SB Nation Kansas City - NBA Mock Draft 2012: Thomas Robinson Compared To Carlos Boozer With 'More Toughness, Athleticism'https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48935/kc-fave.png2012-03-02T08:14:45-06:00http://kansascity.sbnation.com/rss/stream/25783542012-03-02T08:14:45-06:002012-03-02T08:14:45-06:00NBA Mock Draft 2012: Thomas Robinson Compared To Carlos Boozer With 'More Toughness, Athleticism'
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<p>The Kansas Jayhawks have enjoyed an incredible year and it will likely be topped off with another top <span class="caps">NBA</span> prospect in the 2012 <span class="caps">NBA</span> Draft if Thomas Robinson declares for the June event. With his skills and athleticism, Robinson’s draft stock has climbed all season and now he sits among the best overall if he declares. Jason McIntyre now has Robinson <a href="http://thebiglead.com/index.php/2012/03/01/2012-nba-mock-draft-a-pre-ncaa-tournament-version/" target="new">going third overall</a> to the New Orleans Hornets.</p>
<p>McIntyre writes, “Total package. Carlos Boozer with more athleticism and toughness. Someone will inevitably say, “the Hornets already took a bum from Kansas – Julian Wright!”</p>
<p>Robinson is taken in this draft after Kentucky’s Anthony Davis and Duke’s Austin Rivers, which shows just how far he’s come this season. Bill Self and Danny Manning have done tremendous work with Robinson’s game, but the player potential was there all along as KU fans knew Robinson would have to turn the corner for the Jayhawks to enjoy another conference title.</p>
<p>As for other Jayhawks, Tyshawn Taylor is listed at No. 26 overall to the L.A. Lakers: “The most important player on the Jayhawks has had an up-and-down career, but seems to be finishing strong.”</p>
<p>Big man Jeff Withey goes one pick later to the San Antonio Spurs and McIntyre writes, “Last year at this time, had anyone even heard of Jeff Withey? Before Maui, did anyone even think he’d have <span class="caps">NBA</span> potential? I can see him flaming out very early or having a quiet 10-year career.”</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-jayhawks/2012/3/2/2839008/nba-mock-draft-2012-thomas-robinson-compared-to-carlos-boozer-withMatt Conner2012-02-22T08:00:21-06:002012-02-22T08:00:21-06:00NBA Draft 2012: Thomas Robinson Ranked As No. 4 Pro Prospect In College Basketball
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<p>Draft Express just released their <a target="_blank" href="http://www.draftexpress.com/rankings/Top-100-Prospects/">latest NBA Draft rankings</a> leading up to the late June entry draft and KU's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99945/thomas-robinson">Thomas Robinson</a> has made his way up to the No. 4 position overall, behind only Kentucky's Anthony Davis and Marcus Gilchrist and UConn's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/144204/andre-drummond">Andre Drummond</a>. Robinson was projected to make a major leap on Bill Self's squad before the season, but his ascension into the elite players in college ball has been a revelation all year for Jayhawks fans.</p>
<p>But Robinson is not the only KU product on the list. Point guard <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52446/tyshawn-taylor">Tyshawn Taylor</a> comes in at No. 30 and could be on the fringe of being a first round prospect. A strong NCAA Tournament showing would go a long way toward cementing his draft prospect status. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99947/elijah-johnson">Elijah Johnson</a> comes in at No. 72 and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/53330/jeff-withey">Jeff Withey</a> appears in the Top 100 at No. 92. That last position will likely go up as Withey's game continues to develop. After all, strong defensive big men are simply too rare in the NBA.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-jayhawks/2012/2/22/2814343/nba-draft-2012-thomas-robinson-ranked-as-no-4-pro-prospect-in-collegeMatt Conner2012-02-21T11:54:56-06:002012-02-21T11:54:56-06:00NBA Draft 2012: Ratliffe, Denmon, English All Considered Fringe NBA Prospects For Missouri Tigers
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<p>No matter how successful a player or team is throughout the college basketball season, the transition to the pro game is another thing entirely. So even though the Missouri Tigers are perhaps the greatest story of the 2011-12 basketball season with their ascension near the top of the rankings under new head coach Frank Haith, Missouri’s stars are still going to have to fight for respect at the next level.</p>
<p><span class="caps">NBA</span> Draft Express has come out with their <a href="http://www.draftexpress.com/rankings/Top-100-Prospects/" target="new">Top 100 prospects</a> for the 2012 <span class="caps">NBA</span> Draft and every Missouri player on the list is potentially a second rounder at best and undrafted at worst. Ricardo Ratliffe comes in highest on the list at No. 57 overall. Marcus Denmon is next at No. 66 and then Kim English is the latest Tiger on the list at No. 84.</p>
