Official NBA Draft Lottery/ 2010 NBA Draft Thread Vol. June 24th 7ET

Worst. Draft. Ever ... Or not

"Awful draft. About five or six really good players." -- An NBA GM on the 2010 draft class.



If you talk to NBA decision-makers around this time of year, you'd come to the conclusion that the draft is the worst event on the NBA calendar. And that's not just limited to this particular spring. Annually, you hear GMs, scouts and other personnel people utter similarly negative comments that sound as if they wonder whether there are even 60 players worthy of being drafted.



Then something happens. The calendar changes to June.





By that point, opinions start to change. More and more optimism creeps into the conversation. Why? Teams have done their homework. They've watched tons of video, worked out groups of players and conducted plenty of interviews. They start to identify qualities they like in players they had previously disparaged.



A longtime GM once described the draft as a "June bride," meaning that no one is all that excited about the wedding in the fall, but the closer you get to the actual date, you can't help but fall in love.



But if you're still not convinced that this year's draft will look better in a month (let alone once the guys actually suit up for teams), then simply gaze back toward this past May. Leading up to the 2009 draft, almost every GM and scout I spoke with said it could be the worst since the lottery began in 1985. It's only been a year, but it's already safe to say that the class of 2009 will never be mistaken for its 2000 counterpart, a legit contender for the title of "worst draft ever."



While it's premature to judge a draft after just one season, last year's first-rounders are off to a good start. Combined, those 30 players started 647 games, more than the 2005, '06 and '07 draft classes did as rookies. (The 2008 first-rounders notched an impressive 833 starts.)



[h4]2010 NBA Draft Lottery Odds[/h4]
Think your squad has a shot at John Wall, Derrick Favors, Evan Turner, et al? Here's the straight math.
[table][tr][th=""]Team[/th][th=""]Combos[/th][th=""]Pick No. 1[/th][th=""]Pick No. 2[/th][th=""]Pick No. 3[/th][th=""]Any top 3 pick[/th][/tr][tr][td]New Jersey Nets[/td][td]250[/td][td]25%[/td][td]21.49%[/td][td]17.73%[/td][td]64.22%[/td][/tr][tr][td]Minnesota Timberwolves[/td][td]199[/td][td]19.9%[/td][td]18.79%[/td][td]17.08%[/td][td]55.77%[/td][/tr][tr][td]Sacramento Kings[/td][td]156[/td][td]15.6%[/td][td]15.72%[/td][td]15.55%[/td][td]46.87%[/td][/tr][tr][td]Golden State Warriors[/td][td]104[/td][td]10.4%[/td][td]11.2%[/td][td]12.08%[/td][td]33.68%[/td][/tr][tr][td]Washington Wizards[/td][td]103[/td][td]10.3%[/td][td]11.1%[/td][td]12.0%[/td][td]33.4%[/td][/tr][tr][td]Philadelphia 76ers[/td][td]53[/td][td]5.3%[/td][td]6.03%[/td][td]6.97%[/td][td]18.3%[/td][/tr][tr][td]Detroit Pistons[/td][td]53[/td][td]5.3%[/td][td]6.03%[/td][td]6.97%[/td][td]25.19%[/td][/tr][tr][td]Los Angeles Clippers[/td][td]23[/td][td]2.3%[/td][td]2.69%[/td][td]3.22%[/td][td]8.21%[/td][/tr][tr][td]Utah Jazz[/td][td]22[/td][td]2.2%[/td][td]2.57%[/td][td]3.08%[/td][td]7.85%[/td][/tr][tr][td]Indiana Pacers[/td][td]11[/td][td]1.1%[/td][td]1.3%[/td][td]1.57%[/td][td]3.97%[/td][/tr][tr][td]New Orleans Hornets[/td][td]8[/td][td].80%[/td][td].95%[/td][td]1.15%[/td][td]2.9%[/td][/tr][tr][td]Memphis Grizzlies[/td][td]7[/td][td].70%[/td][td].83%[/td][td]1.01%[/td][td]2.54%[/td][/tr][tr][td]Toronto Raptors[/td][td]6[/td][td].60%[/td][td].71%[/td][td].87%[/td][td]2.18%[/td][/tr][tr][td]Houston Rockets[/td][td]5[/td][td].50%[/td][td].59%[/td][td].72%[/td][td]1.81%[/td][/tr][/table]



So complaints about this year's crop need to be taken with several grains of salt. For instance, one GM says in comparison to last season, "the No. 7 pick this year won't be Stephen Curry, the No. 10 pick won't be Brandon Jennings and the No. 17 pick won't be Jrue Holiday."



