2012 NBA Draft - Lottery Mock Draft

The New Orleans Hornets won the most important NBA Lottery since Lebron James was available. Anthony Davis was going #1 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft no matter which team won the lottery. He will direct the Honets in the right direction. They had the fourth best odds of winning the first pick.

I feel sorry for the Charlotte Bobcats, who had the best odds of wining the #1 pick. They had the worst winning percentage in NBA history and missed out on the biggest prize. They will still get a good player, but all their fans wanted Davis.

The order of the NBA Lottery is officially set in stone and the teams are looking towards to the future. Who will your team pick and how will that player improve their team? I breakdown the NBA Lottery and present you with my first 2012 NBA Lottery Mock Draft.

1. New Orleans Hornets - PF/C Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
This is the easiest pick to forecast in my mock draft. New Orleans won the Anthony Davis lottery. They will enjoy this more than a Mega Millions purse. The Hornets are a team that lack identity. They had to part ways with Chris Paul and David West because of salary cap issues and the team being owned by the NBA. Tom Benson stepped in and will be the future owner. Davis is the new face of the franchise and a new beginning for fans. He is the best low-post defender to come out of the draft in many years. He needs to add a lot of weight. A 220 lb. 6'10 power forward/center isn't going to be able to do everything that he wants.

2. Charlotte Bobcats - SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky)
I feel sorry for Charlotte fans. They have struggled over the last few years and their team lacks a star. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is the Bobcats star of the future. As soon as he puts on a Charlotte uniform, he will be the team's best player. He is a nice complement to Kemba Walker and Bimack Biyombo. He can defend well and out-hustle everyone on the court. He is a proven winner and will continue to improve.

3. Washington Wizards - PF Thomas Robinson (Kansas)
Washington fell a bit short and missed out on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. MKG would have been a good fit on their team, but Thomas Robinson is more of a finished product. He can help the Wizards instantly and will be an impact player and starter in his first game. He will help in every facet of the game. John Wall will love having an inside scorer to feed all game.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers - SG Bradley Beal (Florida) (or Drummond if Beal is gone)
Cleveland was leapfrogged and fell to #4, but will still get their guy. Bradley Beal is the first tweener in the draft and fills a need for the Cavs. He is a prototypical shooting guard and has some ball handling skills if they wanted to pair him up with the second unit as point guard. He is only a year removed from high school, so he will need some molding to become a franchise player.

5. Sacramento Kings - C Andre Drummond (UConn)
The Kings have Demarcus Cousins, why would they need Drummond? Drummond is a true center and Cousins has the skills to better fit at power forward. He's a freak athlete with a 7-foot-5 inche wingspan. He is a shot blocker and can pass out of the post. If he hits his ceiling, he could be the steal of this NBAdraft.

6. Portland Trailblazers - SF Harrison Barnes (North Carolina)
Why didn't Harrison Barnes dominate in college? This is the question that every NBA team will ask themselves while evaluating him. He has a nice outside jumper and a high basketball IQ. He doesn't have the athletic ability that jumps off of the paper like most #6 picks and higher have. Portland can really improve their team in this draft with two lottery selections. They can afford to gamble a little by picking Barnes at #6.

7. Golden State Warriors - PF Perry Jones III (Baylor)
Perry Jones III is listed as a power forward, but he plays more like a guard. I would compare him to Lamar Odom, since he still has rebounding ability. He is very streaky and should have dominated in college. He is a guy that scouts have mixed feelings about. He disappears in games, but with the right coaching, he can get rid of those issues.

8. Toronto Raptors - SG Dion Waiters (Syracuse)
If a player is getting comparisons to Dwyane Wade and Tyreke Evans, he definitely has a shot at being a star in the NBA. He is an explosive scorer who is a bit undersized for his position (i.e. Wade & Evans). The Raptors are in need of a player like Waiters. They struggled to put points up on the scoreboard. He needs to improve his jumper...a recurring theme in this draft.

9. Detroit Pistons - C Tyler Zeller (North Carolina)
When he chose to play at North Carolina, Tyler Zeller was a lock to leave school after his freshman year. He had all of the accolades and talent, but he lost most of his freshman year to injury. He waited his turn and developed into a better player by staying in school. The Pistons need another big to put besideGreg Monroe. They have different styles and it would be a nice marriage in the paint.

10. New Orleans Hornets - PG Damian Lillard (Weber State)
A lottery pick from Weber State?! Don't let the small school throw you, Lillard has NBA talent. He can shoot from long-range and limits turnovers on the offensive end. The only knock on him would be that he is a tweener. The emergence of Russell Westbrook has definitely helped his stock. Every team is looking for his clone.

11. Portland Trailblazers - SG Jeremy Lamb (UConn) 
You first heard of Lamb last season when his UConn Huskies won the NCAA Tournament. He could have went out last year and been a higher pick in a much weaker draft. He is a talented two-guard that impresses with his defensive ability. He has a long wingspan and reminds me of a Tayshaun Prince coming out of college. Portland will always miss Brandon Roy, Lamb can help them move on.

12. Miluwakee Bucks - PF Jared Sullinger (Ohio State)
He's one of the best low-post scorers and rebounders in this draft. He is too small to play center (6'9) and plays low to the ground. He has a low center of gravity and can defend players taller than him. He struggled against Kansas in the NCAA Tournament. If he had a solid game, you would be picked higher in the draft. His talent ceiling is Charles Barkley to Anthony Mason and his basement is Sean May.

