2013 NBA Draft

[theAlaskanBear]

Anthony Bennett as number one. Surprise!

[mattman91]

Can't help but to grin when they show Noel's face. I hate Kentucky.

[brevity]

Cleveland takes Anthony Bennett, then Orlando takes Victor Oladipo. Did the Wizards ever imagine they would have the choice of Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, Otto Porter, or Alex Len?

[moonpie23]

Can't help but to grin when they show Noel's face. I hate Kentucky.

i would be grinning, if he hadn't been hurt.....there could be some questions about his recovery....

[theAlaskanBear]

i would be grinning, if he hadn't been hurt.....there could be some questions about his recovery....

wow. bobcats.noel on the board and you pick zeller?

[brevity]

Can't help but to grin when they show Noel's face. I hate Kentucky.

I can't believe I agree with something Seth Greenberg said -- "Follow me to the NCAA Tournament!" and no one did -- but he ripped Noel on SportsCenter this morning. Narrow shoulders, too lightweight, not able to play center. Then he talked up Bennett's size. Gotta give him the Stopped Clock Award for today.

Charlotte picks Cody Zeller at #4. Best draft telecast ever?

[mattman91]

Ugh...Zeller?

I was hoping for Mclemore.

[SilkyJ]

Shane doing TV already, and he hasn't even retired! That was fast!

[theAlaskanBear]

Ugh...Zeller?

I was hoping for Mclemore.

I wonder what this means for josh mcroberts.

[mattman91]

I wonder what this means for josh mcroberts.

I think Cho will be doing some major roster changes soon.

As for Josh, He will find it hard to get on the court for one of the league's laughing stocks.

[sporthenry]

I can't believe I agree with something Seth Greenberg said -- "Follow me to the NCAA Tournament!" and no one did -- but he ripped Noel on SportsCenter this morning. Narrow shoulders, too lightweight, not able to play center. Then he talked up Bennett's size. Gotta give him the Stopped Clock Award for today.

Charlotte picks Cody Zeller at #4. Best draft telecast ever?

I don't agree with his scouting report of Noel. I guess Davis is going to play some PF but Noel has broader shoulders than Davis and actually looked like he has a body to grow into. I think people will be wondering why they passed on Noel. At least teams who took Len or Zeller.

[theAlaskanBear]

I don't agree with his scouting report of Noel. I guess Davis is going to play some PF but Noel has broader shoulders than Davis and actually looked like he has a body to grow into. I think people will be wondering why they passed on Noel. At least teams who took Len or Zeller.

how about twin towers in New Orleans? lets do this!

[brevity]

Shane doing TV already, and he hasn't even retired! That was fast!

Offstage, he asked Otto Porter to keep an eye on housing openings on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Phoenix takes Alex Len. The real Pelicans GM can pick McLemore, so I'm jealous.

[brevity]

how about twin towers in New Orleans? lets do this!

You were right. Noel is not a terrible pick, but I'm not a fan, and I can't believe they passed up McLemore.

"Nerlens to Nawlins" will read the headline, I'm sure.

[theAlaskanBear]

You were right. Noel is not a terrible pick, but I'm not a fan, and I can't believe they passed up McLemore.

"Nerlens to Nawlins" will read the headline, I'm sure.

already nicknamed "block party" on Espn ;)

I don't know if it's going to work, but it will be interesting to watch.

[subzero02]

Interesting draft so far...

[theAlaskanBear]

Interesting draft so far...

trey Burke to deeeetroit? trade Rodney stuckey or knight?

[theAlaskanBear]

I like detroits pick. I'm big on Caldwell pope, great all around player

[burnspbesq]

Andy Katz reporting that Noel is going to end up in Philly.

Pistons take Caldwell-Pope.

[theAlaskanBear]

Andy Katz reporting that Noel is going to end up in Philly.

Pistons take Caldwell-Pope.

looks like Drue Holliday and a 2014 pick for Noel. great move by the hornets to get Drue holliday

[mattman91]

looks like Drue Holliday and a 2014 pick for Noel. great move by the hornets to get Drue holliday

Wow, stupid move for Philly IMO.

[FerryFor50]

CNNSI says Noel dropped because of the company he keeps.

Here's a major reason Nerlens Noel fell this far: According to two NBA executives, there was a significant concern about the people Noel has around him. Neither executive would be more specific, just to say it was a legitimate issue. As a player, Noel appears to be an excellent fit in New Orleans, where he will team with former Kentucky Wildcat Anthony Davis to form an intimidating defensive front line. One executive compared Noel to a bigger Ben Wallace; if Noel can live up to that billing, the Pelicans should be happy.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/draft-2013/tracker/#ixzz2XSz01Ung

[mattman91]

Bennett, Zeller, Len, and Noel on the board....

Does Mason slip in to the lottery?

Doubt it, but who knows with the way this one is going...

[matt1]

Anyone notice Lucas Noguiera C- Duke on Bilas's best available?

[sporthenry]

looks like Drue Holliday and a 2014 pick for Noel. great move by the hornets to get Drue holliday

The pick is going to the 76ers. When it was reported it was going to the Pelicans, I thought the Sixers got absolutely fleeced and it might have been the worst trade ever with Wiggins/Parker/Randle.

I thought Holiday being an AS PG in his own right should have been more than enough for the 6th pick in a terrible draft with knee issues. so the pick was just icing on the cake. That said, the Pelicans pick is top 3 protected. But I don't think the trade is that terrible. Sixers get a big man and will more than likely have 2 lottery picks next year.

[mattman91]

Anyone notice Lucas Noguiera C- Duke on Bilas's best available?

I saw that...I knew K plays a short bench, but I didn't even know he played for us :rolleyes:

[burnspbesq]

Great. The first McCollum highlight is him breaking Josh Hairston's ankles.

[theAlaskanBear]

of course 90 percent of mccollum footage is from the duke upset

[brevity]

looks like Drue Holliday and a 2014 pick for Noel. great move by the hornets to get Drue holliday


Wow, stupid move for Philly IMO.

Adrian Wojnarowski (https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA) clarifies details on the New Orleans-Philly trade:

New Orleans sends Nerlens Noel and a 2014 1st round pick.
Philly sends Jrue Holiday and #42 pick in tonight's draft.

Good stuff there. He also reports Minnesota trades Trey Burke to Utah for picks #14 and #21 tonight.

[mattman91]

of course 90 percent of mccollum footage is from the duke upset

I'm just happy Battier is representing us so well tonight, what a guy. Bilas too, even though I am not his biggest fan. Atleast we agree on who is the most talented player in the draft, McLemore.

[matt1]

I saw that...I knew K plays a short bench, but I didn't even know he played for us :rolleyes:

He never went to college in America, according to Wikipedia.

[Chicken Little]

If Nolan wasn't already done in Portland, he sure is now.

[MartyClark]

They keep showing a graphic of the best remaining players. Who the heck is the Lucas Noguiera guy that they say is a center for Duke?

[Duvall]

If Nolan wasn't already done in Portland, he sure is now.

Well, he's a free agent now, so.

[MartyClark]

They keep showing a graphic of the best remaining players. Who the heck is the Lucas Noguiera guy that they say is a center for Duke?

