick is going to be a lot bigger than someone who is ready to contribute. The #2 pick is going to possibly be the cornerstone of the Bobcats’ franchise, or a corner piece within the Bobcats’ organization. In the following paragraphs, I am going to make a case for why Michael Jordan should draft each of these players, then I will give my choice and why.

Thomas Robinson had a stellar season for the Kansas Jayhawks. In his junior season, T-Rob went from being the 6^th man during his sophomore season to “the man” during his junior season. Robinson looked like a man among boys in a lot of games last season. At 6’10” 230 lbs, T-Rob is going to play power forward in the NBA; however, he will see time at the center position against some teams. Is T-Rob worthy of the #2 pick? Yes. Is T-Rob what the Bobcats need? Yes. Will he get drafted by the Bobcats? Possibly. The problem with Robinson is that the Bobcats have several players that play the same position as Robinson. The Bobcats lack a scoring threat, and a consistent perimeter. I think that the Bobcats can make the playoffs in 2013 if they satisfy both of these needs because there are decent power forwards and centers on the roster. This is why I think MJ will overlook TR at the #2 pick. It has nothing to do with T-Rob’s talent, though.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (aka MKG) was arguably the second best freshman in the nation behind Anthony Davis. He was the Robin to Anthony Davis’ Batman. He was the Kobe to Anthony Davis’ Shaq. In my opinion, the premiere game of the 2012 season took place in Rupp Arena with the North Carolina Tar Heels played the Kentucky Wildcats. This game consisted of nine players who could be selected in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft. Although all eyes were on Anthony Davis, MKG stole the show. MKG was the deciding factor in the game. He tallied 14 points and 11 rebounds from the small forward position. MKG single-handedly outplayed Harrison Barnes, John Henson, and Tyler Zeller. Heck! You could argue that he outplayed his teammate, Anthony Davis. Many people (including myself) thought that this game was a prelude to the 2012 NCAA National Championship game in April. As we all know, it didn’t happen. However, the Wildcats were still crowned the champions and MKG was a huge reason why. He is an excellent defender. He reminds me of Shawn Marion because he is a power forward trapped in the body of a small forward. MKG can guard four positions. In addition, MKG has already signed with NIKE, a step in the right direction. With NIKE backing him and a National Championship under his belt, this kid is on top of the world. He may not the deadly perimeter assassin like Doron Lamb is, but he is average from the three-point line. You can’t knock his hustle (Reasonable Doubt plug, ya heard). If I was MJ, I would strongly consider MKG as my #2 pick.

Last but not least, Harrison Michael Bryce-Jordan Barnes, born May 30^th, 1992. On his 20^th birthday, the young man who was named after Michael Jordan AND attended the same alma mater as Michael Jordan may possibly be drafted by, no other than, Michael Jordan. Harrison is a scorer. The kid can flat out play. Sure, he didn’t perform well in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. He had a few games where he struggled. Boo hoo, that’s life. It gets on my nerves when people sum up this young man’s college career with his worse games. The same player who disappeared some games also hit many big shots during his two year career at Carolina. A lot of people had high expectations for Harrison Barnes, better known as the Black Falcon. Were some of these expectations warranted? Yes and no. I think some people expected TBF to walk on water. We are talking about someone who averaged 18 points a game, on a loaded team. He didn’t average close to 20 points on a team where he was the only good player. John Henson and Tyler Zeller were first team all-ACC along with Barnes. Kendall Marshall, the Bob Cousy award winner as the top point guard in 2012, also average nine points to go along with nine assists. In addition, there were three other players (Dexter Strickland, Reggie Bullock, and James McAdoo) who averaged between six to nine points. Bottom line: Harrison Barnes did well! He did what he was supposed to do. He can shoot the 3 with ease. He can create his own shot. He is 6’8” 215 lbs., and I think he will probably play the small forward position. However, if I’m MJ I draft Harrison to be my starting shooting guard. Many people will criticize the Black Falcon for his dribble-drive game. Yes, it needs work. However, we are talking about Michael Jordan’s protégé, here. Harrison Barnes just fell into MJ’s lap. Most people will lean towards Thomas Robinson or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist for the #2 pick, but not me. I’m looking at the big picture. Remember, what I said earlier. On his 20^th birthday, the young man who was named after Michael Jordan AND attended the same alma mater as Michael Jordan may possibly be drafted by, no other than, Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan will invest in Harrison Barnes, the way that Sonny Vaccaro invested in Michael Jordan. Jordan will groom Barnes to be a dominant scorer, and to excel at defending the opposition. In addition, Michael Jordan will mentor Harrison Barnes on how to market himself. MJ epitomizes the Jay-Z quote, “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man.” MJ is re-tired, and still a hot commodity.