13. Phoenix Suns - SG Austin Rivers (Duke)
If high school players were still allowed to be eligible for the NBA Draft, Austin Rivers would have been the #1 overall pick last year. He will help the Suns get back to their old offensive ways. He is great at going to the hoop, but is very streaky. His free-throw shooting percentage is not where you would like it to be for his position. Rivers has all of the tools to be an star in the NBA, but he's very young and will need some molding.

14. Houston Rockets - PF Terrence Jones (Kentucky)

He is one of the most versatile players. He can help you in many ways around the court. He can rebound, block shots, and even has 3-point range. He is a player who has a position and could draw out defenses from the paint. He is another player that can disappear and have scouts scratching their heads. He would have been a top-3 pick in last year's NBA Draft.

Next 10 Best Players Available:
PG Kendall Marshall (North Carolina)
PF John Henson (North Carolina)
SF Terrence Ross (Washington)
SF Quincy Miller (Baylor)
SF Moe Harkless (St. John's)
PG Marquis Teague (Kentucky)
C Meyers Leonard (Illinois)
SG/SF C Evan Fournier (International)
PF Royce White (Iowa State)
C Fab Melo (Syracuse)

Re-Do - 2007 NBA Draft

You can't really judge any professional sports draft until after three years. I have done "NBA Draft Re-Do" posts since the 2005 Draft and they are always eye-opening. When you start to weed out the busts and players that never achieve their potential due to injury, sometimes you're left with mixed bag. This year was not different, luckily I didn't have to add Josh McRoberts as a potential NBA Lottery pick, that would have been ugly. Does Greg Oden even make the cut? Here is my 2007 NBA Draft Lottery, if the draft were held today.

After taking out guys like Brendan Wright, Acie Law, Spencer Hawes, and Yi Jianlian from the draft, after pick #6, it starts to get ugly, you have been warned.

1. Kevin Durant – Portland Trail Blazers - Portland would be a legit contender in the Western Conference with Durant as the leader of the team. They thought they had a sure thing by picking Greg Oden #1 in 2007, but he has been made of glass. Durant is an MVP candidate and will be for many years to come. (Durant went #2 to Seattle)

2. Al Horford – Seattle Supersonics – Oklahoma City Thunder (formerly Seattle) would have a true inside force with Horford in the paint. He has been improving every year since he's been in the league and who knows what kind of player he'll be in five years. (Horford went #3 to Atlanta)

3. Joakim Noah – Atlanta Hawks - Would Atlanta be a better team with Noah instead of Horford? That's a tough question because Horford is a much better offensive player, but Noah's defensive skills are more advanced. The Hawks would matchup better against Orlando if Noah went to the Hawks with this pick. (Noah went #9 to Chicago)

4. Marc Gasol – Memphis Grizzlies – Well, I guess if Gasol was drafted here, Memphis would still have Pau Gasol and he never got a ring. Marc Gasol is still improving and has helped Memphis become a playoff team in the West. (Gasol went #48 to L.A. Lakers)

5. Carl Landry – Boston Celtics (traded to Seattle) - If this draft re-do happened, the Thunder would have Horford and Landry being one of the best rebounding tandems in the league. The team would be cleaning the glass and would be a tough team to beat in when it comes to rebounds. (Landry went #31 to Seattle - traded to Houston)

6. Jeff Green – Milwaukee Bucks - A scorer that can make his own shot? It sounds exactly what Milwaukee has been missing since Rashard Lewis took the money and got out of town. (Green was picked #5 by Boston)

7. Thaddeus Young – Minnesota Timberwolves - This is the part of the draft where this re-do starts to go downhill. Young, due to injuries and busts in this draft lands at this pick. He would be serviceable in Minnesota, but not a big piece of the puzzle in the big picture. (Young went #12 to Philadelphia)

8. Rodney Stuckey – Charlotte Bobcats (traded to Golden State) - Stuckey would have been a godsend in a Don Nelson offense. He can score in bunches, but he has the tendency to disappear every few games. He would have been a nice compliment to Monta Ellis. A backcourt of Stuckey and Ellis would fill up the boxscore. (Stuckey was chosen #15 by Detroit)

9. Mike Conley Jr. - Chicago Bulls - Conley Jr. isn't the ninth best player in this draft, but the Bulls needed a point-guard (this was pre-Derrick Rose) and they would have picked him. He would have filled the need and they could have moved Kirk Hinrich to shooting guard. Conley would have probably been a bust here, they are lucky to have picked Joakim Noah here instead. (Conley was picked #4 by Memphis)

10. Wilson Chandler – Sacramento Kings - Chandler is a proven scorer in the NBA and the Kings needed a perimeter scorer in 2007. Chandler has been a solid player in the up-tempo offense for the Knicks and would have been a better choice for them than Spencer Hawes was. They wish this re-do was real life. (Chandler was picked #23 by New York)

11. Glen Davis – Atlanta Hawks - A frontcourt of Noah & Davis seems a bit outlandish, but it would work. Josh Smith could handle the offensive duties and help defensively by blocking shots. The paint would have a lot of bodies in it and they would forget that they actually picked Acie Law with this pick. I think all Atlanta fans would wish to forget Law and you would have funny YouTube videos to watch from Davis. (Davis was picked #35 by Seattle - traded to Boston)

12. Jared Dudley – Philadelphia 76ers - It took Dudley a few seasons to find his role in the NBA and he has been a solid player for the Phoenix Suns. Would the Sixers welcome a dead-eye 3-point shooter right now? Of course they would. (Dudley was picked #22 by Charlotte)

13. Aaron Brooks – New Orleans Hornets - I doubt having Brooks and Chris Paul on the same team would work in real-life, but it would be a lot of fun to watch. I would make sure that I would watch every game on League Pass. Their backcourt would be over-matched by bigger guards, but they could find a way to make it work. Hey, Brooks would be a better pick than Julian Wright. (Brooks was picked #22 by Houston)

