2007 NBA Draft Green Room Invitees

**Scroll Down For Mock Draft V.2**

Here is the official list from the NBA. No big surprises unless you see Thaddeus Young or Javaris Crittendon sneaking in.

Corey Brewer (Florida)
· Michael Conley (Ohio St.)
· Kevin Durant (Texas)
· Jeff Green (Georgetown)
· Spencer Hawes (Washington)
· Al Horford (Florida)
· Yi Jianlian (China)
· Acie Law IV (Texas A&M)
· Joakim Noah (Florida)
· Greg Oden (Ohio St.)
· Rodney Stuckey (Eastern Washington)
· Al Thornton (Florida St.)
· Brandan Wright (North Carolina)
· Julian Wright (Kansas)
· Nick Young (USC)

2007 NBA Mock Draft V2.0

Version 2. Less than a week away is the 2007 NBA Draft, a final mock will be delivered Wednesday and updated Thursday.

1. Portland Greg Oden C Ohio State Not so obvious choice in my opinion, I think Durant is the better fit for this team right now.

2. Seattle Kevin Durant F Texas The best player in the draft falls right into Seattle's (for now) lap. I haven't seen a player with this type of offensive arsenal since Kobe. The only downside is his strength right now and the impact it will have on his defensive ability.

3. Atlanta Al Horford F Florida When its all said and done I think they end up with Mike Conley. Whether they take him here or not remains to be seen but I can see them taking Horford then putting him in a trade.

4. Memphis Brendan Wright F UNC Huge upside here and with Gasol potentially leaving Wright makes a lot of sense here.

5. Boston Corey Brewer G Florida Horford would be ideal but Brewer would immediately make Boston's starting backcourt of Rondo and Brewer one of the best defensively in the East.

6. Golden State (From Milwaukee) Yi Jianlian F China I think Chancey Billups may end up in Milwaukee so Conley is not the pick here and a trade to the Warriors is a strong possibility for Jason Richardson. Yi would like to play on the West Coast and Golden State is rumored to be high on him.

7. Minnesota Spencer Hawes C Washington The Wolves are desperate for a big man and Hawes is a perfect fit. Needs to get toughter on the defensive side but has the NBA ready offensive game to warrant the #7 pick.

8. Charlotte Joakim Noah F Florida Charlotte has a track record of taking proven NCAA talent and Noah would bring endless energy and winning attitude to a franchise in need.

9. Chicago Mike Conley PG Ohio State Chicago stocks up a very valuable trade asset in Conley and could help facilitate a trade for a number of players including Kobe, Randolph, KG. If Conley sticks around Hinrich could play SG for stretches and make Ben Gordon expendable.

10. Sacramento Jeff Green F Georgetown Conley would be #1 on the Kings wish list but instead Jeff Green one of the most versatile players in this draft falls here. The selection of Green makes the inevitable departure of Ron Artest a little easier.

11. Atlanta Javaris Crittendon PG Georgia Tech Point guard is the need so don't count out Conley wearing Hawks red somehow next season. The alternative is Crittendon a legit PG with good size and a huge upside.

12. Philadelphia Julian Wright F Kansas Philly needs help just about everywhere on the roster so best player available is the way to go here. Wright is an extremely talented kid who would've gone higher in a weaker draft.

13. New Orleans Nick Young G USC Hole at SG filled for the Hornets. Young should be able to get major minutes immediately here. Thaddeus Young should get serious consideration as well but he is not NBA ready at this point.

14. LAC Acie Law PG Texas A&M With Livingston's career in doubt a PG is the obvious choice for the Clips. Although Law is more of a combo guard he should fit nicely in the same backcourt with Sam Cassell.

15. Detroit Rodney Stuckey F E.Washington Stuckey is the pick here to Detroit. They need more athleticism and someone who can step in and score some points alongside Rip.

16. Washington Al Thornton F Florida State Thornton would enable the Wizards to trade Antawn Jamison and free up some cash to hopefully sign Arenas. Thornton is sliding a bit due to height and age concerns but he can score and proved himself in a tough conference.

17. New Jersey Jason Smith C Colorado I think Carter stays in NJ so a big man is the pick here. Smith is not a traditional big man as he is best outside the paint but NJ has Kristic coming back next season and Smith could open up some space for him.

18. Milwaukee (From Golden State) Sean Williams C (formerly of Boston College) This may be a little high for a player with this type of track record but a frontcourt of Bogut and Williams is outstanding and too hard to pass up.

19. LAL Thaddeus Young F Georgia Tech Best player available and could be used in many trade scenarios (Minnesota KG deal) as if Young stayed on more year at GT he would be top 5.

20. Miami Josh McRoberts F With Sean Williams off the board Miami needs more overall youth in the backcourt as well as in the frontcourt. The fans will hate this pick as McRoberts is widely viewed as an underachiever but he is extremely athletic and can do a lot things well. Just don't ask him to lead the team and score 20 a night.

21. Philadelphia Morris Almond G Rice With their second pick Philly takes a lights out scorer in Almond. If Morris is not the pick I could see Marco Belinelli or Rudy Fernandez going here instead.

22. Charlotte Rudy Fernandez SG Spain The best SG in Europe. Tremendous athlete as well, could play along Adam Morrison for some defensive mismatches.

23. New York Daequan Cook G Ohio State NY is rumored to have a promise in place here. With a solid frontcourt, Cook could add immediate guard help to a weak team. If Sean Williams is on the board could go here and Channing Frye or David Lee moved.

24. Phoenix Marco Belinelli SG Italy Even with Barbosa, Belinnelli would be a great fit here for Phoenix. Belinelli is an open court, fast break type and may be able to play a little PG as well.

25. Utah Nick Fazekas F Nevada Utah could use a big man but none should be available worth taking here. Another shooter in Fazekas would improve an already excellent perimeter offense.

26. Houston Aaron Affalo SG UCLA Houston's G situation isn't great and Affalo hopefully will learn to play the PG as well. Houston is trying to move down and Luther Head is available, Affalo fills in right away.

27. Detroit Petteri Kopenen With Detroit's second pick Kopenen fills a potential need at PG. They could also go with Jared Dudley who is a player who can play both SG/SF. He carried Boston College all season long with his scoring, rebounding and intensity.

28. San Antonio Tiago Splitter F Brazil Splitter won't play in the NBA next season but should be pick in the first round regardless. He is a tough defensive minded center who can contribute right away. His offensive game is a work in progress.

29. Phoenix Derrick Byars F Vanderbilt Solid 4-year player who played SG/SF and even flashes at PG. Really stood out in the NCAA tourney during Vandy's run. He slips due to lack of upside GM's desperately covet more than actual proven talent.

30. Philadelphia Glen Davis F LSU Philly's third pick may turn out to be a steal in terms of value since he can match up against athletic PF's and even C's. Davis should be a serviceable big man right away due to his strength and decent offensive game but his weight needs to stay in control so there is risk involved. I could see Alondo Tucker fitting in here as well.

