A lot has happened since our last Big Board update two weeks ago.
The college basketball season is over. Some underclassmen are declaring for the draft, while others are returning to school. The first NBA draft camp, the Portsmouth Invitational, is finished. NBA prospects are heading to gyms around the country, training for the NBA draft combine in mid-May.
Here's our latest take on the top 30 prospects for the 2013 draft after talking to NBA GMs and scouts.
(Also, be sure to check out our updated Top 100, our updated lottery mock draft and our Mock Draft 1.0.)
Editor's note: The Big Board rankings have been updated to reflect Thursday's news that Mitch McGary, Gary Harris and Glenn Robinson III would return to school. Previous rankings refer to the April 2 Big Board.
1
Nerlens Noel
SCHOOL: Kentucky
CLASS: Fr.
HT/WT: 6-11, 215
POS: C
10.5 PPG
9.5 RPG
4.4 BPG
Noel clings to the top spot of our 2013 Top 100, a position he's held for 37 of 41 weeks. Looking at our various lottery mock draft scenarios, Noel comes out as the No. 1 pick in 65.9 percent of the scenarios generated. Those are pretty good odds. The three team scenarios in which Noel isn't ranked No. 1 are with the Orlando Magic, New Orleans Hornets and Detroit Pistons, based primarily on team needs.
PREVIOUS RANKING: 1 | PLAYER CARD
2
Ben McLemore
SCHOOL: Kansas
CLASS: Fr.
HT/WT: 6-5, 195
POS: SG
15.8 PPG
5.3 RPG
2.0 APG
McLemore declared for the draft last week, and Kansas head coach Bill Self raved about McLemore's potential. "I don't think he's [even] scratched the surface of what he can be. And I think that's an NBA All-Star." To that end, the humble McLemore acknowledged he has to be more aggressive. "Growing up, I wasn't that kid who was a fighter." Those two quotes sum up McLemore in a nutshell. He possesses enormous potential but has to want it. If the aggressiveness were there on a more regular basis, he'd be the No. 1 pick in this draft hands down.
PREVIOUS RANKING: 3 | PLAYER CARD
3
Otto Porter Jr.
SCHOOL: G'town
CLASS: So.
HT/WT: 6-8, 200
POS: SF
16.2 PPG
7.5 RPG
2.7 APG
Porter announced Monday he was declaring for the 2013 NBA draft. For many NBA scouts, he's the best small forward in the draft (and the No. 1-ranked small forward on our Big Board for the past few months). Teams such as the Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards would be terrific fits for Porter.
PREVIOUS RANKING: 4 | PLAYER CARD
Next five in: Mouhammadou Jaiteh, F/C, France; Myck Kabongo, Texas; B.J. Young, Arkansas; Lorenzo Brown, North Carolina State; Reggie Bullock, North Carolina