Legendary Observations

Another Edition of Some Simple Observations

One-upmanship?

This past NBA season, Lakers star Kobe Bryant changed his uniform number from the usual #8 to #24. Many people were curious about his motivation behind the change in digits, as it made him recognizable across the NBA with his classic numeral. Some thought it was meant to drive up jersey sales (which it did with Bryant leading all NBA players in that category) and one reporter asked him if he was inspired by Jack Bauer of Fox's hit television drama, 24. Bryant said the numeral was from his high school days, even though he changed it back then to #33 the year his Lower Merion HS team won the state championship.

Others thought it was a tribute or, dare I say, a challenge to Michael Jordan's legacy. Jordan's #23 plus one equals Bryant's new #24. Silly, yes, but this is sports and we're supposed to have fun with this stuff.

Now Bryant has been issued his Team USA jersey this summer and he will wear a different number because of the National team's rules to only issue numbers from 4-15. Bryant will don the #10 jersey this summer instead of the #24 he wore for the Lakers this past season. Quite coincidental is the fact that Michael Jordan wore #9 for the 1992 Gold medal winning Dream Team. Jordan's #9 plus one? Coincidence . . . ?

Penny Pinchers

The Phoenix Suns sure have made quite an impact this offseason . . . at least for other NBA teams. After selling one of their top picks in June's draft (which resulted in Spanish stud Rudy Fernandez), the Suns traded Kurt Thomas, their best interior defender, to the Supersonics. The Suns also figured to save time on selling first round picks in the future and gave two up in the deal, receiving only a 2nd rounder and a trade exception as compensation.

Phoenix's owners are trying to avoid the NBA's insane luxury tax but are costing themselves the present and future in the process. New GM Steve Kerr is going to have a tough time giving this team what it needs to compete for a championship this season.

Sip it while its Hot

Philadelphia's beloved baseball team surpassed the 10,000 loss mark earlier this month and has been on a tear since. With the exception of one brutal beating by the LA Dodgers in the first game of their west coast swing, the Phightins' have been getting quality pitching from their starters and bullpen. While the Mets have kept their short distance in the same span, the Phillies are quickly building confidence.

Sports radio talk show host Big Daddy Graham suggested earlier in the season, during the Phillies' April struggles, that the Phillies should tryout some young arms from the minor leagues instead of bringing in expensive non-star pitchers like Freddy Garcia (One win for every $10 million dollars he made this year) and Adam Eaton (who has shown promise but remains the consistently inconsistent pitcher that he has been for most of his career). When Garcia and Jon Lieber fled to the disabled list, the Phillies had to dig deep and come up with some emergency arms.

Kyle Kendrick has been one of the best stories in his short stint, going 4-1 thus far and keeping the Phillies in every game that he has pitched. All of Kendrick's starts went at least 6 innings until last night when he only lasted 5-2/3 against the Washington Nationals. An even bigger surprise has been former first round pick J.D. Durbin, who has excelled recently as the 5th starter. I felt good about the kid in his first start against the Mets when he struck out the first three batters he faced. That was before New York shelled him with 6 runs and rushed him off the mound. Since then, he pitched well in the bullpen, earning a second chance and relishing in the opportunity. Durbin held the Dodgers to one run in his first start since his disaster against the Mets and then threw his first career shutout against the San Diego Padres.

Big Daddy Graham noted the excitement fans have when they get behind a young pitcher, the way we did for Hamels a year ago, and it was something that could fuel excitement for the town and the team. Graham couldn't have been more right as you couldn't help but have a huge smile watching the young Durbin jump up and down after Aaron Rowand secured the final out in his shutout on Sunday. Baseball experts are saying that you'd be dumb to expect this from Durbin and Kendrick all season. My thoughts are maybe this is the boost this young Phillies team needed all season.

Jokes on you, Vick

I just wanted to share a few jokes I heard from Jon Stewart on the Daily Show. Stewart was beginning the show talking about Michael Vick and his federal indictments with the dogfighting case.

One: "I'd like to cover him (Vick) in liver and let the dogs see if he's as fast and elusive as they say he is . . . "

Two: "And I have to say, Michael Vick, being a two-sport athlete, football and dogfighting . . . not as impressive as the Bo Jackson thing!"

Our 42 of the DayOne good thing for the Suns this summer,
Marcus Banks scored 42 points in a
summer league game against the Cleveland Cavaliers

The $120 Million Dollar Man

The Seattle Supersonics just drafted two up and comers in the June draft and have a great foundation to build their future. The best news for them came when Rashard Lewis opted out of his deal and decided to retire in Florida.

