NBA Draft 2010 Power Rankings: Top 25 and More

Finally I am getting to do my first piece on the 2010 NBA Draft. Very excited. This draft is a really interesting one. Last year everyone bashed the draft, but I thought it had some talent and it did. I will revisit some of my critiques about the players in last year's draft next year although 3 years is probably the optimal time. There was a lot of mystery in the 2009 draft as to who would emerge and become big time players. We are already seeing it from a guy I pegged as the 3rd best player in the draft, a guy I didn't believe in too strongly, and a guy whom I strongly doubted could make it because I thought he was a head case. There are always players that outperform expectations like Tyreke Evans has shown. Brandon Jennings got his team to the playoffs and Steph Curry showed the poise of a veteran. We are still waiting to see the players I believe will still be the top 2, Blake Griffin and Ricky Rubio.

So now we get to this draft. Around this time every year we hear about how weak a draft is, just like last year. The thing is, with this year's draft it seems like everyone who had a shot at the first round declared, for better or worse. I believe this draft is quite deep and has a top 4 that has been much better than the top 4s in most recent drafts. Something else I noticed about this incoming class of rookies is how tall everyone is. We always hear about how this guy's a tweener, or how that guy is stuck in between positions, or how another guy would be great if he was 3 inches taller, but you won't be hearing any of that this year. It seems like everyone has prototypical size for their position.

For example, there is a certain height that scouts and GMs stop calling you undersized. This is the perfect height for each position. If you're above these heights in your position it can be a bonus and a great matchup for that player, but sometimes it just makes that player a little out of position and a little too slow for that slot. So here's the prototypical lineup in heights.

PG - 6-3

SG - 6-6

SF - 6-8

PF - 6-10

C - 6-11/7-0

Now let's look at last year's prospects and see how many of the 1st rounders fit that size.

Blake Griffin PF 6-10

Hasheem Thabeet C 7-3

Tyreke Evans PG 6-5 (If you consider him a PG which I don't think he projects to be by 2012)

Ricky Rubio PG 6-5

Stephen Curry PG 6-3

Jordan Hill PF 6-10

Demar DeRozan SG 6-6

Jrue Holiday PG 6-4

Earl Clark SF 6-10

Austin Daye SF 6-11

Eric Maynor PG 6-3

Omri Casspi SF 6-9

BJ Mullens C 7-0

Taj Gibson PF 6-10

That's 14 players. That means that 16 1st rounders were considered undersized for their respective position. Now let's look at Chad Ford's top 30 and see how many we have this year.

John Wall PG 6-4

Derrick Favors PF 6-10

Evan Turner SG 6-7

DeMarcus Cousins C 6-11

Wesley Johnson SF 6-8

Greg Monroe PF 6-11

Ed Davis PF 6-10

Al-Farouq Aminu SF 6-9

Gordon Heyward SF 6-8

Avery Bradley PG 6-3

Donitas Motiejunas PF 7-0

Ekpe Udoh PF 6-10

Hassan Whiteside C 7-0

Paul George SG 6-9

Xavier Henry SG 6-7

Luke Babbitt SF 6-9

James Anderson SG 6-6

Damion James SF 6-8

Kevin Seraphin PF 6-10

Larry Sanders PF 6-11

Solomon Alabi C 7-1

Craig Brackins PF 6-10

Lance Stephenson SG 6-6

Willie Warren PG 6-4

You don't have to go through the whole list but thats 24 of Chad Ford's top 30 that fit into or above prototypical size. Smallest player in the first round mix is Eric Bledsoe at 6-2. Nobody is smaller than that and this is why it's one of the longest drafts I've ever seen. The other 6 guys that didn't fit the prototype for their position missed it by ONE INCH. Huge draft. Size is coming into the league in spades.

So now we get to MY TOP 25! These rankings will probably change a little bit as workouts happen and we get a better idea of who each player is, but this is my current top 25 with about a month before the draft. I'm going to break it down into tiers to show where the drop off is from player D to player E. For the last 3 drafts we have had Tier 1 be only 2 players. In 07 it was Greg "I have a giant penis and everyone knows it because of a naked picture I sent a girl, but I'm horribly embarrassed this information came out to the public" Oden and Kevin "Maybe I, not LeBron, am the chosen one" Durantula. In 08 it was Derrick Rose and Michael "we thought we would be calling him beastley, but instead his nickname is vagina" Beasley. In 09 it was Blake Griffin and Ricky "the Spanish Sensation that was NBA-blocked by my most hated GM ever David Kahn" Rubio. This year is a little different. Let's get to it.

