The Official NBA Draft Blog
JamesOn Curry has been chosen 51st overall by the Bulls.
Josh McRoberts' nightmare is over. Along with everybody else in this draft, he's going to Portland.
The busiest man in the world is the guy who stitches names on Blazer uniforms. "Getting rid of junk," as Mark Jackson put it, referring to Randolph.
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The ESPN guys had better hope that Jason Richardson-Brandan Wright deal actually happens. They've gone on record as saying the deal is "stupid." If it doesn't go down, they'll need to issue an apology for premature speculation.
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Yet more pain for those who haven't been picked: Someone who "has yet to play at a high level in Europe" just became the final choice of the first round.
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It can't be good to be Josh McRoberts now. The 28th pick has just come and gone and it was apparently used on a guy who won't even play in the league this coming season.
There are two picks left in the first round.
This consensus of 11 mock drafts had him going 17th.
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Is there anyone left in the Green Room? Afflalo just came out of the crowd.
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The Seattle job is nice. If you don't mind moving again in another year.
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Here's a difference between the NBA and NFL drafts: NFL teams won't trade fifth-round draft choices in return for established players. The Suns just sold their first-round selection to Portland, according to ESPN.
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There's a vicarious Greensboro connection in this alleged Knicks-Blazers deal. Channing Frye, nephew of Henry and Shirley Frye, is apparently headed westward.
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Credit the Bobcats for some creativity with the 22nd overall pick: Jared Dudley of Boston College will surprise people in a good way.
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Daequan Cook? Really?
Second "upside" reference of the night.
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Two years ago, Josh McRoberts was a high school stud bound for Duke. Some said he should have gone to the NBA draft right then and there. Jason Smith was coming off a nice freshman year at Colorado State. Be honest here: Had you heard of Jason Smith until five minutes ago? Smith has been selected. McRoberts is still waiting.
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Javaris Crittenton goes 19th. Guess he made a good call in leaving Ga Tech so soon.
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That'll sell tickets in Oakland: Marco Belinelli.
And we now have a "quite frankly" reference from someone other than Stephen A.
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I think Stephen A. Smith is excited about his Knicks' acquisition of Zach Randolph. "This is a beautiful, beautiful day."
Nice objective journalism.
Not sure what the Knicks fans liked more: the acquisition of Randolph or the dismissal of Stephon Marbury.
The news keeps getting better for Blazer fans. Greg Oden in and Zach Randolph out? Now it's possible to root for your team without feeling slimy.
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Talk about a buzz kill .....
If you're in the athletics department at Eastern Washington University, it's a proud moment. You have a player drafted in the first round. And then the broadcaster drops this line: "He was recruited by Washington and Washington State, but when grades became an issue, he wound up at Eastern Washington."
Let's read between the lines on that one, shall we?
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We have the best line of the evening, courtesy of Jay Bilas: "You know, Stu, I'm not hung up on the whole Carolina thing." Outstanding. Somebody finally has the guts to call out Scott on his pathetic homerism. Bilas is the best thing on ESPN because of his professionalism. Some others could learn a thing from that.
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Al Thornton is a lottery pick. And that's a good thing. Probably the most exciting player in the ACC last year.
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What drew Julian Wright to bowling? He lived in Lawrence, Kan., for a year.
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I'd like to thank Kilborn for offering his comments.
At least there has been some suspense to these most recent picks. For those at the WaMu Theatre, there is no suspense. They can tell who's about to get picked just by looking at down at the "Green Room." A cameraman is tipped off to the choice and gets in position -- right at the feet of the draftee -- just as The Commish is waking to the podium.
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I won't be watching "The Bronx is Burning," but the actor playing Billy Martin is a dead ringer for the former Yankee manager.
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Here's a hint that you may have screwed up your first-round pick: If you become the first team to select a player who was not invited to attend the festivities in NYC.
Thaddeus Young at No. 12? Wow. Nice player at Georgia Tech, but did anybody see this coming?
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It appears the Sixers have new uniforms as well. "PHILA" now graces the front.
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The Hawks got a better player at No. 11 in Acie Law than they selected at No. 3, Al Horford.
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Right now, there are dozens of players who are clearly willing to wait a little longer to be selected. Sacramento? Not popular.
Spencer Hawes seems excited about staying on the West Coast.