14. Corey Brewer – Los Angeles Clippers - Brewer is a streaky player that some would say is a headcase, he would have been perfect for the Clippers! Brewer has been bouncing in and out of the rotation on Minnesota and he could have been a starter on the 2007 Clippers. Al Thornton, their actual pick, didn't stick with the team, but I have a feeling that Brewer would still be on the team today. (Brewer was picked #7 by Minnesota)

Next Three Picks - Marco Belinelli, Al Thornton, Ramon Sessions


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Re-Do: 1999 NBA Draft

The 1999 NBA Draft is considered one of the deepest drafts in in history. There are nine All-Stars from this draft and players like Lamar Odom and James Posey who were cornerstones in helping their teams win an NBA Championship. Who goes #1 if this draft was redone today? Who would pick the same players if everyone is reshuffled? Here is the 1999 NBA Draft redone if it happened today.

1. Richard Hamilton – Chicago Bulls - I think Hamilton gets the edge over the rest of the class because he is a winner and has been very productive for years. Elton Brand was originally picked here, which was a decent pick. (Hamilton was picked #8 to Washington)

2. Baron Davis – Vancouver Grizzlies – Maybe if the Grizz drafted Baron "The Beard" Davis, the team would have stayed in Vancouver instead of moving to Memphis. Steve Francis was drafted by them, but promptly traded to the Rockets. (Davis went #3 to Charlotte)

3. Manu Ginobli – Charlotte Hornets - Maybe the Spurs wouldn't have been so dominate the last 5-7 years without Ginobli. He would have been #1 or #2, but he has been a sixth man for most of his career in San Antonio. Baron Davis went here in the real 1999 NBA Draft. (Ginobli went #57 to San Antonio)

4. Ron Artest – Los Angeles Clippers – I love playing revisionist history because L.A. is really where Artest wanted to be nearly his entire career. Maybe if they pick Artest here instead of Lamar Odom, he would have stayed with the Clippers and they would have been much better of a team for the past decade. (Artest went #16 to Chicago)

5. Elton Brand – Indiana Pacers - He would have been a much better pick here than Jonathan Bender was at this pick. The Pacers have been searching for a post-man during this time, they could have had a franchise player in Brand at #5. (Brand went #1 to Chicago)

6. Lamar Odom - Minnesota Timberwolves - Odom has been lucky because he has played his entire career either in L.A. or Miami, so thinking that he would do well in Minnesota would be ridiculous, but he would have been a nice compliment to Kevin Garnett during this time. They ended up picking Wally Szczerbiak here, who was a nice player for them. (Odom was picked #4 by L.A. Clippers)

7. Shawn Marion – Washington Wizards - I'm not sure if Marion would have done well in Washington during the 1999 period. He did well in Phoenix because there weren't any real plays set up for him. He was the garbage man and Washington was better off with their actual pick of Richard Hamilton (Marion was picked #9 to Phoenix)

8. Andre Miller – Cleveland Cavaliers - This was the one of two picks in this re-do that was the actual pick by the team. Although he only spent three seasons in Cleveland, if he would have stayed there, he would have been a nice role player with Lebron James. (Miller was picked #8 to Cleveland)

9. James Posey - Phoenix Suns - No matter where James Posey plays, he is well-liked by his teammates and completely over-achieves. If he were on the Suns, maybe they would have won a Championship, but Phoenix can't complain, Shawn Marion did a great job with them with this actual pick. (Posey was picked #18 to Denver)

10. Jason Terry – Atlanta Hawks - This is the other pick during this re-do that actually happened in the 1999 NBA Draft. During Terry's stretch in Atlanta, he spent his time in and out of the doghouse. His most productive years have come as a member of the Dallas Mavericks (Terry was picked #10 by Atlanta)

11. Corey Magette – Cleveland Cavaliers - Maggette would have been a very in compliment to Lebron James and Andre Miller, if those players were still on the Cavs. Cleveland's actual pick was a swing and a miss. They took Trajan Langdon also out of Duke, but couldn't stick in the league. (Maggette was picked #13 by Seattle)

12. Andrei Kirilenko – Toronto Raptors - Kirilenko has the potential to be a triple-double machine and he plays stout defense for Utah. He would probably have seen more playing time in Toronto and would have been a better pick for them than Aleksander Radojevic, who they picked at this spot in 1999. (Kirilenko was picked #24 by Utah)

13. Wally Szczerbiak – Seattle Supersonics - No one was hotter coming off an amazing NCAA tournament in this draft than Szczerbiak. He was a scoring machine for Miami of Ohio. In his prime, he was one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, but the Sonics actually picked Maggette with this pick, but didn't stick with the Sonics. (Szczerbiak was picked #6 by Minnesota)

14. Jeff Foster – Minnesota Timberwolves - I put Foster in this slot over Steve Francis because of longevity of career, plus Foster is a very under-rated basketball players. He can play both Center and Power Forward effectively and is very durable. Minnesota could have used a guy like that and would have gave Garnett another big man in the paint. Their actual pick, William Avery, didn't last in the NBA very long. (Foster was picked #21 by Atlanta)

Re-Do - 2006 NBA Draft

You can't really grade a draft in any league until 3 years later. I did a "re-do" post a year ago with the 2005 NBA Draft, you can see that HERE.

The NBA just had their draft last week and it will take a few seasons to see if they work out. The 2006 NBA Draft has had only one all-star so far, but a few stars are starting to emerge. The teams didn't seem to know who they wanted during the draft, 5 out of top 10 picks were traded. Toronto had the first pick in that draft, would they still pick Andrea Bargnani? Here is what the 2006 NBA Draft Lottery would look like if it were held today.