Lewis is a unique talent in the NBA and many people are measuring up new Sonic Kevin Durant to be a long lost twin of his as they both have similar size, frame and game. But the Orlando Magic, who have not been making smart trades since Tracy McGrady's departure (bringing in Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley, then separating the two love birds when Mobley was traded for aging guard Doug Christie), are hoping Lewis is a move in the right direction.

Now the Magic opened up their purse for Lewis, but it wasn't enough for the 6'10 tweener. Lewis' agent somehow convinced the Magic to give up a conditional 2nd round pick to add another year and higher annual pay increases (10% versus 8%) . Let's examine what the Magic are receiving.

The Good
Before anyone blasts me, I think Lewis is a remarkable NBA player. Instantly, Lewis makes the Magic a contender in the Eastern Conference and, if they add more bulk to their front court, they could be serious favorites to win the East.

What Lewis gives the Magic are match-up problems across the board. With his height, he can shoot over most perimeter defenders and has the quickness to drive past bigger forwards to collect his points in the paint. With the young core in Orlando, Lewis will only be 28 at the season's start and can grow with the Magic.

Lewis is also a great athlete and can fit into a running offense if new coach Stan Van Gundy chooses to unleash his hounds. His athleticism and the range on his jump shot allows him to play the three in most offenses, while his height can allow Orlando to go big and play him down low at the four. He could even run at center if Howard is on the bench and Van Gundy goes with a quick line-up.

The most promising aspect is giving the Magic a devastating line-up with Howard dominating the paint. Lewis should draw more attention away from Howard and this could help Howard develop his offensive game. Orlando also has some great shooters on the team and they have the potential to be a top scoring team in the East.

The Bad
There are several aspects about Rashard Lewis that would scare off a few suitors. For one, he is a one-tool player. He does one thing well and everything else is somewhat mediocre. Lewis will score 20+ points per game but he'll still have problems matching-up with premier defensive players. Long, quick guards can give Lewis problems because he has a tendency to take what the defense is giving him. If there isn't much room to create, he takes a bad shot.

The most troubling aspect is that for a 6'10 forward who played several years on a Seattle team with no dominant big man, he only pulled down about six rebounds per game. He isn't a good rebounder on either end of the floor and his defense is non-existent. When you are labeled as a tweener, it may be attractive for the offensive end, but it could kill you defensively. Lewis is an athletic forward but isn't quick enough to guard most small forwards and, while Lewis is a long forward as well, he is not capable of being immovable on the block against big bangers playing the four.

He is not a shotblocker, he is not a player who roams the passing lanes and he is not a presence of the defensive end. Whether he will be a player to be reckoned with in Orlando remains to be seen.

The Ugly
The last time a contract like this was made, Kevin Garnett received $126 million and the league's owners forced a lockout. Since then, there have been several $100 million dollar deals for some of the league's best and brightest stars. But Lewis is, as some would put it, a "Robin" type player and not "Batman." The best he has shown is playing second fiddle to more prominent stars like Ray Allen and Gary Payton.

Lewis is a nice player who was already making a sum of money that defines his worth, but for him to be given max money like he was a top-10 player in the league is ridiculous. If Orlando would have gone through with their original 5-year, $75 million dollar deal, there would not be as much criticism. The sign-and-trade
nearly destroyed their cap status and will hinder them from getting involved with next season's free agency period, that promises to be a beauty.

In the short term, Orlando will threaten for the Southeast division title and hope to make headlines in the playoffs. And they should, this is a team that can compete to make the finals and that is whats important in the NBA. The long term implications are troublesome and Magic GM Otis Smith better hope he didn't strike enough fear into the NBA's league of owners to cause an uproar with the same impact as Garnett's mega deal years ago.

A bit of New Magic and Old Magic

Darko going to Graceland

Darko Milicic is moving in with Elvis and Pau Gasol after agreeing to a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. Basketball wise, this is a smart decision for both parties because Darko has the ability to shoot, block shots and run the floor for new coach Marc Iavaroni, a disciple of Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni's run and gun offense the Suns execute. You know the Grizzlies with Mike Conley Jr., Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick are going to sprint on every possession and Darko fits in with that.

The southpaw is still an enigma as a ball player in the NBA and has made strides since getting out of Detroit. But his price tag, reportedly more than the $5.3 mid-level exception tag, is a bit high for a player who has yet to prove he can grow to even be a valuable role player in the league.

If Darko excels in Memphis, he will have come relatively cheap in the process but that is a question that can only be answered on the basketball court.

