NBA Draft

Without High School players, I had to watch just to see if the NBA would draft college guys. It didn't take me long to realize nothing has changed.

Thank you Toronto for taking an Italian 7 footer that weighs 190 pounds and likes to shoot the 3 with the #1 overall pick. As much as I hate the chant in college basketball, it was appropriate in NYC tonight. And the fans didn't disappoint. OVERRATED!

My only hope for the future of the NBA is if Charlotte is successful. They have gone out of their way to draft successful college players that weren't your typical Pro players in the past in Emeka Okafor, Sean May, Jake Voskuhl, Matt Carroll, Lonnie Baxter and they didn't disappoint this year in picking Adam Morrison. Now that looks like a team. Go Charlotte!

Patrick O'Bryant at 9 to Golden State???
Saer Sene at 10 to Seattle???

And the world must really be tilted on its axis cause I found myself agreeing with Stephen A Jackson on nearly every pick. He was absolutely ripping teams that had top 10 picks for not taking top 10 talent but instead taking projects.

Rodney Carney had an interesting interview. Stuart Scott asked him why he was so lightly recruited and flew under the radar? Rodney's simple response "I didn't play AAU basketball. My HS coach Bobby Wilkerson said it would give me bad habits. Looks like it paid off." Yes that same Bobby Wilkerson that played for that evil ogre in Bob Knight. Why can't more see the problems with the AAU system?

Shawne Williams from Memphis to the Pacers at the 17th pick??? Nice job of skipping a top 10 player and the best point guard on the board in Marcus Williams for a freshman that plays the same position as Danny Granger. Yipee for potential! NOT!

Isiah??? You should have stopped with basketball after you retired from Detroit. Renaldo Balkman? A second round player in the first round? No one is ever going to remember you as a basketball player after killing the CBA, Toronto, Indiana and now New York.

Ya think Marcus Williams was regretting the computer thefts while sitting their watching the millions slip away? Maybe in the only bright spot of the draft, character hurt someone in the wallet.

And what is with all the trades being announced after the fact, yet ESPN announcing them before the players were drafted? Nothing awkward about being drafted by Chicago and wearing a Chicago hat while being interviewed about your rights being traded to Portland. Welcome to the NBA kid. Did any players stay with the team that drafted them?

And in the second round the Pacers select Alexander Johnson. What? A guy that many experts say will never play a lick in the NBA. He's a 6'8" center. Kinda small for that position in the NBA if you ask me. Personally with Dee Brown still on the board, I would have taken a flyer on a point guard. But why would the Pacers do that? I mean they have Jamaal Tinsley... Check that... a trade hits the Pacers and they send Johnson to Portland for James White and give away 2 future second round draft picks. What???? Give away 2 future second round picks for simply trading second round picks? And James White? I don't know much about the 6'7" shooting guard, other than he did spend 4 years in school between Florida and Cincy.

Maybe the Pacers can invite Marco to their summer camp as a FA since he wasn't drafted. He sure was a difference maker at IU... I'm sure he could help the Pacers. He is a gym rat afterall.

And on that note... I say farewell to the NBA. Glad to know I will not miss anything by not watching next year.