Tar Heel NBA Draft Positions

In Chad Ford’s Mock Draft 1.0, he has Tyler Hansbrough going 20th to the Utah Jazz and Ty Lawson going 22nd to the Dallas Mavericks. At this point, neither Wayne Ellington or Danny Green have broken into the first round yet, but it is still possible for Ellington to jump up based on workouts.

Currently, this is what Ford is saying about both first-round Tar Heels:

“Hansbrough Analysis: It feels like destiny for Hansbrough to end up in Utah. His tough, blue-collar game should work really well for Jazz coach Jerry Sloan. And with the Jazz likely to lose either Carlos Boozer or Paul Millsap, or both, they’ll probably have a need at the 4.”

“Lawson Analysis: Jason Kidd will hit free agency this summer, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be back. J.J. Barea was good in the playoffs, but if Kidd looks to be leaving, the Mavericks will want a more classic point guard such as Lawson. Not only does he have the speed and perimeter shooting they crave, but he’s also a proven winner.”

You know how I feel about Hansbrough’s NBA potential. I also think Lawson will be able to transition to the NBA game very well, despite of (or because of his size). The NBA is a different game now more than ever, and guards like JJ Barea, and Aaron Brooks are making major offensive and defensive impacts on their teams. Overall, this could end being a good thing for fans who want to see Carolina players on a larger stage in the NBA. For the past 5 years, UNC NBA draftees have not been able to break into rosters on winning teams. Utah and Dallas play their young players and manage to remain competitive in the league, making it easier for a player like Josh Howard to improve while still winning, whereas you don’t hear much about Brandan Wright and Rashad McCants on their struggling franchises.