Golden State Warriors: Why the Dubs Must Draft Andre Drummond - Bleacher Report

There is no doubt that Andre Drummond is one of the most intriguing prospects in the upcoming 2012 NBA Draft. 

As a 7'0" center out of UConn, Drummond has the potential to be a true superstar talent in the NBA. Rarely do you see an 18-year-old with the natural strength, athleticism and length that Drummond possesses.

He is projected to go anywhere in the top 10 picks but could be easily snatched up by a team in the top-three. The Golden State Warriors own the seventh pick, and if he is still on the board by then, they would be more than happy to draft him, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

True, the Warriors just acquired Andrew Bogut in a mid-season trade to be their franchise center, but Drummond is too good of a talent to pass up.

First, you cannot count on Bogut staying healthy throughout an entire season. He has had two major injuries in the past couple of seasons so it would be nice to have a big man like Drummond as an insurance policy. Platooning Bogut and Drummond at center is a possibility, or even playing them both at the same time when David Lee needs a rest or if they want to go big.

Drummond has the potential to be one of the premier centers in the leagueâ€"possibly the next Dwight Howard or Amar’e Stoudemire. 

His athleticism and build is simply off the charts. He has tremendous leaping ability allowing him to make highlight reel type dunks, and he gets off his feet very quickly. He plays above the rim and can run the fastbreak very well for a big man.

Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a 7'6" wingspan, allowing him to grab rebounds, block shots and defend at an extremely high level. He had a rebound rate of 14.4 percent and 2.7 blocks per game at UConn. Hey, anybody with the ability to defend and rebound is more than welcome to join the Warriors. 

The sky is the limit for Andre Drummond, and if the Warriors want a player who has the potential to make a tremendous impact, they would be foolish not to select Drummond with the seventh pick.

But the key word here is potential. Drummond could go as high as No. 2, or he could slide all the way out of the top-10. That's how risky of a pick he would be, and many teams are not willing to take that risk.

In other words, he either has the potential to be a franchise center like Dwight Howard or a franchise bust like Kwame Brown.

One of the biggest questions about Drummond is his basketball IQ. At times, he can be brilliant, making it look way too easy. But there are some moments where he seems lazy and disinterested in the game.

Bjorn Zetterberg of Swishscout says it best: "He knows he’s special but doesn’t always bring it and dominate like he should." 

Should the Warriors draft Andre Drummond if he is available at number seven?

Should the Warriors draft Andre Drummond if he is available at number seven?

• Yes

• No

• Total votes: 2

He relied on his pure natural talentâ€"and trust me, he has a lot of itâ€"to get through his freshman year in college, and it will take some time for him to max-out his potential in the NBA.

In order to succeed, Drummond needs to be on a team with a coaching staff that is patient enough to take him step-by-step in developing him as an NBA center.

Mark Jackson, who did not impress much in his first year as a head coach, should be more than ready to accept that challenge and prove that he belongs as an NBA coach.

Drummond will also have the luxury of working with Michael Malone one of the top assistant coaches in the league (that's assuming that Malone stays with the Warriors).

New GM Bob Myers will be trying to make a good first impression, and what better first impression to make than by drafting the next potential Dwight Howard?

Of course, all of this is contingent on Drummond falling to the seventh pick and on the Warriors not trading that pick for other assets.

It will be a big project, but if Drummond is available on draft day, the Warriors should take it as a gift from the heavens and draft him with the seventh pick.