Still More Mock NBA Drafts - Where Does Dante Cunningham Go?

To the Villanova Wildcats faithful-

Following up on yesterday's post, here are some more mock NBA drafts, speculating as to the fate of Dante Cunningham this evening...

There is also the slim possibility that Dwayne Anderson will be drafted as well, but I have been unable to find any mock drafts that include him...

VUHoops also has posted A Look at Dante in the Draft, which is a great roundup of the considerable number of NBA teams who have invited Cunningham for a workout, as well as the draft positions of all of those teams, so check that out...

At The Villanovan Sports Blog, David Cassilo has posted a fine analysis of the two seniors, along with a great photo of the two of them celebrating after the NCAA tournament victory over Pittsburgh, due to the blue jerseys and NCAA towels Cassilo fearlessly predicts that Cunningham will be selected as the 44th pick by the Detroit Pistons - thus returning to the city that hosted the Final Four, ironically. (As for me - I am making no predictions.) He also joins the consensus (which I also join) that it is extremely unlikely that Anderson will be drafted.

BleacherReport.com's Mark Strotman has a very substantive and detailed capsule of each of his projected selections. Here's what he had to say about Cunningham, whom he projects as the 40th overall selection:

40. Charlotte Bobcats: Dante Cunningham, SF, Villanova

I got to see Cunningham play a lot last year and came away very impressed with the Big East’s Most Improved Player. His work in the post could use a bit of shaping up, but his ability to knock down 15-footers was probably better than most 6′8″ players in the nation not named Tyler Hansbrough. He will, however, need to get a little faster.

NBA Comparison: Jeff Green

Examiner.com also writes about Cunningham:

39. Detroit Pistons - Dante Cunningham (6'8" 230, Forward) Senior, Villanova

Analysis: Cunningham is an under-sized, athletic power forward who will earn a job by consistently knocking down 12-18 foot jump shots. In addition to his shooting touch, he’s also very active and plays with great emotion.

Here are some other mock drafts that I've found, which reflect a widespread belief that Cunningham will be a second-round selection, although his place within that round fluctuates wildly (and an occasional draft will exclude him completely).

(One note: not every analyst bothers with the second round, so naturally, there isn't as broad a consensus as there is with the first round.)

• DraftExpress.com - 36th overall selection (high second round), by the Memphis Grizzlies
• TheHoopsReport.com - 49th overall selection, by the Atlanta Hawks.
• InsideHoops.com
  - Places him in a group with ten other players, although he does not specify in
  what order, or by which team: "NBA MOCK DRAFT: MID/LATE SECOND ROUND: 41-50 - Jodie Meeks, Paul Harris, Robert Dozier, Toney Douglas, Jack McClinton, Danny Green, Jeff Adrien, Dante Cunningham, Jeremy Pargo, Jon Brockman, Dionte Christmas"
• HoopsVibe.com - Undrafted.
• RidiculousUpside.com - which is a great name - 56th overall selection, by the Portland Trailblazers. (The author also has Temple's Dionte Christmas, ironically, being taken one spot earlier by Portland as well.)
• TheDraftReview.com, by Michael Maurer - the 53rd overall selection, by the San Antonio Spurs.

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