Lou Williams scored 53 points in Saturday’s exhibition at Calvin Coolidge High School in Washington, D.C., featuring D.C.-area players against ballers from the Philadelphia area. Let me say that again . . . Lou Williams dropped 53 points in a game! I hope 76ers coach Doug Collins was watching because we may never see Sweet Lou score 50 points in a game. Maybe Collins should let Williams shoot more if/when the NBA lockout ends.
But to put Williams’ monster game into perspective, it was an EXHIBITION game where defense was like a turnstile, set plays were few and far between, and nobody took a charge in the paint. Sweet Lou may never have another game like this. Too bad he wasted it during a glorified pickup game.
The final score read 172-169 in favor of Williams’ squad that featured Philadelphia natives Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings, Hakim Warrick of the Phoenix Suns, Kyle Lowry of the Houston Rockets, former New York Knick Mardy Collins, and Flip Murray (who now plays for Efes Pilsen in Turkey). The D.C.-based Goodman team featured Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant, Washington Wizards guard John Wall, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Michael Beasley, Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins, and Detroit Pistons forward Greg Monroe.
Durant matched Williams shot-for-shot, finishing with 56 points. At one point early in the fourth quarter, Williams swished two 3-pointers that prompted the public address announcer to yell “Lou Williams is on fire! He cannot be stopped!” Down three with 15 seconds left, Durant missed a deep three and Lowry iced the game at the foul line.
Depending on the lockout negotiations, more pickup games could be on the way. Memo to the players: Please end the lockout now!
Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star forward and Washington, D.C. product Kevin Durant has been on a tear this summer, but his OKC teammate Los Angeles native James Harden has been straight up ballin too.
Harden, who attended Artesia High School (Calif.), went head-to-head with Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant and held his own. But Kobe got the last shot over Harden, hitting the game-winner at the buzzer during a Drew League game in L.A.
On Sunday night at the Long Beach Pyramid, the 6-foot-5 Harden, wearing the colors of the L.A.-based Drew League, was matched up with his good friend Durant. Others who participated in the Drew-Goodman exhibition game were Washington Wizards standouts John Wall, JaVale McGee and Nick Young, Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings, Golden State Warriors forward Dorell Wright, Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza, Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan, Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Michael Beasley and Lakers forward Matt Barnes.
For those who were keeping score at home, Team Drew featured all the L.A. boys (minus Baron Davis and Paul Pierce): Harden, Ariza, McGee, Barnes, Jennings, DeRozan, Wright and Young. Representing the Washington, D.C.-based Goodman team were Durant, Wall, Beasley, Gay. Wall dropped a game-high 55 points and Durant had 50. However, it was the L.A. boys – led by Harden’s 48 points – who prevailed in the end. For one night, L.A. hoops hold center court. Final score: Drew 151, Goodman 144.
With the absence of a new NBA collective bargaining agreement – and neither side isn’t budging at this point – basketball fans are stuck with glorified scrimmages organized by the league’s superstars.
The latest installment of this very expensive pickup game is Saturday night’s exhibition game in Miami featuring a team led by LeBron James against a squad headed by Heat teammate Dwyane Wade.
Team LeBron has some serious star power on its roster. Scheduled to play with LeBron are Heat forward Chris Bosh, Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, Atlanta Hawks guard Jamal Crawford, Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay, Houston Rockets guard Jonny Flynn, Philadelphia Sixers guard Lou Williams, guard Damon Jones (LeBron’s former teammate with the Cleveland Cavaliers), Cavs rookie forward Tristan Thompson, and Oklahoma City Thunder stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. It’s interesting that LeBron picked up Durant on his squad because the last high-profile exhibition game had James going head-to-head with Durant, who has been on a tear this summer.
Team Wade features Heat guard Mario Chalmers, Dallas Mavericks forward and D-Wade’s good friend Caron Butler, Wade’s former Heat teammate and current Golden State Warriors forward Dorell Wright, New York Knicks stars Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire, New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul, Washington Wizards guard John Wall, and Thunder guard James Harden.
