LOSER: Isiah Thomas
The NBA draft is Christmas in June for
Detroit Lions president Matt Millen, the day that Isiah Thomas reaffirms to everyone that it is he, and not Millen, who is the worst executive in professional sports. Called a "bum" by one Knicks fan in the crowd, Train Wreck Thomas used the 20th pick on an undersized forward out of South Carolina who never averaged double-figure points or rebounds, exasperating even the mild-mannered Bilas and prompting him to rip Isiah to shreds.
In addition to his general manager duties, Thomas was named Knicks coach late last week and was immediately declared a lame duck by owner James Dolan, who has all the brains of a Manhattan manhole cover. Nothing ensures maximum effort like letting the players know that, if they lose, the coach that is screaming at them to pass the ball will be fired. Fortunately, with a roster that includes
Stephon Marbury,
Eddy Curry and Stevie Franchise Killer, effort is never a question with the Knicks.
Anyway, Isiah needs immediate help to save his career. So, naturally, he takes Renaldo Balkman, a prospect that no one thought was going to crack the top 40 picks. After Bilas ripped the move out of shock – "he's a second-rounder … no one would have made this pick" – he tried to recover by comparing Balkman to a potential Dennis Rodman. Yeah, well, the Potential Dennis Rodman averaged 4.6, 4.8 and 6.3 rebounds a game the last three years.
Unless Balkman has a lot of tattoos, a drinking problem and a habit to land ridiculously hot women, I can't see where Rodman fits in the discussion. On the bright side, Balkman was the MVP of the NIT. That says something, right?
