SB Nation - Chase Budinger

KNOW THY ENEMY: Texas A&M Aggies

BracketCat — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:30:13 -0000

This week's preview probably is one of the more distasteful I will compose, perhaps only to be topped by the one for the Flaw on the Kaw. When it comes to Aggie basketball, the word "enemy" well and truly applies.

I don't know if it's because of Mark Turgeon, the Kellis Robinett of basketball coaches, or Billy Clyde Gillispie, angry drunk that he is, but something about Texas A&M actually being halfway decent in basketball just pisses me off. I don't know — maybe it's just the grudge I've been holding against the 12th Man since December 1998.

At any rate, I'm still basking in the afterglow of the absolute pwning administered to the Aggies on Saturday, so I'll strive to be as magnanimous as possible in this preview. If you're looking for more information, feel free to hop over to I Am The 12th Man, where basketball season almost certainly is under way. Anything to distract from a likely 0-3 start, right?

Otherwise, click the jump for all you need to know about Ags-ketball.

The Coach

Mark Turgeon
Third Season

49-21 (17-15) at Texas A&M
202-140 (103-89) overall

Turgeon has a 49-21 record at A&M, the most wins by a Big 12 coach in his first two seasons at a league school. He is only the second coach ever to lead the Aggies to consecutive NCAA Tournaments and has led his teams to five 20-win seasons in the last six years.

Last season, the Aggies went 24-10 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year.

Turgeon led the Aggies to a 25-11 record in his first season, the third-most wins in school history. The Aggies lost in the final seconds to top-seeded UCLA in the second round of the NCAAs.

The Departures

Starters

Josh Carter (30.6 minutes per game, 13.8 points per game, 4.3 rebounds per game)
Chinemelu Elonu (23.8 minutes per game, 9.8 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per game)

Reserves

Denzel Bowles (5.4 minutes per game, 2.4 points per game, 1.2 rebounds per game)
Bryson Graham (2 minutes per game, 0.8 point per game, 0.3 rebound per game)

The Veterans

		#0 Bryan Davis Senior Forward 6-9 \| 250 Dallas, Texas Big 12 All-Reserve Team (2009) The Aggies are 27-7 when Davis scores in double figures in his career. He averaged 16.5 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in two NCAA Tournament games, earning CBS Sports player of the game honors in both contests. Davis scored a season-high 21 points with nine rebounds and three blocks in a first-round win against BYU. He scored 12 points with a game-high 10 rebounds in a win against Missouri. Davis scored 15 points with eight rebounds in a win against Texas, and just missed double-doubles at No. 2 Oklahoma (13 points, nine rebounds), at Baylor (13 points, nine rebounds) and at Colorado (nine points and nine rebounds). He matched his season high with 18 points in a win against Oklahoma State, making 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. Davis had 13 points and eight rebounds in a win against Texas Tech; scored a season-high 18 points with 10 rebounds in a win at Rice; had 17 points against Baylor and 16 points against LSU; came off the bench to score 15 points with a season-high 13 rebounds against Kent State, earning SPI Invitational all-tournament honors; returned to the starting lineup against Arizona and had 10 points, making 5 of 6 from the field; scored 15 points with nine rebounds in a win at Alabama; had 11 rebounds vs. SMU; had at least five rebounds in all but four games; ranked third on the team in scoring (10.8), and second in rebounding (6.5) and blocks (46); ranked fifth in the Big 12 in blocks and ninth in rebounding; ranked fourth in the Big 12 in offensive rebounding (2.9) in league play; scored 14 points with seven rebounds against Jackson State and tied his career best with four blocks; and ranks seventh in school history with 96 career blocks.

		#2 Derrek Lewis Junior Guard 6-5 \| 195 Tulsa, Okla. Lewis appeared in five games, averaging 0.6 point per game. He scored a season-high two points against UNC Wilmington, played a season-best five minutes against Jackson State, and also saw action against BYU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

		#3 Derrick Roland Senior Guard 6-4 \| 190 Dallas, Texas Big 12 All-Defense Team (2009) Roland scored 10 points in a first-round NCAA Tournament win against BYU, making a pair of three-pointers. He was named to Big 12 All-Defense Team by league coaches and media panel, and usually guarded the opponent's top scoring guard and in Big 12 play held all but two under his scoring average. League players he guarded made just 38 percent from the field and 32 percent from 3-point range. Roland helped limit Arizona All-American Chase Budinger to just three points on 1 of 6 shooting in the second half of A&M's come-from-behind win. Texas' A.J. Abrams averaged just eight points (6 of 22 shooting, 1 of 9 3-pointers) in two games against Roland. Roland scored 11 points in the first win against Texas Tech and held John Roberson to four second-half points (2 of 10 from field, 0 of 5 3-pointers). Oklahoma State's James Anderson averaged just 9.5 points in two games against Roland. Roland matched his season best with 13 points in a loss at Baylor, scoring 11 in the second half to rally the Aggies from a 14-point deficit. He scored 12 points with four assists in a win at Colorado (8-8 FT); made 25 of his last 29 free throw attempts; played just 10 minutes against McNeese State, after leaving the game early with a bruised elbow, and did not play against North Dakota; scored six points with a season-high six rebounds against Arizona; missed the Kent State game after suffering a sprained foot against Tulsa; and averaged 8.5 points in the last six games. The Aggies are 11-2 in his career when he scores in double figures, and 8-1 on the season.

		#5 Dash Harris Sophomore Guard 6-1 \| 175 Los Angeles, Calif. Harris played in all 34 games and earned a start against Kent State. He ranked second on the team in assists (2.0) and was third in steals (0.7); scored a career-high seven points with three assists against Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament; had six points and made 2 of 2 from 3-point range against Iowa State, his first career 3-pointers; had a monster dunk and made a free throw to complete a key 3-point play and spark a comeback win at Nebraska; scored six points with three assists and two steals in a big win against Missouri; dished out a career-high five assists in consecutive games against Rice and McNeese State; matched his career best with five assists in wins against Texas (zero turnovers) and Texas Tech; scored a career-high six points with four assists and a career-best three steals against North Dakota; handed out at least four assists in seven games; and scored four points against Tulsa. The Aggies were 9-1 when he had at least three assists, with the only loss being to UConn.