In the end, Team Wade outlasted Team LeBron, 141-140, in overtime. It was a typical offseason exhibition game. Lots of dunks, lots of alley-oops, lots of breakaways, lots of one-on-one, and very little defense. Somewhere in New York, David Stern is chuckling.
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade headline exhibition game in Miami. (GETTY IMAGES)
Derrick Rose and John Wall are products of the one-and-done system that is currently in place in the NBA. (Getty Images photos)
Once the old collective bargaining agreement expires at midnight EST on June 30, NBA owners and players need to take a hard look at the current state of the early entry draft.
The way things are currently constructed, any American player who is 19 years of age and at least one year removed from high school can apply for the draft. With this option, the majority of high school standouts play one year in college and bolt for the NBA.
In the last five drafts, four one-and-done college players were the No. 1 overall selections: Greg Oden (2007), Derrick Rose (2008), John Wall (2010) and Kyrie Irving (2011).
Yahoo! Sports NBA writer Marc Spears wrote earlier this year that several high-ranking NBA team executives say they wouldn’t be surprised if the age limit in the new CBA is pushed to two years in college and 20 years old by the end of that calendar year. Spears said that one NBA general manager says about two-thirds of teams are in favor of that change.
That makes total sense because now the NBA and its owners have a vested interest in the college game thanks to the new14-year, $10.8 billion TV deal the NCAA inked with CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV to broadcast the men’s tournament.
Before the billion-dollar deal, the NBA could care less about players jumping to the league. With TNT now in the mix covering March Madness, it now becomes a major player in college hoops and would love to feature its college stars. Even though the NBA and TNT are two separate entities (wink, wink), they are in business together and what’s good for business is having more college All-Americans stay in school for at least two years to help to boost the ratings. At the same time, it keeps the teenagers out of the Association for a little longer, which means more jobs for the below-average NBA veterans.
As much as basketball analysts say college basketball is all about the names on the front of the jerseys instead of back of the jerseys, what attracts the non-hardcore basketball fans are the big-time athletes on the big-time teams.
High schoolers Martell Webster, Gerald Green, Eddy Curry, Sebastian Telfair, Dorell Wright and J.R. Smith would have benefited greatly from a year or two in college, but then again that argument gets swept away when you mention Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett and Amar’e Stoudemire. All of these phenoms were able to make the jump from high school to the pros with ease, and absolutely destroys the argument that you need to play college ball to be successful in the NBA.
So, what should Commissioner David Stern and the owners do about this one-and-done dilemma? Keep it or lose it? The answer lies in the dollar, and the new NCAA tournament TV deal makes the current early entry rule a chip the players could lose on the bargaining table.
Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter at: twitter.com/onemanfastbreak.
The 2010-11 NBA season is under way and the league’s elite players and powerhouse teams are monopolizing the headlines. Also, point guards are off to fast starts: Rajon Rondo established a new mark in most assists through the first five games, and Derrick Rose at one point was leading the league in scoring, Chris Paul has put the New Orleans Hornets back in contention (for now) and rookie John Wall is the real deal.
Some observations through the first two weeks of the season:
– Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo has 82 assists through five games and leads the league with a mind-boggling 16.4 average. He also recorded a triple-double on Oct. 29 against the Knicks: 10 points, 10 rebounds and 24 assists. He followed that up with 17 assists against the Pistons and 15 against the Bucks.
– Chris Paul reminded basketball fans that he is healthy and ready to reclaim his crown as the best PG in the Association. The Hornets All-Star guard led his team to a perfect 5-0 mark and averaged 21.2 points and nine assists. If this is going to be his final year in New Orleans, CP3 is certainly going out in style.
– The league appears to be armed with outstanding point guards and should be for years to come. Just check out these young studs: CP3, Deron Williams, Rondo, D-Rose, Russell Westbrook, Brandon Jennings, Steph Curry and John Wall.
– Speaking of John Wall, the rookie race will come down to the Wizards’ guard and the Clippers’ Blake Griffin. The lightning-quick Wall has taken a slight edge over the power forward Griffin with outstanding performances against the Hawks (28 points and nine assists) and the Sixers (29 points, 13 assists and nine steals).
