NBA Draft

[Eleazar]

Tonight is the NBA draft, does anyone else care?

Personally I hope the Pacers trade up to the second position and draft Thabeet.

[laxfish76]

I really am looking forward to this. I hope the Raptors get to draft either Demar DeRozen (if he is available) or James Johnson, both of whom will contribute to the holes in the lineup (When Marion most likely leaves, SF and SG will be open unless Parker is resigned).

I am also wondering where Hansbrough will go; he is my favourite player from college, and I really hope he proves the skeptics wrong.

//Lax

[Maawdawg]

As a UConn fan I am not really high on Thabeet in the NBA. I think he will be a quality player but no way a superstar. The blocks number he had is skewed because of the type of defense Calhoun runs. They always lead the country in blocked shots. #1 in NCAA for like 8 or 9 years in a row.

He is definitely a developmental prospect offensively. I could see him being a quallity player with a few all star appearances in his career but I don't see him as a dominant "go to" franchise player for a long while, if ever.

All that said how many raw 7'3" althletic guys are roaming around? He has only been playing basketball for like 4-5 years. With some intense coaching he may make some kind of crazy leap to dominance but I am not holding my breath on that one. He will clearly help someone at the very least defensively right out of the gate.

[Eleazar]

1. Blake Griffin - Clippers
2. Hasheem Thabeet - Grizzlies
3. James Harden - Thunder
4. Tyreke Evans - Kings
5. Ricky Rubio - Timberwolves
6. Jonny Flynn- Timberwolves
7. Stephen Curry - Warriors
8. Jordan Hill - Knickerbockers
9. DeMar DeRozan - Raptors
10. Brandon Jennings - Bucks
11. Terrance Williams - Nets
12. Gerald Henderson - Bobcats
13. Tyler hansbrough - Pacers (****!!!)
14. Earl Clark - Suns
15. Aystin Daye - Pistons
16. James Johnson - Bulls
17. Jrue Holiday - 76ers
18. Ty Lawson - Timberwolves
19. Jeff Teague - Hawks
20. Eric Maynor - Jazz
21. Darren Collison - Hornets
22. Victor Claver - Trailblazers
23. Omri Casspi - Kings
24. B.J. Mullens - Mavericks
25. Rodrigue Beaubois - Thunder
26. Taj Gibson - Bulls
27. DeMarre Carroll - Grizzlies
28. Wayne Ellington - Timberwolves
29. Tony Douglas - Lakers
30. Christian Eyenga - Caveliers



(I'll keep this post updated.)

[Maawdawg]

The wolves are going to have a very fast backcourt next year. Those two feeding the ball to Jefferson will be fun to watch at least.

[Eleazar]

I can't remember when so many foreign players have been drafted in the first round.

I've given up on Larry Bird as being a GM.

[laxfish76]

Hansbrough is the man. I wish him great luck with the Pacers.

Also, Minnesota has had an amazing draft; Rubio and Flynn at the point, and Ellington (an amazing shooter when he is on, I saw him drop 7 three pointers in 3 minutes in a game) at SG...

//Lax

[Eleazar]

Hansbrough is a safe pick who should have been drafted around 25, not 13. He will be a decent player (think Jeff Foster), but the Pacers don't need another Jeff Foster we already have Jeff Foster.

[Maawdawg]

Here is Bill Simmons draft blog that ESPN put up this morning.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090625&sportCat=nba

He is an NBA freak, and has said the NBA draft is his favorite sports day of the year. He wasn't high on this year's prospects at all.