Second round projections (In order of projected draft position)

DJ Strawberry G Maryland
Gabe Pruitt F USC
Marcus Williams F Arizona
Aaron Gray C Pitt
Alondo Tucker F Wisconsin
Brandon Heath SG San Diego St.
Taurean Green G Florida
Jared Jordan PG Marist (Boston rumored to be interested in 2nd round)
Bobby Brown G Cal-Fullerton (stock rising)
Ivan Radenovic PF Arizona
Ramon Sessions PG Nevada
Herbert Hill F Providence
Reyshawn Terry F UNC (Stock Rising)
Ron Lewis SG Ohio State
DaShaun Wood PG Wright State
Demetrius Nichols F Syracuse
Jamar Wilson G Albany

The Ongoing Kobe Bryant Situation

***SCROLL DOWN FOR MOCK DRAFT 1***


Kobe has once again requested a trade out of LA. The Lakers will not trade him to a Western Conference team and since he has a no trade clause the options are even further limited. Kobe has mentioned three teams he would waive this no trade for:

Chicago
New York
LA CLippers

Playing in a major market is obviously crucial to Kobe so New York would be ideal but there is not enough pieces there to make a deal. Atlanta was not of the OK'd teams but a packing starting with Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams would be interesting to LA.The Clippers have no chance at all so that leaves Chicago. Kobe would love to replicate MJ and would have a realistic shot to take the Bulls to the NBA finals in his first year.

The deal on the table is something along these lines, these are the principals involved:

To LA : Andres Nocioni (Sign & Trade) ,Tyrus Thomas, Ben Gordon
To Chi: Kobe Bryant, Ronny Turiaf

There may also be other salary fodder thrown in to make the deal happen and maybe a swap of draft picks as well.

Latest News..............Team Private Workouts Commence

***SCROLL DOWN FOR MOCK DRAFT 1***

As of June 5th teams have scheduled workouts for top prospects on their boards. As workout info is known it will be incorporated into the latest mock.

Trade talk : Boston seems to be in the mix with many teams/scenarios wanting a crack at the #5. Potential partners include Chicago, Golden State, and Houston. Charlotte is active as well having the #8 and #22 picks.

Seattle with #2 and #31 and Phoenix with #24 & #29 have been very active as well. A Marion trade may be the centerpiece in a blockbuster trade come draft night (Celtics can dangle D.West, Theo Ratliff expiring,Gerald Green, and #5 pick)........................Robert Swift may be available for the right price from Seattle.

Stuckey to the Pistons? Rumored guarantee which may be garbage but it makes sense that the Pistons are interested at #15. I think he could go as high as #11 or at #13 would work also.

Marvin Williams available? The Hawks may be interested in moving Williams, the price will be steep but they are looking for another impact rookie to go with Mike Conley Jr.

Full First Round Mock - Yes Finally!

This is in actual draft order except for the four playoff teams left. I still think this is one of the best drafts on paper that I've seen in the last ten years.

I would not be surprised to see 8-10 perennial all-stars and a handful of solid starters as well. Some international players may even be squeezed out of the first round due to the influx of American talent eligible this season.

1. Portland Greg Oden C Ohio State
2. Seattle Kevin Durant F Texas
3. Atlanta Mike Conley PG Ohio State
4. Memphis Brendan Wright F UNC
5. Boston Al Horford F Florida
6. Milwaukee Corey Brewer G Florida
7. Minnesota Al Thornton F Florida State
8. Charlotte Julian Wright F Kansas
9. Chicago Yi Jianlian F China
10. Sacramento Jeff Green F Georgetown
11. Atlanta Jason Smith C Colorado
12. Philadelphia Joakim Noah F Florida
13. New Orleans Thaddeus Young F Georgia Tech
14. LAC Nick Young G USC
15. Detroit Javaris Crittendon PG Georgia Tech
16. Washington Spencer Hawes C Washington
17. New Jersey Josh McRoberts F Duke
18. Golden State Acie Law PG Texas A&M
19. LAL Aaron Affalo G UCLA
20. Miami Sean Williams C (formerly of Boston College)
21. Philadelphia Morris Almond G Rice
22. Charlotte Rodney Stuckey F E.Washington
23. New York Derrick Byars F Vanderbilt
24. Phoenix Tiago Splitter F Brazil
25. Utah Aaron Gray C Pitt
26. Houston Rudy Fernandez PG Spain
27. Detroit Jared Dudley F Boston College
28. San Antonio Devon Hardin C California
29. Phoenix Daequan Cook G Ohio State
30. Philadelphia Marcus Williams F Arizona

Second round projections (In order of projected draft position)

DJ Strawberry G Maryland
Glen Davis F LSU
Marc Gasol C Spain
Marco Belinelli SG Italy
Alondo Tucker F Wisconsin
Brandon Heath SG San Diego St.
Jared Jordan PG Marist (Boston rumored to be interested in 2nd round)
Bobby Brown G Cal-Fullerton (stock rising)
Ivan Radenovic PF Arizona
Gabe Pruitt F USC
Ramon Sessions PG Nevada (going back to school?)
Herbert Hill F Providence
Reyshawn Terry F UNC (Stock Rising)
Nick Fazekas F Nevada
Sean Singletary G Virginia
Ron Lewis SG Ohio State
DaShaun Wood PG Wright State
Demetrius Nichols F Syracuse
Jamar Wilson G Albany
Ante Tomic C Croatia (Out of Draft 6/5/07)

NBA Draft Lottery May 22nd

Lottery is 8 days from now so be on the look out for Mock Draft #1. Sorry for the wait but at this point I think it's the right thing to do. I've put a ton of work into this draft already and cant wait to get going so stop emailing me, I'm busy!!!!!!!!

Will Yi Jianlian go in the top 3?. Will Joakim Noah crack the top five? Is Julian Wright Overrated?

Stay Tuned!

As always this is the site to for the real opinion on the draft. No bias or agendas here. We may not be the flashiest but look at the past successes and predictions.

Mock Draft V1.1

Coming soon............

Underclassmen who are eligible for the draft

All Likely first rounders below:

In:

Al Horford F Florida

Joakim Noah F Florida

Corey Brewer G/F Florida

Taurean Green G Florida

Jeff Green F Georgetown

Roy Hibbert C Georgetown

Greg Oden C Ohio State
Mike Conley Jr. G Ohio State
Daequan Cook G Ohio State
Nick Young G USC
Marcus Williams G/F Arizona
Nick Fazekas F Nevada
Gabe Pruitt G USC
Sean Singletary G Virginia
Arron Affalo G UCLA
Kevin Durant F Texas
Julian Wright F Kansas
Dominic James G Marquette
Josh McRoberts F Duke
Glen Davis F LSU

Update on some big names and where they stand at the moment

Roy Hibbert C Georgetown - Will be coming out as he has worked his way to be a top ten pick. I am impressed with his passing skills for a big man and I think top 10 is justifiable. This isn't Patrick O'Bryant , lot of growth potential here.

Ron Lewis G Ohio State - Should get a look in the second round from teams looking for a shooter, his overall game can't be overlooked though. Solid throughout and is an above average athlete. Reminds me of a poor mans Michael Redd.

Tyler Hansbrough F North Carolina - Still undersized but as tough as they come. Plays with a lot of passion and will do the dirty things that can be the difference between a win and a loss. Will not be a dominant player in the NBA. Late first rounder.

