Off for the Weekend

Since I started this blog, I only have taken the weekend off once, when I was out of town and had no computer access.

But now that we've got the weekend of the 4th of July, and family is in town, and with me working in the morning Saturday and Sunday, you won't see me posting here for the weekend. But don't fear, I am working on something now which could be kinda cool that hopefully I'll start next week.

So anyway, when there aren't any new posts for the weekend, don't worry, I'm ok!

Some final thoughts and predictions from the draft

With people starting to get a better feel for the draft, and who the winners and losers were, I'll just take a quick look at who I expect to have some of the most success next year, and perhaps in the careers of some of these young guys.

Top Scorers as Rookies
1) Adam Morrison
2) Randy Foye
3) Brandon Roy

Kinda obvious, but that's how I see it, because these guys can score well, and they will get playing time. Morrison's strongest (or some might say only) strength is that he can score in so many different ways, and he will certainly get a chance for Charlotte, who I suspect will start him from day 1. In Minnesota, Foye should get lots of minutes with Jaric possibly on the way out, and McCants likely done for the year. In Portland, Martell Webster still realistically isn't ready to contribute much yet, so Brandon Roy should slide right in there and be a good player.

Top Rebounders
1) Shelden Williams
2) Tyrus Thomas
3) Paul Millsap

Like Morrison, Williams should step right in and play a lot of minutes, as he appears to be the most polished of the big men. The Bulls don't have a lot of depth up front, so Thomas should get his share of minutes and he is athletic enough to get the rebounds down there. At 3rd is Paul Millsap, taken by the Jazz in round 2. He led the NCAA in rebounds for 3 straight years, pulling down 13.3 per game last year. He can fla-out rebound, even if he won't see tons of minutes.

Top Assist Men
1) Randy Foye
2) Marcus Williams
3) Jordan Farmer

As I said with regards to scoring, Foye should get a lot of minutes which would allow him to lead rookies in assists despite his passing not being his greatest asset. Williams should get a fair amount of minutes behind an again Jason Kidd with bad knees, and Farmar should also be able to get good minutes because Smush Parker just really isn't that good. (another Laker piece: my thoughts go out to Lamar Odom after the tragic accident yesterday)

Gilbert Arenas Award (2nd rounder most likely to turn into a star)
Daniel Gibson - I don't necessarily think he will become a real good player in the NBA (in fact, I don't at all), but I think he's got the most chance if he can reach the potential he seemingly had after his first year at Texas. Coming into the year, he was looked at as a lottery pick at PG... and then it turned out he really couldn't play PG, he can't get to the rim enough, and his outside shot is inconsistent. But still, there was a reason he was so highly thought of, and if he can put things together and reach that potential, he can be a steal at 42.

Ryan Gomes Award (2nd rounder who has the best chance to step into a starting lineup in Year 1)
Paul Millsap - This all depends on what goes on with Carlos Boozer of course. But the last time Utah took a PF from La. Tech, that turned out pretty well. Now obviously Millsap isn't in the same stratosphere as Malone, but with his excellent rebounding and decent low post play, he can be a very effective player in the NBA.

Marquis Daniels Award (undrafted player that can make an impact)
I mentioned him yesterday, but I think Mike Gansey can be an effective NBA Player. He's not that athletic, but he's smart and quick defensively, and he's a very solid shooter. I still can't figure out how a guy like Danilo Pinnock gets taken over Gansey. And that's my story there.

Anyway, these are my final thoughts on the NBA Draft (although I reserve the right to have some more if I want!) What are your picks for some of these categories?