After posting, they changed it to center from Brazil. Never mind.

[Chicken Little]

Well, he's a free agent now, so.

Ah, saw him still listed on their roster. Didn't realize they declined his option.

[theAlaskanBear]

Dallas sends Kelly Olynyk to the Celtics.

[mattman91]

How about Canadian basketball, eh?

Bennett-Wiggins may be back to back number one picks, and Olynyk also a lottery pick.

[brevity]

Ah, saw him still listed on their roster. Didn't realize they declined his option.

Here's a helpful list of NBA free agents by team (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8589693/nba-free-agents-2013-2014) for 2013 and 2014.

Trade talks on Twitter make the draft a lot more interesting. Watching the draft on the desktop. I may never watch the telecast on TV again.

[theAlaskanBear]

Here's a helpful list of NBA free agents by team (http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8589693/nba-free-agents-2013-2014) for 2013 and 2014.

Trade talks on Twitter make the draft a lot more interesting. Watching the draft on the desktop. I may never watch the telecast on TV again.

tv and ipad here

[MartyClark]

This seems to be a really thin draft.

[theAlaskanBear]

hard to comment when we have no clue where these picks are going.is this Boston's pick or a part of a trade?

[theAlaskanBear]

This seems to be a really thin draft.

dennis schroeder boes to atlanta. lightest player in the draft so far? 165 pounds.

[theAlaskanBear]

man, simmons just gets under my skin.

[arnie]

man, simmons just gets under my skin.

And Bilas just went over 100 references to "wingspan"

[g-money]

By drafting some unknown Russian point guard instead of Mason Plumlee, I suspect Cleveland just burned a little bit of the bridge to Kyrie Irving. I wonder what Dan Gilbert's letter will say when he leaves??

I think they've officially claimed the title of "Worst Franchise in the NBA" as of tonight.

[FerryFor50]

And Chicago drafts another Jimmy Butler. Can't have too many of those, I guess.

[theAlaskanBear]

By drafting some unknown Russian point guard instead of Mason Plumlee, I suspect Cleveland just burned a little bit of the bridge to Kyrie Irving. I wonder what Dan Gilbert's letter will say when he leaves??

I think they've officially claimed the title of "Worst Franchise in the NBA" as of tonight.

I wouldn't go so far. both of these picks are great scoters & shooters, which will really spread the floor and give Irving some offensive weapons.

[luburch]

Nets are taking Plumlee at 22.

[arnie]

Nets are taking Plumlee at 22.

If so the boos will rain hard

[jacone21]

If so the boos will rain hard
Wow. A warm reception!

[theAlaskanBear]

plumlee to Brooklyn!

[FerryFor50]

plumlee to Brooklyn!

Maybe he can room with Zoubek!

[burnspbesq]

If Mason's going to live in Brooklyn, he's going to need to get a snap-brim straw hat and a hipster goatee.

[arnie]

Wow. A warm reception!

Diid not expect the applause. Good to see him go to Brooklyn - he should get minutes.

[devilsadvocate85]

Not that it really matters, but when did Mason grow to 7' 0-1/2"?


Diid not expect the applause. Good to see him go to Brooklyn - he should get minutes.

[BlueDevilBrowns]

By drafting some unknown Russian point guard instead of Mason Plumlee, I suspect Cleveland just burned a little bit of the bridge to Kyrie Irving. I wonder what Dan Gilbert's letter will say when he leaves??

I think they've officially claimed the title of "Worst Franchise in the NBA" as of tonight.

If your inferring that Cavs ownership should seek Kyrie's advice on roster moves over the General Manager and the Scouting dept. simply because they're afraid to lose him, let me clue you in - Gilbert's already tried that with Lebron for 7 years - and how did that turn out?

Players play
Coaches Coach
GM's Draft

End of Story.

[jipops]

Brooklyn got an equal level prospect at 22 as Charlotte did at 4.

[Duvall]

If your inferring that Cavs ownership should seek Kyrie's advice on roster moves over the General Manager and the Scouting dept. simply because they're afraid to lose him, let me clue you in - Gilbert's already tried that with Lebron for 7 years - and how did that turn out?

Players play
Coaches Coach
GM's Draft

End of Story.

And owners whine when players get tired of coaches and GMs failing and decide to leave.

[brevity]

Not that it really matters, but when did Mason grow to 7' 0-1/2"?

According to the NBA pre-draft combine measurements (http://www.nba.com/2013/news/05/17/nba-draft-combine-results/index.html), that's his height, with shoes.

[burnspbesq]

Spike looks happy about the Knicks' pick.

[Tappan Zee Devil]

If Mason's going to live in Brooklyn, he's going to need to get a snap-brim straw hat and a hipster goatee.

My daughter lives in Brooklyn - in Fort Greene (quite close to downtown and the Barclay Center) which was a wilderness 30 years ago but is now a very desirable neighborhood with good, very interesting restaurants, BAM, the Brooklyn Museum and good shopping . Get away from outdated stereotypes. Mason will love Brooklyn.

[mattman91]

I hope bullock gets picked...in the second round

[g-money]

If your inferring that Cavs ownership should seek Kyrie's advice on roster moves over the General Manager and the Scouting dept. simply because they're afraid to lose him, let me clue you in - Gilbert's already tried that with Lebron for 7 years - and how did that turn out?

Players play
Coaches Coach
GM's Draft

End of Story.

I think Cleveland's picks tonight show that their management is operating so far under a vacuum that their heads are about to explode. My two cents.

[Duvall]

I hope bullock gets picked...in the second round

He's going 25th. Good thing he didn't listen to Roy

[mattman91]

I hope bullock gets picked...in the second round

jinx

[ChrisP]

Why is no one talking about Ryan Kelly in this draft thus far? Is it just because of his post-season surgery (and, I'm guessing the resulting inability to workout or attend the pre-draft compound). I realize he was never being talked about as a lottery pick, but I have to believe he's at least as skilled as some of these guys who are going to go late in the 1st round. Anyone have any intel about RK?

[nmduke2001]

Why is no one talking about Ryan Kelly in this draft thus far? Is it just because of his post-season surgery (and, I'm guessing the resulting inability to workout or attend the pre-draft compound). I realize he was never being talked about as a lottery pick, but I have to believe he's at least as skilled as some of these guys who are going to go late in the 1st round. Anyone have any intel about RK?

Most of the "experts" have him going late second round or undrafted. It's probably better to go undrafted so he can pick the right situation for him. He would be a good fit in Miami or in Chicago if Rose is healthy.

[ChrisP]

Most of the "experts" have him going late second round or undrafted. It's probably better to go undrafted so he can pick the right situation for him. He would be a good fit in Miami or in Chicago if Rose is healthy.

Thanks. I barely keep up with the goings-on in the NBA (obviously) but always pull for our guys to do well - and get drafted! But, I hear what you're saying about RK being at somewhat of an advantage as a free agent.

[FerryFor50]

Celtics trade Garnett, Pierce and Terry to Brooklyn for 3 future first round picks and some bad contracts. Weird deal.

[FerryFor50]

Anyone else get the feeling that Sam Presti in OKC often outsmarts himself?

