America goes for gold

The Beijing Olympics begin on August 8, and perhaps no American athlete or team will be scrutinized as much as the men's basketball squad. The team, selected by USA Basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski and the head of USA basketball, Jerry Colangelo, is comprised of NBA stars. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James headline the team, but there is all-star talent from top to bottom. A collection of players of this caliber should have no problem running over the competition on their way to a gold medal, right?

The answer is not so simple. On the one hand, all signs point to the Americans reclaiming their place atop the basketball world. After a disappointing showing at the Athens Olympics is 2004 when the U.S.A. struggled to a bronze medal, the committee was determined to make international competition more of a priority. Coach K was brought in, and a three-year commitment was required of all players. Americans began to get smart about why NBA players, considered the best in the world, were losing to supposedly inferior international competition. Athleticism and flare are less important playing under international rules, and defense and outside shooting become critical. The roster was altered, adding dynamic playmakers like Chris Paul, outside shooters like Michael Redd, and defensive specialists like Shane Battier. The proof was in the pudding, as the American team coasted to an undefeated showing at the FIBA Americas tournament last year. The Dream Team, it seems, is back.

Not so fast. While the American team has made drastic improvements over the past two years, the rest of the world is keeping up. An increasing number of international players join the NBA every year, and many have become stars. Tony Parker, Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol are just a few that have proven that international talent can succeed at the highest level. Perhaps more importantly, many pundits believe that the U.S. Olympic team is flawed. Only one true center, Dwight Howard, was added to the roster, meaning that players might have to play out of position (LeBron James will see considerable time at power forward). A lack of size could hurt the U.S. against bigger, physical teams like Argentina.

Also, Redd is the only consistent outside shooter, and if he is not making his shots, the U.S. could struggle against a team that played an aggressive zone defense. Many have questioned the rationale behind taking three point guards (Paul, Deron Williams and veteran Jason Kidd) and leaving off a great shooter like Mike Miller, or another big body like Amare Stoudemire.

So what will happen? If I was a betting man, I wouldn't bet against the Americans. Their combination of incredible talent and a renewed desire to bring the gold medal back to the states should lead to victory in Beijing. But anyone that expects it to be easy is fooling themselves. There are great basketball players around the world, and for many prideful American basketball fans, this is a necessary but painful realization. Continue reading...

He's Finally Gone!!

CBS has finally come to their senses and dropped Billy Packer as their lead college basketball analyst, meaning that for the first time in 27 years, someone other than the pompous curmudgeon will be calling the Final Four. Reportedly, CBS is moving Clark Kellogg from the studio to team him with Jim Nantz as the lead color commentator, and are trying to work out a deal with Greg Anthony to have him replace Kellogg.

Personally, I cannot be any happier that someone else will be announcing the Final Four in 2009 (although, I'm sure CBS will air some type of remembrance to him that will make me want to vomit). I despise Billy Packer, as does about 95% of the world. He is an surly, senile old man that has completely lost touch with the game and actually hates everyone. He thinks he is much more important to basketball (and to every game he covers) than he actually is. But what I hate the most about him is that he doesn't seem to care about the game he is watching (because he is not a sports fan?).

When I watch a game, I want the announcers to be as into the game as I am (I wrote about this here in March). I love college basketball. Every game, especially when conference plays starts up, is so important, and everyone, from the fans watching in the arena or on tv to the players to the coaches, brings so much energy to the game. Why not have an announcer that does the same thing? When something happens that makes me jump up, or say "What a move!! How did he do that?", I want to feel like the announcer is just as impressed. When a fan base, a viewing audience, and the players have so much passion and emotion for a game, why shouldn't the announcers?

Guys like Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery (and if you can get past the "dipsy-doos", Dick Vitale) do this incredibly well. Billy Packer never did. Every time I watched a game that he was calling, he gave me the feeling that he thought he was too good for the game - that he had seen everything before and regardless of what happened, he was such a college basketball institution nothing could impress him. Packer was so negative that, at one point or another, every fan could have (correctly) believed that he hated their team.

So, as a farewell, here are some of the best and most notorious Billy Packer moments (or at least the ones that made youtube).

This is my personal favorite:

Continue reading...

7/10 - Some Links, Some News

The Brandon Jennings Edition!! These are links to some of the best (and some of my favorite) writers' opinions on Jennings trip across the pond. And for the record, I'm sick of talking about Brandon Jennings, so hopefully this will be the last post about him for a while.

First, there's a couple of things that are bothering me about all of this. For one, it's ridiculous to me that anyone can question whether or not a European team will take on Brandon Jennings for one year. NBA teams routinely pay $500,000, if not more, to buy out players under still under contract in Europe. Jennings expects to make around $300,000 (actually, it may be closer to $100,000 according to Euro basketball guru Jonathan Givony), but even if he does sign for 300k, the European team could still conceivably end up more than $200,000 ahead. Buy for a dollar, sell for two.

It also bothers me when people say one of the risks he faces is that he will fall off the map for NBA scouts. Please!! The NBA scouts Europe almost as much as they scout the NCAA at this point. Add to that the fact that everyone even remotely associated with basketball now knows the name Brandon Jennings (and will probably be following his Euro trip very closely) and there is no way that he will lose any profile. Maybe his draft stock drops a bit, but name recognition won't.

And with that, on to the links.

-Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports: "We all (know) assume that big-time basketball and football recruits receive "illegal" benefits for pretending to be student-athletes at America's institutions of higher learning. We also (know) assume that journalists and news organizations can make names for themselves by exposing the fact that the kids and their parents/guardians are just as greedy as the constantly renegotiating coaches we put on pedestals. Brandon Jennings, a former Arizona commit, is smart. Why play the silly game? Why pretend to be a college student for one semester when he can't even "pass" the SAT or ACT? Why let a jealous member of his posse do what Louis Johnson did to O.J. Mayo?"

-Dana O'Neill of ESPN: "The coaches point to the obvious concerns -- potential injury and lousy play, either of which would cripple a player's NBA draft value. Europe, after all, isn't exactly the ugly stepchild to America's game it once was. Boeheim pointed to Danilo Gallinari, the sixth pick in this year's NBA draft, who was considered an elite player in Italy yet averaged only 14.9 points and 4.2 rebounds there. And if a player fails, by injury or lack of production, there is no safety net. An NBA dream can quickly turn into a European journeyman's course."

-The Big Lead: "How many 18-year-olds can handle going from high school to living on your own in Europe? Did any of them see how much soccer star Landon Donovan hated it? It’s one thing to play in college for a few years, then ride an NBA bench for a few years before going to Euro to make a career out of it in your late 20s. But a teenager? We’re more curious about how the European teams handle this. Will they really be willing to give a player $300,000 for one year of service, knowing that said player is simply coming there to show NBA scouts what they’re made of? Have European teams expressed interest in American high school players?"

-Jeff Goodmann of Fox Sports: "Jennings move to Europe will be an interesting test case for future kids who could explore the overseas market instead of going to prep school. I don’t expect an influx of players to go this route, because frankly, there’s only a couple of kids each year at the highest level who would even explore this avenue."

-Kevin Anderon of SI.com: "I would have great trepidation going over to foreign soil at that age," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. "But he'll make a considerable amount in his year not in the NBA. The pro scouts will follow him just the same as any college player. It's just growing up in a hurry. Physically, he'll do things their players don't."

-Dan Shanoff of The Sporting News: "Nevermind that if Jennings was in the NBA Draft -- the 2008 NBA Draft, mind you -- he would have been a lock 1st-round pick, perhaps even top 10. Nevermind that the system of college coaches, NBA scouts and mainstream pundits will rush to crush him for doing exactly what he should be doing. Ironically, the least cynical actor in all of this is the kid. Everyone has ulterior motives in this; at least his are transparent: His goal is to play professionally -- and the NBA undoubtedly wants him -- but the system won't allow him access to it."

-Eamonn Brennan of The Dagger: "It goes without saying that Jennings' decision is a huge risk, but I said it anyway just then in case it wasn't clear. The common concerns are as follows: He'll get eaten up in European ball; his draft stock will drop; he'll become a casualty of lower profile; living in Europe will take a mental toll on him. Etc. With all due respect, these concerns seem about as realistic as this football simulation." Continue reading...

Brandon Jennings to Europe - What Does it Mean?

