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Saturday, December 06, 2008
Will Rajon Rondo go down as the best player in the 2006 NBA Draft?
Rajon Rondo and the 2006 NBA DRAFT:
Look, I know its early to look back on a draft but I am going to do it anyway.
The first pick made was also the first international player to go # 1 overall : Andrea Bargnani. So far, you can certainly question that pick but the draft overall at least at this point will be looked at as one of the weaker drafts in recent memory.
In my opinion there is one exception :
Rajon Rondo : Phoenix must be kicking themselves right now as there couldn't have been a better fit than Rondo playing in the fast paced Phoenix offense.The Suns essentially sold this pick to Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics at # 21 and without hesitation Rondo became the pick. There was definetely some risk involved here for Boston as Rondo's college career was a rocky ride on the court due to consistency and player role issues and off the court due to a embattled relationship with Coach Tubby Smith. The biggest negative regarding Rondo was his outside shooting prowess. At the time NBA GM's were looking for that zone busting three point shooting point guard, not your old school play maker type. Guards selected before Rondo included:
Brandon Roy at # 6 who is a top notch SG for Portland
Randy Foye at # 7 who is more of a combo guard,and has battled injuries
JJ Redick at # 11 NBA quality shooter and not much else
Thabo Sefolosha at # 13, combo guard not a gamebreaker, selected too early.
Ronnie Brewer at # 14, good pick; defensive standout and will be one of the best players in this draft.
Quincy Douby at # 19, good scorer in NCAA, not so much in the NBA due to strength and not being able to hold his own defensively has cut his minutes.
So as you see, theres only one guard that you can make an argument that his draft selection justifies itself and that's Brandon Roy. Ronnie Brewer, although a solid NBA guard is simply not an outstanding player by any means.
Now, for the forwards and centers drafted before Rondo, there are two standouts :
LaMarcus Aldridge # 2, once again here's another quality NBA player but being worthy of the # 2 pick is questionable.
Rudy Gay at # 8, is now coming into his own as a player. In fact I would put him in the top three players in this draft and anyone who doesn't think so is crazy.
So now back to Rondo, who I'll remind you was picked at # 21. Was there really 20 players picked ahead of him? Seriously? There are some truly gruesome picks in this draft for sure and NBA GM's have been known to be total morons but come on now.
The top three in the 2008 Hindsight NBA Draft would go something like Brandon Roy, Rudy Gay, Rajon Rondo. Wait, Rajon Rondo? But he can't even consistently shoot free throws why would he be drafted in the top three? Well, there is a mostly forgotten art in today's NBA and that is hustle. Hustle and raw talent combined with the motivation to be a better player is the mix that makes up Rajon Rondo. You want twenty point scorers who are plentiful (right now there are 31 players above 20 ppg)then draft Roy or Gay. I'll gladly take Rondo over either of those players any day. A great defensive point guard is a rare commodity these days and one that can slash and make plays going to the hoop is even more in demand. Now, is Rondo a great shooter, not by any means. The key is that he is working hard at it and it is consistently improving while at the same time Rondo knows his limits. He takes shots in the flow of the offense like a traditional point guard and drives when he can. His # 1 priority is finding the open man, almost to a fault. Rondo is what a PG should be. He's a winner and should make his first All Star roster this season.
It has to be noted that Rondo happens to play with three future Hall of Famers in Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. That will make life easier for any young PG, right? Wrong! Sure, those players can make Rondo look better than he is but the fact is that without Rondo the Celtics team suffers almost like the Lakers without Kobe. It's hard to imagine one player especially a young PG who can make that much of a difference to a veteran team. There is also immense pressure when playing with a talent like Garnett who is not afraid to get in your face when you make a mistake. Rondo was able to handle whatever has been thrown at him in his young career and I am going out on a limb here and saying that he will go down as the best overall player in the 2006 NBA Draft.
