2011 NBA Mock Draft: Jimmy Butler To Celtics, Reggie Jackson To Heat

Tom Ziller has spoken (or written, rather, his final mock draft), and with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics will draft Marquette's Jimmy Butler. 

Butler, who played four seasons with the Golden Eagles, averaged 15.7 points and 6.1 rebounds last season. Butler also averaged 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 34.5 percent from three-point range.

In addition, Ziller has the Miami Heat selecting Boston College guard Reggie Jackson with the No. 30 overall pick in the first round. Jackson averaged 18.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for BC last season.

The Miami Heat adore Boston College's Reggie Jackson with the 31st pick, but there are questions about him. Jackson has provided no medical records on his knee to teams, and has refused workouts as well as even the most rudimentary of interviews. (via Yahoo! Sports)

Jackson has also been associated with the Celtics since the start of the NBA Draft rumors, but Butler's name is relatively new to the mix. However, it seems likely that Butler might be the C's top target, as both Ziller and ESPN draft insider Chad Ford have pegged him to Boston.

For more 2011 NBA Draft coverage, visit SB Nation and follow our StoryStream.

NBA Mock Draft 2011: Jimmy Butler To Boston Celtics At No. 25 Overall

Jimmy Butler, a guard/forward from Marquette, is the projected pick of the Boston Celtics at No. 25 overall according to Chad Ford of ESPN in his final mock draft prior to Thursday night's 2011 NBA Draft.

Butler, who played four seasons with the Golden Eagles, averaged 15.7 points and 6.1 rebounds last season. Butler also averaged 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 34.5 percent from three-point range.

If the Celtics are going to keep competing for a title, they need players who know their roles, can play without the ball in their hands and meld in. Butler brings toughness, defense and heart.

Butler epitomizes that approach with his game and would be a great fit with the Celtics as a player who can play multiple positions off the bench. Reggie Jackson is another strong possibility here, as is Norris Cole. (Chad Ford, ESPN)

Here's some more analysis on Butler from Ryan Hannable on Green Street, WEEI.com's Boston Celtics blog.

Butler does not have one particular part of his game that will blow anyone away, but he is a solid all-around player. He is very versatile as he can play guard and forward, but he will, in all likelihood, be a guard in the NBA. He is most known for being an active defender and understanding the game well. He has a good mid-range game but needs to work on his 3-point shooting. He also posts up well for a guy of his size but does struggle with creating his own shot. (via WEEI)

For more 2011 NBA Draft coverage, visit SB Nation and follow our StoryStream.

NBA Draft 2011: Jeremy Tyler Picked By CelticsBlog In SB Nation's Mock

Jeremy Tyler, the San Diego native who played in Japan last season, was selected by CelticsBlog with the No. 25 overall pick in SB Nation's collaborative 2011 NBA Mock Draft.

Tyler is definitely a projected pick, but if groomed well, could play like a top-of-the-draft talent.

There's no such thing as a sure thing this late in a weak draft, so why not swing for the fences with a big man that has top 10 talent? Will he contribute to a title contender right away? Well, under normal circumstances I'd say "doubtul," but we have exactly 2 bigs on the roster and injuries are pretty much a given with this team. So if he's on the roster, he'll probably play. (via SB Nation)

Tyler, who averaged 9.9 points and 6.4 rebounds for the Tokyo Apache last season, had originally committed to play for Rick Pitino at Louisville, but chose to forgo his senior year of high school and signed with Maccabi Haifa in Israel for $140,000. Tyler ultimately decided to leave the team after a problem with playing time.

For more Boston Celtics coverage, visit our team page and blog, CelticsBlog.

NBA Mock Draft 2011: Jeremy Tyler To Boston Celtics At No. 25 Overall

Jeremy Tyler, a 6' 11"center from San Diego, is the Boston Celtics' projected pick at No. 25 overall in the 2011 NBA Draft in the second-to-last mock draft from Tom Ziller of SB Nation.