Tier 1

1. John Wall PG 6-4 196 lbs Kentucky Fr.

2. Evan Turner SG 6-7 214 Ohio St. Jr.

3. Derrick Favors PF 6-10 245 Georgia Tech Fr.

4. DeMarcus Cousins C 6-11 292 Kentucky Fr.

Tier 2

5. Wesley Johnson SF 6-8 206 Syracuse Jr.

6. Greg Monroe PF 6-11 247 Georgetown So.

7. Eric Bledsoe PG 6-2 192 Kentucky Fr.

8. Donatas Motiejunas PF 7-0 220 Lithuania 19

9. Al-Farouq Aminu SF 6-9 215 Wake Forest So.

10. Xavier Henry SG 6-7 210 Kansas Fr.

11. Paul George SG 6-9 214 Fresno St. So.

Tier 3

12. Gordon Heyward SF 6-8 211 Butler So.

13. Patrick Patterson PF 6-9 240 Kentucky Jr.

14. Avery Bradley PG 6-3 180 Texas Fr.

15. Ekpe Udoh PF 6-10 237 Baylor Jr.

16. James Anderson SG 6-6 210 Oklahoma St. Jr.

17. Luke Babbitt SF 6-9 214 Nevada So.

18. Ed Davis PF 6-10 227 UNC So.

Tier 4

19. Jordan Crawford SG 6-4 198 Xavier So.

20. Stanley Robinson SF 6-8 213 UConn Sr.

21. Craig Brackins PF 6-10 229 Iowa St. Jr.

22. Hassan Whiteside C 7-0 227 Marshall Fr.

Tier 5

23. Darington Hobson SF 6-7 204 New Mexico Jr.

24. Cole Aldrich C 6-10 236 Kansas Jr.

25. Devin Ebanks SF 6-8 208 West Virignia So.

This is my list right now. I'm going to go into deeper analysis as the days pass on each guy. Some of you might notice I'm a bit high on a few guys like Bledsoe, down on some guys like Ed Davis, and really down on some guys like Cole Aldrich and Daniel Orton who's not even in my top 25. I will get into all of that before the draft. We are creeping up to June 24 so expect the blog to start rolling. Late

McDonald's All-American Game: Thoughts

So I'm trying to get back into the thick of things here. Hello blogosphere. Lots of things are happening right now that relate to the NBA Draft, which most of you know is my obsession. I'm going to start documenting these things more closely and give my thoughts, hopefully on a weekly basis. There's so much to talk about the kids that will be coming into this years draft from college, but I watched the McDonald's All-American game tonight and it gave me my first real look at a lot of guys I have been reading about for a few years now. Perhaps I will get to those soon-to-be NBA rookies next week, but I wanted to share some thoughts on some guys that stood out to me in this game.

Let me preface this by saying that you can't put a lot of judgement on a high school all star game as it is taken as lightly as an NBA all star game so I won't be praising or killing anyone too badly here. I'll wait till they have a college logo on their chest for that. So for those of you interested in the guys coming into college next year (and for some, the NBA in two years) check out my observations.

Harrison Barnes - 6-8, 210 lbs SF, #1 ranked player in class, committed to UNC

If I didn't know where these kids stood coming into the game I would have easily seen that Harrison Barnes was one of the best, if not the best, players on the court. He's a really long 6-8 (possibly 7 foot plus wingspan). He seems to do everything well. Reminded me of Tracy McGrady in that he can shoot, handle the ball, pass it well for his position, and really get up in the air. I saw him finish with both hands when attacking the rim. A very smooth player. Another thing I really liked about Barnes is that he is an academic all-american and was very well spoken in the short interview I saw of him in the game. He made some nice highlights with some high flying dunks and I think he will easily get UNC out of the NIT (Not Invited Tournament. That's what is stands for right?) and into a dangerous tournament team. With a good year, look for him to be one and done and be a high to mid lottery pick when he declares.