– What knee injury? Kobe Bryant posted a triple-double, including 12 assists, against the Sacramento Kings on the tail end of a back-to-back set for the defending world champs. The Lakers are already in midseason form, sitting at 5-0 and leading the Western Conference. Pau Gasol was named Western Conference Player of the Week and Lamar Odom has picked up where he left off since the FIBA World Championships in August.
– After an embarrassing loss to the Celtics on opening night, the Three Kings of Miami seem to have found their form and have rattled off four impressive victories. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have taken turns in leading the new-look Heat in scoring, and the defense has been stifling. Once Chris Bosh figures out where he can pick up his points, the Heat will be scary good.
– As good as the Heat has been, the top spot in the Eastern Conference belongs to the Atlanta Hawks. First-year head coach Larry Drew has tweaked the offense to highlight the team’s speed and quickness rather than run those low-percentage isolation plays during the Mike Woodson era. Josh Smith has 20 blocks in five games.
For at least one afternoon, the hottest ticket in Las Vegas was the 5 p.m. show at Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas to witness the professional debut of John Wall.
The No. 1 overall selection in this year’s NBA Draft shook off some early jitters and entertained the sold-out crowd who came to see him play in the 2010 NBA Las Vegas Summer League. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard out of Kentucky showcased his blazing end-to-end speed and surprised some with his improved mid-range jump shot in leading the Washington Wizards to a 84-79 victory over Golden State Sunday.
Wall, wearing jersey No. 2, led the Wizards with 24 points on 7-for-15 shooting from the field, was 10-for-11 from the free throw line and had a game-high eight assists. There were some glitches in his first NBA game, but those were to be expected. The 19-year-old led all players with eight turnovers, including three in the first quarter, and appeared a little tight in the first half, missing five of his first seven shots.
“I was just too hyped to play and I was playing too fast,” said Wall, who hasn’t played in an organized game since Kentucky lost in the regional final at NCAA Tournament. He was also nursing a minor groin injury, which forced him to miss one practice last week.
“I was trying to throw lobs and find my teammates, and a little jitters there in the beginning so I had a little bit of turnovers,” Wall added. “But I think I did good running the team and getting to the basket and helping my team to a tough win.”
Wall admitted he got careless with the ball because he was too anxious. But once he slowed down and cut down on the “hot dog” plays, he began to show the skills that made him a first-team All-American as a freshman.
His first shot was so off he clanked it off the backboard, but settled himself quickly and finally made his first basket three minutes into the game when he buried a pull-up jump shot near the free-throw line from about 16 feet. His first assist came at the 6:30 mark of the first quarter when he came around a screen and served a perfect lob pass to JaVale McGee, who slammed it home.
It would be the first of three alley-oop dunks Wall and McGee orchestrated during the game.
“When he comes off the screens and I get enough angle when I get in the paint, I could pull up or I can find him, and I did a great job of finding him today,” Wall said of McGee, the Wizards’ first-round pick in 2008. The 7-foot center scored 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds.
Even though Wall turned the ball too much in his debut, he was still able to make plays for his teammates and showed a great ability to get inside the teeth of the defense and create offense. Twice he drove to the basket, took the bump and finished at the rim for three-point plays. When he didn’t get all the way to the basket, he was able to pull up near the free-throw line and convert mid-range shots, something most NBA scouts thought he didn’t possess during the pre-draft evaluation process.
“What we liked about him as much as anything is his ability to make other people better,” Wizards coach Flip Saunders, who was a spectator in the stands, told the Associated Press. “He doesn’t have to score a lot of points. He’s got the potential to be one of the top point guards in this league. Maybe, [Wall is] the best all-around point guard at both ends, both offensively and defensively.”
One thing that is also noticeable about Wall is he is a quick study. In the third quarter, Wall didn’t bother putting a hand up when Warriors point guard Brian Chase launched a 3-pointer from the top of the key. On the Warriors’ next possession, Chase tried another 3-pointer but this time Wall was there to block the shot.
