Is Washington State wing Klay Thompson a top-10 pick? If you'd asked anyone outside of Pullman that question before the draft process began, the answer would've been absolutely not. But now, with the draft just hours away, more and more 2011 NBA mock drafts are projecting Thompson as a top-10 pick, though he's right at the end of the spectrum. He's been moving up fast, and now it appears he's a lock for the lottery and stands a good chance at being taken within the first 10 picks in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Draft Express has Thompson at No. 10, the same place Chad Ford projected the Washington State wing in his latest 2011 NBA mock draft. The growing consensus has been Thompson will be either the 10th or 11th pick, though nailing the picks is a nearly impossible effort considering the volatility of draft day and misinformation leading up to it.
In addition to the mock draft, Draft Express evaluated the wings in the class of 2011, and had this to say about Thompson.
Thompson's 1.103 PPP on pick-and-rolls easily ranks first in the class (no one else breaks the 1.0 threshold), while his 1.15 PPP on spot-ups and 1.0 PPP on screens are both above average. Thompson is less impressive in isolations, where his 0.788 PPP ranks just 13th overall, unsurprising given his athletic limitations.
It goes on to talk about his deficiencies and what's made him such a hot commodity with the draft approaching.
We'll find out where Thompson ends up as the 2011 NBA Draft gets underway on Thursday at 4 p.m. For the latest projections ahead of the draft, stay with our 2011 NBA mock draft StoryStream. For more on the Washington State Cougars, head over to SB Nation's CougCenter.