So it is officially official now - Brandon Jennings will be skipping college to play professional basketball in Europe for a year before he is eligible for the NBA Draft. In a statement released through his lawyer, Jennings said

Over the course of the last two months I have consulted a number of people in basketball before coming to this decision. I would like to thank the University of Arizona for their interest and support through this process.

Jennings expects to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary and endorsements, and has enlisted former shoe promoter Sonny Vaccaro as his advisor.

Ok, so now that we've laid out the basics, let's look at what this decision means. I've written in depth about it before here, but depending on his success in Europe, this could be a landmark decision. Hell, he might not even be the last one of the class of 2008 to go abroad (Demar Derozan still has not been declared eligible, although he is not considering Europe at this point). If Jennings performs well, earns a bunch of money, and maintains or increases his draft stock (most sites have him as a top 5 player in the 2009 draft, and the second point guard after Spain's Ricky Rubio), then why wouldn't more players follow in his footsteps? Spend a year playing professional basketball in Spain, or Greece, or Italy? Who wouldn't want to do that?

Think of it like he is doing a year studying abroad, with his major being basketball.

Seriously though, which way is better for an 18 year old who has been idolized since middle school to develop some maturity and responsibility - send him off to a college campus where he has to attend sleep through class for one semester, he is the target for numerous agents, runners and other unsavory people, and lives on or near a college campus where trouble, frat parties, and sorority girls are never hard to find; or spend a year playing professional basketball against grown men, who could care less about your "hype" and would like nothing more than to prove themselves against you (be it with a basket or an errant elbow), in a country where you don't know anyone, don't speak the language, and don't get treated like a superstar everywhere you go. I'll go with the latter.

There are some risks for Jennings. European basketball is a much different style. They expect their point guards to set up the offense and be distributors, which is not his forte. Jennings is a creator and a play maker, and needs the ball in his hands to be effective (I don't want to say shoot-first, because he is a good passer and unselfish - think Chris Paul). He is also much more effective in the open court. Not many teams across the pond play that way. European teams also have a tendency to not play their young stars (especially if they are a rent-a-player like Jennings will be).

Look, I love college basketball more than anything - that is why I spend a ridiculous amount of time working on this blog with almost nothing in return (just click on some ads!!). If recruits do start to follow Jennings lead and head to Europe, it will be a bad thing for college basketball in the short term, but could be a very good thing in the long term. Maybe this is what it takes for the NCAA and the NBA to get rid of the ridiculous one-year rule.

The rule is essentially in place to ensure that players in the NBA draft will be recognizable and marketable when they are picked. But if the top prospects start heading to Europe to play, then the NBA will lose the marketable players - if Derrick Rose led Maccabi Tel-Aviv to the Euro finals last year, would the general public have been as interested in the Rose-Beasley debate?

Jason Whitlock wrote a great article on the exploitation of college basketball and football players, which - if you have read this blog before you should know - I completely agree with (although I think he brings race into it a little too much, but it's Whitlock, what do you expect). Basically, what he is saying is that if we are going to force these kids to go to college for a year, then why keep up the fallacy of calling them "student-athletes"? Why do we force them to go to classes that, for the majority of these players, will have no effect on them?

These kids generate so much revenue for the NCAA, their schools, and the networks that air the games (CBS and ESPN), but don't see a (legal) dime for their effort (what value does a scholarship have to a one-and-done player). Isn't there something wrong with that?

Whitlock proposes two solutions for this problem:

1. Acknowledge that college basketball and football players are entertainer-athletes, not student-athletes. Bring them on campus, pay them, free them of academic responsibility and let them entertain students, alums, boosters and fans while auditioning for a pro career.

2. Form an alliance with the NFL and NBA and invest in education/athletic academies for talented young basketball and football players (of all colors) beginning in eighth and ninth grade.

The NCAA pays its basketball and football players with a currency (education) many of them aren't prepared to spend or value. That has to change, and it's incumbent on the NCAA to be a big part of the change.

I don't care how solution No. 2 jibes with Title IX. Is there something in our Constitution that states a TV contract driven by (mostly) black basketball players must be used to fix America's history of sexism? The money can't be used to educate basketball players when they're 13, 14 and 15 and there's a chance of getting them to a level where they can compete academically in college?

I agree with both of these, especially the first one. But I would take it a step further. Why not make basketball (or football or baseball) a major? I mean, for most of these guys it is the career that they are pursuing. No one has a problem if a pre-med student only takes science classes and doesn't take, say, an english class. And what's more, these schools can actually educate these athletes in areas where it could actually help them.

If you read Some Links, Some News yesterday, then you know that an absurd number of professional athletes end up broke - for reasons varying from scams to bad investments to plain old dumb spending decisions. Why not educate them on how to spot a scam or a fraud, or how to manage and save their money, or what a good investment plan could be? Part of the reason 60% of NBA players are broke five years after they retire is that they spend a huge amount of money in fees by hiring people to take care of things like money management, simply because they do not know how.

This is the kind of education that these kids need, and it is the kind of education that will benefit them even if they are only there for one year. And if the classes are presented in a way that makes it seem like not only will the education provide protection against losing their money, but actually net them a higher return on what they will already be making, I bet you actually get some of these kids paying attention in the classroom. Continue reading...

7/8 - Some Links, Some News

I hope everyone had a great July 4th weekend (lord knows I did). Tell me, is there anything better than spending a sunny day by a pool, kicking back with a couple cold ones while grilling massive quantities of meat? I don't think so. I'll get back into the 2008-2009 season previews tomorrow, but for now here is another set of links for you.


-Sports is a business. With the amount of money that is generated by each team through sponsorships, advertising, ticket and merchandise sales, that's the only way it can be viewed by the bigwigs that invest money and run these franchises. But things are getting ridiculous - take a look at this picture and tell me this isn't going too far. The US National basketball team is sponsored by Nike, as is every player on the team, except for Dwight Howard. Now if you look at the picture, a couple of interesting things stand out. First of all, Coach K is sitting down, which is unusual because normally in team pictures, coaches stand at the end of the line. He is also sitting (a bit awkwardly in my opinion) so that his left foot conveniently blocks Howard's (adidas?) shoe from the picture.

There's more. Although Howard is actually listed as taller than Chris Bosh, Bosh's hair actually makes him taller in the picture than Howard. The rest of the team is lined up by height. If you look closely, everyone on the team other than Howard has their hands behind their back, but Howard is at the end holding a ball, which means that his arm is free to hang down and block the Nike logo on his shorts. Coincidence? Maybe.

-To be honest, I've always kind of liked Rick Reilly ... when he writes his human interest pieces. He has a knack for finding stories and writing them in a way that makes you feel that in some corners of the ever-more-commercial sports world, there are still places where you play the game for the love of the game, and that there are still people who do things for all the right reasons. But the man is not funny. If you haven't read it yet, take a look at his most recent article for ESPN.com where he provides a "how-to" list for athletes looking to go broke in response to a Toronto Star article which said 60% of NBA players go bankrupt five years after their career is done. Tell me if you get a laugh out of that, or if is the type of column ESPN should expect from their $17 million man.

I'm not the only one that didn't find much humor in this article - just take a peak at The Odds and Sods or Fire Joe Morgan. But to be honest, what bothered me the most were the racist and stereotypical undertones to the article, especially pertaining to NBA players (UPDATE: The Big Lead has a similar post up, and they always have interesting dialogue in the comments section there). In the article itself, he trashed athletes from other sports (for example - Roger Clemens, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Marion Jones, Jack Clark) more than players from the NBA, but the title on ESPN.com's home page was "Let's face it: You will never be a top-50 NBA player. But you can spend money like one. Just follow this sound advice." Is that just because it is easiest to pick out NBA players as the type of young stars that get rich quick and blow it all? Is it because NBA stars are so young when they get their first contracts? Is it racist for me to even look at it in this light?

I don't know, but if you want a really good read about the real problems facing professional athletes with regards to their spending, check out this article by Brian Cuban (Mark Cuban's brother). He has a really interesting quote from a sports agent in there.

-Speaking of Sports Agent's, the Sports Agents Blog had an interesting insight on the Darrell Arthur NBA Draft debacle, putting the blame squarely on his agent's shoulders for not getting the information out that Arthur's health was fine.

-UPDATE: ESPN is reporting that the lawyer of Brandon Jennings has announced that he will go to play in Europe regardless of what his SAT scores come back as. Brandon Jennings has to wait until July 11th at the earliest until he hears back about his SAT test scores. But there are a lot of other recruits and coaches keeping an eye on what Jennings decides to do.