Later in the quarter, Wall came off a high pick-and-roll and dropped a nice assist to a cutting Raymar Morgan (from Michigan State) near the baseline for a dunk. Moments later, Wall set up Lester Hudson for an open jumper to give the Wizards a 54-44 lead.
Wall’s overall performance was certainly better than his 2010 draft classmates Evan Turner, Derrick Favors, Greg Monroe and Gordon Hayward, who are all struggling to adapt to the pro game. Wall already has a pro game. He just needs to clean up his turnovers and make the simple plays instead of going for the spectacular plays.
“When you consider everything … the atmosphere, the first game,” said Saunders, “to come out and play as he did, he’s got unbelievable intelligence and he’s unbelievably competitive. He’s one of the most coachable guys I’ve been around. He makes a mistake and he wants to know what it is.”
Zzzzzzz. Zzzzzzz. Is the draft over yet? Man, that was a snoozer. I think ESPN should re-hire Stephen A. Smith just to give the draft a jolt. That was like watching paint dry. Or, maybe ESPN should hand the draft over back to TNT so we can listen to Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley make fun of all the picks.
Outside of Jeff Van Gundy, who was easily the funniest guy on the set, the draft coverage put me to sleep, not to mention the inordinate amount of sleeper picks (sleeper in a bad sense) NBA teams kept writing down on the card for Commissioner David Stern, and the bald guy who took over later in the evening, to read and announce to a very intoxicated crowd at Madison Square Garden who kept chanting “Jeff!…Van!…Gundy! “Jeff!…Van!…Gundy!”
The NBA Draft was the same old story: the good teams did well and the bad teams … well, to quote Barkley, they were terrrrrible! It’s impossible to opine how well or how poorly each did based on one night, but I’m going to do it anyway because it’s entertaining. OneManFastBreak.net breaks down the winners and losers of draft day.
WINNERS
— Sacramento Kings: GM Geoff Petrie is one of the best talent evaluators in the business and he landed the second-best player in the draft in Kentucky big man DeMarcus Cousins with the No. 5 pick. The Kings play in a division that includes the world champion Los Angeles Lakers, who boasts one of the biggest and tallest frontcourts in the league, so it was extremely important for the Kings to get bigger and stronger up front to compete with the Lakers. Cousins (6-11, 290) can complement 2010 Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, giving the Kings a solid inside-outside punch for the next 10 years. There were questions about Cousins’ lazy attitude, but as Van Gundy pointed out, you can’t be lazy when you average 10 rebounds in 23 minutes. The Kings also took Marshall center Hassan Whiteside (6-11, 215) with their second selection, adding more length to their roster.
— Washington Wizards: The Wizards instantly became better by selecting Kentucky point guard John Wall (6-4, 195) at No. 1. Wall is not only the best player in the draft, but he is also the most charismatic. He is a leader and plays with a ton of energy, which the Wizards severely lacked last season after Gilbert Arenas was sent home for bragging about his gun collection in the arena. Washington also improved its roster by reportedly bringing in guard Kirk Hinrich, who is expected to be dealt next month by the Chicago Bulls to the Wizards in a cap-clearing move. With Wall, Arenas (assuming he’s on board with the team this season) and Hinrich, the Wizards have a dynamic three-guard rotation. The Wizards also added two physical frontcourt players in Clemson’s Trevor Booker (6-7, 240) and frenchman Kevin Seraphin (6-10, 255).
— Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC enters the 2010-11 season one big man away from seriously contending for an NBA title. Heck, they took the Lakers to six tough games with Nenad Krstic as their starting center so anyone with a pulse should be an upgrade. Thunder GM Sam Presti picked up Kansas center Cole Aldrich (6-11, 245) via a trade from New Orleans and then traded for 20-year-old center Tibor Pleiss (7-0, 220) of Germany. Aldrich is a strong rebounder and defender, and should contribute immediately for head coach Scott Brooks. Pleiss is a project they can stash in Europe for a year or two. Euroleague guru Fran Fraschilla compares him to Rik Smits. And for their second-r0und selection, the Thunder drafted Louisiana Tech’s Magnum Rolle (6-11, 225). You can’t go wrong drafting a guy named Magnum.