Tyler, who averaged 9.9 points and 6.4 rebounds for the Tokyo Apache last season, had originally committed to play for Rick Pitino at Louisville, but chose to forgo his senior year of high school and signed with Maccabi Haifa in Israel for $140,000. Tyler ultimately decided to leave the team after a problem with playing time.

25. Boston Celtics: Jeremy Tyler, C, Planet Earth

Boston needs size, and if there is one thing that Jeremy Tyler is, it's tall.

Here's some analysis on Tyler, first from WEEI and then from Chad Ford of ESPN.

Tyler is a project, no doubt, but it's not like an American has never made the leap from overseas to the NBA (see: Jennings, Brandon). As a junior at California's San Diego High, he averaged 28.7 points, 12 rebounds and nine blocks per game, vaulting himself to a top-five national recruit ranking in the Class of 2010 alongside guys like Kyrie Irving, Jared Sullinger and Brandon Knight. Whether or not Tyler still belongs in that conversation depends on who you ask. (Ben Rohrbach, WEEI.com)

"Jeremy Tyler continued to wow NBA teams on Friday with his athleticism, physical profile and defense. He measured out as the second-biggest player at the combine. He was 6-11, 260 pounds with a huge 7-5 wing and a 9-2 standing reach. Tyler told me he believed he'll have a 40-inch vertical, which is a fantastic number for a player his size. His measurements are on par with Cole Aldrich's and just below DeAndre Jordan's. Tyler also scored very high marks from NBA teams on his interviews. His offensive game is still a work in progress and there are still some skeletons in his closet from his botched season in Israel. But on sheer physical upside, Tyler played himself into a possible first-round pick with his week here. A number of teams, including the Knicks, Nuggets, Rockets and Spurs, are giving him a look in the first." (Chad Ford, ESPN)

For more Boston Celtics coverage, visit our team page and blog, CelticsBlog.

NBA Mock Draft 2011: Justin Harper To Boston Celtics At No. 25 Overall

Justin Harper, a power forward from Richmond, is projected to the Boston Celtics with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft in the latest mock draft from Sean Deveney of Sporting News.

Harper, a 6'10", 225-pound senior, averaged 17.9 points and 6.9 rebounds last season with the Spiders. In addition, Harper shot 53.4 percent from the field and 44.8 percent from three-point range last year.

25. Boston. JUSTIN HARPER, PF, Richmond. Teams are getting more and more enamored with stretch power forwards, and Harper has a great shooting touch.

Deveney left BC's Reggie Jackson out of the first round in his mock draft. Jackson, who averaged 18.2 points, 4.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds last season for the Eagles, is projected by many experts to be a first round pick.

Kyrie Irving is the top pick in Deveney's mock, going to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Deveney also has Derrick Williams going No. 2 overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Brandon Knight going to the Utah Jazz at No.3, Enes Kanter going to the Cavaliers at No. 4 and Kemba Walker going to the Toronto Raptors at No. 5.

For more Boston Celtics coverage, visit our team page and blog, CelticsBlog.

NBA Mock Draft 2011: Charles Jenkins To Celtics, Reggie Jackson To Bulls

Charles Jenkins, a 6'3", 220-pound guard from Queens, is projected to the Boston Celtics with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft in the final mock draft from Tom Ziller at SB Nation.

Jenkins, who played four seasons at Hofstra University, averaged 22.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and shot at a 42 percent clip from three-point range last season. While Ziller projects Jenkins to the Celtics, he acknowledges that it's entirely possible that Danny Ainge might draft BC's Reggie Jackson.

25. Boston Celtics: Charles Jenkins, G, Hofstra

The Celtics have been adamant that they didn't promise Reggie Jackson, leading him to cancel workouts. Danny Ainge would never lie to us, would he?

Speaking of Jackson, Ziller projects that he will be drafted three picks later at No. 28 overall by the Chicago Bulls.

28. Chicago Bulls: Reggie Jackson, G, Boston College

I don't actually think the Bulls promised Jackson; Gar Forman is busy polishing his quarter of an Executive of the Year trophy. (He split the award with Pat Riley, then John Paxson demanded his half. Good thing Joakim Noah took metalworking at Boy Scout camp.)

