An NBA draft as interesting as a Jersey Shore dinner party, while the NBA and college basketball continue to drift apart or merge depending on your perspective. Scottie Reynolds becomes the first ever All- American to go undrafted, no player from the National Champions was drafted, and the first high school player to skip college and go directly to the NBDL was selected. Meanwhile a record setting 5 Kentucky players were drafted in the first round, and Kentucky coach Calipari called it the banner day for Kentucky basketball? I wonder if NBA draft day was the banner day the people paying Coach Cal's salary were looking for when they hired him last year. The NBA draft comes with a lot of projection but was overshadowed by the ultimate free agent class that will hit the market in a week. Below are some winners, losers, and observations from the always entertaing NBA draft.
The Mel Kiper Award as draft day winners because right or wrong Mel always comes off as winner on draft day.
Sacramento Kings: They got the most talented and polished big man in the draft and did not have to move up from the #5 spot. Cousins is a big man who can do multiple things well and has the height and athleticism that can't be taught and is a 20/10 lock. He might be Brittany Spears crazy, but as the Lakers with Artest and every edition of the Real World proves you can win with one crazy person but two is the tipping point. They also got great value in the second round with Hassan Whiteside who is an athletic 7 footer who can put up huge rebounding and block numbers and has a Kate Bosworth like ceiling. They made the most of their two picks and both are good running mates for future star Tyreke Evans and Carl Landry (a very poor man's Oakley).
Oklahoma City Thunder: Turned 3 first round picks and 4 total picks into three big men all with upside and a future first from the Clippers. Like last call at the local bar sometimes quantity is better than quality and the Thunder used that philosophy to fill their need for a quality big man. Aldrich is the closest pick to NBA ready and while he is serviceable on defense it will take all of Scott Brooks and his staff's skill to make him a dependable option on offense. A future first from the Clippers could be as valuable as a Graeme McDowell US Open future bet. The Thunder also fill their other glaring need with the trade for Daquan Cook who is a reliable spot up shooter. This draft further cemented the Thunder as an immediate title contender.
Wesley Johnson's suit: The style highlight of the night, the Double breasted club blazer with the contrasting yellow shirt and red tie was as impressive as Justin Timberlake's string of ladies. The tartan plaid pants broke the mold and you could see him fitting in a round of golf with the law firm of Poulter, Fowler, Daly. Hats off Wesley you re-set the bar with this look.
The "Breaking Bad" award; these teams left me on the edge and I can't wait for next year to see how these moves play out.
Washington Wizards: How will John Wall compare to Evans and Rose, how will the card shark Arenas take to the 2 guard spot and the loss of the spotlight? The Bulls desire to shed money allowed them to get a Costanza like third guard in Hinrich and draft French rookie Seraphin. Good luck in the lottery and these moves have turned the Wizards from unwatchable to intriguing, like MTV adding the Olivia/Erin Elle magazine storyline to "The City".
New Jersey Nets: Favors seemed like the no brainer pick until rumors started about Wesley Johnson, Joe Johnson and Boozer coming to NJ as a package. The common link between those three is agent Rob Pelinka former upper classman on the Fab Five teams. If Pelinka would have pulled off these moves he would immediately have been the most influential NBA person on that Michigan roster which 15 years ago seemed as likely as Kelsey Grammer carrying his own sitcom. The Lakers proved size wins in the NBA and with this pick and Brook Lopez the Nets are on the right track.
Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks drafted three athletic frontcourt players with Larry Sanders having the most upside. His athleticism will combine nicely with Andrew Bogut and could form a potent frontcourt. The recent trade additions of Maggette and Chris Douglas-Roberts bring much needed scoring and unwanted baggage to this team that could be poised for a Blake Lively like break through. The young draft pick's development and the Maggette, CDR relationships with coach Scott Skiles should be as entertaining as WWE ladder match.
Luke Harangody's towel waving: The Celtics go in to the summer with an unsigned Scalabrine, so they drafted Big East and ND record holder Harangody who will look to uphold the towel waving excellence Scalabrine displayed in Boston.
The Al Davis award for draft day confusion and head scratching decisions.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Johnson over Cousins is a mistake that leads to future lottery selections. The Wolves last two lottery picks have them angling to make a run at Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. They used two more first round selections for two more small forwards in Lazar Hayward and Luke Babbit whom they dealt to Portland for Martell Webster (you guessed it, another small forward). The roster now has three point guards, three small forwards and two big men in Jefferson and Love who can't jump and are not defensive presences. Three subsequent selections lands them what looks to be three members of the Slovakia World Cup team (Bjelica, Prestes, N'diaye). These moves have to make Rubio as anxious to come to America as Roman Polanski.
Portland Trail Blazers: Love their draft, Eliot Williams is a multi skilled wingman, Babbitt is a NBA scorer and Amir Johnson is a quality point guard who can take over for Andre Miller. More suprisingly these picks were made by Kevin Pritchard who was fired, but had to finish the draft. This is truly a move only Al Davis could love, it is well reported that Paul Allen is having serious medical issues, but this move is indefensible. Pritchard has re-built this team on the fly after the Oden pick, which was hard to argue with at the time. The Roy injury sabotaged their playoff run last year after his moves (Camby) put them in playoff position. This move looks as bad as "The Hills" losing LC and replacing her with Kristin.
Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers were in prime position to grab a more complete player with the 8th pick and also fill a specific roster need. Instead they drafted a player in Al-Farouq Aminu who will need developing to be at most a rotation guy off the bench. With the starting four of Davis, Gordon, Griffin, and Kaman in place they had an opportunity to fill a need with Henry or Godon Hayward. Henry would spread the floor and Hayward's all around game would compliment the Clippers starters and make them more enticing to a premier free agent. Bledsoe and Warren were smart additions later in the draft who will help before Aminu, but Bledsoe came with the price of a future first round pick and unless the Clippers can break their Bachelor like run of sustained failure that price could be as costly as Laker season tickets.
New York Knicks: As a Knick supporter the back to back picks of Rautins and Fields in the second round will continue the Knick run of draft failures. Players with NBA skills like Varnado, Ebanks, Alabi, Warren, and NY high school legend Stephenson will be the names from this draft that are talked about like Artest, Rondo, and Jennings are talked about from past drafts, as players the Knicks passed on. Maybe they could deal Rautins to the Wolves?
Greivis Vasquez: Comparing himself to Manu Ginobili during his on camera interview after being selected by Memphis with the 28th selection. That comparison might work if you were talking to anyone who hadn't seen him play in college. Vasquez commands the ball on offense and has no desire to defend which are very anti-Ginobili traits. His statement was as laughable as Mischa Barton claiming she is a young Meryl Streep.
ESPN draft coverage: Michael Buble as the draft theme music, awkward interviews with the draft picks family members, and Jeff Van Gundy's desire to be anywhere but the draft has me hoping for a TNT or NBA TV take-over of next year's coverage.
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