1. Brandon Roy – Toronto Raptors - The Raptors would be a much improved team with Roy in the backcourt. Andrea Bargnani has been good player, but has not been worth the #1 pick in the draft. Roy is the only all-star in this draft, so far. He has been great for the Trail Blazers and would do well in Toronto’s up-tempo offense. (Roy went #6 to Minnesota)

2. Rajon Rondo – Chicago Bulls – Chicago ended up picking LaMarcus Alrdridge with this pick and sending it to Portland for then #4 pick. Rajon Rondo has proven that he is a star in this league. This year, in the post-season, he was a walking triple-double. He would be a star on any team that drafted him. (Rondo went #21 to Phoenix)

3. LaMarcus Aldridge – Charlotte Bobcats - Don’t you think that the Bobcats would have liked to end up with Aldridge over Adam Morrison? Of course, it’s a no brainer. I believe Morrison could end up being a key reserve on a team, but he never got started in Charlotte. Aldridge has been a complete player in Portland and will be an All-Star very soon. (Aldridge went #2 to Chicago)

4. Rudy Gay – Portland Trail Blazers – Portland picked Tyrus Thomas and traded him to Chicago for LaMarcus Aldridge during the draft. Rudy Gay has been a success in the NBA and if he was on a better team, maybe we would hear more about him. He has the potential to be an NBA scoring champion and should average 20+ points per game over the next few seasons.(Gay went #8 to Houston)

5. Andrea Bargnani – Atlanta Hawks - I have viewed a few “Biggest NBA Busts” posts over the past week and Atlanta’s pick of Sheldon Williams at #5 was on many of the lists. Atlanta would have liked to have Bargnani, they have Al Horford now, but they didn’t have him back in 2006. The Hawks would look much different with Bargnani in the paint, he’s not that physical, but he can get rebounds and much-needed points.(Bargnani went #1 to Toronto)

6. Randy Foye –Minnesota Timberwolves - The T-Wolves picked Brandon Roy here, but traded him Portland . Foye actually ended up playing for Minnesota for a couple seasons, but he was recently traded to Washington Wizards. Foye is a scorer and can score without the ball. He can be in the starting-five on plenty of teams in the NBA. (Foye was picked #7 by Boston)

7. Ronnie Brewer – Boston Celtics -Randy Foye was picked here in 2006, but was traded to Minnesota via Portland. Ronnie Brewer has been a under-the-radar young talent for the Utah Jazz. He would have been a good fit in Boston or wherever he would have ended up in the trade.(Brewer went #14 to Utah)

8. Paul Millsap – Houston Rockets - The Rockets ended up picking Rudy Gay with this pick, but once again, traded the pick to Memphis. Millsap was coined as the “Next Karl Malone,” since he also came from Louisiana Tech. He came into his own in the 2008-09 seasons when Andrei Kirilenko went down with an injury. Millsap would have done very well in Houston. A Yao/Millsap tandem down low would be very productive.(Millsap was chosen #47 by Utah)

9. Tyrus Thomas - Golden State Warriors - The Warriors took a chance on Patrick O’Bryant with this pick. Thomas would have been a much better fit for the Warriors and work well in the up-tempo offense. Thomas has improved each season in the NBA and big things are still expected from this high-flyer. (Thomas was picked #4 by Portland)

10. Jordan Farmar – Seattle Supersonics - This pick would now be owned by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Seattle didn’t do much with this pick in 2006, they picked Mouhamed Sene from Senegal. The talent from 2006 falls off about this point in the draft. Jordan Farmar would be a starting point guard on most teams in the NBA. He started most of the games in 2007-08, but with the signing of Derek Fisher this season, Farmar was a key reserve off the bench for the Lakers. (Farmer was picked #26 by Los Angeles Lakers)

11. Rodney Carney – Orlando Magic - The Orlando Magic picked J.J. Redick with this pick, but at the time they needed a shooter. Rodney Carney was a good college player at Memphis and has had a decent NBA career so far with Philadelphia. He would have fit well in Orlando, because he can shoot and defend. (Carney was picked #16 by Chicago)

12. Leon Powe – New Orleans Hornets - Powe would have been an upgrade over Hilton Armstrong, who was picked #12 in 2006. Leon Powe didn’t break-out until the 2007-08 season. He was a key contributor during the Boston Celtics championship run. Powe could start on many teams and would be a James Posey-type player, who the Hornets currently have on their roster. (Powe was picked #49 by Denver)

13. Thabo Sefolosha – Philadelphia 76ers - Thabo Sefolosha was actually picked here by the 76ers, but was traded to Chicago for Rodney Carney. Sefolosha is a role player that can play solid defense. He is currently a reserve for Oklahoma City, but Philadelphia could definitely use a player like Sefolosha. (Sefolosha was picked #13 by Philadelphia)

14. J.J. Redick – Utah Jazz - Utah picked Ronnie Brewer here, but wouldn’t J.J. Redick be better in Utah than in Orlando? Utah just asks their players to do what they are good at.I have a feeling that Deron Williams could get Redick nice open shots. He would ever have to handle the ball, so he would just have to sit back and drain open 3-pointers. (Redick was picked #11 by Orlando)

2009 NBA Draft - Best Undrafted Players

Not everyone can be drafted in the NBA Draft. Many players go on to become undrafted free-agents and sign on with teams. Most of these players will either sign with an NBA team, play in the NBDL, or go onto Europe and play. I was surprised that my boy, Ben Woodside, didn't garner a late 2nd-round pick. He is small and played at North Dakota State, but the kid is a scoring machine. Jeremy Pargo and Josh Shipp were two others that surprised me, since they both come from good programs and were stars. Here is a list of the best players who didn't hear their name called last night.