[mattman91]

Celtics trade Garnett, Pierce and Terry to Brooklyn for 3 future first round picks and some bad contracts. Weird deal.

Plumlee gonna win a title year one?!

[brevity]

Round 1:

1 Cleveland Anthony Bennett (PF) UNLV
2 Orlando Victor Oladipo (SG) Indiana
3 Washington Otto Porter (SF) G'town
4 Charlotte Cody Zeller (PF) Indiana
5 Phoenix Alex Len (C) Maryland
6 New Orleans Nerlens Noel (C) Kentucky -- traded to PHI
7 Sacramento Ben McLemore (SG) Kansas
8 Detroit Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (SG) Georgia
9 Minnesota Trey Burke (PG) Michigan -- traded to UTA
10 Portland C.J. McCollum (PG) Lehigh
11 Philadelphia Michael Carter-Williams (PG) Syracuse
12 Oklahoma City Steven Adams (C) Pittsburgh
13 Dallas Kelly Olynyk (PF) Gonzaga -- traded to BOS
14 Utah Shabazz Muhammad (SF) UCLA -- traded to MIN
15 Milwaukee Giannis Antetokounmpo (SF) Greece
16 Boston Lucas Nogueira (C) Brazil -- traded to ATL
17 Atlanta Dennis Schroeder (PG) Germany
18 Atlanta Shane Larkin (PG) Miami -- traded to DAL
19 Cleveland Sergey Karasev (SG) Russia
20 Chicago Tony Snell (SF) New Mexico
21 Utah Gorgui Dieng (C) Louisville -- traded to MIN
22 Brooklyn Mason Plumlee (C) Duke -- joining Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, sources say (http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--nets-pursuing-trade-for-kevin-garnett--paul-pierce-171213145.html)
23 Indiana Solomon Hill (SF) Arizona
24 New York Tim Hardaway Jr. (SG) Michigan
25 LA Clippers Reggie Bullock (SG) UNC -- traded to HEL
26 Minnesota Andre Roberson (SF) Colorado -- traded to OKC
27 Denver Rudy Gobert (C) France -- traded to UTA
28 San Antonio Livio Jean-Charles (PF) France
29 Oklahoma City Archie Goodwin (SG) Kentucky -- traded to PHX
30 Phoenix Nemanja Nedovic (SG) Serbia -- traded to GS

[_Gary]

I didn't have a problem with Cleveland's first pick. If the kid is as good as he looked last year in college I think he'll be very, very good and he meets a need for the Cavs. But every other pick they've made has me baffled. First they pass on Mason when he's right there for the taking and clearly the best player left at that point, and on top of that they need help at center. Instead they've picked guard after guard after guard. What the heck are they thinking? Their need is clearly in the frontcourt, not the backcourt. Wow...

[rsvman]

Brooklyn got an equal level prospect at 22 as Charlotte did at 4.

At LEAST.

[mattman91]

"the guy has no neck" quote of the draft

[pfrduke]

My daughter lives in Brooklyn - in Fort Greene (quite close to downtown and the Barclay Center) which was a wilderness 30 years ago but is now a very desirable neighborhood with good, very interesting restaurants, BAM, the Brooklyn Museum and good shopping . Get away from outdated stereotypes. Mason will love Brooklyn.

To say that Brooklyn is full of hipsters is far from outdated.

[FerryFor50]

To say that Brooklyn is full of hipsters is far from outdated.

Yep. Most of my hipster friends live in Brooklyn.

[Duvall]

Ryan Kelly, Pau Gasol understudy.

[FerryFor50]

Hard to believe Kelly got picked before any of the NCSU guys...

[Acymetric]

At LEAST.

As fun as it would have been to have Plumlee on the [Hornets] I'm not convinced he is a better prospect that the younger Zeller. I expect both to be in the league for a while, but lets take our Duke Blue glasses off for a minute...Zeller is very good.

[BigZ]

As a lakers fan I wanted Larenzo Brown but cant complain.

[FerryFor50]

Man, how do you feel if you're Lorenzo Brown or CJ Leslie and you left school early to potentially go undrafted?

[burnspbesq]

With Alana and Lindsey playing for the Sparks and Ryan now with the Lakers, Staples Center can now have its own chapter of the Duke Alumni Association.

[BigZ]

Kelly is perfect for D'Antoni's system.

[burnspbesq]

Big day for Iranian basketball. Huge win over Argentina in the U-19 worlds, and now Kazemi gets drafted. He has a chance to stick: he's a high-energy guy, a great position rebounder, and completely unselfish. He may never play more than 12 minutes a game, but he will give you 12 quality minutes.

[FerryFor50]

Big day for Iranian basketball. Huge win over Argentina in the U-19 worlds, and now Kazemi gets drafted. He has a chance to stick: he's a high-energy guy, a great position rebounder, and completely unselfish. He may never play more than 12 minutes a game, but he will give you 12 quality minutes.

Not the first Iranian in the NBA though, contrary to espn's crack draft analysts.

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/hamed_haddadi/#$/playerfile/hamed_haddadi/index.html

[FerryFor50]

Wtf?

The Jazz traded the first rounder they just picked tonight (Rudy Gobert) for the Nuggets 2nd round pick (Erick Green).

If they wanted him, why not pick him when they had the chance???

[Kedsy]

Wtf?

The Jazz traded the first rounder they just picked tonight (Rudy Gobert) for the Nuggets 2nd round pick (Erick Green).

If they wanted him, why not pick him when they had the chance???

First of all, wasn't it Denver who drafted and traded Gobert?

Putting that aside, there could be many reasons, among which are 2nd rounders' contracts are not guaranteed and also their salaries are lower. In addition, whoever traded Gobert got cash in the deal.

[chaosmage]

Wtf?

The Jazz traded the first rounder they just picked tonight (Rudy Gobert) for the Nuggets 2nd round pick (Erick Green).

If they wanted him, why not pick him when they had the chance???

doing that frees them from a guaranteed contract. They get him, and if he doesn't do what they need, they're not stuck with him. They may have wanted his potential, but not be stuck with his salary. Not familiar with the salary cap situation of the Jazz, but that's my only guess.

[FerryFor50]

doing that frees them from a guaranteed contract. They get him, and if he doesn't do what they need, they're not stuck with him. They may have wanted his potential, but not be stuck with his salary. Not familiar with the salary cap situation of the Jazz, but that's my only guess.

Yea but why not draft and stash?

[Orange&BlackSheep]

of both the NC State guys and Glen Rice, Jr .... really? I guess his athleticism causes some salivation.

[Kedsy]

Wtf?

The Jazz traded the first rounder they just picked tonight (Rudy Gobert) for the Nuggets 2nd round pick (Erick Green).

If they wanted him, why not pick him when they had the chance???

If you really want weird, consider the following:

Dallas traded their #13 pick for #16 plus two 2014 second round picks. They then traded the #16 plus a first round pick from 2012 plus a second round 2013 pick for the #18.

At least that's what I think they did. If I'm right, then overall they traded the #13 plus a decent player for the #18 and one extra second round pick. I guess that doesn't sound too ridiculous on its face, but the second trade doesn't seem to make much sense at all -- trading a 1st round pick, a 2nd round pick and a recent 1st round pick for a worse 1st round pick than you traded. Supposedly it was to shed salary, but Cunningham wasn't really making that much money.

