2010 NBA Draft

Every year for the NBA draft, I like to put on my NBA General Manager pretend shoes and make a couple of picks.  I pick one top ten player and one player who will be taken later in the draft.  It is then interesting to see how well my picks perform in their careers.  My picks are heavily influenced by the NCAA tournament, but I did pick a couple of high schoolers.  Here are my past picks:

 

1994

Grant Hill (3)

NBA co-Rookie of the Year (1995), 7× NBA All-Star (1995–1998, 2000–2001, 2005), All-NBA First Team (1997) , 4× All-NBA Second Team (1996, 1998–2000), NBA All-Rookie First Team (1995), 3× NBA Sportsmanship Award (2005, 2008, 2010), jacked up ankles, one of a few Duke players I actually like.

 

Jalen Rose (13)

NBA All-Rookie Team (1995), NBA Most Improved Player (2000)

 

1995

Kevin Garnett

NBA Champion (2008) , NBA Most Valuable Player (2004), NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2008),13× NBA All-Star (1997-1998, 2000-2010), 4× All-NBA First Team (2000, 2003-2004, 2008), 3× All-NBA Second Team (2001-2002, 2005), 2× All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2007), 8× All-Defensive First Team (2000–2005, 2008-2009), 2× All-Defensive Second Team (2006, 2007), NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1996), NBA All-Star Game MVP (2003), J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (2006), I read an article about him when he was in high school, and just had a feeling about him becoming an NBA great.  Can still name his high school in Chicago – Farragut Career Academy

 

Corliss Williamson (13)

2002 NBA Sixth Man of the Year 

 

1996

Marcus Camby (2)

NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award (2007), 2x NBA All-Defensive First Team (2007, 2008), 2x NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2005, 2006), NBA All-Rookie First Team (1997)

 

Kobe Bryant (13)

5× NBA Champion (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010), 2× NBA Finals MVP (2009–2010),

NBA Most Valuable Player (2008), 12× NBA All-Star (1998, 2000–2010),

2× NBA scoring champion (2006–2007), 8× All-NBA First Team (2002–2004, 2006–2010),

2× All-NBA Second Team (2000–2001), 2× All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2005), 8× All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003–2004, 2006–2010), 2× All-Defensive Second Team (2001–2002),

NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997), 3× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009),

NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner (1997), sexual assault allegations (2003)

I really, really don't like Kobe, but I remember thinking that he could be great.  Of course it was Jerry West who traded Vlade Divac to the Hornets for thirteenth pick and Kobe (the thirteenth spot was pretty good over those three years). 

 

1997

Chauncey Billups (3)

NBA Champion (2004), NBA Finals MVP, (2004) 5× NBA All-Star (2006–2010), All-NBA Second Team (2006), 2× All-NBA Third Team (2007, 2009), 2× All-Defensive Second Team (2005, 2006), J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (2008), NBA Sportsmanship Award (2009)

Yeah, I am a homer.  Tim Duncan was the no brainer in this draft, but I would have picked Mr. Basketball Colorado.

 

Bobby Jackson (23)

All-Rookie Second Team (1998), Sixth Man of the Year (2003)

 

1998

Antawn Jamison (4)

NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2004), 2× NBA All-Star (2005, 2008), NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1999)

 

Paul Pierce (10)

NBA Champion (2008), NBA Finals MVP (2008), 8× NBA All-Star (2002–2006, 2008–2010),

All-NBA Second Team (2009),

3× All-NBA Third Team (2002–2003, 2008), NBA All-Rookie First Team (1999), NBA 3-Point Shootout champion (2010)

I guess this doesn't technically count as he was a top ten pick, but I thought he might drop.

 

1999

Richard Hamilton (7)

NBA Champion (2004), 3x NBA All-Star (2006, 2007, 2008)

 

I had no second pick this year.

 

2000

Kenyon Martin (1)

NBA All-Star selection (2004), NBA All-Rookie First Team (2001), bad tattoo of the year award (2008)

 

Mateen Cleeves (14)

 

2001

Jason Richardson (5)

NBA All-Rookie First Team (2002), 2× NBA Slam Dunk Champion (2002-2003)

 

Richard Jefferson (13)

NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2002)

 

2002

Drew Gooden (4)

Strangest Neck Patch (2007)

 

Juan Dixon (17)

Banned by FIBA for testing positive for steroids (2010)

 

2003

This year, I truly couldn't decide between LeBron and Melo.  I loved Melo for helping me win my NCAA bracket.  Both are great, but LeBron has the potential to be top ten all-time.  This was such a great draft year, and thank goodness the Nuggets didn't have the second pick and draft Darko (which they would have done).  Here are LeBron and Melo's accomplishments.