Our 42 of the DayMavericks held onto the only player who showed up
in last season's first round flop to the Warriors

So What's Plan B ??

Yesterday I labeled the Philadelphia 76ers as one of my losers from last week's draft. I wish to elaborate on that as I promised.

Here's the issue, this is the first draft since the Sixers jettisoned Allen Iverson to Denver for two first round picks, an expiring contract and the services of point guard Andre Miller. Andre Miller and the rest of the leftovers for Philadelphia made great strides at the end of the season to keep playoff dreams alive but ultimately kill any luck in the NBA draft lottery.

There's a good and bad side to that story. The good is that you help develop a young team against NBA talent and give them confidence for the following season. Young players like incumbent A.I. (Andre Iguodala), Louis "Baby Louie" Williams and Rodney Carney were put in a more prominent role to show that they deserve to stick around for the franchise. Meanwhile, the Sixers won meaningless games and their hopes of nabbing college stars like Greg Oden or Kevin Durant were erased.

I admit, I was one of the people hoping they would tank games and eventually cussing in disgust when I caught a glimpse of the boxscore after a Sixer victory. The two picks they netted from Denver were going to be in the later part of the draft and their league worst record was later the #12 pick instead of top 6. Some fans would have preferred to see Andre Miller rerouted to a contender for a first round pick and, as we seen in the playoffs, plenty of teams could've used a reliable point guard.

Enough of my ranting, its all in the past. My column on the draft hoped that the Sixers would pick up either Al Thornton or Julian Wright, both solid forwards with their own identity. You see what you get from both of them althought Wright had a high ceiling for his potential. I also hoped for the Sixers to dive into the international waters and pluck one of the foreign prospects in the later stages of the draft. The last time the Sixers had an International guy in their locker room was when they had a Greek sharp shooter (who wasn't so sharp at shooting) named Efthimios Rentzias who was later nicknamed "Effin' Stiff" by 610 AM's Al Morganti. I already ranted, raved and drooled all about Marco Belinelli, Rudy Fernandez and Tiago Splitter, all of whom will begin their NBA careers in a city not named Philadelphia.

So on draft night, the Sixers went with (drumroll please) Georgia Tech freshman forward Thaddeus Young.

"Who ?"

My thoughts exactly. Thad Young is labeled as another pet project for the Sixers. It will take some time before he develops into the supposed star the Philly front office foresees him becoming. According to NBA scouts, the 19-year old Young needs work on everything! Ballhandling, shooting, strength, assertiveness, aggressiveness, algebra, parallel parking, you name it.

Why were the Sixers impressed? The "Mike Mamula" syndrome. For those who don't know what this is, its when a player has a great individual workout and impresses teams enough to spend high draft choices and big dollar figures on unproven talent (like former-Philadelphia Eagle and scouting combine stud Mike Mamula). When asked what he liked about Young, the first thing Sixers GM said was "I liked his age, ..." believing that Young is mature at this point in his life.

Ok, Thaddy is in the league now and he might grow into a nice player. But I believe the other two available forwards fit the Sixers better now and for the future. Thornton could come in and score the ball now and would be more poised to dominate for the Sixers as soon as the 2008 season after he gets some notches on his belt now that he's in the NBA. Julian Wright needed to develop a better long range jumpshot, but can come in and defend as soon as tomorrow. Young's main issue is that he has to grow into the player the Sixers want him to be. Literally.

The Sixers are envisioning Young as their future power forward and hope he can pack a few pounds and inches on his 6'8 frame. The southpaw has already been thrown into the fire, so to speak, to defend post players in the summer leagues. So far, he's been abused pretty good by no names and your next door neighbor's cousin.

With their second pick, the Sixers flip-flopped with Miami to get seven-footer Jason Smith from Colorado State. Smith has gained some acclaim in recent weeks with his workouts. But Smith reminds me of that tall kid playing pick-up games who tries to be a jump shooter throughout the entire game and never abuses the smaller kids with his size. Smith is a guard in a center's body as he possesses some quickness, finesse and a nice touch on his jump shot. Hopefully the young Smith familiarizes himself with the painted area of the basketball court. The Sixers also picked up Derrick Byars (who looks like a steal in the second round) and Herbert Hill out of Providence.The plan we all heard about pre-draft was that the Sixers would not rely on need and draft the best player available, yet chose Young over better prospects. They also wished to finagle with their picks, trying to move around and were adamant on not bringing in four rookies to training camp. They moved up, down and around and still came up with four players. The Sixers were also keen on finally getting into the international market for foreign talent and hopefully keeping someone overseas to continue developing and not wasting a roster spot. They did draft two international players but were only doing so for other teams as they gave up the rights to Finland PG Petteri Koponen and Ukrainian center Kyrylo Fesenko, who really looks like a great high-energy player.