So, when you have this discussion in your barbershops, hair salons, ciphers, PlayStation Network, at school, on the blacktop, or with your boo over breakfast, remember to look at the big picture. Michael Jordan drafting Harrison Barnes is reminiscent of Jay-Z backing Kanye West. Kanye West became the rap icon that he is because he was supported by the top rapper in the hip hop industry. These two are inseparable, now. In this case, MJ is Jay-Z (don’t taze me bro on this analogy) and Harrison is Kanye. Believe me, they will ball so hard next season if MJ makes the Black Falcon his #2 pick. I could be wrong here, but as an avid Tar Heel basketball fan AND Tar Heel alum, I study the Tar Heels very closely. Tar Heels look out for one another. They support each other. Check the various coaching trees in the NBA and NCAA. The Carolina Family sticks together for the most part, unless you have a big mouth (feel in the blank here). Although I discussed Jay-Z a lot, he actually isn’t my favorite rapper; however, I do recognize exceptional talent and skill when I see it, hence, why I mentioned him. As for Harrison Barnes, I would go against the grain and pick him as my #2 pick. However, this would come after flipping a coin in the air because MKG is the Matrix 2.0 reloaded (aka Shawn Marion for those of you who are not up-to-par on NBA players’ nicknames) and possibly the 2012 NBA Rookie of the Year. On June 28^th, 2012, we will see.

Apr 26, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; A fan holds up a sign during the second half of the Charlotte Bobcats and New York Knicks game. The New York Knicks defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 104-84 at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-US PRESSWIRE

May 30^th, 2012 is the day when the world will find out the order of the NBA Draft lottery selections. The NBA Draft Lottery will determine the order of selection for the first 14 picks of the 2012 NBA Draft. For the first time, the lottery drawing will occur at ABC’s Times Square Studios in New York City, during the Kia NBA Countdown pregame show at 7 p.m. ET with the Lottery drawing scheduled for 8 p.m. on ESPN. The NBA Draft Lottery will also be available on ESPN Radio, ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV and via the WatchESPN app. The 2012 NBA Draft will be televised on ESPN on Thursday, June 28^th, at 7 p.m.

Many people assume that the Charlotte Bobcats will get the #1 pick and select Kentucky’s Anthony Davis. Contrary to popular opinion, this is not necessarily true. The Bobcats have the best odds landing the #1 pick. Here’s a breakdown of each team’s chances to win the coveted #1 pick:

2012 FIRST ROUND DRAFT CHOICE ORDER

Note: The Hornets have two lottery picks, and thus a 14.8 percent chance to land the top pick.

Only the top three picks are determined by the lottery. The rest of the first round will be determined based on record. In other words, the lowest the Bobcats can pick is fourth.

Attached is the order of selection for the 2012 NBA Draft, as well as the number of chances for the teams in the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery.

The order for the remainder of the first-round picks goes as follows:

15. Philadelphia                                        35-31
16. New York (To Houston)                  36-30
17. Dallas                                                    36-30
18. Utah (To Minnesota)                        36-30
19. Orlando                                               37-29
20. Denver                                                 38-28
21. Boston                                                  39-27
22. LA Clippers (To Boston)                  40-26
23. Atlanta                                                 40-26
24. LA Lakers (To Cleveland)                41-25
25. Memphis                                             41-25
26. Indiana                                                 42-24
27. Miami                                                   46-20
28. Oklahoma City                                   47-19
29. Chicago                                                50-16
30. San Antonio (To Golden State)     50-16

2012 SECOND ROUND DRAFT CHOICE ORDER

31. Charlotte
32. Washington
33/34. New Orleans (To Cleveland Miami)
33/34. Cleveland
35/36. New Jersey (To Golden State)
35/36. Sacramento
37/38. Toronto
37/38. Golden State (To Denver New York)
39. Detroit
40. Minnesota (To Portland)
41. Portland
42. Milwaukee
43. Phoenix (To Atlanta)
44. Houston (To Detroit)
45. Philadelphia
46. Dallas (To Washington)
47. Utah
48. New York
49. Orlando
50. Denver
51. Boston
52. Atlanta (To Golden State)
53. LA Clippers
54. Memphis (To Philadelphia)
55. LA Lakers (To Dallas)
56. Indiana (To Toronto)
57. Miami (To New Jersey)
58. Oklahoma City (To Minnesota)
59. San Antonio
60. Chicago (To New Jersey or to LA Lakers)

Note: Teams that finished the regular season with identical records will select in the second round in the reverse of the order in which they select in the first round, provided, that if more than two teams are tied, then, as among the tied teams, each tied team will select one position earlier than it selected in the first round, except that the tied team that selected earliest in the first round shall, among the tied teams, select latest in the second round. With respect to the ties between Cleveland and New Orleans (21 and 45); New Jersey and Sacramento (22 and 44); and Golden State and Toronto (23 and 43): since the order of selection in the first round for this set of teams may change based on the results of the Draft Lottery, the order of selection in the second round cannot be determined until after the Draft Lottery is conducted.