Mike Conley Jr. PG Ohio State - Has outstanding court awareness for a freshman. Can put up points if he needs to. Top 15 pick right now.

Ty Lawson PG North Carolina - Of he comes out he is a top twenty pick mainly due to a lack of strong competition at PG in this years draft. I think he needs one more season and learn how to play more under control.

Joakim Noah F Florida - Anyone who takes him in the top ten should be fired on the spot. He is what he is, a high motor energy guy. He can help on the right team but you cant expect him to be your franchise cornerstone as a top ten pick should be. One of the sorriest offensive players I have ever seen mentioned as a top pick. Mutombo was more advanced back in the Georgetown days than Noah is now.

Josh McRoberts F Duke - Has announced he is entering the NBA Draft. He should go in the 18-25 range. Does a lot of things well and has good size.

Glen "Big Baby" Davis F LSU - Also has announced his decision to go pro. Has lost a lot of weight and is more mobile but still not sure where he fits in the NBA. Measurements will be a key for him. As of right now he is in picks 28-35 range.

Pre NCAA Tourney Info

OK heres the deal. The tourney is about to start and this is where players can seemingly come out of nowwhere and rise up the draft board.

Couple Players to watch besides the big names like Oden, Durant, etc...........

Jeff Green F Georgetown - Big East Player of the Year. Can carry a team on his shoulders, plays within the team and can do basically anything on the court at a high level. Hard to label because he can do so many things, just watch and see for yourself. He has been on the late first round bubble all year but now he can really shoot up the board with a strong performance in the tourney.

Bryce Taylor G Oregon - Listed as a generous 6-5 according to Oregon Sports Info Dept. I see him around 6-2 but thats not the point, he is a tough player as he is not afraid to bang down low but he really shines offensively. Is having a nice rebound season after a disappointing sophomore year. His problem will be playing the point in the pros, I think if he can show that he can, he is in the first round no question.

Jared Dudley G/F Boston College - Has been facing double coverage every game since Sean Williams was suspended. Look at the stats as it hasnt affected his numbers much but you can see it is wearing him down. I think this will help him immensely in the NBA as he wont face this type of attention. He is a pure scorer and a good rebounder as well, I compare his college game to Paul Pierce.

Sean Singletary G Virginia - Exciting performer in the tough ACC conference. More of a scorer than a true point. Needs to shoot with more consistency. Reminds me of a bigger Nate Robinson.
Also on Virgina, J.R Reynolds is an intriging prospect as well.

Jamar Wilson G Albany - May only get one chance to see him in the tourney unless they pull a major upset. What your getting with Wilson is one of the best players in the NCAA. Had he played for a higher profile school you may be hearing about him in the late first round of the draft. He is undersized for sure but a good rebounded and his effort alone should get him in the second round, and I think he will stick with the right team.

DJ Strawberry G Maryland - Will be a late first round pick. Has improved every year at Maryland. One of the best one on one defenders in the entire NCAA. His offense is based on a slashing type of game, but can shoot above average as well. Safe pick will make a strong team even stronger.

Mock Draft 1.0 -Lottery

Mock Draft time, I've watched a ton of NCAA games so far and have avoided putting together a mock until now. This draft is almost surreal, there are teams tanking the season in February just to get a shot at the top of the draft. Everyone knows the top two picks but aftet them the draft still looks very deep, especially with freshmen. Draft order is assumed at this point.

1. Boston Greg Oden C Ohio State - This Celtics team is an absolute monstrosity, mainly due to youth and injuries. I think management realizes if there is ever a year to throw in the towel this is it. With the selection of Oden I think you can pencil in the Celtics as a legit Eastern Conference contender right away. This kid is that good, and people need to realize Oden is playing hurt and without the full use of his dominant hand.

2. Memphis Kevin Durant F Texas - The entire package. I have seen impact freshman like Big Dog and Melo but Durant is really on another level. He is a legit 6'9 with a 7'2 wingspan, the comparison you see a lot is Kevin Garnett but Durant is much more fluid with the dribble and has a very good outside shot. He has already shown the ability to take over games and is contantly taking on double teams due to a mediocre Texas team this season. What a consolation prize.

3. Philadelphia Brandon Wright F North Carolina - Another freshman sensation but not on the same level as the previous two above. Really a force down low despite not having a big frame, will need to add muscle. One of the quickest big men in the NCAA. Would be a great fit in an up tempo offense that already has a proven scorer. The are concerns on whether he has the makeup to push himself to be a true star in the NBA.

4. Charlotte Spencer Hawes F Washington - This big man was initially going to enter the NBA draft coming out of high school but had to change his plans when the NBA instituted the one year in college rule. I had seen him in the McDonald's game where he looked good but didnt really stand out but after catching him play this season he looks like he has added muscle and shown more go to moves. He plays center now but would be outsized in a lot of matchups in the NBA, he will need to show more facing the basket skills and the ability to match up with bigger forwards/centers.

5. Phoenix (from Atlanta) Joakim Noah F Florida - Would have gone #1 overall if he entered last seasons draft. Very high motor and will do the dirty work to get wins. He could get bounced around a lot down low in the NBA and while he shoots a high FG percentage it's mainly due to putbacks and close range shots. He needs to show he can shoot effectively out to the foul line extended. Should be solid NBA player and is the "safe" pick in the lottery.

6. New Orleans Robin Lopez C Stanford - Legit seven footer, looks to me like the more polished of the brothers. True Center to a T. Very strong rebounder and also defends well, could help a teams front line immediately.

7. Seattle Julian Wright F Kansas - Wright really does a lot of things well but I'm not sure where his best skill lies. What really impresses me about Wright is his ball handling ability for a player of his size. He looks for the drive a lot and due to his quickness he can succeed doing that in college. His outside game will need to greatly improve to be a complete player.

8. Milwaukee Josh McRoberts F Duke - Another versatile player who looks like he could potentially be the star on the team but really isn't. Similar to Julian Wright but he has a much better shooting game and worse athletic ability. Outstanding length but will need to bulk out to play in the post in the NBA.

9. Portland Corey Brewer F Florida - Really think this kid is going to be a star in the NBA. Solid shooter, great athlete, and has good ball handling ability for a 6'8 player. Will play a lot of SG in the NBA. One of the best defenders I've seen so far this season.

10. Sacramento Al Horford F Florida - The third Florida Gator that will be drafted in the lottery. He gets over shadowed on this team at times but has a lot of skills that will translate to the next level. One is his shooting touch for a big man. he can stretch defenses out to the foul line and really open up an offense. Another is his size and hustle, can scrap for rebounds with anybody and showed that he can hold his own against bigger players like Greg Oden.

11. Chicago (from New York) Chase Budinger SG/SG Arizona - Projects to be a big time scorer after his one season in Zona. Is a true gunner in every sense, has great size and has no problem getting his shot off. One of the best athletes in the draft, rare skill for a white guy.

12. New Jersey Aaron Gray C Pittsburg - True center who has shown improvement this season. Still looks a little slow to me but can rebound and play effectively in the post. Will never be a dominant player or a star but can't be passed up here for a team desperate for size and good psot play.

