NBA Draft Sleepers

At SB Nation, a look at some under-the-radar prospects in the 2012 NBA Draft who could become excellent NBA role players:

The vast majority of first-round picks have to make the transition from dominating the ball as college stars to playing off the ball at the next level, which requires two vastly different skill sets. Jimmer Fredette's shot-making skills made him better suited to being a collegiate star than Shumpert, but Shumpert's length and athleticism have made him a much better NBA role player than Fredette. 

In general, NBA teams tend to overrate the importance of team success when it comes to judging the merits of individual collegiate players. That goes double when it comes to role players, as there's only so much a player who affects the game off the ball can do to carry his team in the NCAA Tournament.

So when looking for value in the draft, it's important to look beyond the top scorers on Sweet 16 teams and judge the entirety of a player's game, especially for players on underachieving squads like Shumpert. At this time last year, I pegged Shumpert, Klay Thompson, Jordan Williams, Reggie Jackson, Isaiah Thomas and Darius Morris as possible sleepers.