		#10 David Loubeau Sophomore Forward 6-8 \| 230 Miami, Fla. Loubeau scored 11 points, making 5 of 5 from the field, against Connecticut in the second round of NCAA Tournament; ranked third on the team in offensive rebounds (58); ranked second among Big 12 freshmen in offensive rebounds in league play (1.9); scored eight points in a win against Missouri; had nine points, all in the second half, with six rebounds in a narrow loss at No. 2 Oklahoma; scored 11 points with eight rebounds in a win against Texas Tech; had 10 points, all in the first half, in a win against Oklahoma State; scored a career-high 12 points with eight rebounds against Kent State in his first career start; also started against Iowa State; had seven points with five rebounds at Kansas, including a game-high four offensive boards; scored six points with a career-best nine rebounds against Tulsa; had eight points at Alabama, helping the Aggies rally from 14-point deficit; scored eight points with eight rebounds against SMU; had eight points and six rebounds against Jackson State, making 6 of 8 from the free-throw line; and tallied six points with six boards against UNC Wilmington. The Aggies were 7-2 when he scored at least eight points, losing only at Oklahoma and to UConn.

		#11 B.J. Holmes Junior Guard 5-11 \| 175 Houston, Texas Big 12 All-Reserve Team (2009) In Big 12 play, Holmes led the league in 3-point percentage (.470) and ranked second in free-throw percentage (.860). He ranked among the top bench players in the Big 12 with an 9.1 scoring average in conference play; had 10 points in a first-round NCAA Tournament win against BYU; scored 11 points (3 of 3 treys) in a win against Texas; scored 10 of his 16 points in the last six minutes in a comeback win at Colorado; had 13 points in a win vs. Missouri; had a career-high 24 points in the first win against Texas Tech, making 6 of 7 (.857) from 3-point range, the fourth-best percentage in school history; made six straight 3s against Tech, tying a Big 12 record; scored 19 points at Oklahoma State, making 4 of 9 3-pointers and 7 of 7 free throws; earned his first career start against Arizona and had a team-high 14 points (3 of 6 3-pointers); made a pair of key free throws in the final minute of the Arizona game and also drew a charge that fouled out Wildcat point guard Nic Wise late in game; scored 16 points with a career-best seven rebounds in a win at Alabama and made a rainbow 3-pointer with two seconds left to send the game to overtime; scored 15 points against Kent State, making 3 of 6 3-pointers and dropping a pair of free throws in the final seconds that helped ice the game; started in place of the injured Derrick Roland against North Dakota and scored 14 points (4-8 3-pointers); missed his first 12 shots of the season; led the team in steals (30); and had only 18 turnovers in 757 minutes (one every 42.1 minutes).

		#14 Andrew Darko Junior Guard 6-1 \| 175 Conroe, Texas Darko appeared in nine games, including three Big 12 games and an NCAA Tournament game against BYU. He scored two points against Jackson State and at Kansas.

		#15 Donald Sloan Senior Guard 6-3 \| 205 Dallas, Texas The Aggies are 39-8 in Sloan's career when he hands out at least three assists, including a 16-3 mark as a junior, and the team is 33-13 when he scores in double figures. He averaged 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists in two NCAA Tournament games; scored 14 points with six rebounds and a season-high seven assists in a first-round win vs. BYU; added 12 points in the second round against Connecticut; had a career-high 22 points against Texas Tech in Big 12 Tournament; scored a team-high 16 points in a win against Missouri; averaged 15.6 points in the last five games; had 14 points and five assists with only one turnover, scoring seven points in the final four minutes of a comeback win at Colorado; had 14 points in a win against Texas; scored 17 points (3 of 4 3-pointers) in a loss at Texas; had 15 points in a win against Oklahoma State; tied his career high with 21 points against Florida A&M, making 10 of 10 free throws; ranked second on the team in scoring (11.8) and led in assists (3.2); scored at least eight points in all but three games; had 13 points and five assists with only one turnover in 35 minutes against Arizona; handed out a season-high seven assists against Kent State with only one turnover; had 16 points with three assists and six rebounds against Stephen F. Austin; made .743 (107-144) from the free-throw line; and had only 56 turnovers in 1,030 minutes this season (one every 18.4 minutes), a marked improvement over his sophomore season, when he averaged one turnover every 13.3 minutes.

		#24 Shawn Schepel Junior Guard 6-3 \| 205 Dallas, Texas Schepel played in six games, including two Big 12 games and an NCAA Tournament game against BYU. He scored one point against Jackson State.

		#31 Chris Chapman Senior Guard 5-11 \| 175 Houston, Texas Chapman appeared in three games, including the Iowa State game in Big 12 play. He scored two points with one rebound against Jackson State.

		#33 Marshall Carrell Junior Forward 6-9 \| 230 Paris, Texas Carrell appeared in four games, including an NCAA Tournament game against BYU. He pulled down two rebounds against Jackson State.

		#45 Nathan Walkup Junior Forward 6-7 \| 210 Houston, Texas Walkup played in all 34 games, starting against UNC Wilmington and Iowa State. He averaged 14 minutes in two NCAA Tournament games; scored a career-high 12 points (3 of 4 3-pointers) in a win against Missouri; had eight points (2 of 2 3-pointers) against Texas Tech in the Big 12 Tournament; had seven points, making 3 of 3 from the field (including a key second-half 3-pointer) in a win against Texas; also added seven points in a win at Nebraska and had a breakaway dunk that helped spark a comeback; scored six points with three rebounds in just 11 minutes in a narrow loss at No. 2 Oklahoma, including a breakaway dunk; made a game-winning 3-pointer with 20 seconds left against Arizona, his only points of the game; scored seven points in a win at Alabama and made a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left to pull the Aggies within two points, before teammate B.J. Holmes sent the game into overtime with two seconds left; scored a season-high nine points with a career-best 12 rebounds against UNC Wilmington; averaged 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds; scored seven points with 11 rebounds against Stephen F. Austin and made a key long-range 3-pointer as the shot clock expired in the final minute; scored eight points against Jackson State; and made a 3-pointer with 7:32 left to give A&M a six-point lead at Rice, and it never was a one-possession game again. The Aggies are 14-2 in his career when he scores at least five points.

The Redshirt

#12 James Blasczyk
Freshman Center
7-0 | 230
Houston, Texas

Blasczyk was named his high school district's defensive player of the year in 2008. He averaged 14.6 points and 9.7 rebounds as a senior; was rated among the top 50 prospects in the state by TexasHoops.com; averaged 8.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.1 blocks as a junior; earned three varsity letters; scored a career-best 27 points with a career-high 17 rebounds against the Dallas Mustangs in 2007 as a member of Houston Select, one the top AAU programs in the nation; and played for Houston Swoosh in 2008.

