SB Nation - Sam Young

DaJuan Summers Drafted By the Detroit Pistons in 2nd Round

CasualHoya — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:48:26 -0000

On a night when Big East rivals Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, Terrence Williams, and Earl Clark were all taken in the top 14 picks, Georgetown's DaJuan Summers was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 5th pick in the 2nd Round (35th overall).

ESPN's Chad Ford:

5 (35) Detroit (from Minnesota) DaJuan Summers 6-9 243 SF Georgetown

The Pistons seriously considered Summers at No. 15, so they are thrilled to get him at No. 35. Summers is a fantastic athlete, can shoot the ball and can play both the 3 and the 4. This is a great pick this late in the draft.

With the 30th and final pick in the 1st Round representing Summers' last shot at a guaranteed contract next season, the Cleveland Cavaliers took a small forward from the Republic of Congo.

If it's any consolation to Hoyas fans, Summers was picked ahead of Pitt's Sam Young and DeJuan Blair, and Syracuse's dynamic duo of Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf will likely be looking for playing time in Romania after not being drafted at all.

Summers ranks 29th all-time in scoring at Georgetown (1,129 points), seventh in three-pointers made (141), eighth in three-pointers attempted (403), and helped lead the Hoyas to three straight postseason appearances (two NCAA Tournaments, one NIT).

More to follow tomorrow.

Hoya Saxa.

RIP MJ.

Casually.

SBNation NBA Mock Draft, Pick #25: Oklahoma City Thunder

Scott Schroeder — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:00:29 -0000

With the twenty-fifth pick in the SBNation Mock Draft, I, Aisander Duda, the Oklahoma City Thunder, select... (Drum Roll please)

The Thunder select Sam Young from the University of Pittsburgh.

Due to Mr. Pappagiorgio of WTLC being out of town inexplicably throughout the draft week (great vacation planning P-dawg), I have been chosen to take the reigns on yet another franchise's future (sucks to be you Thunder fans, all 15 of you).

Rumor has it that the Thunder are looking to shop this pick and probably have some takers (here's looking at you Rockets and Blazers). But in the spirit of keeping picks and harvesting young players, I took the oldest player on the board: Sam Young. Here's the reason why. Young is a freaking bulldog. They guy super tough, a lockdown defender, and pretty darn athletic. Yeah, he's older and more experienced than the rest of the draft field, therefore you know he's probably not going to progress much farther. But the things he's proven to do well at Pittsburgh, i.e. defense, hitting open shots, and being a tough guy/leader, are all things that Thunder could use more of.

Just take a look at what Draft Express has to say about the guy:

Blessed with athleticism, strength, and an excellent body, Sam Young looks the part and has the work ethic to be a defensive specialist at the next level. Certain parts of his offensive game fit the description of an effective role-player as well. Most of his scoring comes from two specific areas: his finishing ability and his catch and shoot jump shot. Around the rim, Young is ranked 4th in this group at 6.5 Pos/G and is 2nd at 1.27 PPP. His 44% shooting in catch and shoot situations is good for 4th and he ranks 3rd in terms of possessions at 5 per game. If he improves the range on his jumper to acclimate the 37.2% three-point percentage he posted as a senior past the NBA-line, he could become a viable offensive role-player who is an even better defender, a la James Posey.

So with a comparison to James Posey and his ball-hawking defense, the Thunder get Young at the back-end of the first round and a remedy for a lack of toughness and defense. His body is definitely NBA ready, as he boast a 6'6" frame with a 6'10" wingspan and is certainly one strong dude. I think he's a steal here for a guy that could be in the mold of Posey/Bowen. Simply put he could be the glue guy and defender that every championship contender needs, on a team that is streaking towards contention.

With the 21st Pick...

atthehive — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:07:27 -0000

Slightly longish post ahead, but it should be worth it. As outlined in yesterday's post, there is some solid statistical backing for the "Blair or Bust" line of thinking. There simply is not a big worth the guaranteed dollars at 21 overall. Unless Blair falls to the level, the Hornets have to be looking elsewhere. But who?

The Candidates

Eric Maynor because... a good percentage of mocks have us taking him. He gained national attention by knocking off Duke that one time and almost knocking off UCLA this year.

Marcus Thornton because... Hornets fans seem to have fallen in love with the guy, and he's a New Orleans product. He gained national attention by winning the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year Award.

Sam Young because... he's 6'6", is athletic, shoots the three, and projects as a plus defender. He gained national attention by averaging 23 points per game in this year's Tournament.

Austin Daye because... he's super long, deep range. He hasn't really gained much national attention yet.

Danny Green because... John Hollinger loves him, and Hollinger usually nails two or three sleepers every year that nobody else is high on. He's gained no national attention despite playing for NC.

Jeff Teague because... he fills a need, he's (ostensibly) friends with Chris Paul. He gained national attention during Wake Forest's rise to #1.

Ty Lawson because... statistically, he may be the best overall player in the draft. He gained national attention by being the PG of North Carolina.

These seven guys comprise my final list, to be culled down to the best option(s). I think I have pretty good reasons for leaving other guys out, some documented towards the end. Definitely leave comments on other prospects, and we can discuss.

						3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	Height	Weight	Wingspan	Vertical	FG%	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2008 - Eric Maynor	6'2"	164	6'2"	31.5	46.3	1.9	5.4	36.1	5.8	7.1	81.5	0.5	3.1	3.6	6.2	3.0	1.7	0.2	2.4	22.4

Draft Express says: 8th best PG in draft
Hollinger says: 21st best player in draft
Points/Possession: 1.17
FTA/Posession: 0.37
Ast/Possession: 0.32
TO/Possession: 0.16
Usage%: 28.6%
eFG%: 52%
TS%: 58%

Most people are viewing Maynor as a point guard in this draft, but there are many shooting guard aspects to his game. While he lacks range (36% from the college three isn't terribly inspiring), he took on a large role of his team's offense, accounting for almost 29% of possessions. His solid floor percentages are more due to shots in the ilk of floaters and runners than jumpers. As his career at VCU unfolded, he became more and more of a scorer. So while his 32% assist rate still seems solid, he posted a 49% rate in his first year as starter. There are many aspects of Jannero Pargo's style of play to Maynor's game; a case could be made that Maynor is Pargo with less range. That in mind, the Hornets' decision on Maynor may very well depend on their plans with Pargo. The earliest they can sign Pargo would be July 11th, more than two weeks after the conclusion of the draft. If Maynor is indeed the pick, the writing may be on the wall for Jannero.

Verdict: Maynor has a solid skill set, but his statistics simply don't compare with two point guards (who both played "purer" points in college) who may still be available. Couple that with questions about his conference, and I don't know. It'd be a solid pick, but one with minimal upside.

						3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	Height	Weight	Wingspan	Vertical	FG%	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2008 - Marcus Thornton	6'3"	194	6'5"	33	47.2	2.2	5.7	38.8	4.3	5.7	74.5	2.0	3.5	5.5	2.1	1.8	1.6	0.4	2.1	21.1

Draft Express says: 5th best SG in draft
Hollinger says: Not in Top 31
Points/Possession: 1.24
FTA/Posession: 0.33
Ast/Possession: 0.13
TO/Possession: 0.11
Usage%: 25.0%
eFG%: 54%
TS%: 58%

Southeastern Conference Player of the Year usually doesn't mean much, because the SEC produces 1 or 2 great NBA prospects a year, max. But there's a lot to like with Marcus Thornton. Physically, he's got good tools. The 6'3" measurement is an immediate red flag for a guy that plays exclusively shooting guard, but I love his release on his shot. He gets it off quite surreptitiously, and the 6'5" wingspan aids with that. On top of that, he generally makes the most of his 33 inch vertical in terms of his jumpers- something he has to do, but something a lot of prospects don't make a habit of.

While his 38-39% three point shooting doesn't look other worldly, a lot of those looks did come under heavy pressure. I like his range overall, and I wouldn't be surprised if he could maintain a 35%-40% stroke in the NBA. He isn't the fastest guy in the world, but the Hornets wouldn't be drafting him to be a Jason Terry/Jannero Pargo-like speed option (even though that's Draft Express' comparison). Rather, they'd be drafting him to fill up the scoreboard in a hurry, mostly through sets. Thornton's 1.24 points/possession is an impressive stat indeed; he's a creative scorer. The one odd thing is, though he's more of a scoring threat (efficiency-wise) than Maynor, he used substantially fewer possessions than Maynor. Maybe this will amount to nothing, but his 25% rate is lower than a lot of the top scorers in the NCAA's. It's something of a red flag in terms of how much "volume" he could actually provide as a volume scorer.

The final stat that intrigues me is the 11% turnover rate. As much as he handles the ball, it's very impressive. Observationally, I don't think he has nearly the vision to play point guard though. His low assist rate of 13% back that up, as does his pure point ratio of -1.36 (positive indicating "purer"). So while the turnover rate may come in handy, I don't think it'd help much in terms of him getting point guard minutes. At 6'3", and with his skill set, Thornton would step in as a "pure shooting guard," a position that's disappeared a little bit in recent years, in favor of swingmen and guys that can rotate between the 2 and 3.

Verdict: Like Maynor, there are a lot of "safe" aspects to a Thornton pick. He's a very efficient scorer, he has a well set position, he doesn't turn the ball over. But again, the cost of that safety is minimal upside. Who he is today is likely very similar to who he'll be in three years.

						3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	Height	Weight	Wingspan	Vertical	FG%	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2008 - Sam Young	6'6"	223	6'11"	33	50.2	1.6	4.2	37.3	3.2	4.3	74.0	1.9	4.3	6.3	1.1	2.4	1.0	0.8	1.7	19.2

Draft Express says: 3rd best SF in draft
Hollinger says: 52
Points/Possession: 1.17
FTA/Posession: 0.26
Ast/Possession: 0.07
TO/Possession: 0.15
Usage%: 24.4%
eFG%: 55%
TS%: 58%

Sam Young really made a name for himself this year, averaging almost 20 a night for the season, then performing even better in the Tournament. It's interesting how split analysts are on Young. There's one crowd that believes he can step in and contribute minutes to virtually any team in the league at this point. The other viewpoint is that he's an old prospect who may have been vastly overvalued by the 2008-2009 campaign.

