Tonight is the night Meyers Leonard has been waiting months for. The 2012 NBA Draft gets underway in New Jersey on Thursday at 6:00 p.m., with the former Illinois Fighting Illini center projected as a potential lottery pick. Leonard is thought to be in play as high as the No. 9 pick to the Detroit Pistons. A new mock from NBADraft.net has Leonard going No. 14 to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Related: 2012 NBA Mock Draft: David Aldridge Sees Meyers Leonard To Portland

Leonard is perceived to be one of the players with the highest upside in the draft due to the rare athleticism he possesses for a 7-footer. Illinois struggled at times to get the ball to Leonard down low last season, so despite solid per game numbers (13.6 points, 8.2 rebounds per game), the center is still considered very raw.

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