-Another article about Keith Brumbaugh and how he tried to straighten his life (and his reputation) out before the NBA draft. He wasn't picked, but he did land a contract with a European team.

That's all for now. Continue reading...

Preseason Top 25

Here is the 1st edition of my preseason top 25, which is liable to (many) changes based on how the incoming class of freshman turn out for each team.

1. North Carolina - Shouldn't be any surprise here. Tyler Hansbrough is coming back to defend his player of the year honors. Wayne Ellington, Danny Green, and Ty Lawson all decided to come back for another year. Oh, and the Heels added a loaded recruiting class which includes three Mickey D's all-americans - big men Tyler Zeller and Ed Davis and point guard Larry Drew Jr. With all the experience and talent UNC has on their roster, they should be a consensus #1 and the overwhelming favorite to win the 2009 title.

2. UCLA - Yea, the Bruins lost Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook to the NBA Draft, but not only did they Darren Collison and Josh Shipp decide to come back, but they also added the nation's best recruiting class, bringing in five top 50 recruits. One of those recruits, J'Mison Morgan (any idea how to pronounce that first name?), a top 5 center, originally committed to LSU but withdrew when John Brady was fired and signed with UCLA late in the spring, which should help reduce the loss of Love. Don't be surprised if Ben Howland, fresh off a new seven year contract, brings UCLA back to their fourth straight final four.

3. Louisville - The Cardinal lost a lot of of frontcourt depth with the graduation of David Padgett and Juan Palacios and Derrick Caracter's character issues (sorry, I had to), although the latter two may be addition by subtraction. Louisville still has very talented forwards Earl Clark and Terrence Williams, as well as a slew of good guards, and add top 20 recruits Samardo Samuels and Terrence Jennings. Look for Edgar Sosa to finally have that breakout season.

4. Connecticut - The losses of Stanley Robinson (for who knows how long), Doug Wiggins, and Curtis Kelly not withstanding, UConn still returns a very talented team. Their season is going to depend on which AJ Price comes back from the torn acl - the one from last year or the one from two years ago. UConn also adds Price clone Kemba Walker, athletic big man Ater Majok, and wings Scottie Haralson and Nate Miles.

5. Pittsburgh - Pitt returns pretty much the same team that won the Big East tourney and reached the sweet 16 last year. They also received good news when Sam Young decided to return to school, and they may even get Mike Cook back for a sixth year. Pitt has always been a tough, defensive team and that shouldn't change next year.

6. Gonzaga - Even if Jeremy Pargo had decided to stay in the draft, the 'Zags would have returned a very talented team. They also get back Austin Daye and Matt Bouldin, and if Josh Heytvelt returns to his pre-shrooming form, they will have enough weapons to reach the final four. They need to improve defensively, but they are as deep and experienced as any team in the country.

7. Duke - The Blue Devils lost Demarcus Nelson (graduation) and Taylor King (transfer), but still have a ton of experience with Greg Paulus, Kyle Singler, and Jon Scheyer coming back. They add Olek Czyz and Miles Plumnee, who should help solidify their frontcourt depth, but still lack the scoring presence inside that hurt them so much last year. But hey, they still managed to climb as high as #2 in the polls last year. They should once again be the second best team in the ACC.

8. Purdue - The Boilermakers only loss from last year's surprise Big Ten runner-up is transfer Scott Martin. They return Robbie Hummel and E'Twaun Moore, who should be the best 1-2 punch in the Big Ten, as well as defensive stopper Chris Kramer. They are the early favorite to win the Big Ten. It should be interesting to see how they handle the target on their backs.

9. Notre Dame - I am not completely sold on the Irish. They do return a team that is loaded, led by Big East POY Luke Harangody and Kyle McAlarney, and surround them with a great supporting cast. While still able to put up points with the best of them, the Irish are still going to struggle against more athletic teams, especially defensively. While Mike Brey has put this program among the elite, I am going to hold out judgement against them until I see how they can handle the brutal Big East.

10. Texas - The loss of DJ Augustin is really going to hurt, but not as much as people think. I believe that AJ Abrams will be able to effectively slide over and run the point. They also get Damion James, Justin Mason, and Connor Atchley back. They didn't add much depth (only getting two guards to come to Austin), which worries me, and Rick Barnes is still their coach, which worries me more, but they should steal be the class of the Big XII.

11. Tennessee - Lost a lot, but added a great recruiting class.
12. Memphis - Ditto.
13. Michigan State - Losing Drew Neitzel hurts, but they still have Raymarr Morgan.
14. Arizona State - James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph provide a good inside-outside combo.
15. Marquette - New coach Buzz Williams inherits a team with a great backcourt.
16. Baylor - They return basically the same team as last year, only now with experience.
17. Miami (Fl) - Jack McClinton and Dwayne Collins should be enough for third in the ACC.
18. Oklahoma - Blake Griffin. Enough said.
19. Villanova - Look for Scottie Reynolds to get first team all-america votes.
20. Wake Forest - The Deacons return James Johnson and Jeff Teague, and add three top 20 recruits.
21. Davidson - Is there anyone more fun in the country to watch than Stephen Curry?
22. Kansas - Cole Aldrich (breakout season), Sherron Collins, and the #2 recruiting class ain't bad.
23. West Virginia - Even without Alexander, this is still a good team.
24. Florida - Nick Calathes was the most unappreciated player in the country last year.
25. Arizona - With Brandon Jennings. Without - they aren't even top 50. Continue reading...

Gunnin' for that #1 Spot

Apparently, Adam Yauch of Beastie Boy fame is now making movies...

Gunnin' for that #1 Spot is a documentary that chronicles the lives of eight high school basketball phenoms while they prepare for the 1st annual Elite 24 game at Rucker Park. Four of the players - Michael Beasley, Jerryd Bayless, Kevin Love, and Donte Greene - were selected in the first round of Thursday's draft (coincidentally one day before the documentary hit theaters) and the other four - Kyle Singler, Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, Lance Stephenson - are not for behind.

By all accounts, the film isn't a deep look at the problems with recruiting, agents, and the like involved in high school athletics, but instead a chance to get to see the personality of these kids before they are corrupted and changed by stardom and money. According to Scott Weinberg at cinematical.com

If you're looking for an insider's indictment of the college recruiting process or some sort of glorified promotional piece of Nike, Reebok or Adidas, you'll be disappointed to learn that Gunnin' for That #1 Spot is content to be a slick, simple, and enthusiastic little documentary. If the movie is celebrating one thing above all else, it's how a little talent and a whole lot of dedication can allow a fresh-faced kid to follow his favorite dream right into stardom. I'm sure someone could do a fantastic "flip-side" documentary on how these young athletes are often bought, sold, and exploited for other folks' profits, but that's not this flick. Here we get about an hour of set-up, introduction, and insight -- and then we get a half-hour of playground basketball magic that had me muttering "wow" on more than one occasion. And I'm not even a big basketball fan!

But there are millions of b-ball freaks who will absolutely devour this refreshingly upbeat and colorful documentary -- plus it's got a few great tunes, a couple of solid laughs, some really excellent basketball, and several beautiful shots of New York City. Best of all, it shows a bunch of great kids doing something they really love. Even my cynical side can't take a shot at that stuff.

I haven't had a chance to see it yet, but I will as soon as possible. If anyone has seen it, leave a comment and let me know what you think. Continue reading...

6/29 - Some Links, Some News

So now that the NBA Draft is done and the 60 players selected (and many who didn't, both seniors and underclassmen) are now officially starting their professional careers, it's time to get back to the college game. Over the coming weeks (and months), I will be doing a lot of previewing for the 2008-2009 college season. Look for team and conference previews, preseason all-american lists and a preseason top 25 list. 

But before I leave this draft behind, here are some last links and must-reads about the draft.

• Luke Winn of S1.com wrote a great piece on the roller coaster draft night of Darrell Arthur. As more information comes out, it looks like the whole kidney issue was a non-issue - he apparently had high levels of creatine which could be a sign of kidney problems, but the tests results that cleared him never reached the rest of the league. Memphis (who eventually landed him after a series of trades) got a steal with Arthur. Losing $1.3 million in guaranteed money because of a false rumor can't feel good.
• Max Wasserman from The Big Lead did an analysis of some of the most well known NBA mock drafts. Apparently, Chad Ford is not the be all and end all of the draft...
• On that same note, Draft Express used the win-score statistic to look at the early winners and losers of the draft.
• Leave the Man Alone had an interesting look at ... NBA Draft fashion?