Physically, the tools are all there. He's 6'6", athletic, has a very long wingspan at 6'11" and a decent vertical for his size. His frame could easily be more bulked up if that's what a team needs, and he's already at a good weight right now anyways. The problem is, despite the gaudy scoring averages, the underlying statistics give me reason to pause. A 15% turnover rate from a small forward who didn't do too much ball-handling (LeVance Fields was one of the top point guards in the country) is a flag. A 7% assist rate indicates that he virtually never set up teammates for anything. It's a serious flag for a wing player, as even well-reputed ballhogs often create opportunities for their teammates, via double teams. His 26% free throws per possession is more about 10% lower than either Maynor or Thornton. It makes me seriously wonder how he'll adapt to the contact game of the NBA. And if that wasn't enough, his 24.4% usage rate doesn't do much to increase his value.

Looking specifically at the Hornets, Young is a Julian Wright clone in many ways. Similar height, long wingspans, questionable ball control skills. Young clearly has the better stroke and better strange, but would it be worth using the 21st pick to get Julian Wright with a better jump shot (maybe)? And the age issue is not to be overlooked. Young is already 24 years old, way, way older than most other rookies.

Verdict: Very little upside. This is who he'll be in the NBA. His peripheral statistics are somewhat alarming, he's been overhyped a little due to Pitt's run, and he could very well be a redundant player on our roster. I'm taking Maynor and Thornton over him.

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	Height	Weight	Wingspan	Vertical	FG%	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2008 - Austin Daye	6'11"	192	7'3"	28	47.7	1.1	2.5	42.9	2.3	3.2	70.6	1.1	5.8	6.8	1.1	2.1	0.7	2.1	2.9	12.7

Draft Express says: 2nd best SF in draft
Hollinger says: 4th best Player in draft
Points/Possession: 1.09
FTA/Posession: 0.28
Ast/Possession: 0.09
TO/Possession: 0.18
Usage%: 16.8%
eFG%: 53%
TS%: 56%

After a freshman campaign that left Zags fans drooling, Daye's game took something of a dive this year. His points/possession went down, his assist rate went down, his turnover rate stayed poor, he drew fewer fouls. Of course, analysts are all mostly in love with the guy now. Go figure.

Statistically, Daye leaves much to be desired. His points/possession of 1.09 is far lower than any of the other guys on this list; he was simply not very efficient on offense. For his size, he doesn't get to the line very often (more than Young, but less than either Maynor or Thornton). He showed zero ability as a passing big man, averaging 9 assists every 100 possessions. Unfortunately, he did turn the ball over a ton, almost double as often as he assisted on baskets. His usage rate was quite low, as Gonzaga relied on a variety of other players to make their Tournament run.

As you might have guessed, there's a large school of people that feel statistics won't tell the whole story on Daye. I am one of those people. As poor as his stats have been, the guy is 6'11" with small forward skills. He has a 7'3" wingspan. He has a standing reach of over nine feet. Add in a 28 inch vertical, and Daye's hands will be somewhere around eleven feet and a half in the air when he jumps. His pace-adjusted block statistics aren't noteworthy, but from the four or five times I've seen him play, I've found him to be more of a "Tyson Chandler shot blocker"- he'll challenge and alter a lot more shots than the box score credits him for.

On top of that, he has range. NBA range. He shot 41.3% from three last year and 42.9% from three this year. In two years, he's averaged taking around 4 threes per game. He can shoot off the dribble, has good ball handling skills for his size, can create shots, has excellent coordination, and though is a terrible offensive rebounder, he's as good a defensive rebounder as Greg Oden and Paul Millsap were in college. He turned 21 a couple weeks ago. Does he have flaws? Absolutely. But if Daye could pass and score more efficiently, he'd be a lottery pick. Those two issues mean he's almost guaranteed to be available at 21. I'd take Thornton over him probably, but if Pargo is in our future plans, I'd take him over Maynor. Over Young, I'd take him without thinking.

Verdict: Major, major, major upside. Major crash and burn potential. The clincher for me is that John Hollinger's draft analyzer loves him. Every year, it pinpoints a couple guys that could vastly outperform their stock, and Daye looks like the pick this year. He doesn't fit an immediate need, but I wouldn't be terribly depressed if he was the pick.

						3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	Height	Weight	Wingspan	Vertical	FG%	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2008 - Danny Green	6'5"	208	6'10"	33	47.1	2.0	4.7	43.0	1.4	1.6	85.2	1.8	2.8	4.7	2.7	1.7	1.8	1.3	2.2	13.1

Draft Express says: 9th best SF in draft
Hollinger says: 8th best Player in draft
Points/Possession: 1.20
FTA/Posession: 0.15
Ast/Possession: 0.25
TO/Possession: 0.15
Usage%: 14.3%
eFG%: 57%
TS%: 59%

This is another one of Hollinger's favorites, the only reason he's on this list. I figure if I included Hollinger's take on Daye, I had to include Green. However, I don't agree with Hollinger that Green is going to be great. The Draft Rater has him as the 3rd best wing, behind Tyreke Evans and Daye.

His efficiency numbers are all excellent, but the reason behind it is very clear- he's primarily a shooter, a very good shooter. The majority of his looks come on jumpers, often set up by his very good teammates at North Carolina. He doesn't draw fouls, and based on my observations of him, he probably won't be making many contact filled forays to the hole in the NBA. Another factor is his low usage rate of 14.3%. Essentially, Green was a very good role player at the college level. That simply isn't the player the Hornets should be targeting in this draft. Green could end up being a very good fit for a team looking to add depth (Utah? L.A.?), but he doesn't have the off-the-dribble ability of Maynor/Thornton, or the superstar potential of Daye.

Verdict: I'd take him 7th among the 7 players on this list.

						3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	Height	Weight	Wingspan	Vertical	FG%	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2008 - Jeff Teague	6'0"	175	6'8"	37	48.5	1.5	3.3	44.1	5.8	7.1	81.4	0.5	2.8	3.3	3.5	3.4	1.9	0.6	2.2	18.9

Draft Express says: 4th best SG in draft
Hollinger says: 14th best Player in draft
Points/Possession: 1.15
FTA/Posession: 0.43 (!!!!)
Ast/Possession: 0.22
TO/Possession: 0.20
Usage%: 21.9%
eFG%: 55%
TS%: 62%

A 6 foot point guard, weighing 175 pounds, with a 38 inch vertical, a lane agility of 11.1, and a 3 quarter court sprint time of 3.2 seconds, hailing from Wake Forest University. Even if Jeff Teague was absolutely terrible, Hornets fans would've stood up and taken notice, because those were exactly the draft measurements of one Chris Paul. But Teague doesn't suck at all- far from it. According to the latest estimations, it's unlikely he falls to 21, but it's worth going over him anyway to see where he should be on our draft board.

A lot of places have Teague listed as a shooting guard, and for good reason. In two years, he posted pure point ratios of -3.04 and -3.17. He posted the measley assist rates of 19% and 22% while posting 79% and 73% FGA/possession. He's decidedly a shoot first guard, to an extreme relative to the college level. His turnover levels were 19% and 20% (better than Chris Paul in college for what it's worth). But he doesn't carry nearly the assist:turnover ratio Paul did.

In essence, Teague played shooting guard from the point guard position, inflating his PG stats tremendously. That doesn't mean he can't score at all. He certainly has some great tools. He shot 44% from three last year, displaying good range. His most promising statistic is 43% FTA/possession. That's not just promising; it's amazing. The ability to get to the free throw line is a great indicator of NBA success for college players (it's probably the definitive statistic that set Chris Paul way apart from Deron Williams in college).

So I'm not saying Teague is all hype. What I am contending is that he isn't too much of a "combo" guard like many reports suggest. I think he lacks the point guard element of the combo guard to enough of an extent that he'd struggle if played at PG without another PG on the floor. In the long run, that means he won't be an Antonio Daniels replacement. Is it worth using a draft pick on that?

Verdict: He's a legitimate scorer. If we're drafting for a combo guard, Maynor is the better option. If we're drafting for a creative scorer at the 2, Teague is a better option than Thornton, but Thornton's 3 inch advantage on Teague makes me think he'd be more successful at getting minutes and translating his game to the NBA. Overall, there's only a 1% chance we'd need to make a decision on Teague, since one of the 20 preceding teams is guaranteed to be tricked into thinking he's a full time point guard.

						3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	Height	Weight	Wingspan	Vertical	FG%	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2008 - Ty Lawson	6'0"	197	6'1"	37	53.2	1.5	3.1	47.2	4.7	5.9	79.8	0.7	2.3	3.0	6.6	1.9	2.1	0.1	1.7	16.6

Draft Express says: 7th best PG in draft
Hollinger says: 1st best Player in draft (!!!!)
Points/Possession: 1.30 (!!!!)
FTA/Posession: 0.47 (!!!!)(!!!!)
Ast/Possession: 0.51
TO/Possession: 0.15
Usage%: 16.8%
eFG%: 61% (!!!!)
TS%: 66%

Take note of all those exclamations. Ty Lawson posted some truly off the wall statistics in 2008-2009. The contention is that there was some tremendous statistical inflation going on due to North Carolina's ridiculously fast system. But a closer look shows that Lawson actually was very, very good.