Lots and lots of thoughts on the NBA Draft

Apologies in advance, because this might get very long. I suppose I should probably split it up into multiple posts, but I'll just put all my thoughts here. First, just some general thoughts:

• The NBA Draft is so much easier to watch then the NFL Draft because of the time factor. After sitting through 15 minutes per pick at the NFL Draft, only having 5 minutes between each pick is extremely nice.
• Here are some of the phrases used to describe players that I heard from Jay Bilas (more than once for each of them): 'Speed merchant.' 'Absolute scorer.' Huh? What the heck is a speed merchant? What's the difference between a scorer and an 'absolute scorer'? Those phrases don't have upside.
• The 'absolute highlight' of the night for me came right towards the end of the draft, when Fran Franschilla used this direct quote to describe the Spurs second round draft pick Damir Markota: "Big guy that can play away from the basket. Also runs and jumps." I heard he even has arms.
• While we're on the subject of Fran Fraschilla, I don't think it's right to call him a guru at anything. Even if he has spent like the last 10 years studying foreign guys.
• The draft was about 100x better when it was on TNT, and we got to listen to Chuck Barkley, EJ, and "The Jet." Instead, we got STEPHEN A. SMITH (in caps to symbolize the yelling that Smith does). As TrueHoop said, Greg Anthony was the most sensible guy on TV tonight. And that's not a good thing.
  

But anyway, let's move on to a pick-by-pick analysis of the first round. Or at least, I'll try to do a pick-by-pick analysis, but I'll probably like pass out halfway through.

1. Toronto Raptors - Andrea Bargnani - As expected, Bargnani was the pick. I would have gone with Thomas myself, but this is a nice pick. The Darko/Skita comparisons are inevitable, but flawed. Bargnani is more polished, experienced, and has the better skill set. He should be able to contribute some off the bench in year 1, and he will be a solid NBA player.

2. Chicago Bulls - LaMarcus Aldridge (PICK MADE FOR PORTLAND) - I guess I don't really understand why the Blazers moved up to pick Aldridge, but that's neither here nor there. He is a solid player on both ends, and a good character guy, with further goes to help the Blazers image. If I'm the Blazers, and I need to get the fan base back, I think Adam Morrison may have been the better option there. But I do like Aldridge.

3. Charlotte Bobcats - Adam Morrison - From a basketall standpoint, I don't really like the move all that much. Gerald Wallace was their best player last year, and he happens to play the same position Adam Morrison does. I would have gone with Brandon Roy... not quite the scorer that Morrison is, but a better all-around game.

4. Portland Trailblazers - Tyrus Thomas (PICK MADE FOR CHICAGO) - Nice job by the Bulls, who trade down 2 sports, still get their guy and a guy whose last name is Kryhapa... now that's solid. As for Thomas, I've been saying he was #1 on my board. He brings much needed athleticism, and should be a nice piece in the rotation for a young and talented Bulls team. Bulls could be scary in a couple years.

5. Atlanta Hawks - Shelden Williams - For the second straight year, they passed on a talented PG. This year at least, the pick does do well to address needs - defense and rebounding. Atlanta was bad in both areas, so Williams, who may be the most NBA -ready player in the draft, should step in immediately and be a nice contributor. Although I do think that was a little high for him.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Brandon Roy (PICK MADE FOR PORTLAND) - Now this is a move I really like for the Blazers, who eventually wound up with Roy. A solid player in the backcourt that is ready to play and contribute immediately. Everyone's pick for ROY, especially Critical Fanatic, who had #1 on his board.

7. Boston Celtics - Randy Foye (PICK MADE FOR MINNESOTA) - If I were the Wolves, I would have held on to Brandon Roy instead, but that's just a minor complaint. I think Foye will be a very good player - he's got a decent outside shot, he can create his own shot better than anyone in the draft, he makes good decisions, and he plays good defense. In other words, he's a definite upgrade over Marko Jaric. Which isn't saying much, I guess.

8. Houston Rockets - Rudy Gay (PICK MADE FOR MEMPHIS) - And this is where things got really interesting. Although it can't be officially announced until sometime in July, all reports are that Gay is headed to Memphis in exchange for Shane Battier, which is a very interesting deal. On the one hand, I really like Gay (I had him above Morrison), he has loads of talent, and his game is suited to the NBA. On the other hand, McGrady's back isn't getting any better, and Battier is a lot better suited to help them win now.