Josh Heytvelt - Gonzaga
Paul Harris - Syracuse
Dionte Christmas - Temple
Jerel McNeal - Marquette
Chris Johnson - LSU
Courtney Fells - NC State
Tyrese Rice - Boston College
Leo Lyons - Missouri
Jeff Adrien - Connecticut
Curtis Jerrells - Baylor
Eric Devendorf - Syracuse
Shawn Taggart - Memphis
Jeremy Pargo - Gonzaga
Ben Woodside - North Dakota State
A.J. Abrams - Texas
Josh Shipp - UCLA
Alex Ruoff - West Virginia
Andrew Lovedale - Davidson

2009 NBA Draft - Team Grades

You can't judge a draft in any league for about three years, but everyone has a knee-jerk reaction to a team's draft picks. The NBA Draft makes or breaks General Manager's careers. If you miss on a guy, you're screwed. If you pass up on a guy, you're screwed. If you have a high pick, but draft for need, and a guy who is drafted after your pick turns into a superstar, you're screwed. The draft has about a 75% failure rate and is the reason why you never see a GM without some gray hair. Here are my draft grades for the 2009 NBA Draft.

Boston Celtics - They only had one pick in the draft and it was a late one. They ended up picking Lester Hudson from Central Florida. He is a scorer and will probably be a NBDL all-star, but doubtful to make the team the next two seasons. Draft Grade: D

New Jersey Nets - The Nets also only had one pick, but their pick was in the Lottery. Terrence Williams will be a good player in this league, he's eccentric and fun. He isn't that mature and scouts say he loses focus, but he dominated in the Big East last season. Draft Grade: B-

New York Knicks - The Knicks need young talent, since after this season, they will have about $50 bucks on their payroll. They picked Jordan Hill and traded for Toney Douglas, good solid picks. This draft makes me miss the Isiah Thomas-led drafts. Where was the random Renaldo Balkman kind of pick? Draft Grade: B

Philadelphia 76ers - Jrue Holiday was their lone pick in this draft. I'm not a fan of Holiday, but he did upstage Darren Collison at times. He is a few years away, by the time he's ready, Elton Brand will be ancient. Draft Grade: C-

Toronto Raptors - You can blame Tim Floyd for my low draft grade for the Raptors. DeMar DeRozan came into USC has a game-changing stud, but his numbers never took off. Toronto was reaching a little by picking him #9. Draft Grade: D+

Chicago Bulls - The Bulls made a good showing in the NBA Playoffs last season. They are still relatively young and need to build around Derrick Rose. Taj Gibson and James Johnson are two good pieces, only if Johnson grows up and learns to get along with his teammates. Draft Grade: B

Cleveland Cavaliers - The Cavs knew that they were not able to improve their team this year with this draft. They pick Christian Evenga and Danny Green, two guys that will not make the team this year. Evenga will probably stay in Europe and Green can help their NBDL affliate. Draft Grade: D

Detroit Pistons - Detroit had a typical Pistons draft. They got guys who showed defense ability and the ability to play team basketball. Austin Daye and DaJuan Summers will be Pistons and will contribute. Jonas Jerebko could be a decent bench player for a team that doesn't need to add any expensive free agents. Draft Grade: B+

Indiana Pacers - Indiana shocked the world when they picked Tyler Hansbrough. Everyone thought that they were picking a point guard, but they waited until the 2nd round and got A.J. Price from UConn. It was a weird draft for them and took some risks. Draft Grade: C-

Milwaukee Bucks - The Bucks traded away Richard Jefferson and needed to add some offense. Brandon Jennings will not help you offensively, but could turn into a nice point guard. Jodie Meeks could step in and score points immediately. He could turn into a Ben Gordon-type player coming off the bench. Draft Grade: B+

Atlanta Hawks - The Hawks are re-building their backcourt and by drafting Jeff Teague, they have themselves a possible future star. He's a combo guard and can run the point if Bibby leaves. Draft Grade: B-

Charlotte Bobcats - I don't like the strategy the Bobcats use by only drafting UNC and Duke players in the first round. Gerald Henderson may have already reaching his ceiling and Charlotte should have went in another direction. The Derrick Brown and Robert Vaden picks could bolster their bench, but unfortunately Larry Brown and rookies go together as well as hot sauce and a guy with IBS. Draft Grade: D-

Miami Heat - The Heat needed some size in the paint, but drafted a guy who is small for his position. Robert Dozier is not great fit for the Heat, but with no first round pick, they had to pick from what was left. Draft Grade: F

Orlando Magic - The Magic didn't have any picks in the draft this year.

Washington Wizards - The Wizards traded their lone draft pick to Houston.