The Sixers also had a three-year plan in place after Allen Iverson's trade, with several phases involved. The first was removing Iverson and Chris Webber, the second was the draft. But with some of their selections, the Sixers won't be ready to compete by year three if Young doesn't grow three inches or these youngsters simply don't grow up into the players the Sixers need them to be.

As Philly fans have grown to say after disappointments:
"There's always next year . . . "

Our 42 of the Day The 42nd pick of the draft
Derrick Byars could be quite the steal for the Sixers

Legendary Observations

New Edition to Column

This is an idea for my column when I either have several stories I want to discuss or various thoughts to cover and do not need an entire column to carry them.

Let's see how this works . . .

Boys of Summer

As some may or may not know, the NBA's summer league has begun. I was fortunate to catch Kevin Durant's pro debut with the Supersonics against the Dallas Mavericks' squad of youngsters. Durant showed that, even though he is too young to drink or gamble, he is going to make an impact right away for the Sonics. Durant struggled at times with his shot but quickly grew comfortable in the low post against smaller defenders, showing off his fancy footwork and collection of post moves to the Vegas crowd. Despite hitting his first jumper, fellow Supersonic rookie Jeff Green looked timid in his debut.

Here are my three favorites thus far from the Summer League in Las Vegas:

Yi Jianlian: Was I wrong in my draft column to say that this guy could be a bust? Absolutely. But Yi, playing for Team China rather than the team who drafted him (Milwaukee) has impressed many this weekend and had his own variety of go-to moves against the Memphis Grizzlies. Yi scored 23 points, showed an aggressive side that Chinese players don't normally show (as we have seen with Yao Ming and his growth in the NBA) and battled with second-year forward Rudy Gay, who had his own way of welcoming Yi to the league. Yi had a bad game the next day against the Sacramento Kings and then played well against the Cleveland Cavaliers, including hitting a buzzer beater for the win. Yi is making headlines that don't involve how he's playing but rather where. There is an ongoing dispute between his representatives and officials with the Bucks because it has been made known that China (and perhaps the NBA as well) wish for Yi to play in a market with a large Chinese population, which the Milwaukee area sorely lacks.

Jose Juan Barea: Throughout the entire game, NBA TV's broadcast team kept discussing how this kid played in eight different leagues in five countries over the last year. Now I know very little about the point guard from Puerto Rico, but Jose Barea made a quick impact on me Friday night. Against Durant's Sonics, Barea was easily the most active of all the game's participants. He was similar to those college guards who never seem to stay still when they touch the ball, forcing his defenders to backpedal whenever he ran the Mavericks' offense. Jose ended the night with 14 points, 9 assists and left a few guards for Seattle gasping for oxygen.

Marco Belinelli: When looking at the Sixers options for their #21 pick in last week's draft, two international guards caught my attention. Rudy Fernandez was my favorite of the two because he was 6'6, athletic and with a great shooting touch. He also has a difficult buyout that would require him to stay overseas for another season, which would have been in the Sixers' best interest where they don't have him included in next season's salary cap space and save a roster spot, while the young gun develops his game for another season.

Belinelli made me sorry for choosing favorites. An inch shorter than Fernandez, Belinelli is a young shooting guard from Italy with many of the same characteristics as the Spaniard. Belinelli was selected before the Sixers pick at #18 by Golden State and is ready to play for the Warriors this season. In Saturday's Summer League game against the New Orleans Hornets, check out Marco's line:

40 min. (the max in Summer League), 14-20 fg, 5-7 3pt, 4-6 FT, 5 rbds, 2 ast., 3 pfs, and 37 points!

Sure, its just summer league competition, but Marco showed off his athleticism with his flashes to the basket and incredible abilities shooting the basketball. He creates his own shot, demonstrated when he faced his man up and took a quick dribble and spun into his fade away jumper, and shows he can catch and shoot with quick reflexes. Most bullets don't fly out of pistols the ways the ball jumps off his fingers. His range is ridiculous as he caught a quick pass on the fast break about 5 feet beyond the arc and wowed the crowd with a simple swish of the basket.

And just think . . .its just the summer!! Imagine what he is going to do when he is groomed by Warriors coach and offensive guru Don Nelson. Marco hasn't shown what he is capable of when receiving the ball after running through multiple screens or catching a pass from a penetrating Baron Davis.