Initial reactions were that Memphis got the better end of the deal. Although I heard Stephen A. saying the Rockets should have stuck with Gay because he is a better scorer, and that is what Houston struggled with last year... but that doesn't make too much sense to me. Of course Houston struggled last year offensively, because McGrady wasn't really himself all year. Actually, with Battier in the mix, I think Houston can potentially be a scary team if T-Mac is healthy. Look at Miami this year - they had a star Guard (Wade), a good but declining Center (Shaq), and a bunch of role players. Houston potentially has a star Guard (McGrady), a good and improving Center (Yao), and a bunch of role players. And I do think Battier is an underrated commodity - a guy that will play tough defense, contribute offensively in an efficient manner when called upon, play his hardest no matter the circumstances, and basically do whatever he needs to do to win. And he can hit an open shot, which he should get a lot of with T-Mac and Yao. If McGrady is healthy, the Rockets are a top 4 team in the West.

Of course, the one thing missing in the Rockets/Heat comparison is that Pat Riley is a far better coach than Jeff Van Gundy. But well, you can't have everything. I thought it was a pretty good deal for both sides, with maybe a slight edge to the Grizz.

9. Golden State Warriors - Patrick O'Bryant - Nothing really to get excited about here. O'Bryant can be a good center in time, but he's not at all ready to contribute right away. Jay Bilas said it best here - O'Bryant will either become a really good player or he'll be ok. At this pioint, speculation is just that, speculation.

10. Seattle Supersonics - Saer Sene - Supersonicsoul said it best: "Wait a minute, didn't we already draft this guy? Like four times? I guess you can never have too many 7-foot "projects" that no one has ever heard of." Absolutely, positively, the worst pick of the lottery. The Sonics have picked centers for like 4 straight years now, what's the point of drafting an African center that's at least 3 years off from doing anything in the NBA? How'd that DeSagana Diop pick work out for Cleveland?

11. Orlando Magic - JJ Redick - I liked Ronnie Brewer or Rodney Carney here because they can just do more things well than Redick can, but Redick's not a bad pick by any means. At the very least, he should help in the development of Dwight Howard and Darko because he'll open up the floor for everyone else. Still, a little high for a one-dimensional player with a bad back.

12. New Orleans Hornets - Hilton Armstrong - Not much to say about this one. We pretty much know what Armstrong can do - block shots and rebound, and what he can't do at this point - contribute much if anything offensively. But hey, if you're looking for a good defensive center, Armstrong's the best option in this draft after Shelden Williams.

13. Philadelphia 76ers - Thabo Sefolosha (PICK MADE FOR CHICAGO) - After this pick was made, and I thought it was for Philly, I became almost depressed (which my sister can definitely confirm!!), but then immediately brightened up when I found out they made the pick to trade it for #16. I'll admit I don't know a lot about Thabo, but I think Brewer would have been the better option.

14. Utah Jazz - Ronnie Brewer - I really like this pick for the Jazz. They're a solid team now, but Brewer should provide nice athleticism, defense, and scoring for them. A backcourt of Deron Williams and Ronnie Brewer to go along with a nice frontcourt (Kirilenko, maybe Boozer, Okur), and the Jazz are once again on track for the playoffs.

15. New Orleans Hornets - Cedric Simmons - I would have thought New Orleans would have gone with Rodney Carney here to provide Chris Paul with another running mate, but they decided to go big again. With PJ Brown aging, and David West already in place, the Hornets will have some great depth and talent in the frontcourt after drafting Armstrong and Simmons.

16. Chicago Bulls - Rodney Carney (PICK MADE FOR PHILADELPHIA) - I was so close to getting my wish, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. But I'll admit, if you had told me before the draft that the Sixers would get Carney, I wouldn't really have been disappointed. Carney is potentially a lockdown defender, a "world-class athlete" (thanks Jay Bilas), and a pretty good shooter. Sure, he has shortcomings - he doesn't have much of a midrange game and he's not all that great at creating his own shot off the dribble, but paired up with Andre Iguodala, and you're looking at one of the most athletic wing combos in the NBA. Keep AI around, and now this is a real fun team to watch.