13. Golden State Alondo Tucker F Wisconsin - Preseason Big Ten player of the year which says a lot in a loaded conference. Could be the national player of the year by the end of the season. Reminds me of a more offensively polished Tony Allen. Has also great defensive skills and runs the floor as good as anyone in the draft. Very versatile, in a lot of drafts he would go a lot higher.

On the bubble of the Lottery.

Acie Law G Texas A&M
Aaron Affalo G UCLA
Marcus Williams SG Arizona
Mike Conley Jr PG Ohio State
Yi Jianlian C China
Dominic James PG Marquette
Daequan Cook G Ohio State

Random Thoughts For The New Year

- Right now Kevin Durant is the best player in the NCAA right now and yes he is a freshman, reminds me of Syracuse when Carmelo was there for that one season. No one is saying this but Durant could be the #1 overall pick in the draft.

- Jared Dudley should be a first round pick in June but will slip due to the depth of this draft. He has carried a mediocre BC team on his back until he got injured.

- Sean Williams WILL be a first round pick in June. He added muscle and more offensive moves in the offseason. Had a triple double last night, and changes players shots more than anyone I can think of. I think he will go 10-15th overall.

- Greg Oden can start for 80-90% of NBA teams RIGHT NOW. He has been dominating using his non-dominate hand except in the Florida game due to foul trouble. Daequan Cook is damn good as well.

-Florida has a great shot of repeating this season, too many weapons (Noah, Horford, and Brewer all NBA material) and Horford has really shown serious improvement.

-Aaron Gray has put in a lot of work on his game and it shows but he is still slow and I question his overall effectiveness as a starter in the NBA

Youtube Madness...........

here are some clips of the cream of the crop for the 2007 NBA Draft all courtesy of Youtube,

Enjoy!

Greg Oden - Micky D's game

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCYVQlg2NUQ

Thaddeus Young - Jordan Classic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2Syh8zSChE

Kevin Durant/ Tyson Lawson - Oak Hill Academy vs. Montrose Christian

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_-I04_yvlc

Chase Budinger - Dunk Contest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dfgt4kCV4U

Dominic James - Mix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVLjlJMtKzI

Josh McRoberts - Mix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-9-VJNbnEE

Brandon Heath- Money from 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2XMCVL420w

Tiago Splitter - Top international player this year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlrqMS7tp-A

2007 NBA DRAFT Top 5 and more......

This will be one of the strongest drafts we've seen in quite a few years. In recent memory it could be better than the Lebron, Melo, Wade draft. I have at least 20 starter quality players projected in the first round, many superstars in there as well.

NBA teams let the tanking begin...............

#1 Greg Oden Fr. Ohio State - The consensus #1 prospect to come out since Lebron. True center, plays a team game but can dominate when necessary. Should be a first team All American among numerous other awards and is a lock be one and done at Ohio State.

#2 Kevin Durant Fr. Texas - Durant is not far behind Oden at this point and in basically any other draft Durant would go #1 overall. He is a wing player with great size and has a nice stroke from the outside. Will add muscle this season down in Texas and be even more impressive for the NBA draft in June.

#3 Marcus Williams So. Arizona - Really like this kids game as he can play both spots with equal effectiveness. I think he will be one of the best players in the nation this season and NBA scouts will be watching him very closely.

#4 Tyler Hansbrough So. North Carolina - Played very well last season as a freshman on a team where he was constantly double teamed due to lack of surrounding talent. He was thinking of coming out last season but made the right choice to come back for another year. Can bang down low, also can step out and drain the mid range shot. Needs to measure at a legit 6-9 for him to go this high. UNC is a more talented team especially at the guard position. I see a huge year from Hansbrough.

#5 Thaddeus Young Fr. Georgia Tech - Another one and done from a really strong freshman class. Versatile left handed wing should have an immediate impact on the Yellow Jackets this season. Needs work but on talent alone should go not much later than Top 5 overall. Extremely long wing span should hit the offensive glass hard in college will need to add strength to do in the pro game.

Next tier

Aaron Gray Sr. Pitt - Experienced true center who routinely puts up double doubles. Rebounds like he should at his size, will mix it up with anyone. Will go high in the draft if he keeps improving his game. Needs to show that he can survive in a more up tempo offense. Others have more potential but for a team looking for a big early after Oden goes #1 this is the guy.

Josh McRoberts So. Duke - Made a good choice coming back this year even though he wouldve went Top 1o in last years draft. I saw him do many things good last season but nothing really stood out to be exceptional to me.

Joakim Noah Jr. Florida- Not as high on Noah as others. I think he is a great shotblocker but he needs to add a lot more muscle to be a good pro. I also havent seen much of an offensive game either. Should go in the 15-20 range.

In the Mix:

Dominic James Marquette
Julian Wright Kansas
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute UCLA

Players I like who may or may not crack the first round........ (Sleepers/ Players to Watch)

Caleb Green F Oral Roberts - Double-double machine (21 and 10 a game), look for Oral Roberts in the NCAA tourney again this year mainly because of Roberts

Nick Fazekas F Nevada - Smooth shooting big forward who can fit in on many NBA rosters right now, can rebound as well.

Glen "Big Baby" Davis F LSU -Will his offseason regimen help him in the tough SEC?

Sean Williams F Boston College - Big time shot blocker and rebounder, offensively raw but if Saer Sene can get drafted in the first round I would think Williams could be as well.

Rajon Rando! Lot of Hype Right Now

Can He Be the Rookie Of The Year?

The answer is no. He will be a huge asset to the Celtics this year no question but Brandon Roy or Randy Roye have to be the favorites going into the season. Simply put they will get more minutes and more of a chance to be the first or second option on a lot of plays.

Rondo will play a key role but I only expect him to average around 8 ppg. However, he will also pull down 5 rpg and hand out 5 apg. He will also play D on the opponents best PG or SG, could be good for a steal or two a game.

Bottom line is the Celtics ( GM Danny Ainge) quite possibly have got another steal in the draft with Rondo at #21, the rookie of the year no chance but a key contributor for years to come absolutley.

Top Five High School Seniors

Here is a look at the class of 2007. They will eligible to be in the 2008 NBA Draft. Here are some names to look for.

1. OJ Mayo PG - Ohio's finest, expected to be one and done at USC or wherever he decides to go. Projects to be a great pro, has good size, leadership skills and an improving mid range shot to go along with a strong 3 point shot. Attacks the basket with aggression, can finish after contact and in traffic.

2. Eric Gordon SG- Indiana sharpshooter hs been called the best pure shooter to come out of high school since JJ Redick. Like Reddick his size and weight are issues at this point but after a year or two in the NCAA, I think you could be seeing a mix of a more polished Gerald Green type athlete with the shot of JJ Reddick. Will he be able to play the point?

3. Donte Greene PF- Syracuse commited lanky scorer/shotblocker, think Hakim Warrick with a jumpshot. Not as raw as Warrick was at his age though. He will need to continue to refine his mid range game to get NBA scouts even more interested as he will be asked to play SF in the pro game.

