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NBA Draft Dull and Uneventful

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Updated: June 29, 2012
Last night’s NBA Draft was dull and uneventful. Yawn…
By the second overall pick I knew what kind of a draft this was — one wrought with players who in three years will be playing overseas or sitting at the far ends of NBDL benches. While Anthony Davis (First overall to the New Orleans Hornets) and a few others have variant forms of star potential, the rest of the party lacked the pungent flare necessary to leave a lasting impression. The draft had no blockbuster moves despite swirling speculations that players such as Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, Rudy Gay, Pau Gasol and Luol Deng could have been had by the evening’s highest bidder. 
 
Instead, the biggest move of the evening was the trade of Mavericks 17th pick Tyler Zeller and combo guard Kelena Azubuike to the Cavaliers, for 24th pick Jared Cunningham, 33rd pick Bernard James and 34th pick Jay Crowder. Nobody batted an eye at news of the trade, other than it involving a three term war veteran in the 27 year old James. The young man served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Qatar, before landing with Leanord Hamilton’s Florida State Seminoles squad. 
Picks worth your attention
Anthony Davis, F, Kentucky Wildcats, 1st pick overall to New Orleans Hornets: While I don’t think Anthony Davis is the kind of big man who will ever dominate the pros (think offensive game of Kenyon Martin with the defensive intangibles of Tyson Chandler), I do think he will make an impact from day-one with the Hornets. His long frame and outrageous vertical leap, will allot him countless blocks both on the perimeter and in the key. He’ll be the defensive game changer getting athletic scorers like Jarett Jack and Eric Gordon in the open floor, while following up tempo misses with crowd pleasing dunks. He is extremely thin, weighing just 225 at 6’11”, and doesn’t have the type of body (long wing span with underdeveloped chest – frame and elongated bicep make up) to fill out the way I think people are hoping he will. That alone will be the difference between a big like him and a rugged bang-on-the-block big like Dwight Howard or Al Jefferson. Best case scenario: Quick, thinner, more versatile version of Tyson Chandler.
Bradley Beal, G, Florida Gators, 3rd pick overall to Washington Wizards: I hate the comparisons to Ray Allen. Not only is it outlandish to compare any young player to a legend (think Harold Minor or Jerry Stackhouse to MJ) like Ray Allen, but badly assessed anyway. Beal shot just 33% from the three point line last season and unlike Allen, has a developed left and right hand dribble. But he isn’t the spot shooter Allen was, and doesn’t have the motor to demand the ball like a franchise player. Beal’s second rated (meaning: team oriented, living on the coattail of another) personality is a perfect fit for Wizards alpha point guard John Wall. Matching him with an outside scorer like Beal, allots Wall ample driving space. It also gives the young point guard a kick out option and better spaces the floor for the efficient Nene. Beal’s most uncanny gift is his crash of the offensive glass, which paired with Nene, Kevin Seraphin and athletic wing Trevor Ariza, should concoct one of the best rebounding team’s in hoops.  Best case scenario: Streakier, more lock down defending version of Eric Gordon.
Harrison Barnes, F, North Carolina Tar Heels, 7th overall to Golden State Warriors: Unfortunately Barnes is the bad byproduct of a media obsession. From day-one at North Carolina, fans, the media and critics alike, believed Barnes would set a mark as great as Michael Jordan or James Worthy in Tar Heel blue. What they forgot to reconcile was his inability to dribble, his spotty three-point shot and his poor defensive mechanics (side to side shuffle, upright positioning). While the media mud slung him as a failure, the rest of us college hoops fans adored him for what he was: a fill-it-up, late-game “give me the damn ball” kind of scorer. The move from Carolina to the uptempo Warriors couldn’t fit the Sean Eliot-like wing any better. Barnes fell in love with the spot up three in transition while playing for Roy Williams and should get much of that with a three point gunning led attack under coach Mark Jackson and star point guard, Steph Curry. Barnes improved his three point shooting his sophomore year and has always been a lights out mid range gunner. Placed with Curry and last year’s athletic pick, Klay Thompson, should make for one high octane affair in Oakland. Best case scenario: Stronger, better finishing Sean Elliot; More quiet tempered Stephen Jackson.
