clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

NBA Draft News and Profiles

2012 NBA Draft: What did NCAA tournament tell us about the prospects?

Kansas Jayhawks forward Thomas Robinson (0) and forward Anthony Davis (23) raise their hands indicating they would like to be drafted by the Detroit Pistons (Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE)
Kansas Jayhawks forward Thomas Robinson (0) and forward Anthony Davis (23) raise their hands indicating they would like to be drafted by the Detroit Pistons (Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE)

I'll be honest with you: I didn't have a chance to pay a great deal of attention to the NCAA finals pitting the Kentucky Wildcats against the Kansas Jayhawks, a game Kentucky won 67-59. But I do know one thing: it featured a bevvy of prospects expected to be selected in the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery. The lineups were absolutely stacked with players that could be drafted:

Anthony Davis, the consensus No. 1 overall pick. Thomas Robinson. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Terrence Jones. Marquis Teague. Doron Lamb. Tyshawn Taylor. Jeff Withey.

And coincidentally, the Detroit Pistons are once again lottery bound and could draft in the top 3 or in the 6-10 range.

So as an impartial fan of the Pistons and somebody who wants Detroit to select the best possible player, what did the championship game tell us about these players?

Who shined and who raised a red flag. The competition was fierce, with both teams playing stellar defense and having to fight for every point.

Davis scored only 6 points and was 1-10 from the floor but was probably the best player on the floor. He picked up MOP tourney honors despite scoring the fewest points in the big dance since Patrick Ewing 25 years ago.

And Robinson was no slough, either, with 18 points and 17 rebounds.

So if the PIstons pick No. 1, Davis is the slam-dunk pick, right? But if they pick at 2 or 3, has Robinson solidified his case as the best alternative? What about MKG.

And if the the PIstons fall lower what did this NCAA tournament tell us about possible draft picks such as Jared Sullinger, John Henson and others? Should we even care about the tournament, wheere many players were pitted against stiff competition, or disregard the small sample in favor of a season-wide look?

Educate me and other Detroit Bad Boy denizens in the comments.