[Double DD]

My daughter lives in Brooklyn - in Fort Greene (quite close to downtown and the Barclay Center) which was a wilderness 30 years ago but is now a very desirable neighborhood with good, very interesting restaurants, BAM, the Brooklyn Museum and good shopping . Get away from outdated stereotypes. Mason will love Brooklyn.

Fort Greene is one of the most hipster parts of Brooklyn so your daughter would probably agree with what burnspbesq said.

[Olympic Fan]

1. Michael Jordan may well have been the second-best player in NBA history, but he continues to be in the Isiah Thomas/Donald Sterling/James Dolan class as an idiot owner. The frequent coaching changes, the head-scratching draft picks ... Cody Zeller at No. 4? Really? Wake me when his team finally makes the playoffs.

2. As someone noted earlier, Reggie Bullock was smart not to listen to Roy Williams. Great advice there, Huckleberry. Amazing how he always tells his kids they aren't going to be picked as high as almost every outsider projects. He did it with Ed Davis, who fell at least 10 places by coming back and Barnes, who fell 4-5 places by returning. At least PJ and Jamesd Michael were smart enough to take Roy's advice!

3. I thought the funniest moment of the night was Jay Bilas trying to explain about CJ Leslie -- great athlete, great skills ... ah, ah ... but Jay couldn't bring himself to say the reason that the kid was not drafted -- that he was an all-time knucklehead.

4. I was glad to see the positive reaction from the Brooklyn fans for Mason Plumlee.

5. Also funny reaction on the Kentucky boards when two Indiana players got picked before Noel -- Olapdio at No. 2 and Zeller at No. 4. A number of posts ripping Crean for only getting to the Sweet 16 with a team with two top 5 picks ... until one fan closed the thread by pointing out that in 2010 Calipari failed to get to the Final Four with a team that included FIVE first round picks, Including No. 1 and No. 5.

[SoCalDukeFan]

First of all, the draft should be about drafting either the best available or for need. NBA Draft is complicated by a host of issues, including, being really really bad next year with lots of cap room so maybe I can draft a high school player from Canada. Not to meniton the whole salary cap issues.

Of course one of the great deals in NBA history was in 2001 when the Clippers acquired Vinny Del Grego and Will Perdue, then waived them. Why? To get over the NBA minimum salary floor. They paid guys not to play so they could get to the minimum.

Glad that Mason went 1st room, and Brooklyn owner may do what it takes to win. Will be great to see Ryan as a Laker. Wonder about Seth's leg injury.
If completely heathy, he would certainly be drafted.

Count your blessings that we have Coach K and you can follow Duke BB and not thsi nonsense.

SoCal

[Acymetric]

1. Michael Jordan may well have been the second-best player in NBA history, but he continues to be in the Isiah Thomas/Donald Sterling/James Dolan class as an idiot owner. The frequent coaching changes, the head-scratching draft picks ... Cody Zeller at No. 4? Really? Wake me when his team finally makes the playoffs.

2. As someone noted earlier, Reggie Bullock was smart not to listen to Roy Williams. Great advice there, Huckleberry. Amazing how he always tells his kids they aren't going to be picked as high as almost every outsider projects. He did it with Ed Davis, who fell at least 10 places by coming back and Barnes, who fell 4-5 places by returning. At least PJ and Jamesd Michael were smart enough to take Roy's advice!

3. I thought the funniest moment of the night was Jay Bilas trying to explain about CJ Leslie -- great athlete, great skills ... ah, ah ... but Jay couldn't bring himself to say the reason that the kid was not drafted -- that he was an all-time knucklehead.

4. I was glad to see the positive reaction from the Brooklyn fans for Mason Plumlee.

5. Also funny reaction on the Kentucky boards when two Indiana players got picked before Noel -- Olapdio at No. 2 and Zeller at No. 4. A number of posts ripping Crean for only getting to the Sweet 16 with a team with two top 5 picks ... until one fan closed the thread by pointing out that in 2010 Calipari failed to get to the Final Four with a team that included FIVE first round picks, Including No. 1 and No. 5.

Maybe I'm the only one, and I generally find your posts extremely interesting and informative (including this one mostly), but is Zeller really that bad of a pick? Who would you have taken? I think he's a pretty impressive player, personally and think his play will translate well to the next level.

[Olympic Fan]

Maybe I'm the only one, and I generally find your posts extremely interesting and informative (including this one mostly), but is Zeller really that bad of a pick? Who would you have taken? I think he's a pretty impressive player, personally and think his play will translate well to the next level.

1. Noel (greater upside at a key position)
2. McLemore (much greater upside, although at the wing, an easir position to fill)
3. Burke (the best point guard in the draft)
3. Just about anybody who will be more than a role player ...

We'll just have to agree to disagree about Zeller ...

[Henderson]

According to the NBA pre-draft combine measurements (http://www.nba.com/2013/news/05/17/nba-draft-combine-results/index.html), that's his height, with shoes.

I don't know if anyone else noticed, but in the Simmons/Rose interview with Mason, he referred to himself as a "6-10 guy".

As my old pal Mars Blackmon used to say, "Money, money, gotta be the shoes!"

Anyway, I'm stoked for Mason. And I'm happy for Ryan too, even though in some practical ways it's better to go undrafted than go where he did. I think just as a matter of pride, it's better to be drafted than not, feel unwanted and undervalued, and need to prove something.

Which brings me to Seth. I sure hope he tries out well and makes a squad.

I feel bad for Nolan. He's never really had much of a chance with the injury situation and Lillard coming on so strong. Some people can't see Portland keeping both Lillard and McCollum. But it was a smart pick for Portland at #10. McCollum has value even if he doesn't stay at Portland. The Portland GM, Neil Olshey was quoted last month as saying he intended to pick the best player available, put him on the roster, and try to develop him. http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2013/05/trail_blazers_gm_neil_olshey_were_always_going_to. html So maybe they will keep them both. But I still feel bad for Nolan.

Oh, and needless to say, the Vegas fans here are very happy. They've lost a ton of talent recently, and this will at least help salve the wound. The Cavs bought a big young body with ... [wait for it]... tremendous upside potential.

[theAlaskanBear]

Yea but why not draft and stash?

Gobert has said he wants to be in the US...he thinks he will develop faster here. One of the criticisms of Gobert was his stalled development last year, which was probably related to the departure of his previous Cholet coach to Betsikas. Honestly, he can already impact NBA games with his defense and pick and roll game, he's just not going to be a starter for a couple of years...

[theAlaskanBear]

Did anyone stay up late enough to see the ridiculousness of ESPN/Simmons/Rivers last night?

ESPN reporter asks Doc, "Bill Simmons said you quit on your team, what is your response to that?"

First of all, what an idiotic question...even if you believe this, not the appropriate time nor forum -- Doc is on air trying to talk about Kendall Marshall.