17. Indiana Pacers - Shawne Williams - I think Williams has the potential to be a nice player in time here, but I'm puzzled as to why they passed on Marcus Williams. Jamaal Tinsley is not a good PG, and Marcus Williams would have been a nice fit, especially since the Pacers took Danny Granger last year. Regardless, Larry Bird said he thinks S. Williams can develop into a 4, and if he can, then it's a better pick. Although the Pacers did just love Peja to free agency, so this is not a bad pick by any means, but I think Marcus would have been a much better option.

18. Washington Wizards - Olexsiy Pecherov - I don't know much about him, except that he's big, talented, and can hit from outside. I'm not sure if he'll be ready to play this year or not, but with no real glaring needs (except maybe a center), not a bad pick by any means. Although he does kind of look like he's on some type of hard drug.

19. Sacramento Kings - Quincy Douby - Another team that could have potentially used Williams, but I do like Douby, especially since Bonzi Wells is likely gone. Douby looks a lot like Leandro Barbosa to me, a combo guard that can score in bunches off the bench. And we saw how effective Barbosa was off the bench this year for Phoenix. I like the pick.

20. New York Knicks - Renaldo Balkman - Pass. Sometimes Isiah makes it too easy.

21. Phoenix Suns - Rajon Rondo (PICK MADE FOR BOSTON) - Ok so let me get this straight, the Celtics trade for Sebastian Telfair before the draft, they already have Delonte West, and now they take another PG? I heard a rumor that they might have gotten this because Philly liked Rondo, and it's more things that Boston could have in a potential trade for Allen Iverson, and my only reaction to that is: Please God no. Rondo does some things well: like play defense, rebound as a guard, and get to the hole. But he can't shoot. Like at all. And that's pretty important.

22. New Jersey Nets - Marcus Williams - Great, great, great pick for the Nets. With Ason Kidd (he's still got no J) slowly dying at PG, an eventual successor/guy to reduce Kidd's minutes was needed, and the best PG in the draft fell into their laps. Other than the fact that Williams obviously won't be starting, it's a great situation for him - uptempo team, great wing players etc. That's exactly what Williams thrives in.

23. New Jersey Nets - Josh Boone - A little high for Boone, but he's what the Nets needed. A good defensive and rebounding big man. I'm not a big fan of Boone, but I can't argue with the pick.

24. Memphis Grizzlies - Kyle Lowry - Great pick for the Grizz. Maybe the toughest player in the draft. Very good defensively, great rebounder for his size, and a guy that won't complain if he doesn't get too shoot all that often. Jerry West hasn't had the greatest drafts the past few years, but coming down with Rudy Gay and Kyle Lowry is a pretty impressive haul here.

25. Cleveland Cavaliers - Shannon Brown - Another nice pick. Brown's another of those athletic guards, with good shooting range, and the ability to help Cleveland out right away. I might have gone with a PG here, because Snow/Jones combo isn't all that frightening, but Cleveland has to be pleased that Brown fell to them here.

26. LA Lakers - Jordan Farmar - As a UCLA fan, I love Farmar's game and what he does, which is why I like this pick for LA. The numbers don't really jump out, but he's a solid, heady player and good leader who will do what he has to to win. Last year the Lakers had Smush Parker at PG, and that basically cost them the series against Phoenix. If Farmar can step in, he'll create depth in the backcourt and another option in the triangle.

27. Phoenix Suns - Sergio Rodriguez (PICK MADE FOR PORTLAND) - Ah yes, "Spanish Chocolate." The bad news is that he's not ready for the NBA year. The good news is that with Blake and Jack at PG (and Roy can step in there), he doesn't need to be. A nice value pick.

28. Dallas Mavericks - Maurice Ager - Ager's a nice player, but I just don't see how he's going to get minutes. With Jerry Stackhouse, Josh Howard, Adrian Griffin, and Marquis Daniels basically playing the same position as Ager, I'm hard-pressed to believe he has any shot at cracking the lineup next year.

29. New York Knicks - Mardy Collins - From Chad Ford: "Mardy Collins? He doesn't have a position, is a below average NBA athlete, and he can't shoot. And he's the Knicks' sixth combo guard. Let's just get it over with -- Isiah's getting an "F." I don't think the pick's quite that bad, but let's face it, this wasn't one of Isiah's best days.

