Category: NBA Draft (Page 53 of 55)

Here are picks 16 through 30 and what is being said about the prospects:

16) Chicago (to Philadelphia) – Rodney Carney, F, Memphis
Dick Vitale liked the defensive ability he did on J.J. Redick when Memphis played Duke last season. He has extraordinary speed that can guard well and has pure athleticism. Many analysts like Carney, but scuffed at the selection by the 76ers, citing that Allen Iverson could have used a better complementary player.

17) Indiana Pacers – Shawne Williams, F, Memphis
Memphis has never had multiple players selected in the NBA Draft, never the less back to back in the first round. Williams is aggressive and has all the tools to be a nice contributor. However, he is focused on only scoring and might be too immature to play at the next level.

18) Washington – Oleksiy Pecherov, C, Ukraine
This is the first international pick in the first round for the Wizards. Pecherov is not a project, but does need some seasoning. He is an outstanding rebounder, but doesn’t have a lot of experience. Good size, good range and might have to stay overseas for at least a year.

19) Sacramento – Quincy Douby, G, Rutgers
Douby can light it up from the perimeter and can really fill up the basket. He is an excellent scorer who can be compared to the likes of his draft counterparts Adam Morrison and J.J. Redick. Probably a two guard at the NBA level, he might turn out to be a steal at No. 19 for the Kings.

20) New York (from Denver) – Renaldo Balkman, F, South Carolina
Considered a second round talent on most analyst draft boards, Balkman has limited ball skills and may struggle under a shaky Knicks frontcourt. Balkman probably wouldn’t have been selected by any other teams in the first round and with Marcus Williams still on the board at this point in the first round, New York probably blew this pick.

21) Phoenix (from L.A. Lakers) – Rajon Rondo, G, Kentucky
First point guard taken in the first round, Rondo isn’t a great shooter, but led Kentucky in assists last year. He is one of the best perimeter defenders in the draft and won’t be counted on to be an offensive threat if he stays in Phoenix.

22) New Jersey (from L.A. Clippers) – Marcus Williams, G, UConn
Fell all the way to No. 22 despite being ranked as the best point guard in the entire draft. Williams needs to get into better condition, but is the best pure passer in the draft and should be a solid contributor early for the Nets.

23) New Jersey – Josh Boone, F, UConn
Boone is a very good defender and probably the best offensive rebounder in the draft. Offensively he thinks too much and has a hard time making free throws, but was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Overall, very good back-to-back picks by New Jersey, although Boone might have been a bit of a stretch.

24) Memphis – Kyle Lowry, G, Villanova
Plays with control, is very energetic and is a complete gym rat. Lowry is the type of guy that gets to every lose ball and has a high motor. He doesn’t shoot the ball, but is becoming more disciplined and as his shot improves, he should be a solid pick for Memphis.

25) Cleveland – Shannon Brown, G, Michigan State
NFL body who is athletic and strong. Brown can make shots and really get out in the break that might be the steal of the draft. Has no problem shooting and was well coached at MSU by Tom Izzo. He does need to work on his decision-making, however.

26) L.A. Lakers (from Miami)- Jordan Farmar, G, UCLA
This pick was used from the Shaq trade. Farmar is staying close to home while staying in L.A. He is a good passer and has great leadership ability. He can make open shots, but isn’t necessarily a shooter. Farmar can defend the point well and might be a starter as a rookie.

27) Phoenix (to Portland)– Sergio Rodriguez, G, Spain
Not a good shooter, but he is a tremendous passer and at only 20-years old, he is magical with the basketball. Rodriguez is not a great defender and is turnover prone, which leads to many questions surrounding what Portland is doing with now their fourth trade thus far in the first round.

28) Dallas – Maurice Ager, G, Michigan State
The senior guard out of MSU is a great transition player who is very comparable to Michael Finley. He can run the floor and is a good shooter when he gets his feet set. He needs to attack of the dribble more and doesn’t pick up concepts particularly well, but overall is a great kid who wants to learn the game.

29) New York (from San Antonio) – Mardy Collins, G, Temple
Not a bad pick at No. 29, Collins has a pretty good ability level and has great size. He doesn’t knock down free throws real well, but is a way better value pick than Renaldo Balkman at No. 20.

30) Portland (from Detroit) – Joel Freeland, F, England
Freeland is very rare and has come out of nowhere in the past six months. He shoots well and runs well, but he is at least two years away from helping the Portland Trail Blazers.