Some last news and notes. The rumors about UConn's Stanley Robinson leaving school are true. He is currently back home in Alabama taking classes at a community college. Robinson never truly adapted to life up north, and apparently it has gotten bad enough where he may be able to receive a medical red shirt for this season. For Iowa State guard Wesley Johnson has officially decided to transfer to Syracuse, where Jim Boeheim will be able to use his scoring (and the extra depth) he brings to the Carrier Dome. It's old news by now (especially since only USC will feel the lasting effects), but the Sporting News takes us on another tour of OJ Mayo's life in SoCal. 

Continue reading...

Brandon Jennings to Europe! It's Official (maybe)

So reports are coming out of Arizona that prized recruit Brandon Jennings did not receive a qualifying test score, and will now be headed to Europe (or maybe the D-League) for a year until he is eligible for the 2009 NBA Draft. It is only a source, and it is the East Valley Tribune (not exactly ESPN.com reporting this), Wildcat fans may still have hope, but it looks like Chase Budinger's work load just got a lot bigger next year. Continue reading...

NBA Draft Winner's and Loser's

First of all, I just want to apologize to everyone that had to keep scrolling down to keep up with the live blog last night. About 20 picks in I realized it would have been smarter to put new posts on the top, but hey, it was my first live blog and I think it went pretty successfully. Thanks to everyone who followed along!!

Now back to the draft.

Before I get to the winners and losers of this year's draft, let me just run through a few things that happened in the second round or after the draft itself. This biggest news coming out of the second round on Draft Night was the blockbuster trade between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves will send the rights to OJ Mayo (3rd) along with Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, and Greg Bucker to the Grizz for the rights to Kevin Love (5th) and Mike Miller, Jason Collins, and Brian Cardinal's horrific contract (2 years, $13 million). This is a pretty good trade for both teams. Minnesota lands a big man to play along side Al Jefferson and a shooter in Mike Miller, who should be able to open things up for Randy Foye, Rashad McCants, and the big guys in the paint. The only thing I don't like about this trade for the Wolves is that they now have a small front line without a great defensive presence. Memphis gets a player that they can market, will brings in fans, and may actually be talented enough to build the franchise around (and they get rid of Cardinal's contract). The worst part of this trade for Memphis is we will never see a front line of Gay Love, although Gay Mayo still has a nice little ring to it. Another interesting side note - Mayo and Love were the two finalists for best beard's of the draft. I gotta give it to OJ, Love's was just a bit too redneck for me.

The most interesting night probably belonged to Darrell Arthur. He was projected as a late-lottery or mid-first rounder, and as a result was in the Green Room at the MSG, but as a result of concerns of a blood test and kidney issue, he dropped all the way to 27th to New Orleans. This was only the beginning of a roller coaster night for the former Jayhawk. The Hornets were picking there for the Blazers who had bought the pick. The Blazers subsequently sent Arthur to the Rockets (see below), who them sent him to Memphis for Donte Greene (28th) and a future second rounder.

There were many others trades during the draft, with Portland (no surprise there) being involved in many of them: they moved Brandon Rush (13th), Jarrett Jack and Josh McRoberts to Indiana for Jerryd Bayless (11th) and Ike Diogu; they sent Darrell Arthur (27th) and Joey Dorsey (33rd) to the Rockets for Nicolas Batum (25th); they sent the rights to Omer Asik (36th) to the Bulls for three future second rounders; and they sent Mike Taylor (55th) to the Clippers for another future second rounder.

Other trades of note: DJ White (29th) was traded from the Pistons to the Sonics for Walter Sharpe (32nd) and Trent Plaisted (46th); Mario Chalmers (34th) was traded from Minnesota to the Heat for two second rounders; Bill Walker (47th) was traded from Washington to the Celtics for cash.

And now, the 2008 NBA Draft Winners and Losers.

Winners:

• Jason Thompson - He was projected all over the board (some had him going in the second round, some in them mid-first), but the Kings scooped him up with the 12th pick. I don't really understand this one - the Kings have Brad Miller and last year's 10th pick Spencer Hawes, and really need a point guard.
• Mario Chalmers - Yea, he dropped out of the first round and won't receive a guaranteed contract, but he ended up with Miami, a team in dire need of a point guard that can knock shots, play D, and not turn the ball over. I can see him making this team and getting a good amount of playing time along side D Wade.
• Portland Trailblazers - First, Brandon Rush drops all the way to 13th for them. Then they are able to package him with Jarrett Jack (a poor man's Brandon Roy) and Josh McRoberts (the only good thing he's done the league is LC from The Hills ... zingg) for Jerryd Bayless and Ike Diogu, giving them a scoring guard and playmaker to play along side Roy. Next, they use the pick they bought from New Orleans to take Darrell and package him with Joey Dorsey for Nicolas Batum, an extremely athletic and talented wing that they will store in Europe for a few years until he is NBA ready. Oh, and they managed to turn two second rounders this year into four next year.
  
• Others with a good draft: Boston (I love the two guys they picked up - Bill Walker and JR Giddens. They provide depth on the wing, play D, and are athletes. Both head cases, but is anyone going to cross KG?); Utah (they got Koufus with the 23rd pick, a big guy that can pull the other team's center out of the lane with his shooting ability, and Ante Tomic at 44th, a guy that some expected would go in the mid first-round); and Miami (they made the right decision taking Beasley with the second pick, and landed Chalmers in the second round as well).

Losers:

• DeAndre Jordan - This guy was viewed as a potential top 10 pick at one point, but a loss of confidence at the end of the season combined with a poor combine and workouts, and he slid all the way out of the first round. He's got loads of talent, but can he ever put it together? I wouldn't be surprised if the only time you ever heard his name again was as a precaution to underclassmen.
• Jamont Gordon and Davon Jefferson - There were seven other early entrants that didn't get drafted, but these are by far the two most notable ones. Gordon is a tough, rugged player that can probably make a roster in an Adrian Griffin role if he figures out that he is not going to be an NBA star. Jefferson, for all the talent and athleticism he has, has no work ethic (which showed when he was out of shape for the combine and his workouts). Too bad his eligibility is gone, because he could have helped USC a lot.
• Sacramento Kings - OK, so you miss out on your top three choices (Russell Westbrook, Bayless, and Augustin), but the best you can do after that is select a guy that you could have gotten with the 25th pick? You have to know that those three may be gone and have a contingency plan ready, right? And to top it off, you pick Patrick Ewing, Jr. and Sean Singletary with the 42nd and 43rd picks while Bill Walker, Ante Tomic, Richard Hendrix, and DeVon Harden are all still on the board? Those four have a much better chance of being an NBA player than Singletary or Ewing. I just don't get it.
• Milwaukee Bucks - OK, so draft day wasn't so terrible for them. They need to move one of their 4/5s and pick up some wings that were willing to play defense. Well, they did that - Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons for Richard Jefferson. And then with the eighth pick, they take Joe Alexander. I love the pick, but isn't he the same player as Jefferson. To top it off, they take Luc Richard Mbah a Moute with the 37th pick - another rebounder/defender/hustler on the wing. Don't get me wrong, I love all three of those players, but there was more than one reason the Bucks were in the lottery. On second thought, I'm going to hold judgement on this one.
• Washington Wizards - Your poised for a playoff run, especially you can get Gilbert Arenas back, so who do you take? JaVale McGee. Don't exactly know what Ernie Grunfeld was thinking on this one.
  
• Others with a bad draft - Charlotte (Felton is on the market, so they took Augustin as insurance, although I am not sold on DJ as an NBA starter just yet, and they took Alexis Ajinca, who averaged a whopping 5 pts and 5 rebs in France last year. He does have a 7'8" wingspan and, in the words of Jay Bilas, tremendous upside potential. I do like the pick of Kyle Weaver at 38th); Seattle (I liked the Westbrook pick - fits in well with Durant and Green - but I don't understand why the Sonics keep wasting first rounders on big men that disappear - Mohammed Sene, Robert Swift, Johan Petro. And they also added DJ White, DeVon Hardin, and Sasha Kaun); and Golden State (so the Warriors last year traded J-Rich for super athletic, super skinny lefty forward Brandon Wright. This year's lottery pick - super athletic, super skinny lefty forward Anthony Randolph. Really?).