— Los Angeles Clippers: This is the only time of the year when the Clippers trump the Lakers on the front pages of the L.A. sports sections. The Clippers hold a draft lottery party every year, it seems like, and most of their picks normally end up as fodder for stand-ups at The Laugh Factory on Sunset Strip. But this season, whoever is doing the picking, the Clippers made some solid decisions. Wake Forest’s Al-Farouq Aminu (6-8, 205) is a capable small forward and Kentucky’s Eric Bledsoe (6-1, 190) is not a starting point guard, but he could be a decent backup. But the biggest news of the day in Clipperland is that Blake Griffin, last year’s top overall pick who missed the entire season because of a knee injury, has been cleared to play.
— San Antonio Spurs: Year in and year out, head coach Gregg Popovich and GM R.C. Buford make excellent picks in the draft and this season is no different. With the 20th overall selection, the Spurs took Oklahoma State shooting guard James Anderson (6-5, 210), who many consider as the best shooter in the draft and San Antonio badly needs guys who can put the ball in the basket. Then, with the 49th pick, the Spurs nabbed center Ryan Richards (6-11, 230) from England. San Antonio has a history with picking international gems, and Richards could turn out to be a steal.
LOSERS
— Portland Trail Blazers: Billionaire owner Paul Allen fired GM Kevin Pritchard on the day of the draft. Then, to add salt to the wound, he made Pritchard work the rest of the night. On his final shift as Blazers GM, Pritchard selected Memphis guard Elliot Williams (6-4, 180). A lame pick for a lameduck GM. But who could blame him? The Blazers also traded small forward Martell Webster to Minnesota for forwards Luke Babbitt (6-9, 225, Nevada) and Ryan Gomes. Gomes could be a nice player, but Babbitt could be another Luke Jackson.
— Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves keep taking athletes who like to run, but then they try to fit them in a triangle. It won’t work. I’d like to think Syracuse forward Wesley Johnson (6-7, 195), taken fourth overall, will be a stud but, for some reason, I keep seeing Hakim Warrick or John Wallace. Outside of Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse players tend to flame out in the NBA and Johnson could fall into that category.
— Orlando Magic: The Magic selected Kentucky center Daniel Orton (6-10, 255) in the first round. Orton averaged 3 points a game as DeMarcus Cousins’ backup and had trouble with keeping his weight down. Now, unless Orlando has plans of trading Marcin Gortat, they now have a logjam at the center position. Dwight Howard, obviously, is the starter and Gortat is an excellent backup. So where does that leave Orton?
— Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks not only didn’t address their needs in the frontcourt, but they seem to be planning for life without All-Star Joe Johnson. Atlanta swapped first-round picks with New Jersey, acquiring scoring guard Jordan Crawford (6-4, 195), and then took Pape Sy (6-7, 225) from the Senegal in the second round. Jordan Crawford is basically Jamal Crawford, so the Hawks have too many Crawfords on the roster.
— New York Knicks: The Knicks might as well have taken the day off because they basically have put all their chips in the LeBron James sweepstakes. Andy Rautins (6-5, 193) and Landry Fields (6-5, 185)? Are you kidding me? That’s the best they can do? It’s LeBron or Bust in NYC.
— University of Kentucky: Coach John Calipari was shedding a tear a little bit Thursday night. For one, he was happy his guys all went in the first round. Secondly, he knows he’s got some serious rebuilding (or reloading) in Lexington. But don’t feel too bad for Coach Cal because he’s got another stout freshman class coming in this season.
The NBA’s version of the New York State Lotto will commence Thursday night at NYC and Commissioner David Stern will be front and center. Most experts believe Kentucky point guard John Wall will be the first player taken in the 2010 NBA Draft. From then on, it’s a total crap shoot.