Dallas Mavericks - The Mavericks are getting long-in-the-tooth and need youth to help re-build their team. Dallas acquired Rodrique Beaubois, who will likely stay overseas, and drafted Ahmad Nivins from St. Joseph's. This draft was a wash and didn't accomplish a whole lot. Draft Grade: D-

Houston Rockets - Houston didn't have any picks in this draft, but they were active in acquiring players for future considerations and picks. Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger and Sergio Llull were gained in the draft process. I don't know how their odds of making the team this year, but Budinger had a lot of upside. Draft Grade: C+

Memphis Grizzlies - Not only did Memphis get rid of Darko Milicic, but they had a pretty good draft. Hasheem Thabeet, DaMarre Carroll, and Sam Young are all big guys that should help them defensively. They were one of the worst defensive teams in the league and needed size. Draft Grade: A-

New Orleans Hornets - Chris Paul is a great point guard, but he is small. They needed a back-up for Paul, but they picked Darren Collison, who is just as small. Is this a swing and a miss? Draft Grade: F

San Antonio Spurs - The Spurs are known to always do their homework on European players and make the most of their 2nd round picks. They didn't have a first round pick this year, but got DeJuan Blair, a first round talent, in the second round. He is missing both ACLs, but in San Antonio, he doesn't need to play a lot of minutes. Jack McClinton was another great 2nd round pick, but his maturity is in question. Draft Grade: A

Golden State Warriors - The Knicks thought that they had Stephen Curry, but the Warriors stole him. The rumor is that they may send this pick to the Suns in the Amare Stoudemire deal. If Curry stays in Oakland, he will put up monster numbers in Don Nelson's offense. Draft Grade: B+

Los Angeles Clippers - It isn't hard to do well in a draft if you're picking #1 in a one player draft. The Clippers will have to try really hard to mess this kid up. Draft Grade: A+

Los Angles Lakers - The Lakers came into the draft with three picks, but left with only one. The only player they kept was Chinemelu Elonu, who was picked in the late 2nd round. He will probably end up in the NBDL, but he could end up joining a team as a defensive replacement. Draft Grade: D-

Phoenix Suns - Steve Kerr has had a rough time as the Suns GM. The Shaq deal didn't work out and he's taking a lot of heat. He needed a great draft to distract from his rough start. Unfortunately for Mr. Kerr, he whiffed on another draft. The Earl Clark pick was a reach and someone should tell him that he wanted "Blake Griffin," not "Taylor Griffin." Draft Grade: D

Sacramento Kings - The Kings came into this draft needing impact players. They traded away a lot at the trading deadline last year and basically only have Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson as cornerstones. Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi will help them immediately and I really love the Evans pick. They traded for Jon Brockman, so they will have an all-Huskies frontcourt in Sacramento. Draft Grade: A+

Denver Nuggets - Denver didn't have much to do in this draft, but they did get a player that they coveted. George Karl is a UNC alum and he loved Ty Lawson. He can spell Chauncey Billups and will benefit from learning under him. Draft Grade:B-

Minnesota Timberwolves - The T-Wolves set themselves up for an extremely busy day. They traded Washington for their first round pick and ended up with a total of six picks for the day. They chose two point-guards with the #5 and #6 picks. It was a little confusing, but from what I hear, Ricky Rubio does not want to play in Minnesota. They could package a deal and receive instant talent and maybe a future #1. Jonny Flynn will be a good player in the NBA and I liked that pick a lot. Wayne Ellington and Nick Calathes was also picked by Minnesota, both fell down the draft to them and they clearly picked them as the "best player available." Draft Grade: A+

Portland Trail Blazers - Jeff Pendergraph adds to the young talent in Portland. The late pick of Patrick Mills will only add to the excitement about the Blazers. Draft Grade: B

Oklahoma City Thunder - The Thunder are looking for the future. They have picked smart and the future is looking bright. James Harden will make their offense even more scary. B.J. Mullens is a nice addition, but needs a few years to mature.Draft Grade: B

Utah Jazz - The Jazz are smart and take players who have good fundamentals. Eric Maynor will be a great back-up for Deron Williams. Maynor may end up developing into something better than they expect. Draft Grade: B

The 2009 NBA Draft Live Blog

I am running a live blog update during the 2009 NBA Draft. Click on the title of this post to view the up-to-date information and analysis on the NBA Draft. What are the odds that both the Jazz and Pacers pick white boys? I'm not a betting man (at least that's what I tell my mother), I would bet the house.

7:27 - Why does Dick Vitale is wearing a shirt that matches his skin color...orange.

CLICK ON THE TITLE FOR THE REST....

7:37 - I'm suprised that the Clippers really waited this long to announce their pick. Donald Sterling was probably with a few of his "asian friends" and forgot what time it was.

The Los Angeles Clippers pick Blake Griffin

7:43 - I wonder if Griffin grew out his hair, would he look like Delonte West?

7:45 - Stu Scott is interviewing Mike Dunleavy. Everytime Dunleavy is on ESPN, Bill Simmons sheds a tear

The Memphis Grizzlies pick Hasheem Thabeet

7:46 - Can a tailor actually make suits that fit these guys? There is just too much fabric on suits for guys over 7 feet. They look like they are wearing stilts.

7:50 - Thabeet just explained the difference between soccer and basketball. I'm glad that I watched this or I would have never known.

The Oklahoma City Thunder pick James Harden

7:52 - Ricky Rubio was just shown clapping as if someone just stole his girlfriend.

7:53 - Is there enough points to go around in OKC? Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, and James Harden will put up some nice offensive numbers.

7:55 - Harden is the early leader for the worst suit of the night. His bowtie screams Joakim Noah and his shirt/vest combo screams Hakeem Olajuwon.

The Sacramento Kings pick Tyreke Evans

7:57 - Evans and Griffin appear to be wearing the same suit. I like this pick, he's tall and can get into the paint. The Kings really don't have anyone else on their team, they are probably 3-4 years away from being competitive.

8:01 - ESPN is showing the resume of David Kahn, the new GM for the Minnesota Timberwolves. I have seen high school graduates with better credentials to be a GM.

The Minnesota Timberwolves pick Ricky Rubio

8:04 - Rubio's suit was probably made by some European designer and cost a lot of money, but he looks like he's either going to a funeral or re-fill my drink.

8:06 - This is either a Ricky Rubio interview or a promo for the movie "Bruno."