30. Portland Trailblazers - Joel Freeland - Another guy with potential that the Blazers can just keep overseas for a while. For all the mockery the Blazers took from all the trades, I do like what they did.

Other quick thoughts:

• Really like the Steve Novak pick for Houston early in Round 2. He's not athletic at all, but he can shoot the lights out, and when he's playing he should plenty of open looks with T-Mac and Yao.
• How does a guy like Danilo Pinnock get drafted bu Mike Gansey and Kevin Pittsnogle do not? I'm as big on athleticism as anyone else, but Pinnock is better suited to contribute than more skilled players like Gansey or Pittsnogle? Really?
• As a Sixers fan, I appreciate the deal for Bobby Jones. The Sixers was atrocious defensively last year, and Jones is a hard-nose defensive player. Can't have enough of those types of guys.
• A lot of people really like the pick of Daniel Gibson to the Cavs at 42, but I'm not a big fan of Gibson. Not to harp too much about Gansey, but well, I didn't see much from Gibson that makes me think he's better than Gansey.
• The other 2 second-round picks I thought were superb were the Clips taking Guillermo Diaz at 52 and the Nets taking Hassan Adams at 54. Both of these guys are talented, athletic, and can play on both ends of the floor, and both can contribute soon (especially Adams)
• I think that I do think a lot more things about the draft, but by this point (actually that point probably came a long time ago) you don't want to read anymore. So I'll stop right now!
  

NBA Mock Draft: The Lottery

I don't really have the time nor desire to do a full first-round mock, or even the full draft mock, but I'll go with the first 14 picks. Here they are, how I think it will wind up (presuming there are no trades, which is a very premature statement but one I'll make for the purposes of this post!)

1) Toronto Raptors - Andrea Bargnani - If they don't trade the pick, I think Bargnani is the guy, especially with the hiring of the GM of Bargnani's old team as the Raptors assistant. He's being compared to everyone from Dirk to Darko to Skita (all wrong), but he seems to be more like a Vladimir Radmanovic with a better inside game. I have no idea how ready he is to play right away, but he'll be a very nice player in the NBA with his inside/outside game.

2) Chicago Bulls - LaMarcus Aldridge - I think this pick will probably be either Tyrus Thomas or LaMarcus Aldridge, judging by everything I've read. I like Thomas more, I think Aldridge will be the pick, as he is the more "true" center and probably a little more ready to contribute on the offensive end, although Thomas is the more athletic player and better defender.

3) Charlotte Bobcats - Rudy Gay - As John Hollinger said in his chat, the fact that the Bobcats are looking mainly at Gay or fellow SF Adam Morrison is a little baffling, becuase Gerald Wallace was actually their best player last year, and he just so happens to play SF. I think Brandon Roy would be a great fit here, and while I'm not fully convinced they'll pass on Roy, Gay looks more and more like the pick here.

4) Portland Trailblazers - Adam Morrison - Morrison seems to be the choice here if he falls here, because he fits a need and he's the most popular player in the draft from a fan's standpoint. And he is a great scorer, but I'm not sure his all-around game measures up to being the #4 pick, but well, I have no say in it. LaMarcus Aldridge is also a possible pick here if he's on the board.

5) Atlanta Hawks - Shelden Williams - From all reports around the web, Williams is going to the Hawks, whether it's here or if it's involved with a trade. I'm not in love with this pick, and I think they should go with Marcus Williams, but S. Williams is a polished player, very good defensively (although he has a propensity to pick up fouls), and can contribute right away. Or at least, that's what Billy Knight will say.

6) Minnesota Timberwolves - Tyrus Thomas - Thomas does play basically the same position as Kevin Garnett, but I think the Wolves would really like Thomas to fall to #6. Both players are so athletic that I think you can player Thomas/Garnett at the 4/5 and not really give anything up on either end of the floor. Randy Foye is also a definite possibility here, as is Brandon Roy if he's on the board, but I think Thomas or Aldridge will be the pick if they're still on the board.