OneManFastBreak Editor and Publisher Joel Huerto rates the 10 best prospects in the 2010 NBA Draft (all measurements were taken from the draft combine in Chicago):
10) KEVIN SERAPHIN, C, FRANCE (6-9, 258): This 20-year-old Frenchman is the most intriguing prospect on the draft board. He is raw but has a lot of athletic ability for a center. He rebounds well and is a very good shot-blocker, but only averaged 15 minutes a game in the French league. Because of the recent success of his fellow countrymen, such as Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, Mikael Pietrus and Nicolas Batum, NBA teams will surely take notice of France’s newest import.
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9) EKPE UDOH, C, Baylor (6-9, 240): Udoh is a specialist with limited offensive skills but has a 7-5 wingspan. He was a tremendous shot-blocker (3.7) and above-average rebounder (9.8) for Baylor. At 23, he’s a bit older than some of the other prospects so it gives him an advantage in terms of off-the-court maturity and his interviews went extremely well. Even though his offense is way behind his defense, he can face up and shoot a mid-range jump shot.
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8) COLE ALDRICH, C, Kansas (6-9, 236): Though he is listed at 6-11, Aldrich measured at 6-9 at the combine. The height difference may cause some NBA GMs to shy away from Aldrich, which would be a mistake. Aldrich is a hard-nosed player who defends and rebounds extremely well. He has a very similar game to former Jayhawk Nick Collison, who has done pretty well playing center and power forward in the Association.
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7) AL-FAROUQ AMINU, SF-PF, Wake Forest (6-7, 216): Aminu is a tremendous athlete who can finish at the rim. Teams that need a small forward or wing player will love Aminu. He is an excellent leaper and runs the floor extremely well, making him really valuable to up-tempo teams such as the Golden State Warriors and the New Orleands Hornets. Aminu doesn’t have much of an outside shot, so most of his points are on put-backs, dunks, layups or short jumpers.
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6) WESLEY JOHNSON, SF, Syracuse (6-6, 206): I’m still on the fence with Johnson. When he’s good, the Big East player of the Year is a smooth player who can jump out of the building and drain an outside shot from behind the arc. But when he’s bad, he gets pushed around and gets timid when the game gets physical. With exception of Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse players under Jim Boeheim have traditionally not fared well in the NBA. Johnson could either develop into Rudy Gay or become another Hakim Warrick.
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5) GREG MONROE, SF-PF, Georgetown, (6-10, 247): Monroe is the most versatile big man in the draft and has a game similar to NBA All-Star Chris Bosh. He posted decent stats during his sophomore year at Georgetown despite playing in the rigid Princeton Offense. Monroe is a very good passer for a big man and is very comfortable playing around the perimeter. The Sacramento Kings worked him out and were thoroughly impressed with his shooting range. He was dropping threes from the NBA line. Georgetown players usually do well in the NBA – ex. Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo and Allen Iverson - and Monroe should continue that Hoya tradition.
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4) DERRICK FAVORS, PF, Georgia Tech (6-9, 245): Favors was the MVP of the 2009 McDonald’s High School All-American Game, which included Lance Stephenson, DeMarcus Cousins, Xavier Henry, Avery Bradley and Keith “Tiny” Gallon. Favors shared the spotlight at Georgia Tech with Gani Lawal, another 2010 draft prospect. Favors, 18, can play with his back to the basket or face up and shoot from the free throw line. He added 20 pounds of muscle during his one year at Georgia Tech, and that shows he’s got a great work ethic. Some compare Favors to Amare Stoudemire.
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3) EVAN TURNER, G-F, Ohio State (6-6, 214): A lot of experts compare the 2010 NCAA POY with Portland’s Brandon Roy because of his cool demeanor. Turner is probably the most polished prospect in the draft and could start for most teams right now. He has an NBA-ready mid-range game and can play point guard, shooting guard or small forward. The knocks on Turner are that he appears to be soft and is not a great athlete. But then again, some had those similar reports about Roy.
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2) DEMARCUS COUSINS, C, Kentucky (6-10, 291): Almost all mock drafts have Evan Turner as the second-best player on the board, but I disagree. Cousins has the size and strength to play center in the NBA and could to be a dominant pro. If it wasn’t for his “attitude problem,” he could very well be the No. 1 pick. Cousins is a true low-post player and tenacious rebounder. But there’s a warning label with Cousins. He could be the next Moses Malone or the next Mel Turpin. Most draft boards have Philly selecting Turner, but the Sixers already have a boatload of perimeter players in Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, Lou Williams and 2009 first-round pick Jrue Holiday. Don’t be surprised if new head coach Doug Collins takes a chance on Cousins.
