There were many surprises announced by both the commissioner and the deputy commissioner last night in New York at the NBA Draft. From Russell Westbrook going at #4 to Brook Lopez dropping to #10 and from Jason Thompson being chosen at #12 to DeAndre Jordan and Mario Chalmers having to wait until the second round to hear their names called. No one could have predicted such a thing for one of the deepest draft class's in recent memory. But it was also one of the youngest in recent memory as twelve freshmen were drafted last night.
No surprise was the fact that Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, and OJ Mayo went 1-2-3 to kick off the draft. Surprising at #4 was Russ Westbrook, the combo guard out of UCLA who was considered by many to be the best defensive guard in the draft. Another surprising selection in the top ten was Danilo Gallinari, whose dad roomed with Coach D'Antoni while Mr. Gallinari played professionally in Italy. However, D'Antoni claims that Danilo has the tools to become a great player in the League, and if you're a Knicks fan, you have to at least be happy with that.
I was also somewhat shocked to see Joe Alexander's and DJ Augustin's names off the board before Jerryd Bayless's and Anthony Randolph's. It was also surprising to see Brook Lopez fall to #10, where the Nets scooped up the second-best center in the draft. What a night for Nets fans! The two biggest winners of the draft has to be them and Portland, both of which were helped tremendously in their aspirations to reach the postseason. Another thing I don't get is why Sacramento didn't trade down a few picks, possibly with Phoenix. Jason Thompson, maybe the biggest surprise pick of the draft, would have still been available and the Suns would have been able to grab Brandon Rush, the one they've been showing the most interest in all along.
Let me know sound off on Roy Hibbert. This guy has bust written all over him and he will be just another benchwarming seven-footer in the NBA. Athleticism is so much more crucial in the League than in college, and Hibbert lacks in that department tremendously. Once he has to guard guys his own size or be guarded by guys as tall as him, he'll be ineffective and useless out on the court.
Next are the Suns. What the hell do they think they're doing? Grant Hill was someone I could live with. Shaq was pushing the envelope with me. Robin Lopez just puts me over the top. They are slowly but surely becoming a half-court walk-it-up team like the Spurs. Now I understand why they got rid of D'Antoni, but I don't understand the reason. They were in contention to win it almost every year so why change? I'm making a bold prediction: Phoenix won't make the playoffs next season.
There were two surprises, in my mind, at the end of the first round. One of them was Donte Greene, someone I had going in the mid-lottery. He dropped all the way down to 28, where has was drafted by the Grizzlies. The second surprise was JR Giddens going in the first round. I saw him as a great pick in the early to mid-second round, but why the first? Why gamble like that when you're the defending world champions? However, Boston redeemed themselves when they traded for Bill Walker, a phenomenal talent who has the potential to be great.
The second round saw seven foreign players drafted, which brings me to another point. Foreign players have the highest chance of being a bust (i.e. Darko Milicic) yet they also have the highest chance of being a steal (i.e. Manu Ginobili). My point? Wait until the second round to draft your European players. You never know; you may get lucky. Also, this shows how weak foreign scouting is even in this modern age.
The second round also featured four players that I could see easily going in the first round: Mario Chalmers at 34, DeAndre Jordan at 35, Chris Douglas-Roberts at 40, and Bill Walker at 47. Walker and CDR are the two that are most puzzling to me. Obviously, the scouts were scared away by the unorthodox methods and injury problems, respectively. However, I would think that at least one scout would see past that and see that one or both of these players has the chance to be a future all-star, if not a solid starter for years to come.
That concludes my breakdown of the deepest and yougest draft class I've ever seen. Good luck to them wherever they play next year whether it be overseas, in the NBA, or in the D-League. Also, a congrats goes out to Semih Erden of Turkey, who had the honor of being drafted last at pick #60.
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Showing posts with label Roy Hibbert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roy Hibbert. Show all posts
Friday, June 27, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Word on the NBA Street
Last night, I witnessed the greatest player since Jordan close out on of the best teams of this decade. I am, of course, referring to Kobe Bryant and the San Antonio Spurs, respectively. Tim Duncan had his fourth career triple-double with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists which would have made news had Kobe not been...well, himself. Bryant finished with 39 points and scored 17 of them in the final period. He completely dominated and led his team back from being down 17 points in the first half.
To any average fan, it would seem as though Kobe was the one who fueled such a comeback. However, the average fan would be wrong. This comeback was ignited while Kobe, Derek Fisher, and Lamar Odom were on the bench. Jordan Farmar had a great game, showing viewers that he definitely has a future in this league, with eight points, three assists, and a steal in only 17 minutes of playing time. Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol helped out tremendously on the boards with eight and nineteen, respectively.
For the Spurs, they saw yet another tough game for Manu Ginobili. He was nursing a bum ankle while the Lakers forced him to use his off hand on penetration to the basket. The result? Nine points on 3-for-9 shooting from the field. Another problem, which is unusual for such an experienced team, has been their inability to close out games. They had a 20-point lead in Game 1 which they also ended up losing. I can only wonder what those "tweaks" Duncan was referring to after the game will be.