7) Boston Celtics - Brandon Roy - It's been pretty impossible to get a read on what the Celtics will do here, leading me to believe they'll just take the best player available, regardless of position. Roy would be a great fit, he can play multiple positions, and he's the most ready-to-play guy of anyone in the draft.

8) Houston Rockets - Randy Foye - The Rockets are praying for Brandon Roy, but I don't think you can be too disappointed with Foye. Foye's an excellent player on both ends. He can create his own shot (which can't be said for anyone in Houston except T-Mac), he doesn't have health problems (a la JJ Redick), and he's a good defender. With T-Mac and Yao, he wouldn't have to do a whole lot, and that'd be ok.

9) Golden State Warriors - Patrick O'Bryant - I've seen more talk lately about the Warriors possibly leaning towards taking a guy like Rodney Carney here, but I think they wind up taking O'Bryant. He's a bit of a project, but the Warriors do have Ike Diogu looking to get more minutes as well, so they wouldn't need O'Bryant to play a whole lot right away. His stock has been soaring, so much so that it wouldn't shock me if a lot of teams look at him as the best C prospect in the draft.

10) Seattle Supersonics - Cedric Simmons - I think the Sonics will be happy if either Simmons or O'Bryant falls to them here at 10. Simmons doesn't have a great offensive game, but he's a very solid defensive player, and very athletic, which is basically what Seattle needs, since they sucked defensively. I think this is a little high for Simmons, but it'd be a solid pick for the Sonics.

11) Orlando Magic - Ronnie Brewer - There's been some talk that the Magic might target a shooter like JJ Redick, but I think the multi-dimensional Brewer is too good to pass up here. Brewer's an excellent defensive player, a decent shooter, and he can play a couple different positions, which makes him a good fit on a young, emerging team like the Magic. Really nice pick here for Orlando if they make it.

12) New Orleans Hornets - Rodney Carney - Carney is not great at creating a shot for himself, but that's ok becuase he does lots of other things very well. He's a solid spot-up shooter, he can get out on the break better than anyone else in the draft, and he can be a lockdown defender. On a team with Chris Paul, this would seem to be a perfect fit.

13) Philadelphia 76ers - Marcus Williams - I've written at length about Marcus Williams, so if you read any of that, you'll know I think this would be a great pick here for my favorite team, and this would pretty much make the draft cool no matter what else happens!

14) Utah Jazz - JJ Redick - Talk has been more persistent about the Jazz going after a big man like Hilton Armstrong or Saer Sene, but in the end, I think they go with the shooter. I have grave doubts about Redick's ability to consistently produce in the NBA, but he is a great shooter, and for that reason, I think the Jazz will take him here with the final pick in the lottery.

And that's all for me. Of course, I'll have all my reactions up late after the draft, so be sure to check back then. For more draft coverage, check out Critical Fanatic's breakdowns of each position, and watch the draft on Wednesday night!

Putting my stock in Marcus Williams

Ok, you've heard me rave about Marcus Williams time and time again, so I figured now was the time to actually devote a whole column to him, to really put my reputation on the line!

Basically, I think he's going to be a really good player in this league, and one of the top 3 to come out of this draft. He is the #1 PG on Critical Fanatic's Board, but accoring to most mocks I've seen, he'll be coming off the board sometime in the mid to late lottery. Heck, Chad Ford has him falling all the way to 17! This, my friends, is not right.

Well, he he will be coming off the board sometime in the mid-to-late lottery, but I don't see why he should fall past Atlanta at 5.

Let me explain.

For one, and what I like most, is that he has unbelievable vision off the break. Playing with a bunch of studs at Connecticut, he always put the ball where it needed to be at the right time, which resulted in lots of easy baskets for guys. This showed in the stat line, as he averaged a NCAA leading 8.6 assists per game in 33.3 minutes a game. I wrote a long time ago (or at least it feels like a long time ago!) that Williams can control games without scoring, and that's why I think he's a lot like Steve Nash in many ways. He's such a good passer that often he doesn't even need to score.