NBA Draft Recap

Well, I got the first four picks right. That's worth something? I want to break down my winners and losers.

Winners
Sonics: The number two selection was the easiest decision of the draft because Durant seemed to drop there (drop is such a cruel word). The Sonics made a big splash by going after the Celtics draft pick and picked their pockets of young guard Delonte West, giving up sharpshooter Ray Allen in the process. They selected Jeff Green with the #5 pick from Boston and while I stated that I was weary of Green being selected by the Sixers because he seemed prime to bust (which I stand by had he ended up in Philly), Green is in a great position. Green shows that he is better suited to be a distributor and all the attention will be on Kevin Durant, not him. The two can grow together and be quite a force in a few years.

In the end, the Sonics were interested in resigning forward Rashard Lewis but Lewis opted for Florida sun instead with the Orlando Magic. Whether Seattle was trying to fool us into believing they wanted him back or not, Rashard not sticking around is the best thing for the Sonics. He would have eaten up a chunk of salary for Seattle for the next 5-7 years and there would be egos clashing in the locker room as Lewis and Durant would battle for Alpha dog status (stole that one from Bill Simmons). Now, Seattle can grow with their two young talents and they have Delonte West to really add a great dimension to their offense. Next season, they will have the money to make a splash in free agency and bring a big name in ready to help them compete for a championship. People argue that Oden will be the first so see a championship, but its possible that Durant will see the playoffs before him.

Trailblazers: Yes, I know I just said I believe the Sonics will make the playoffs before the Blazers. But Portland did very well in the draft. Besides grabbing Oden at #1, Portland Owner Paul Allen spent money buying draft picks enabling GM Kevin Pritchard to bring in multiple talents such as Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez, Finland's dazzling point guard Petteri Koponen, Florida's Taureen Green and Duke's Josh McRoberts. He also pulled off a trade to get disgruntled forward Zach Randolph out of town to the Knicks and brought in another young chip in forward Channing Fry as well as Steve Francis. Portland has an incredible amount of young talent and will be deep in a few years with the level of talent they will own.

Other winners: Celtics for making a push for the playoffs and bringing in Ray Allen while jettisoning Wally Szczerbiak's contract and not losing any of their premier trade assets. While they still have Al Jefferson to build around, they can become an instant contender in the Eastern Conference and can still make a trade with Theo Ratliff and any of their young players. They also have money to play with in the offseason to bring in a veteran. Imagine Steve Blake running the point for them, or even better - Derek Fisher (Fisher and the Utah Jazz came to a mutual agreement to release him from his contract so he can be in an area better suited for his daughter's medical needs).

I also see the Hawks as winners by doing something sensible in the draft for once and drafting two players who can play right away. Al Horford and Acie Law join a deep core and could help Atlanta pierce the very fabric of the Eastern Conference and, GASP!, make the playoffs. I think Atlanta can make the post season if they don't collapse, but then again . . .

Losers:
Suns: I think the Suns tried desperately to grab Kevin Garnett or land in the lottery. But, despite their misfortune, they still held three first round picks and passed up Rudy Fernando, opting to sell the pick instead. The Suns have done this the past several years, selling picks to avoid the luxury tax and focusing on free agency instead. Last season, they opted not to draft UConn's Marcus Williams and instead signed Marcus Banks. Even though the Suns had a good run, Banks was hardly a part of it and Williams was a quality player for the Nets.

Rockets: The Rockets had a dire need for a power forward and a crowded backcourt. So with their first round pick, they selected 6' point guard Aaron Brooks from Oregon. The Rockets have two scoring point guards in Mike James and Rafer "Skip To My Lou" Alston, so Brooks not only enters a crowded position, but is only unique because he'll be the smallest player in the group. They also drafted undersized power forward Carl Landry from Purdue. There were reports that Indiana wanted their pick and were willing to depart with Ike Diogu. Whether true or not, the Rockets had more dire needs in the first round and could have selected from a larger pool of talent with the 26th pick.

Sixers: Not so fast! This deserves a full column. Coming soon...

Hockey Anyone? ANYONE!?

For the record, I am not a hockey fan. I was not phased when the NHL went away for a year. I was not heartbroken when my hometown Flyers were one of the worst teams in the NHL last season. I am also not excited for their upcoming Stanley Cup run (Philly fans found something to hang their hopes on while the Phillies are one loss away from 10,000 and Eagles' training camp is weeks away). However, I am saddened by the news that Jeremy Roenick is retiring after 18-seasons in the NHL.