Jeremy Lamb, G, Connecticut Huskies, 12th overall to Houston Rockets: I fell in love with Lamb last year when he and Kemba Walker led the Huskies to a surprising National Championship. For so many reasons: His step back pull up game, his cool and collected demeanor, his athletic reach defensively on the perimeter, his long stride (Durant-like) and most importantly, his ability to play second fiddle with another great player. Lamb is the most complete offensive player in all of this year’s draft, and he’s the most ready to make a difference now. While Lamb will never be the go-to guy on any team, I do believe he’ll be that efficient 2nd or 3rd piece and quietly dropping 17 to 20 points. He’s lean and active, takes the big shot, and has a fluid mid air finisher in the open floor. My definite pick for the draft’s biggest steal. Best case scenario: Less physical Rudy Gay.
John Henson, F, North Carolina Tar Heels, 14th overall to Milwaukee Bucks: John Henson is John Henson’s own enemy. Actually, John Henson’s parents are John Henson’s own enemy. If you have ever seen the 6’11” shot blocking, rebounding, rim rattling freak, you will love him as a basketball player but I doubt his rail thin body’s ability to hold up for the entirety of an 82 – game NBA season. If he can somehow learn when to sacrifice his body and when not to, the Bucks could have themselves a better-scoring Marcus Camby. I like Henson’s upside on offense. He’s quick and can dribble fairly well for a man of his size. The Bucks’ up-tempo, high volume attack with Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis fits him superbly. Best cast scenario: Think Marcus Camby averaging 14 points per game. 
Jared Sullinger, F, Ohio State Buckeyes, 21st overall to Boston Celtics: The big man known as “Sully” or the “Big Teddy Bear,” has been rung through the ringer. One week before the NBA draft, Sullinger, a two time All American 1st team winner and prolific low post player, was red flagged by medical advisers because of a lingering back issue. Projected to be a top-5 pick after his Freshman season, Sullinger became a perfect example of a kid losing stock for staying put in college. And, while we applaud him for that, we feel sorry for him as well. No post player was as efficient and consistent as the 6’9″ forward the last two years at the collegiate level. “Sully” led two top-tier Buckeye teams in scoring and finished in the top-3 in the Big Ten in rebounding. While he is athletically impaired, he has tremendous foot work, strong hands, an array of post moves and a nice fifteen to twenty foot face up game. His wide frame allows him enough of a cushion to work his way around more athletic big men and for a slower forward, he plays above average post defense. If KG does in fact retire, we’ll know the verdict on Sullinger right away. Best case scenario: Al Horford with the athletic limitations of Glen Davis.
Biggest Bust Picks
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist , G, Kentucky Wildcats, 2nd overall to Charlotte Bobcats: Kidd-Gilchrist is not a shooter nor is he an offensive weapon. He’s a defender who happens to get in the open-court from time to time with tremendous strength. But he’s raw. He relies far too heavily on his strength to get him where he needs to go, which in today’s NBA, will land him in foul trouble. 
Terrence Ross, G, Washington Huskies, 8th overall to Toronto Raptors: What seperates Ross from John Jenkins (23rd to Hawks) or Jenkins fellow Vandy vet, Jeff Taylor (31st to Bobcats)? Both players were had for cheaper and have the collegiate experience and NBA-ready stroke necessary to hit the deep three. Ross is not an athlete, he’s a compact shooter with limited depth. Lorenzo Romar produces players who fit within his kabob of miss meshed talent, making very average offensive players seem better than they actually are.
Meyers Leonard, C, Illinois Fighting Illini, 11th overall to Portland Trailblazers: Leonard is a product of being big, wide and strong. But he has clumsy big man feet and the lack of a true post move. Remember Yinka Dare?
Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina Tar Heels, 13th overall to Phoenix Suns: This means without a shadow of a doubt, Steve Nash will be wearing someone else’s uniform next season. To draft Marshall, a back up point guard at-best and a very poor man’s Beno Udrih this high, you have to be one desperate organization.
Miles Plumlee, C, Duke Blue Devils, 26th overall to Indiana Pacers: I thought Leanord was bad, but this is worse. This is a pick on school name alone. Plumlee, a product of Coach K, never played more than 20.5 minutes per game and finished with a career point average of 6.4 points per game. He’s really wide; that is seriously the best I’ve got when it comes to assessing his game.  

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