Another thing I like is that the outside jumper is improving. He shot a solid 40% from beyond the 3-point line last year, and he's a great FT shooter, shooting 86% last year and being pracitcally automatic from there at the end of games. He's not a great finisher at the hoop at this point, but he's got a very nice floater, or touch shot in the line. In addition, he's got a nice pull-up jumper from the mid-range.

If you watched UConn in the NCAA Tournament, you know that it was often Marcus Williams that kept them in ballgames late with clutch jumpers and drives. He can get it done all 40 minutes.

Like everyone, he does have negatives. He's not that great off the right hand, but he's getting better there. His jumper still isn't that good yet. He's not a defensive standout. Most importantly, he can become turnover-prone and try to do too much if he gets into a half-court game. That's why I think it's important for him to get on a team that plays at a high tempo. And of course, there's always the baggage that he carries after the stolen laptop incident.

But mark it down, if he can stay out of trouble, he's going to be an excellent PG. And the prospect of him falling to Philly at 13 makes me positively giddy.

NBA Draft: Top 5 Prospects at Each Position

With the draft just a few days away, I figured it was good to do some other type of things other than just a mock, so here's my top 5 prospects at each position, rated by how I like them. I'll just list them, then explain after each position (rated by what position they would most likely project to in the NBA).

Point Guard
1. Marcus Williams
2. Randy Foye
3. Jordan Farmar
4. Rajon Rondo
5. Kyle Lowry

I've written before about how much I like Marcus Williams, so it's no surprise I have him at #1 here (heck, I might even devote a whole column to him in the next couple days if I'm abitious enough). Basically, I love his game and the mere prospect of him falling to Philly at 13 makes me giddy. After that, Foye's the guy. Foye's tough, a scorer, and should be able to handle the ball well enough in the NBA. After that, some guys (here's looking at you Chad Ford) love Rajon Rondo's game, but I like Farmar a little more, though I may be biased. I just think he's a much better shooter than Rondo, which is why I'd go with him. Rondo and Lowry are both hard-nosed defensive players without a great offensive game. I think both will be solid pros.

Shooting Guard
1. Brandon Roy
2. Ronnie Brewer
3. JJ Redick
4. Shannon Brown
5. Quincy Douby

Everyone's favorite Brandon Roy is up at top because of his versatility and all-around game. After that, I'd take Brewer over Redick because Brewer is much more athletic and about 50x better defensively, even though Redick's obviously got the better shot. I think Shannon Brown is athletic enough to overcome the fact that he's only about 6'3'', because he can score off the dribble or from the outside. At #5, I put Douby just barely over Guillermo Diaz because of the deft shooting touch.

Small Forward
1. Rudy Gay
2. Adam Morrison
3. Rodney Carney
4. Shawne Williams
5. PJ Tucker

Yes, it's true, I like Gay more than Morrison. Morrison's the better scorer, but he doesn't do anything else real well. He's not a good defender, and not a great rebounder or passer. I think Gay has the better all-around game, and I think money's enough of a factor to keep him motivated. At 3 and 4 I'll go with the Memphis guys, although I like Rodney Carney quite a bit more than Williams, because Carney is a very good defender. At 5 I go with the surprise PJ Tucker, who's undersized, but he's hard-nosed and can get to the basket.

Power Forward
1. Tyrus Thomas
2. Andrea Bargnani
3. Cedric Simmons
4. Alexander Johnson
5. Paul Millsap

Hard to project exactly where Bargnani will play, but I put him at PF, right behind Thomas. I think Thomas is the best player in the draft because of how quickly he's improved, how athletic he is, his desire, defense, etc. I saw the makings of an offensive game as we went along in the Tourney, and as long as he keeps developing in this league I think he's a cross between Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire. At 3 I have Cedric Simmons, who seems to be climbing faster than anyone in the draft in the past couple months. At 4 I like Alexander Johnson, a freak athlete for his size, who should be a very nice player if he can be more consistent. Rounding out I go with Paul Millsap barely over Leon Powe, in the battle of "Guys who's college resumes might make you think they're better than they really are."