Posted by NBA Draft 2005 at 12:12 PM 0 comments
Labels: 2006 NBA Draft, basketball, Brandon Roy, Rajon Rondo, Rudy Gay
Sunday, November 23, 2008
TOP 15 NBA PROSPECTS IN NCAA
With the start of the NCAA season, here are my top 15 NBA prospects in the NCAA. This is a very early look at how the top half of the draft will look
1. Blake Griffin F Oklahoma
2. Hasheem Thabeet C Uconn
3. James Harden SG Arizona St
4. BJ Mullens C Ohio St
5. Damar DeRozen SG USC
6. Jrue Holiday G UCLA
7. Earl Clark F Louisville
8. Tyreke Evans G Memphis
9. James Johnson PF Wake Forest
10. Ty Lawson PG North Carolina
11. Austin Daye F Gonzaga
12. Jonny Flynn PG Syracuse
13. Stephen Curry PG Davidson
14. Al-Farouq Aminu SF Wake Forest
15. Gerald Henderson G Duke
Posted by NBA Draft 2005 at 9:30 AM 0 comments
Labels: 2009 NBA Draft, DeRozen, Griffin, Jrue, Mullens, NCAA
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Team USA vs Spain - 8/16
Just a quick note for those who have not had a chance to see Ricky Rubio in a live game today versus USA will be a good matchup. Check NBC for live feed from game, this one might actually be close. For Portland fans Rudy Fernandez should be playing as well.
Posted by NBA Draft 2005 at 7:44 AM 0 comments
Saturday, July 12, 2008
NBA Vegas Summer League - PreLeague All Vegas Team
Vegas Summer League rosters & schedule in post below. The Orlando Summer League is also underway (Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green killed it) but Vegas is where the best summer NBA action is.
Here is my first team PreVegas Team, expect strong performances from this group :
OJ Mayo PG Grizzlies - Is going to light up this league; no question. MVP favorite. Needs to work on PG skills here.
Eric Gordon SG Clippers - Should put up plenty of points in this style of play
Al Thornton F CLippers - Old man Thornton will prove his future worth as a good NBA player starting next season
Darrell Arthur PF Grizzlies - Not a lot of power in this forward but in terms of this team he should be one of the best rookie players in Vegas. Slipped in the draft due to health concerns.
Amir Johnson F/C Pistons - Numbers will not jump out at you due to the style of play but he is certainly one of the best big men here.
Second Team :
Mike Conley PG Grizzlies - Another promising player in the Grizzlies future. We will see how much he has improved his game and what his health status is.
Rodney Stuckey G Pistons - Second year player showed flashes during the playoffs as a poor mans DWADE. More minutes next season and sixth man role await for Stuckey.
Thaddeus Young F Sixers - Another second year player who will see plenty of increased minutes next season. Sixers have big plans for him and have brought him along slowly. Can play in the post but his game is mid range, his improved strenght will help him immensely next year.
Kevin Love PF Wolves - Should put up solid numbers here, look for more rebounds and assists than scoring.
Spencer Hawes C Kings - Very athletic C, has to rebound the ball a lot better for his size. Offensively, Hawes has the goods and has looked to have bulked up since last season.
Now, here are some other players worth following in the Vegas Summer League.
Mike Taylor PG Clippers - Only one game in, but look for Taylor to make a push for a roster spot next season. You may or may not remember him last season playing for Idaho in the NBDL. (Character issues/Kicked off team at Iowa St.)Fast scoring guard, can create offense for himself but by no means is a polished PG product.
Anthony Randolph F Warriors - I expect him to put up numbers here in Vegas but once the season starts you will not hear anything about him. Randolph is a project and Don Nelson known for burying rookies on the bench.
Louis Amundson PF Warriors - One of the best players in last years Summer League, will bang and put up double doubles here.
Posted by NBA Draft 2005 at 6:33 AM 0 comments
Monday, July 07, 2008
2008 NBA Summer League Rosters - Vegas
Get NBATV and Also Check Out NBA.com for streaming video of these games.
Nuggets
No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. School/Country Exp.
