http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14272564p-15082865c.html
Draft day has arrived. Though it doesn't have quite the punch of the NFL draft because of so many foreign players and the relative obscurity of their game -- and there's no Mel Kiper Jr., either, thank goodness -- NBA teams are shaping pieces of their futures with today's selections.
All told, 60 athletes will go in two rounds, with this year's pickings a curiosity even at the top. There is no slam-dunk No. 1 pick, nor are there any high school prospects to second-guess. Here are five things to ponder:
1. Trade winds brewing -- It happens every June: talks of trades, rumors of trades and, heck, sometimes even an actual trade.
Some of the names mentioned, rumor or not, are the old and proven in Allen Iverson to the young and unseasoned in Sebastian Telfair.
2. What does Toronto do? -- The Raptors got lucky with the No. 1 pick in what appears to be an unlucky draft, certainly in terms of a can't-miss prospect a la Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson or LeBron James.
Toronto has been rumored to go several ways at No. 1, including selecting Italian 7-footer Andrea Bargnani. He goes by "Il Mago," or "the Magician," back home, and he'll carry the burden of his country, though not bearing nearly the weight that China's Yao Ming did early as the No. 1 pick for Houston in 2002. The Raptors would hope Bargnani is more Dirk Nowitzki than Nikoloz Tskitishvili, so help the stunted growth of the franchise and general manager Bryan Colangelo's early reputation with his first executive decision north of the border.
3. What about the co-Players of the Year? -- Adam Morrison of Gonzaga has tremendous upside on offense and looks the part of NBA scorer. OK, maybe the mustache needs to go, but he could go anywhere in the top four picks. J.J. Redick, Morrison's cell-phone buddy from Duke, is a top shooter, but his stock took a beating for his recent drunken-driving arrest, which is about the only blot on his pristine image.
4. What does MJ do now? -- The last time Michael Jordan picked through prospects this high in the draft was in 2001, when he swung and missed badly on No. 1 pick Kwame Brown with the Washington Wizards. Now, he calls the shots for Charlotte, which picks No. 3, and everyone in Bobcats colors is holding his or her breath.
5. Is this when overconfidence burns a prospect? -- Consider UCLA's Jordan Farmar, who took a risk by coming out early and really took some risks by blowing off workouts with Memphis and Dallas. That appears to be a heavy dose of Westwood foolishness. On the plus side, the kid can play, and he's perhaps the best passing point guard on the board.
Draft day has arrived. Though it doesn't have quite the punch of the NFL draft because of so many foreign players and the relative obscurity of their game -- and there's no Mel Kiper Jr., either, thank goodness -- NBA teams are shaping pieces of their futures with today's selections.
All told, 60 athletes will go in two rounds, with this year's pickings a curiosity even at the top. There is no slam-dunk No. 1 pick, nor are there any high school prospects to second-guess. Here are five things to ponder:
1. Trade winds brewing -- It happens every June: talks of trades, rumors of trades and, heck, sometimes even an actual trade.
Some of the names mentioned, rumor or not, are the old and proven in Allen Iverson to the young and unseasoned in Sebastian Telfair.
2. What does Toronto do? -- The Raptors got lucky with the No. 1 pick in what appears to be an unlucky draft, certainly in terms of a can't-miss prospect a la Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson or LeBron James.
Toronto has been rumored to go several ways at No. 1, including selecting Italian 7-footer Andrea Bargnani. He goes by "Il Mago," or "the Magician," back home, and he'll carry the burden of his country, though not bearing nearly the weight that China's Yao Ming did early as the No. 1 pick for Houston in 2002. The Raptors would hope Bargnani is more Dirk Nowitzki than Nikoloz Tskitishvili, so help the stunted growth of the franchise and general manager Bryan Colangelo's early reputation with his first executive decision north of the border.
3. What about the co-Players of the Year? -- Adam Morrison of Gonzaga has tremendous upside on offense and looks the part of NBA scorer. OK, maybe the mustache needs to go, but he could go anywhere in the top four picks. J.J. Redick, Morrison's cell-phone buddy from Duke, is a top shooter, but his stock took a beating for his recent drunken-driving arrest, which is about the only blot on his pristine image.
4. What does MJ do now? -- The last time Michael Jordan picked through prospects this high in the draft was in 2001, when he swung and missed badly on No. 1 pick Kwame Brown with the Washington Wizards. Now, he calls the shots for Charlotte, which picks No. 3, and everyone in Bobcats colors is holding his or her breath.
5. Is this when overconfidence burns a prospect? -- Consider UCLA's Jordan Farmar, who took a risk by coming out early and really took some risks by blowing off workouts with Memphis and Dallas. That appears to be a heavy dose of Westwood foolishness. On the plus side, the kid can play, and he's perhaps the best passing point guard on the board.
-- Joe Davidson