Let's start with something nobody is questioning: Lawson's shot. He has maybe the best range of any guard prospect, shooting a wacky 47% from three this year. If his three point shot doesn't translate to the NBA level, I will be absolutely stunned. Nothing's a guarantee obviously, but this is as close as it gets. I love his form, and the way he gets into position off a dribble. On top of his long range abilities, Lawson is also one of the top finishers in college basketball. So his very high eFG% is not only a reflection of his deep ball talent, but also of his skill close to the hoop. And nobody's questioning his ability to draw contact. His 47% FTA/possession rate is simply amazing, and as much as you want to talk about system inflation, it certainly points to some serious underlying talent.

The one statistic I accept may be somewhat inflated is the assist ratio. Lawson averaged a 51% rate last year (actually down from his freshman rate of 59%). Pace adjusting can simply level the possession playing field, but it can't take into account the fact that Lawson absolutely dominated the fast break. There certainly wasn't a better fast break field general in America. Will he get that many fast break opportunities in the NBA? Obviously not. The defenders are more athletic, will get back faster, and will cut off passing lanes with ease. But to point out only the inflation of assists and to ignore the turnover rate is a serious error. Lawson's 15% turnover rate, in a fast break environment requiring rapid decision making, is yet another impressive attribute.

At best, Lawson could be one of the most talented point guard prospects in a long while. At worst, his assist numbers are somewhat inflated, and he's not as good a passer as people thought. So? The shot is for real. The decision making is for real. His driving ability is real. His defense is real.

Verdict: I know I said yesterday that I'd take DeJuan Blair over any guard/wing prospects... but I don't know. If he's available, I'd take Lawson in a heartbeat out of these 7.

Who Didn't Make This List?

Chase Budinger: Great stats, but workouts have revealed that he'd much rather stand and shoot than drive and force the action. A stand-still shooter with questionable defense is the last thing the Hornets should look to add this summer.

Terrence Williams: He's primarily a defensive stopper with highly questionable offensive skills and the inability to create a shot (though he is an awesome passer). With Posey and Wright aboard, that seems redundant.

Jodie Meeks: Meeks is a terrific, undervalued scorer. I think apprehensions about his lack of athleticism will prove misguided because he has amazing range, took on a huge scoring responsibility with ease, drew a lot of fouls, and was one of the most efficient scorers in the country. But I don't think his stock is high enough for the Hornets to even think about taking him at 21. Is that undeserved? Absolutely. That's just how the draft goes some times.

Tyler Hansbrough: Very poor rebounding numbers. As much as his "toughness" has been touted, I (and the numbers) simply don't see it. See yesterday's Blair or Bust post if you're not convinced.

So Who's the Pick?

I'd put the board in this order:

DeJuan Blair
Ty Lawson
Marcus Thornton
Eric Maynor
Austin Daye
Jeff Teague
Jodie Meeks
Sam Young
Chase Budinger
Danny Green

Blair and Lawson have to be considered nearly equivalent in terms of talent, but the larger need at frontcourt puts Blair over the top. Whether or not Pargo comes back could really influence things too. If Pargo is in the Hornets' plans (as in, they know for sure they'll sign him on July 11th), I would push Daye over Maynor for sure. I've got Teague only at 6 because I consider Maynor a better version of him, more or less. Teague showed terrific scoring skills in college, but at 6'0", he won't have nearly the same scoring role or chances in the NBA. Basically, his most valuable skill set will be underutilized, and Maynor's previously shown passing ability will be given more opportunity to resurface in the NBA. So Maynor is the better combo guard in my eyes. If Blair, Lawson, Thornton, and Daye are off the board by #21, that's when I'd consider trading the pick. That would seem to be the line at which the pick ceases to have too much value to the Hornets, but could still be valuable for other teams.

If we get #1 or 2 on that list, I'll be extraordinarily happy. #3 through 6 would evoke a sound "meh" although Austin Daye is intriguing. #7 and below or any non-Blair big men could be filed into the Summer of 2008 disaster cabinet. This will truly be a difficult draft to navigate.

DaJuan Doin' Work: "My Stock is Rising."

CasualHoya — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:37:26 -0000

Check out this solid link to our main man at a workout with the Charlotte Bobcats on June 5th.

Nice pull up jumper! Way to use the glass!

The juice is in the Q&A session afterwards:

"Coach (Larry) Brown is a teacher, so if you make a mistake he doesn't allow you to keep making that mistake. He stops you and teaches you to do it the right way."

Hey, folks. Anyone remember how our season ended in the NIT against Baylor? Well, if you don't, here's a brief refresher:

The Bears opened 3 for 3 from the field to start the second half, while the Hoyas opened with a pair of misses from Dajuan Summers, and within 1:34, the 10 point lead was down to two and the game was on. Baylor led briefly before the Hoyas began to move the ball back inside to carve out a narrow lead, but its defense could not stop Baylor from repeated drives along the baseline, alley-oop dunks and close-in jumpers.

Do you remember who was guarding that guy who repeatedly was on the receiving end of those alley-oops? (Hint: It wasn't Derrick Brown, the kid from Xavier also featured in the Bobcats workout video.)

Repeated drives. Alley-oop dunks. Close-in jumpers.

Meanwhile, ESPN.com's Chad Ford ranks Summers in Tier 4 of the prospects in this year's Draft and still has him slated at #24 to the Blazers in his latest Mock Draft:

Tier 4

DeJuan Blair
Earl Clark
Austin Daye
Tyler Hansbrough
Gerald Henderson
Brandon Jennings
James Johnson
Ty Lawson
Eric Maynor
B.J. Mullens
DaJuan Summers
Jeff Teague
Terrence Williams
Sam Young

Note: This is a huge tier and shows the parity in the draft. Theoretically, teams are saying you can get the same quality player at 11 that you will get at 24. This is where the real depth of the draft is. A few players like Blair, Clark, Hansbrough, Henderson, Jennings, Johnson, Teague and Williams were unanimous selections. Summers was borderline between here and Tier 5.

Elsewhere, CNNSI.com's Ian Thomsen continues to show DaJuan no love in his Mock, while over at rotoworld.com, DaJuan just sneaks into the 1st round at #30 to the Cavs.

Personally I hope the Knicks take him at #8.

Casually.

Poll

You are playing third base and have a hard 12. The dealer has a 6.

Hit

33 votes

Stay

44 votes

77 votes | Poll has closed

Loud Links: June 10, 2009

daddydai — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:00:27 -0000

4D reporting from Jessica Alba ravaged Oklahoma City. It appears that Griffin would draft Curry with the #2 pick. Rubio sues DKV Joventut, but the team dealt his contract to someone else. An apparent NBA draftee "has not legs but a gelatinous mass of flesh not unlike a slug that leaves a trail of greasy discharge when he runs the court on a fast break". Really, who? Gortat loves him some M.J. Our new draftees will debut in OKC on the 27th. Jenni Carlson is trying to pull a fast one on the Clips. Plus more, as always…

Chat: NBA prospect Blake Griffin -SportsNation - ESPN
Jeremy (Rochester, NY): In your opinion, who is the best player besides yourself in the draft? Blake Griffin: Stephen Curry.

Report: Ricky Rubio sues as rights go to Spanish IRS - ESPN
The guard has been trying to get out of his contract with Spanish league team DKV Joventut but has met resistance. On Tuesday, according to the Spanish news agency EFE, Rubio sued the team after learning that it had transferred the rights to his buyout to Hacienda, the Spanish version of the Internal Revenue Service. The rights were sold to satisfy a debt Joventut had with Hacienda.

HoopChill: NBA Teams… Draft James Harden
James Harden, a 19 year old shooting guard out of Arizona State, is the next great player for the NBA and should be drafted second this year. Yes I know the NBA finals are on right now, but the NBA draft is the only event for teams that aren’t involved in the playoffs look forward to. James Harden is one of the most complete players in this year’s draft, and got all the respect he deserved at the start of the college basketball season. Many teams ranked him as the 2nd best player in this year’s draft. Now as we near the NBA draft, his stock has fallen and he has moved down a lot of mock drafts. This is greatly undeserved, Harden is a spectacular player that could be the next great player in the NBA.

NBA Draft: Young Too Old? - Basketball News & NBA Rumors
A two time all-Big East selection, Young possesses a polished all around game with a knack for performing best in his team's biggest games. The small forward averaged 23.5 points per game in the NCAA Tournament, leading the team to the Elite Eight. Despite all of these accomplishments, however, Young will likely slip out of the draft lottery and into the latter part of the first round largely because of his age.

NBA.com: Recapping what was learned from 2009 Eurocamp
Mills may have been a bit inconsistent in terms of his playmaking skills and perimeter shooting, but he left a strong impression with his blazing speed, terrific ball-handling skills and excellent mid-range game, which had some teams comparing him to Aaron Brooks. Mills likely stays in the Draft now, and could be a solid pick late in the first round or early in the second.

FreeDarko Presents: Ken’s Mock Draft of Players that He’s Read Brief Paragraphs About and Only Seen Play on You Tube
I normally respect Sam Presti and his giant pulsating brain, but he will make the greatest mistake of his career by drafting Harden. Sure, shooting guard is a glaring need for an otherwise promising team, but I heard from a guy who knows a guy who dated a girl who read on a blog that Harden is such a bad athlete that he entered a 3 km race with a rabbit and only won because the rabbit was so confident of winning that he decided to take a nap midway through the course. Further, I hear that the slothful James Harden has not legs but a gelatinous mass of flesh not unlike a slug that leaves a trail of greasy discharge when he runs the court on a fast break.

Thunder schedule draft workout - USATODAY.com
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Another group of NBA draft prospects is coming to Oklahoma City for a workout session with the Thunder. Former Big 12 stars DeMarre Carroll of Missouri and Damion James of Texas are among four forwards scheduled to participate in Wednesday's session. Omri Casspi from Israel, DaJuan Summers from Georgetown also were invited for the workout. Thunder spokesman Michael Ravina says DeMar DeRozan of Southern Cal had a separate workout for the team this week.