6 Elton Brown F 6-9 255 Virginia R
7 Jamon Gordon G 6-3 212 Virginia Tech R
0 Taurean Green G 6-0 177 Florida 1
8 Mike Hall F 6-8 230 George Washington 1
11 Bobby Jones F 6-7 215 Washington 2
1 Dahntay Jones G/F 6-6 210 Duke 5
2 Keith Langford G 6-4 215 Kansas 1
3 Chris Lofton G 6-2 200 Tennessee R
5 Jelani McCoy F/C 6-10 245 UCLA 8
9 Curtis Sumpter F 6-7 225 Villanova R
13 Sonny Weems G/F 6-6 203 Arkansas R
10 Jeff Varem G/F 6-6 245 Washington State R
Pistons
NO PLAYER POS HT WT COLLEGE/COUNTRY BIRTHDATE NBA EXP.
6 Alex Acker G 6-5 185 Pepperdine 1/21/83 1 year
28 Arron Afflalo G 6-5 215 UCLA 10/15/85 1 year
23 Derrick Allen F 6-8 238 Mississippi 7/17/80 R
7 Will Bynum G 6-0 185 Georgia Tech 1/4/83 1 year
34 Ryvon Coville F 6-9 250 Detroit 3/1/84 R
20 Kentrell Gransberry F/C 6-9 270 South Florida 8/1/85 R
25 Amir Johnson F 6-9 210 Westchester HS (Los Angeles) 5/1/87 3 years
44 Trent Plaisted F 6-11 245 BYU 10/20/86 R
35 Cheikh Samb C 7-1 195 Senegal 10/22/84 1 year
14 Walter Sharpe F 6-9 245 Alabama-Birmingham 7/16/86 R
12 Marcus Stout G 6-4 195 Fordham 6/20/86 R
3 Rodney Stuckey G 6-5 205 Eastern Washington 4/21/86 1 year
8 Deron Washington G/F 6-7 210 Virginia Tech 12/12/85 R
Warriors
NO. PLAYER POS HT WT BORN FROM YRS
. Louis Amundson F 9-Jun 225 12/7/1982 UNLV 2
18 Marco Belinelli G 5-Jun 192 3/25/1986 Italy 1
11 Dion Dowell G/f 7-Jun 205 6/11/1985 Houston R
35 Richard Hendrix F 9-Jun 255 11/15/1986 Alabama R
31 Rob Kurz F 9-Jun 232 3/5/1985 Notre Dame R
12 Reggie Larry F 6-Jun 225 10/20/1986 Boise State R
28 Jamaal Moore G/F 6-Jun 195 7/6/1983 Rice R
25 Anthony Morrow G 5-Jun 210 9/27/1985 Georgia Tech R
21 DeMarcus Nelson G 4-Jun 200 11/2/1985 Duke R
4 Anthony Randolph F 10-Jun 205 7/15/1989 LSU R
10 Mykal Riley F 6-Jun 185 7/14/1985 Alabama R
33 Tamar Slay G/F 8-Jun 220 4/2/1980 Marshall 3
23 C.J. Watson G 2-Jun 175 4/17/1984 Tennessee 1
32 Brandan Wright F 9-Jun 205 10/5/1987 North Carolina 1
6 Ian Young G 3-Jun 200 9/27/1981 Auburn R
Rockets
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Birthdate College/Country NBA Exp.