Continue reading...

NBA Draft Live Blog!!

Rob (2:10): I'll start out this foray into the wonders of new media with the simplest of all discussions for this Draft - Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley? I'm sticking with Rose on this one. I think the guy is going to be a special point guard one day - I keep saying it, but imagine Deron Williams with D-Wade's athleticism. I think Beasley will have more of an immediate impact than Rose, and may be a better fantasy player, but if your starting an NBA team, who do you want - Melo or Deron Williams? I'll take the PG everytime.

Ross (2:31): Hey big guy. Glad to join you for this exciting draft night. As to your first question, I have to disagree. If I was the Bulls, I would take Beasley. The best reason for Chicago to take Rose is that he is from the city and will immediately help fans forget about their horrific 49-loss season last year. But I watched both of them play extensively in college. Rose succeeded because he physically dominated the point guards he played. He was simply bigger, faster and could jump over the other team's point guard. Not to mention he has perhaps the most talented supporting cast in college basketball around him. You couldn't double team Rose to get the ball out of his hands because Memphis had so many weapons. Beasley, on the other hand, faced double and triple-teams every night. Teams focused their game plans entirely on him, and he would still get 30 and 15. I think he is the better player now, and will be the better player throughout his career. With the first pick, you want an all-star for ten years. That's Beasley.

Rob (3:38): Just a couple of trades to make note of: the Nets are reportedly sending Richard Jefferson to the Bucks for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons and the Clippers are trading the 7th pick and their 2009 first rounder (protected) to the Sonics for the fourth pick. It looks like the rumors that the Sonics want Brook Lopez may actually be true, but who do the Clippers want with the fourth that they are willing to give up a future first rounder for? Could this be a play to get Beasley?

Ross (3:45): Interesting trade by the Nets. I always assumed that Vince Carter would leave before Jefferson. How do the Nets put the ball in the basket next year? That is a team that is lacking some scoring punch. Rob, before the draft starts, let me ask who you think the steals of the draft are going to be. Guys that are going to go after the lottery is finished but that will have an immediate impact next year. Thoughts?

Rob (5:50): There are three guys I really like after the lottery. The first is your boy Courtney Lee. The kid is big enough and athletic enough to compete with any NBA two, has range out to the NBA three, and can create his own shot if need be. Rumor has it that he is all but a lock at 22nd to the Magic, which would be a good fit for him. I think he could be a 10-12 ppg guy down the road. I also really like Marreese Speights. He is another big, athletic post out of Florida, but he has some serious motivation issues. I think the guy to emerge from the second round this year is Richard Hendrix from Alabama. He is only 6'7", but has a wingspan of 7'3". He's a house at around 250 (down from closer to 275) and averaged 17 and 10 in the SEC. I think he can contribute right away for any team a la Paul Millsap, and maybe if he can keep losing weight and improve his quickness and athleticism he could be a poor man's Carlos Boozer one day.

Ross (5:56): Completely agree about Courtney Lee. He can play both guard positions, and is strong enough and experienced enough to come in and handle the grind of the NBA right away. I disagree a little with Speights and Hendrix. Both of them are extremely talented players and great athletes. Yet watching them in the SEC, I always felt like they underproduced. It seemed like they floated too often, relying on talent and not exerting themselves fully. Unless both have a serious change of attitude, that won't cut it in the NBA.
One of my sleepers is Darell Arthur from Kansas. He hasn't been getting a lot of pre-draft hype, but some analysts have him going to Washington at 18. He's an experienced player who was phenomenal in the NCAA tournament. I don't know what it is, but I always think that if you have success during March Madness, on the big stage, you can play in the NBA.
Ok Rob, what about draft busts. Guys that are slated to go in the first round that will be out of the league in three years????

Rob (6:13): Anyone listed at 6'11" or above??? Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration but not as much as you would think. In the lottery, I think Anthony Randolph won't turn into much. I saw him play twice this year, and he looked really impressive, but I've heard some bad things about his work outs (how are you out of shape going into the NBA Draft workouts) and he is very, very raw. He has a huge upside though (i hate that word). I also think any team that would use a pick on DeAndre Jordan or JaVale McGee is throwing a pick away. both are long and athletic, but play no defense, are way too weak to play the pivot in the league, and don't have much in the way of a post game. Draft Express even had a stat that said that McGee was scored on 66% of the time his man had the ball in the post this year, in the WAC, not a powerhouse for big men.
Another guy I forgot to mention who could be a steal is Chris Douglas-Roberts. The guy can just flat out score, and I feel like guys with a herky jerky style like CDR's can always find a way.

Ross (6:25): Well, Rob, I just got home from a long day of work. I've got a 6 pack here with me, ordering some Chinese food, and settling in for a long night of NBA Draft! Either this is going to be a great night, or I really need a better social life.
Good call on CDR. Another guy who had a lot of success in college and should be ready to handle the grind of an NBA season. Plus, he's long and can get his shot off at any time. So tell me what you think about this. I know Beasley and Rose are supposed to be terrific, and I think they will be, but I think there's another perennial all-star in this draft, and that's Eric Gordon. Yes, he slumped at the end of the year, but his IU team was in disarray. I saw him play a lot. The guy has NBA size, is strong as an ox, and has range out to 25 feet. You can't play off him because he's such a good shooter, but can't get up close cuz he's so quick. What do you think? I think he's somewhere in between Ben Gordon and Gilbert Arenas. He may never be 27 ppg in the NBA, but 20+ is very realistic.

Ross (6:31): Rob, why do people keep talking about Michael Beasley's attitude problems??? All he did was autograph a bunch of stuff at Oak Hill with Ty Lawson. I think thats hilarious. They're talking about him like hes Pacman... excuse me, ADAM Jones.

Rob (6:40): I don't know. I feel like Mayo's character issues are much worse. Beasley is just a goofy kid that plays pranks. But he's a warrior on the court. Mayo is a primadonna that still thinks he's the next LeBron James. And I guess Ronald Guillory is the kind of person you want your draft pick hanging out with......

Ross (6:41): I think it's been tough of Mayo. He's been in the spotlight his whole life. Remember, he's still just a kid, as are all of the guys that are coming out after one year. It just seems like people want to pick at something, and when there's nothing to pick at, they make up stuff. Here's my bust: Kevin Love. I know, I know, he was a great college player, but I think he simply won't be able to guard NBA 4's and 5's. Can you imagine him checking Amare? Dwight Howard? Love can be a solid, if undersized forward, but not a top-7 pick.
By the way, Jay Bilas just called Mario Chalmers a "senior to watch." I love ESPN announcers, even if they DID go to Duke...

Ross (6:47): Rob, here's my first prediction for you: Roy Hibbert will be a bad pro. I know, he's 7'2 with good ball skills. And he did improve exponentially in his years at georgetown. But I actually think he regressed in his final year in college (he would have been a higher pick had he entered after Georgetown's Final Four season), and I also think the days of 7'2 centers are over. Back in the 80's and early 90's, we saw more players like this (Mark Eaton, anyone???). But the game has changed. There are so few true centers, and so many more athletic hybrids. Jermaine O'neal, Amare, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, etc., these guys play the 5 but really are more of a mix. My question is, who can Hibbert guard? He's slow, has terrible lateral quickness, and could never run the floor with any of them. On offense, he takes a while to get his shot off and faced players 6 inches shorter than him in college. I think he is a back-up, at best.

Rob (7:00): I think you're right on with Hibbert. He will hang around the league for a while, but I can't really see him being much more than a mediocre center, but given his skill set I can understand how someone might see another Zydrunas Ilgauskas. I disagree about Love, however (Note: if Chad Ford's last mock draft holds true and the Grizzlies take him, then their forwards will be Rudy Gay and Kevin Love). I think he is big enough and smart enough that he can use the phenomenal skills he has, even if he defense is lacking. Not a star, but i can see him being a 15 and 8 guy for ten years.
Also, Andy Katz just announced that Rose will be the number 1 pick, and Ric Bucher is reporting that the Heat will actually pick Beasley. Rose isn't a surprise, and I think that is a good fit for them (how often do good point guards come along), but everything has said the Heat have been shopping the second pick around. Maybe they were just trying to work a great deal out of it, but I think that is such a smart move. How can you pass on a guy as good as Beasley?

