Link of the Day: Worst NBA Draft ever?

Leave it to Cleveland to have two top-four picks (No. 1 and No. 4) in what many experts are calling the worst draft class ever. That argument was unwittingly strengthened by Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick in his latest mock draft. Check out Amick's projected top eight picks:

1. Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke
2. Derrick Williams, SF, Arizona
3. Brandon Knight, PG, Kentucky
4. Enes Kanter, C, Kentucky (by way of Turkey, didn't play a single minute for UK)
5. Jonas Valanciunas, PF, Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania)
6. Jan Veesly, PF, KK Partizan Belgrade (Serbia)
7. Donatas Motiejunas, PF, Benetton Treviso (Italy)
8. Bismack Biyombo, PF, Baloncesto Fuenlabrada (Spain)

The list speaks for itself, but to recap: projected picks 4-8 are big men who've played a combined zero NCAA games and have zero minutes of meaningful basketball in the United States. Forget Dirk Nowitzki's recent surge, the guy's a once-in-a-generation player. Think Nikoloz Tskitishvili x 5.

The 2000 NBA Draft class is widely considered the worst of all time (only three combined All-Star appearances from the entire class and only one semi-elite player, Michael Redd). But if five European big men really go in the top eight picks, 2011 could be the new loser.