In the East (or Midwest for tonight's game), the Celtics will be looking to close out the Pistons on the road in Game 6. I firmly believe this game will be going the full seven games, and Detroit will win at home tonight. However, I do not see Boston losing at home in Game 7 so either way, all those nostalgic fans will get their wish and have a nice ol' Celtics/Lakers rematch that they've been waiting for.
The key for the Pistons is none other than Rasheed Wallace. I've said it all series long, and I'll reiterate it time and again. 'Sheed is essential if Detroit wants any hope at forcing a Game 7 back in Boston. He needs to bust his ass on defense and, also, to make Kevin Garnett work on both ends of the floor by taking it hard to the basket and becoming an offensive force. In their Game 5 heartbreaking loss, Wallace scored 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting, which is a good game for him. But he didn't play his hardest on the defensive end against Garnett. He allowed KG to score 33 points on 11-for-17 shooting which, in my mind, was the simple and direct reason Boston won.
Now I'll take you much farther south in this blog to the land of NBA superstar-hopefuls in Orlando, Florida, the home of the League's annual pre-draft camp. First, I'd like to congratulate the Bulls on their superior luckiness. Next, I'd like to point out that either choice, Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose, would at least help your franchise somewhat in the future. But, in my humble opinion, Rose is the better choice. This is a Chicago team that has been looking to ship Hinrich elsewhere in order to get someone that could fill their frontcourt void. If that goes through, Rose would be the floor general and playmaker that he has proven he can be. My mock draft goes as follows:
1. Derrick Rose, PG, Chicago Bulls
2. Michael Beasley, SF, Miami Heat
3. Brook Lopez, C, Minnesota Timberwolves
4. Jerryd Bayless, SG, Seattle SuperSonics
5. Kevin Love, PF, Memphis Grizzlies
6. OJ Mayo, SF, New York Knickerbockers
7. DeAndre Jordan, C, Los Angeles Clippers
8. Eric Gordon, SG, Milwaukee Bucks
9. Darrell Arthur, PF, Charlotte Bobcats
10. Russell Westbrook, PG, New Jersey Nets
I'm not completely sold on Anthony Randolph yet, and I'm not so sure many NBA scouts are either, which is why I have him going anywhere from 11-13. I also expect Gallinari to go somewhere in the 11-13 range as I'm not buying the whole Italian/D'Antoni connection with the Knicks. I would now like to warn NBA general managers of three draft busts although, sadly, 99% of GMs don't read my blog:
OJ Mayo- His many run-ins with the law is an obvious concern, but you can't forget his selfish and conceited decision-making that appears in his game from time to time. OJ can be very turnover-prone as well when he tries to do too much on the floor. All in all, there are way too many concerns and question marks about not only his game but also his image.
Roy Hibbert- All the success he has had thus far has been due to height and great teammates. He's not athletic and doesn't have the explosive first step to attack the rim in the post. When he plays against others of his size, he tends to be outplayed. Hibbert isn't a very good rebounder for being 7'2" and will struggle tremendously at the next level.
Donte Green- Many would be attracted by his athleticism and versatility. I, however, am not so easily fooled. His shot selection is downright terrible and, for as athletic as he is, Green doesn't get to the free throw line all that much. Finally and maybe most importantly, he's afraid of contact. In the NBA, the contact is ten times that of college.
I'd also be concerned with taking players such as Anthony Randolph, Eric Gordon, and Joe Alexander. The thing I love about the NBA Draft is that for every major bust, there is always that one great steal that no one sees coming. Well, almost no one. Here are my three "steals"...
Lester Hudson- This guy will most likely go down in college basketball history as "that guy from the mid-major school who recorded a quadruple-double". Nonetheless, he would be a perfect pick for the late first round. He can play both guard positions and put the ball in the hoop all the while making himself hard to guard.
Trent Plaisted- One of the premier big men in college this past season would be a great pick in the late first or early second round come draft day. He is a fantastic rebounder and a decent scorer even though he doesn't possess the athleticism and potential of someone like DeAndre Jordan. I find it difficult to believe NBADraft.net thinks he's just another Greg Foster.
JR Giddens- He's projected as a late second rounder but will do a lot better in the NBA than in college. His athleticism is out-of-this-world and plays tough on both ends of the floor. The only thing missing is the ability to attack the basket hard, which should be easy for NBA coaches to corral since he is such a phenomenal athlete.
So there you have it. Those are my views on the NBA world, from Los Angeles to Boston to Orlando and everywhere in between. Have a nice week and, hopefully, the Pistons can extend the series to seven games tonight.
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To any average fan, it would seem as though Kobe was the one who fueled such a comeback. However, the average fan would be wrong. This comeback was ignited while Kobe, Derek Fisher, and Lamar Odom were on the bench. Jordan Farmar had a great game, showing viewers that he definitely has a future in this league, with eight points, three assists, and a steal in only 17 minutes of playing time. Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol helped out tremendously on the boards with eight and nineteen, respectively.