8:07 - They are comparing Rubio to 'Pistol' Pete Maravich and Steve Nash. Are they setting this kid up for disaster?

The Minnesota Timberwolves pick Jonny Flynn

8:10 - If Jonny Flynn drops a "passion bucket" in his interview here, the Minnesota Timberwolves will be the official team of the Dan Patrick Show. Is the NBA going to have two balls on the court now? I don't quite understand going point guard/point guard here. Is there going to be a trade coming up?

8:14 - Ouch! No "passion bucket" reference, but he did say "overflowing passion"...close enough.

The Golden State Warriors pick Stephen Curry

8:16 - The Knicks fans boo, but I think Curry will fit well in Oakland. Doesn't the Knicks have enough tweener guards? Trust me Knicks fan, you need more than Curry.

8:19 - I bet Curry gets carded everywhere he goes. The kid looks 15 years old and he was just picked in the NBA Draft.

The New York Knicks pick Jordan Hill

8:21 - Get used to the boos Mr. Hill, you're going to be hearing them every night.

8:23 - Hmmm, a PF/C chosen by the Knicks #8 from Arizona...Channing Frye? How did that turn out for you guys? Oh, ouch!

The Toronto Raptors pick DeMar DeRozan

8:27 - The ESPN crew is going to have a hard time trying to talk up DeRozan. He had a bad year at USC for a guy expected to be a stud.

8:29 - DeRozan has a family with healthy issues AND he had to play under Tim Floyd. I don't know which one to feel more sorry for him about.

The Milwaukee Bucks pick Brandon Jennings

8:33 - I love "Young Money"'s flat-top. I am crossing my fingers that that hair-style will come back soon. By the way, it was rumored that he was going to drop in the 20s, I guess they were wrong. He sounds like he could be the next T.J. Ford, since he doesn't have much of an offensive game.

8:36 - A player who struggled in Italy and did bad on his SATs...sounds like it could end horribly.

The New Jersey Nets pick Terrence Williams

8:38 - This kid could be my new favorite player. He looks like his suit is made out of satin. I heard this kid wears Spongebob socks and a Barbie backpack. I may need to get this guy's jersey.

8:41 - The first awkward moment of the night. Williams kept talking as they cut to a shot of the crew.

The Charlotte Bobcats pick Gerald Henderson

8:45 - The Bobcats continue their solid "when all else fails, pick a guy from UNC or Duke, it could help attendance" plan.

8:46 - I can't say this enough, but I hate the term "Basketball I.Q." What the hell doesn't that even mean?

The Indiana Pacers pick Tyler Hansbrough

8:50 - If you read the beginning of this post, I won. The team photo for the Pacers now looks like the 1940 Fort Wayne Pistons. The Indiana Pacers are still official team of "America's White Boy."

8:53 - All kidding aside, I think the Pacers needed a point guard, but Hansbrough will be a good player for the Pacers. Indiana could get a point guard in the early second round. This draft is deep at that position.

The Phoenix Suns pick Earl Clark

8:56 - Haha! Bradon Jennings randomly shows up. That was weird, it completely threw off the entire ESPN crew.

8:57 - Clark was #10 on the "Best Players Available" by Jay Bilas. I don't like this pick here, they need to get a point guard to take Steve Nash's spot when he leaves.

8:59 - The Pistons are picking next, can they just forfeit this pick? I doubt they really need to add more payroll at this point.

The Detroit Pistons pick Austin Daye

9:02 - The Pistons just drafted a Tayshaun Prince clone, but unfortunately he isn't as talented.

9:04 - Jay Bilas said that Daye needs to get tougher. Maybe the Pistons need to send him to Jay Glazer for some MMA training, ala Matt Leinert.

9:06 - Dick Vitale loves the Tyler Hansbrough and Stephen Curry picks? I'm shocked! He just predicted that Curry would win Rookie of the Year. Every time he complains about players who leave college early and get picked on potential, he sound like a mean, old man that was just served cold soup.

The Chicago Bulls pick James Johnson

9:09 - Yikes, I don't like this pick. Wake Forest had a stacked team and many blame Johnson for the team not living up to their potential. Apparently the kid didn't get along with his teammates.

9:12 - I was going to say something about how Steve Kerr looks weird, but then my power went out. There is a bad storm oustide here in Columbus,OH.

My power went out for 5 hours....I guess that concludes the live portion of my "live coverage"....maybe next year. I am going to list the rest of the NBA Draft picks and some analysis.

The Philadelphia 76ers pick Jrue Holiday

Holiday is a few years away from being an impact player. The Sixers have a young team, they might be able to wait on him.

The Minnesota Timberwolves pick Ty Lawson *trades pick to Denver

Great, a "future considerations" trade for a mid-1st round pick? That proves how weak this draft is.

The Atlanta Hawks pick Jeff Teague

Teague is a combo guard that can score. I thought the Pacers was trying to move up to take him, but Atlanta is re-building their backcourt with him and trading for Jamal Crawford.

The Utah Jazz pick Eric Maynor

I like this pick. The Jazz are content with Deron Williams at point, but Maynor will be a key reserve off the bench.

The New Orleans Hornets pick Darren Collison

This is a bad pick by New Orleans, they already have a small point (Chris Paul), they would have been better suited to get more size at that position.

The Portland Trail Blazers pick Victor Claver

The Blazers missed out on Ricky Rubio, but picked up his countryman. The passed up DeJuan Blair here, good idea, the kid doesn't have any ACLs.

The Sacramento Kings pick Omri Casspi

He was the other buzz-word European in this draft, other than Rubio. His name has been floating around for a few years. He has a great motor and doesn't quit.

