2013 NBA Draft: 5 Potential Second Round Steals in This Year’s Field


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5 Potential Second Round Steals in This Year's Field

steals
Greg Bartram-USA Today Sports

We are under a month away from the start of the 2013 NBA Draft and it's never too early to talk about which prospects in this year's field could potentially turn out to be steals. We are going to focus on some second round talent here, although there are usually mid-to-late first round projections who turn out to be even better than expected.

With that being said, the second round is usually about selecting either basketball players or project talent, mainly from overseas. Long story short, second round talent is unique and you basically never know what you are going to get. The list of second round selection that branch out and form solid NBA careers is long -- take Indiana Pacers' shooting guard Lance Stephenson for example, who is making quite the name for himself during these 2013 NBA Playoffs.

Well, without further ado, let's jump into this year's draft class and second round projections and label five players who could hold the title of potential steals down the line in the coming years.

Follow Paul Seaver on Twitter: @PaulSeaverRS

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Pierre Jackson (Baylor)

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Joe Camporeale-USA Today Sports

Pierre Jackson is a unique prospect who is already drawing comparisons to Nate Robinson and at this point he might even have the potential to break into the latter portion of the first round. With that being said however, he's a second round talent, but he could end up being a very valuable NBA point guard down the line.

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Deshaun Thomas (Ohio State)

deshaun
Mike Carter-USA Today Sports

At 6-foot-9, Deshaun Thomas can play on the perimeter and he averaged just two tenths under 20 points per game this past season. He can shoot, he can score and he can put the ball on the deck and get to the rim. Thomas has good size and although he's not a true banger as a power forward, he has the tools to be a potential steal in this year's class.

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Mouhammadou Jaiteh (Boulogne, France)

jaiteh
basketnews.net

Mouhammadou Jaiteh is probably a name that you've never heard of. Well, he's only 18 years old and he's only been playing basketball since he was 13. Jaiteh has heritage of both the Gambia and the Senegal, but he spent his most recent playing days in France. Jaiteh was up for MVP consideration in French Pro B League this past season, despite his youth.

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James Ennis (Long Beach State)

ennis
Rich Barnes-USA Today Sports

At 6-foot-7, James Ennis can flat out score the basketball. He's labeled as a second round pick, but he has the scoring ability to make a living in the NBA. Ennis is not all that well known and that hurts his projection, but in two years at Long Beach State, we saw the potential that he carries on the court.

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Adonis Thomas (Memphis)

adonis
Nelson Chenault-USA Today Sports

Adonis Thomas was a one-time top ten recruit coming out of high school. He never lived up to that billing in his two seasons at Memphis and despite being a late second round projection, Thomas bolted for the NBA. If things could ever click or match-up to his high school potential, Thomas could be a steal at the next level. That's a big if at this point, however.


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