I believe we have our first "upside" reference of the night. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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Is it a good hair day? That's not my area of expertise. But Joakim Noah is a nice pick at No. 9. He would have gone in the top three a year ago, but it's hard to say he made a mistake in coming back to Florida. In 20 years, how many people will wear two NCAA championship rings and say they were first-round draftees?
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True to form and contrary to previous presumptions, the Bobcats take another Tar Heel. Rumor now has it that they'll select Wes Miller in the second round.
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I'm not an expert, but I think this Timberwolves pick is a steal. Corey Brewer was the best player in the NCAA tournament. Diligent, all-around guy.
As Mike Tirico just pointed out, four of the first seven draftees played in the NCAA championship game. So why was the game so bad?
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We have our first contradiction between ESPN Talking Heads. Andy Katz says the Bucks will keep Yi. Ric Bucher says trade talks may start. This is inevitable when you have dozens of experts covering the same event.
Enjoy Milwaukee, Yi.
While I applaud Andy Katz' work ethic, I liked the draft better when announcements were actually surprises and had not been trumped by reporting.
The other question: Why are they making Jeff Green wear the Celtics hat? At least ESPN is not showing a tight shot, which would provide an up-close view of a bizarre contradiction: guy wearing a Boston hat and talking about how excited he is to be a Sonic.
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Mike Conley and Greg Oden have officially broken up. Unlike most relationships, a third party has instigated the dissolution.
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If the ESPN report is correct, we must assume that Ray Allen, who played at UConn, is OK with playing for the Celtics. This would apparently make him rare among all NBA players -- both current and prospective.
Durant has a wingspan seven inches longer than his height. That is absolutely off the charts.
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Jordan Talking Deals?: OK, so my theory is out. I assumed the Bobcats would do anything in their power to draft another Tar Heel, Brandan Wright. Just so they could field an entire team of UNC guys and still draw the same 12,500 apathetic fans per game in a city that didn't really care if it got another NBA team or not.
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Before we start this process, it might be helpful to get a preview. A Web site -- I'm not entirely comfortable with it because it's gambling-related -- has compiled a consensus of 11 mock drafts.
Comments (11)
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My pick for guy who moves up: Al Thornton, FSU. He'll be gone long before the Sixers pick at No. 12.
Posted on June 28, 2007 7:32 PM
I like how they have the players fitted with the nifty Madonna-style mikes. Keeps those mumblers' words from fading into oblivion.
Posted on June 28, 2007 7:48 PM
So in the first four picks, you have:
2 guys from the same HS (Lawrence North in Indy)
2 guys from maybe 10 minutes from each other (Durant is from Suitland, Md.; Green is from Hyattsville, Md.)
Posted on June 28, 2007 8:02 PM
Tim Duncan's adidas commercial reminded me: I once played in a pickup game at Wake against him. I had Rodney Rogers on my team, and Duncan had Trelonnie Owens. I picked Owens' pocket for a layup (no lie), and my team beat Duncan's team. True story.
Back to the draft: Yi and Bogut, the Bucks go Pacific Rim.
Posted on June 28, 2007 8:08 PM
Dick Vitale has amazing pull: He gets to cover the draft from his living room in Florida. Andy Katz and Ric Bucher (who taught him to spell?) need to compare notes.
Posted on June 28, 2007 8:15 PM
Apparently, selling tickets is more important to the Bobcats. Pick another Tar Heel and miss out on Al Thornton.
Posted on June 28, 2007 8:20 PM
How many freshmen is that in the top 10?
Oden, Durant, Conley, Wright, Hawes. Half the draft so far.
Posted on June 28, 2007 8:34 PM
Guess I thought too much of Al Thornton. Oh, there he is. He's now a Clipper. I thought LAC was supposed to take McRoberts; they are Duke West.
Posted on June 28, 2007 9:00 PM
Well, Rob, about Eastern Washington, consider what you're dealing with: In its latest coaching search, one of the finalists was taken out for a lunch during his interview. The restaurant: McDonald's.
Posted on June 28, 2007 9:19 PM
Kilborn used to host the Late, Late Show. But he goes to bed earlier these days. Thought McRoberts would have been picked by now. Remember, N&R's Jim Young pointed out Oden calling McRoberts "a monster." Greg shouldn't quit his day job.
Posted on June 28, 2007 10:00 PM
Hey, Rob, I've been away, watching the Phillies beat the Reds in 10 innings in a rain storm. Has Greensboro's own Wes Miller been taken by the Bobcats yet in the 2nd round as you predicted he would?
Posted on June 28, 2007 10:40 PM