Marcin Gortat of Magic told by Reebok he must cover his Air Jordan tattoo
This may be one of the most ridiculous and hilarious stories you'll hear about today. Marcin Gortat of the Magic has an Air Jordan tattoo on his leg. Yet, he entered into a contract with Reebok, who happened to not take a look at the giant MJ tattoo on his leg.

Immediate Needs: Los Angeles Clippers - Basketball News & NBA Rumors -
Mike Dunleavy struts into the tunnel at STAPLES Center, leaving his battered players to finish out the year. The Oklahoma City Thunder (23-59) lead 76-53, en route to a 41-point victory over the home team. The general manager/coach of the Los Angeles Clippers gets an early ejection midway through the third quarter as an awful season finally nears a close.

Curry/Knicks situation very uncertain (The Knicks Fix) - Newsday.com
Thunder - Rubio will work out for them this weekend, but it doesn't sound like they want to move Russell Westbrook to the 2. Harden or Thabeet would be good calls here, but apparently the Thunder may be also listening to trade up offers. No. 3 seems too high for Curry, especially with Thabeet, Rubio and Harden to choose from.

OKC Thunder Roll Through Oklahoma|NewsChannel 8
MidFirst Bank and the Oklahoma City Thunder present the "Thunder Summer Caravan", a series of Thunder Basketball events throughout the state for fans of all ages. The 12-stop tour, which is free and open to the public, will tip-off on Saturday, June 27 when the Thunder plans to debut the team’s newest player(s) to the public at MidFirst Bank (5800 N Western Ave.) in Oklahoma City. The players will be making their first appearance in Oklahoma City following the NBA Draft on June 25.

The Trap and Myth of the Next | Daily Thunder.com - Where Thunder Happens
Around draft time - or really around any time - whenever a young player’s name gets brought up, the inevitable happens. He gets compared to someone else. Oh yeah, I see a lot of Josh Smith in him … He’s got a bigger Brandon Roy written all over him … If he develops a jumper, he’s the next Dwyane Wade. It’s unavoidable.

2009 NBA Mock Draft: Version 4.0 - ESPN

Blake Griffin to be featured on ESPN’s ‘Rookie’ | NewsOK.com
Former OU basketball star Blake Griffin is being featured in the second season of ESPN’s "The Rookie," consisting of three webisodes on ESPN.com and a half-hour special June 30 on ESPNU and ESPN2.

No. 1 priority: Griffin working hard to prove worth as top pick - USATODAY.com
Blake Griffin has carried sandbags up hills, sometimes wiping grit from his mouth and eyes. That's the way the 6-10 star forward from Oklahoma, the consensus national college player of the year, trains in the offseason. "I look at him like a robot," said renowned San Francisco-based trainer Frank Matrisciano, who puts Griffin and his older brother, Taylor, through extreme workouts.

Miss a previous Loud Links Post? Find it quickly Below!

| 05-28-09 | 05-29-09 | 05-30-09 | 05-31-09 | 06-01-09 | 06-02-09 | 06-03-09 | 06-04-09 | 06-05-09 | 06-06-09 | 06-07-09 | 06-08-09 | 06-09-09 |

Loud Links: June 5, 2009

daddydai — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:00:21 -0000

Welcome to the Friday edition of Loud Links! An interesting tid-bit of information has leaked from the Memphis area. The Grizzlies supposedly are not planning on working out Rubio. Can we now suppose all the rumors stating that Thabeet will be Memphis’s choice are now correct? Will OKC workout Rubio? Yes sir, Oklahoma will be a stopping point on Rubio’s destination to the NBA. I’d bet Presti would scout my great grandma if he heard she had a great 3pt shot. Presti scours over every possible draftee and choose the best available. That is why OKC is rumored to like 5 or 6 different players. Presti and company are taking a serious look at every player available. Why Memphis isn’t doing the same is mind-boggling.

Other news involves the upcoming Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy. Should we expect much news from that camp? Workouts in California and Minnesota have apparently helped Sam Young garner a little more attention. There is a little more news from Spain, this time concerning Serge Ibaka. A Spanish news source quotes Ibaka saying, "Me ilusiona mucho participar en las Ligas de Verano con Oklahoma, es interesante estar allí". A rough translation on my behalf would be, "I’m very exited to participate in the Summer League with Oklahoma, it would be interesting to be there". Interesting indeed, please read on.

No Memphis visit planned for Rubio - The Memphis Edge
A team insider said the Griz were unaware of Rubio's exact plans - whether he would work out for any NBA team or simply arrive in the U.S. for the draft. Long-time NBA writer and good friend, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee, wrote in her blog that sources say Rubio "is suddenly amenable to participating in interviews and individual workouts with a select number of teams ...Rubio's agent, Dan Fegan, is limiting the visits to the teams with draft picks 2-4."

NBA draft: Eurocamp director sees deepest field yet - ESPN
The Reebok Eurocamp begins its sixth annual camp this Friday in Treviso, Italy. I sat down with the director of the camp, Pete Philo, for a little insight on what's happening. Philo, in addition to his duties with the camp, is an international scout for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

NBA draft: Eurocamp has delivered boons, busts and plenty in the middle - ESPN
TREVISO, Italy -- The 2009 Reebok Eurocamp gets underway this weekend. And an unusually high number of NBA GMs and executives are attending this year's camp all with the same mission: find the next international man of mystery. In years past, there has been plenty of talent at the Eurocamp. Andrea Bargnani, Danilo Gallinari, Rudy Fernandez, Nicolas Batum, Johan Petro and Marcin Gortat are all alumni of the annual camp run by Timberwolves international scout Pete Philo

THUNDER: Thunder Pre-Draft Workouts, Day 4
The Thunder will workout draft prospects on Friday for the first time since landing the No. 3 overall pick in the June 25th NBA Draft.

NBA AM: Not Trading Rajon Rondo - Talk of Sam Young
Watch Out Sam Young: Several league sources say Sam Young was by far the most impressive player coming out of the Oakland and Minnesota group workouts, if any one player seems to have generated positive buzz from the workouts it was Young although several players did well, Young is the name most mention as the best player they saw. On the flip side B.J. Mullens did not show well in either workout which is sure to get the critics going again on how he'll struggle at this level. Mullens is expected to start seeing teams individually in the next few weeks. Sources close to the situation said they still expect Mullens to be a top 20 pick, but that the odds he goes in the teens to a team willing to take a chance on him are far greater than a team in the top 12 grabbing him to solve an immediate need.

Oklahoma City Thunder, Coca-Cola score slam-dunk package | NewsOK.com
The arrival of the NBA Thunder included a transfer of pouring rights to the team, which has signed a multiyear partnership with Great Plains Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Oklahoma City.

Thunder notebook: Earl Watson changes agencies | NewsOK.com
Watson grew frustrated last season with his situation as a member of the 23-win Thunder and was believed to be disappointed in his agent’s handling of the matter. Watson never publicly said he desired to be traded but did say at the end of the season that he doesn’t expect to return.

Jeff Green, Perry McDonald, and Interim AD - Hoya Hoops
NBA star and possible Team USA member Jeff Green will be in town this weekend at the Bethesda Big Train’s baseball game. The Big Train will be facing the College Park Bombers on Saturday in the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League at Shirley Povich field in Bethesda. First pitch is set for 7:30pm, but Jeff will be present to sign autographs beginning at 6:15.

NBA’s Collison planning on a return to Iowa Falls — and, hopefully, a return to Africa
No Nick Collison basketball camp in Iowa this summer. But the Iowa Falls native and Oklahoma Thunder power forward/cetner just wrapped up a stretch back home while attending his youngest brother’s high-school graduation. He’s planning on a return to the state in July for Iowa Falls High’s Class of ‘99 10-year reunion.

Let it Mock 2.0 (The Knicks Fix) - Newsday.com
Oklahoma City -- James Harden: Though the Thunder would love to have been in position to get either big -- Griffin or Thabeet -- Harden fits well into the shooting guard spot next to Russell Westbrook to make for a strong, young backcourt. The Thunder are a team that should start seeking vets to fill in around the young guns. Free agent Ben Gordon is rumored to be one, for sure, but if you draft Harden you wouldn't then go spend money on Gordon. They need a big.

2009 Extended Mock Draft 1.0 | NBADraft.net
#25. Damion James - Having played in college alongside Durant, James has the athleticism and abilities outside of scoring to gel with the franchise talent. James is an athletic freak who would provide excellent punch off the bench and could develop into a defensive stopper type.

Draft camp measurements: Where are the great athletes? | DailyHerald.com Blogs
That’s a big change from last year, when O.J. Mayo, Eric Gordon and Derrick Rose all cleared 40 inches, as did Patrick Ewing Jr. Another great year was 2006, when Jordan Farmar, Ronnie Brewer, Brandon Roy and Rudy Gay all passed 40 inches, while Tyrus Thomas jumped 39.5. Of course, vertical leap measurements don’t reveal everything about a player. Dwyane Wade jumped a relatively mundane 35 inches in 2003. Another player who seems far more explosive in real life than in the predraft results was Oklahoma City rookie Russell Westbrook, who recorded a leap of 36.5 last year.

DraftExpress: Analyzing the NBA Combine Results
-The often cited Blake Griffin – Amare Stoudemire comparison holds weight at the combine if nowhere else. The two look very similar on paper. Griffin’s no step vert of 32" and max vert of 35.5" are the same as Stoudemire’s, his lane agility time of 10.95 is .24 seconds faster than Stoudemire, and his 3.28 ¾ court sprint mark was a fraction of a second slower than the All-Star forward. The biggest differences between the two in terms of combine measurements lie in Stoudmire's two inch wingspan advantage and Griffin’s ten extra reps on the bench. Though the two look considerably different in how they use their athleticism on the floor, their tests couldn’t have matched up any better for anyone supporting that comparison. -James Harden tested out far better than anyone could have expected, which will likely cause teams to pay keener attention to his athleticism in competitive workouts. Harden’s 37" max vert tied him with a player than many consider one of the best athletes at the wing position in this draft in Terrence Williams, and had his 31.5" no step vert bettered him by a full inch. This is a clear case of a player testing well above the level teams project him at. The best example of that is in Harden’s 11.10 lane agility time, which is only .01 seconds behind the time posted by arguably the quickest point guard in the NBA, Chris Paul. Harden also showed good strength on the bench, throwing up 17 reps, but also recording the highest body fat percentage amongst wings with 10.1%.