Jackson averaged 18.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists last year at Boston College.

For more 2011 NBA Draft coverage, visit SB Nation and follow our StoryStream.

2011 NBA Mock Draft: Kyrie Irving, Enes Kanter Taken First, Second Overall In SB Nation's Collaborative Mock Draft

Kyrie Irving and Enes Kanter have been selected No. 1 and No. 2 overall, respectively, in SB Nation's collaborative mock draft, which has each team's blog making their team's pick and providing explanation.

With the top pick, Fear The Sword (Cavs blog) selected Duke point guard Kyrie Irving, saying that he is the safest bet at the top of the draft.

In a draft that lacks a clear, potential superstar, the Cavaliers will take the guy who appears to be the safest bet. Despite a relatively small sample-size from college, Irving was certainly impressive when he did play. It makes sense for the Cavaliers to choose Irving and then take more of a risk with the No. 4 overall selection. (via SB Nation)

In an interesting move, our Timberwolves blog, Canis Hoopus, selected Enes Kanter - a center from Turkey - at No. 2, passing over Arizona forward Derrick Williams in the process.

The Wolves can't draft Derrick Williams. They can't have a roster where their five best players are all power forwards (Kevin Love, Anthony Randolph, Michael Beasley, Williams and Anthony Tolliver). This leaves them having to choose between point guards like Brandon Knight and Kemba Walker and bigs like Kanter and Bismack Biyombo. As much as I'd like to see the Wolves team up the oversized man panther (manther?) Biyombo with Ricky Rubio, I think Kahn takes the "safest" top center in the draft and pairs him with Love. (via SB Nation)

Follow this StoryStream to see our entire SB Nation mock draft play out over the next couple days. See our 2011 NBA Draft hub for full coverage.

2011 NBA Mock Draft: Celts Could Go Big, Or Stay Small With BC's Jackson

Well, the Finals are finally over and since we don't have LeBron James to kick around anymore, why not take another look at who our local pro basketball entry might be leaning toward in next Wednesday's 2011 NBA Draft?

We'll start at the mothership where our own Tom Ziller did some more mocking on Tuesday and came up with the Celtics going big at No. 25 and taking Southern Cal center Nikola Vucevic, a 7'0, 260-pound behemoth whom Ziller has had linked to the Green before. Ziller, also mentions raw, 6'11, 263-pounder Jeremy Tyler, who skipped both college and his senior year in high school and played a year in Israel before moving on to Japan and a team called Tokyo Apache, as a possibility, but says that Tyler would "be Danny Ainge's home run swing while Vucevic could help next year."

Over on ESPN.com, draft guru Chad Ford's mock version 5.0 from Wednesday morning has the C's taking the leap of faith with Tyler, 19, noting that the Celts "need to hit a home run the same way they did with Rajon Rondo." Hard to see how that could happen with a guy whom the ESPN scouting reports say, "lacks emotional maturity," and "made a terrible decision to skip high school and college," but hey, how much worse than Nenad Krstic can he be? Tyler averaged 9.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in just over 15 minutes per game this past season in Japan.

Finally, conventional wisdom rules at SI.com, where Sam Amick has the C's still ready to ride the Reggie Jackson train, noting that Boston "apparently isn't concerned" about the BC product's May knee surgery while also pointing out that "a source" doesn't have Jackson getting past the C's at No. 25. "He would need some grooming," writes Amick, "but the lengthy, two-way player could eventually be a dynamic option behind Rajon Rondo."

In other Jackson news, Ford has him slipping two spots past the Celts to the Nets at No. 27 (guess he and Amick have different sources), while Ziller has the 6'3, 208-pound point guard out of the first round entirely.

2011 NBA Mock Draft: Marshon Brooks To Celtics, Reggie Jackson To Heat

Marshon Brooks is projected to the Boston Celtics with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft in the latest mock draft from Draft Express. Brooks, a guard/forward from Providence ranked second in the nation in scoring last season, averaging 24.6 points.

