In SB Nation's latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft, Tom Ziller projects that UConn's Andre Drummond will be selected by the Detroit Pistons with the ninth pick.
Drummond could go as high as No. 2 thanks to his phenomenal athletic ability, but an uneven freshman year at UConn has scouts wondering whether Drummond is polished enough to make an immediate impact in the NBA. That uncertainty could leave him to be selected later in the lottery, where, writes Ziller, some team might find a gem.
I'm eager to hear where Drummond's floor ends up. If he impresses Geoff Petrie with raw talent, it could be No. 5 at the Kings. If he has a less successful pre-draft run, it could be Detroit at No. 9 ... or worse. He's a big ol' mystery right now. I'm not sure Lawrence Frank (cue the Brook Lopez drop) is the right coach, or that Drummond is the right partner in crime for Greg Monroe. But remember that the Pistons desperately wanted Cousins in '10, despite the warts. A similar situation could be in place, and if Drummond drops, it could end up paying huge dividends for a not-bad Detroit team.
The 6-foot-10, 270-pound center averaged 10.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks during his lone season with the Huskies.
And for more from around the world of college hoops, check out SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.