NBA : A few changes may be coming, but full mock stands for now.

Arizona's Derrick Williams will be a high pick in Thursday's Draft ... by someone.

On a recent night in a Marina del Rey restaurant he's among patrons half his size, and soon to be a fraction as rich.

Yet the waiters shuffle by — "Excuse me, sir? Excuse me?" he says to no avail — as if he's not there.

But Williams' place in the spotlight will come Thursday when the lightly recruited La Mirada High product turned-Arizona star forward struts on stage in a tailored black suit as the likely first or second overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft.


His agent, Rob Pelinka, who also represents Kobe Bryant, guaranteed Williams either the first pick to Cleveland or second to Minnesota. Williams worked out only for those teams and says he hopes to go first over Duke guard Kyrie Irving.

"They said he did really well. They said I did really well, too," Williams says of his Cleveland workout.

If he does go to Cleveland, he won't wear the number he did at Arizona: 23. "They probably banned that number anyways," Williams says, a reference to LeBron James.

But despite this draft's dearth of talent, one NBA scout says Williams would be a lottery pick almost any year.

"No question. You can't deny the year he had at Arizona," the scout says, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to publicly discuss college players.

In his sophomore season, Williams averaged 19.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, shot 59% from the floor, was named the Pacific 10 Conference player of the year, and led Arizona to a 30-8 record and within a two-point loss of a Final Four appearance.

He played in the post for most of his two seasons at Arizona. What position he'll play in the NBA is unclear, although, the scout says, "The majority of the league views him as a power forward."

Williams is a mismatch offensively because he's more athletic than most power forwards and bigger than most small forwards. "He is going to cause havoc on the offensive end," the scout says.

But his defense and rebounding are potential weak spots. On average, Williams grabbed one rebound every 3.6 minutes last season. For his size, he should be closer to grabbing one every three minutes, the scout says.

Williams acknowledges this, but notes that in his freshman season at Arizona he averaged a board every 4.6 minutes, so he did and can improve.

Defensive questions aside, Williams did boost his draft stock in a recent appearance on "Sport Science." The TV show found Williams typically catches and shoots the ball in about 0.79 seconds, on par with Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant, who's among the league's fastest catch-and-shoot players.

Also, the optimal backspin for a ball to hit the rim and fall in is 2.3 revolutions per second, the show stated, and Williams' shots rotate at 2.2 revolutions per second. Which helps explains why he shot 56.8% from three-point range last season.

Of course, above and beyond questions about him are questions about an actual NBA season. A lockout is pending if a new labor deal between the players and owners is not struck by June 30.

If there is a lockout, Williams says, he could always go back to school, start working at basketball camps or play overseas.

Until a new collective bargaining agreement is struck, it's unknown how much he'll make his rookie season. But under the soon-to-expire collective bargaining agreement, the rookie scale for the 2011-12 NBA season would guarantee Williams about $4 million.

"Don't spend your money," Luke Walton, current Laker and former Wildcat, advised Williams via text message recently.

Williams says that's not an issue. His AAU coach Lionel Benjamin calls him "cheap" and Williams agrees.

He might buy his mom, Rhoma Moore, a new car, or fix up her house, but she says she doesn't need anything.

She'll be there with Williams for the draft along with his sister, niece, AAU coach and agent. Arizona Coach Sean Miller will be coming, she says, and so will about 10 friends from home and Arizona.

They won't wait long to hear his name called. Then, the spotlight will be his. At long last.

Last weekend, as Williams exited the restaurant, a woman standing behind him in the valet line asked, "Is that the Arizona guy?

Yes. He's that dude.


We're gonna need a bigger boat. To celebrate the arrival of Draft week, the mock for both rounds is released for the first time. All 60 picks. That's right. Twice as many chances to be wrong.

This version probably stands for the next couple days, barring a trade that impacts the first round. Then, the final version goes up Thursday afternoon, a few hours before the selections begin. And deals are definitely possible in the interim -- as noted a little more than a week ago, some executives are predicting more pre-Draft movement than usual as teams try to get as much offseason work done now, before business shuts down with a possible lockout.

Not a lot of changes in the first round compared to the previous version, but a lot of new comments/explanations that have been flushed out from continuing conversations with people involved in the process.


A few moves were strongly considered: Kawhi Leonard to the Pistons at No. 8 while dropping Bismack Biyombo; Klay Thompson to the Jazz at 12 while dropping Jimmer Fredette; jumping Tristan Thompson or Marcus Morris up to the Bobcats at 9. But this version will stand, at least for another day. No sense in switching now and potentially switching back or going in another direction entirely on Thursday, not when we're bearing down on going 60 for 60.

