2013 NBA Mock Draft: Pitt center Steven Adams faring well in latest projections

Pitt center Steven Adams shocked the world when he announced he was leaving for the NBA Draft only weeks after he insisted he was staying in school. But now that Adams is on his way out, where is he expected to be taken?

Checking around some of the latest mock draft projections, Adams looks to be headed for guaranteed money in the first round:

DraftExpress is the highest on Adams, slotting him at No. 19

HoopStuff has him at No. 21

NBADraft.net had pushed Adams out of the 2013 Draft when it appeared he was staying at Pitt. But now that he's eligible, they've got him being picked at No. 24 overall.

ProBasketballDraft.com says the same - No. 24.

ESPN guru Chad Ford places Adams as the 27th best prospect.

On top of that, CBSSports.com is reporting that multiple NBA execs are projecting Adams as a first-rounder.

All of this is good news for Adams, obviously. If he lands in the first round, he'll get guaranteed money. Falling into the second would still likely get him a contract, but there's no guarantee there. By all indications, though, Adams could be a top 20-25 pick.

It will be interesting to see where he lands - not so much at what pick in the draft, rather which team. Adams would be best served by going to a franchise with an established center (or power forward if he plays there). He's got a ton to learn and will clearly be overmatched in his first season. The last thing he needs is to get thrown onto a team, play a ton of minutes, and get bullied around for 82 games. Adams will be best served by breaking in slowly, getting about 12-15 minutes a night for a while, and learning his way around.

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