2. Andre Drummond, Pistons
Drummond is almost Davis' equal as a player if we look only at his impact in the half court, where his size and agility continue to remind people of Shaq. He simply dominates in the paint by having the proper mindset, which is to force opponents to deal with his big body in front of the rim all game long.
He'd be even more effective if his teammates looked for him more often, which they will learn to do with more film study and coaching. This will result in better production for Drummond and the Pistons as the season unfolds.
Drummond is not the full-court threat Davis is, but he is one of the top rebounding centers in the game today and will compete for All-NBA honors at center for the next decade.
Lillard
3. Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
If we redrafted this class, there would be a debate about whether Davis or Drummond should go No. 1. But the No. 3 pick would be easy. Lillard is just better than any other player in this class except for the two guys above him on this list. He has the rare gift of being a world-class shooter and an extremely skilled ball handler, and he plays with poise and aggressiveness simultaneously.
Lillard will never be the athlete that guys like John Wall or Russell Westbrook are, but it's just as unlikely that those players will ever match Lillard's shooting skill. He is good enough to be the starting point guard on a title team while being one of its top-three players.
