1. Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose - Personally, I think that Beasley should be the choice, but I can't see the Bulls passing up hometown hero Rose.
2. Miami Heat: Michael Beasley - Obvious choice here, the Heat can't pass up such a ridiculous talent. Beasley, Wade and Marion is a great core.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves: Deandre Jordan - I know this is a shock here, but Kevin McHale will find a way to screw up this draft. He probably sees Jordan as the perfect complement to Al Jefferson, so he takes a chance, could be great, could be the next Eddy Curry.
4. Seattle Supersonics: Jerryd Bayless - Looking for a point guard to play with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green. Bayless isnt your prototypical point guard, but he is the closest thing to it at this point. They will consider Brook Lopez and OJ Mayo as well.
5. Memphis Grizzlies: Brook Lopez - They are ecstatic that Lopez drops to them, they are looking for a talented big man so Lopez is the pick.
6. New York Knicks: OJ Mayo - Another happy team, Mayo is the superstar talent that the Knicks are looking for. He might be the 3rd most talented player in the entire draft.
7. LA Clips: Eric Gordon - He is too talented to pass up, he will be a star and is getting way too overlooked.
8. Milwaukee Bucks - Danilo Gallinari - The Bucks go international once again and draft the best small forward on the board. Gallinari could be a superstar.
9. Charlotte Bobcats: Kevin Love - With Larry Brown on board, this fundamental big man is sure to be the pick. He will contribute right away.
10. NJ Nets: Anthony Randolph - The Nets take the most talented player left, and one who will fit in well with their other athletic talents.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Draft Points
Now that the draft order is all set following last night's NBA Draft Lottery, we can finally begin matching up teams and players for this year's draft.
The top two picks in this year's draft will be Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley, not specifically in that order. While I am 99% sure that Beasley will be an NBA superstar, I am only 80% sure that Rose will be a superstar a well. There is no doubt in my mind that Rose will be a fantastic NBA player, but the comparisons to Jason Kidd and Chris Paul may be a bit unfounded, but who knows, as I like to say, the draft is a crapshoot.
When drafting in the NBA there are five main categories that teams should be basing their picks upon, in order of importance these categories are: Production, Mental Makeup, Competition, Physical Attributes, and Obvious defficiences.
From the top:
Production: This is obviously where any GM will start the evaluation process - What was the prospect's statistical production?
Mental Makeup: In the NBA, being able to mentally hack it is half the game, if not more. GM's will do extensive research to make sure that the player is mentally prepared....NBA draft busts are often the product of a weak, unprepared or immature mental makeup.
Competition: Has the prospect produced at a big time level against big time competition? There is a reason that the SWAC, MAAC, etc... do not usually produce high profile draftees. 20 ppg in the Big East goes a lot further than 20 ppg in the Sun Belt.
Physical Attributes: This is where GM's often get ahead of themselves. Although a player may have an "NBA Ready" body or a body dripping with athletic ability (See: Swift, Stromile, or Miles, Darius), unless he has has passed the test in the three previously mentioned categories, it means nothing. While this is obviously an extremely important category, it should follow the previous three things on the check list.
Obvious Defficiencies: There are oh so many players that NBA GM's can easily cross off of their lists, even is a prospect has passed the tests above, sometimes it is obvious that he just won't cut it in the NBA.
Now, the draft process is far from fool proof, and there will always be busts, but my humble opinion is that this is a check list that would be beneficial for NBA GM's to take a look at.
Coming soon, we will take a look at the upcoming draft.
The top two picks in this year's draft will be Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley, not specifically in that order. While I am 99% sure that Beasley will be an NBA superstar, I am only 80% sure that Rose will be a superstar a well. There is no doubt in my mind that Rose will be a fantastic NBA player, but the comparisons to Jason Kidd and Chris Paul may be a bit unfounded, but who knows, as I like to say, the draft is a crapshoot.
When drafting in the NBA there are five main categories that teams should be basing their picks upon, in order of importance these categories are: Production, Mental Makeup, Competition, Physical Attributes, and Obvious defficiences.
From the top:
Production: This is obviously where any GM will start the evaluation process - What was the prospect's statistical production?
Mental Makeup: In the NBA, being able to mentally hack it is half the game, if not more. GM's will do extensive research to make sure that the player is mentally prepared....NBA draft busts are often the product of a weak, unprepared or immature mental makeup.
