The Indiana Pacers have the No. 15 pick; our Pacers blog Indy Cornrows takes Providence scorer Marshon Brooks for this spot in the SB Nation 2011 NBA Mock Draft. Tom Lewis explains the pick.
NBA Mock Draft 2011: Pacers Pick Marshon Brooks At No. 15
With the 15th pick, the Indiana Pacers are faced with a group of “yeah, but...” guys at the power forward and guard positions they need to address. Whether it’s size, athleticism, defensive deficiencies or offensive deficiencies there’s a flaw in the total package of these players keeping them from the top of the draft board.
While I would like to address the power forward situation in the draft and Markieff Morris fits the profile of an experienced player Larry Bird prefers, it just didn’t feel right, so I went with my gut to address the need for a player to help carry the scoring load with Marshon Brooks. Klay Thompson would’ve worked as well and recent reports that Thompson outplayed Brooks during their full workout gave me pause, but I love the airy swagger Brooks brings along with that sweet shooting stroke.
The 6'5" Brooks averaged 24.6 points last season at Providence with his ability to score in a variety of ways. He'd be a nice compliment to both Danny Granger and Paul George, boosting the fire power at the wing position. The Pacers desperately need a player to stare down big shots and not only be willing to take them but also expect to make them. As he showed in college, Brooks won't turn down shots and look for someone else to be the hero.
Follow this StoryStream to see our entire SB Nation mock draft play out over the next couple days. See our 2011 NBA Draft hub for full coverage.
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