Kyrie Irving - 6-1, 170 lbs PG, #4 ranked, committed to Duke

What I like about Kyrie Irving is that he is a pass first point guard. Everyone loves playing with guys like that. Now there was not a lot of passing in this game from anyone, but I did see him make some nice dishes. He also handled the ball really well, never seeming out of control. When he lands at Duke playing in some big ACC games I think people will see a young, but poised player that will keep a team in control. Everyone took some bad shots in this game and he is no exception, but his form looked good and I'm sure he will be a good shooter in college. It's a little too early to gauge where he might be drafted in the pros right now, but he will be under a legend at Duke so hopefully his game will improve to an NBA level.

Tobias Harris - 6-8, 21o lbs SF, #5 ranked, committed to Tennessee

An interesting player that I hadn't heard anything about till tonight. The reason for that is he has skyrocketed up the rankings by chiseling his body and working on his game. That's a great sign for a kid that's just in high school. He had 14 points, but they were all in the first half (sat out the second half by aggravating his foot). It was a quiet 14 as he wasn't doing it with anything flashy. It was simply him having a nose for the ball and displaying some good skills. With Chism leaving, I think Harris will have an immediate impact as a guy that might not be on any sportscenter top ten plays, but will do the big and little things to make that team a winner. I can see him being a late lottery pick to mid first round depending on how he progresses and when he comes out.

Perry Jones - 6-11, 220 lbs SF, #9 ranked, committed to Baylor

This was the guy I had wanted to see the most coming in. Scouts are almost unanimous that Perry Jones has the most NBA potential out of anyone in the class. So why is he only ranked #9 in the class? Well when you watch him play a whole game it's easy to see why. He reminds me of a hot chick with big tits and a tight little ass that doesn't wear makeup, do her hair, and wears big sweatshirts to cover up all the goodness. You just wanna say to them "You could be a 10 if you actually put in some effort and didn't wear North Face fleeces everywhere you go". I actually had to look for him on the court because he didn't do anything. He basically sleep walked through the entire game. The last two minutes was the only time it looked like he was trying. Once again, it was an all star game, but these where the criticisms going in and he did nothing to disprove that on a national stage.

That was the bad, so let's get to those last two minutes. Wow. Now that hot girl is on the beach in a bikini and even she can't hide the talent. The kid is huge, long, in shape, and is probably the most gifted athlete in the class. He made some highlight dunks and blocks and it was easy to see the potential. At 6-11 Perry can really do some special things on the court. There will be some good competition in the Big 12 so he really needs to step up every night. My guess is that he will be inconsistent, but show enough flashes of his limitless upside that he will be a lotto pick. If he did it every night he could be the #1 pick. It is up to Perry Jones and that almost hot chick to be as good as he/she wants.

Jared Sullinger - 6-8, 262 lbs C, #2 ranked, committed to Ohio St.

Was the co-mvp in the game with 24 points, Jared Sullinger showed a versatile game. He was 2-3 from 3 and showed very nice touch and good hands. He could be a very nice pick and pop guy in the NBA with that big body and perimeter game. Reminded me of Karl Malone, but needs to get in better shape. He's not a great athlete, but neither is Demarcus Cousins and he seems to be a lock to be a top 5 pick this year. Sullinger isn't as tall as Cousins, but he also doesn't have the red flags Cousins has, which are major. Jared will definitely be an immediate contributor next year for Columbus and should be a lottery pick when he declares.

So there are my thoughts and my return to the blogosphere on what will hopefully be a consistent basis. Next week I will definitely be touching on the guys coming into this year's draft. If anyone else watched it I wouldn't mind hearing your opinions. Late

Ortiz and Manny Took Steroids

Well it looks like Mr. Blogged about this back in May and isn't surprised, blogged about this back in May and isn't surprised. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz have just been found to be on the mysterious list of 104 players who tested positive for performance enhancing drugs back in 2003. Back in my piece about A-Rod coming back in May when he was found on the same list I said that Ortiz would eventually be found on the list and probably Manny too. Here is the direct quote I wrote back in May.

"Because now, Red Sox fans, the best player from your World Series teams has been suspended for using (performance enhancing drugs) and I am sure that he won't be the last player to be caught either. We all know Big Papi has shrunk since then. I wonder if he is on the same list as A-Rod was on with the other 100 people...hmm...maybe Manny too?"