Roenick was the first player I enjoyed watching in the Orange since Brian Boucher was in net while the Flyers made a run at Lord Stanley's Cup. Never afraid of the media, Roenick walked out or rather texted out of the game by messaging the Philadelphia Inquirer "I'm retiring; is that still news?"

One of my most memorable moments of Roenick was him having his jaw shattered by a speeding puck and then rushing back to join the Flyers playoff run. He was a tough S.O.B. and Philly has missed his presence since his departure a few years ago. When all the buzz was surrounding the Flyers making a big splash into the NHL's post-apocalypse era of free agency with the signing of Peter Forsberg, Roenick knew immediately that he was going to have to be ousted to free up money.

Hockey hasn't been the same in Philly since. It won't be the same for the NHL now that he has faded into the shadows. Coming from a non-enthusiasts of the NHL, it may not be much. But if I'm upset over his departure, imagine the frozen expressions on the faces of real hockey fans.

Our 42 of the DayRyan Howard wearing the blessed number
on Jackie Robinson day.
Howard will try to defend his Home Run Derby Crown
tonight in San Francisco

Feeling a Draft??

The NBA Draft is set to go off tonight and it is not expected to go down without a few surprises and road bumps along the way (like any other Draft). Let's take a look at the prospects in the order I expect them to go:
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Greg Oden: The Ohio State center has been the projected first overall selection for over three years when he was still in high school. Unfortunately for him, the NBA set an age limit at 19 and passed a rule to keep kids from entering the NBA until they were at least one year removed from high school.

There are a lot of reasons to be scared of taking Oden first overall. He is still getting over a wrist injury that he sustained nearly a year ago, one of his legs are longer than the other which can cause back problems (which there were already reports that he has a bad back) and the fact that he looks old enough to be Bill Russell's father. His game also resembles Bill Russell's, which is why he will go number one to the Portland Trailblazers tonight.

As good as Kevin Durant will be, this is a league that has not seen wing players win championships since Michael Jordan retired. Swingmen like Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson sell tickets but big men like Shaq and Tim Duncan win championships. The thought of having Oden, an amazing presence on the defensive end, as the anchor in your line-up for at least the next ten years is too much to pass up.
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Kevin Durant: Nobody knew who this kid was when he went to Texas last fall. He almost came out of nowhere as the freshman started dominating ball games against everyone in the Big 12 and across college basketball. Not only did everyone not expect him to do what he has done in one season with the Longhorns, no one in the game ever did what he accomplished as a freshman. Leading the nation in scoring while still pulling down 11+ rebounds per game, Durant went on to become the first freshman to ever win the Naismith Award, awarded to the best player in college basketball.

He has an incredible shooting touch, amazing athleticism and is smart on the block. He has a wide arsenal of go-to moves that will probably show up on playgrounds and in video games for the next couple of years. The one knock on him throughout the year was that he wasn't a dominant defensive player but he showed flashes of greatness in the NCAA tournament by swiping a few steals and coming from the weakside to block and contest shots.

I, however, am concerned with his poor showing at the NBA scouting combine and lack of strength. At Texas, he was depended on throughout the entire game by coach Rick Barnes and seemed to wear down at the end of games down the stretch. Going through an 82-game schedule in the NBA is going to test his mental and physical endurance. As a world class athlete, he can adjust that in the offseasons and he will be a dominant scorer in the league almost immediately.
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Al Horford: Florida's back-to-back National Championships showcased the incredible talent of their four star players. The one man who seemed to grab scouts attention during their second run was power forward Al Horford. Number 42 for the Gators can probably step into the starting line-up for half of the teams in the NBA and contribute right away. An NBA-ready body, high basketball IQ and great shooting touch, he has the tools to be an All-star and, with his talents, can be someone to build your team around.

If there weren't two kids named Oden and Durant in the draft, he would be the consensus number one pick in the draft. But tonight he should be number three for Atlanta and, despite the Hawks need for a point guard, it'd be hard to pass him up.
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Mike Conley Jr.: Atlanta needs this kid badly. Many pro scouts compare his ability to that of Finals MVP Tony Parker because of his ability to drive past defenders. He also comes into the draft, like Parker, at a small stature and without a reliable jumpshot. Despite that flaw, he can jump start someone's offense with his speed and will be a dependable player no matter where he goes.
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Yi Jianlian: Something that bothers me about society is that we can never compare players of different races to each other. For instance, people compare Durant to Houston swingman Tracy McGrady when he is in the mold of a more athletic Dirk Nowitzski with his length and abilities in the post. This stereotype carries with "the next Yao Ming" proclamation being placed onto the young Yi, who is being compared to his fellow Chinamen. Yi is nothing like Yao as he is more of an athletic perimeter oriented player. You will hear comparisons to Dirk as well, but the player he resembles most is last year's number one pick, Toronto Raptor's forward/center Andrea Bargnani. Both players tend to roam the 3-point arc and play like a guard would.