Brooks averaged 14.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in his junior season at Providence. As a sophomore, Brooks averaged 10.6 points and 3.6 boards. In 2007-08, Brooks averaged 3.3 points in 8.8 minutes per game.

Boston College guard Reggie Jackson is projected to be drafted No. 31 overall, the first pick in the second round. Jackson is coming off a stellar year in which he lead the team in scoring, assists and steals.

Jackson, a 6'3", 208-pound combo guard, averaged 18.2 points, 4.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds in his junior season at BC. In total, Jackson scored 618 points, 152 assists and 146 rebounds.

For more NBA Draft coverage, visit SB Nation and follow our StoryStream.

2011 NBA Mock Draft: Marshon Brooks To Celtics, Reggie Jackson To Spurs

In the latest 2011 NBA Mock Draft (with a twist) from SB Nation, the Boston Celtics are projected to draft Providence guard Marshon Brooks with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Brooks, a 6'5" guard-forward from Stone Mountain, Georgia, was the nation's second-leading scorer, averaging 24.6 points and seven rebounds for the Friars last season. In this mock from SB Nation, Tom Ziller compared each prospect to a current NBA player.

25. Boston Celtics: Marshon Brooks, SG, Providence

Let's be sunny for a change: Ben Gordon.

Reggie Jackson, a junior guard from Boston College, was projected to the San Antonio Spurs at No. 29 overall.

29. San Antonio Spurs: Reggie Jackson, PG, Boston College

A bigger Aaron Brooks.

Ziller has the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting Duke point guard Kyrie Irving will the No. 1 overall pick, comparing him to Denver Nuggets guard Raymond Felton. At No. 2, Ziller has the Minnesota Timberwolves selecting Arizona's Derrick Williams, comparing him to Indiana Pacers' forward Danny Granger.

2011 NBA Mock Draft: Duke's Smith, Providence's Brooks Seen As Potential Celts

It's the start of a new week which means we're even closer to this month's NBA Draft. And while the majority of current pro basketball focus naturally trends toward the NBA Finals matchup between the Miami Heat and the Dalas Mavericks, there's still some speculation going on as to who will go where and when on June 23, at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

The good folks over at Draft Express did their latest mocking of draft possibilities last Thursday and threw a bit of a curveball at those following the Celtics potential plans. They have the C's choosing Providence senior shooting guard Marshon Brooks at No. 25. Brooks, a 6'5, 195-pounder, averaged 24.6 points and seven rebounds per game for the Friars this past season, and could be seen as an offensive bridge to the future with Father Time creeping up on Ray Allen and Paul Pierce.

Elsewhere, NBADraft.net signals the C's going a bit bigger, naming 6'10, junior power forward Trey Thompkins out of Georgia as the likeliest candidate to be wearing green next season. And Bleacher Report, sensing both Brooks and Thompkins will be gone by the time the 25th pick rolls around, takes things in a completely different direction, surmising that Duke guard Nolan Smith will be the C's choice.

"Nolan Smith was a great player for Duke this season and a leader there for four years," writes the Report's Nicholas Goss. "He would be an exceptional backup to All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo in Boston."

Celtics, Nets Deny Rumors They Promised To Draft BC's Reggie Jackson

Both the Boston Celtics and New Jersey Nets have denied rumors that they had promised Boston College's Reggie Jackson with their first-round picks if the junior guard was still available when they are on the clock.

Chad Ford, who broke the news, wrote that all sides denied the supposed promise.

"Not true according to both the teams and a source close to Jackson," wrote Ford. (via Nets Daily)

This isn't the first time the Nets have reportedly made such a promise, either. In 2003, the Nets guaranteed Zoran Planicic would be their selection with the No. 22 overall pick. Planicic played just three seasons in the NBA, totaling 561 points and 198 rebounds.

For more Boston Celtics coverage, visit our team blog, CelticsBlog.

2011 NBA Mock Draft: Pundits Have BC's Jackson To Either C's Or Rockets In Round 1

With 23 days remaining until the 2011 NBA Draft, we Celtics fans who are beyond tired of all LeBron, all the time, best concern ourselves with something less unsavory, like who the C's are looking at when the 25th selection comes up.