4. Michael Beasley PF- Oak Hill standout, plays an inside outside game which makes him unstoppable at the top high school level. May take more time to adjust to the college game than others and his quickness will be a concern but at his size double doubles will be the norm. May rise as high as the #2 propspect over the course of the season. Needs to improve overall ball handling skills.

5. Bill "Sky" Walker SF- Another Ohioan, not sure if he reminds me of Rodney Carney or Shane Williams or a combination of both but either way you could make the case that he should be a lot higher than #5 on this list. Can shoot the ball, but is known more for his ridiculous dunking ability, Vince Carter (before injuries) type hang time. His shot should come around to be much more consistent than it is now as Walker is known to be a gym rat. Can score on literally anyone at the high school and maybe even college level.

Others to watch: (Name, Position, High School State)

Kevin Love PF Oregon
Chris Wright SF Ohio
Derrick Rose PG Illinois
Chandler Parsons SF Florida

2006 Pre-Season All Rookie Team

I'm off for a much needed vacation but before I leave here is a look at my 2006 NBA Preseason All Rookie Team. These are the players I think will have the most impact next season. Many of the early picks in the draft you wont see on my team as they wont get the consistent minutes these players will get, however in the long run many of these players will turn out to be better than the ones on this team.

PG Jordan Farmar Los Angeles Lakers
SG Randy Foye Minnesota
SF Brandon Roy Portland
PF Shelden Williams Atlanta
C Hilton Armstrong New Orleans

Honorable Mentions- Rajon Rondo G Celtics, James White Indiana, Thabo Sefolosha Chicago, Ronnie Brewer Utah

Rookie Of The Year- Randy Foye Minnesota

Be back in September with many more updates and the upcoming start of NBA training camps.

All Vegas Team

Vegas Summer League has been completed. Here are my All Vegas Summer Team members. Stay tuned for my Rocky Mountain Revue Team as well as the all Summer League Team. Also I suggest anyone that doesnt have NBA TV to seriously consider getting it, these games are entertaining as hell.

Note: Minimum of 4 games played to be considered here.

PG John Lucas III Houston- Maybe the best performing player overall from a statistical standpoint. Averaged over 20 PPG and 7 assists. Will he make the roster? I say he does but I wouldnt rule out a lucrative offer coming in from a team overseas that he accepts instead as he is still undersized and his game is not clearly translatable to the NBA.

SG Randy Foye Min- He was expected to be the man in this league and he indeed was. I do not consider him to be a PG as he is more of a shooting guard that can play the point. Either way he was a scoring machine against competition that was for the most part above average. As of now I think Foye is the preseason favorite for Rookie of the Year honors.

SF Kevin Martin Sac- Had a breakout season last year and I am not really sure of why Sacramento needed him to play in this league. Great scorer, can run with anyone should be even more of a focus for the Kings this year. Sleeper team (not really but still) watch out for them this year.

PF David Lee NY- Very tough call here as there were many candidates that could've been here instead of Lee, Ryan Gomes being the toughest omission. Anyway I went with Lee as the action that I saw he was the most active player on the floor,doing all the little things that help the team win. Averages of 15 PPG and 9 PPG show how solid he was. A very valuable chip for NY right now, will Isiah keep him around?

C Andray Blatche Wash - Had his second solid summer league season although there wasnt a lot to choose from at the center position. Blatche is a very athletic big man who has plenty to learn before he is ready for big time action. Two years away in my opinion of contributing to a winning team.

Honorable mentions-

Ryan Gomes F Bos- Celtics had a very strong team with Telfair, Green, and Rondo among others but Gomes was clearly a man among boys here. In fact I think he really had no business being here except to work on his outside game (which he did). Major player next year in Boston. Not a superstar but SOLID.

James Singleton F LAC- Summer league veteran who really showed off the skills that he doesnt get to show playing on a contended like the Clippers. Wow did I just say that? Anyway in the games I saw he seemed to be working more on his outside game. I think hes a player and could help many teams.

Oleksiy Pecherov F Wash- I like this kid. The pick to Washington in the first round baffled me a bit but he is a very good prospect. Not sure how much he will contribute this season, he should be in the rotation though at least to start the season.

2006 Vegas Summer League -Starts Today!

Scroll Down for my 2006 NBA Draft Winners and Losers

Here are the summer league rosters, Will get score updates as soon as I can.

Boston Celtics

NO. Player            Pos. Ht.  Wt. College
52  Akin Akingbala    F    6-10 240 Clemson
53  Ndudi Ebi         F    6-9  195 Westbury Christian HS
4   Ryan Gomes        F    6-7  250 Providence
5   Gerald Green      G    6-8  200 Gulf Shores Academy
37  Kevin Hamilton    G    6-4  190 Holy Cross
7   Al Jefferson      F    6-10 265 Prentiss HS
27  Dwayne Jones      C    6-11 250 St. Joseph’s
0   Leon Powe         F    6-8  240 California
12  Allan Ray         G    6-2  195 Villanova
9   Rajon Rondo       G    6-1  177 Kentucky
30  Sebastian Telfair G    6-0  168 Abraham Lincoln HS
51  Wes Wilkinson     F    6-10 220 Nebraska

Charlotte Bobcats

PLAYER        POS. HT.  WT. BIRTHDATE COLLEGE       YRS PRO
Alan Anderson G/F 6-6   220 10/16/82  Michigan State 1
Alioune Beye    C 6-10  210 6/19/82   Montana Sate   R
Brett Blizzard  G 6-4   205 6/12/80   UNC Wilmington R
Kevin Burleson  G 5-10  175 9/4/79    Minnesota      1
Steve Burtt     G 6-1   190 3/7/84    Iona           R
Marcus Campbell C 7-0   280 3/11/82   Mississippi St R
D’or Fischer    F 6-10  247 10/12/81  West Virginia  R
Lynn Greer      G 6-2   175 10/23/79  Temple         R
Maurice Hargrow G 6-5   200 7/2/84    Minnesota      R
Ryan Hollins    C 7-0   230 10/10/84  UCLA           R
Sean May        F 6-8   266 4/4/84    North Carolina 1
Adam Morrison   F 6-8   205 7/19/84   Gonzaga        R
James Thomas    F 6-8   225 11/22/80  Texas          R
Nate Williams   C 6-11  225 8/29/80   Georgia State  R
Curtis Withers  F 6-8   245 8/2/84    UNC Charlotte  R

Cleveland Cavaliers

2006 VSL Roster
            
Stephen Graham   G/F          6-6           215          6/11/82   Oklahoma State '05               1 