Competition: Has the prospect produced at a big time level against big time competition? There is a reason that the SWAC, MAAC, etc... do not usually produce high profile draftees. 20 ppg in the Big East goes a lot further than 20 ppg in the Sun Belt.
Physical Attributes: This is where GM's often get ahead of themselves. Although a player may have an "NBA Ready" body or a body dripping with athletic ability (See: Swift, Stromile, or Miles, Darius), unless he has has passed the test in the three previously mentioned categories, it means nothing. While this is obviously an extremely important category, it should follow the previous three things on the check list.
Obvious Defficiencies: There are oh so many players that NBA GM's can easily cross off of their lists, even is a prospect has passed the tests above, sometimes it is obvious that he just won't cut it in the NBA.
Now, the draft process is far from fool proof, and there will always be busts, but my humble opinion is that this is a check list that would be beneficial for NBA GM's to take a look at.
Coming soon, we will take a look at the upcoming draft.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
NBA Draft Thoughts
Being an NBA General Manager is an extremely difficuly job. However, year after year I watch players who I know will turn out to be legit NBA perormers drop and drop and drop. Every year for the life of me I can't figure out why these GM's wouldn't use just a little common sense. GM's do not seem to notice that the draft turns out exactly the same way every year. There are several things that pretty much hold true year after year. Rarely(aside from international and in the past, high school players) will a team find an elite NBA scorer past the mid part of the first round.
The nba is a mentally challenging league, it isn't meant for immature and socially flawed children- therefore, every year without fail, a player with questionable character will turn out to be a huge bust. These guys don't grow up overnight - GM's often believe that they can be the ones to turn these guys around - more often than not, they can't.
When drafting in the second round, only draft one of three types of players - a high energy, high effort player(brandon bass, ronny turiaf, craig smith, trevor ariza). To make it as a second round pick, one must be brimming with fire and desire. A specialist( kyle korver, Paul Millsap), or a project ( monta ellis, manu ginobili). These are the types of second round picks who have a shot to make it - rarely do any other kind become much of anything in the NBA.
Some of this years candidates for the dumb gm pass overs - Tyler Hansborough if he declares, Joey Dorsey and Joe Alexander.
The nba is a mentally challenging league, it isn't meant for immature and socially flawed children- therefore, every year without fail, a player with questionable character will turn out to be a huge bust. These guys don't grow up overnight - GM's often believe that they can be the ones to turn these guys around - more often than not, they can't.
When drafting in the second round, only draft one of three types of players - a high energy, high effort player(brandon bass, ronny turiaf, craig smith, trevor ariza). To make it as a second round pick, one must be brimming with fire and desire. A specialist( kyle korver, Paul Millsap), or a project ( monta ellis, manu ginobili). These are the types of second round picks who have a shot to make it - rarely do any other kind become much of anything in the NBA.
Some of this years candidates for the dumb gm pass overs - Tyler Hansborough if he declares, Joey Dorsey and Joe Alexander.
Monday, April 14, 2008
The Draft
The NBA Draft is far and away my favorite sporting "event" of the year. As someone who loves college and pro basketball, the draft is the bridge between the two. It is where the latest superstars get their start. But for me, the draft is not about the superstars, my favorite part of the draft comes when most people are no longer watching - the second round. The players picked in the second round fall into so many different categories - but they all share one thing in common, they all go home that night lacking a guaranteed contract. Too many first rounders feel that a sense of entitlement comes with that guaranteed 3 year deal and instant wealth. Rarely though, will you find a second round pick who makes it, who walks tall with that same sense of arrogance. The second round picks in the NBA are what professional sports WERE MEANT to be all about, desire. Unlike in the NFL, to make it in the NBA as a second round pick is exceedingly difficult. An NBA second round pick has to have a perpetual drive and desire to become an NBA player. This is why I love the NBA draft, because it's not all about newest prima donnas, its also about the fighters, the scrappers, the gym rats who would sacrifice anything to fulfill their dream of playing in the National Basketball Association.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Making sense of the wacky world of the NBA Draft
Simply stated, the NBA draft is a crapshoot. Year after year, sure things become….not so sure things, and non entities emerge as legitimate NBA talents. Scouts, GM’s, Coaches and the like spend the entire year preparing for one night, nevertheless, it is impossible to predict how any one pick will fare in the NBA.
The purpose of this blog is to make some sense of the wacky world of the NBA and more specifically, the draft.
The purpose of this blog is to make some sense of the wacky world of the NBA and more specifically, the draft.
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