NBA Draft 2014: Doug McDermott, Aaron Gordon, Are First Round Prospects! An All-Around Scorer And An All-Star Athlete--Where Should They Go?

The NBA Draft 2014 has something for every team. Here are some forwards who are projected to be taken in the first round. They are very diverse players and your team may take one of them.

Aaron Gordon has the highest projection-no. 5 on ESPN's mock draft by Chad Ford. He is a good fit for the Boston Celtics.  

SI NBA had an interview with him: "I overhauled my free throws. I didn't have a consistent free throw shot. I had a consistent jump shot. I had about three different ones before; now I have one. But my free throws were disconnected from my jumper. I would get to the peak of my shot, and then shoot it. What I've done is connected my three, my pull-up, my 17-footer and my free throw. They are all the same shot, and it feels great. Everything feels smoother."

Actual NBA position is a problem for him. He might end up like Minnesota's Derrick Williams, unsure of being a small forward or power forward. His thoughts:

"I see myself as a forward. I see myself as a basketball player. Obviously, you have to play a position in the NBA, but I'm going to do a little bit of everything. Post up, hit jumpers, go by people. I'm going to do it all. I'm confident that I can play both the three and four."

Cleveland was desperate last year, even taking a chance on Andrew Bynum. They are even more desperate this year. They need someone like Doug McDermott especially if Luol Deng does leave. For the Cavs at no. 9, the best bet is the Creighton senior who has already trained with Team USA because of his shooting.

However, he has drawn comparisons to college scoring machines Adam Morrison and Jimmer Freddette who failed in the NBA: "I think it might affect some people's opinions. But for me, I use that as motivation. If it didn't work out for these guys, obviously I have to do something different to try to change that perception. Sometimes it's all about being in the right fit. That's what I'm hoping for."

On whether there a team that runs a system that would be a good fit:

"I like to play up and down. I'd say the Spurs -- that's who everyone on Creighton dreams of playing for. They have great ball movement. They don't care about who is scoring. We liked watching the Spurs back in Omaha. A lot of teams are moving in that direction. The Hawks, the Suns -- a lot of shooters that like to space the floor.

Same question as with Gordon, do you see yourself as a three or a four?

McDermott: "I think I'm a three. I can play some two as well. It's all about matchups. It's not like I'm going to be guarding LeBron or Durant every night. I'm not a lockdown defender, but I'm good enough, smart enough to fit in out there. I hate getting scored on. I'm really competitive."

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NBA Draft 2014: Doug McDermott
Aaron Gordon
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