03 Sasha Pavlovic G/F 6-7 210 11/15/83 Serbia-Montenegro '03 3

04 Jermaine Blackburn G/F 6-6 216 2/8/83 Boise State '05 R

06 Shannon Brown G 6-4 205 11/29/85 Michigan State '06 R

08 C.J. Burton G 6-2 170 12/13/75 Australia '97 R

10 Clay Tucker G 6-3 195 6/14/80 UW-Milwaukee '03 R

15 Martynas Andriuskevicius F/C 7-2 240 3/12/86 Lithuania '05 1

18 Je'Kel Foster G 6-2 210 7/22/83 Ohio State '06 R

21 Daniel Gibson G 6-2 190 2/27/86 Texas '06 R

26 Brandon Hunter F 6-7 266 11/24/80 Ohio University '03 2

27 Sharrod Ford F 6-9 223 1/9/82 Clemson '05 1

31 Brian Jackson F 6-9 245 10/4/80 Oregon State '03 R

50 Roderick Riley C 6-11 275 3/11/81 Prairie View A&M '04

Dallas Mavericks

Num   Player   Pos   Height  Weight  College
01   Rawie Marshall  G/F   6-7   190   Oakland University
03   Brian Hopkins   G   6-0   195   SMU
04   Anthony Grundy  G   6-3   185   N.C. State 
09   Jeremiah Davis  G   6-1   180   Pacific
11   Larry O'Bannon  G   6-4   200   Louisville 
13   Maurice Ager   G   6-5   202   Michigan State
21   Andre Emmitt   G   6-5   225   Texas Tech
24   Pavel Podkolzin C   7-5   260   Russia 
32   Corey Belser   F   6-6   210   San Diego
33   Josh Powell   F   6-9   225   N.C. State
35   Bingo Merriex   F   6-9   225   TCU
40   P-Mensah-Bonsu  F   6-9   240   George Washington 
45   Antwan Scott   F   6-8   199   Wake Forest 
50   Brad Buckman   C   6-8   235   Texas

Denver Nuggets

No. Player  Pos.  Ht. Wt. School/Year Exp.    
11 Kelenna Azubuike G 6-5 220 Kentucky ’06 R   
10 Eric Chenowith  C 7-1 270 Kansas ’02 R   
14 Josh Davis  F 6-8 235 Wyoming ’02 2   
6 Yakhouba Diawara F 6-7 225 Pepperdine ’05 R   
7 Chris Ellis  F 6-9 267 Wake Forest ’06 R   
9 Jason Ellis  F 6-7 220 Boise State ’05 R   
27 Cheyne Gadson  G 6-4 205 Oklahoma State ’03 R   
1 John Gilchrist  G 6-3 200 Maryland ’05 R   
12 Roman Gonzalez  C 6-10 240 Argentina R   
29 Mike Hall  F 6-8 230 George Washington ‘06 R   
42 Chris Hernandez  G 6-2 190 Stanford ‘06 R   
17 Axel Hervelle  F 6-8 230 Spain  R   
4 Ralphie Holmes  G 6-4 190 Cal-State Fullerton ’05 R   
5 Antoine Hood  G 6-4 200 Air Force ’06 R   
8 Casey Jacobsen  G 6-6 215 Stanford ’02 3   
22 Ricky Sanchez  F 6-11 215 IMG Academy (FL) ’05 R   
3 Tyrell Sledge  G 5-11 205 Emporia State ’06 R 

Golden State Warriors

Num   Player   Pos   Height  Weight  Birthdate   College     Years Pro
03   Will Bynum   G   6-0   185   1/4/83   Georgia Tech   1
06   Jose Juan Barea G   6-0   175   6/26/84   Northeastern   R
08   Monta Ellis   G   6-3   177   10/26/85   Lanier HS    1
09   Ike Diogu   F   6-8   255   9/11/83   Arizona State   1
10   Curtis Stinson  G   6-3   215   2/15/83   Iowa State   R
12   Mo Charlo   F   6-7   210   7/22/83   Nevada   R
15   Andris Biedrins F/C   6-11   240   4/2/86   Latvia   2
20   Nick George   F   6-6   205   9/25/82   Virginia Comm.  R
25   Jamaal Williams G   6-6   240   1/19/83   Washington   R
26   PatrickO'Bryant C   7-0   249   6/20/86   Bradley   R
30   Sean Banks   F   6-8   210   1/20/85   Memphis   R
32   Brendan Winters G/F   6-5   195   5/9/83   Davidson   R
33   Steven Smith   F   6-9   225   4/12/83   La Salle   R
41   Julian Sensley  F   6-9   235   8/18/82   Hawaii   R
44   Ryan Humphrey   F   6-8   235   7/24/79   Notre Dame   3
45   Spencer Gloger  G/F   6-7   215   9/11/80   Princeton   R

Houston Rockets

Darius Washington             G             6-2           195          12/6/85   Memphis               R 

04 Matt Haryasz F 6-11 230 3/20/84 Stanford R

06 John Lucas G 5-11 165 11/21/82 Oklahoma State 1

07 Henry Domercant G 6-4 200 12/30/80 Eastern Illinois R

10 Hollis Price G 6-1 170 10/29/79 Oklahoma R

12 Antywane Robinson F 6-8 210 7/12/84 Temple R

13 Pat Carroll G/F 6-5 190 9/10/82 St. Joseph's R

17 Matt Freije F 6-10 240 10/2/81 Vanderbilt 1

20 Steve Novak F 6-10 220 6/13/83 Marquette R

30 Judson Wallace F/C 6-10 240 12/31/82 Princeton R

32 Mamadou N'diaye C 7-0 255 6/16/75 Auburn 5

33 Patrick Beilein G 6-4 205 3/23/83 West Virginia R

35 Lonny Baxter F/C 6-8 261 1/27/79 Maryland 4

44 Chuck Hayes F 6-6 242 6/11/83 Kentucky 1

Los Angeles Clippers

   Player           POS HT    WT  BORN     FROM
40 Paul Davis       F/C 6’11” 270 7/21/84  Michigan State
10 Guillermo Diaz   G   6’2”  185 3/4/85   Miami (FL)
3  Daniel Ewing     G   6’3”  185 3/26/83  Duke
30 Chris Carrawell  G/F 6’6”  225 11/25/77 Duke
8  Yaroslav Korolev F   6’9”  203 5/7/87   Russia
14 Shaun Livingston G   6’7”  182 9/11/85  Peoria Central HS
1  Terrell Lyday    G   6’3”  195 8/12/79  BYU
43 Scott Merritt    F   6’10” 240 1/3/82   Marquette
22 Boniface Ndong   C   7’0”  242 9/3/77   Senegal
15 James Singleton  F   6’8”  215 7/20/81  Murray State
41 Kibwe Trim       F/C 6’10” 240 5/16/84  Sacred Heart
31 Jawad Williams   F   6’9”  218 2/19/83  North Carolina

Minnesota Timberwolves

Player             Pos  Ht
Wojciech Barycz    F    6-10
JP Batista         F    6-9
Greg Brunner       F    6-7
Tyrone Ellis       G    6-4
Randy Foye         G    6-4
Reece Gaines       G    6-6
Jeremy Kelly       G    6-5
Adam Parada        C    7-0
Ansu Sesay         F    6-8
Paul Shirley       F    6-10
Craig Smith        F    6-7
Bracey Wright      G    6-3
Vincent Yarbrough  F    6-7