Now to all the Red Sox fans out there, it has been confirmed. What we knew all along and you were afraid to hear is now out there for everyone to see. So now the two best players on your World Series teams in 2004 and 2007 tested positive for PEDs in 2003. Say what you want about the Yankees, but their two best players didn't juice to get it done. There is no cloud of suspicion over Bernie, Williams, Mariano, and el capitan Derek Jeter. The two championships the Red Sox won will now be known as the least legit of the last 50 years. I love it. Anytime you brag about having won these there will be an instant counterpoint that you could not have won without Manny and Ortiz juicing. I can use the very same counterpoint when you bring up A-Rod since two of your guys were on the SAME LIST.

The new age bash brothers, you can now compare these guys to Canseco and Mcgwire. Those championships are now tainted and you know what else? I'm not buying those magic eyedrops Ortiz took when he was sucking so bad this season and all of a sudden found his way again. It wouldn't surprise me if he was back on HGH. You could tell the guy was desperate to get back to where he was. Would it really surprise you? Does any of this news surprise you or does it just sting that those Red Sox teams will now be notorious for cheating their way to two championships?

One last thing I would like to say is that I believe this list should absolutely be revealed. I don't know how reporters are finding these names out one at a time, but it seems that the powers that be have a motive to release the big names one or two at a time in order to make news. The whole list should be revealed, which is something Red Sox fans might not have wanted before, but I believe we are on the same page now, no?

Ricky Rubio Update

Two. The number of fingers Ricky Rubio is holding up is probably the same number of years it will be before he comes over here (thumb doesn't count). Unfortunately it looks like the hope of bringing him into the NBA this season is fading. GM David Kahn is flying over to Spain to talk to Rubio's Euro Team, DKV, in hopes of lowering his buyout. What the hell is that gonna do? He's gonna go over there, not know anyone, and ask them to lower the buyout? Why would they? DKV wants him back more than they want the buyout and it looks like they will have him.

I've heard Kevin Love and Jonny Flynn talk about Rubio and they have convinced me that they can be a playoff team with him there. Minnesota has a good young core. Anchored by Big Al Jefferson, up and comer Love, and some nice role players. They could be the best passing team in the NBA in a few years as we all know Kevin Love's affinity for the outlet pass. It's just too bad it won't be this year. So how do I think this will all play out?

It's been said by sources close to Rubio's camp that Minnesota, although not where he would have liked to play, isn't the problem. The root of the problem is the high buyout, over $6 million. That factored in with him slipping to the 5th pick put him in a difficult position. The reason being because of the drop in money from the 3rd to 4th to 5th pick looks like the difference in him being able to pony up the buyout money.

There is a best case scenario, a worst case scenario, and what I ultimately think will happen, which no one has even talked about.

The best case scenario would be that he get traded to a bigger market. This would up his endorsements and give him more than enough money to pay the buyout this year, especially if it gets lowered somehow, maybe by the court. This doesn't seem likely, but he should still have enough money with the endorsements he could get now to pay off the buyout. This really shouldn't be such a big deal. So what? He might not be pulling in a million bucks his first year, but he will be one year closer to that second contract, not to mention he was only making like 100 grand for DKV. I don't know why that's not an option. Maybe Ricky was calling Minnesota's bluff to leverage a trade, but the T'Wolves aren't blinking.

The worst case scenario, and what a lot of people seem to think is the most likely, Ricky stays with DKV for two full years then comes over to Minnesota. The reason its two years is because the buyout will drop to zero by that time. Meanwhile you have Minnesota who has been developing Flynn for two years now as their starting PG. Where would Rubio fit in? You can't really give Ricky the starting job and he doesn't make sense coming off the bench. I guess you could try playing the both of them at the same time and see how that works...

The way I see this playing out is right in the middle of the best and worst case. I believe Ricky plays for DKV for one more season. His buyout goes down by a few million if he stays for one season and seems affordable enough. He really wants to play in the NBA and I don't think he can wait two years. He's an 18 year old kid living in the now generation. Honestly, I'm amazed he's not doing everything he can to raise that money this year. I'm also amazed that more people aren't talking about this as a possibility. Remember, you heard it here first!

A look ahead to the 2010 NBA Draft

It's never to early to look at a preview for next year's draft. The 2010 draft will be a much stronger draft than the past one because the incoming freshman class is a good one and many of them are expected to be one and done. There are also a lot of blue chip soon to be sophomores that stayed in school when they could have been lottery picks this year. In this piece I am going to look at what might be next year's top five players eligible for the 2010 NBA Draft.