Here are picks six through 15 and what is being said about the prospects:

6) Minnesota (to Portland)– Brandon Roy, G, Washington
At one point, Roy was considered an early entry into the 2002 NBA Draft, but withdrew his name in hopes of gaining more experience. Named Pac-10 Player of the Year and earned consensus First Team All-American honors as a senior. Was also a finalist for the Wooden Award, Naismith Award, Oscar Robertson Trophy and Adolph Rupp Player of the Year.

7) Boston (to Minnesota)– Randy Foye, G, Villanova
Named to The Associated Press All-America First Team and to the Big East First Team as a senior. Averaged 13.5 points per game during the World University games and helped team to a gold medal. Foye was a three-time All-Big East member as a junior.

8) Houston – Rudy Gay, F, Uconn
Gay was considered a Top 5 pick, but his potential might be being pushed aside by a risk that he might be a slow developer. As Stewart Scott alluded to on ESPN, members of the media and even former UConn coach Jim Calhoon have questioned Gay’s motivation and focus. Still, nobody questions this kids talent.

9) Golden State – Patrick O’Bryant, C, Bradley
Isn’t ready or strong enough to step right in and help the Warriors, but good footwork and hands should give him the opportunity to eventually be a contributor in Golden State. He is the second Bradley player taken in the Top 10 (Hersey Hawkins was the first).

10) Seattle – Saer Sene, F, Senegal
Sene is the third center selected in the first round by Seattle in the last three years. He complete project that is a shot blocker and a rebounder, but doesn’t have a clue on the offensive side of the ball.

11) Orlando – JJ Redick, G, Duke
The All-Time leading scorer in ACC history has a 10 times better 3-point shot than driving record. Yet another instant offensive threat early in the draft, Redick is lights out from behind the arch and will be a dangerous shooter for the Magic.

12) New Orleans – Hilton Armstrong, C Uconn
Big, strong rebounder who is still learning how to play with feel on the offensive end. He has the ability defensively to play at the next level and with the tutelage of P.J. Brown, might provide the biggest impact of any center in the entire draft.

13) Philadelphia (TRADED to Chicago)– Thabo Sefolosha, G Switzerland
Born in South Africa, Sefolosha is versatile, tough and considered a jack-of-all-trades. Sefolosha is athletic and has good size for a Bulls’ backcourt that could use a guard with solid defensive skills.

14) Utah – Ronnie Brewer, G, Arkansas
Transition player with great athleticism and a dad who played in the NBA. Brewer is considered a slasher who isn’t necessarily a great offensive option, but none-the-less a solid option for the Jazz.

15) New Orleans/Oklahoma City – Cedric Simmons, F, North Carolina State
Plays bigger than his height and has tools to work with, including a nice shooting touch. He has to get better on the offensive end and is a bit of a project, but he will provide athleticism for the Hornets.

The Hawks had their sites on power forward Sheldon Williams from Duke for a few weeks. And their assumption that Williams would be at five was dead on.

Williams is possibly the safest “big man” selection in the entire draft, based on his track record. At No. 5, this seems like a solid pick for Atlanta, who will benefit from Williams’ defense and rebound skills.

At 6-9, 260, Williams has the size and potential to be a solid contributor at the next level. His experience of playing his full collegiate career at Duke will only help him give Hotlanta a big man they can lean on to solidify their inconsistent inside game.

The Portland Trail Blazers drafted LSU power forward Tyrus Thomas with the No. 4 pick in the NBA Draft. The pick completes the Trail Blazers’ trade with Chicago in which the two teams swapped selections and also sent Viktor Khryapa to the Bulls.

The Bulls acquire the rights to Tyrus Thomas, which some enthusiast had as the No. 1 ranked player in the draft. He redshirted his first year at LSU, but decided to declare himself eligible for the draft after a freshmen year in which saw him lead the Tigers over highly touted Duke in the NCAA Final Four Tournament.

Thomas will join Tyson Chandler and an overachieving unit in Chicago that might be ready to take the next step in 2007.

If the EA Sports’ NBA Live video game commercial holds any water, Adam Morrison won’t be the one crying on the court this time.

It will be his opponents.

The Charlotte Bobcats selected the small forward from Gonzaga to do one thing: provide offense. Morrison is a scoring machine and a threat from anywhere behind the arch. He’s not a strong defender or rebounder, but should be an immediate impact in Charlotte.

There were reports before the draft that suggested newly acquired front office man Michael Jordan was in love with UCONN star Rudy Gay. But when push came to shove, more people in the Bobcats’ brass liked Morrison.

Long time college basketball analyst Dick Vitale commented that Morrison is the most NBA ready of any player in the draft.