0 Aaron Brooks G 6-0 161 1/14/85 Oregon 1
3 Russell Robinson G 6-1 205 1/24/86 Kansas R
5 Dont¨¦ Greene F 6-9 222 2/21/88 Syracuse R
6 Gustavo Barrera G 6-5 180 4/7/85 Uruguay R
7 Dijon Thompson G/F 6-7 195 2/23/83 UCLA 2
10 Maarty Leunen F 6-9 220 9/3/85 Oregon R
13 Mark Tyndale G 6-5 210 1/4/86 Temple R
15 Joey Dorsey F 6-7 268 12/16/83 Memphis R
19 Mike Harris F 6-6 240 6/15/83 Rice 1
25 Lanny Smith G 6-3 194 10/30/84 Houston R
30 Joseph Jones C/F 6-9 255 3/21/86 Texas A&M R
33 Loren Woods C 7-2 260 6/21/78 Arizona 6
Clippers
# Player POS HT WT BORN FROM YRS. PRO
32 Koko Archibong F 6-8 215 10/5/81 Pennsylvania R
20 Nick Fazekas F 6-11 235 6/17/85 Nevada 1
23 Eric Gordon G 6-3 222 12/25/88 Indiana R
7 Brandon Heath G 6-4 198 3/01/84 San Diego State R
6 DeAndre Jordan C 6-11 250 7/21/88 Texas A&M R
9 Dustin Salisbery G 6-5 205 10/19/84 Temple R
4 Mike Taylor G 6-2 166 1/21/86 Iowa State R
12 Al Thornton F 6-8 220 12/07/83 Florida State 1
31 Darryl Watkins C 6-11 258 11/08/84 Syracuse 1
3 Marcus Williams F 6-7 207 11/18/86 Arizona 1
Grizzlies
No. Player POS HT WT DOB School/Country 07-08 Team
15 Alan Anderson G/F 6-6 220 10/16/82 Michigan State Vitrus Bologna (Italy)
00 Darrell Arthur F 6-9 225 3/25/88 Kansas Kansas (NCAA)
5 Malick Badiane C/F 6-10 240 1/1/84 Senegal Saint Vallier (France)
6 Steve Burtt, Jr. G 6-1 190 3/7/84 Iona Ashkelon (Israel)
11 Mike Conley G 6-1 180 10/11/87 Ohio State Memphis Grizzlies
3 Javaris Crittenton G 6-5 200 12/31/87 Georgia Tech Memphis
25 Ebi Ere G 6-5 215 8/3/81 Oklahoma Brisbane (Australia)
32 O.J. Mayo G 6-5 200 11/5/87 USC USC (NCAA)
23 Aaron Pettway F 6-10 240 1/4/80 Oklahoma State SIG Strasbourg (France)
50 Brent Petway F 6-8 205 5/12/85 Michigan Idaho Stamped (NBDL)
19 Hector Romero F 6-4 225 1/3/80 New Orleans Polaris (Spain)
1 P.J. Tucker F 6-5 225 5/5/85 Texas Hapoel Holon (Israel)
Timberwolves
Player - Position (Height, Weight) College
Blake Ahearn - G (6-2, 190) Missouri State
Corey Brewer - F (6-9, 185) Florida
Dan Coleman - F (6-9, 225) Minnesota
Vincent Grier - G (6-5, 200) Minnesota
Pooh Jeter - G (5-11, 175) Portland
Longar Longar - C (6-11, 234) Oklahoma
Kevin Love - F (6-10, 255) UCLA
Drew Neitzel - G (6-0, 180) Michigan State
Chris Richard - F (6-9, 255) Florida
Bryce Taylor - G (6-5, 200) Oregon
Hornets
No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Birthdate College NBA Exp.
12 Hilton Armstrong C/F 6-11 235 11/11/84 Connecticut 2
0 Brandon Bowman F 6-9 223 10/15/84 Georgetown 1
4 Bobby Brown G 6-2 175 9/23/84 Cal-State Fullerton None
8 Derrick Byars F 6-7 230 4/25/84 Vanderbilt None
34 Ndudi Ebi F 6-9 200 6/18/84 None 2
1 Adam Haluska G 6-5 210 11/16/83 Iowa 1
35 Dalron Johnson F 6-10 215 6/27/81 UNLV 2
25 Larry Owens F 6-7 210 1/8/83 Oral Roberts None
55 Shaun Pruitt F/C 6-10 245 11/22/85 Illinois None
44 Courtney Sims C 6-11 245 10/21/83 Michigan 1
5 Filip Videnov G 6-5 205 6/12/80 Western Kentucky None
11 Frank Williams G 6-3 212 2/25/80 Illinois 3
32 Julian Wright F 6-8 225 5/20/87 Kansas 1
SUNS
No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Birthdate College/Team Yrs