1		Cleveland Cavaliers | Kyrie Irving | PG | Duke The counter to the increasing chatter that Cleveland may be thinking hard about Derrick Williams because it has not publicly proposed to Irving: There's no need to speak out. The Cavs are smart to keep all options open and see if any team goes nuts with a trade offer. But it's near-impossible to find a front office that thinks the pick is not Irving.

2		Minnesota Timberwolves | Derrick Williams | SF-PF | Arizona The Timberwolves go with him for now, at least. Trade talks, already active, will really pick up in the final days. Minnesota could also deal a player already on the roster and keep the pick.

3		Utah Jazz | Enes Kanter | C-PF | Turkey Utah is also seriously considering Brandon Knight and Jan Vesely, the athletic small forward from the Czech Republic who has been compared to Andrei Kirilenko and now may be brought in to replace Kirilenko. But Kanter is the call because the Jazz like him at this spot and there is no reason to jump back and forth among possibilities.

4		Cleveland Cavaliers | Jonas Valanciunas | C | Lithuania If we get to Thursday and Valanciunas still doesn't have a buyout finalized, he may get dropped in the final mock. But for now, most executives believe the financial tangle will get resolved and that he will probably be in the NBA next season or, at worst, with a one-season delay.

5		Toronto Raptors | Brandon Knight | PG | Kentucky While his size and quickness are obviously appealing, his personality has not been lost on teams. Knight comes across very well in interviews with executives and got good grades in school, and his NCAA tournament play answered everything about wanting the ball in the clutch.

6		Washington Wizards | Jan Vesely | SF-PF | Czech Republic Washington almost certainly goes front court with whatever player falls to them; Valanciunas, Kanter or Vesely. (Williams won't get this far.) Kawhi Leonard is also in the mix.

7		Sacramento Kings | Kemba Walker | PG | Connecticut Leonard's workout went well on Friday -- he hit shots, defended and predictably played with great energy. That gives the Kings, in need of a small forward, more to think about. But leadership is still the greatest need, and that's Walker. Plus, he has been getting some positive reviews as a point guard who can get others involved and be more than a scorer. That is an important consideration when Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins need to get the ball.

8		Detroit Pistons | Bismack Biyombo | PF | Congo The closer the Draft gets, the more some teams believe Joe Dumars needs the safe pick, with a new owner and a new coach. Biyombo is definitely not a safe-pick guy, but he does project as a game changer more than anyone still on the board. That?s impossible to ignore.

9		Charlotte Bobcats | Alec Burks | SG | Colorado The top true shooting guard available excels in the open court and is good at getting others involved, but needs to develop a consistent perimeter game. Not exactly a small detail for a shooting guard, but if it happens, he could become a standout scorer.

10		Milwaukee Bucks | Donatas Motiejunas | PF | Lithuania Milwaukee will go for offense. Montiejunas, with size and athleticism, addresses that with the possibility of teaming with Andrew Bogut as bigs who score and move. The knock is that he avoids contact.

11		Golden State Warriors | Chris Singleton | SF | Florida State Singleton has been moving up the board with workouts that have shown he can be more than a one-dimensional defensive standout. He is a particularly good fit here with the Warriors, who say they are committed to getting better at defense and with everyone else saying Golden State needs to add depth at small forward.

12

Utah Jazz | Jimmer Fredette | PG-SG | BYU If Utah takes Brandon Knight at No. 3, it almost certainly doesn't go guard again and the storybook outcome of

13		Phoenix Suns | Tristan Thompson | PF | Texas Thompson is a nonstop worker on the boards who particularly excels on offensive rebounding. The Suns have to take the best inside player available, don't they?

14		Houston Rockets | Kawhi Leonard | SF | San Diego State Leonard is the great floater, with the potential to go as high as six or as low as the teens. Opinions are that split. But Houston, unable to go center here and get close to value, would have to feel good getting him.

15		Indiana Pacers | Klay Thompson | SG | Washington St. One of the best perimeter threats available has worked to show he can put the ball on the floor and be more than a spot-up shooter. He is getting long looks from teams all the way up to the top 10, and Jerry West speaking highly of the son of former NBA big man Mychal Thompson triggered speculation the Warriors would take Klay at 11.

16		Philadelphia 76ers | Jordan Hamilton | SF | Texas Hamilton is good enough that he is getting serious looks in the lottery, but there are questions about his drive. He says he is fully engaged and that there is no issue. No one questions his potential to become a top scoring threat.