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1) JOHN WALL, PG, Kentucky (6-3, 195): Wall is an absolute freak: a unique blend of size, speed and athleticism. TNT’s David Aldridge compares Wall to a quicker and more athletic Gary Payton. He just has the “it” factor. He can create his own shot, is fearless going to the basket and has a 6-9 wingspan. His mid-range game and 3-point shot still needs a little work, but so does 90% of the guards in the Association. Wall is brilliant with the ball in the open court and should thrive in an up-tempo system. The Wizards can easily slide Gilbert Arenas to shooting guard and hand the PG duties to Wall and let him run.
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MORE DRAFT OPINIONS:
– Overrated – ERIC BLEDSOE, G, Kentucky (6-0, 191): He’s not a point guard and he’s not a shooting guard. In short, he’s headed for the D-League.
– The best Wildcat other than Wall and Cousins – PATRICK PATTERSON, SF, Kentucky (6-8, 239): More of a power forward than a small forward, but should be a lottery pick.
– Should have stayed in school – DANIEL ORTON, C, Kentucky (6-9, 269): Orton barely played in his one year at CSFP (Calipari School For Pros) and would have greatly benefited is he played another season.
– Potentially great or potentially disastrous – RYAN RICHARDS, PF-C, England (6-10, 230): Did well during the combine, but his lack of experience still scares many scouts.
– Sleeper picks – JON SCHEYER, PG, Duke (6-5, 180) and GREIVIS VASQUEZ, PG, Maryland (6-5, 195): Scheyer is a big-game player who has great size for a point guard. Think J.J. Redick with better handles. Vasquez is a tough, gritty player who won’t back down from a challenge and plays with a chip on his shoulder.
– Best shooter – XAVIER HENRY, SG, Kansas (6-5, 210): Henry and Oklahoma State’s James Anderson are the two best shooters in this year’s class. Henry shot a better percentage from behind the arc and feels more comfortable playing in a halfcourt game.
While preparing for his agility test at Friday’s NBA Draft Combine at Chicago’s Attack Athletics Training Center, John Wall saw Washington Wizards head coach Flip Saunders standing a few feet behind him. Wall knew he needed to do something to make a big impression on his potential NBA coach.
After a somewhat disappointing 30-inch mark in the no-step vertical, the 2010 SEC player of the year from the University of Kentucky gathered himself for his two-step vertical test and then nearly jumped out of the gym, touching all but four sticks on the vertical bar. The 19-year-old, 6-foot-4 point guard then clocked in with the fastest 25-yard run (3.1) and turned in a impressive showing in the other agility drills.
Wall’s 43-inch vertical and Usain Bolt-like speed certainly got the attention of the other players at the combine, including Ohio State’s Evan Turner and Kansas’ Xavier Henry. It was a loud message to the rest of the field that Wall is, and should be, the No. 1 overall selection in next month’s NBA Draft.
Wall was simply head and shoulders above anyone else during the agility drills of the combine, and he did so without the benefit of a warm-up. He decided to pass on the fullcourt workouts at the suggestion of his agent, a decision that was shared by other top prospects such as Turner, DeMarcus Cousins (Wall’s teammate at Kentucky), Wake Forest’s Al-Farouq Aminu, Georgetown’s Greg Monroe and Kansas’ Cole Aldrich.
Turner had a decent showing in the agility drills, but it definitely wasn’t his strength. The 6-7 guard-forward glided through the drills without breaking much of sweat, while Wall went hard on every turn. That’s the biggest difference between Wall and Turner. Wall is in attack mode from the moment he sets foot in the gym, while Turner is more laid-back.
Here’s the dilemma for the Wizards, who hold the rights to the top pick in the draft: Do they take Wall or Turner? Do they prefer a Ferrari over a Bentley?