<p>It is, of course, still very early in the year and each player can continue to impress scouts as the season goes on and Missouri advances in the postseason. However, it’s clear that Missouri is still fighting for some respect in some ways when it comes to the perception of talent on the team. It’s also a beautiful symbol, however, of a team coming together to play as one without a defined star.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-jayhawks/2012/2/21/2814395/nba-draft-2012-ratliffe-denmon-english-all-considered-fringe-nbaMatt Conner2012-02-21T11:34:17-06:002012-02-21T11:34:17-06:00NBA Draft 2012: Jeff Withey Turning Heads As Possible First Round Prospect For Kansas Jayhawks
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<p>Coming into the year, the buzz around the Kansas Jayhawks concerned the questions with so many impact players leaving for the <span class="caps">NBA</span> and how Thomas Robinson and possibly Tyshawn Taylor would fill the holes. Enter the team’s biggest surprise in Jeff Withey. The big man has not only cemented his spot on the roster but <a href="http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/blog/_/name/nba_draft/id/7597450/nba-draft-weber-states-damian-lillard-working-way-lottery" target="new">Chad Ford also notes that Withey is turning scouts’ heads</a> as a possible first round selection at the pro level:</p>
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<p>Coming into the season, KU’s Jeff Withey was a question mark as a Jayhawks starter, let alone an <span class="caps">NBA</span> prospect. We were impressed with him early at the Maui Invitational, but over the last month or so, Withey looks like he could be a legitimate <span class="caps">NBA</span> first-round prospect this season. In a three-game stretch against Baylor, Oklahoma State and Kansas State, Withey looked like the best player on the floor for Kansas. First he dropped 25 points on the long, athletic front line of Baylor. Then he followed up that performance with 18 points, 20 rebounds and seven blocks against Oklahoma State and then had a near triple double against Kansas State.</p>
<p>Size rises as we get closer to the draft and more and more scouts seem to be convinced that given Withey’s huge learning curve this year, he’s destined to be a first-round pick, if not this year then next season. He’s moved way up on our Big Board the last few weeks and with a strong run in March, could go even higher.</p>
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<p>The one thing you cannot teach in the <span class="caps">NBA</span> is size and Withey is committed to getting better as he gains experience. The Jayhawks are reaping the benefits of his shot-blocking and strong defensive presence in the paint to go with his 9.5 points per game. An <span class="caps">NBA</span> team could be the next recipient.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-jayhawks/2012/2/21/2814341/nba-draft-2012-jeff-withey-turning-heads-as-possible-first-roundMatt Conner2012-02-07T08:00:50-06:002012-02-07T08:00:50-06:00NBA Draft 2012: Thomas Robinson Possibly Entering Top Two Consideration
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<p>Robinson has significantly raised his NBA stature in the eyes of general managers around the league.</p> <p>With the graduation of both Marcus and <span>Markieff Morris</span> to the NBA along with other solid role players and the early exit of <span>Josh Selby</span>, the Kansas Jayhawks lost a considerable amount of talent and depth. Yet KU fans also knew that they had a star in the making in Thomas Robinson. Perhaps no one knew just how good the Kansas forward would end up being. If Robinson comes out for the NBA Draft early and forgoes his senior season, he might just make it to the top two in the draft. That's how some of the chatter is going at this stage of the season.</p>
<p>ESPN's Chad Ford says that <a target="_blank" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft/results/players/news/_/id/19459/thomas-robinson">he has significantly changed the perception</a> of some scouts this season. Ford interviews one general manager who says:</p>
<p>I've been a skeptic. I've always felt like he was an NBA player. But when you talk about a top pick like that, you are looking for a guy who can turn a franchise around, not an energy guy who may or may not start on a good team. But I'm sold. I didn't think he could handle the double-teams. I didn't think he could handle being the focus point on offense. When I saw him in Maui, I was still hesitant. Now? He's gotten better. He's gotten more disciplined. He's improving skillwise, especially with his footwork in the post. And to me, he's become a true leader. He set the pace against Baylor. He took it right to Jones. He's not afraid. I just don't see how he fails.</p>
<p>While Robinson's size at 6-9, 237 lbs is still an issue for some, it's clear he's at least in the picture. Ford writes, "With that said, a small, informal poll of a half-dozen GMs still had them taking Jones, Barnes or Drummond ahead of Robinson. Concerns about Robinson's height continue to be the main reason given. But all of them now say he's in the mix, and they'd seriously consider him with the No. 2 pick in the draft if they got the pick."</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-jayhawks/2012/2/7/2776413/nba-draft-2012-thomas-robinson-possibly-entering-top-two-considerationMatt Conner