 

LeBron James (1)

2× NBA Most Valuable Player (2009–2010), NBA Rookie of the Year (2004)

6× NBA All-Star (2005–2010), NBA Scoring Champion (2008), 4× All-NBA First Team (2006, 2008–2010), 2× All-NBA Second Team (2005, 2007), 2× All-Defensive First Team (2009–2010),

NBA All-Rookie First Team (2004), 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006, 2008)

 

Carmelo Anthony (3)

3× NBA All-Star (2007, 2008, 2010), All-NBA Second Team (2010), 3× All-NBA Third Team (2006–2007, 2009), NBA Rookie Challenge MVP (2005), NBA All-Rookie First Team (2004)

 

Josh Howard (29)

NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2004), NBA All-Star (2007), likes to get high

 

2004

Emeka Okafor (2)

NBA Rookie of the Year (2005)

NBA All-Rookie First Team (2005)

 

Jameer Nelson (20)

NBA All-Star (2009), NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2005)

 

2005

Chris Paul (4)

NBA Rookie of the Year (2006), 3× NBA All-Star (2008–2010), All-NBA First Team (2008), All-NBA Second Team (2009), NBA All-Defensive First Team (2009), NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2008), NBA All-Rookie First Team (2006)

Loved him in college, but soured on him after Wake's poor showing in the NCAA tournament and Paul's cock punch of Julius Hodge.  Thought about picking Marvin Williams instead – yikes!

 

Hakim Warrick

 

2006

Brandon Roy (6)

NBA Rookie of the Year (2007), 3× NBA All-Star (2008–2010), All-NBA Second Team (2009), All-NBA Third Team (2010), NBA All-Rookie First Team (2007)

 

Jordan Farmar

2× NBA Champion (2009, 2010)

 

2007

Kevin Durant (2)

NBA Rookie of the Year (2008), NBA All-Star (2010), NBA Scoring Champion (2010), All-NBA First Team (2010), NBA All-Rookie First Team (2008), 2× H-O-R-S-E Competition Winner (2009–2010)

I couldn't believe that people thought Oden should be the first pick.  Durant was as close to a sure thing as you can get.

 

Glen Davis (35)

NBA Champion (2008)

 

2008

Derrick Rose (1)

NBA Rookie of the Year (2009), NBA All-Star (2010), NBA All-Rookie First Team (2009), Skills Challenge Champion (2009)

 

Roy Hibbert (17)

 

2009

Blake Griffin

 

Ty Lawson

 

2010

John Wall PG - Kentucky

No brainer

 

Ekpe Udoh PF – Baylor

He might fall in the top ten, in which case I guess I would pick Craig Brackens PF – Iowa State

Also like Jordan Crawford, who was so much fun to watch in the double OT loss to K-state in the NCAA tournament.  I liked Udoh for this pick, but I think he will be a top ten guy now.  If Da'Sean Butler hadn't blown out his knee in the Final Four, he might have been my pick here.  I also like Scottie Reynolds, but don't really see how he will be great in the NBA.

 

Some Sports Thoughts

Thank goodness for the US Soccer team advancing and the Saints winning the Superbowl this year, otherwise, this would have been the worst 365 days in sports that I can remember.  In the last year, the Yankees, Lakers, and Duke have all won their respective championships.  Throw in the Nick Saban coached Crimson Tide, and you have a real turd sandwich of a sports year. 

 

In other good sporting news, Graeme McDowell won the US Open last weekend.  GMAC is from Portrush, Northern Ireland, the same town as my father grew up.   I have played on GMAC's home course, The Royal Portrush Golf Club, and it is extremely challenging.  One of the oldest golf courses in the world, it also one of the toughest.  I am not surprised that Graeme was able to survive this year's US Open and become the first European in 40 years to win it.

 

The Isner-Mahut tennis match at Wimbledon is simply unbelievable.  The current score is 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 59-59 and the match has lasted 10 hours (with two delays due to night).  If you figure that a typical set averages 9 games, then their fifth set is the equivalent of playing 14 sets!  I hope that this epic match does not come to a quick end today.

Chip Off the Old Block

On Saturday, I farted twice in front of my 17 month old son.  He laughed both times.  That's my boy!