Danilo Gallinari SELECTED BY: New York Knicks, Round 1(6)

SI Rank 9 GRADING SYSTEM

BIOGRAPHY: Gallinari has the tools to represent the cream of the crop of foreign prospects in a draft class that isn't stocked with highly regarded international talent. At 6-foot-9, he has excellent size to play his natural position of small forward in the NBA and possibly even get some time at the power forward spot. His height is especially enticing to NBA teams because he's only 19 years old and could still be growing. As important as his size is to his draft stock, Gallinari has the basketball skills to back it up. He's a strong ball-handler with above-average court vision and solid fundamentals, helping make him one of the most versatile players in the draft. Though his 3-point shooting tailed off at the end of the Euroleague season and he tends to rely too much on his outside shooting, he remains effective from long range. He'll excel when he learns to take the ball to the basket more consistently because he has the ability to create his own shot and finish at the basket or from mid-range. Like many Europeans making the jump to the NBA, Gallinari is suspect on defense and in the post. He's also a weak rebounder for his size, which could limit his opportunities at the 4-spot, even in a small-ball lineup. Those weaknesses in his game fuel comparisons between Gallinari and countryman Andrea Bargnani of the Toronto Raptors, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 draft. Gallinari won't be the top pick like his teammate with the Italian national team, but his potential will almost certainly make him a lottery selection