1. John Wall PG 6-4 182 lbs Kentucky Fr. - Consensus seems to be that he is the leading candidate to be the number one pick next year. He will most certainly be one and done for Coach Calipari. A point guard with elite athleticism that allows him to make plays in transition very well, whether it's going to the rim or finding an open teammate. He is still a raw player and he is going to have to work on polishing his game on the college level. This kid could be the reason Kentucky is in the championship hunt again.

2. Ed Davis PF 6-9 225 lbs UNC So. - If Davis came out this year most scouts believe he would have went right after Blake Griffin at number two. He opted to stay in school and I think he made a good decision because he did not get enough minutes to get that confidence you need. Will be a premier big man next year with Hansbrough gone and a very likely top 5 pick.

3. Greg Monroe PF 6-11 250 lbs Georgetown So. - Monroe is a player I had the chance to watch a in a few games last season. Right when you see him you can see he oozes with potential. He was a little thin last year coming in to his freshman year, but he showcased a lot of skills and post moves. Not a typical back to the basket type of PF. He has plenty of face up moves and if he improves his strength he will be a top 5 pick.

4. Donatas Motiejunas PF 7-0 220 lbs Lithuania 18 - The next big-time European prospect is this guy. Fluent in English already, his game is developing very nicely. He is playing against a lower level of competition however scouts compare him to Toni Kukoc. Has a certain cockiness that helps and hurts him. Doesn't always have his motor going at full speed, but if he continues to improve he will be a surefire lottery pick next year.

5. Derrick Favors PF 6-9 215 lbs Georgia Tech Fr. - Ultra athletic, but a bit raw on offense, Favors is another kid with lots of upside. His defense his ahead of his offense right now, but he will still score plenty in college just from his athleticism. Will be teamed up with Gani Lawal at Georgia Tech and should get plenty of minutes. If his offense progresses then he will have a serious shot of being taken number one next year.

One more player I wanted to touch on briefly is a kid making a lot of noise in high school. He is only going into his junior year, but it seems that people think he is the best player in high school already. Mike Gilchrist is making serious waves as the number one player in the 2011 class. At 6-7 185 he will project as a SF. His game is already polished and seems like he can do everything well. You may not hear about him for a while, but he is a kid to keep your eye on when he comes to college.

Draft Grades: Winners and Losers

The 2009 Draft is all wrapped up. It was a strange day and you could feel it. I got word of MJ's passing about 20 minutes before the draft. I don't want to get into a long thing with that subject, but he will be missed.

So we now get to the draft. It featured a lot of trades and a lot of picks that I am upset about. Too many of these players got drafted to a team that can't really help them reach their full potential because of the situations around them. One is surely Ricky Rubio (pictured above). So now I will give each team a letter grade for their draft. Note that I won't be counting any of the trades of the night unless they revolved around draft picks.

Atlanta - B+

Jeff Teague 19th overall

Sergei Gladyr 49th overall

Jeff Teague is a good fit for Atlanta. An uptempo team that likes to run. This kid has an explosive first step and is very quick. He is still young and will need to grow into the role, but getting him at 19 was good value. As for Gladyr, well we won't really know for a few years, so it would be dumb for me to even try and project him.

Boston - C+

Lester Hudson 58th overall

This was their only pick. A guy who played well in college, but is quite old. We'll see if he makes the roster.

Charlotte - B+

Gerald Henderson 12th overall

Derrick Brown 40th overall

I think Gerald Henderson will be a good fit for them. They have a hole at 2 guard and he is a great athlete that can contribute right away. Derrick Brown at 40 is good value. Another explosive athlete that could be a good off the bench guy if he can make hustle plays. Solid picks for the Bobcats.

Chicago - C-

James Johnson 16th overall

Taj Gibson 26th overall

I wasn't a big James Johnson fan coming into the draft, but at 16 it could pay off. He was a good player at Wake, but I don't think he has the work ethic to follow up on his talent. At 26 im baffled on how they passed up DeJuan Blair for the second time and took Taj Gibson. A pretty raw kid who can really only block shots. Don't they already have that in Ty Thomas? Both picks to me are questionable.

Cleveland - C

Christian Eyenga 30th overall

Danny Green 46th overall

Emir Preldzic - 57th overall

Very surprised by the first round pick of Eyenga here. With all the guys that were on the board that could have potentially came in and contributed this year they chose an overseas project? Hated that pick. Danny Green is saving their draft grade and he is a solid 2nd round pick. I don't even know the other guy they took, but he will probably never play for them.

