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2011 NBA Draft Rumors Featuring Bismack Biyombo, Reggie Jackson, Julyan Stone And The Lakers

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Bismack Biyombo looks difficult to guard.
Bismack Biyombo looks difficult to guard.

The 2011 NBA Draft is now just over a week away, you guys. Even though the rumor mill isn't churning quite as hard as some would think it should be so close to the June 23 draft date, there's plenty of interesting reading material available across the internet.

Bismack Biyombo is currently receiving the most attention, however, following the weekend's adidas EurocampNBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper and ESPN's Chad Ford both wrote extensive reports on the Congolese big man while Jonathan Givony of Draft Express went to Twitter to express his thoughts on the lottery pick. Not surprisingly, everyone is pretty impressed.

Givony seems highest on him, summing up a string of Tweets by saying "Biyombo's combination of length, athleticism, intensity, aggressiveness and smarts is simply unheard of. Pass on him at your own peril."

Knowing the credentials Givony has, NBA decision makers would probably be wise to take that warning to heart next Thursday.

Aside from the increased Biyombo intrigue, a couple of possible promises are slowly leaking out.

"Apparently the Celtics aren't concerned about Reggie Jackson's minor knee surgery in mid-May, as a source insists he won't get past Boston," Sam Amick wrote in SI.com's latest NBA mock draft. "He would need some grooming, but the lengthy, two-way player could eventually be a dynamic option behind Rajon Rondo."

It's been rumored for awhile that Jackson had a promise, though he pulled out of the NBA Combine due to minor knee injury, and Amick is about as connected as anyone in the NBA media so it just might be true.

The other rumored promise making the rounds is that the Los Angeles Lakers have committed to drafting Texas-El Paso's Julyan Stoneaccording to Draft Express. If that's true, new head coach Mike Brown won't have a say on it.

"(Brown) and I spoke about it and he said, 'Mitch, I don't know these players. If you want me to look at a tape or something, I will. But I don't know them. I'll be in the building if you want to run something past me,'" Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told ESPN's Dave McMenamin on Wednesday. "Other than him being in the building, I don't expect him to have much to do with the draft."

(Update on Stone here)

Want to learn about a player that doesn't have a promise to be drafted yet? Check out this article on Mickey McConnell.

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