Josh McRoberts - Wart from Mario 2 - I'm always hesitant to compare people I've never met to villains. But McRoberts went to Duke, which makes him a fair target. And last time I checked Gerald Henderson (see clip below) is not in the draft. Why Wart? I remember defeating him by throwing 5 vegetables in his mouth while dodging the bubble he spit. Now I can get behind any game that is marketed to kids and comes out strongly against proper nutrition. But that's not exactly a terrifying final boss. Bowser on the other hand, that's a worthy adversary. Yet I digress. Much like Wart McRoberts is not much of a villain. Furthermore, I have doubts about the former Blue Devil's future in the NBA. I could see him fading away relatively quickly, just as Wart only appeared in Mario 2.
Daequan Cook - Ice Climber - In 1993 Sylvester Stallone hit the big screen in Cliffhanger. It was a terrible movie. I loved it. I even developed an interest in rock and ice climbing. Of course I did not go outside to explore these activities. Instead I bought the NES game Ice Climber, which was about 8 years old at that point. I was skeptical because it was one of those NES games that simply had a screen shot from the game on the cover. That's never a good sign. And my pessimism was rewarded with a mediocre game. However, I remain convinced to this day that Ice Climber had a ton of potential. In it's own way it was actually kind of fun. Furthermore, the concept was a good one. A little more time and a bigger budget could have led to something special. Which brings me to Cook. I love his confidence and shooter mentality. However, he never met a shot he didn't like, is still raw, and is in the running for the "would be freaking amazing if he were as good as he thinks he is" team. Moreover, he literally has no conscience when it comes to gunning at times. I just can't shake the feeling that he would have benefited greatly from one more year at Ohio State.
Taurean Green - Mario 2 - I'm torn on Green. I don't doubt for a second that Brewer, Horford, and Noah will be better pros. And Green has some significant weaknesses (size, athleticism, defense) that will be difficult to overcome at the next level. But I wonder if he's getting lost in the shuffle the same way Mario 2 did. That was a truly unique game that was excellent in its own right, despite deviating so much from the other games in the series. Maybe Green can find his niche as well.