16 Rod Benson F/C 6-10 225 10/10/84 California R
10 Justin Cage G/F 6-6 225 6/26/85 Xavier R
4 Taquan Dean G 6-4 190 8/6/83 Louisville R
12 Jiri Hubalek F/C 6-11 225 11/25/82 Iowa State R
14 Ekene Ibekwe F 6-9 220 7/19/85 Maryland R
17 Jared Jordan G 6-2 187 10/14/84 Marist 1
15 Robin Lopez C 7-0 255 4/1/88 Stanford R
11 Ivan McFarlin F 6-8 232 4/26/82 Oklahoma State 1
8 D.J. Strawberry G 6-5 201 6/15/85 Maryland 1
29 Alando Tucker G 6-6 205 2/11/84 Wisconsin 1
2 Marcus Vinicius F 6-8 225 5/31/84 San Carlos (Brazil) 2
3 Judson Wallace F/C 6-10 220 12/31/82 Princeton R
KINGS
No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Birthdate From Years Pro
8 Quincy Douby G 6-3 175 05/16/1984 Rutgers 2
16 Zabian Dowdell G 6-3 190 09/10/1984 Virginia Tech R
0 Patrick Ewing Jr. F 6-8 240 05/20/1984 Georgetown R
43 Noel Felix F 6-9 225 10/04/1981 Fresno State 1 (SEA, 05-06)
31 Spencer Hawes C 7-0 245 04/28/1988 Washington 1
20 Justin Hawkins F 6-7 204 05/18/1985 New Mexico R
24 David Johnson G 5-10 170 06/15/1983 Napa Valley CC R
18 Darnell Jones G 6-4 210 04/29/1983 Mesa College R
25 Marcus Malone G 6-5 215 09/07/1986 Houston R
10 Bo McCalebb G 6-0 180 05/04/1985 New Orleans R
41 Juan Palacios F 6-8 245 05/12/1985 Louisville R
35 Patrick Sanders F 6-6 205 08/27/1985 UC Irvine R
7 Sean Singletary G 6-0 185 09/06/1985 Virginia R
34 Jason Thompson F 6-11 250 07/21/1986 Rider R
40 Darian Townes F-C 6-10 250 07/31/1984 Arkansas R
30 Matt Walsh F 6-6 190 12/03/1982 Florida R
22 Shelden Williams F 6-9 250 10/21/1983 Duke 2
Posted by NBA Draft 2005 at 3:26 PM 0 comments
Friday, July 04, 2008
2008 NBA Summer League - Info & Schedule
Rosters coming soon............
The 2008 NBA Summer League Presented by EA SPORTS will be held from July 11-20, 2008 at the Thomas & Mack Center and COX Pavilion on the campus of UNLV. Teams participating in this summer's league include:
Charlotte Bobcats Minnesota Timberwolves
Cleveland Cavaliers New Orleans Hornets
Dallas Mavericks New York Knicks
Denver Nuggets Philadelphia 76ers
Detroit Pistons Phoenix Suns
Golden State Warriors Portland Trail Blazers
Houston Rockets Sacramento Kings
Los Angeles Clippers San Antonio Spurs
Los Angeles Lakers Toronto Raptors
Memphis Grizzlies Washington Wizards
Milwaukee Bucks
Schedule :
2008 NBA Summer League Game Schedule: DATE TIME TEAMS LOCATION
July 11 4:00 PM ET Philadelphia vs. Golden State COX Pavilion
July 11 6:00 PM ET New Orleans vs. Memphis COX Pavilion
July 11 8:00 PM ET LA Lakers vs. Detroit* COX Pavilion
July 11 10:00 PM ET Dallas vs. LA Clippers* COX Pavilion
July 12 4:00 PM ET Toronto vs. Sacramento COX Pavilion
July 12 6:00 PM ET Charlotte vs. LA Clippers COX Pavilion
July 12 8:00 PM ET Philadelphia vs. Denver COX Pavilion
July 12 10:00 PM ET Memphis vs. Milwaukee COX Pavilion
July 13 4:00 PM ET Charlotte vs. New Orleans COX Pavilion
July 13 6:00 PM ET Dallas vs. Golden State* COX Pavilion
July 13 8:00 PM ET Memphis vs. LA Lakers* COX Pavilion
July 13 10:00 PM ET Detroit vs. LA Clippers COX Pavilion
July 14 4:00 PM ET New York vs. Cleveland* COX Pavilion
July 14 6:00 PM ET Toronto vs. Denver COX Pavilion