D.R.A.F.T. Initiative - Advanced stats determine the value of picks - ESPN Insider
We chose to measure a player's value using John Hollinger's estimated wins added (EWA) statistic. Simply put, EWA measures how many wins a player adds to his team's record compared to someone you could sign to a 10-day contract (to put it nicely, a replacement-level player). Basically, the metric combines player efficiency rating (how efficient a player is on a per-minute basis) with playing time and comparative value. Hollinger offers a far more detailed explanation, but for our purposes, just remember that EWA measures wins added and that LeBron James led the league at 32.3.

NBA Draft - D.R.A.F.T. Initiative: Pick analysis - ESPN Insider
Here at Insider, though, we're all about reality. And history has taught us that more often than not, draft picks don't exactly measure up to the hype, albeit not always on a Darko/Dirk scale. To determine what is realistic, then, we looked back at the past 20 drafts (beginning in 1989, when the NBA pared the draft to two rounds) and examined the value produced at each slot. The chart below shows the end result of a complicated process of number crunching.

2009 Cap Space: Oklahoma " nbaroundtable
Yes, and this is the most likely option if the money is to be spent — that it is spent not through free agency, but from a trade — similar to the Camby deal last summer except for a younger player. Sam Presti has already shown intent with the Tyson Chandler deal, so I expect him to be aggressive in the trade market this summer … and willing to take back big contracts.

Ibaka jugará las Ligas de Verano de Las Vegas y de Orlando con Oklahoma City Thunder
"Me ilusiona mucho participar en las Ligas de Verano con Oklahoma, es interesante estar allí. Pero estoy muy a gusto en el Ricoh y creo que estará a punto para estar con mis compañeros cuando empiecen los entrenamientos"

Los Thunder están encantados con Serge Ibaka y no descartan llevárselo la próxima temporada
De cara al futuro, los Oklahoma Thunder no descartan incorporar a Serge Ibaka la próxima temporada, aunque, de momento, se marchará en Julio a Estados Unidos para participar con la franquicia en las Ligas de Verano.

Russell Westbrook - Basketball Wallpapers
Free desktop wallpapers of Russell Westbrook.

DaJuan Summers Impresses at NBA Draft Combine

CasualHoya — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 14:40:31 -0000

Massive Wingspan. viaimage38.webshots.com

DraftExpress.com has listed the measurements of the numerous hoopsters hoping to hear their names called come June 25. I could spend hours pouring over and analyzing this data, but for the purposes of a casual blogpost, let's run a quick hypothetical:

Player A is 6'5.25", 277, 7'2" wingspan, a maximum vertical reach of 11'7.5", 12% body fat, and a no-step vertical jump of 26 inches.

Player B is 6'5.25", 223, 6'10.75" wingspan, a maximum vertical reach of 11'6.5", 4.9% body fat, and a no-step vertical jump of 27.5 inches.

Player C is 6'8.5'', 243, 7'1" wingspan, a maximum vertical reach of 11'9", 6.6% body fat, and a no-step vertical jump of 29.5 inches.

Based on those numbers, who is the most physically impressive?

Scary, isn't it?

..........................

The Big Reveal:

Player A is Pitt's Dejuan Blair, who is projected in the top 11.

Player B is Pitt's Sam Young, who is projected in the top 25.

Player C is Georgetown's own DaJuan Summers, whose measurements and workouts have been so impressive this summer that he is now being considered not just a 1st-round lock, but potentially a top 25 selection. Indeed, Summers' maximum vertical reach is the 9th best among the entire field.

According to ESPN.com's Chad Ford's latest mock draft, Summers has now vaulted into the late first-round at #26 to the Bulls:

Analysis: Summers is an NBA athlete and a good scorer whose game really slipped toward the end of the season. More and more, NBA scouts are projecting him as a 4 in the league. He's not a great rebounder, but he could give the Bulls some much-needed offense down low. Based on talent, he could go much higher, and he's a value pick for the Bulls here.

(Note: Bold added by CasualHoya for absurdity.)

Perhaps instead of measuring how far these guys can jump standing still or their height without shoes (really comes in handy during games), they should be measuring HEART.

In other news, Maryland's Greivis Vasquez did a massive ONE REP on the bench press, placing him last among those who attempted to lift. Reps for Stephen Curry?

TEN.

Take some time to take a look at the numbers, and feel free to comment away...

Casually.

Poll

If you were an NBA GM, where would you select DaJuan Summers in the upcoming NBA Draft?

Picks 1-10

3 votes

Picks 11-20

22 votes

Picks 21-30

65 votes

NBDL Draft

22 votes

WNBA Draft

28 votes

140 votes | Poll has closed

Loud Links: May 29, 2009

daddydai — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:00:17 -0000

In this edition of Loud Links, you’ll learn that Sam Presti is a genius (shocking, I know). Hoopsworld has written another excellent article about the Thunder, this time they are focusing on Presti. Speaking of Presti, I’ll post a few articles from the last week or so about Presti and the Thunder organization. Another interesting link discusses how GM’s are looking for a Westbrook-type surprise in this year’s draft. There is also some discussion about the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. It sound likes the agents are ruining the team’s chances to actually get a good look at the prospects in action against each other. There is news of NBA referee Violet Palmer leaving the NBA. Big news? I doubt it, but I’m happy. The last time she was in the Ford Center she was calling way too many charging fouls against the Thunder, so good ridden (just playing, I wish her the best in her new career choice). Are there wedding bells out there? Well Nenad Krstic was recently seen at Marck Jaric and Adriana Lima's wedding in Serbia. Another member of the Thunder actually does say "I do". Who is it? Well just keep reading.

The Genius of Sam Presti

Hoopsworld | Susan Bible | May 28, 2009... Presti was promoted to assistant director of scouting in 2002, then director of player personnel, and finally, assistant general manager in 2005. He became regarded as a salary cap wizard with intuitive scouting skills, plus designed the Spurs' scouting database (which relies heavily on quantitative and analytical data to determine a player's worth), and is now used by other NBA teams as well. In an October 2006 story in the San Antonio Express-News, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called Presti the team's "resident genius," while general manager R.C. Buford said Presti's "combination of intelligence and creativity and work ethic are unique." In Presti's tenure in San Antonio, the Spurs won three of their four championship titles.

In search of the next Westbrook

SI.com | Scott Howard-Cooper | May 28, 2009... Westbrook was at least a supreme athlete. He went No. 4 to the Thunder in what many at the time considered a big gamble, an inexperienced point guard for the position that requires instinct more than any other spot. It could have gone historically bad for Oklahoma City. Instead, Westbrook progressed, was the third-best rookie in a poll of coaches and immediately emerged as part of the foundation of a blossoming future there. General manager Sam Presti's gutsy pick turned into a great pick and Westbrook thus becomes the tease of what could be with those draft prospects who follow in attempting the same difficult transition.

Buzz from the pre-draft combine

ESPN Insider | Chad Ford | May 28, 2009... "After spending hundreds of hours and millions of dollars on scouting, what am I going to learn watching players do three hours of layup drills at half speed?" one GM said. "I think the league is going to have to come to grips with the fact that the day of a relevant and valuable pre-draft camp is behind us."

Word on the Street: NBA Combine Edition

DraftExpress | Jonathan Givony | May 28, 2009... With no competitive action to be found, most of the teams we talked to at the official networking point of the Combine—the Westin Hotel—don’t appear to be all that enthusiastic about what they’ve learned here so far. Many are already calling for changes to be made next year. The NBA's competition committee held a meeting last night, and David Stern did not look all that enthused as we watched him exit the building.

NBA teams take to Chicago for combine

NBA.com | Jonathan Givony | May 28, 2009... A new twist to the pre-draft camp, now renamed the NBA combine, is 13-plus hours of interview sessions designed to help teams collect as much data as they can on the player's off-court personality. Each team submitted a list of 18 players they'd like to talk with, ranked by preference, and are then granted 30-minute blocks. Some teams opted to bring their head coaches, some their entire front office, and others just a psychologist who administered a personality assessment. Not all the agents have been all that receptive to the idea, though.

To Blake Griffin, No. 1 pick is no given

USA Today | Andrew Seligman | May 28, 2009... In fact, the All-American forward from Oklahoma still wasn't quite ready to sign a mortgage in Los Angeles or declare himself the NBA's No. 1 pick. He'll wait for commissioner David Stern to make that announcement on June 25, even if the Clippers indicated it's really not necessary. "I'm planning it as if I don't know right now, which I don't," said Griffin, who was in Chicago on Thursday for the NBA draft combine. "I'm not going to guarantee anything. I'm going through it just like everybody else is."

As the Nuggets’ Birdman Soars, So Does His Popularity

The New York Times | John Branch | May 28, 2009... The first tattoos came a decade ago, after he returned from a stint in China. A symbol on the inside of one forearm means "good," he said. The symbol on the inside of the other means "bad." "It’s not good arm, bad arm," he explained. "I’m stuck in the middle of the good and the bad. Everybody’s stuck in the middle."

First female NBA ref leaving for college hoops

SI.com | AP | May 28, 2009... Palmer became the first woman to officiate a major U.S. professional sport when she made her NBA debut on Oct. 31, 1997. She has spent the last 12 seasons in the NBA, and officiated four playoff games and more than 700 regular season games. She also worked in the CBA and WNBA.