The Newcomers

		#21 Ray Turner Freshman Forward 6-8 \| 220 Houston, Texas Turner was ranked No. 144 nationally and No. 6 in Texas by Rivals.com; averaged 16.5 points and earned district MVP honors as a senior; was named to all-state and all-region teams; played in the THSCA All-Star Game; led his team to a 29-7 record and a district title; posted career game-highs of 35 points, 25 rebounds and 12 blocks; averaged 16 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocks as a junior; and also was recruited by Baylor, Marquette, Memphis, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico and Oklahoma State.

		#22 Khris Middleton Freshman Forward 6-7 \| 215 North Charleston, S.C. Middleton was rated No. 64 by ESPN.com, which also ranked him as the best shooter among the nation's small forward prospects; averaged 22.4 points and 8.6 rebounds as a prep senior, earning all-state honors and leading his team to the state title game; averaged 21.0 points and 8.6 rebounds as a junior; twice earned state player-of-the-year honors; posted a career-high scoring game of 39 points; and also was recruited by Michigan, South Carolina, St. Joseph's and Virginia Tech.

		#23 Naji Hibbert Freshman Guard 6-5 \| 200 Baltimore, Md. Hibbert was ranked No. 59 nationally by ESPN.com and was rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com; named to all-league and all-metro teams for the second straight year after averaging 15.7 points at storied DeMatha Catholic High School; and scored with 1.8 seconds left to lift DeMatha to the state championship. The team finished 31-4 and was ranked No. 4 nationally by ESPN. Hibbert averaged 15.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game as a junior; scored 44 points in an AAU game; and also was recruited by Clemson, Marquette, Maryland, Miami, Syracuse and Xavier.

		#25 Jeremy Adams Freshman Guard 6-5 \| 195 Madison, Miss. Adams was rated as the No. 2 player in Mississippi by ESPN after averaging 27.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 4.2 steals as a senior at Madison Central; earned all-state honors; had three 40-point scoring games and earned all-division, all-metro and all-state honors; twice scored 43 points in a game; led his team to three straight district titles; and also was recruited by Alabama, Arkansas, Florida State, Georgetown, Georgia, Kentucky, Miami, Notre Dame and Wake Forest.

My thanks to the Texas A&M sports information department for the photos and most of the information for the bios.

The Analysis

As much as I dislike the Aggies, it's hard to discount them as a force in Big 12 basketball. Over the past five years, they have been to four consecutive NCAA tournaments, made five consecutive postseason appearances and finished in the top half of the conference every year. Other than Kansas and Texas, Texas A&M is the only Big 12 team to win 20+ games during that stretch.

But while Texas A&M has been a consistent winner, it hasn't yet been a serious challenger for a Big 12 championship. The Aggies regularly have lost to powers such as Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas; own a two-game, regular-season losing streak to Kansas State, despite being favored in both games; and occasionally are upset by less-talented programs such as Baylor and Texas Tech. They even struggled with Colorado last year, before pulling away late.

I don't think anything will change in 2009-2010, either. In fact, I think it is more likely that Texas A&M will decline, rather than rise up, despite adding a recruiting class that hovered in and out of Rivals' Class of 2009 rankings, before finishing just outside the Top 25.

Although the Aggies lost only two significant players off last year's team, only Oklahoma lost two more significant starters. Josh Carter and Chinemelu Elonu by far were A&M's two best players in 2008-2009. Carter, a four-year starter and the Aggies' leading scorer last year, graduated, while Elonu, the team's leading rebounder who already had earned his bachelor's degree, tested the NBA draft waters and was selected in the second round by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Luckily for A&M, Donald Sloan and Bryan Davis did not follow Elonu's lead, and instead pulled out of the draft to return for their senior seasons. Good thing, too, or the Aggies would have lost four starters and been totally decimated. Sloan is one of the league's better point guards and Davis should step up to fill Elonu's void as the team's leader in rebounding.

The other returning starter is Derrick Roland, who rivals Dominique Sutton and J.T. Tiller in terms of defensive intensity. He has been bothered by injuries the past few seasons, but assuming he stays healthy, he should lock up the off-guard position all year.

Projecting the other two starters is trickier. I'm pretty sure that Nathan Walkup, who played in all 32 games last season, will figure into the equation, though. At 6-7, Walkup offers nice size at the wing position, and he probably can also hold his own in the post, in a smaller lineup.

The fifth starter probably will be situational. My projections use a traditional PG-SG-SF-PF-C lineup, so I went with James Blasczyk, a 7-footer who is the tallest player left on the roster. But Blasczyk is coming off a redshirt season and hasn't yet played a game in Division I, so it's a stretch to say he will be a consistent starter.

It's more likely that the Aggies will go with a smaller lineup when the opponent's makeup presents the opportunity. In that case, Davis would shift to the 5 and Walkup to the 4, and B.J. Holmes probably would come in as a third guard. Holmes was the Aggies' "sixth man" last season and replaced Roland as a starter whenever the latter was out with an injury.

Dash Harris (what a great name for a point guard!) was one of the conference's most impressive freshmen last year. He is a solid backup for Sloan and will continue to play understudy to the senior, in preparation for next year when he will be counted upon to fill Sloan's considerable shoes. David Loubeau rounds out the 7-8 players I see making up the Aggies' primary player rotation. He's a solid reliever in the frontcourt with some size (6-8, 230).

Marshall Carrell as primary backup at center is a stretch. I mainly picked him there because at 6-9, he's the tallest player (other than Blasczyk and Davis) on the roster. But he is a role player who has played sparingly in years past, and that highlights one of the primary problems the Aggies face this season. Other than Davis and maybe Loubeau, there are no experienced centers on the roster. When A&M faces frontcourts such as those of Kansas, Kansas State or Texas, they are going to be challenged and they probably won't be able to measure up, due to a lack of depth. When Davis gets into foul trouble (and he does that a lot), the Aggies will lose games.

Other than Mark Turgeon, nobody knows much about Chris Chapman, Andrew Darko, Derrek Lewis or Shawn Schepel, because they have played next to no minutes. One or more could surprise, I suppose, but there's nothing there in the track record to make you think it's imminent.