July 14 8:00 PM ET Washington vs. Portland* COX Pavilion
July 14 8:30 PM ET Phoenix vs. Houston Thomas & Mack Center
July 14 10:00 PM ET Dallas vs. Minnesota* COX Pavilion
July 14 10:30 PM ET San Antonio vs. Memphis Thomas & Mack Center
July 15 6:00 PM ET Detroit vs. Milwaukee COX Pavilion
July 15 8:00 PM ET Philadelphia vs. LA Lakers* COX Pavilion
July 15 8:30 PM ET San Antonio vs. New Orleans Thomas & Mack Center
July 15 10:00 PM ET Sacramento vs. Portland* COX Pavilion
July 15 10:30 PM ET Charlotte vs. Golden State Thomas & Mack Center
July 16 4:00 PM ET San Antonio vs. New York* COX Pavilion
July 16 6:00 PM ET Sacramento vs. Dallas* COX Pavilion
July 16 8:00 PM ET Philadelphia vs. Washington* COX Pavilion
July 16 8:30 PM ET Minnesota vs. LA Lakers Thomas & Mack Center
July 16 10:00 PM ET Memphis vs. LA Clippers COX Pavilion
July 16 10:30 PM ET Cleveland vs. Houston Thomas & Mack Center
July 17 4:00 PM ET Dallas vs. Detroit* COX Pavilion
July 17 6:00 PM ET New Orleans vs. LA Clippers COX Pavilion
July 17 8:00 PM ET Toronto vs. Philadelphia COX Pavilion
July 17 8:30 PM ET San Antonio vs. Phoenix Thomas & Mack Center
July 17 10:00 PM ET Portland vs. Minnesota* COX Pavilion
July 17 10:30 PM ET Denver vs. Milwaukee Thomas & Mack Center
July 18 4:00 PM ET Phoenix vs. New York* COX Pavilion
July 18 6:00 PM ET Charlotte vs. Detroit COX Pavilion
July 18 8:00 PM ET Cleveland vs. Washington* COX Pavilion
July 18 8:30 PM ET LA Lakers vs. Toronto Thomas & Mack Center
July 18 10:00 PM ET Sacramento vs. Golden State* COX Pavilion
July 18 10:30 PM ET Houston vs. Denver Thomas & Mack Center
July 19 4:00 PM ET New York vs. Charlotte* COX Pavilion
July 19 6:00 PM ET Golden State vs. Toronto COX Pavilion
July 19 6:30 PM ET LA Lakers vs. Denver Thomas & Mack Center
July 19 8:00 PM ET Washington vs. Houston* COX Pavilion
July 19 8:30 PM ET Minnesota vs. Milwaukee Thomas & Mack Center
July 19 10:00 PM ET Portland vs. Phoenix* COX Pavilion
July 19 10:30 PM ET New Orleans vs. Cleveland Thomas & Mack Center
July 20 4:00 PM ET Minnesota vs. New York* COX Pavilion
July 20 6:00 PM ET Phoenix vs. Washington COX Pavilion
July 20 6:30 PM ET Milwaukee vs. Cleveland Thomas & Mack Center
July 20 8:00 PM ET Portland vs. New Orleans* COX Pavilion
July 20 8:30 PM ET Sacramento vs. Houston Thomas & Mack Center
Posted by NBA Draft 2005 at 10:15 AM 1 comments
Labels: 2008 NBA Summer League
Sunday, June 29, 2008
2009 NBA DRAFT - MOCK DRAFT! - LOTTERY AND MORE.......
Here is a quick glance at some of the top NBA prospects that are returning or will hit the college game in '09.(With the exception of Spain G Ricky Rubio.) The theme of this draft will be the amount of quality sophomores that will be drafted. Although, similar to this season there will be plenty of one and done freshman. The general consensus is this will be a weaker draft than 2008. Just a quick note, I've never been a quantity blogger and the delay in posts was not planned but my interest in hoops has not faded and I will continue to deliver the best unbiased NBA Draft info. Thanks for all the emails and concerns.