Second of all, Simmons is so unprofessional when it comes to anything Celtics. I enjoyed Simmons for the most part, and I agree that Ainge made a terrible trade, but a when a 9-yr coach for your team who brought you championship and rebuilt with the franchise with you leaves for another team...because he doesn't want to rebuild again....its not quitting on the team...

[brevity]

I hope bullock gets picked...in the second round


He's going 25th. Good thing he didn't listen to Roy


2. As someone noted earlier, Reggie Bullock was smart not to listen to Roy Williams. Great advice there, Huckleberry. Amazing how he always tells his kids they aren't going to be picked as high as almost every outsider projects. He did it with Ed Davis, who fell at least 10 places by coming back and Barnes, who fell 4-5 places by returning. At least PJ and Jamesd Michael were smart enough to take Roy's advice!

Roy defends himself (http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/06/28/2563900/nets-draft-dukes-plumlee-clippers.html).

"Everyone knows by now that I was a bit scared initially about his decision to enter the draft because the NBA people that I spoke to said he was a borderline first- or second-round pick," Williams said in a statement that UNC released Thursday night. "Most of them told me they thought he would go in the top of the second round, including the NBA evaluation committee. So that was the cause of my concern for someone I care so much about.

"But the Clippers selecting Reggie in the first round shows everyone how well he performed under pressure in the pre-draft workouts. I take my hat off to him. He earned that first round pick."

[dukelifer]

Did anyone stay up late enough to see the ridiculousness of ESPN/Simmons/Rivers last night?

ESPN reporter asks Doc, "Bill Simmons said you quit on your team, what is your response to that?"

First of all, what an idiotic question...even if you believe this, not the appropriate time nor forum -- Doc is on air trying to talk about Kendall Marshall.

Second of all, Simmons is so unprofessional when it comes to anything Celtics. I enjoyed Simmons for the most part, and I agree that Ainge made a terrible trade, but a when a 9-yr coach for your team who brought you championship and rebuilt with the franchise with you leaves for another team...because he doesn't want to rebuild again....its not quitting on the team...
Anything is better than having to talk about Kendall Marshall's NBA career. I am sure you meant Bullock. Just found that funny.

[dukelifer]

Of the State guys, I expect Howell to make a team. He is big and strong, has a very good mid range shot and is a rebounding machine. I have always liked his game.

[theAlaskanBear]

Anything is better than having to talk about Kendall Marshall's NBA career. I am sure you meant Bullock. Just found that funny.

yeah...4 hours of sleep =/

[UrinalCake]

Roy defends himself

I totally agree that Roy's initial comments were way out of line, when he said that none of his players were ready for the NBA. However, if he was basing that on intel that Reggie would be a late first round/early second round pick, then he wasn't really wrong, as Reggie went #25. I guess it depends how you define "ready." Usually if a guy isn't reasonably expected to be a lottery pick, it's recommended that he stay in school, but of course this is different for every player and bullock has some extenuating family circumstances that would push him to leave. So I won't rip Roy for the quality of his NBA intel, but I will absolutely rip him for publicly bashing his players in an attempt to get them to stay. And of course, convincing PJ to stay has been an outstanding move... for Duke and State fans 8-)

[cspan37421]

With Mason and Ryan drafted, and Seth undrafted, clearly Duke can only develop big men. ;)

I mean, how long has it been since they had a guard go in the first round? What? Oh. Well, how about a guard as a #1 overall? Ah, I see. Well ... talk about the complete package!

[rotogod00]

To those of you monitoring the fate of the State guys, C.J. Leslie just signed with the Knicks

[budwom]

I'm pretty sure Michael Jordan thinks Cody Zeller was the guy who used to play for UNC. When he finds out
he's wrong, he'll be pissed. What a buffoon.

[roywhite]

With a quick scan of the draft compared to the DBR Mock Draft, I noticed Bob Green picked Alex Len with the 5th pick, and the actual draft had Len going 5th also, to Phoenix. Also, Jason Evans had the 17th and 18th overall picks for Atlanta and he chose Dennis Schroeder at #17; Schroeder did go to the Hawks at #18.

Didn't see anyone else that we internet GM's picked "on the number", but some were close (and who knows, maybe some picks on this board were better values than the NBA picks).

[pfrduke]

With a quick scan of the draft compared to the DBR Mock Draft, I noticed Bob Green picked Alex Len with the 5th pick, and the actual draft had Len going 5th also, to Phoenix.

Didn't see anyone else that we internet GM's picked "on the number", but some were close (and who knows, maybe some picks on this board were better values than the NBA picks).

We at Mock OKC got players picked 8, 15, and 19 in the real draft with our 12, 29, and 32 picks in the mock draft. The Mock Thunder are thrilled with the infusion of mock talent, all of whom we intend to package together in a trade to beg Houston to please, pretty please, give us back James Harden and his beard.

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

I don't know if anyone else noticed, but in the Simmons/Rose interview with Mason, he referred to himself as a "6-10 guy".

I feel bad for Nolan. He's never really had much of a chance with the injury situation and Lillard coming on so strong. Some people can't see Portland keeping both Lillard and McCollum. But it was a smart pick for Portland at #10. McCollum has value even if he doesn't stay at Portland. The Portland GM, Neil Olshey was quoted last month as saying he intended to pick the best player available, put him on the roster, and try to develop him. http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2013/05/trail_blazers_gm_neil_olshey_were_always_going_to. html So maybe they will keep them both. But I still feel bad for Nolan.

Don't feel bad for Nolan, he seems to have a positive attitude about leaving Portland. He'll wind up in a spot that's a better fit for him.

[ice-9]

With a quick scan of the draft compared to the DBR Mock Draft, I noticed Bob Green picked Alex Len with the 5th pick, and the actual draft had Len going 5th also, to Phoenix. Also, Jason Evans had the 17th and 18th overall picks for Atlanta and he chose Dennis Schroeder at #17; Schroeder did go to the Hawks at #18.

Didn't see anyone else that we internet GM's picked "on the number", but some were close (and who knows, maybe some picks on this board were better values than the NBA picks).


It was either Crabbe or Bullock for me on the 25th pick, but I went with Crabbe because every analyst has him as the better player...and maybe there's a side of me that doesn't want to see a UNC player go so high lol. I suppose the Clips might have picked Bullock for better defense?

[luburch]

I'm pretty sure Michael Jordan thinks Cody Zeller was the guy who used to play for UNC. When he finds out
he's wrong, he'll be pissed. What a buffoon.

I'm still confused by all this Zeller hate.

[SoCalDukeFan]

change the CBA and say that first round draft picks don't count against the salary cap during their initial guaranteed money period.

SoCal

[Billy Dat]

I enjoy the draft every year, but I found this year to be especially entertaining.