Khris Middleton doesn't really stand above the other incoming freshmen, but I liked the unconventional spelling of his name, so he rounds out the projected two-deep. Jeremy Adams, Naji Hibbert and Ray Turner complete a solid, but not heralded, recruiting class. How they develop in the years to come could indicate whether Turgeon really is a great coach, or merely is coasting with players inherited from Billy Gillispie.

Projected Starting Lineup


Donald Sloan	Derrick Roland	Nathan Walkup	Bryan Davis	James Blasczyk
1	2	3	4	5

Projected Top Reserves


Dash Harris	B.J. Holmes	Khris Middleton	David Loubeau	Marshall Carrell
1	2	3	4	5

The Final Verdict

Texas A&M's track record demands that I pick them in the upper half of the Big 12. That much, at least, the Aggies have earned.

But losing Elonu was a huge blow that basically halved the frontcourt, in terms of high-level, star talent. When Bryan Davis squares off with Cole Aldrich, Craig Brackins, Andrew Fitzgerald, Keith Gallon, Damion James, Wally Judge, Curtis Kelly, Marcus Morris, Dexter Pittman and so forth, he's going to wish Elonu still was there to back him up.

Upper division? Yes. NCAA Tournament? Most likely. First-day bye in the Big 12 Tournament? I highly doubt it.

Predicted finish: 6th

Best-case scenario: 4th

Previously on KNOW THY ENEMY...

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Iowa State
Texas Tech
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'Zona Hoops - NBA Summer League Post Mortem

jruss — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:52:47 -0000

Fifty five games are now in the books at the Las Vegas NBA Summer League. We did a middle-of-the-way-done check-in so let's see how ex-Wildcats fared at the completion of play. Players are ranked below from highest scoring average down.

1. Jerryd Bayless (4 games) - 18 pts, 47% FG, 3.8 Reb, 4.3 Ast

2. Chase Budinger (5 games) - 17.8 pts, 68% FG, 2 Reb, 1 Steal

3. Jordan Hill (5 games) - 14.4 pts, 43% FG, 8.2 Reb, 1 Block

4. Mustafa Shakur (5 games) - 5.6 pts, 39% FG, 1.8 Reb, 1.6 Ast, 2 Steals

5. Salim Stoudamire (2 games) - 4 pts, 37.5% FG, 1 Ast, 1 Steal

6. Chris Rodgers (1 game) - 0 pts, 2 Reb, 1 Ast

Here are my reactions based on the numbers...

Reaction #1 - Bayless is solid and I believe he's in for a significant bump in playing time and a good year

Reaction #2 - Did Chase really have 68% FG??? That's better than the top 50 scorers in Summer League. Insane!!

Reaction #3 - I think Jordan Hill is eventually going to be a beast but it's going to take some time

Reaction #4 - Based on the individual box scores, it seemed like Shakur played better than the numbers indicated. I hope he makes an NBA squad

Reaction #5 - What happened to Salim Stoudamire?

Reaction #6 - Chris who?

Can't wait for pre-season to start!!!

How Former AZ Wildcats are Faring at the NBA Summer League

jruss — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:38:49 -0000

With the Las Vegas Summer League now officially half-way over, here's a quick look at how the former Arizona Wildcats are faring. I have ranked them in order by scoring average top to bottom:

1. Jerryd Bayless (POR - 1 game), 22 pts, 41% shooting, 4 Reb, 7 Ast

2. Chase Budinger (HOU - 3 games), 15.7 pts, 63% shooting, 2.7 Reb, 1 Ast

3. Jordan Hill (NYK - 1 game), 13 pts, 42% shooting, 8 Reb, 2 Steals

4. Mustafa Shakur (LAL - 4 games), 6.5 pts, 42% shooting, 2 Reb, 2 Ast, 2.5 Steals

5. Salim Stoudamire (MIL - 2 games), 4 pts, 37% shooting, 1 Ast, 1 Steal

6. Chris Rodgers (PHX - 1 game) 4 Mins, 0 pts, 2 Reb, 1 Ast

7. Hassan Adams (HOU - 0 games) DNP

Here's what we already knew that these stats are confirming:

- We all knew Bayless had skills he just needed some time to develop

- We knew that Budinger is a first-round talent that pretty much got hosed and drafted in the second round

- We knew Hill is solid and will put up solid (not spectacular) numbers

- We knew Shakur was always a bit over-hyped

- We knew Stoudamire peaked in college

- We knew Rodgers was never going to crack an NBA roster

- We knew Hassan would be a journeyman at best

We'll see what plays out over the send half of Summer League...

Former Arizona Hoopsters Participating in NBA Vegas Summer League

jruss — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:53:44 -0000

July 10-19 marks the annual NBA Vegas Summer League where NBA teams get a first look at their newly drafted rookies and give their second year players a chance to step it up and show they deserve more playing time (see: Portland G Jerryd Bayless). The other fun part about the Summer League is that it gives an opportunity for a whole host of other players (former collage players, European, D-Leaguers, etc) a chance to try and sneak their way onto an NBA roster. Here's a look at all of the Arizona basketball alumni taking part in this year's Vegas Summer League, 8 in all with five rosters still to be announced:

Houston Rockets: Hassan Adams and Chase Budinger

LA Lakers: Mustafa Shakur

Milwaukee Bucks: Salim Stoudamire and Mohammed Tangara

New York Knicks: Jordan Hill

Phoenix Suns: Chris Rogers

Portland Trailblazers: Jerryd Bayless

I'll keep y'all updated on the missing rosters and to see how our former Wildcats fare in Las Vegas...

SBNation NBA Mock Draft, Pick #26: Chicago Bulls

Scott Schroeder — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:45:08 -0000

With the twenty-sixth pick in the SBNation Mock Draft, the Chicago Bulls, represented by BlogABull, select... (Drum Roll please)

From yfBB: Chase Budinger. Another projected role player who should at least have one set NBA skill, shooting. The Bulls don't really have an offensive system besides letting Rose run around while others launch a lot of 3s, and Budinger can do that for a few minutes a game. I could say losing Gordon or Hinrich makes shooting an actual need, but I won't pretend the 26th pick in this draft is going to solve any real problems that losing either or both of those rotation players would cause.