New York Knicks

Num   Player   Pos   Height  Weight  Birthdate  College   Years Pro
04   Nate Robinson   G   5-9   180   5/31/84    Washington   1
07   Channing Frye   F/C   6-11   245   5/17/83    Arizona   1
08   Ime Udoka   G/F   6-6   215   8/9/77     Portland State   2
09   Brian Greene   F   6-7   225   8/30/81    Colorado State   R
14   Walker Russell, G   6-0   170   10/6/82    Jacksonville State   R
20   Olu Famutimi   G   6-4   207   2/21/84    Arkansas   R
21   Kenny Adeleke   F   6-8   250   2/10/83    Hartford   R
25   Mardy Collins   G   6-6   220   8/4/84     Temple   R
32   Renaldo Balkman F   6-8   208   7/14/84    South Carolina   R
42   David Lee   F   6-9   235   4/29/83    Florida   1
50   FrankoKastropil C   7-0   265   5/8/84     Croatia   R
55   Paul Miller   C   6-10   250   11/12/82   Wichita State   R

New Orleans/OKC Hornets

Num   Player   Pos   Height  Weight  Birthdate   College   Years Pro
00   Omar Cook   G   6-1   190   1/28/82   St. John's U.   2
01   Kirk Snyder   G   6-6   225   6/5/83   Nevada   2
04   Chris Hernandez G   6-2   190   3/17/83   Stanford   R
08   Gabe Muoneke   F   6-7   250   2/7/78   Texas   
10   Pierre Wooten   G   6-2   178   8/10/80   Winthrop   
12   HiltonArmstrong C/F   6-11   235   11/11/84   Connecticut   R
14   Andrew Betts   C   7-1   250   5/11/77   Long Beach St.   
17   Ezra Williams   G   6-4   190   11/2/80   Georgia   
21   Marcus Fizer   F   6-8   250   8/10/78   Iowa State   6
22   Cedric Simmons  F   6-9   235   1/3/86   NC State   R
33   Brandon Bass   F   6-8   240   4/30/85   LSU   1
41   Juan Mendez   F   6-8   245   9/23/81   Niagara   R

New Jersey Nets

NAME              POS HT    WT  DOB      COLLEGE YRS
Jerome Beasly     F   6’10  241 5/17/80  North Dakota 1
Josh Boone        F   6’10” 237 11/21/84 Connecticut R
Vonteego Cummings G   6’3”  190 2/29/76  Pittsburgh 3
Antonio Meeking   F   6’8”  245 8/24/81  Louisiana Tech R
Tamar Slay        G/F 6’8”  220 4/2/80   Marshall 3
Jamar Smith       F   6’9”  230 12/5/80  Maryland R
Eric Williams     F   6’9”  265 3/26/84  Wake Forest R
Marcus Williams   G   6’3”  205 12/3/85  Connecticut R
Kennedy Winston   G/F 6’6”  230 7/29/84  Alabama R
Antoine Wright    G/F 6’7”  210 2/6/84   Texan A&M 1
Rashad Wright     G   6’2”  190 3/17/82  Georgia R
David Young       G   6’5”  205 1/18/81  North Carolina Central R
Sasa Zagorac      F   6’7”  215 1/1/84   Slovenia R

Phoenix Suns

Lionel Chalmers    G             6-0           180          11/10/80                 Xavier    2 

01 Amare Stoudemire F/C 6-10 245 11/16/82 Cypress Creek H.S. (FL) 4

02 Tommy Smith F 6-10 215 12/4/80 Arizona State R

03 Britton Johnson F 6-10 210 7/8/79 Utah 2

04 Romain Sato G 6-5 205 3/2/81 Xavier 1

05 Jeff Varem F 6-6 245 7/16/83 Washington State R

06 Ruben Douglas G 6-4 195 10/30/79 New Mexico R

07 Massismo Bulleri G 6-2 188 9/10/77 Bennetton Treviso R

08 Tre Simmons G 6-5 200 7/24/82 Washington R

09 Adam Hess F 6-7 225 4/4/81 William & Mary R

10 Chris Owens F 6-7 245 4/4/81 Texas 1

11 Nick Lewis F/C 6-10 235 4/20/83 San Diego R

13 Greg Davis G 6-1 186 6/25/82 Troy State R

14 Dalron Johnson F 6-9 215 6/27/81 UNLV R

15 Boris Mesnager F 6-7 235 3/14/83 California University R

16 Guillaume Yango F/C 6-9 240 1/31/82 Pacific R

17 Maciej Lampe F/C 6-11 275 2/5/85 Poland 3

Portland Trail Blazers

04    Brandon Bowman    F    6-9    223    9/15/84    Georgetown    R
05   Ha Seung-Jin    C   7-3   305   8/4/85   South Korea   2
07   Brandon Roy    G   6-6   215   7/23/84   Washington   R
08   Martell Webster   G/F   6-7   233   12/4/86   Seattle Prep (Wash.)   1
11   Nedzad Sinanovic   C   7-3   225   6/12/83   Bosnia & Herzegovina   R
12   LaMarcus Aldridge   F/C   6-11   245   7/19/85   Texas   R
14   Joel Freeland    F   6-10   225   2/7/87   Gran Canaria Fadesa (Spain)   R
16   Marque Perry    G   6-1   185   1/28/85   St. Louis   R
17   Sean Dockery    G   6-2   185   1/5/83   Duke   R
24   Fred House    F   6-5   210   1/4/78   Southern Utah   R
25   Travis Outlaw    F   6-9   220   9/18/84   Starkville HS (Miss.)   3
33   Hector Romero    F   6-7   225   12/4/86   Venezuela   R
38   Nikoloz Tskitishvili   F   7-0   225   4/14/83   Georgia (Europe)   4
42   Kevin Pinkney    F   6-10   245   12/12/79   Nevada   R

Sacramento Kings

Num   Player   Pos   Height  Weight  College / Year  Years Pro
00   Rod Benson   C   6-10   200   California   R
07   Ronnie Price   G   6-2   190   Utah Valley State  1
08   Quincy Douby   G   6-3   175   Rutgers   R
13   Chris. Maraker  F   6-9   235   Pacific   R
18   Hai Bei Huang   F   6-9   235   China   R
22   Louis Amundson  F   6-9   225   UNLV   R
23   Kevin Martin   G   6-7   185   Western Carolina  2
25   Yemi Nicholson  C   6-11   260   Denver   R
35   OdarteyBlankson F   6-7   220   UNLV   R
40   Justin Williams C   6-10   225   Wyoming   R
41   Taj Gray   F   6-9   238   Oklahoma   R
43   Sean Lampley   F   6-7   227   California   2
44   Eugene Jeter   G   5-11   175   Portland   R
50   Curtis Green   G   6-2   185   Grand Canyon   R
55   Sam Daghlas   G   6-6   210   Fastlink (Jordan)  R
93   Ron Artest   F   6-7   260   St. John's   7

Toronto Raptors

Player             Pos Ht  Wt  Birthdate College     NBA Experience
William Avery       G 6-2  195 08/08/79  Duke             3 Years
Jermaine Anderson   G 6-2  180 02/08/83  Fordham          Rookie
Andrea Bargnani     F 7-0  250 10/26/85  Benetton Treviso Rookie
Andre Barrett       G 5-10 173 02/21/82  Seton Hall       2 Years
Jermaine Bucknor    F 6-7  218 11/01/83  Richmond         Rookie
Joey Graham         F 6-7  225 06/11/82  Oklahoma State   1 Year
Justin Gray         G 6-2  194 03/31/84  Wake Forest      Rookie
Kris Humphries      F 6-9  235 02/06/85  Minnesota        2 Years
James Maye          F 6-6  215 01/09/81  NC Greensboro    Rookie
Velimir Radinovic   C 7-0  250 01/17/81  Ohio State       Rookie
Pape Sow            F 6-10 250 11/22/81  Cal St Fullerton 2 Years
P.J. Tucker         F 6-5  225 05/05/85  Texas            Rookie
Charlie Villanueva  F 6-11 240 08/24/84  Connecticut      1 Year