SB Nation's own Tom Ziller did some draft mockery on Tuesday and matched up a local product with the local team. Ziller has the Celts selecting Boston College point guard Reggie Jackson at 25, simply saying, "The Masshole Singularity." A move to grab Jackson would seem to make sense after backing up Rajon Rondo proved to be a problem for the C's throughout the season, even into the playoffs.

Over on ESPN.com, draft guru Chad Ford checked in with his mock draft, version 3.0, last week and saw the Celts going in a far different direction. Ford projected USC center Nikola Vucevic, a 7'0, 260-pounder, to be coming to Boston.

"The Celtics need size and Vucevic was one of the players who helped his draft stock the most the past week in Chicago," Ford surmised. "His measurements were off the charts and gave teams hope he could be a legit NBA center. Given his skill in the post, he could be a steal at this point in the draft."

Ford had the 6'3 Jackson going 23rd to the Houston Rockets and their new coach Kevin McHale. But on Tuesday, in his Draft Blog, he wrote:

"One guy you won't be reading about for the next week or two is Boston College's Reggie Jackson. Jackson didn't show to the Chicago pre-draft combine citing an injury. He hasn't worked out for anyone since, prompting speculation that he might have a promise from a team to be drafted.

In recent weeks, speculation on the internet has swirled around the Celtics and Nets as the teams that gave him promises. Not true according to both the teams and a source close to Jackson.

Jackson has a legit injury. He had a minor procedure on his knee on May 17th (the day after school ended), a source close to Jackson tells me. Jackson is currently rehabbing and should be ready for workouts on the second week of June. Once he's cleared to workout, he'll have a pretty full schedule. A number of teams, starting with the Pacers at No. 15, the Knicks at No. 17 and the Bobcats at No. 19 are fans of Jackson. And it's hard to see him slipping past the Miami Heat at No. 31."

Ford also pointed out on Tuesday that the C's were scheduled to have Richmond's Justin Harper, Wisconsin's Jon Leuer, VCU's Jamie Skeen and Butler's Matt Howard in for a Wednesday workout. All four players are power forwards with good outside shooting range. 

"You think the Celtics might be in the market for a stretch 4?" he asked. Perhaps they will be.

2011 NBA Mock Draft: Reggie Jackson To Nuggets At No. 22 Overall

Boston College junior guard Reggie Jackson is projected to be the No. 22 overall in the 2011 NBA Draft, taken by the Denver Nuggets in Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com's latest 2011 NBA Mock Draft on Yahoo! Sports.

Jackson, a 21-year-old 6'3" combo guard, will be the best player available at No. 22, leading Denver to draft him despite their needs in the interior.

Denver's biggest need is likely at the 4, but with no interesting power forward prospect on the board, the Nuggets will likely seek the best available player. Pairing the super long and highly efficient Reggie Jackson alongside Ty Lawson(notes), Raymond Felton(notes) and Arron Afflalo(notes) in Denver's backcourt could make sense, especially long-term. (via Yahoo! Sports)

Givony also had the Boston Celtics drafting Georgia Bulldogs junior small forward Travis Leslie at No. 25 overall, noting that his toughness and athleticism should help the aging Celtics.

The Celtics missed the toughness and athleticism of Tony Allen(notes) on the wing in the playoffs this spring. There's no better athlete in this draft than Travis Leslie, and having a bunch of pros like Kevin Garnett(notes), Ray Allen(notes) and Paul Pierce(notes) show him the ropes could go a long way in accelerating his development.

Without surprise, Duke freshman point guard Kyrie Irving is the No. 1 overall pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Givony's mock draft. In addition, Givony has Arizona forward Derrick Williams going to the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 2, Uconn point guard Kemba Walker going to the Utah Jazz at No. 3, Jonas Valanciunas going the Cavs at No. 4 and Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight going to the Toronto Raptors at No. 5.