1. BJ Mullens C - Freshman Ohio St : Legit seven foot centers simply do not last long when it comes to the NBA draft. Mullens has been on scouts radar for a long time and his one year at Ohio St will more than likely solidify his standing as one of the top 3 picks in the draft. Should be one of the best rebounders in the nation and put up 12-14 pts a game as well.
2.Ricky Rubio PG - Spain : Think of Manu Ginobli as a PG. Has the same fearless, slashing type of game and is an all around pest on defense. Is one of the best players in the top Euro league, will contend for the # 1 pick in the draft. Does not possess great size or strength,may have problems defending the bigger guards in the NBA. Here are a couple YouTube vids for those who havent had a chance to see him play
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqLGzkhRHN8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueL9046BDxQ&feature=related
3. Blake Griffin F - Sophomore Oklahoma : Strong, multi dimensional F who if healthy will be a first team All American for Oklahoma. Will be in the mix for the top 3 pick in the '09 draft. Good inside/outside player, does not force shots, can play within an established offensive system and put up consistent numbers. His recovery from the MCL will be a key. More effort on the defensive end is expected of Griffin this season.
4. Earl Clark F - Junior Louisville : Should be the first Junior considered (unless Thabeet jumps ahead,) # 4 may be high for Clark who really has not had a consistent full NCAA season. I see Clark improving his offensive game this season while playing on one of the top teams in the country. Clark is an absolute beast on the boards and at the very least is ready for defense and rebounding at the NBA level. As a focal point for Pitino this season expect an array of double doubles and plenty of drooling scouts courtside.
5. James Harden SG - Sophomore Arizona St : Expect a big second season from Harden in the PAC-10. Had a well rounded freshman season and showed his accurate 3 pt shooting and ability to rebound at the G position. Not the best athlete but finds ways to get er done.
6. Demar DeRozan SG - Freshman USC : USC fans may be mourning the loss of OJ Mayo after only one year but the mourning will stop the night of Midnight Madness when many will get there first look at Demar. Quite frankly the best athlete that will be in the '09 draft. If any of you saw Bill Walker play in high school you can get a good mental picture of the athleticism here. Great in transistion, will score on aggresive drives to the hole has good size and NBA ready body right now. Can he consistently hit the three and be an effective ball handler within an NCAA offense?
7. Haseem Thabeet F/C - Junior UCONN : Defense, Defense, Defense. I don't know how Calhoun convinced Haseem to come back for his Junior season but its going to help him immensely in his transition to the NBA. He came into UCONN as raw as sushi and still is, but you can see how much he has improved each season that makes you think of how good this guy can be. His range offensively is still limited but thats not what will get him drafted this high. He is the best big man defender coming out in '09 and if his rebounding improves he will be top ten pick. Any scoring is a bonus but 8-10 points a game is not out of the question in the NBA for Haseem
8. Patrick Patterson F - Sophomore Kentucky : Had a good first season in Lexington. Was one of the top prospects coming into 2008 but needs to improve his outside play to get drafted this high. Can score from the post with ease at the NCAA level, in the NBA not so much. He will need to add muscle to continue with the current skill set he has now or work hard to improve his outside shot. I think he will do both and be one of the top players in the country next season.
9.Ty Lawson PG - Sophomore North Carolina : Ok, so we know he likes to get his booze on and probably blew his chance to get drafted at # 20 to the Nuggets but another year(and probable NCAA championship) will not hurt Lawson. NBA execs love speed from the PG position and Lawson gives you that and more. Can score but needs to improve consistency from 3 and his defense is OK not great.
10. Austin Freeman SG - Sophomore Georgetown : Highly touted recruit out of the Greater DC area. Will have more responsibilty next season to show his game. Great scorer, can finish around the hoop as well as step out for the three ball. More minutes will result in NBA teams coming around on him. Needs to measure at least 6-4.