Washington Wizards

#  PLAYER             HT   POS. BIRTHDATE FROM/SCHOOL
8  Rashad Anderson    6-5  G   11/9/83  UConn         
32 Andray Blatche     6-11 F   8/22/86  South Kent Prep (CT)
40 Schea Cotton       6-6  G   5/20/78  Alabama
20 Antoine Jordan     6-4  G   3/10/83  Siena
35 Roger Mason Jr.    6-5  G   9/10/80  Virginia
42 Cornelius McFadgon 6-5  G   5/6/82   Tennessee
14 Oleksiy Pecherov   7-0  F   4/30/85  Ukraine
34 Peter John Ramos   7-3  C   5/23/85  Puerto Rico
53 Jon Rogers         6-9  F/C 8/30/84  Valdosta St.
13 Will Solomon       6-1  G   7/20/78  Clemson
21 Donell Taylor      6-5  G   7/26/82  UAB
60 Julian Terrell     6-9  F   4/16/84  Vanderbilt
45 Isiah Victor       6-9  F   7/6/78   Tennessee
16 Jermaine Walker    6-7  F   4/5/77   Miami
7  Logan White        6-4  G   10/26/83 Dayton

2006 NBA Draft Wrap

Thanks to all that visited the site this year, traffic more tripled from last year, hope to have a better looking, more improved site next year as well. In the coming months I will have summer league coverage (all summer league team), my preseason all rookie team, as well as my 2007 NBA Mock Draft. Unlike this draft there will be a clear #1 (Oden).

2006 NBA Draft Wrap

Probably the craziest, most unprediticable draft I have ever covered. Between the lack of uncertainty as well as the trades it was entertaining to say the least. Below I have a quick summary of the winners and losers in this years draft.

Winners:

Portland:

2. LaMarcus Aldridge PF Tex. So.
6. Brandon Roy SG Washington Sr.
27. Sergio Rodriguez PG Spain 1986
30. Joel Freeland PF England 1987

Although they way thet got the picks was a little strange, they ended up getting many key pieces for the future. Its clear they are in rebuilding mode and to come out of this draft with Aldridge and Roy, two of the best players in the NCAA this year, as well as future PG Rodriguez who will help offset the loss of Telfair, a truly amazing draft. Freeland is a guy who may turn out to be a scrappy player in a couple years from now, good pick at #30.

Utah:

14. Ronnie Brewer SG Arkansas Jr.
46.Dee Brown PG Illinois Sr.
47. Paul Millsap PF Lou. Tech Jr.

I liked the draft for the Utah Jazz. Ronnie Brewer is a guy I though could go as high as #7 to the Celtics, tremendous defensively and should get major minutes right away playing alongside and backing up Deron Williams. Dee Brown is a guy who would've went first round last year but got injured , he has a tremendous motor and should be able to help increase the pace as well as play solid D. Now for the sleeper in the draft, this years second round gem Paul Millsap. He was the leading rebounder in the country last year and with the opportunity to play I think he has a shot at being a 7-10 rebound per game guy coming off the bench. Offense needs to improve though.

Memphis:

8. Rudy Gay SF UConn So.
24. Kyle Lowry PG Villanova So.
45. Alexander Johnson PF FSU Jr.

Ok, I am not the biggest Rudy Gay fan but this guy was projected to be the #1 overall pick as little as 3 months ago. He could be another Charlie Villanueva who breaks out after leaving Calhouns system at UCONN. The second pick is a good one as well as Lowry would have greatly improved his stock if he came back to Villanova for one more season. Is a strong player for his size, can take anyone off the dribble, needs to improve his J though. The addition of Alexander is solid as I thought he could be picked as soon as #15 to New Orleans. He should bring needed athleticism to the Grizzlies froncourt.

Honorable Mentions:

Chicago Bulls- Tyrus and Thabo is going to make sure of a great future to come for the Bulls. Great moves to get them when they did as well. Look for them to be serious contenders in 2007-2008.

New Orleans- Someone out of the Hilton Armstrong, Cedrid Simmons, Marcus Vinicius trio is going to be a stud so why not just draft all three, what the hell. Peja Stojacovic is also rumored ot be signing here as well so I like the idea of taking chances and filling a need.

Losers

New York:

20. Renaldo Balkman SF So.Car. Jr.
29. Mardy Collins PG/SG Temple Sr.

Ok, this was almost too easy, not a total disaster though. The good part of this was Mardy Collins, who I liked coming out of Temple. He's a player who was held back in Chaney' system at Temple, should play a lot next season even with the glut of guards in NY cause he can match up well against bigger guards. Now to the bad. Isiah did not disappoint thats for sure. Like Jay Bilas said Balkman was a guy who was not on anyones board as a first rounder so why pick him there? Made no sense at all. Balkman can play theres no question and he would surely have been drafted in the middle of the second round but a trade down would have been the best scenario here for Isiah. Balkman also doesnt seem the best fit with all the players ahead of him on the depth chart, totally baffles me considering who else was on the board at that point!

Seattle:

10. Saer Sene C Sen. 1986
40. Denham Brown SG UConn Sr.
53. Yotam Halperin PG Israel 1984

I absolutely hate this draft. Yes I saw the higlights video of Sene but they were just the highlights, they didnt show the bad. This guy is so far away from contributing its unfathomable that he was pick #10 overall in the NBA Draft. I mean he just statred playing the game in 2003, averaged a whopping 3 (yes 3!) points per game last season. I would expect that to be his average in the NBA as well, and should easily surpass his scoring average with his block shot average. Long ways away my friends, I thought Seattle could do better. (Carney, Sefolosha, Douby). The Denham Brown pick was OK and he will be a player I will be watching closely in the summer league. Halperin will never be a factor for this team.

Washington:

18. Oleksiy Pecherov PF Ukr. 198
49. V. Veremeenko PF Bel. 1984

I thought they would go with players that could help out now considering they are not thay far away from building a serious contender. If I am Washington I take Marcus Willams or Shannon Brown,someone that can help them NOW especially defensively.

Dishonorable Mention- A lot of people didnt like what Phoenix did by basically putting their picks up for sale but if you look at that roster there are young core players that need to be locked up contract wise and the money needs to be there for them so in a supposed weak draft I dont have a problem with that, although I thought a run in the second round for Dee Brown wouldve been nice. That said, Golden State is another loser in my book. I'm not the biggest O'Bryant fan I think he capitialized on a great NCAA tourney game and has a lot of potential bust in him. Since they decided to go big with the pick I thought Hilton Armstrong or Cedric Simmons wouldve been better selections.