Ross (7:06): Why wouldn't the Heat want Beasley? You then have three guys who can score 25 on any given night (or on the same night) with Wade, Matrix and Beasley. Put a decent point guard on that team who doesn't turn the ball over, and that team finishes in the top 4 in the East.
I can't keep listening to Dickie-V talking about the "temptation of South Beach." What, is he hitting up the Gold Club in Miami?? Why is this not an issue with every player on the Heat, Marlins and Dolphins? Beasley is a good kid and will be a great pro. Stop making up stories to fill airtime!!!

Ross (7:14): Was it just me, or did Derrick Rose not even come close to the question that was asked about what the Bulls have told him?? And does OJ Mayo sound a little like Kermit the Frog?
A reader asked if the Nets will move to Brooklyn. I think they probably will. A new arena is already being planned at the Atlantic Shipyards, and Brooklyn as a borough is changing every day. There's more money there, and I think there's room for two NBA teams in this city. How about Jay-Z as owner/coach?? That would sell tickets!!

Ross (7:19): Rob, let me ask you about the Wizards at the 18th pick. Do you think they will keep the pick? Their biggest holes are at backup center and backup point guard. A steal for them might be a guy like Jason Thompson out of Rider. 6'11, 250 pounds, can really rebound and is strong enough to play defense in the league. Not sure he'll ever be a scorer in the league, but would give the Wiz some much needed toughness. If they draft JaVale McGee, I will jump in front of a bus.

Rob (7:22): I like Thompson a lot, but he is basically the same player as Andray Blatche. As you said before, I like Arthur there. He is dropping on draft boards because he didn't measure out well with he length or athleticism, but he can play and can run the floor. He is kind of an Antawn Jamison type player. I also like Chalmers there a lot. He can knock down open shots if Gil penetrates, and he is a lock down defender that will create havoc in the passing lanes (when was the last time Agent 0 played defense).

Ross (7:29): That's true about Blatche, but I wonder how much time Chalmers would get with Nick Young, a promising young player, already there.
Let's get back to the players on the board. I have always been wary of guys who play well for a few games down the stretch of a college season, and get people really excited. A perfect example is Joe Alexander. This guy was a good player all year, but wasn't even mentioned on draft boards. Then he heats up in the Big East Tournament and into the Sweet 16, and now he's top 8??? He's a decent NBA player, but do you really see him being a starter, worthy of a lottery pick?
So the Bulls took Rose first, what happens to my main man Duhon???

Rob (7:31): Yea, I think Alexander will be a good player. He is a great athlete - 6'8", 36" vert, fast and strong. He also is a proven hard worker - he didn't do anything his freshman year and turned himself into a great college player. I think 8th to the Bucks may be a stretch, but the kid can play and will be a solid starter in the league. Just because he killed Duke in the tourney doesn't mean he's not a good player.
So Rose is officially the #1 pick. Not a surprise. I think Duhon stays, and they move Hinrich somewhere.

Ross (7:37): Rose's mother says that Chicago is the only place he knows how to play?? Um, was she blackout for his last year at Memphis??? Pretty funny...
I still think Beasley will be the better pick. If Miami doesn't take him here, there will be some Sam Bowie references...

Rob (7:39):So Beasley goes second to the Heat. Thank god, they would be fools to not take him. In response to a reader, I think the Knicks take Danilo Gallinari. No point guards in the draft save DJ Augustin can run D'Antoni's system, and 6th is too high for Augustin. Gallinari is a tough kid, can shoot, and is tall on the wing.
What does Minnesota do now? Put Mayo in the backcourt with carbon copies Rashad McCants and Randy Foye?

Ross (7:43): Why not take Brook Lopez, move Al Jefferson to the 4, and go big??
I'm I'm the Knicks, I'd trade the pick. No player at the 6th pick is going to save the team in a year. Trade down, get two or three picks and some cash, and rebuild from the ground up. I know that doesn't play well in New York, but I think that's the smart move.

Rob (7:46): Good decision. I'm of the philosophy that you always take the best available (by the way, how old does Mayo look with that beard and what is he doing with those shoes). Anyway, I guess the Clippers - Sonics deal fell through because they couldn't get Mayo. I think the Sonics take Lopez. They need the center.

Ross (7:52): I think Westbrook at 4 is a horrible pick. He was about the 5th most valuable player on his college team. He's a great athlete with no consistent jumper and a less-than-average handle. He is a great defender, but I don't like this pick at all. They needed a scorer to take some pressure off Durant, and this just ain't it. Westbrook just said he's a point guard, but wasn't even the best on his college team. Top-4 pick?? Really?

Rob (7:54): I like the pick, just not at four. He's a great defender, which durant can't do, and can get out and run the floor. But I think they should have gone with Lopez, they need an inside presence especially in the west. Westbrook may one day be Leandro Barbosa/Rajon Rondo, but there is more out there they could have gotten.

Ross (7:57): I agree with that. Four is too high. Who do the Grizzlies take? Commish is up and... they take Kevin Love. I like this pick. I don't think he's a star, but he has terrific fundamentals and will add some stability to that team. They are very athletic already, and Love provides nice balance.
Random Thoughts: If I see that Sprite commercial where they all jump into the court again, I'm gonna throw up. First of all, who drinks Sprite after playing ball?? Kieffer is probably trying to dive into his neighborhood court right now...
Second Random Thought: How funny does Pinnapple Express look??

Rob (8:00): Pineapple express will be great. Those guys can never do wrong. I like the Rudy Gay - Kevin Love front court more than anything out of that pick. Love should be a solid guy in the league for a long time. Btw, when did the NBA start interviewing parents? Who cares what Love's dad has to say?
Love's uncle is the lead singer of the Beach Boys? That's crazy.
I have no idea who the Knicks take here. They basically just need to blow that whole team up and start over,a nd noone here will do that for them.

Ross (8:03): Gallinari!!!! GOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Great pick, he will be really good on headers around the goal, and has a really strong right foot...
Wait, what? This is the basketball draft?? Oh... Well, he should be good to pair with Frederick Weiss.
Seriously, this guy is supposed to be good. But the Knicks needed help, NOW! Does this help them next year? Readers, do they win more than 25 games? Hard to say yes unless Dantoni is a genious.

Rob (8:05):Yea, I really don't see him adding anything this year. Even with Beasley the Knicks don't win 25 games. I think the Clippers gotta go with Gordon here.
"I like .... to win". Atta boy Danilo.

Ross (8:08): Danilo might think that boo means "I want to drink grappa with you" in Italian.
Now the Clippers take... Eric Gordon. Good pick. Take the best player available. This guy is a stud. Strong, fast, can shoot and finish at the rim. Not sure he fits terribly well with that team, but he is a great player. Horrible blazer though. He looks like Marc Ramos on prom night in the barrio...

Rob (8:12): Yea, what is Gordon doing with that suit. Grea tpick for them in my mind. Gordon, Maggette, Kaman, and Brand should at least compete in the West for the playoffs.
Bucks are going with Alexander here. They need a small forward and someone to hustle and play D. Alexander's the guy.

Ross (8:13): Funniest image of the draft so far: Danilo walking into the Knicks locker room, looking the team in the eyes, and saying... "I want... to win." Then Eddy Curry calmly gets up, walks over to him, and shanks him in front of everyone. Amazing.
Joe Alexander? Really? Again, I think good player but a role player. Worthy of the 8th pick? I'm not sure. I like that he played for Bobby Huggins, so you know he's tough, but he's kind of a tweener. Probably not quick enough to guard small forwards, but not big enough to play power forward.

Rob (8:15): Alexander was the second fastest player in the NBA combine in the 3/4 sprint and top ten in the agility drill. So yea, he can guard three's. I love this pick. There is a reason he shot up draft boards.
The Bobcats are prob gonna go with Brook Lopez here, which gives them a front line of Emeka and Lopez. That's not a bad team with Felton and J-Rich also. Personally, I don't think Lopez is going to turn into much more than Brendon Haywood at best, but at least that is a solid 12 and 8 center for ten years. They also have the 20th pick too, so they still have room to play here.