“John is an extraordinary athlete. I think he tested the highest in all of the testing out here,” Saunders told ESPN’s Andy Katz. “But they’re both phenomenal players. Evan is the same way. We can’t go wrong whoever we take as far as the number one pick. We’ll probably talk to them and watch some film with them with our top guys and see how they comprehend the game. We’ll work them out as far as our game is geared towards, pick-and-roll offense and pick-and-roll defense, and see how they understand some of those things.”
As far as each player’s transition from college to the NBA, Saunders sees both as having a huge impact.
“John is probably the most dynamic player in the draft. Evan is probably the most versatile player who can play numerous positions. One thing that’s impressive about both guys in the interview process is that both guys have a very good understanding of the game and they’re extremely profession and extremely motivated.”
Although Saunders and the Wizards won’t say it publicly because the NBA wants to add a little drama to the process, they will likely use the No. 1 pick on Johnathan Wall, who told Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl that he wants to be the greatest point guard ever.
Lofty goals for a young player, but certainly well within reach.
Four Kentucky freshmen, including All-Americans John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, recently announced that they were all entering their names in the NBA draft pool. Kansas freshman guard Xavier Henry also declared himself eligible for the draft, along with a host of other first-year players.
The one-and-done theme in college basketball is about as fashionable and trendy as smart phones and HD TV. Everybody wants to experience it despite the cost.
Kentucky head coach John Calipari is not a big fan of the recent rash of freshman bolting for the NBA, but he has learned to accept it.
“I had a ball coaching them. Now I’m gonna be honest with you, at times it was like coaching eighth-graders because we were so young,” said Calipari, who also lost freshmen Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton and junior Patrick Patterson to the draft.
“It’s kinda like being a father. You’re teaching, you’re working. You’re sad to see them go, but you’re proud of them. But I wish they were staying for two more years.”
Calipari knew Wall and Cousins were rent-a-players for the Wildcats’ program so he maximized their time at UK by putting them in prominent roles on offense and defense. It’s now the way of college basketball. Put the ball in the hands of young players and live with the consequences.
But is that good or bad for college basketball? Calipari is certainly not enamored with it.
“Let me say this…I don’t agree with the rule,” said Calipari, who went through the same one-and-done drill with Derrick Rose in 2008 and Tyreke Evans in 2009. “I think kids should be able to go directly to the league if that’s what they choose to do. And if they go to college, they should stay two years or maybe three. The way it is right now is really hard.”
He added: “Our system of play, dribble drive and what we’re teaching, they can get it. When they get it, they can really play unleashed.”
Dick Vitale, ESPN’s longtime TV analyst and a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, has more than once professed his disdain for this rule in which players cannot enter the draft unless they’re 19 years old.
This NBA rule has forced high school players, who had no intention of attending college, to enroll in four-year universities and stay there for a year before leaving for the NBA.
But Sonny Vaccaro, a sports marketing guru and the father of the summer league circuit, found a loop hole. He has encouraged high schoolers to head overseas and get paid for a year or two before trying their luck in the NBA draft.
Former prep star Brandon Jennings successfully executed Vaccaro’s plan as he signed a pro contract with Lottomatica Roma of the Italian League and, one year later, found himself back in the States. Jennings is now a Rookie of the Year candidate and instantly became the face of the Milwaukee Bucks.
But not all have enjoyed Jennings’ rags-to-riches success. Recently, San Diego prep player Jeremy Tyler left before his senior year in high school and signed with a professional team in Israel. Tyler reportedly left his pro team and his future seems clouded.
So far none of this year’s high school McDonald’s All-Americans have opted for Europe, but most likely more than half of them will opt for the NBA draft after the 2011 season.
Three of those prep studs – Josh Selby (Lake Clifton HS, Baltimore, Md.), Terrence Jones (Jefferson HS, Portland, Ore.) and Brandon Knight (Pine Crest HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) – have Kentucky on their wish list so Calipari will have a fresh crop of “diaper dandies” to lead the program. Again.
Unless the rules change, this is the way of college basketball and coaches better learn to live with it.