17		New York Knicks | Marcus Morris | PF | Kansas Power forward isn't a pressing need in New York, an obvious drawback to the pick. But Morris is so solid that most everyone around the league sees him having a long career. That's not a bad selling point this late.

18		Washington Wizards | MarShon Brooks | SG | Providence Washington goes frontcourt in the lottery and follows with a scorer/shooter at 18. Kyle Singler is another possibility here, or he may fall entirely out of the first round.

19		Charlotte Bobcats | Markieff Morris | PF | Kansas Though not considered as good as twin brother Marcus, Markieff has the same potential to become a dependable part of the rotation.

20		Minnesota Timberwolves | Tyler Honeycutt | SF | UCLA Smooth player who does a lot of things well but nothing great could become a nice complementary piece and the latest UCLA product to go from understated college player to important pro.

21		Portland Trail Blazers | Darius Morris | PG | Michigan One of the few true, playmaking point guards in the Draft, Morris has size and instincts. And the Blazers have a very uncertain future at the point.

22		Denver Nuggets | Kenneth Faried | PF | Morehead St. Relentless rebounder and defender who put up big numbers against good competition at small Morehead State will be an NBA success or crash through walls trying to be one.

23		Houston Rockets | Jeremy Tyler | C | Tokyo Apache Houston can go center here. Once considered a major prospect coming out of high school in San Diego, he is working to reclaim that level of respect after disappointments as a pro in Israel and Japan.

24		Oklahoma City Thunder | Kyle Singler | SF | Duke Singler is one of the best options for a team that needs 3-point shooting, or any threat to draw defenses away from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

25		Boston Celtics | Nikola Vucevic | C | USC His stock was helped when the measurements came out at the Chicago pre-Draft camp and it turned out he was actually bigger than listed by his college team. But Vucevic also had good showings against Kansas and Texas during the season. In a very weak Draft for centers in particular, that is enough to get him at least into the 20s.

26		Dallas Mavericks | Josh Selby | SG-PG | Kansas He has the tools to be a serious offensive threat, but could be held back as a player without a position, too small for shooting guard and lacking the ability to be a full-time point guard. Being tutored by a veteran backcourt will only help.

27		New Jersey Nets | Trey Thompkins | PF | Georgia Thompkins is dropping fast after showing up to the Chicago pre-Draft camp out of shape and continuing to exhibit poor conditioning as he toured for individual workouts. A lot of heads are shaking around front offices. But he plays smart and has a skill set that is impossible to deny.

28		Chicago Bulls | Shelvin Mack | PG-SG | Butler A combo guard who is aggressive and can score, he is versatile enough to force his way into any lineup, even one with Derrick Rose in the backcourt.

29		San Antonio Spurs | JaJuan Johnson | PF | Purdue Fluid big man who will do better in an open-court system rather than one that will require him to consistently bang inside. The lack of muscle is a concern.

30		Chicago Bulls | Davis Bertans | SF | Latvia The shooting specialist expects to spend at least one more season in Europe. That's a plus for both sides: He'll get playing time overseas he wouldn't receive in the NBA and Chicago doesn't have to bring in two guaranteed contracts from among the final three picks of the first round.

Second round

31		Miami Heat | Reggie Jackson | PG-SG | Boston College Not a prototype PG, but the Heat, with a need at the position that would increase if Mike Bibby leaves as a free agent, don't require a typical distributor on a roster with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade handling the ball so much. Jackson has athleticism and an improving shot.

32		Cleveland Cavaliers | Justin Harper | PF | Richmond A power forward with very good range, in the Channing Frye mode, Harper would have a chance to help a team that finished 29th in the league in shooting.

33		Detroit Pistons | Chandler Parsons | SF | Florida Parsons is a nice offensive package of shooting, passing and ball handling, with intangibles of experience at a major program and a high basketball IQ.

34		Washington Wizards | Nolan Smith | SG-PG | Duke The toe injury that sent Kyrie Irving to the sideline allowed Smith to move to point guard and show his versatility. That he is a former Bullets ball boy and the son of former Washington assistant coach Derek Smith has no impact on the pick. But it doesn't hurt.

35		Sacramento Kings | Malcolm Lee | SF | UCLA He has a chance to become one of the top defenders out of the Draft.

36		New Jersey Nets | Tobias Harris | SF | Tennessee The question is whether he has the athleticism to play small forward, his pro position after playing a lot of power forward in college. Harris is just 18 years old, so he has time to make the adjustment, and he already has a good feel for the game and a nice offensive attack.