First off, the TV coverage. I am a Simmons and Rose fan, so that helped. Obviously, I love Bilas and Rece Davis is one of the top primary host/facilitator dudes. But, I also thought Andy Katz embraced his role as a "deal news breaker", Chris Broussard was fine in the same role, Heather Cox was fine with the families, Fran Frashilla had the ex-US players covered. And then we had Shane. Starting at the top, if you follow Simmons closely, you know that he has traditionally kept a running diary of the NBA Draft for close to 20 years. He is one of the reasons the draft is so popular. We also know he writes from the fan perspective, and is a huge Celtics fan. So, to (A) have him broadcasting the draft and (B) be doing so when the Celtics swung their biggest trade since acquiring KG and, in the process, trade away his favorite player, Paul Pierce, who he has written and talked about, for years, wanting to retire a Celtic - WAS RIVETING! I understand that people want objective analysis, but the draft is supposed to be fun, and this added an insane wrinkle. The guy was reacting to this stuff in real time, it was wild. I appreciated his candor with the Doc Rivers comments, it injected a lot of drama into the second round proceedings. The first of several takes from SI media critic, Richard Deitsch:

@richarddeitsch
The Doc Rivers-Bill Simmons sequence was honest, tense television. Bravo, ESPN. Bravo times two.

As for Shane, I give him a pass because it was his first time doing that job. I thought he'd be better. Back to Deitsch:

‏@richarddeitsch
I like Shane Battier so I would advise him not to do a Twitter Search tonight.
@richarddeitsch
Ms. Mechum nails it on Mr. Battier. RT ‏@beffsicle Big difference between being good on TV and asking good questions.
@richarddeitsch
Shane Battier is a smart/thoughtful guy. Get him more TV reps, great producers, assignments where he can play off staffers, he'll be good.

On to our guys. I am excited for Mason and Ryan. With the wild KG/Pierce trade, the Nets are going to be a huge story moving forward. Mason will have a chance to earn PT for a legit title contender and learn from KG, and Brook Lopez. I have heard that KG is tough on his teammates but also very loyal. I would assume that if Mason seeks it out, he'll get some mentoring. With Reggie Evans and Kris Humphries gone, there will be minutes for energized rebounders. I am psyched to have him in my home TV market. For Ryan, the LA situation is kind of crazy right now, but its a great destination, Kobe is a legend, etc. Both our guys are getting throwing into organizations and cities with major energy, media coverage, A-listers, etc. It will be fun for them, I hope.

The salary cap is really making teams do some crazy maneuvering with stashing foreign players, etc. A bit of a tangent, but here is a really interesting an enlightening article from ESPN the Mag about how the Spurs like young foreign players because they work harder, have better fundamentals, and are more coachable than US players
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9364989/san-antonio-spurs-doing-right-drafting-international-athletes-espn-magazine

The rest of the draft, from the unpredictable top 10 picks, to the many trades, was really fun. Some highlights:
-Shabazz Muhammed, who apparantly was across the street with Bill Duffy because he didn't want to endure a potentially long sit in the green room, showed up in the arena well after he was picked, was announced by David Stern anyway, and then appeared from Stern's secret little room behind the stage, shook Stern's hand, and then went back into the secret room. Nobody uses the secret room except for the commish!
-David Stern had a blast with his final draft. With every pick, he egged on the crowd to boo him louder. When he announced the final pick, he got a standing ovation. Then, Commish-in-Waiting and Duke Grad Adam Silver came out and said that there was a special guest - the first pick Stern ever announced - Hakeem the Dream! Hakeem came out and made a few short but heartfelt remarks and they hugged. It really was a poignant moment that they nailed.
-The tradition has always been to boo Stern and then lustily cheer Adam Silver when he comes out to announce the second round. When Silver first appeared though, he got the huge boos - welcome to the job! I credit the crowd for being smart and savvy to pull that one off.
-When the Pelicans picked Nerlens Noel, before the trade was announced, Shane said, "It's gonna be a 'Block Party' in the Big Easy!" Simmons said it was a great knickname, like 'Lob City' in LA with the Clips. Right after Stern announced the trade, and he headed back into his secret lair, Simmons said, "The Commish is going back to pour out his 40 for 'Block Party". I found that hilarious.
-You could tell that Jay was highly amused by Simmons' candor, but none of the other panelists was "going there". As Jalen said more then a few times, "Bill, don't get fired..."

Loved it. Now just want to see where Seth will land.

[Billy Dat]

http://fansided.com/2013/06/28/doc-rivers-son-attacks-bill-simmons-on-twitter-after-2013-nba-draft/

[sagegrouse]

FWIW the NBA Draft is 100 times better than the NFL Draft, which lasts -- what? -- three days? The NFL, being on top of the heap, doesn't seem care about creating theater with its show.

sagegrouse

[tommy]

With a quick scan of the draft compared to the DBR Mock Draft, I noticed Bob Green picked Alex Len with the 5th pick, and the actual draft had Len going 5th also, to Phoenix. Also, Jason Evans had the 17th and 18th overall picks for Atlanta and he chose Dennis Schroeder at #17; Schroeder did go to the Hawks at #18.

Didn't see anyone else that we internet GM's picked "on the number", but some were close (and who knows, maybe some picks on this board were better values than the NBA picks).

Gotta defend myself just a little here. With Detroit's first round pick, I contemplated and discussed Anthony Bennett, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Trey Burke, and went with Bennett. Bennett of course ended up as the #1 overall pick in the league -- meaning I think I got a pretty good value there -- and Caldwell-Pope is the guy Detroit actually selected at #8. The guy selected immediately after Caldwell-Pope in real life? Trey Burke.

[FerryFor50]

I have heard that KG is tough on his teammates but also very loyal. I would assume that if Mason seeks it out, he'll get some mentoring.


You sure about that? Ask Rick Rickert...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50496-2004Aug31.html

Rickert's crime? Scoring on KG.

[roywhite]

I'm still confused by all this Zeller hate.

yeah, hard to tell how it will work out

Zeller seems like a good prospect with his size and mobility, but frankly I was disappointed with older brother Tyler in Season #1.....thought he might have more of an impact, particularly with some maturity after a very good 4-year college career; he ended up shooting a low percentage from the field for an inside guy (less than 44%). So is Cody a better prospect than Tyler...yeah, probably, but will he have an impact in the first year or two?

Then, of course, there's Jordan's abysmal track record with the draft and running a team in general.

Cody deserved a little kinder treatment, at least "wait and see", but gotta feel some sympathy for Charlotte fans.

[Billy Dat]

You sure about that? Ask Rick Rickert...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50496-2004Aug31.html

Rickert's crime? Scoring on KG.

(no comeback)

[crimsonandblue]

yeah, hard to tell how it will work out

Zeller seems like a good prospect with his size and mobility, but frankly I was disappointed with older brother Tyler in Season #1.....thought he might have more of an impact, particularly with some maturity after a very good 4-year college career; he ended up shooting a low percentage from the field for an inside guy (less than 44%). So is Cody a better prospect than Tyler...yeah, probably, but will he have an impact in the first year or two?

Then, of course, there's Jordan's abysmal track record with the draft and running a team in general.

Cody deserved a little kinder treatment, at least "wait and see", but gotta feel some sympathy for Charlotte fans.

You don't often take a T-rex who regressed in the top 5.

[luburch]

You don't often take a T-rex who regressed in the top 5.

The common perception seems to be regressed, but in reality he didn't. I watched every Indiana game the last two seasons and his sophomore season he was better than his freshman season.

[brevity]

I'm still confused by all this Zeller hate.

