Tom Ziller released his latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft at SB Nation, projecting that two former Syracuse Orange stars will be selected among the top 16 picks.
Ziller has Dion Waiters going 13th to the Phoenix Suns (from whom Waiters has reportedly received a draft day promise) and Fab Melo going three picks later at No. 16 to the Houston Rockets.
Waiters has drawn considerable hype after winning the Big East Sixth Man of the Year Award during his sophomore season. John Hollinger of ESPN has a statistical model to project how well college players will adapt to the NBA, and it ranks Waiters as the top perimeter player in the entire draft.
Melo was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year this past season, but there are questions regarding how well he will translate to the NBA level. In college, he was bigger and just as athletic as almost every opponent he faced. In the NBA, he will need to rely on more than just his impressive physical attributes.
For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.