2012 NBA Draft Recap: Top 5 Biggest Winners

2012 NBA Draft Recap: Top 5 Biggest Winners: The 2012 NBA Draft is in the books, and every team suddenly has new hope. After all, one draft pick can be enough to change the fortunes of a franchise for years. San Antonio has been pretty darn good since Tim Duncan came to town, and it is amazing how relevant the Chicago Bulls became once Derrick Rose was drafted. Whether or not any teams drafted themselves a potential championship Thursday night won’t be known for at least a couple of years, but here is a look at the teams that appear to have hit a home run in the 2012 NBA Draft.

2012 NBA Draft Recap: Top 5 Biggest Winners

1.      New Orleans Hornets

In several of my mock drafts, I mentioned that I though New Orleans would be wise to add Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers if possible. The Hornets did just that Thursday night, giving them two of the youngest players with a ton of upside. At worst, Davis is a game-changing shot blocker and Rivers is a high-volume scorer. The more likely scenario is that Davis becomes the next franchise big man in the NBA and Rivers becomes one of the better score-first point guards. Either way, New Orleans is in much better shape. In one night, the Hornets amassed the groundwork for a relevant franchise.

2.      Golden State Warriors

With a starting lineup featuring Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, David Lee and Andrew Bogut, the only weak position for the Warriors was small forward. Golden State addressed that by grabbing Harrison Barnes, and while he will never be a star, he will more than hold his own at his position and become a solid offensive contributor. The Warriors continued to upgrade by adding depth with Festus Ezeli and Draymond Green. Both players have NBA bodies and are willing to do the dirty work. Ezeli will provide added size and shot blocking in the frontcourt, while Green can do a little bit of everything. Neither has an offensive game for the NBA, but on a team loaded with shooters, both will fit well as role players. Golden State has a roster that could actually make some noise in the Western Conference if everyone can stay healthy.

3.      Oklahoma City Thunder

While losing in the NBA Finals is a tough pill to swallow, the Thunder can take a little solace in the fact that Perry Jones III fell into their lap at pick No. 28. We are talking about a player that would have been picked in the top three last year. Yes, there are legitimate questions about his unwillingness to consistently play to his potential, but 6-11 athletes that can handle the ball, run the floor and shoot from the perimeter don’t come around very often. Jones is now in a position where he won’t have to be the savior of a franchise or the main offensive weapon, and the lack of pressure could be just what he needs to figure out the proper mindset. Oklahoma City was able to draft a player considered as talented and skilled as Anthony Davis, and they were able to do it with the third-last pick in the first round. Talk about a steal.

4.      Sacramento Kings

As the four teams picking ahead of the Kings opted for younger prospects with high upside, the Kings scooped up an NBA-ready power forward in Thomas Robinson. He led the country in double-doubles last year at Kansas, and he is a relentless rebounder with a variety of post moves. He also has an improving mid-range jumper. Robinson is slightly undersized for a power forward, but he has the athleticism to make up for it. Sacramento didn’t get a lot of easy baskets last year, and he will give the team a reliable post scorer. Not to mention that a frontcourt of Robinson and DeMarcus Cousins will go a long way to correcting a franchise that has been a train wreck of late. There is nothing wrong with adding a player that will likely provide around 20 points and 10 rebounds for the next decade or so.

5.      Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis is an up-and-coming franchise, and while the Grizzlies don’t have many needs, backcourt depth was one of them. Enter first-round pick Tony Wroten Jr. from Washington. With free agent O.J. Mayo likely on the way out, Wroten will step into the role of backup ball handler. More importantly, he is actually a better fit for the role than Mayo. While Mayo has always been a shoot-first type of player, Wroten is more than willing to use his speed and strength to penetrate and find open shooters. His offensive game is nowhere near as polished as Mayo’s, but Wroten is a better defender, ball handler, passer and rebound. In short, he will come off the bench and do a little bit of everything for Memphis.

Get the latest NBA odds daily on NSAwins.com plus visit for NBA expert predictions and updated 2012 NBA Championship Odds.