I have concerns with Yi. He's paper thin and teams are still going to depend on him to do some of the dirty work in the paint. We heard the same hype about Nikoloz Tskitishvili, a foreign-born lottery pick for the Denver Nuggets, who was a lengthy perimeter player who was nothing more than a bust in the NBA. Plus we are not sure of Yi's real age and how he'll measure up after playing 82 games against NBA competition.
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Jeff Green: Green has been rising on many draft boards and people are enamored with the kid from Georgetown. Reporters and scouts see him as a smart small forward with a knack for the ball. What I read about Green describes him as a lengthy defender that is a great distributor but someone who is not confident with his shot or creating his own opportunities. His height gives you the idea that he could play the four, but he would never match up against any other bigs or be productive on the block.

I think Green can be a nice player but, other than Yi, he scares me the most as a potential bust.
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Spencer Hawes: I take that back, Hawes scares me as a bust more than Green. Spencer Hawes is popular because of his height and remarkable abilities in the post. Great footwork and a nice touch around the basket, but Hawes is flawed as a defender and rebounder. He didn't lead his team in boards while grabbing under seven rebounds per game and does not possess the strength or quickness that he'll need to be an adequate defensive player in the association. Minnesota chooses seventh and whether they deal Garnett or not, they will need Hawes' size for the future.
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Corey Brewer: Another player from the back-to-back championship run with the Gators, Brewer is a favorite of mine after his great performance in the championship game against Ohio State. He reminds me of Cuttino Mobley of the Clippers because he has a great defensive mentality and a nice touch on his jump shot. He's also has a long wingspan, is a great athlete and, most importantly, a champion. His intangibles are enough for anyone to bring him into their organization. However, Charlotte may trade out of this pick.
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Joakim Noah: Adjectives you will hear about Noah: High-motor, energy, hustle, and the list goes on. Noah will not be a star but he will win you ball games. He's a guy that is all business, isn't afraid to go inside or dive on the floor and has the ability to cover most players to the point that if his man goes into the stands to get a hot dog, Noah will be there to grab the ketchup and mustard. The Bulls need a low post scorer but can worry about that in through free agency. Noah will give them everything they need at number nine.
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Brandon Wright: Wright is another player that has immense potential and was seen as a top-5 pick when he declared. His lack of strength and his decision to only workout individually has turned some teams off. He does have the ability to score and has a huge wingspan that will allow him to play at the four. He could still go as high as number four to Milwaukee but he won't get past Sacramento.
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Acie Law IV: Law is one of the best players in the draft when it comes to clutch plays. Law was incredible for Texas A&M as he seemed to show up on Sportscenter every night. Some question his ability to play the point but Law told Comcast Sportsnet's Dei Lynam that he did what his team needed him to do. He can come in right away and give a team a boost off the bench. Atlanta is reportedly interested in Georgia Tech point guard Javaris Crittenton, but there are also rumors that Atlanta is willing to trade this pick to Seattle for PG Luke Ridnour. Seattle, already with Durant and Ray Allen, would have an incredible line-up with Law in the mix. Acie Law will make an impression in the NBA next year, count on it.
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Al Thornton: The more and more I hear about Thornton, the more I fall in love with the idea of him wearing a Sixer uniform. He is an incredible athlete and people thought he was more of a track star than basketball star. His ability to score the ball is what is so dangerous about him. He can create his own shot, has range on his jumper and has a toughness about him. He shows the ability with his strength to play some four at 6'8 and the only knock I ever hear about him is his age. He'll be 24 in December, but I don't know why people are scared of someone at that age. There are reports that Yi Jianlian is not the the nineteen years old that he claims to be and is instead on the verge of turning 23 later this year, yet that doesn't scare people. So if Yi is 23 but still a question mark, how is he less than a risk over a proven scorer like Thornton?