Wedding Pics! Who is it?

Global Grind | Brosefolophogus | May 22, 2009... Awwww, look at the two love birds, don’t they look so lovely. Here are the details of the two love birds dreamy wedding, as the two tied the knot at the LA mansion of super baller Ed Weinberger last week. And with legends like Kyla Pratt, Gary Payton, Tisha Campbell (Big Head Gina), her husband Duane Martin, Jerry West and his fam, ESPN Analyst Steve Lavin…and some of Earl’s old teammates Boom Dizzle, Chris Wilcox, Damien Wilkens and Nick Collison all there, you know it was cracking.

Report: OKC Leaning Toward Harden

Daily Oklahoman | Darnell Mayberry | May 29, 2009... While Harden seems to be a great fit on the Thunder alongside Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, don’t read too much into the report. For starters, it’s May 29, nearly a full month before the draft. Secondly, the Thunder’s brass is impressed with the skills of Rubio and likely wouldn’t pass up on him because of Westbrook. With Westbrook in the fold, things are a little more complicated if you add Rubio to the mix. But the Thunder is looking to add talented players, not necessarily players that fit best based on need. And finally, we all know Thunder general manager Sam Presti is as meticulous as they come. He hasn’t even had a chance to get much one-on-one time with the top prospects to evaluate them so it’s unlikely he’s "leaning" either way at this point.

When the Young Seem Old: Catching Up With Sam Young

48 Minutes of Hell | May 28, 2009... The reporter followed up by suggesting that he might be a better pro than he was a college player. Young agreed. "I’m a one-on-one player," citing the increased spacing and less frequent usage of zone defense as aspects of the NBA game that would compliment his style. This comment struck me as odd; I primarily think of Young as a catch-and-shoot player who, although he can finish at the rim, struggles to create a shot for himself at other spots on the floor.

NBA draft combine: Day 1

ESPN | Chad Ford | May 29, 2009... Four players really seemed to catch the attention of the GMs I spoke with after the event, with UCLA's Jrue Holiday garnering the most attention. He was the biggest point guard of the top group and seemed to tower over several of the smaller guys on the floor. During one 3-on-2 full-court drill, Holiday looked like a power forward running on the wing. And while his size was impressive, so was his game. He was hitting his jump shot, finishing with both hands and showing versatility and an excellent handle.

2009 NBA Draft Combine: Day One

NBAdraft.net | Aran Smith | May 28, 2009... Day one of the NBA Draft Combine from Tim Grover's Attack Athletics gym in Chicago, IL was a chance to get to see a majority of the players who will be drafted in a controlled environment. The new combine format was successful in getting most of the top talent in front of the NBA GMs and scouts. Unfortunately it was at the expense of seeing players in a game setting. The biggest positive of this format is that it gives GMs and scouts a chance to analyze player's shooting forms and their demeanors. Player's passing, ball handling, defense, and rebounding were not on display.

Clippers planning to keep No. 1 pick?

ESPN Insider | Chad Ford | May 29, 2009... The hottest rumor at the camp Thursday had the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder in hot and heavy talks about a swap of the No. 1 pick for the No. 3 pick. I heard a number of variations, including Oklahoma City sending Jeff Green to Los Angeles and another in which the Thunder take back one of the Clippers' bad contracts, particularly those of Zach Randolph or Chris Kaman.

NBA draft measurables

ESPN Insider | Chad Ford | May 29, 2009... A lot of people questioned the height of Oklahoma's Blake Griffin during the season. At the draft combine, Griffin's measurements were a mixed bag. He checked in at 6-foot-8½ inches in bare feet and measured a legit 6-10 in shoes. That part was fine. But his wingspan came in at just 6-11 and he ended with a standing reach of 8-9. That's just one inch longer than the reach registered by Tyreke Evans and an inch and a half shorter than DeJuan Blair's.

ESPN Draft Machine

ESPN... Self Explanatory

Interesting NBA Hairstyles

SI.com... Photo Gallery

Just In Case...

I'm going to add a few more older articles/links, just in case you missed them earlier. Sammy posted this first link early this week, but I'm afraid that it was overlooked (seriously people, read the fanshots). So, here it is again...

Thundering Toward The Playoffs

Hoopsworld | Mike Moreau | May 25, 2009... And that's exactly the point. If they invested this much into me and these players who are not a part of their organization, imagine how much they invest in their own players? Here's an example: The Thunder created a state-of-the-art practice facility in less than three months after arriving in Oklahoma City, and are currently creating a bigger and better state-of-the-art practice facility closer to their downtown arena.

In the Room With the Pingpong Balls

ESPN True Hoop | Henry Abbott | May 19, 2009...

The Compass: Sam Presti
Two seats to John Kehriotis' right, Oklahoma GM Sam Presti is rubbing a small antique compass. His team moved up one spot, from fourth, to third. He says the compass was a gift from his girlfriend. And it worked, as they moved north one spot.

Presti has a reputation for being guarded with the media. In a way, it seems ill-founded. We talked for twenty minutes about all kinds of stuff. I took notes the entire time. But then I read those notes and ... really ... he didn't say anything that would make headlines.

For instance, I asked about his team's approach to statistical analysis, and whether or not they were one of the teams that charted plays to create their own statistical database, like the Rockets. His response: "I really value information, whether it's subjective or objective. I always want to have as much of it as I can ... I don't think we'll all end up doing it the same way, and that's what makes the NBA what it is. For us, we like information. But not a lot of teams are going to keep up with [Houston GM Morey] Daryl and his crew. They are a really innovative group that has done a great job."

(For what it's worth, I have it on good authority the Thunder do retain a stat expert.)

I asked about his ho-hum reaction to learning he had moved up a spot. "That's just kind of me," he said. And then he talked about how it was kind of nice to be able to better hone in the player research that must be done between now and the draft.

He's more passionate on the topic of building a winner. We talked a lot about how the players on the Thunder only won 23 games, but they have a process and a system that the whole organization believes in, and through all the losing nobody pointed fingers at each other. He talked about having building blocks. He talked about how every player and even coach Scott Brooks had committed to improving over the summer. (What would that entail? "A lot of film work, visiting players, visiting other coaches and picking their brains, self analysis ...")

"We like the direction," he says. "We feel we have been able to accumulate players with the right mindset, and they're working with passion to get better. This is another opportunity to get one of those players."

Post Lottery Mock Draft

stneff70 — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:41:43 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Los Angeles Clippers president Andy Roeser poses for photographers after the Clippers won the NBA draft lottery, Tuesday, May 19, 2009, in Secaucus, N.J., giving the Clippers the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Surprised they didn't put Griffin on the jersey..

Browse more photos »

Ladies and Gentleman,

Many people didn't really understand our Wednesday mock draft that it was what teams should do, rather than what they will do. Our resident draftologist decided to put together a post on what he thinks the teams will actually do. After the jump, enjoy/hate/whatev. Let Steve know what you think.

Scott

Changed Nick Calathes because he is withdrawing from the draft and signing in Greece.

1.Clippers- Blake Griffin PF (Oklahoma Sophomore)

Dunleavy already said they are picking him, so don't be mad about this one. Maybe Baron tries a little harder next year and the Clippers make the playoffs. They need to move Camby since they won’t be able to trade Zach Randolph. The Clippers will be much better next year, but need some perimeter defense which can be addressed in Free agency.

2. Grizzlies- Ricky Rubio (DKV Joventut, Spain)

Memphis tries the Spanish Connection again. First it was Juan Carlos Navarro to Pau Gasol and now it will be Ricky Rubio to Marc Gasol. Everyone thinks Rubio will be a stud so this is a no-brainer pick and they can trade Conley for a power forward. Rubio, Gay and Mayo will be fun to watch. Rubio might not end up in Memphis though because his agent, Dan Fegan, said he does not want to go there or Oklahoma City. Remember, Fegan was Yi’s agent who tried to get out of Milwaukee a few years ago.

3. Thunder- Hasheem Thabeet (UCONN Junior)

I might have been wrong on my lottery prediction but the Thunder still get a stud. Thabeet is exactly what they need. The Thunder are really high on him and hopefully he doesn’t turn out to be a bust like past Thunder lottery big men. See Saer Sene, Johan Petro, Robert Swift.

4. Kings- Brandon Jennings (Lottomatica Roma, Italy)

This is when the draft gets interesting. Beno Udrih doesn’t cut it for us and the Kings need an exciting Point Guard as they rebuild their team. Kings fans liked Jason Williams (White Chocolate) and they will like Jennings

5. Wizards- James Harden (Arizona State Sophomore)

The Wizards are looking to trade this pick but Harden is a good fit for them. I think they need better big men but Harden would fit well with their team and share minutes with Nick Young, another up and coming shooting guard.

6. Wolves- Demar DeRozen (USC Freshman)

Corey Brewer has been a bust for the Wolves so I'll give them DeRozen, a player who can maybe one day be their go to guy. He can jump outta the gym and, if he develops like he can, will form a good inside outside combination with Al Jefferson for many years to come.

7. Warriors- Tyreke Evans (Memphis Freshman)

Evans can flat out score. The Warriors love scorers. Evans has the build of a 2 but can play 1. Monta Ellis is built like a point guard but is more like a shooting guard. It works perfectly for this quirky backcourt.

8. Knicks- Stephen Curry (Davidson Junior)

Mike D’antoni likes shooters and Curry is the best one in this draft. He can develop his point guard skills but he is also friends with a certain person from Akron, Ohio.

9. Raptors- Gerald Henderson (Duke Junior)

Henderson can jump out of the gym and break guys down off the dribble. He'll bring a bit of tough juice, which is exactly what the soft Raptors need.

10. Bucks- Jordan Hill (Arizona Junior)

The Bucks will not resign Charlie “Twitter” Villanueva and Hill falls to them, because nobody else after five will be looking for a big. I think he is a bit overrated but the Bucks would be elated to get a guy like Hill to fall to them at 10.