11. Darren Collison PG - Senior UCLA : Floor general for one of the top programs in the country. Expect a huge season from him, really had a chance to get drafted high in '08 but will be back for another run. Look for first team All American honors and an improvement in outside shooting.
12. Brandon Jennings PG - Freshman Arizona : Look for Jennings to help fill the departure of Bayless. Will not start right away but will contribute to a more steady Wildcat team from day one. Can distribute the ball to key scorers and can play the transition game. I'm not expecting big numbers though as from what I have seen he looks to be a little undersized and may not be ready right away offensively. He will declare and be one of those players who should return for a second season. We will see.
13. JaJuan Johnson F/C - Sophomore Purdue : Should be a double double machine in the Big Ten in his second season. Was a project coming into Purdue but has increased muscle and has been coached to have more of an impact on the defensive end. Very raw but his potential is what gets him drafted in this spot.
14.Nick Calathes G - Sophomore Florida : Very Active guard who is one of the more versatile players in the NCAA. Closer to 6-4 not the 6-6 listed on the Gator web site. Has good ball handling, can play PG for stretches but more of a 2 guard. Is a slasher, will be extremely effective at driving and dishing and running the pick and roll in the NBA.
That is the lottery as I see it right now. Now here are a few more names for you to research and tell me I'm crazy for not putting in the top 14!
Austin Dave F - Sophomore Gonzaga - Has really improved since he arrived on the Gonzaga campus. I think what you'll see this season is 18 points and 8 boards on a consistent basis. His size is really intriguing, if he can bulk up I would move him up a couple of spots.
Chase Budinger SF - Junior Arizona : Smooth forward with good size (height, not weight). Will float around in an offense and takes his looks when available. Not a dominant player. Great athlete, not a white stiff although he looks like one. HAs a chance to be the man in Zona next season, keep an eye out for him to move up a bit.
Stephen Curry G - Sophomore Davidson : Looks 12 years old and does not have ideal size by any means but is the best player in the NCAA. Many big time coaches are killing themselves over not taking a chance on this kid. NBA scouts are not yet sold on Curry because of the size/strength issue but he has heart, is a winner, and is the best pure shooter in the '09 draft. Good genes from long time NBA veteran Dell Curry doesn't hurt. Can he play the PG? If JJ Redick can get himself drafted (After a DUI, never less) Curry can and will also. Look for him to go in the 18-24 range.
Jrue Holiday PG - Freshman UCLA : One of the nations most sought after recruits stays close to his roots and lands at powerhouse UCLA. I'm not sure at this point what to expect in terms of minutes and what his role will be since Collison returned for his senior year. He can play the 2 guard well but what I think will get him in the lottery will be his ability to be a top PG. 2 years at UCLA will get him there.
Kyle Singler F - Sophomore Duke : Had an uneven first season at Duke. Admittedly needs to improve both on the offensive end and defensive end. Not a game changer but quietly fills the stat sheet. Plays like a Euro. May be a rotation player in the NBA if he can show ability to defend in the post and expand his game. Expect him to stay at Duke post '09, if not he should go in the 15-18 range.
Tyler Hansbrough PF - Senior North Carolina : Psycho T will be one of the few seniors taken which does not fare well for the senior class as a whole. We have all seen what he can do at this point so I wont bore you with the details. Will be a late first round pick to a top playoff team.
Tyrese Rice G - Junior Boston College - Scoring combo guard can heat up and take over a game offensively. How effective will he be in the NBA is the question? His size is an issue and is not a PG by any means. Will be a late first rounder.
Tyreke Evans SG - Memphis
Jerome Jordan C - Tulsa
Al-Farouq Aminu SF - Wake Forest
Nayal Koshwal PF - Depaul
Damion James SF - Sophomore Texas
Gerald Henderson G - Junior Duke
Jordan Hill PF - Arizona
Jeremy Pargo PG - Gonzaga
Omri Casspi F - Israel
Posted by NBA Draft 2005 at 7:12 AM 0 comments
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