The Houston Rockets are projected to take North Carolina center Tyler Zeller with the (projected) 14th overall pick int he first round of the 2012 NBA Draft, according to Draft Express. In addition to Zeller, the site has Houston taking Washington small forward Terrence Ross at 16th, a pick they received from the New York Knicks as part of their 2009 Draft.
Zeller comes highly recommended by the Draft Express experts as a reliable big man:
Overall, there are quite a few positives for Zeller and draft stock. With teams always searching for quality big men, he is a very intriguing prospect with his combination of size, mobility, and emerging skill set that shows room for growth. He's shown this season that he's an effective scorer who seems to know his limitations and can fit into a team concept, and if scouts believe he's capable of improving his body, adding polish to his post game, and continuing to develop a reliable mid-range jump shot, he'll be a player who NBA teams will likely consider in the first round of the draft
Ross is considered a rising star, and one of the most improved prospects in the past year of college basketball, combining his ability to play the wing as both an effective shooter and driver:
Looking forward, Ross has taken as big a step forward as almost any player in the country this season, and clearly has a slew of attractive assets from an NBA perspective. His combination of physical tools, defense, perimeter shooting, and ability to attack the rim off the ball give him good potential as a very high-end role player, and he still has room to grow.
For more on the 2012 NBA Draft and Lottery, check out SB Nation's NBA page. Houston Rockets news and info can be found at The Dream Shake.
