2008 NBA Draft

[pratt '04]

Add Kevin Love and Darren Collison to the list of early entrants. They will both hire agents.

espn.com

[pratt '04]

Donte Greene of Syracuse is leaving early for the draft too. He'll also hire an agent.

draftexpress.com

[JasonEvans]

Ronald Steele of Alabama is entering the draft too. Bama is having a very tough offseason. Hendrix is also entering the draft and they have 2 guards who are transferring - 1 a frosh and 1 a soph.

To all the folks who wring their hands over Duke losing 1 transfer, try being Bama and losing 4 kids in less than a week!!

--Jason "Ron Steel was a real stud at one point-- but blew out his knee nad has never been the same-- he shoulda entered the draft after his soph season!" Evans

[JasonEvans]

Either they have to retire the Scotty Thurman "cost himself in the draft by coming back for another season" award or NBADraft.net is on crack if, as they project, Roy Hibbert would not go until the 25th pick.

It has been said over and over again... if you are lottery bound, you need to come out. The risk in staying is just too great -- especially for those guys who are not athletic freaks who could easily see their stock fall drastically.

-Jason "I am going to move these general draft discussions to the draft thread and out of the Carolina draft thread" Evans

[mgtr]

Seriously, how could anyone possibly take Robin Lopez, Darrell Arthur or Darren Collison before Hibbert?

I thought that Darrell Arthur was the only player in the final four who clearly increased his stock in the final four games.

[BD80]

Didn't see this elsewhere on the board:

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/8003716/Report:-UCLA's-Love,-Collison-to-declare-for-NBA-draft

Reportedly they are hiring agents, so no coming back.

So much for Dickie V's top five prediction for next year, I don't care how highly ranked the incoming recruits are, next year's entire class wouldn't make up for losing these two.

Mods: Please delete: this dulicates a post in Draft 2008

[freedevil]

On ESPN Insider, parents of both players are denying that their children have made their decisions yet.

[whereinthehellami]

Add Kevin Love and Darren Collison to the list of early entrants. They will both hire agents.

espn.com

Losing Love kills their chances at getting back to the final four.

[freedevil]

As posted in another thread, ESPN Insider is reporting that the parents of Love and Collison are denying that their sons have made their decisions.

[GopherBlue]

If you hold the lucky ping-pong balls, who do you pick at #1?

Beasley seems to be the logical pick - he is a monster. But I've also seen mention from several NBA camps that Rose may be the pick. Rose will undoubtedly be an impact player in the league, but players with Beasley's size, athleticism, and skills do not come along often. On the other hand, this may simply be pre-draft posturing.

For my money, I'd go with Beasley.

[Skitzle]

If you hold the lucky ping-pong balls, who do you pick at #1?

Beasley seems to be the logical pick - he is a monster. But I've also seen mention from several NBA camps that Rose may be the pick. Rose will undoubtedly be an impact player in the league, but players with Beasley's size, athleticism, and skills do not come along often. On the other hand, this may simply be pre-draft posturing.

For my money, I'd go with Beasley.

Depends on need, but a PG with Rose's potential ceiling doesn't come around very often. If the team with first pick doesn't have have an A- or better PG I think they have to take Rose.

[BlueintheFace]

Here is the list of those who have DEFINITELY declared as of today---

Ryan Anderson (Cal)
Jerryd Bayless (Zona)
Chase Budinger (Zona)
Derrick Caracter (Lville)
Earl Clark (Lville)
Eric Gordon (Indiana)
Richard Hendrix (Bama)
JJ Hickson (NC State)
Brook Lopez (Stan)
Robin Lopez (Stan)
JaVale McGee (Nevada)
Anthony Randolph (LSU)
Marreese Speights (Florida)
Ronald Steele (Bama)
Robert Vaden (UAB)
Terrence Williams (Lville)

[Chitowndevil]

Depends on need, but a PG with Rose's potential ceiling doesn't come around very often. If the team with first pick doesn't have have an A- or better PG I think they have to take Rose.

It's tough to look at what Chris Paul and also Deron Williams are doing for their teams and not take Rose at #1.

[matrix1686]

If you look at the Heat with Dwayne Wade and no inside presence then it makes more sense to take Beasley, but a team like the Sonics could use Rose more. Either player is great, but I think it all depends on the team that lands the #1 pick. That said, I would take Rose as long as I didn't have a good point guard already or no inside scoring options.

JasonEvans Quote:

It has been said over and over again... if you are lottery bound, you need to come out. The risk in staying is just too great -- especially for those guys who are not athletic freaks who could easily see their stock fall drastically.

I disagree to some extent. I think it really depends on where you were ranked in High School. Somebody like Patrick O'Bryant who came out a few years ago and was drafted by the Warriors should definitely come out. He went from hardly ranked at all in HS to being considered a first rounder and eventually lottery pick. You have to take that.

But somebody like McRoberts who was rated #1 in his class or at least top 5 shouldn't come out unless they know they are at least top 5 or maybe top 10. He probably should have left straight after HS, but I still wouldn't have left after his first season. He was said to have been a late lottery pick possibly, but the scouts would have seen the holes and he would have still slid. McRoberts should have stayed this year or played all four years until he knew he could either reach his potential as a Top 5 pick or had a college degree.

[CDu]

But somebody like McRoberts who was rated #1 in his class or at least top 5 shouldn't come out unless they know they are at least top 5 or maybe top 10. He probably should have left straight after HS, but I still wouldn't have left after his first season. He was said to have been a late lottery pick possibly, but the scouts would have seen the holes and he would have still slid. McRoberts should have stayed this year or played all four years until he knew he could either reach his potential as a Top 5 pick or had a college degree.

McRoberts probably should have gone out of high school. Having not gone out of high school, he should have gone after his freshman year. That was the "down" year for the draft because there were no high schoolers allowed in the draft.

I agree that leaving after his sophomore year made no sense. But it sounds like he'd made his mind up that he wanted to get to the NBA after two years, and that was that. It's unfortunate, because his skill set would have been a perfect fit with this year's team. But, unfortunately for him and for us, he decided against returning.

[SilkyJ]

players with Beasley's size, athleticism, and skills do not come along often. On the other hand, this may simply be pre-draft posturing.

For my money, I'd go with Beasley.

Its true, but its also true that players with Rose's size, athleticism, and skills do not come along that often, AT HIS POSITION. Rose is built like lebron, but is as quick and deft as Chris paul, and can shoot it. Did anyone see the double cluch two-fisted slam he had against texas? Kid's gonna be a star. Then again, so is beasley, so I don't know who I'd take...I guess I would do it based on need (i.e. if I already have a solid PG but no inside presence, I'd take Beasley and vice versa WRT Rose)

[SilkyJ]

Erroneous! Erroneous on both counts!

I know others posted that ESPN insider was saying that the parents were disputing the original report that they were turning pro. This is a REGULAR ESPN article, and the remarks are from Howland. Same basic story though: they have not made their minds up.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2...ory?id=3338693

[pratt '04]

Joe Alexander of WVU is going to test the waters:

espn.com

[freedevil]

Joe Alexander of WVU is going to test the waters:

espn.com

I hope he goes to workouts and gets dunked on by a healthy DeMarcus Nelson. I can't stand that kid.

[superdave]

Did you guys see how badly he disappeared in their round 2 loss a few weeks ago? He took 3 maybe 4 shots in the 2nd half and was playing hot potato with the ball. I doubt discerning teams and scouts will like Beasley's work ethic compared to Rose. I'd go Rose all the way or move the pick.