The 2009 SB Nation Mock Draft thus far:

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Clips Nation: Blake Griffin

2. Memphis Grizzlies - 3 Shades of Blue: Ricky Rubio

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - Welcome to Loud City: James Harden

4. Sacramento Kings - Sactown Royalty: Tyreke Evans

5. Washington Wizards - Bullets Forever: Hasheem Thabeet

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Canis Hoopus: Stephen Curry

7. Golden State Warriors - Golden State of Mind: Brandon Jennings

8. New York Knicks - Posting and Toasting: Jrue Holiday

9. Toronto Raptors - Holly MacKenzie: DeMar DeRozan

10. Milwaukee Bucks - BrewHoop: Jordan Hill

11. New Jersey Nets - Aisander "IcemanCometh" Duda: Jonny Flynn

12. Charlotte Bobcats - Rufus On Fure: Gerald Henderson

13. Indiana Pacers - Indy Cornrows: DeJuan Blair

14. Phoenix Suns - Bright Side of the Sun: Ty Lawson

15. Detroit Pistons - Motown String Music: Earl Clark

16. Chicago Bulls - BlogABull: Tyler Hansbrough

17. Philadelphia 76ers - Liberty Ballers: Eric Maynor

18. Minnesota Timberwolves - Canis Hoopus: B.J. Mullens

19. Atlanta Hawks - Peachtree Hoops: Jeff Teague

20. Utah Jazz - SLC Dunk: James Johnson

21. New Orleans Hornets - At The Hive: Austin Daye

22. Dallas Mavericks - Mavs Moneyball: Terrence Williams

23. Sacramento Kings - Sactown Royalty: Patty Mills

24. Portland Trail Blazers - Blazers Edge: Darren Collison

25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Aisander Duda: Sam Young

Knicks Acquiring 28th Pick?

Seth — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:48:57 -0000

Might as well turn this into a real post. From Alan Hahn's Twitter, we get the following:

"Knicks bought Minnesota's 28th pick. DW has 2 first rounders now...the plot thickens...."

"Checking on the details of this...not sure you can just buy a 1st Rd pick for $$....must be a player involved."

"Brilliant people tell me it could be the Balkman trade exception that landed this pick. That exception expires in July."

One would imagine that Walsh is stockpiling assets to make an upward move in the lottery. If not, though, I could see the Knicks nabbing the best point guard available at 8, then looking for a shooting guard at 28. Jodie Meeks, Marcus Thornton, Dionte Christmas, Chase Budinger, and Wayne Ellington could all be available.

UPDATE: "Hold up, wait a minute...more intelligence coming my way: 28th is NOT done. An option, one of many, but NOT done."

Declaration day: Pac-10's losers and winners

Nuss — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:00:46 -0000

More photos » by Reed Saxon - AP

That constipated look on Ben Howland's face? He's wondering just who the heck is going to play point for his team next year now that Jrue Holiday is officially gone. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Browse more photos »

The deadline for underclassmen to announce their final intentions for the NBA Draft came and went yesterday. Here's a quick look and the losers and winners, from biggest to smallest, along with my way-too-early Pac-10 power rankings for next season.

LOSERS

USC: A couple of months ago, this pretty clearly would have been Arizona. Not anymore. Tim Floyd has resigned in disgrace and DeMar DeRozan, Taj Gibson and Daniel Hackett (!) are gone. I think it's become obvious that the program is in need of some serious house cleaning -- beyond these players leaving, there were some serious fractures on that team last year. The recruiting cupboard is all but bare, and there are likely sanctions on the way. Not a good day to be a Trojan. (But I guess we could say that about any day, right?)
Arizona State: James Harden is gone, and anyone who watched the Sun Devils play when he wasn't on the floor the last two years -- or when his legs finally gave out from inexcusable overuse -- know what that means. Herb Sendek has what appears to be a good recruiting class coming in, but let's be frank: None of them are game changers like Harden. He was a special kind of player that made Sendek look like a darn good coach. Let's see what he can do now that he doesn't have Harden around to ride like Secretariat.
Arizona: Boy, have the Wildcats pulled one heck of a magic act. In November, they were in complete disarray. Lute Olson was retiring just before the start of the season and their first choice for interim coach didn't want the job. Then, the season was mediocre by their standards, recruiting was at a standstill and it looked like their Big Three was bolting for the NBA. Now, they've got a fantastic coach in Sean Miller (after serendipitously being spurned by Tim Floyd), an unbelievable recruiting class considering the wreck this program was just a couple of months ago, and they're only losing Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill -- Nic Wise returns. Still not a great day for Arizona, but holy cow could it have been a lot worse.
UCLA: Had UCLA successfully recruited a point guard for this draft class, I suppose it would be debatable whether UCLA even belonged in the loser category, even with the loss of Jrue Holiday, who was never as good in LA as he was supposed to be. But with Darren Collison graduating and Holiday staying in the draft, the Bruins have a ton of question marks at the lead spot. Their leading returning assist men? Nikola Dragovic and Michael Roll. Yeah.

WINNERS

Cal: While traditional powers such as Arizona and UCLA got worse, Cal didn't have even one of its talented underclassmen test the draft waters. That means Jerome Randle, Patrick Christopher, Jamal Boykin and the rest of the Bears' roster will return. No team will be poised to take advantage of other teams' losses more than Cal, which will be a top 10 team heading into next season. The scary part is that they've got a coach who's used to his teams having to live up to high expectations. Watch out.
Washington: At the end of the year, people actually said with a straight face that Isaiah Thomas might declare for the draft. He didn't, and neither did Quincy Pondexter. With a fantastic recruiting class coming in led by Abdul Gaddy, the only thing keeping the Huskies from being a winner on Cal's level is the enormous question mark in the frontcourt where Jon Brockman used to be.
Washington State, Oregon State, Oregon, Stanford: This is a great time to be a program on the rise in the conference. After having some of the best teams in the country in 2007-08 and being unbelievably balanced last season, this figures to be a good time to be heading north, what with the traditional powers being down. There's room to move, and each of these programs have hope for the upcoming season that they can make that move.