For the Spurs, they saw yet another tough game for Manu Ginobili. He was nursing a bum ankle while the Lakers forced him to use his off hand on penetration to the basket. The result? Nine points on 3-for-9 shooting from the field. Another problem, which is unusual for such an experienced team, has been their inability to close out games. They had a 20-point lead in Game 1 which they also ended up losing. I can only wonder what those "tweaks" Duncan was referring to after the game will be.
In the East (or Midwest for tonight's game), the Celtics will be looking to close out the Pistons on the road in Game 6. I firmly believe this game will be going the full seven games, and Detroit will win at home tonight. However, I do not see Boston losing at home in Game 7 so either way, all those nostalgic fans will get their wish and have a nice ol' Celtics/Lakers rematch that they've been waiting for.
The key for the Pistons is none other than Rasheed Wallace. I've said it all series long, and I'll reiterate it time and again. 'Sheed is essential if Detroit wants any hope at forcing a Game 7 back in Boston. He needs to bust his ass on defense and, also, to make Kevin Garnett work on both ends of the floor by taking it hard to the basket and becoming an offensive force. In their Game 5 heartbreaking loss, Wallace scored 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting, which is a good game for him. But he didn't play his hardest on the defensive end against Garnett. He allowed KG to score 33 points on 11-for-17 shooting which, in my mind, was the simple and direct reason Boston won.
Now I'll take you much farther south in this blog to the land of NBA superstar-hopefuls in Orlando, Florida, the home of the League's annual pre-draft camp. First, I'd like to congratulate the Bulls on their superior luckiness. Next, I'd like to point out that either choice, Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose, would at least help your franchise somewhat in the future. But, in my humble opinion, Rose is the better choice. This is a Chicago team that has been looking to ship Hinrich elsewhere in order to get someone that could fill their frontcourt void. If that goes through, Rose would be the floor general and playmaker that he has proven he can be. My mock draft goes as follows:
1. Derrick Rose, PG, Chicago Bulls
2. Michael Beasley, SF, Miami Heat
3. Brook Lopez, C, Minnesota Timberwolves
4. Jerryd Bayless, SG, Seattle SuperSonics
5. Kevin Love, PF, Memphis Grizzlies
6. OJ Mayo, SF, New York Knickerbockers
7. DeAndre Jordan, C, Los Angeles Clippers
8. Eric Gordon, SG, Milwaukee Bucks
9. Darrell Arthur, PF, Charlotte Bobcats
10. Russell Westbrook, PG, New Jersey Nets
I'm not completely sold on Anthony Randolph yet, and I'm not so sure many NBA scouts are either, which is why I have him going anywhere from 11-13. I also expect Gallinari to go somewhere in the 11-13 range as I'm not buying the whole Italian/D'Antoni connection with the Knicks. I would now like to warn NBA general managers of three draft busts although, sadly, 99% of GMs don't read my blog:
OJ Mayo- His many run-ins with the law is an obvious concern, but you can't forget his selfish and conceited decision-making that appears in his game from time to time. OJ can be very turnover-prone as well when he tries to do too much on the floor. All in all, there are way too many concerns and question marks about not only his game but also his image.
Roy Hibbert- All the success he has had thus far has been due to height and great teammates. He's not athletic and doesn't have the explosive first step to attack the rim in the post. When he plays against others of his size, he tends to be outplayed. Hibbert isn't a very good rebounder for being 7'2" and will struggle tremendously at the next level.
Donte Green- Many would be attracted by his athleticism and versatility. I, however, am not so easily fooled. His shot selection is downright terrible and, for as athletic as he is, Green doesn't get to the free throw line all that much. Finally and maybe most importantly, he's afraid of contact. In the NBA, the contact is ten times that of college.
I'd also be concerned with taking players such as Anthony Randolph, Eric Gordon, and Joe Alexander. The thing I love about the NBA Draft is that for every major bust, there is always that one great steal that no one sees coming. Well, almost no one. Here are my three "steals"...
Lester Hudson- This guy will most likely go down in college basketball history as "that guy from the mid-major school who recorded a quadruple-double". Nonetheless, he would be a perfect pick for the late first round. He can play both guard positions and put the ball in the hoop all the while making himself hard to guard.
Trent Plaisted- One of the premier big men in college this past season would be a great pick in the late first or early second round come draft day. He is a fantastic rebounder and a decent scorer even though he doesn't possess the athleticism and potential of someone like DeAndre Jordan. I find it difficult to believe NBADraft.net thinks he's just another Greg Foster.
JR Giddens- He's projected as a late second rounder but will do a lot better in the NBA than in college. His athleticism is out-of-this-world and plays tough on both ends of the floor. The only thing missing is the ability to attack the basket hard, which should be easy for NBA coaches to corral since he is such a phenomenal athlete.
So there you have it. Those are my views on the NBA world, from Los Angeles to Boston to Orlando and everywhere in between. Have a nice week and, hopefully, the Pistons can extend the series to seven games tonight.
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