37		L.A. Clippers | Nikola Mirotic | C | Montenegro A contract in Spain that makes it difficult to get the buyout means Mirotic might not reach the NBA for two more seasons, and possibly longer. He would go higher if not for that complication. The Clippers, with Chris Kaman and the emerging DeAndre Jordan, can afford to be patient, and would still be willing to wait on a return even if Kaman is traded.

38		Houston Rockets | Jordan Williams | PF | Maryland Houston needs size and Williams is 6-foot-9, 250 pounds and plays physical.

39		Charlotte Bobcats | Norris Cole | PG | Cleveland St. Cole is not a standout in any one area, but he is solid in many.

40		Milwaukee Bucks | Jon Leuer | PF | Wisconsin It's not a pick for the locals. It's a pick for another potential boost for the offense, in this case a sharp-shooting big man who can handle well enough to move the ball.

41		L.A. Lakers | Travis Leslie | SG | Georgia The Lakers want to get more athletic. They don't come much more athletic than Leslie. Getting a consistent jumper would help secure a long NBA future.

42		Indiana Pacers | Charles Jenkins | SF | Hofstra A scorer who can hurt defenses from several parts of the court while also playing unselfishly.

43		Chicago Bulls | Iman Shumpert | SG-PG | Georgia Tech Shumpert has the chance to be a very good NBA defender while using his athleticism to become an offensive threat.

44		Golden State Warriors | Keith Benson | C | Oakland Golden State goes for a shot blocker. It just happens to work out that Benson would be able to keep a lot of his college gear and fit in well in his adopted hometown.

45		New Orleans Hornets | DeAndre Liggins | SG | Kentucky An impact defensive player with good size for a shooting guard (6-foot-6 1/2, 200 pounds) and the ability to defend multiple positions.

46		L.A. Lakers | Andrew Goudelock | PG | College of Charleston The sleeper of the Draft. Goudelock made 41.2 percent of his threes and was able to create his own shot to score from other spots as well.

47		L.A. Clippers | Diante Garrett | PG | Iowa St. Pass-first point guard has good size (6-foot-5, 180 pounds) and a smooth game.

48		Atlanta Hawks | Jimmy Butler | SF | Marquette The MVP of the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament -- the top proving ground for prospects mostly trying to stick in the second round, or even reach the second round -- Butler fits in well with a team system and plays smart.

49		Memphis Grizzlies | David Lighty | SG | Ohio State Once part of a Buckeyes recruiting class that included Greg Oden, Mike Conley and Daequan Cook, Lighty made a name for himself as a junior and senior. He makes very few mistakes with the ball.

50		Philadelpha 76ers | Rick Jackson | PF | Syracuse A physical power forward who averaged 10.3 rebounds, along with 13.1 points, as a senior.

51		Portland Trail Blazers | Demetri McCarmey | PG | Illinois McCamey was second in the Big Ten and 10th in the nation in assists while also shooting 45.2 percent overall with range to the 3-point line.

52		Denver Nuggets | Jon Diebler | SG | Ohio State Diebler has great range with ideal size (6-foot-6, 205 pounds), a combination that could allow him to carve out a career as a specialist.

53		Orlando Magic | Cory Joseph | PG | Texas Uses his quickness well to get into the lane, causing problems for defenses.

54		Cleveland Cavaliers | Jereme Richmond | SF-SG | Illinois A good athlete who rebounds well for a wing and is best suited to an open-floor game.

55		Boston Celtics | Isaiah Thomas | PG | Washington Thomas runs a team well enough to offset the limitations at 5-foot-10. And he's got one of the best stories of the entire Draft class: He was named after Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas because his father lost a bet on a Pistons-Lakers game. If only the Knicks had a second-round pick.

56		L.A. Lakers | LaceDarius Dunn | SG | Baylor The Big 12 career scoring leader has range and a quick release.

57		Dallas Mavericks | Malcolm Thomas | SF | San Diego State At some point, the Lakers will be working hard to move their picks or grabbing anyone who promises to go away for a season overseas. They have no use for four second-rounders.

58		L.A. Lakers | Scotty Hopson | SG | Tennessee Well established as a big-time athlete, Hopson's real development has been in improving his shooting percentage from 42.8 as a freshman to 45.2 as a junior.

59		San Antonio Spurs | Michael Dunigan | C | Estonia A Chicago native who played two seasons at Oregon before spending 2010-11 with a team in Israel and with BC Kalev/Cramo Tallinn in Estonia, Dunigan has the size and the shot-blocking ability to interest teams.

60

Sacramento Kings | Greg Smith | PF | Fresno State Smith has huge hands -- easily the biggest among the 54 prospects who took physicals at the Chicago pre-Draft camp -- that allow him to grab balls others would miss.