Way-Too-Early Pac-10 Power Rankings

Cal - New version of WSU 2007-08 ... but with more talent. Scary.
Washington - Could easily repeat as Pac-10 champs if even one of their big men steps up inside. None of this foo-foo face up stuff; who will get dirty?
UCLA - I'm betting Ben Howland can figure out an adequate solution at PG.
Arizona - This shows just how fast it drops off after top 3. Depth still will be a major issue, but the combo of Wise and Fogg will make for a formidable backcourt.
Oregon State - This is a tough one: Does the Pac-10 stop being fooled by the Princeton offense, or does OSU get even better after another year in the system?
Arizona State - Still lots of experience here. Derek Glasser is underrated -- I understand, it's tough to take that chest hair seriously -- and Ty Abbott could be the breakout player of the year in the conference out of Harden's shadow.
Washington State - My heart wants to rank the Cougs higher, but with a new coach and still loads of inexperienced players ...
Oregon - Lots of talent. However, Ernie Kent doesn't exactly have a track record of coaching guys up to dramatic improvements between their first and second year. Look for the Ducks to be better in 2010-11. If Kent can hang on that long.
Stanford - Big losses (Goods, Hill, Johnson) and a solid-but-unspectacular recruiting class don't scream "mover and shaker."
USC - Until they get a coach and one or two of the as-yet-unsigned recruits, this is a team staring at the bottom of the conference.

Gonzaga's Daye, Heytvelt, and Downs Impress NBA Scouts

Zach B — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:43:24 -0000

Austin Daye continued to impress NBA scouts Tuesday in his workout with a number of NBA teams at Golden State's facilities. (courtesy of warriors.com)

View full size photo »

Just a few updates that I came across while browsing looking for workout schedules etc...

--You have to think that Gonzaga forward Austin Daye was hoping the athletic results from the combine would be lost and not posted on the Internet. Watching him for two years, it's pretty clear to see that he is not oozing athleticism. I saw this piece done by SB Nation partner site Testudo Times (Maryland) which said one of Austin's pluses was athleticism and I had to chuckle. He's skilled and has tons of upside but he's not about to go Dwight Howard on someone. Because of this, his combine results didn't really shock me.

But first...the good news that I just found about 3/4 of the way through writing this post. Austin worked out for the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday as part of a multi-team event with talent evaluators like Pat Riley and Don Nelson in attendance and prospects such as Terrance Williams, Luke Nevill, Darren Collison, and Chase Budinger. Austin got some great feedback apparently and is, once again, doing everything right.

Gonzaga forward Austin Daye and Temple guard Dionte Christmas had the best days, according to multiple NBA decisionmakers. Daye opted for a softer sell than Collison, using humor as his pitch.

"As long as Nellie likes me, I'm fine with it," joked Daye, who said he's "pretty committed to staying in the draft" but is looking for a guarantee that he will be picked among the top 20. "I don't really care who else is on the team."

Now for the athletic results from the combine (quite the buzzkill)...

continue reading this post for more on Daye and updates on Josh Heytvelt and Micah Downs

His vertical was middle of the pack, his agility and speed were near the bottom of the people tested and of course, he was the only person at camp that could not throw up 185 pounds on the bench press. Josh Heytvelt was actually able to bench 185 pounds 15 times (Notre Dame's Luke Harangody lead everyone with 23). No big surprise and no big deal for Austin. A guy that weighs less than 200 pounds with over a seven foot wingspan is not going to be able to bench that much weight. It's just physically improbable unless your getting one hell of a spot, just ask Kevin Durant. People will freak out for a day or so believing the bench press means something but as long as Austin keeps working out well, it won't matter.

As our plethora of fanshots pointed out today, Austin did not have the best workout in the world Monday for the T-Wolves. He missed a lot of shots and struggled in the physical drills. Whether or not this has a lasting effect on what he decides to do with his future remains to be seen but if he is not making open shots and at least showing some physicality in the paint, you have to believe that not many GM's are going to guarantee he will be top-20.

He does have to knock every team out of their chair however, just one, preferably in the top-20.

--Josh Heytvelt apparently worked out for the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday but they may have the worst team website (sorry EDZ) so it is hard to tell when he worked out and how he did. You'll see some evidence later on in this little piece but the T-Wolves apparently had Heytvelt confused with Gonzaga forward Micah Downs. Here is their mini-bio on JH:

Josh Heytvelt (Ht. 6-11, Wt. 260) scored 9.6 points while grabbing 4.6 rebounds in 25.5 minutes per game for Gonzaga last season. He shot 43.1 percent from the floor while leading the Bulldogs with an 81.3 percent free throw percentage.

Josh wouldn't have a sniff at the draft with those stats and doing a little research it's clear to see they filled Josh's bio with Micah Downs' information. The question now is what does it say for Micah's bio...you'll see.

Anyways, Josh worked out for the Wolves Tuesday but their is no real discussion about how it went even though according to other sources, Josh has been looking good. Their has been little information regarding Josh but here is a snippet:

•Q Score Up: Players who are being mentioned more and more in a positive light by NBA teams we speak to: B.J. Mullens, Tyler Hansbrough, Rodrigue Beaubois, Josh Heytvelt, Jack McClinton, Jeff Pendergraph, Omri Casspi

Obviously not Earth-shattering news but any positive news regarding Gonzaga prospects is worthy here.

On to the future for Mr. Heytvelt and in the immediate future he has an upcoming workout with the Sacramento Kings of the cellar. Keep your fingers crossed that Josh can avoid being drafted by Sacramento, why you ask? Well when was the last time you heard forward UW standout, now King Spencer Hawes' name? I thought so. The positive to this workout is that JH is in the same group as DeJuan Blair. It'll be very interesting to see how Josh does against a shorter but more powerful big like Blair.

--Back now to Micah Downs who has been very quietly impressing draft scouts and seemingly forcing his way into draft consideration. Micah was listed by the Minnesota Timberwolves site as having worked out Tuesday as well for the Wolves and he was lucky enough to receive Syracuse forward Paul Harris' bio on the site. Apparently Micah played 30.5 minutes a game for the Orange. Anyways, the site did offer a quick reaction to seeing Micah:

Micah Downs showed an ability to hit shots around the 3-point arc. The intriguing aspect to Downs is his length at 6-8. At the practice facility, it was hard to ignore the physical comparisons to Wolves' forward Mike Miller. Downs will need to prove to scouts that he can put the ball on the floor and not just rely on outside shooting.

According to DraftExpress, Micah is headed to Chicago to workout for the Chicago Bulls. Hopefully we can gather some information from that workout for you tomorrow.

That's all I got for you now but with all the workouts rolling in, keep checking back for more updates.

Poll

Any chance Austin Daye comes back to Gonzaga at this point?

100% Gone. Time to move on.

109 votes

A little hope, but probably gone.