Center
1. LaMarcus Aldridge
2. Patrick O'Bryant
3. Shelden Williams
4. Hilton Armstrong
5. Sene Saer

I guess whether or not you consider Aldridge a center depends on how liberal your definition of "center" is, but that's where I've got him. Right behind him I like O'Bryant, who in time should be a better offensive player than Shelden Williams. Hilton Armstrong is a very solid defensive player even if he's not quite that effective offensively, and Saer is another guy that is working his way up the draft board steadily.

And there you have it. Now, I do realize that there should probably be more foreign guys in the mix here (especially at SF or PF), but I just don't know enough about those guys to rank them. Anyway, expect some more NBA Draft coverage over the next couple days, including a Mock Draft at least for the lottery. Once again, the Draft is Wednesday night.

ESPN Sports Montage Video

I don't have much to write about today as I'm currently working on some other stuff (such as an NBA Mock Draft and another big project), so I'll leave you with a video. But before I do that, I will say that if you haven't seen highlights of that Argentina goal today that gave them the win, find it and watch it. I wasn't able to find it online yet, but I'm sure it'll be up somewhere soon.

Anyway, about the video. It's an Sports Montage basically with all of the big sports moments from the 1900s, se to "Dream On" by Aerosmith. Really, it's one of the coolest videos I've ever seen, and if you can spare a few minutes, you really need to watch it. So here it is:

We move on to the knockout round

Pool play has officially ended, leaving us with 16 teams remaining the World Cup. Here's my picks (in bold):

First Round
Germany vs Sweden
Argentina vs Mexico
England vs Equador
Portugal vs The Netherlands
Italy vs Australia
Switzerland vs Ukraine
Brazil vs Ghana
Spain vs France

Quarterfinals
Germany vs Argentina
England vs The Netherlands
Italy vs Switzerland
Brazil vs Spain

Semifinals
Argentina vs Italy
The Netherlands vs Brazil

Finals
Brazil vs Argentina

Ok, so it's kind of a boring pick, but I like Brazil to win it all. Sure, they've looked slightly aloof at times, and seem to think they can turn it on whenever they want. I think they'll pick up the intensity, starting with their 3 2nd half goals against Japan. Ronaldinho is the best player in the world, and for all the talk about Ronaldo during pool play, he did score 2 goals in that final game. I like Brazil to take the final, 2-1.

The NY Knicks think Isiah Thomas is a better head coach than Larry Brown

Isn't this sort of the message we're getting here?

Well, it was made official today, as the Knicks fired Larry Brown as head coach as moved Isiah Thomas to that position. Makes a lot of sense. I know I'd rather have the guy that run the CBA, the Raptors, and now the Knicks into the ground coaching my team than one of the best coaches ever. But hey, you don't win 23 games with the highest payroll in the history of the league without trying.

Now, seemingly you would think the Knicks would be on the hook for the rest of Brown's contract, which is about $40 million. They, apparently, have other plans, meaning they say they don't want to pay him. Ok, so they'll be paying Allan Houston $19 million next year to be retired, Jalen Rose $17 million to continue to be a guy with his best year way behind him, they'll pay Maurice Taylor almost $10 million to probably get hurt again, and they'll pay Shandon Anderson $7 million to stay off the team. But when it comes to paying the guy they just fired? Heck no!

Personally, as a Philly 76ers fan, I heartily endorse locking up Isiah long-term. After all, I hear Wal-Mart's looking for a new CEO to run the company into the ground.

As for now, I'm with Will from Deadspin, I can't wait for the season to get underway.

You can win pretty much the best job ever

Ok, I'm not one to usually toot the horn for promotional stuff here on the blog, but I saw this the other day and it was really rather cool, and so I decided to pass the link along here.

Score the Ultimate Job at the 2006 All-Star Game

Basically, you register, and you're automattically entered to win:

• Trip for two to the 2006 All-Star Game®
• Tickets to all events, including the Home Run Derby
• On-field press credentials
• Chance to interview an All-Star player
• Your personal All-Star Game® blog on MLB.com
• Plus $2,000 spending money!

And the best part about that, if you'd win you get to see (barring something stupid from Ozzie) the best starter in the MLB (Johan Cytana) and the best catcher in the MLB (Joe Mauer). What could be better than that?!