PROTECT THE PAINT

Plenty of players over the course of the last decade have slipped out of the lottery—sometimes falling into the second round—but have still gone on to be All-Stars. Ron Artest, Tony Parker, David West, Josh Howard, and Danny Granger were all drafted in the first round, but after the lottery picks. Gilbert Arenas, Manu Ginobili, Michael Redd, Rashard Lewis, and Carlos Boozer were all second round selections eventually excelling to the level of All-Star.

So with the 2009 NBA Draft complete, it’s only natural to wonder the post-lottery pick/picks who will go on to stardom.

We at Protect the Paint see four players (one first rounder and three from the second) with the potential to one day be All-Stars and team leaders:

Holiday's atheleticism and size are ideal for playing PG (Credit: ESPN)

Jrue Holiday—chosen by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 17th pick—comes to the NBA after one year at UCLA. Because of the presence of Darren Collison, Holiday never got to play the point on a consistent basis in college, but has the ball handling skills and tenacity on defense that could one day make him an NBA All-Star. Dribbles and finishes equally well with either hand. Can score, but looks to get others involved first. Needs to improve his shot from the perimeter, but that should come with time. If Andre Miller doesn’t return, will be given the opportunity to start right away. Playing alongside Andre Iguodala should only help his development, and gives the 76ers a big, athletic backcourt. Could one day be considered the elite point guard from this point guard-rich draft.

Jermaine Taylor could rise to the top of a crowded guard crop (Credit: ESPN)

Jermaine Taylor—taken with the 32nd pick by the Washington Wizards—is an explosive athlete with an already accurate outside shot. He’ll need to use that athleticism more in the NBA than he did in college, which makes him a bit of an anomaly (most super athletic guys need to refine their shot and rely less on athleticism). A confident, clutch player, he improved every season at Central Florida, and is an outstanding rebounder for his size (6′4”). Will initially battle for playing time with recent addition Randy Foye and already established Dominic McGuire. The health of Gilbert Arena could also determine how quickly Taylor gets a chance for consistent minutes. Will need to improve his ball handling skills, but has a chance to one day be an All-Star from the second round.

Sam Young does whatever it itakes to get better (Credit: jacksonville.com)

Offensively, Sam Young—selected 36th by the Memphis Grizzles—played third fiddle for most of his senior season at Pittsburgh behind Dejuan Blair (who was selected with the following pick by the Spurs) and Levance Fields, but emerged late in the year as a reliable “go-to” scorer. His ability on the defensive end of the court is what will initially earn him NBA minutes. Doesn’t have a pretty shot, but it goes in at a good percentage. Comes to a team that already has Rudy Gay playing his position, so stardom won’t happen overnight, but he’s shown a willingness to do whatever to get better and improved each year in college. We see great success in the years to come for Young.

Patrick Mills is no newby to NBA caliber competition (Credit: Stilettosetsports.com)

Patrick Mills—selected by the Portland Trailblazers with the 55th pick—played just two years at St. Mary’s, lighting up West Coast Conference opponents with his crafty ball-handling and unlimited range. He scored 20 points in a game last summer for his native Australia against Team USA, the eventual gold medalists. Would likely have gone higher if he hadn’t broken his wrist earlier this year in a nationally televised game against Gonzaga. He’s just under six feet tall, but the combination of range and dribbling makes him a difficult player to match up against. Plays tough defense and possesses the intangibles to eventually win playing time over Jerryd Bayless and Steve Blake (if he stays). With Brandon Roy going to the hole and LaMarcus Aldridge commanding double teams (Greg Oden won’t), Mills should have ample opportunities to display his range and become a star.

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