137 votes

I fully expect him to be back at Gonzaga next year.

39 votes

285 votes | Poll has closed

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?

		#0 Bryan Davis Senior Forward 6-9 \| 250 Dallas, Texas Big 12 All-Reserve Team (2009) The Aggies are 27-7 when Davis scores in double figures in his career. He averaged 16.5 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in two NCAA Tournament games, earning CBS Sports player of the game honors in both contests. Davis scored a season-high 21 points with nine rebounds and three blocks in a first-round win against BYU. He scored 12 points with a game-high 10 rebounds in a win against Missouri. Davis scored 15 points with eight rebounds in a win against Texas, and just missed double-doubles at No. 2 Oklahoma (13 points, nine rebounds), at Baylor (13 points, nine rebounds) and at Colorado (nine points and nine rebounds). He matched his season high with 18 points in a win against Oklahoma State, making 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. Davis had 13 points and eight rebounds in a win against Texas Tech; scored a season-high 18 points with 10 rebounds in a win at Rice; had 17 points against Baylor and 16 points against LSU; came off the bench to score 15 points with a season-high 13 rebounds against Kent State, earning SPI Invitational all-tournament honors; returned to the starting lineup against Arizona and had 10 points, making 5 of 6 from the field; scored 15 points with nine rebounds in a win at Alabama; had 11 rebounds vs. SMU; had at least five rebounds in all but four games; ranked third on the team in scoring (10.8), and second in rebounding (6.5) and blocks (46); ranked fifth in the Big 12 in blocks and ninth in rebounding; ranked fourth in the Big 12 in offensive rebounding (2.9) in league play; scored 14 points with seven rebounds against Jackson State and tied his career best with four blocks; and ranks seventh in school history with 96 career blocks.

		#2 Derrek Lewis Junior Guard 6-5 \| 195 Tulsa, Okla. Lewis appeared in five games, averaging 0.6 point per game. He scored a season-high two points against UNC Wilmington, played a season-best five minutes against Jackson State, and also saw action against BYU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

		#3 Derrick Roland Senior Guard 6-4 \| 190 Dallas, Texas Big 12 All-Defense Team (2009) Roland scored 10 points in a first-round NCAA Tournament win against BYU, making a pair of three-pointers. He was named to Big 12 All-Defense Team by league coaches and media panel, and usually guarded the opponent's top scoring guard and in Big 12 play held all but two under his scoring average. League players he guarded made just 38 percent from the field and 32 percent from 3-point range. Roland helped limit Arizona All-American Chase Budinger to just three points on 1 of 6 shooting in the second half of A&M's come-from-behind win. Texas' A.J. Abrams averaged just eight points (6 of 22 shooting, 1 of 9 3-pointers) in two games against Roland. Roland scored 11 points in the first win against Texas Tech and held John Roberson to four second-half points (2 of 10 from field, 0 of 5 3-pointers). Oklahoma State's James Anderson averaged just 9.5 points in two games against Roland. Roland matched his season best with 13 points in a loss at Baylor, scoring 11 in the second half to rally the Aggies from a 14-point deficit. He scored 12 points with four assists in a win at Colorado (8-8 FT); made 25 of his last 29 free throw attempts; played just 10 minutes against McNeese State, after leaving the game early with a bruised elbow, and did not play against North Dakota; scored six points with a season-high six rebounds against Arizona; missed the Kent State game after suffering a sprained foot against Tulsa; and averaged 8.5 points in the last six games. The Aggies are 11-2 in his career when he scores in double figures, and 8-1 on the season.

		#5 Dash Harris Sophomore Guard 6-1 \| 175 Los Angeles, Calif. Harris played in all 34 games and earned a start against Kent State. He ranked second on the team in assists (2.0) and was third in steals (0.7); scored a career-high seven points with three assists against Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament; had six points and made 2 of 2 from 3-point range against Iowa State, his first career 3-pointers; had a monster dunk and made a free throw to complete a key 3-point play and spark a comeback win at Nebraska; scored six points with three assists and two steals in a big win against Missouri; dished out a career-high five assists in consecutive games against Rice and McNeese State; matched his career best with five assists in wins against Texas (zero turnovers) and Texas Tech; scored a career-high six points with four assists and a career-best three steals against North Dakota; handed out at least four assists in seven games; and scored four points against Tulsa. The Aggies were 9-1 when he had at least three assists, with the only loss being to UConn.

		#10 David Loubeau Sophomore Forward 6-8 \| 230 Miami, Fla. Loubeau scored 11 points, making 5 of 5 from the field, against Connecticut in the second round of NCAA Tournament; ranked third on the team in offensive rebounds (58); ranked second among Big 12 freshmen in offensive rebounds in league play (1.9); scored eight points in a win against Missouri; had nine points, all in the second half, with six rebounds in a narrow loss at No. 2 Oklahoma; scored 11 points with eight rebounds in a win against Texas Tech; had 10 points, all in the first half, in a win against Oklahoma State; scored a career-high 12 points with eight rebounds against Kent State in his first career start; also started against Iowa State; had seven points with five rebounds at Kansas, including a game-high four offensive boards; scored six points with a career-best nine rebounds against Tulsa; had eight points at Alabama, helping the Aggies rally from 14-point deficit; scored eight points with eight rebounds against SMU; had eight points and six rebounds against Jackson State, making 6 of 8 from the free-throw line; and tallied six points with six boards against UNC Wilmington. The Aggies were 7-2 when he scored at least eight points, losing only at Oklahoma and to UConn.

		#11 B.J. Holmes Junior Guard 5-11 \| 175 Houston, Texas Big 12 All-Reserve Team (2009) In Big 12 play, Holmes led the league in 3-point percentage (.470) and ranked second in free-throw percentage (.860). He ranked among the top bench players in the Big 12 with an 9.1 scoring average in conference play; had 10 points in a first-round NCAA Tournament win against BYU; scored 11 points (3 of 3 treys) in a win against Texas; scored 10 of his 16 points in the last six minutes in a comeback win at Colorado; had 13 points in a win vs. Missouri; had a career-high 24 points in the first win against Texas Tech, making 6 of 7 (.857) from 3-point range, the fourth-best percentage in school history; made six straight 3s against Tech, tying a Big 12 record; scored 19 points at Oklahoma State, making 4 of 9 3-pointers and 7 of 7 free throws; earned his first career start against Arizona and had a team-high 14 points (3 of 6 3-pointers); made a pair of key free throws in the final minute of the Arizona game and also drew a charge that fouled out Wildcat point guard Nic Wise late in game; scored 16 points with a career-best seven rebounds in a win at Alabama and made a rainbow 3-pointer with two seconds left to send the game to overtime; scored 15 points against Kent State, making 3 of 6 3-pointers and dropping a pair of free throws in the final seconds that helped ice the game; started in place of the injured Derrick Roland against North Dakota and scored 14 points (4-8 3-pointers); missed his first 12 shots of the season; led the team in steals (30); and had only 18 turnovers in 757 minutes (one every 42.1 minutes).