Dallas - C+

Rodrique Beaubois 25th overall

Nick Calathes - 45th overall

Ahmad Nivins - 56th overall

This grade would have been much higher of the Mavs hang on to BJ Mullens at 24. To trade him for some French PG with some upside was awful. Beaubois will never be good. he has no basketball IQ. They had the big stuffed panda at the carnival and traded it for a goldfish in a bag. I am really happy they got Calathes and I hope he will come play for them right away. He was the guy I thought they would be targeting with their first round pick. Ahmad Nivins isn't a bad choice there either.

Denver - A-

Ty Lawson 18th overall

I think this pick has good value. He can be a good back up to Chauncey on a team with good veteran leadership. This will be a good situation for him and kudos to Denver for trading for him here.

Detroit - B-

Austin Daye 15th overall

DaJuan Summers 35th overall

Jonas Jerebko 39th overall

Another instance where I like the second rounders better than the first. I think Austin Daye is a bust and was a major reach here. Terrible value. DaJuan Summers is a solid 2nd round pick who will find a spot on the roster. Jonas Jerebko is a guy I like a lot for the future and Detroit did a good job of getting him here.

Golden State - B+

Stephen Curry 7th overall

I love Steph Curry. I am going to assume for the time being that they drafted him and are keeping him. We know what he can do and I think having him and Monta Ellis can work for the offense. The defense will get killed however the Warriors don't pride themselves on their D so Curry fits their philosophy well.

Houston - A-

Jermaine Taylor 32nd overall

Sergio Llull 34th overall

Chase Budinger 44th overall

All second round picks from Houston and I like them all. Taylor was a guy that I thought was going to creep into the first round but he didn't and the Rockets capitalize on a guy that can really score the ball. Sergio Llull is apparently a pretty good player for Spain and in a few years could really return big on their investment. Budinger was one of the surprises of the draft slipping this far, but Houston scoops him up. If nothing else the guy can shoot and I think that all these guys will make their roster.

Indiana - C

Tyler Hansbrough 13th overall

AJ Price 52nd overall

Tyler Hansbrough is not a lottery pick. I repeat, Tyler Hansbrough is not a lottery pick. With all the good point guards still left on the board and with Jarrett Jack leaving I thought this was an easy decision. Whatever, they take the goofy white kid and he will be an 8th man. Great work. AJ price might or might not make the roster but was all that was really left at this point of the draft.

LA Clips - A-

Blake Griffin 1st overall

No brainer here by the Clippers. Now if they could only get some sucker to take on a couple of those bad contracts in their front court, Blake would be assured 35 minutes a game. I gave them an A minus because it was their only pick and even Josh Golden (known for saying the 2000 draft was the best ever) would have taken him here.

LA Lakers - C+

Chinemelu Elonu 59th overall

Chime...China, Chine? Oh for god sake I can't say his name and thats what popped out when I tried. I give Lakers a C+ for reasons unknown.

Memphis - B

Hasheem Thabeet 2nd overall

Demarre Carroll 27th overall

Sam Young 36th overall

I have mixed feelings on Thabeet at 2nd. They kind of had to take him when Rubio told them to fuck off. He probably won't live up to the #2 pick, but he can play D. I like their other picks though. Demarre Carroll was something of a sleeper in this draft and he can turn out pretty decent. Same for Sam not so Young who happens to be 24.

Miami - C

Patrick Beverly 42nd overall

Robert Dozier 60th overall

Two second round picks. I mean, we will see if either make the roster and stick for the year but I wouldn't count on it.

Milwaukee - C

Brandon Jennings 10th overall

Jodie Meeks 41st overall

Man do I hate Brandon Jennings. Gets picked 10th and comes out on the 14th pick. I guess the Bucks feel like they have their PG of the future. They will be sadly mistaken, but then again that's why they are the Bucks. I like Jodie Meeks here. He can be a scorer off the bench for them and should fit in nicely here.

Minnesota - C

Ricky Rubio 5th overall

Jonny Flynn 6th overall

Wayne Ellington 28th overall

Henk Norel 47th overall

Obviously I have a lot to say about Minnesota. I can't fault them for taking Rubio. He was by far the best player on the board. Then they took Flynn with the very next pick? Makes no sense at all. He didn't trade one of them and is denying any interest in doing so. Perplexing really. So now they have Rubio threatening to not play for them. They have to trade him and we will see what they can get back for him. Wayne Ellington was a good value pick for the wolves at 28 and we'll see with Henk Norel.

