NBA Draft 2012: Pistons select Andre Drummond in ESPN mock

ESPN has unveiled their first official 2012 NBA mock draft and has the Detroit Pistons selecting University of Connecticut center Andre Drummond with the sixth pick.

While ESPN's NBA Draft Lottery machine serves as a defacto mock draft, but this one (Insider required) includes some explanation for each pick. About Drummond, Ford says:

Analysis: The Pistons are in desperate need of size and athleticism in the front court. While Drummond is a bit of a gamble, it's a risk worth taking at this point in the draft. He has all the physical tools to be a dominant big man in the pros. Although he was really inconsistent during his freshman season at UConn, with time and patience he could be the perfect complement to Greg Monroe on the front line.

Drummond has been a disappointment this season for UConn, and when the Pistons were pegged to take him as high as No. 2 I was wary of the Pistons selecting him. But if Detroit picks as low as No. 6 it makes a lot more sense to take a gamble on an underperforming player such as Drummond.

For the season he is averaging 10 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks while shooting 53 percent from the field and 29 percent (!) from the charity stripe. He is a classic example of drafting based on the eye as opposed to based on production. Consider him the anti Draymond Green, if you will. However, taking a serious look at an 18-year-old freshman who is already 6-11 and 275 pounds makes a lot of sense. High risk, high reward.

If you can't access the Insider content, the next five drafted would be James Michael McAdoo (who is a recent entrant into the top-10 discussion), Cody Zeller, Damian Lillard, Perry Jones and Tyler Zeller.

Slightly lower is Jared Sullinger at No. 13 (who has been somewhat outmuscled by opponents lately) and John Henson at No. 15.