By Joe Davidson
The NBA draft on Wednesday proved to be predictable at the top and unsettled from there. The Toronto Raptors selected Italian 7-footer Andrea Bargnani with the first pick, making the 20-year-old forward the first European-born player picked No. 1 overall.
It was the first major move for Toronto general manager Bryan Colangelo, who helped steer the Phoenix Suns to prominence in recent years with trades and drafts. Colangelo said of Bargnani in a news conference in Toronto, "It's not about today. … We think he's going to grow into a terrific star in this league."
After Bargnani, the trades hit with four of the top seven picks getting moved by the middle of the first round. Portland pulled four first-round trades, starting with obtaining the rights to Texas' LaMarcus Aldridge, who went No. 2 to Chicago. The Blazers also obtained the rights to Boston's No. 7 pick, Villanova guard Randy Foye, and Celtics veterans Raef LaFrentz and Dan Dickau for Sebastian Telfair and Theo Ratliff.
Portland shipped Foye for Washington guard Brandon Roy, picked No. 6 by Minnesota.
Gonzaga's Adam Morrison, the nation's leading scorer and deemed perhaps the most NBA ready player in the top five, went to Charlotte at No. 3. It was Michael Jordan's first draft as a member of the Bobcats' ownership group. Morrison, as quirky as he was prolific with communist readings and a fondness for heavy metal, is considered a marketable personality and a true inspiration. He's a diabetic, taking insulin during games. He has spoken at length with Chris Dudley, who played 16 NBA seasons with diabetes.
For now, Morrison wants to be more like Mike.
"It would be awesome if I could get some hands-on instruction from Mike," Morrison told reporters in New York. "Anytime the greatest player of all time is telling you what to do … if he told me how to tie my shoes a certain way, I would listen."
Houston may have landed the top-10 steal when Connecticut's Rudy Gay slipped to No. 8. He was projected as recently as Tuesday as a possible top pick, but he's now property of the Memphis Grizzlies after his rights were traded with veteran forward Stromile Swift for Shane Battier.
Golden State, seemingly stocked for a playoff run for the first time since the early 1990s, filled a need with a big man by drafting Bradley center Patrick O'Bryant at No. 9. Seattle picked its third 7-footer center in three years in Mouhamed Saer Sene of Senegal at No. 10.
Orlando drafted Duke guard J.J. Redick -- the co-Player of the Year with Morrison -- at No. 11. Redick may have slipped after his recent arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence and his admission that he has a herniated disc in his back.
Bargnani, who goes by "the Magician" in his native Rome, expects to affect the Raptors immediately in joining a front line that includes Chris Bosh and last year's first-round pick, Charlie Villanueva. Bargnani has drawn comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki, but skeptics include ESPN draft analyst Jay Bilas, who said after the draft on ESPN, "Is he an impact player now? No, he's not. He does not rebound or post up, and he's not physical."
Said Bargnani in New York: "I hope to help the team as soon as possible. I'm a young player; I know that I will find a lot of tough moments because it's a new league and I'm used to playing in Europe."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14273065p-15083230c.html
The NBA draft on Wednesday proved to be predictable at the top and unsettled from there. The Toronto Raptors selected Italian 7-footer Andrea Bargnani with the first pick, making the 20-year-old forward the first European-born player picked No. 1 overall.
It was the first major move for Toronto general manager Bryan Colangelo, who helped steer the Phoenix Suns to prominence in recent years with trades and drafts. Colangelo said of Bargnani in a news conference in Toronto, "It's not about today. … We think he's going to grow into a terrific star in this league."
After Bargnani, the trades hit with four of the top seven picks getting moved by the middle of the first round. Portland pulled four first-round trades, starting with obtaining the rights to Texas' LaMarcus Aldridge, who went No. 2 to Chicago. The Blazers also obtained the rights to Boston's No. 7 pick, Villanova guard Randy Foye, and Celtics veterans Raef LaFrentz and Dan Dickau for Sebastian Telfair and Theo Ratliff.
Portland shipped Foye for Washington guard Brandon Roy, picked No. 6 by Minnesota.
Gonzaga's Adam Morrison, the nation's leading scorer and deemed perhaps the most NBA ready player in the top five, went to Charlotte at No. 3. It was Michael Jordan's first draft as a member of the Bobcats' ownership group. Morrison, as quirky as he was prolific with communist readings and a fondness for heavy metal, is considered a marketable personality and a true inspiration. He's a diabetic, taking insulin during games. He has spoken at length with Chris Dudley, who played 16 NBA seasons with diabetes.
For now, Morrison wants to be more like Mike.
"It would be awesome if I could get some hands-on instruction from Mike," Morrison told reporters in New York. "Anytime the greatest player of all time is telling you what to do … if he told me how to tie my shoes a certain way, I would listen."
Houston may have landed the top-10 steal when Connecticut's Rudy Gay slipped to No. 8. He was projected as recently as Tuesday as a possible top pick, but he's now property of the Memphis Grizzlies after his rights were traded with veteran forward Stromile Swift for Shane Battier.
Golden State, seemingly stocked for a playoff run for the first time since the early 1990s, filled a need with a big man by drafting Bradley center Patrick O'Bryant at No. 9. Seattle picked its third 7-footer center in three years in Mouhamed Saer Sene of Senegal at No. 10.
Orlando drafted Duke guard J.J. Redick -- the co-Player of the Year with Morrison -- at No. 11. Redick may have slipped after his recent arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence and his admission that he has a herniated disc in his back.
Bargnani, who goes by "the Magician" in his native Rome, expects to affect the Raptors immediately in joining a front line that includes Chris Bosh and last year's first-round pick, Charlie Villanueva. Bargnani has drawn comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki, but skeptics include ESPN draft analyst Jay Bilas, who said after the draft on ESPN, "Is he an impact player now? No, he's not. He does not rebound or post up, and he's not physical."
Said Bargnani in New York: "I hope to help the team as soon as possible. I'm a young player; I know that I will find a lot of tough moments because it's a new league and I'm used to playing in Europe."
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14273065p-15083230c.html