Ross (8:20): I like Lopez here. He has a remarkably mature post-up game. Good jump hooks with both hands, can step out and shoot it to 15 feet. I'm not sure that he's a star, as you said, but a solid center to pair with Okafor, who is a little undersized to play center anyway, and then you bring Sean May off the bench, is nice.
So here they go... The Bobcats select: D.J. Augustin. Wow. Raymond Felton must feel like he just got slapped in the face. How do you explain this? They didn't need a point guard. And I don't think Augustin is going to be a great pro. What is MJ doing??

Rob (8:23): I don't know about that one either. Felton is finally turning into something, and you take Augustin, a PG that dominates the ball and can't guard anyone? I don't know. He's a great talent, but i don't know.
Did anyone else see Brook Lopez crying in the Green Room? Come on dude, you know you're on national TV right? I have no idea what the Nets do here. I'm going to say Lopez again, but I may be 0-3 on that. I also like Bayless for them, because without Jefferson they need a scorer, and Harris can guard two's if need be because he is about 6'4".

Ross (8:26): And the Nets take... Brook Lopez. Nice pick. He's a solid post guy, plus if the team is ever bored on the plane, I hear he's a great cartoon artist. Seriously though, I think he will help them immediately, and that's what they need. Bayless is probably the best player left, right?
Do Josh Boone and Brook Lopez combine to form the ugliest front line in NBA history?? Sorry, thats mean...

Rob (8:28): I like this pick too. A quick question though. Going back to Milwaukee's pick, why do they trade for Richard Jefferson when they were going to pick Alexander? Aren't they the same player?

Ross (8:30): I agree. 6'7, good athlete. If anything, Alexander's absolute ceiling is... Richard Jefferson.
Another side note: Robin Lopez is HILARIOUS. He could hang out with me anytime.

Rob (8:32): Jerryd Bayless and TJ Ford in Indiana's back court? That will be the smallest backcourt in NBA history. Maybe that trade won't go through.
Who will the Kings take here? I really have no idea. I have heard Chalmers, Hibbert, Arthur... I think they need to go with the best out, and that is Arthur.

Ross (8:34): Here are the thoughts of an ESPN producer right now: Stephen A., ask him ANYTHING other than "Are you a true point guard?" Seriously, he has asked that question to like 8 of the 11 guys picked so far. Very creative, Stephen A. I can't wait till another foreign player gets up there and doesn't understand what "true point guard" means. SAS might explode.
If I'm the Kings here, I might take Brandon Rush. He's a guy that knows how to win, and can play right away.

Rob (8:36): Jason Thompson???? Why do you take him there. You can trade down and get him at 20. He may turn into a pretty good player - he is obviously a late bloomer as he grew four inches in high school - but come on, you just picked Spencer Hawes last year and already have Brad Miller. Aren't they the three same players?

Ross (8:40): My guess is Stephen A. Smith is soooo disappointed that he can't ask Thompson if he's a true point guard...

Rob (8:42): Why do they make the most standoffish broadcaster in the history of television the interviewer? I'm sure every player is thinking about how much of a jackass SAS is.
I think Portland goes with Rush here. He's a winner, a defender and a shooter, and will fit into a role.
And the pick..... It's Rush. Great pick.

Ross (8:44): I agree. Great pick, will really help Roy and Webster. 22 minutes a game, 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists. Also a solid guy, which is no small issue with the Jail Blazers. Also, I think Jason Thompson will surprise people. A little high to take him at 12, but he's a good player who can rebound and defend NBA centers. Not as bad as some people think.

Rob (8:46): And the Blazers go with... Anthony Randolph. Risky pick, because you can't know how he is going to develop or how hard he will work with guaranteed money, but he has a ton of potential. I think the Warriors are a great system for him because he can get out and run the floor, but Brandon Wright is pretty much the only player on the Warriors roster that isn't a free agent.
SAS: "Anthony, your long, athletic, you can shoot, you can score ... but can you be a true point guard".

Ross (8:51): Yeah, Anthony Randolph is risky. But how is he that much different than Brandon Wright? Still, at 14, it's probably worth the risk.
Quote of the night - Dick Vitale: "Dantoni. Gallinari. Sounds like a great Italian restaurant." Hilarious.
Getting close to the Wizards!! Might Chalmers still be on the board?? I hope so!
Rob, best players left after the lottery??

Rob (8:54): Darrell Arthur, Marreese Speights, and Kosta Koufus. All bigs. Chalmers is probably the best guard left, you better hope he keeps dropping.
The Suns pick Robin Lopez, and I love that pick for them. He is a scrappy defender that will hustle and give you energy, pretty much the exact opposite of Amare.
Team Lopez's mom is white? What??? And she looks like she is about 6'5". They probably should have gotten him a bigger hat though.

Ross (8:57): Yeah, I think Arthur will be a very good pro. I agree, Lopez is a good pick. He runs the floor, plays D and rebounds. Will be a good backup for both Amare and the Diesel. Plus, hes hilarious.
A story for you: This is an absolutely true conversation I had on Friday night with Steve Nash in a club.
Ross: 11-7.
Steve: What?
Ross: That would be the score if we played on-one-on.
Steve: Oh... um... haha (nervous laughter).
Ross: Seriously, I used to be a point guard, and I really love your game.
Steve: Thanks man.
Ross: Oh... um... haha (nervous laughter).

Rob (9:00): 11-0 you mean right? Good pick for the Sixers, they need some physicality. I also think if Speights is motivated all season he is a top 10 pick this year. So the question with this pick is: is this for the Pacers of the Raptors?
Ross - who is the last player that is in the Green Room? DeAndre Jordan. How far does he fall?

Ross (9:04): Big Roy Hibbert!!! Not a bad pickup for Indiana, will be a decent NBA player.
Wizards are on the clock. Who do they take? I think they need size, so Jordan, Koufos, or Arthur would be the most likely.
I agree, Speights is a good pick for the 76ers, because Thaddeus Young is not a physical player.
Another true story: I played against Big Roy in summer league. I had 24. He had 4 against my high school's 6'5 center. They won by 3. I'm not impressed.

Rob (9:08): Stop dropping names. Noone's impressed. I think the Wiz go with Chalmers.

Ross (9:10): NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Rob (9:12): So there's a trade. Brandon Rush and Jarrett Jack from Portland to Indiana for Bayless and Ike Diogu. I like that trade for both teams. If Indiana gets Ford thats a good backcourt with Rush and Dunleavy, and Bayless will fit in well with Brandon Roy. Good all around.

Ross (9:13): So I'm Ernie Grunfeld, GM of the Washington Wizards. My team has made the playoffs the last three years, but we can't get out of the first round. We need one player to get over the hump. There are a lot of solid contributors out there, guys that can help right away. So draft night comes, and I'm gonna take... Javale McGee??? Really?? I'm speechless. He is a project that won't contribute for three years. What's the thought process here? Plus, they have Brendan Haywood, Andray Blatche, and Etan Thomas coming back. Brilliant. This is why I love being a Washington sports fan.

Rob (9:15):Cavs gotta go with Arthur. He's a top 10 picks any other year. So they take.... JJ Hickson? I don't know about that one. He's raw, has no ball skills, but is strong and a very explosive big guy. I don't know, al depends on how he develops in the league.
How is Arthur still around? Maybe missing all those workouts actually hurt him. I think the Bobcats need to go big here, and I think Koufus is the best pure big guy left. He's 6'11", has a good jumper, and is a pretty good athlete (36" vert). He could turn into a pretty good player.

Ross (9:21): I think Hickson is a good pick. He played in the ACC and played well against good big men. He'll be a good pro, and has some time to develop on a veteran team like Cleveland. Interesting theme: teams are definitely favoring potential over proven college players. Anthony Randolph, Javale McGee, JJ Hickson are all guys that could be good, but it will take a lot of work. I think Arthur, Courtney Lee and Chris Douglas-Roberts will be good right away. Thoughts??

Rob (9:24): Exactly. Ajinca averaged 5 and 5 in a French pro league. But when has an NBA Draft not been based on potential? But your right, all the guys that will help right away are going to end up going to the best teams. Some middle of the pack team is going to get a gift in Arthur.
So the Blazers are also sending McRoberts to the Pacers? Now I guess the Pacers have a game changer - NBA Finals? I think so.

Ross (9:27): Don't knock McRoberts. He went to Duke, he's obviously going to be a good pro. Plus, he used to date LC from the Hills, so he does have that going for him.