It's mostly situational. The Bobcats aspired to win the #1 pick in the draft lottery but got bumped to 4th. Then they watched as both Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, and Alex Len fell from the Top 3, and had the option of picking one of them and arguing that it was the pick they would have made at #1. Finally, they knew that there were teams (Minnesota at #9?) considering a trade up.

They did none of that. By picking Cody Zeller, they can't argue that this is the #1 pick they wanted all along, and they don't have an obvious response when fans complain that they could have traded down and still picked him at, say, #9. The GM's job in a draft is to ignore fan opinion before the pick is made, but then deal with it after. Press relations plays a role, particularly with a franchise that has a history of mostly bad decisions.

I haven't looked, but I would imagine that a Bobcats fan poll of the pick would break down like this:

* Like the Cody Zeller pick a lot
* Like Cody Zeller, but should have traded down to get him
* Should not have drafted Cody Zeller at all

[devildeac]

To those of you monitoring the fate of the State guys, C.J. Leslie just signed with the Knicks

Yea, but with what team did Calvin sign:rolleyes:;)?

[rsvman]

The common perception seems to be regressed, but in reality he didn't. I watched every Indiana game the last two seasons and his sophomore season he was better than his freshman season.

This is true.

And despite the fact that everybody salivates over Oladipo all the time, Zeller was actually the leading scorer and leading rebounder on the team.

But for some reason I can't fully explain, I still don't think it was a very good pick and I still think he'll underperform at the next level. I'm happy to be proven wrong; I don't have anything against Zeller.

[BlueDevilBrowns]

I didn't have a problem with Cleveland's first pick. If the kid is as good as he looked last year in college I think he'll be very, very good and he meets a need for the Cavs. But every other pick they've made has me baffled. First they pass on Mason when he's right there for the taking and clearly the best player left at that point, and on top of that they need help at center. Instead they've picked guard after guard after guard. What the heck are they thinking? Their need is clearly in the frontcourt, not the backcourt. Wow...

Actually, Cleveland's biggest needs were at SF, outside shooting, and overall Defense. Bennett can play 3/4 depending on matchups, while Karasev is a great shooter and can play the 2/3. Felix is limited offensively, but is an athletic defender who can match up against 2's or 3's. Crabbe is another great shooter. Mike Brown likes larger guards that can defend smaller opposing wings.

Don't forget, too, Verejao was injured most of last year, but is all-star calliber when healthy. Throw in Tristan Thompson and Zeller, and I think the frontcourt is fine for the "new" NBA(meaning no one has dominant centers anymore).

Perhaps, looking at value, you could have went with Withey over Felix in the 2nd round, but all-in-all, I thought a solid draft for my Cavs.

[Olympic Fan]

Just to clarify a couple of points:

-- No "hate" for Cody Zeller ... I wish him well. I just don't believe he'll be a significant NBA player. That's my opinion and I know I'm not omniscient ... course, I'm not an inept owner who has turned my franchise into a joke either. We'll see on that one.

-- I do get frustrated by fans who complain that their team should have traded down ... well, for that to happen, it requires a team wanting to trade up. I'm sure there were plenty of GMs trying to trade down, but very few wanting to leap upwards to grab a specific guy.

-- All of this just reinforces the idea that this was the worst draft in modern memory. Maybe some of the many European guys will blossom into stars, but very few of the college guys will.

-- Next year's draft is going to be much, MUCH better. It's not just Wiggins, although the ESPN guys made him seem like the prize. Marcus Smart would have been a top 3-4 guy in this draft. Julius Randle, Jabari Parker ... a lot more quality prospects in 2014.

[pfrduke]

Just to clarify a couple of points:

-- No "hate" for Cody Zeller ... I wish him well. I just don't believe he'll be a significant NBA player. That's my opinion and I know I'm not omniscient ... course, I'm not an inept owner who has turned my franchise into a joke either. We'll see on that one.

This suggests the Bobcats were anything other than a joke at some point in time...

[crimsonandblue]

The common perception seems to be regressed, but in reality he didn't. I watched every Indiana game the last two seasons and his sophomore season he was better than his freshman season.

Well, he scored less, rebounded fewer and blocked fewer per game than he did as a frosh. Granted, he was more efficient in terms of scoring, with a slightly lower usage rate than his freshman year. I think most would agree he was somewhat more polished, but I guess it may come down to whether he's expected to be a four or five. He's no NBA five.

And he's not quite the T-rex I indicated, but he doesn't have great length. Noel's wingspan is five inches wider, for example.

He's just not a top-five pick. Well, except that he was.

[DukeWarhead]

He's just not a top-five pick. Well, except that he was.

Methinks some sour grapes that he slid ahead of the Benny Mac. Maybe just a little. But not getting picked by Charlotte is a blessing. Maybe MacLemore is better off.

[sporthenry]

It's mostly situational. The Bobcats aspired to win the #1 pick in the draft lottery but got bumped to 4th. Then they watched as both Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, and Alex Len fell from the Top 3, and had the option of picking one of them and arguing that it was the pick they would have made at #1. Finally, they knew that there were teams (Minnesota at #9?) considering a trade up.

They did none of that. By picking Cody Zeller, they can't argue that this is the #1 pick they wanted all along, and they don't have an obvious response when fans complain that they could have traded down and still picked him at, say, #9. The GM's job in a draft is to ignore fan opinion before the pick is made, but then deal with it after. Press relations plays a role, particularly with a franchise that has a history of mostly bad decisions.

I haven't looked, but I would imagine that a Bobcats fan poll of the pick would break down like this:

* Like the Cody Zeller pick a lot
* Like Cody Zeller, but should have traded down to get him
* Should not have drafted Cody Zeller at all

This is the issue. It isn't that Zeller is bad, but is he the #4 pick? Maybe. Is he the #4 pick over McLemore, Len, and Noel? No. I started to love Zeller as a late lottery pick. I thought he fit the Sixers at 11 and he'd come in and be an instant rotation guy. He has some record regarding his jumping and his size so he projects to be a plus rebounder. But defensively, he won't be as good as Noel and offensively, McLemore. Bobcats need impact players and they took a safe pick at 4. 5 years from now, they might look smart if everyone behind them busts, but Zeller just doesn't have the upside especially for a crappy team.

[FerryFor50]

This is the issue. It isn't that Zeller is bad, but is he the #4 pick? Maybe. Is he the #4 pick over McLemore, Len, and Noel? No. I started to love Zeller as a late lottery pick. I thought he fit the Sixers at 11 and he'd come in and be an instant rotation guy. He has some record regarding his jumping and his size so he projects to be a plus rebounder. But defensively, he won't be as good as Noel and offensively, McLemore. Bobcats need impact players and they took a safe pick at 4. 5 years from now, they might look smart if everyone behind them busts, but Zeller just doesn't have the upside especially for a crappy team.

I'd argue that in this draft, where someone got picked doesn't really matter (unless you're Alex Len. Yeesh... now THAT was too high).

Lots of parity in the first 10-15 picks.

[Henderson]

-- Next year's draft is going to be much, MUCH better. It's not just Wiggins, although the ESPN guys made him seem like the prize. Marcus Smart would have been a top 3-4 guy in this draft. Julius Randle, Jabari Parker ... a lot more quality prospects in 2014.

