The NBA Draft, Top 25 recap & my new team
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A lot of media outlets and NBA analysts were saying that this is one of the weaker drafts in more recent history. I understood what they were talking about, the obvious overall #1 pick was blake Griffin but after that it was somewhat of a toss-up. But personally, I couldn’t disagree more.
To me this was the most exciting draft ever. This was the first time I had personal stake in the process. Eric Maynor, VCU’s all time leading scorer and all time assist leader, has been touted as a first round pick and potential lottery pick (top 14). It was great, VCU Young Alumni and a lot of the VCU Athletic Dept. as well as Coach Smart and the ESPN Radio 950 team were all huddled into a room over a Blackfinn.
With each pick going by in the draft, the mystery would build as to where Eric Maynor would end up. He would go 20th overall to the Utah Jazz. I think most of us wanted to see him go to an East Coast team but I am lucky to have him in the NBA and knew wherever he would end up would by right up there with the Pistons as my favorite team.
There were some things that did surprise me and somethings that didn’t about this years draft, lets look at the top 25 picks:
1. LA Clippers Blake Griffin PF - obvious pick, congrats and good luck, we’ll never hear from you again!
2. Memphis Hasheem Thabeet C - Rubio was the talk at #2, and then it was Tyreke Evans, sure enough, a Big goes 2nd
3. Oklahoma City James Harden SG - Upset pick of the night and I mean, I upset and befuddled to see Harden go this high
4. Sacramento Tyreke Evans SG - Tyreke Evans I think is a lock to be a good NBA-er
5. Minnesota Ricky Rubio PG - His pops and Agent don’t want him in a small market, sounds like Yi when he was drafted by the Bucks
6. Minnesota Jonny Flynn PG - Flynn’s stock rose very late, right before the draft, thought T-wolves would trade him but not so sure now
7. Golden State Stephen Curry PG - Too bad, refer to #1 pick comments, I think I can still hear Mike D’Antoni (Knicks coach) still crying in the distance
8. New York Jordan Hill PF - I guess he was pretty good, who doesn’t look good next to Chase Budinger
9. Toronto DeMar DeRozan SG - Have fun in Toronto, not winning
10 Milwaukee Brandon Jennings PG - Surprising Jennings fell this far in the draft, thought he would go higher
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11. New Jersey Terrence Williams SG - T. Williams is a beast, ask Pitino, think he will work out great….with Lebron in 2010 in NJ
12. Charlotte Gerald Henderson SG - Wow, the Bobcats pick a NC boy….ask Sean May how that worked out
13. Indiana Tyler Hansbrough PF - Heard a lot of boos druing this one, I think we will actually be hearing about him more than we anticipate
14. Phoenix Earl Clark SF - Surprised we didn’t hear more buzz about L-ville players in the draft
15. Detroit Austin Daye SF - Was hoping that Maynor would get picked by my Pistons, the Pistons are trying to find an identity, still hungover from losing Billups
16. Chicago James Johnson PF - Baby Bulls keep getting younger
17. Philadelphia Jrue Holiday PG - Was hoping Maynorwould go to Philly too, saw both Holliday and Maynor play in Philly together.
18. Minnesota Ty Lawson PG - T-wolves grab another point guard, traded to Denver
19. Atlanta Jeff Teague PG - Will be interesting to see what the Hawks look like when Bibby is gone
20. Utah Eric Maynor PG - My new fav team, too bad it isn’t east coast and he is behind Derron Williams but proud and excited
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21. New Orleans Darren Collison PG - Like that Maynor went ahead of him, have fun NOT playing behind Chris Paul
22. Portland Victor Claver PF - more pleased with their pick of Patty Mills
23. Sacramento Omri Casspi SF - First Isreal to be picked in the NBA Draft
24. Dallas BJ Mullens C - Shawn Bradley’s Ghost has come back to play no D and to get dunked on like old times
25. Oklahoma City Rodrigue Beaubois - sure…why not