Rob (9:30): Haha. LC is smokin'. I kinda like this pick with Anderson. He put up incredible numbers at Cal and can put the ball in the hoop, which the Nets need.
Now my question for you is will the Magic take Courtney Lee, who is a good pick, will be a solid pro and fills a need, or do they take Arthur, easily the best player left?

Ross (9:32): Personally, I hope they take Arthur, so that JJ Redick doesn't get buried deeper on the bench. Seriously though, there is a lot of quality left. I can't remember a year when so many proven players have been around so late. I'm talking about guys that were all-conference in college. They might not measure up as well in pre-draft workouts, but they are proven players who can contribute. Magic about to pick, I think Arthur has to be the pick...

Rob (9:35): Nope, they took Lee. This was pretty much the most sure thing heading into the draft, as everyone had Lee penciled in here a while ago. I like this pick, as I said before, because Lee is going to be a solid NBA guy for a while.
I can't believe Arthur is still on the board. I don't know if he fits Utah's flex offense, or fits with Seattle when they have Green and Durant already, so he may keep dropping. He would be a dream for Houston at 25 though.
And you're right, there are a ton of good college guys still available. Everyone has been saying that this is a deep draft, I guess they were right.

Ross (9:40): You're right, Lee was a good pick at 22. Reminds me a lot of Rodney Stuckey. A solid player from a small school that put up huge numbers in college, and everyone saw what he did in the playoffs. At 23, the Jazz take Koufos. Good pick. Will give them quality minutes off the bench, and actually I think is a nice compliment to Boozer downlow. Koufos is a good athlete but can step out and shoot a mid-range J. He should be a nice fit in Utah.
Rob, who's a guy that was sure he was going to go in the first round that will drop to the second and not get that guaranteed contract?

Rob (9:42): Agreed. He can shoot, won't after to worry about playing in the post to start, and pulls out the center allowing Williams and Boozer to have space to work. Great pick for them.
It's DeAndre Jordan. He was considered a top 5 pick early in the season, and there is now way that Arthur slides past Portland at 27. Most of the teams picking now are looking for a role player to fill a need and will pick a foreign guy and keep him in Europe to develop as opposed to letting a guy like Arthur develop here.

Ross (9:46): Serge Ibaka? Again, not to beat a dead horse, but how do you take Serge Ibaka over a guy who just played in the National Championship game? Either NBA GM's are geniouses, or idiots. I'm just not sure which.
I'm watching the draft right now with my little brother Jake, who just asked me "Who the hell is Serge Ibaka?"

Rob (9:49): I like the pick, just not for the Sonics. They need something immediate to help them (and help them stay in Seattle) but Ibaka will be able to develop for a few years in Spain before he comes over here.
Side note - what is Jeff van Gundy more jealous of his brother for? The fact he has a coaching job or the fact he has a full head of hair?

Ross (9:52): The Rockets take... another French guy, Nicolas Batum. This guy is actually supposed to be very good. 6'7, can jump out of the building. Supposed to be a lot like Boris Diaw. He needs to fill out a lot, but if he says in Europe for a year or two, he will be very good.
Ric Bucher just reported that Darell Arthur has an undisclosed kidney condition. This is huge! Why did no one report this earlier? What does this mean?

Rob (9:55): Yea, and Batum was supposedly having a medical issue as well - he failed a test on his heart at a workout in Toronto.
Arthur is more of a surprise. I had no idea about this, as I'm sure most people in the media didn't. That's too bad for him. I guess its karma though - maybe he should have gone to class in high school.
For the record, on ESPN's graphic for the Spurs, they printed Mark Jackson's advice to the Spurs: "Needs to younger talent". Nice. Maybe that's why you can't get a coaching job.

Ross (9:58): George Hill is a great pick for them. Will be a very good backup to Tony Parker. When you're the Spurs, you need to fill small holes. This does that.
I feel bad for Arthur. Never good to be the last guy in the Green Room.
YESSS! The Sprite commercial is on again!!! Hey Rob, I'm thirsty, gonna run down to the corner store and get.... a Sprite.

Rob (10:00): Oo-ee-poo-ee's finest goes to the Spurs! I love the small schools getting some props this year. So this pick is for the Blazers. Who do they take here? I like CDR here. Gives them another scorer from the wing who can fill a need and fit into a team concept.

Ross (10:06): FINALLY, Darrell Arthur is taken. This is a great pick for them. He adds strength, versatility, and an overall solid player. With Oden healthy, they will be a force next year. I still don't think that Steve Blake takes a team deep into the post-season though. Glad to hear that Arthur is healthy and ready to go. I think he will be a very good player in the league.

Rob (10:08): Glad to see Arthur picked as well. He is a steal for Portland this late. For Memphis, the announcers are trying to say that the Grizzlies need another big guy, but who are you going to pick here that can contribute right away? I think they should take either Chalmers or CDR here, because both are proven winners and can add depth to a team. They are probably better off with CDR because they already have a log jam at PG that sent Juan carlos Navarro back to Spain.
And they take... Donte Greene. I'm not really sold on this guy. He is a 6'9" gunner that lives outside the three point line. At best, he can be an Al Harrington, which isn't half bad, but he has a long way to go to get there.

Ross: (10:13): I agree on Greene. He settles for jumpshots way too much, which is a shame because he is a fabulous athlete. Needs to work on shot selection as well as getting stronger to succeed in the league.
I think the consensus that CDR and Chalmers are the best players left. Another guy that I think will be a good pro is D.J. White from Indiana. He's really strong, and was the only post option at Indiana and still put up great numbers in a rugged Big Ten. Would be a steal around now.

Rob (10:15): I agree about Chalmers and CDR, and White as well. He has had a bunch of injuries, but he is still only 21 years old and is definitely a big body.
We've forgotten about Bill Walker. Yea, he has knee problems, but he was a top 5 player in high school and a potential top 10 pick before his injuries. I think he's worth the risk at this point.
And the Pistons take.. DJ White. Good call Ross. He fits with the Pistons perfectly.

Ross (10:20): I agree, White will fit in and, with Maxiell, give them nice depth off the bench. He should be a good fit. And the last pick of the first round awaits... Who do the champs take? I think of any of their starters, Ray Allen probably needs the most support. I think CDR would be a great pick for them. He's a proven winner, plays hard-nosed defense, and would defer to the proven players on that team.

Rob (10:23): He is good. Gives them another guy to create shots and he played for Calipari at Memphis, so you know he can D up. Chalmers could help as well, because you get Eddie House's shooting without losing the defense of Rondo too much. I think those two could provide a nice backcourt. To tell you the truth though, I expect Boston to go overseas and leave the player there to develop. Maybe a guy like Ante Tomic.

Ross (10:26): Definitely possible, but I don't think the Celtics can't just stay the same and expect to win. They will be a year older, and there's always the question of whether or not the players will come back equally hungry after winning the title. KG is intense, so you know he'll keep them focused, but you never know.
And the Celtics take... JR Giddens. Here's a guy that not too many people know about. He started at Kansas and transferred to New Mexico. Had some off court issues, but is extremely talented. The Celtics are probably thinking that he will stay in line with the veterans on that team, and could contribute off the bench.
Well Rob, this has been fun. A great draft, and more still to come. Goodnight everyone!

Rob (10:30): I like the pick now that I think about it. He's a great athlete, a good defender, and can hit the three - sounds like a James Posey to me, and he turned out well. He has some off the court issues, so hopefully KG and Pierce can keep him in line.

Well that's it for now. It's been fun!!!

Check in tomorrow for a look at the second round and thoughts on the draft overall. Continue reading...

More Trades, More Rumors...

-The two most fragile players in the NBA have been traded for each other, as the Raptors and Pacers have finally agreed on a deal that sends TJ Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, and the 17th pick to Indiana for Jermaine O'Nea and a player to be named. This deal is pending physicals for both players and for salary cap reasons cannot actually be completed until July 1st.

-The Bobcats have completed their second trade of the week as they have agreed to send a future first round pick to Denver (lottery protected) for the 20th pick, where reports say they hope to land Roy Hibbert. Earlier in the day they sent the 27th pick to Portland for cash.

-There are rumors swirling that Portland will send Jarrett Jack and the 13th pick to the Nets for Marcus Williams and the 10th pick.

-Nicolas Batum's physical never was circulated to team's throughout the league, and many people believe that he was given a guarantee by the Spurs that they would select him with the 26th pick. Talent-wise, he is probably better than that, but without the physical there is a much better chance he will drop to the Spurs. Continue reading...