2013 NBA Draft

Photo Attribution: US Presswire

As soon as the Lakers officially made Robert Sacre Andrew Bynum’s towel boy with the 60th pick in this year’s draft, the Bobcats went on the clock for the 2013 #1 pick (not too soon[1. When your three leading scorers are Gerald Henderson, Corey Maggette, and Kemba Walker, and none of them can break the 16 PPG barrier, it’s never too soon]).

The question for OSU fans is whether or not we’ll get a player taken for the first time since James Anderson heard his name in the 2010 draft. Here are four 2013 mock drafts…

This one has neither Smart nor Nash getting picked. (Draft Net)

This one has Nash going 11 and Smart not getting picked. (Draft Express)

This one has Nash going seven (!) (The Big Lead)

This one (by Chad Ford) has Nash at #30 and Smart at #52. (ESPN Insider)

Here’s how I think it plays out…

Nash has a good (not great[2. I’m thinking something like a 16-6-3]) year and comes out pretty much no matter what. I think he goes in the top 20[3. Terrence Jones went #18 this year in an absolutely LOADED draft and I’m pretty sure Nash is at least as good and has at least as much upside as Terrence Jones] and goes on to have a pretty decent professional career.

I also don’t think there’s any way Marcus Smart is leaving after this year. One of the more fascinating subplots of this season is going to be the alpha dog battle between him, Nash, and (I guess) Markel. I think Smart is your obvious team leader (have you seen the things Roy Williams and Billy Donovan have said about him?!) but Nash is your incumbent star and Markel is…well I don’t know what Markel is other than the oldest of the three.

Smart ends up staying at least two years and (hopefully) has middle to upper class man’s James Anderson-esque career.