New Jersey - A-

Terrence Williams 11th overall

Love this pick for New Jersey. Williams is a guy that will go well with that young nucleus they have now. An unselfish player, Williams will be a great glue guy that I believe his teammates will learn to like a lot. Happy they didn't reach for Hansbrough here and make the right choice.

New Orleans - C

Darren Collison 21st overall

Marcus Thornton 43rd overall

A little confused as to why New Orleans drafted to small guards when BJ Mullens and DeJuan Blair were on the board at 21. Collison will be a solid back up for Chris Paul, but he's only gonna play like 10 minutes a game. You could have found guys like that in the second round without the three year commitment. I like Marcus Thornton, but I don't know how many minutes he will get with this team.

New York - A-

Jordan Hill 8th overall

Toney Douglas 29th overall

I think New York got a good player at 8 with Jordan Hill. If they indeed don't have the ponies to resign David Lee then Hill is a necessary replacement. I have a strong belief that he can strive in D'Antoni's system with his great motor. Toney Douglas at 29 was a solid pick as well. he will provide some much needed D to that team and a back up to Duhon.

Ok City - B+

James Harden 3rd overall

BJ Mullens 24th overall

Robert Vaden 54th overall

I think Oklahoma did ok in this draft. I would have loved to see Rubio in that backcourt with Westbrook, but apparently Westbrook, who just finished his rookie season bitched around the GM into making sure he didn't take a PG. Harden is a good fit for them, but he does lack the star quality that Rubio has. Mullens at 24th in the draft is a really good spot for him. He is a boom bust type and there is very little risk at pick 24. Oh and Robert Vaden is ok.

Orlando Magic - Incomplete

Did not have any picks.

Philadelphia - B+

Jrue Holliday - 17th overall

I am partial to Eric Maynor as I thought he would have been a perfect fit for them, but I can't argue too much with Holliday. His value was just too much for them to pass up here and I think they made a good pick by getting a PG they need when Andre Miller bolts.

Phoenix - B+

Earl Clark 14th overall

Taylor Griffin 48th overall

Earl Clark is a really good fit for the Suns here. He possesses a lot of talent and I can see him putting up some good numbers in the uptempo offense in Phoenix. Not to mention all the great passes he will be getting from Nash. Taylor Griffin at 48 is alright too i guess.

Portland - C+

Victor Claver 22nd overall

Dante Cunningham 33rd overall

Patrick Mills 55th overall

I don't know why the Blazers continue to stockpile draft picks. They have enough guys on that roster that I could see both 2nd round picks getting cut. I'm not too fond of either of them. Claver is a good pick there as you can stash him in Spain for a few years, but Portland needs to relax.

Sacramento - D

Tyreke Evans 4th overall

Omar Casspi 23rd overall

Jon Brockman 38th overall

Sacramento is going to look back at that 4th pick and realized they passed on a premier point guard for a guy that they thought could play PG but cannot. Evans might be an ok player, but to pass on Rubio, a guy that wanted to play for you, it's insane. It's no wonder why you had the worst record in the league this year. Your front office is just trying to save their jobs with a quick fix this year but all you are doing is tarnishing your reputation. As for the other two picks, whatever.

San Antonio - A

DeJuan Blair 37th overall

Jack McClinton 51st overall

Nando De Colo 53rd overall

Of course the Spurs had the best draft without needing a first round pick. DeJuan Blair inexplicably slides all the way to them at 37. Unbelievable. Steal of the draft easy. Then they follow up with two solid picks in the 50s. This is why they have been good for so long.

Toronto - B+

Demar DeRozan 9th overall

Toronto gets their guy at 9. I feel it's a good spot for him and the Raptors really needed at 2 guard. Derozan has a lot of potential and will be a good fit for their system. Besides you never doubt the Colangelos when it comes to the draft.

Utah - A-

Eric Maynor 20th overall

Goran Suton 50th overall

I love their Eric Maynor pick. It's a good idea to have an insurance policy for Deron Williams what with his injury last year. This kid can step in and be a great backup right now. Good fit for him although I would have liked to see him in a situation where he could have got more minutes. Goran Suton is a throwaway pick to me.

Washington - Incomplete

Did not have any picks.