by Matt Juster

Created on: August 28, 2009

Most NBA Draft experts have been saying that the 2009 NBA Draft is one of the weakest crops in years, which is probably unfair. You can never tell how good a class is until they've been in the NBA for at least four or five years. The only player that everyone agrees will be a star in the NBA is power forward Blake Griffin from Oklahoma. Griffin has all the tools to be an all star for many years to come and has a good work ethic which made the pick even easier for the Clippers, who selected him with the first pick. While Griffin might be the only sure bet in the draft, I don't think he'll be the lone bright spot of the draft. Here are some other players who might shine in the league:

James Harden: When most people think of James Harden, they probably see a slow shooting guard who can only shoot. That is far from the truth, as Harden is surprisingly athletic and is also great at getting to the free throw line. He is a great shooter who is highly skilled and has a great work ethic, which means he is more likely to reach his potential. Some scouts have compared him to Paul Pierce.

Stephen Curry: As much as people like to put him down because of his size, I think that Stephen Curry will definitely be successful in the NBA. He is probably one of the greatest shooters in college basketball history, and the only reason his percentages went down is because of the fact that he was the only piece of offensive production Davidson had. In the long run, however, Davidson was a good thing for Steph as he was forced to learn how to create his own shot and not just look for the catch and shoot. He may not be extremely gifted athletically, but his ability to stop and start so well will allow him to still be able to drive to the basket effectively in the NBA. He also looked very good at point guard considering it was his first year at the position. Might grow a few more inches, which would negate the size argument.

DeJuan Blair: The San Antonio Spurs might've gotten themselves the biggest steal of the draft when Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair somehow fell to them in the second round. Some teams were afraid to pick him because of some knee problems a while ago, but it seems like Blair has fully recovered from those. Despite being only 6'7 Blair has an enormous 7'2 wingspan and is a very good rebounder. He will probably be able to make an immediate impact his first year.

Honorable Mentions: Eric Maynor, Sam Young, Tyler Hansbrough, Austin Daye, Darren Collison, Toney Douglas, DaJuan Summers

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