11. Nets- DeJuan Blair (Pitt Sophomore)

New Jersey said they want to draft a “moose”. Who is more of a moose in this draft than Blair? No one and that is why he is the pick here and the Nets will have a solid frontcourt.

12. Bobcats- Jrue Holiday (UCLA Freshman)

Didn’t the Bobcats take D.J. Augustin last year? Yes they did but Holiday can still play the 2 since he is 6’4’’. Nice solid pick.

13. Pacers- Jonny Flynn (Syracuse Sophomore)

Flynn will be the Point guard for Indiana as he's able get the ball to the shooters on the wing. If he figures out how to shoot, watch out. Flynn's got upside.

14. Suns- Earl Clark (Louisville Junior)

The Suns are a tough team to project because I’m unsure what direction they are going to go. So, I did what was easy and took the best player on the board.

15. Pistons- Ty Lawson (UNC Junior)

The Pistons made a big mistake when they traded Chauncey Billups last season, but it should help them for the future. Stuckey isn't a true point guard, but Lawson is. Don’t be surprised if he gets the Pistons back atop the East, especially if they sign Boozer with their ample cap space.

16. Bulls- James Johnson (Wake Forest Sophomore)

Chicago traded Nocioni last season and probably missed him in the playoffs. Johnson plays similar to Nocioni and is a wide-body so the Bulls draft him. With them trying to move Tyrus Thomas, I think they're hoping Blair falls to them - but not in this case.

17. Sixers- Jeff Teague (Wake Forest Sophomore)

Andre Miller is probably leaving this summer so the Sixers need a PG. Teague is their man. I like his explosiveness.

18. Wolves- B.J. Mullens (Ohio State Freshman)

Minnesota hasn't had a true center in awhile and, if nothing else, Mullens provides that for the Wolves. Because the Wolves won’t be making the playoffs anytime soon, he has time to develop and turn into a solid big man, learning from the Jefferson and Love in the mean time.

19. Hawks- Eric Maynor (VCU Senior)

Mike Bibby's losing his mojo and Acie Law was a bust. The Hawks need a point guard and Maynor is a good leader.

20. Jazz- Tyler Hansbrough (UNC Senior)

Well, Neff put him here as well, so sorry Utah fans. Feel free to post your own mock draft in the Fan Post's with Hansbrough going 31st. -- Scott

21. Hornets- Austin Daye (Gonzaga Sophomore)

This pick will more than likely be traded. The Hornets are looking to save money but if they don’t trade it Daye is a big body that they could use. Many think he will go between 10-15 because of his potential but we are not sold.

22. Mavs- Terrence Williams (Louisville Senior)

The Mavs need toughness and athleticism. Williams gives them that and is already better than Antoine Wright, the Mavericks starting shooting guard this year.

23. Kings- Chase Budinger (Arizona Junior)

The Kings have their point guard in Jennings, they've drafted big men the last 2 drafts and Kevin Martin is their shooting guard. A small forward makes sense and Budinger is a good fit.

24. Blazers- Wayne Ellington (UNC Junior)

Ellington could be very valuable for the Blazers and give them another shooter. Help out on Roy and he'll just dish out to Wayne and 3 points for the Blazers.

25. Thunder- Patty Mills (St. Mary’s Sophomore)

The Thunder might not be sold on Westbrook as a point guard yet since he turns the ball over quite a bit. Move over RW0 and insert Mills. Sounds good to me.

26. Bulls- Marcus Thornton (LSU Senior)

Thornton is a good shooter who can hot quick.

27. Grizzlies- Gani Lawal (Georgia Tech Sophomore)

Lawal is an athletic 4. Third times the charm?

28. Wolves- Darren Collision (UCLA Senior)

Tough player but his lack of shooting will make him fall in the draft.

29. Lakers- Sam Young (Pitt Senior)

Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom are free agents so they'll have a need at SF. Young is the best available and he brings them toughness. He would be a steal for the Lakers.

30. Cavs- Omri Casspi (Maccabi Tel Aviv)

The Cavs don’t need anyone here so they pick an overseas player and if he develops it’s great for them.

First Round Bubble: Victor Claver, Marcus Thornton, Toney Douglas, Jermaine Taylor, DaJuan Summers

Poll

Grade this Mock Draft

A

16 votes

B

17 votes

C

20 votes

D

9 votes

F

14 votes

76 votes | Poll has closed

2009 NBA Draft Mock: Post-Lottery Edition

Scott Schroeder — Wed, 20 May 2009 06:54:14 -0000

Here is Ridiculous Upside's 2009 NBA Mock draft, version 2.0, as the lottery on May 19 will certainly bring more changes. As always, check out our Guide To Mock Drafts to answer any questions before any flambéing occurs. After the jump we provide brief analysis on all 30 picks, along with links to blogs about each team and player. Feel the excitement!!

Before you start freaking out, and because I know not everyone will click over to read our Guide to Mock Drafts, here's an excerpt:

So unless otherwise noted, all Ridiculous Upside Mock Drafts are based on what we feel are the best fits for the given team's personnel. To this end, selections are rarely made based on the "best talent available" theorem. We don't assert that these mock drafts should be considered accurate predictors, professional insight, or anything other than a work of opinion. Awesome, awesome opinion.

Any other issues? Leave feedback in the comments! Unless it's where I slotted a big man.. Then just know I hate them just as much as you do, but I did have reasoning for selecting them there. If your mock draft is better, post it in the fan shots and, if we like it, it could make the front page!

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Los Angeles Clippers	Ricky Rubio
2	Memphis Grizzlies	Blake Griffin
3	Oklahoma City Thunder	Hasheem Thabeet
4	Sacramento Kings	Brandon Jennings
5	Washington Wizards	Jordan Hill
6	Minnesota Timberwolves	James Harden
7	Golden State Warriors	Tyreke Evans
8	New York Knicks	Ty Lawson
9	Toronto Raptors	Demar DeRozan
10	Milwaukee Bucks	Jonny Flynn
11	New Jersey Nets	James Johnson
12	Charlotte Bobcats	Gerald Henderson
13	Indiana Pacers	Jrue Holiday
14	Phoenix Suns	Earl Clark
15	Detroit Pistons	Terrence Williams
16	Chicago Bulls	DeJuan Blair
17	Philadelphia 76ers	Stephen Curry
18	Minnesota Timberwolves	Jeff Teague
19	Atlanta Hawks	BJ Mullens
20	Utah Jazz	Tyler Hansbrough
21	New Orleans Hornets	Chase Budinger
22	Dallas Mavericks	Eric Maynor
23	Sacramento Kings	Austin Daye
24	Portland Trailblazers	Nick Calathes
25	Oklahoma City Thunder	Darren Collison
26	Chicago Bulls	Wayne Ellington
27	Memphis Grizzlies	Toney Douglas
28	Minnesota Timberwolves	Omri Casspi
29	Los Angeles Lakers	Sam Young
30	Cleveland Cavaliers	Patrick Mills

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Ricky Rubio PG (DKV Joventut)

Griffin has been the consensus number one overall. I know this. There is no need to remind me. However, bare with me. Would you really like to see Blake Griffin develop around Chris Kaman and Zach Randolph? Neither would I. He'd be just as good as he has been in college (which could be his ceiling anyway) if his coaches are those two and Mike Dunleavy. Why not take Rubio and get rid of Baron Davis (easier than Randolph, I imagine) at the end of the season after Rubio's had a year of American basketball. Or at least until Davis gets hurt next season.

2. Memphis Grizzlies - Blake Griffin PF (Oklahoma Sophomore)
Griffin is a complete monster, shown via his domination of all things college basketball, including the ladies. Typically considered the top player in the draft, I have him with the Grizzlies because Darrell Arthur and Hakim Warrick aren't the answer (anywhere) and I would hate to watch him in Los Angeles when Rubio fills a need there as well. Plus, Mayo-Gay-Griffin will win a 3-on-3 tourney against the rest of the NBA.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - Hasheem Thabeet C (UCONN Junior)
Thabeet is a rare player, a 7'3 center who blocks everything. Just his presence makes players flinch and blow easy lay-ups. He also can hit a 15-foot jump shot and is not a horrible FT shooter for a player of his size. The ThunderSonics have not had the greatest luck drafting 7-foot+ dudes (Mo Sene, Robert Swift, Johan Petro), but I think Thabeet would fit very well with this team. They have offense, why not draft some defense?

4. Sacramento Kings - Brandon Jennings PG (Lottomatica Roma, Italy)
Jennings was rated by some people as the #1 player in his high school class. He has tons of talent, but ended up in Italy after his grades didn't live up to Arizona's standards. Jennings didn't do anything special in Europe, but I think he'll be a better NBA player. In addition to this, he's the best point guard available, he's got plenty of potential, and he's not Beno Udrih. Case closed.

5. Washington Wizards - Jordan Hill PF (Arizona Junior)
Hill is big, strong, athletic and willing to pound the glass and defend the post - you will have a man crush on him soon. He averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds per game this past season at Arizona - double-double's in college aren't easy to come by. Would Antawn Jamison moving to the 3 be terrible? I wouldn't mind seeing what transpired either way. My favorite part? Hill says himself that he has "Ridiculous" Upside.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - James Harden SG (Arizona State Sophomore)
I've said it before - he is not the best athlete in the draft. Harden plays more like a crafty vet with high basketball IQ and strong fundamentals. I really like Harden, and picking him at six wouldn't be bad for a weak Minnesota backcourt. If nothing else, I hear he's intelligent. Maybe he can jump into the GM spot as well?

7. Golden State Warriors - Tyreke Evans G (Memphis Freshman)
Evans began his freshman season as a 2-guard at Memphis, but exploded when John Calipari moved him to the point. The Golden State Warriors would be very happy to have him here, as he's big enough to play either position and can handle the ball. Hopefully his size would be able to offset what Monta Ellis brings to this team as his backcourt mate. Suck Squad no more? No. But getting closer!