		#14 Andrew Darko Junior Guard 6-1 \| 175 Conroe, Texas Darko appeared in nine games, including three Big 12 games and an NCAA Tournament game against BYU. He scored two points against Jackson State and at Kansas.

		#15 Donald Sloan Senior Guard 6-3 \| 205 Dallas, Texas The Aggies are 39-8 in Sloan's career when he hands out at least three assists, including a 16-3 mark as a junior, and the team is 33-13 when he scores in double figures. He averaged 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists in two NCAA Tournament games; scored 14 points with six rebounds and a season-high seven assists in a first-round win vs. BYU; added 12 points in the second round against Connecticut; had a career-high 22 points against Texas Tech in Big 12 Tournament; scored a team-high 16 points in a win against Missouri; averaged 15.6 points in the last five games; had 14 points and five assists with only one turnover, scoring seven points in the final four minutes of a comeback win at Colorado; had 14 points in a win against Texas; scored 17 points (3 of 4 3-pointers) in a loss at Texas; had 15 points in a win against Oklahoma State; tied his career high with 21 points against Florida A&M, making 10 of 10 free throws; ranked second on the team in scoring (11.8) and led in assists (3.2); scored at least eight points in all but three games; had 13 points and five assists with only one turnover in 35 minutes against Arizona; handed out a season-high seven assists against Kent State with only one turnover; had 16 points with three assists and six rebounds against Stephen F. Austin; made .743 (107-144) from the free-throw line; and had only 56 turnovers in 1,030 minutes this season (one every 18.4 minutes), a marked improvement over his sophomore season, when he averaged one turnover every 13.3 minutes.

		#24 Shawn Schepel Junior Guard 6-3 \| 205 Dallas, Texas Schepel played in six games, including two Big 12 games and an NCAA Tournament game against BYU. He scored one point against Jackson State.

		#31 Chris Chapman Senior Guard 5-11 \| 175 Houston, Texas Chapman appeared in three games, including the Iowa State game in Big 12 play. He scored two points with one rebound against Jackson State.

		#33 Marshall Carrell Junior Forward 6-9 \| 230 Paris, Texas Carrell appeared in four games, including an NCAA Tournament game against BYU. He pulled down two rebounds against Jackson State.

		#45 Nathan Walkup Junior Forward 6-7 \| 210 Houston, Texas Walkup played in all 34 games, starting against UNC Wilmington and Iowa State. He averaged 14 minutes in two NCAA Tournament games; scored a career-high 12 points (3 of 4 3-pointers) in a win against Missouri; had eight points (2 of 2 3-pointers) against Texas Tech in the Big 12 Tournament; had seven points, making 3 of 3 from the field (including a key second-half 3-pointer) in a win against Texas; also added seven points in a win at Nebraska and had a breakaway dunk that helped spark a comeback; scored six points with three rebounds in just 11 minutes in a narrow loss at No. 2 Oklahoma, including a breakaway dunk; made a game-winning 3-pointer with 20 seconds left against Arizona, his only points of the game; scored seven points in a win at Alabama and made a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left to pull the Aggies within two points, before teammate B.J. Holmes sent the game into overtime with two seconds left; scored a season-high nine points with a career-best 12 rebounds against UNC Wilmington; averaged 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds; scored seven points with 11 rebounds against Stephen F. Austin and made a key long-range 3-pointer as the shot clock expired in the final minute; scored eight points against Jackson State; and made a 3-pointer with 7:32 left to give A&M a six-point lead at Rice, and it never was a one-possession game again. The Aggies are 14-2 in his career when he scores at least five points.

		#21 Ray Turner Freshman Forward 6-8 \| 220 Houston, Texas Turner was ranked No. 144 nationally and No. 6 in Texas by Rivals.com; averaged 16.5 points and earned district MVP honors as a senior; was named to all-state and all-region teams; played in the THSCA All-Star Game; led his team to a 29-7 record and a district title; posted career game-highs of 35 points, 25 rebounds and 12 blocks; averaged 16 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocks as a junior; and also was recruited by Baylor, Marquette, Memphis, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico and Oklahoma State.

		#22 Khris Middleton Freshman Forward 6-7 \| 215 North Charleston, S.C. Middleton was rated No. 64 by ESPN.com, which also ranked him as the best shooter among the nation's small forward prospects; averaged 22.4 points and 8.6 rebounds as a prep senior, earning all-state honors and leading his team to the state title game; averaged 21.0 points and 8.6 rebounds as a junior; twice earned state player-of-the-year honors; posted a career-high scoring game of 39 points; and also was recruited by Michigan, South Carolina, St. Joseph's and Virginia Tech.

		#23 Naji Hibbert Freshman Guard 6-5 \| 200 Baltimore, Md. Hibbert was ranked No. 59 nationally by ESPN.com and was rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com; named to all-league and all-metro teams for the second straight year after averaging 15.7 points at storied DeMatha Catholic High School; and scored with 1.8 seconds left to lift DeMatha to the state championship. The team finished 31-4 and was ranked No. 4 nationally by ESPN. Hibbert averaged 15.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game as a junior; scored 44 points in an AAU game; and also was recruited by Clemson, Marquette, Maryland, Miami, Syracuse and Xavier.

		#25 Jeremy Adams Freshman Guard 6-5 \| 195 Madison, Miss. Adams was rated as the No. 2 player in Mississippi by ESPN after averaging 27.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 4.2 steals as a senior at Madison Central; earned all-state honors; had three 40-point scoring games and earned all-division, all-metro and all-state honors; twice scored 43 points in a game; led his team to three straight district titles; and also was recruited by Alabama, Arkansas, Florida State, Georgetown, Georgia, Kentucky, Miami, Notre Dame and Wake Forest.