People make that assumption about Jabari, but this kid marches to a little bit different beat. Don't be too surprised if he stays for another year. Heck, he may shock the world and stay 3 years, graduating before the NBA draft. A lot of recruits routinely mouth the words about the importance of the education and the college experience, but I think Jabari Parker and his family actually mean it.

With Wiggins and the entire University of Kentucky student body entering the draft next year, he might see some benefit in waiting, depending on what 2015 looks like next spring.

[Billy Dat]

Mason, his new Coach, and his new PG.
http://instagram.com/p/bHOuUslPo0/#

Keep it in the K family!

[Double DD]

Well, he scored more, rebounded more and blocked more per game than he did as a frosh. Granted, he was less efficient in terms of scoring, with a slightly higher usage rate than his freshman year. I think most would agree he was somewhat more polished, but I guess it may come down to whether he's expected to be a four or five. He's no NBA five.

And he's not quite the T-rex I indicated, but he doesn't have great length. Noel's wingspan is five inches wider, for example.

He's just not a top-five pick. Well, except that he was.

I think you looked at his stats backwards. I've corrected it.

[luburch]

Well, he scored less, rebounded fewer and blocked fewer per game than he did as a frosh. Granted, he was more efficient in terms of scoring, with a slightly lower usage rate than his freshman year. I think most would agree he was somewhat more polished, but I guess it may come down to whether he's expected to be a four or five. He's no NBA five.

And he's not quite the T-rex I indicated, but he doesn't have great length. Noel's wingspan is five inches wider, for example.

He's just not a top-five pick. Well, except that he was.

Not sure where you're getting your statistics from, but his points, rebounds, and blocks all improved his sophomore year.

[Dev11]

People make that assumption about Jabari, but this kid marches to a little bit different beat. Don't be too surprised if he stays for another year. Heck, he may shock the world and stay 3 years, graduating before the NBA draft. A lot of recruits routinely mouth the words about the importance of the education and the college experience, but I think Jabari Parker and his family actually mean it.

With Wiggins and the entire University of Kentucky student body entering the draft next year, he might see some benefit in waiting, depending on what 2015 looks like next spring.

I'm willing to bet that Jabari is gone after next year. If he stays for more than a year, something probably went wrong.

[acewatson]

I didn't see anyone post this yet but I found it interesting. It is the view from Google Glass that Victor Oladipo had leading up to the draft. First thing I noticed was he mentions Quinn Cook being with him at the hotel room.
http://www.theverge.com/2013/6/28/4470344/exclusive-victor-oladipo-nba-draft-through-the-lens-of-google-glass

[BD80]

People make that assumption about Jabari, ... With Wiggins and the entire University of Kentucky student body entering the draft next year, he might see some benefit in waiting, depending on what 2015 looks like next spring.

To paraphrase an ol' country western song: you don't have to go into the draft, you just can't stay here! Isn't that right Kyle Wiltjer?

[Billy Dat]

I didn't see anyone post this yet but I found it interesting. It is the view from Google Glass that Victor Oladipo had leading up to the draft. First thing I noticed was he mentions Quinn Cook being with him at the hotel room.
http://www.theverge.com/2013/6/28/4470344/exclusive-victor-oladipo-nba-draft-through-the-lens-of-google-glass

I saw that Mason and Oladipo were hosting a draft party together:
http://instagram.com/p/a_riJRlPjd/#

But, your note made me do some research, and it looks like Oladipo is from the DMV and went to DeMatha. He and Quinn must be friends from the pre-college days.

[crimsonandblue]

I think you looked at his stats backwards. I've corrected it.


Year PPG RPG BPG FG% TS% ORtg ORB% USG%
2011-12 (Frosh) 16.5 8.1 1.3 56.2 62.3 119.4 12.4 26.6
2012-13 (Soph) 15.6 6.6 1.2 62.3 66.5 126.8 11.2 24.3
All advanced stats via Ken Pomeroy. (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1643504-cody-zellers-strong-combine-performance-should-reinvigorate-draft-stock)

This is what you get for ever trusting a bleacher report article (you're right that they had the stats flipped). My bad. Thanks for the correction.

[gwlaw99]

Curry invited to Bobcats Summer League team.
http://fayobserver.com/articles/2013/06/28/1266549?sac=fo.sports

[g-money]

Mason, his new Coach, and his new PG.
http://instagram.com/p/bHOuUslPo0/#

Keep it in the K family!

Awesome. I don't know why I got so pissed at Cleveland for bypassing Mason yesterday. They ended up doing him a big favor.

Looking forward to seeing a lot of DWill-to-Plumlee alley-oops next year.

[Saratoga2]

My opinion of how the teams look at players for selection in the draft include several criteria. Among those are:
1.Team needs
2. Ability to thrive in the pro game. (Pro level athletic ability and strength)
3. Intelligence
4. Scoring ability

Looking over those in the draft, none have are strong in all these attributes, and it is silly to compare players against some ideal. Instead, they need to be compared against each other. I think the draft does a pretty good job of placing the guys in order of their ability.

In Mason's case you have a very intelligent guy who played four years at Duke and gave it his all. His is over 6'11" in stocking feet and is quite athletic, particularly for his size. All that is to the good, and I really appreciate what he did for Duke in his 4 years here. That said, he did have weaknesses. He never developed any kind of jump shot and while he got much better from the line, his form was never good. I guess the question is; "If he couldn't develop in those areas in 4 years, is there an expectation he will make a lot of progress as a pro". In the area of helpside defense, he seemed a step slow. Never understood that one. His defensive rebounding was good and he scored well when catching the ball near the basket, but his footwork was weak when catching the ball with his back to the basket and his offensive rebounding was just so-so. When you look at big men picked ahead of him, Zellar is more flexible offensively, Len is more massive and has at least the semblance of a scoring game, Noel is a project being drafted on promise, Adams is also more massive with some offensive ability but poor conditioning, Olynyk has a solid offensive game, Nogueva is an unknown to me, Deng seems to have a lot of potential. Looking at those big men, I would put Mason ahead of Adams and maybe Noel witth Nogueva being an unknown. In my view Mason could have gone as low as 16 but having him in at 22 wasn't too far off. I am not sure the Nets team was the best for Mason, but you have to go where they want you.

[Newton_14]

I'm still confused by all this Zeller hate.

As the Mock GM and a Bobcats/Hornets fan, I am pissed at the selection. Now, Zeller is likely to turn into a fine face the basket PF, but for Charlotte I think Len would have been a better pick if Charlotte was going to draft a big. Len will be able to score in the post better than Zeller ever will in my opinion. I just think Zeller went too high, even in a weak draft.

Weird draft starting with the pick numero uno.

[Jeff Frosh]

With Dwight Howard going to Houston, the Lakers are saying that they will not amesty Pau Gasol and will move him from power forward to center. This leaves the starting power forward position open and the present candidates are Metta World Peace, Jordan Hill and Ryan. And there is a pretty good chance they will amnesty Metta, especially if they like the way Ryan is looking. It seems like Ryan will have a good chance to either start or get some good minutes off the bench. Whether you like the Lakers or not, it will be pretty cool to see Ryan on the court with Kobe, Nash and Gasol.