8. New York Knicks - Ty Lawson PG (UNC Junior)
Mike D'antoni wants to play at high speeds and no one knows how to play fast and smart better than Lawson. He's the type of point D'antoni likes - perfect for the Knicks. If Griffin wasn't the biggest no-brainer of the draft at the two-spot, this is. It just feels right, ya know? (That's what she said.)

9. Toronto Raptors - Demar DeRozan SG (USC Freshman)
DeRozan is a pure scorer, as he can hit from deep or remind you of Vince Carter with his finishes at the rim. He was the best freshman coming in last season and improved at USC as the season wore on. Could he one day evolve into the 2nd coming of Vince Carter for the Raptors? Who knows, but they'll like him more than they currently like VC. If he can find some handles and bring some defense, the Raptors will be getting a steal.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Jonny Flynn PG (Syracuse Sophomore)
The Bucks will more than likely either be without Charlie Villanueva or Ramon Sessions next season. In a weak draft for forwards, it seems like a good idea to hold onto Villanueva and let Sessions find greener pastures. The only thing that worriesmes is his shooting, but not enough to hurt his stock after his impressive Big East tourney.

11. New Jersey Nets - James Johnson SF (Wake Forest Sophomore)
The Nets need a small forward. Johnson can play the small forward. He's got a big body, he's versatile, he can score, and he's only going to get better. He should be able to contribute right away. I like this guy.

12. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Henderson SG (Duke Junior)
Henderson is a stud. On defense anyway. Offensively, he's a bit questionable, but I think he can develop this aspect of his game. Raja Bell is an expiring contract for next season, meaning Henderson will be able to develop under him, if needed, before pairing with Gerald Wallace as one of the better defensive tandems in the league.

13. Indiana Pacers - Jrue Holiday G (UCLA Freshman)
This is going to be a good pick for the Pacers, as they're looking for a player to shore up the point guard spot and I think Holiday would make a good pick. He plays great defense, he rebounds the ball well for his size, and he's quick enough to get to the rim and finish. He's also got the potential to move about 8 picks either way.

14. Phoenix Suns - Earl Clark SF/PF (Louisville Junior)
This pick is basically best available, and I don't have any player better left on the board. Grant Hill and Matt Barnes are both expiring contracts, leading me to believe that they could possibly look for a small forward. Clark is a combo-forward at 6'9", but he plays more like point-forward with his high basketball IQ. Not much of a shooter, but he's pretty well-rounded otherwise.

15. Detroit Pistons - Terrence Williams SG/SF (Louisville Senior)
Williams can do pretty much everything, but never really did it consistently at Louisville. He plays exceptional defense, he's strong, and he's one of the better athletes in this draft. His weaknesses come mainly from his basketball IQ, as he just doesn't seem to understand how to score on the offensive end. Regardless, his attitude seems to fit with Detroit.

16. Chicago Bulls - DeJuan Blair PF (Pittsburgh Sophomore)

The Bulls could use a horse at the power forward. Obviously, Tyrus Thomas isn't that horse, as shown by his random acts of playing time in the playoffs. Blair would be the perfect compliment to the Bulls current options down low. Though I'm a Bulls fan, I don't like Blair. Regardless, I wouldn't be happy if he passed this spot.

17. Philadelphia 76ers - Stephen Curry PG/SG (Davidson Junior)
I'm not a fan of Curry. He was great in college, but I don't think he'll be great in the NBA. I do think he'd be a stud in Philadelphia however. Match him with Andre Iguodala and his pseudo-point forward role, and boom tho. Amazing will happen.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Heat) - Jeff Teague PG (Wake Forest Sophomore)
Teague would have been a lottery pick earlier in the year - the Wolves are getting a steal at 18 as a replacement for Bassy Telfair. Teague is very athletic and fun to watch - scorer first, but learning to be a distributor. Already, he's the best point guard on the Wolves.

19. Atlanta Hawks - B.J. Mullens C (Ohio State Freshman)
Mullens is a long way way from contributing in the NBA. He is big and young though, and can develop if he puts in work. Good hands, soft touch, and reasonably athletic raw big men have went much higher than this in previous drafts. Does that mean this will work out? Almost certainly not. Zaza's expiring this season though, and they don't have another center on the roster, so this might not be a bad pick (it will, but have hope).

20. Utah Jazz - Tyler Hansbrough PF (UNC Senior)
Hansbrough, if nothing else, is tough. The Jazz will more than likely have a need at the four after Millsap or Boozer walks. Why not bring in Hansbrough, who nobody likes, but is tough and has heart. Just seems like a Jerry Sloan guy.

21. New Orleans Hornets - Chase Budinger SF (Arizona Junior)
Even though Budinger's stock has fallen ever since winning the McDonald's dunk contest, he wouldn't be a terrible pick here. He's athletic and should someday be able to put it all together. The Hornets don't really have any depth at the wings and Budinger is a wing. Makes sense to me!

22. Dallas Mavericks - Eric Maynor PG (VCU Senior)
Basically, Dallas is not going to find a starter in this draft. They just won't. With Kidd expiring though, they should be looking for a point guard, so why not take the best available. He's very quick, sees the floor well and is developing his jump shot (though it's not as bad as that sounds). He's a guy that lives for clutch situations - and does well when he gets into them. My only hope would be that they don't trade him right before he breaks out like they did Devin Harris.

23. Sacramento Kings (From Rockets) - Austin Daye F (Gonzaga Freshman)

Daye could easily be a lottery pick because of his size and skill set as a 6'10" wing, but he could also be the next Jared Jeffries. I don't think he is ready yet for the NBA and needs to add some weight and another year of seasoning at Gonzaga. If he stays in though, somebody will take a flyer on him, and probably higher than this. The Kings may as well shoot for the stars. What's the worse that could happen? Have the worst record in the NBA and end up with the fourth best draft pick? Oops. Too soon, perhaps.

24. Portland Trailblazers - Nick Calathes G (Florida Sophomore)
With the Trailblazers in need of a point guard (It seems Bayless isn't the pure point of the future), I decided to go with Calathes. At this point in the draft, it'd make sense to take a gamble on a 6'5" guard with good court vision and a sweet stroke. He can't play defense with the best of them, but Portland has enough players behind him that should be able to help him out.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder (From Spurs)- Darren Collison PG (UCLA Senior)

Collison is a winner and stayed in school all four years - two qualities that are extremely compelling, but come draft time, nobody seems to dig this. I do. While it'll make for a very slight backcourt in OKC, it'll also make for an exciting backcourt, pairing Collison with his former teammate at UCLA, Russell Westbrook. What's the worst that could happen?

26. Chicago Bulls (From Nuggets) - Wayne Ellington G (UNC Junior)
The Bulls seem to be losing Ben Gordon this season - an unconcious shooter. He will be semi-replaceable though. Ellington can shoot the basketball for a living. He's got ice in his veins. I'm not all that high on Ellington, but he seems like he'd fit well in Chicago.

27. Memphis Grizzlies (From Magic) - Toney Douglas G (Florida State Senior)

The Grizzlies were hoping to get a point guard that can shoot with their first pick, but I don't think they'll be disappointed with Griffin. In Douglas, they're getting a combo-guard that can shoot, and score, and do everything a 23 year-old combo-guard should be able to do. He was a stud for Florida State and, in the right situation, he'll be a solid NBA player as well.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (From Celtics) - Omri Casspi SF/PF (Maccabi Tel-Aviv)
Simply put, Minnesota probably won't bring all three picks in this season. Casspi could shore up the forward spot next season once they decide that Brewer and Gomes just aren't great options. I know this isn't a sexy pick, but I don't think it's a bad pick.

29. Los Angeles Lakers - Sam Young SF (Pittsburgh Senior)
Call me crazy, but I like Sam Young. He's old (24), but he's great on defense. He also plays the small forward. This comes into play because LA's other small forwards, Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza, are finishing out their contract when the playoffs end. It's doubtful the Lakers will be able to afford both, so a little insurance wouldn't hurt.

30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Patrick Mills PG (St. Mary's Sophomore)
Mills is quick and knows how to play basketball. Just seems like the LeBron's would get lucky with a pick like this. Mills will probably be one of the better players in this draft that's slept on, yet his stock has been falling since the NIT's. Basically, why not?

5 (35)	Detroit (from Minnesota)	DaJuan Summers	6-9	243	SF	Georgetown
The Pistons seriously considered Summers at No. 15, so they are thrilled to get him at No. 35. Summers is a fantastic athlete, can shoot the ball and can play both the 3 and the 4. This is a great pick this late in the draft.

SB Nation - Sam Young

DaJuan Summers Drafted By the Detroit Pistons in 2nd Round

SBNation NBA Mock Draft, Pick #25: Oklahoma City Thunder

With the 21st Pick...

The Candidates

2008 - Eric Maynor

2008 - Marcus Thornton

2008 - Sam Young

2008 - Austin Daye

2008 - Danny Green

2008 - Jeff Teague

2008 - Ty Lawson

Who Didn't Make This List?

So Who's the Pick?

DaJuan Doin' Work: "My Stock is Rising."

Tier 4

You are playing third base and have a hard 12. The dealer has a 6.

Hit

Stay

Loud Links: June 10, 2009

Miss a previous Loud Links Post? Find it quickly Below!

Loud Links: June 5, 2009

DaJuan Summers Impresses at NBA Draft Combine

If you were an NBA GM, where would you select DaJuan Summers in the upcoming NBA Draft?

Picks 1-10

Picks 11-20

Picks 21-30

NBDL Draft

WNBA Draft

Loud Links: May 29, 2009

Just In Case...

Post Lottery Mock Draft

Grade this Mock Draft

A

B

C

D

F

2009 NBA Draft Mock: Post-Lottery Edition