2011 NBA Mock Draft: Jordan Williams To Celtics At No. 25 Overall

Jordan Williams, a 6'10" center from the University of Maryland, is projected to taken by the Boston Celtics with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft in ESPN NBA analyst Chad Ford's latest mock draft.

Williams, a sophomore, averaged 16.9 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for the Terrapins last season. As a freshman, Williams averaged 9.6 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 51.2 percent from the field.

In his two year career at Maryland, Williams totaled 873 points, 672 rebounds and 77 blocks. Here's a look at Ford's analysis on Williams over at ESPN.com.

As Ford points out, the Celtics are in need of some interior help after trading away Kendrick Perkins. If they opt not to draft a big man, their other options include re-signing free agent Nenad Krstic, hoping that Jermaine O'Neal and Shaquille O'Neal return to health next season or simply signing another big body on the open market.

2011 NBA Mock Draft: Boston Celtics Projected To Take Purdue's JaJuan Johnson

The order for the 2011 NBA Draft is set, with the Cleveland Cavaliers winning the No. 1 overall pick in Tuesday night's NBA Draft Lottery. They also the No. 4 pick, with the Timberwolves and Jazz sandwiched in between, with the second and third picks, respectively. 

Now that we know which teams are are picking when -- the Boston Celtics have the No. 25 and No. 55 overall selections, by the way -- the focus immediately shifts to who the teams will pick with SB Nation's first 2011 NBA mock draft. 

Tom Ziller has Duke's Kyrie Irving going No. 1 overall to the Cavs, calling the decision a "no-brainer." Arizona's Derrick Williams is projected to Minnesota while Connecticut's Kemba Walker "drops" to the fifth overall pick, where the Toronto Raptors will gladly scoop him up: 

Walker is the second- or third-best perimeter player in the draft behind Irving and possibly Brandon Knight; while Toronto needs a true point guard to get that offense going, it's hard to pass up NBA-ready leadership that a player like Walker offers. The Raptors love shooting seemingly above all else, but Walker's dribble-creation will help boost the team in the short term while the rest of the roster is sorted out.

As for the Celtics and the No. 25 pick, Ziller has them eyeing some interior help in the form of Purdue's PF/C JaJuan Johnson.

The Celtics obviously need help in the middle; Nenad Krstic is not the answer, Jermaine O'Neal and Shaq may both retire, and Glen Davis was shown up in the playoffs. Johnson is more a blue chip handyman than a heralded prospect, but he could be a nice fit.

The 2011 NBA Draft is on June 23. 

2011 NBA Mock Draft: UConn's Kemba Walker To Jazz At No. 6 Overall

The NBA playoffs are still going strong, but that won't stop basketball aficionados from looking ahead to the 2011 NBA Draft, which is expected to take place on June 23 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ at 7:00 p.m. EDT.

Tom Ziller of SB Nation has released its latest 2011 NBA Mock Draft, which will undoubtedly change a lot over the next few months.

Since the postseason is still forging ahead, we won't know the order at the bottom of the draft, meaning that trying to guess who will go to the Boston Celtics is pointless. However, we do know who the worst teams in the league were last season, and thus can project who will be at the top of the draft.

Ziller predicts that the Minnesota Timberwolves (17-65 in 2011) will receive the top pick in this year's draft and will take Duke point guard Kyrie Irving with the top pick.

In the local scene, Connecticut Huskies point guard Kemba Walker is projected to go No. 6 overall to the Utah Jazz, who finished with a 39-43 record in 2011.

6. Utah Jazz: Kemba Walker, PG, UConn

The Jazz need guards. Guards guards guards. We'll see if Kevin O'Connor and Greg Miller have a Paul Millsap or Al Jefferson trade up their sleeves, but assuming trades will be spare before the collective bargaining agreement is approved, Utah has to be looking guard in the draft. After Irving, Walker's the best one on the board.

Walker averaged 23.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists last season for Connecticut, which he helped lead to their third NCAA National Championship title. In the championship game, Walker had 16 points and nine rebounds in the Huskies' 53-51 win over the Butler Bulldogs.