The Dallas Mavericks pick B.J. Mullens * traded to Oklahoma City

The Thunder are loading up on talent, but Mullens will take a few years to see what he can do.

The Oklahoma City Thunder pick Rodrique Beaubois *traded to Dallas

This kid has had upside, length, explosiveness, all the token adjectives to describe a draft pick.

The Chicago Bulls pick Taj Gibson

I like this pick, Gibson will replace Ben Gordon, it's doubtful that he will re-sign.

The Memphis Grizzlies pick DeMarre Carroll

He had a good month last season and it translated into a 1st round. Mizzou came out of nowhere this year and a lot of it is because of this kid.

The Minnesota Timberwolves pick Wayne Ellington

This draft is the T-Wolves draft. If Ellington would have came out last year, he would have been a lottery pick.

The Los Angeles Lakers pick Toney Douglas *trade to New York

Douglas would have been a good fit for the Lakers, but even better for the Knicks.

The Cleveland Cavaliers pick Christian Evenga

Danny Ferry is trying to duplicate what he learned at San Antonio. Evenga will probably stay overseas and be ready in a couple seasons. He was a teammate of Ricky Rubio, he better thank him for helping out his game.

NBA Draft Coverage

I will have live coverage and commentary during the 2009 NBA Draft. This is one of my favorite non-physical sporting events. I love that even the Thunder and Grizzlies fans can feel good about their team for at least one day a year. My favorite part is the horrible draft day suits. I want to leave you with two of my favorites to quench your thirst until tonight.

I love this picture. Hakeem Olajuwon looks like he's either going to a prom or parking cars outside the event. I also like how David Stern looks like he's a stand-in from Accounts Payable for the real commissioner.

Joakim Noah's look is kind of a newer version of Olajuwon's attire. He adds some extra flare with the unkept fro and jumbo bowtie.

RE-DO - 2005 NBA Draft

After any major sports draft, every team and their fans usually feel great about the future. The NBA many teams draft based on potential and not on the basis of past performance. 2005 was one of the last drafts that high school talent could bypass the college game and enter in the draft. Teams will still draft on potential, even a year in college doesn't show enough to make an educated determination on what player is better than the other. Here is a re-do of the 2005 NBA Draft if it happened today.

1. Chris Paul - Milwaukee Bucks - The Bucks would be a much improved team with Paul at the point. Andrew Bogut was a decent pick, but the draft class was presumed to be very thin in 2005 and they couldn't pass up on a big man with International flavor. Chris Paul is hands-down, head above shoulders, the filet mignon of this draft. (Paul went #3 to New Orleans)

2. Andrew Bynum - Atlanta Hawks - Atlanta was rebuilding a young roster and needed a scorer. At the time of the draft, Atlanta could have waited on a player to develop, but big men develop at a snail's pace. The Hawks ended up taking Marvin Williams, not a bad choice, but he was solely picked based on a predicted potential with no ceiling. (Bynum went #10 to the Lakers)

3. Deron Williams - Utah Jazz - Williams actually went at this spot and to-date seemed to be about the third best player in the draft. At the University of Illinois, Williams looked great, any other year, he would have went deeper in the draft, but he'll be great. (Williams went #3 to Utah)

4. Danny Granger - New Orleans Hornets - The Hornets was the lucky team in 2005 by picking Chris Paul. Granger would be a stud on any team in the NBA. He was supposed to go much earlier than where he went, many teams weren't sold on him. (Granger went #17 to Indiana)

5. Andrew Bogut - Charlotte Bobcats - Bogut would be a great addition to Charlotte. A Bogut/Okafor duo would be a much better front court team than May/Okafor. Charlotte went to take Raymond Felton at this spot, but many thought at the time that they needed to take some Tar Heels to increase attendance in Chartlotte. (Bogut went #1 to Milwaukee)

6. David Lee - Portland Trailblazers - Lee is an energy player that doesn't quit on either end of the floor. He was an Energizer bunny at the University of Florida, but many didn't think that his game wouldn't translate to the NBA. Portland picked Martell Webster, who is turning into a nice player, but in 2005 he was picked on potential. Lee has been the one constant on the Knicks roster during the last three years and will continue to be a piece of their future. (Lee was picked #30 by New York)

7. Marvin Williams - Toronto Raptors - I would like Marvin Williams on Toronto more than I do on Atlanta, where he ended up. Toronto was a team trying to find its identity without Vince Carter. They ended up taking Charlie Villanueva, which seemed like a decent move, since Villanueva could score all over the floor at UConn. (Williams went #2 to Atlanta)

8. Charlie Villanueva - New York Knicks - The Knicks could have used Villanueva on their team, especially since he would have been a nice middle of the floor scorer. New York had a ton of guards and wannabe big men, Villanueva fit a niche that they were missing. Channing Frye was the player chosen by New York, he may still end up being a decent guy, but probably not a starter. He was traded to Portland last season, where he is behind Greg Oden in the rotation. (Villanueva was chosen #7 by Toronto)

9. Jason Maxiell - Golden State Warriors - Maxiell would have added much needed defensive ability on the high-scoring Warriors. Golden State was coached by Don Nelson at the time he was just looking for more offense, so they chose Ike Idogu. Maxiell is coming into his own on Detroit where he is playing for a contender. (Maxiell was picked #26 by Detroit)

10. Jose Calderon - Los Angeles Lakers - Calderon was probably going to stay in Europe for a season or more, something the Lakers could have done. The Lakers were trying to find themselves as a team without Shaquille, so drafting a point guard may have not been in their plans. Andrew Bynum was probably the perfect pick for what they needed. (Calderon went undrafted in the 2005 NBA Draft)