Bill Simmons of ESPN.com is scared of the Sixers drafting Thornton, so that is enough for me.
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Nick Young: When everyone fell in love with Kevin Durant, we hated Nick Young when he and the Trojans knocked him out of the tournament. Young is one of the best shooters in the draft and has is taller than most of the shooting guards in this draft. He is probably the top shooting guard, despite reports that he'll be going so late.
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Javaris Crittenton: The Clippers selection here would be Crittenton if the Hawks pass him up (which I'm counting on with the proposed trade). A bigger guy to play the point, while Nick Young is supposed to be one of the best shooters in the draft, Crittenton is supposed to be the best shooter in the draft. With Sam Cassell getting older and the questions surrounding Shawn Livingston's horrible knee injury could scare the Clips into bringing in another guy to run the show in L.A.
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Rodney Stuckley: Many people like what Stuckley can do with the basketball. A 6'5 combo guard who can shoot the ball well, he'd fit well into the Pistons rotation and would help immediately if the Pistons cannot retain Chauncey Billups.
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Julian Wright: He has been a favorite of mine all year. At 12, the Sixers can either go with Thornton or pick up Wright and it hurts my head to choose between the two. Wright is an incredible player and I am not sure why he has slipped so much in recent weeks. He does not have a lot of range on his jumper but he has the ability to play 4-5 positions on the court. Great passer and great rebounder, he is another jaw-dropping athlete in this deep draft and plays extraordinary defense. He also played at an excellent Kansas program, which doesn't hurt.
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This is where I see the first 16 of 30 picks in the draft. It will most likely not go down this way but I'm sure we'll see plenty of surprises tonight.

Note: Some of the photos with players in NBA jerseys are photoshop pictures found on the message boards at Insidehoops.com.

Home Cooking

I promised I would discuss my thoughts for the Sixers three first-round picks. There are reports that General Manager GM Billy King is very keen on moving up. Doing so would cost him #12 and #21. King wants one of the following players: Yi Jianlian, Jeff Green, Spencer Hawes or Joakim Noah.

Hawes would not fit when we already have Samuel Dalembert and Steven Hunter. Yi is too much of a question as he was another prospect that chose to hold private individual workouts and will not solve their power forward needs. Jeff Green would fall into another clutter of small forwards with the Sixers. I only agree with grabbing Noah but not for both picks. There is too much talent in tonight's draft.

My main wishes are that they stay at 12 and grab Thornton. He can give you more scoring than either of the names I mentioned above and he can play the 3 and 4 positions on the court. If you go small, he can match up with other forwards and be a great player for point guard Andre Miller to find cutting to the basket or curling off a screen. I would like to see them grab both Thornton and Julian Wright (via trade), but then you would have a crowded roster with tweener 6'7 players with those two as well as Kyle Korver, Rodney Carney and Andre Iguodala.

If they stay where they are with those picks, I can see taking international players like Tiago Splitter or Rudy Fernandez at #21. Splitter has been playing in the best international league for the last four seasons and is an exceptional player. Tall at 7'0 and quick for his size, he can run the court and give you the size you need for the future. His problem is that he has a huge buyout with his team in Spain and will have to remain overseas until next season. However, this is not as big a deal because Billy King would not mind drafting a foreign player and keeping him across the Atlantic to save cap room and a roster space. Fernandez is going to be a great player where he can be an explosive shooting guard and has a ridiculous jump shot that belongs on a basketball court. Again, they can keep him overseas and bring him over next season.

At the end of the first round, scouts seem to like the idea of Big Baby Glen Davis playing in their frontcourt. His weight scares some off but he has shown that he can be very productive scoring the ball and grabbing rebounds. Think Robert "Tractor" Traylor or Rodney Rogers as Davis' potential.

The Sixers' main issue they need to solve is what kind of team they plan on building. A few seasons ago, Billy King brought in Jim O'Brien to coach the Sixers and he had a clear cut system. O'Brien ran an uptempo offense that spread the ball around and the Sixers were one of the top scoring teams in the NBA. King then brought in Mo Cheeks to establish a team built on a defensive philosophy, but did not surround that team with players to fit that system. They need to decide how they will run their offense, how they will build their defense and who the right players are to draft and build around the Sixers' core.

A Rumor isn't a Rumor if it doesn't Die

More KG talk this afternoon with the draft coming up. Minnesota is now dealing with Phoenix and they are trying to find a third party to facilitate the trade. Danny Ainge is done trying to help Kevin McHale and will keep the fifth pick for the Celtics. Atlanta was in the mix, but their ownership is all screwed up and they are not prepared to add salary (despite the salary they would get belongs to All-star Amare Stoudemire). Recently, Charlotte's name has come up and have the salary cap space to engage in conversations.

Kevin Garnett in Purple?

There was also talk about the Trailblazers sending Joel Przybilla to Milwaukee and the Sonics sending Ray Allen to Boston. Everything should sort itself out tonight.

Our 42 of the DayMy choice for next season's Rookie of the Year
#42 Al Horford