There's just one problem with that reasoning: Last May, hardly anyone projected those guys to make the kind of impact they did as rookies, either. Seriously, did anyone expect Jrue Holiday to be Jrue Holiday? So sure, when you examine Chad Ford's Big Board and see Ed Davis (No. 7), Daniel Orton (No. 10) and Luke Babbitt (No. 17) in those respective slots, it's hard to imagine any of them producing at the same level as Curry, Jennings or Holiday. But that doesn't mean they -- or someone else -- won't.



There have been too many examples of teams growing to love players over time to argue otherwise. Take this anecdote, from someone involved in drafting Josh Howard "At the beginning of his last year at Wake Forest we watched him a ton and we didn't see it -- he didn't have a great skill set that translated to the NBA floor. He was really long, though, and things seemed to just happen when he was out there. The closer we got the draft, we started talking about him fitting a need as a defensive player. We didn't think he would be there at No. 29. When he was, we were thrilled."



So right now DeMarcus Cousins might scare plenty of teams that are convinced he needs to grow up. But by June many more will see him as their answer to Andrew Bynum. Similarly, teams that can't understand why Derrick Favors didn't dominate at Georgia Tech will have realized he suffered from poor point guard play and be convinced he can be a beast on the block at power forward.



Heck, at least someone's coming around already. "This draft is not much better than last year, but it is deeper," says one scout.



So fear not, 2010 NBA draft prospects. The league has six more weeks left to learn to love you. History says that's exactly what will happen.

 
Ranking the NBA draft's best players
By Doug Gottlieb
ESPN.com


The deadline for college players to withdraw their names from the NBA draft and preserve their college eligibility was moved up to May 8 this year, meaning we already know which players are taking their chances to be among the 60 names selected on June 24. Here is what the top 30 of my Big Board would look like …



1. John Wall, Kentucky



The real deal. Incredibly fast with the ball and agile in transition. As difficult to keep out of the paint as Rajon Rondo, yet bigger and a better shooter. Only his defense and shooting behind the pick-and-roll are suspect. Best of all, Wall is a winner who isn't afraid to have the ball in his hands in key situations.


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2. Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech



Long, freak athlete who played with below-average guards on an erratic team. Destroyed DeMarcus Cousins in high school and started to elevate his game late in the college season. Has every tool needed to be a star in the pros, just needs reps and polish.





3. Greg Monroe, Georgetown



Has a Chris Bosh feel to his game. He's bright, well-rounded and, though he's not a superstar, he's solid in most every aspect of his game despite playing just two years of college. Has been surrounded by average talent and his passing skills will be more pronounced with better players around him.



4. Evan Turner, Ohio State



Not a great athlete and not a shooter with range, but his basketball IQ and ability to create for himself and others make him a valuable asset.



5. Wesley Johnson, Syracuse


Very unselfish and a quality shooter. Johnson doesn't go by people, doesn't really do a great job of posting up and holding position, but he is very long, can play two positions at both ends and recovers from mistakes with his with very good speed.


6. Ekpe Udoh, Baylor



Udoh has a quick jumper with supreme timing and is an exceptionally quick learner and hard worker. He made himself an offensive player during his transfer year at Baylor, yet never lost the slightest bit of timing or intangibles defensively. While his build is fairly slight, he is strong, runs well in transition and has become a decent face-up jump shooter.



7. Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest



Super skilled wing who will be a better pro than he was a college player. Not nasty enough to be a star, but bright, easy to like and still scratching the surface on his overall game. Aminu can guard two or three positions and eventually will play two positions on offense. His perimeter jumper needs work -- he made just 23 percent of his jump shots this year -- but his form is not "broken," it is just inconsistent.



8. Luke Babbitt, Nevada



Think Chris Mullin with a smaller Toni Kukoc-type of feel, and Babbitt will impress you. His array of step-backs, "Euro-steps" and range are different from anyone else in the draft. Babbitt is also a willing passer with a tremendous basketball IQ. Babbitt is the "favorite player" of at least five college recruiters I have spoken to and three scouts said the same thing.



9. Gordon Hayward, Butler



Handles like a 2, rebounds and defends like a 4 on the glass. Hayward is probably a year away in terms of strength and consistency in his shooting, but his Mike Miller-meets-Mike Dunleavy style makes him impressive, as does his ability to win. If you want a winner with upside, you want Hayward.



10. DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky



A monster down low when he "plays," but he will float and shoot jumpers and will pout. There are some red flags concerning Cousins among several teams. He's a phenomenal specimen and Calipari says he simply needed to mature, but the likelihood that he can be ruled with an iron fist in the pros as he was in college is nonexistent. Still, he showed, like Tyreke Evans under Cal, major personal and professional growth at Kentucky.


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11. Cole Aldrich, Kansas



A solid starting center in the NBA who needs some polish on his low-post game. While his "windup" is awkward for his jumper, his release is fine, and he makes enough shots from 17 feet to have a pick-and-pop game. An underrated athlete who has good timing to block shots or swipe down on the ball, Aldrich is average guarding ball screens laterally, which will cause him to foul more at the next level. Strong, solid, mature and without off-court issues, Aldrich is a safe and sound pick.



12. Ed Davis, North Carolina



Super long and rangy, great running in transition and like North Carolina, not quite the same in the half court. Davis is somewhere in between a 4 and a 5. His hands, shot-blocking and rebounding instincts scream center, but he is only 6-foot-9 and he is light at around 215 pounds. Davis has a tireless motor and if he can continue to improve his jumper with that energy, he will be a very solid power forward in the future.



13. Larry Sanders, Virginia Commonwealth



Super long with a better face-up game than Ed Davis, Sanders has the look of a lottery pick, but his game has yet to totally match his potential.



14. James Anderson, Oklahoma State



Good solid 2-guard who can put points up in a hurry. Solid, but streaky 3-point shooter, moves well without the ball and is a willing and capable passer (more than 2.5 assists per game). Anderson is between a 2 and a 3, but a non-ballhandling 2 in the pros. Soft-spoken and from a small town, Anderson needs the right kind of mentoring at the pro level. He also needs major work on his defense.



15. Xavier Henry, Kansas



Solid and skilled, yet small for a forward but not really a guard in terms of skill outside of shooting the basketball. A Morris Peterson-type of player. While he's a better overall defender and maybe a better player than James Anderson, Henry's game is not as diverse on offense, as he relies on his jumper a bit too much. He shook the label of being soft late in the season.



16. Hassan Whiteside, Marshall



Older than you think for a freshman (21 on draft night), but big (legit 7-footer), Whiteside's rangy and still peaking. He played two years of high school, one year of postgrad and one year at Marshall where he averaged 5.7 blocks per game. His offense is raw, but not terrible. Some baggage, but if surrounded by the right teammates, he will be fine.



17. Patrick Patterson, Kentucky



Came to UK with the reputation as an animal as a rebounder, but began to float on the perimeter a bit too much this year. While his skill improved, his defensive rebounding was not nearly what it had been. Still Patterson plays hard, can post and, though he is 6-8 at best, he already has a face-up game.



18. Avery Bradley, Texas



A phenomenal on-ball defender, Bradley is a man without a position. His jumper is very much a work in progress, but he does have a high basketball IQ and is a competitor who could be this draft's Jrue Holiday (disappointing season at UCLA before becoming a mid-to-late first-round pick who blossomed late in his rookie season).



19. Eric Bledsoe, Kentucky



This year's Russell Westbrook. A freak athlete who played mostly at the 2 at Kentucky despite being highly regarded as a scoring point in high school. Has a mini "Jim Jackson" type of frame, but needs to improve his ballhandling and decision-making (1-to-1 assist-turnover ratio) as well as show he can run a team.



20. Daniel Orton, Kentucky



Hurt his knee his senior year in high school, played behind Cousins and Patterson and thus never really got to grow this year at Kentucky. Very much a "kid" mentally, but not a bad kid by any means. A face-up 4 who has gained strength, is quick off the floor and has great timing when blocking shots. Will spend time in the D-League, but has a chance to start in two years.



21. Damion James, Texas



Two years ago he would have been a lottery pick as he was a perfect fit with D.J. Augustin. After a year without a point guard and then a year with three average point guards, James has made himself into a viable lottery-level pick yet again. He is not the caliber of defender, though he could be, of Stanley Robinson, but he is a capable scorer, with a solid midrange jumper that may never extend to the NBA 3-point line. James needs to play in an up-tempo offense.



22. Paul George, Fresno State



Reminds some of Trevor Ariza. George is unpolished, but his game should definitely transfer over to the NBA game, though it has gaping holes. His length and athleticism make up for his lack of a pure offensive arsenal and he can shoot, which allows him to space the floor away from a post or a star teammate. George has a chance to be a starter in the league in time if he works to improve all facets of his game.



23. Donatas Motiejunas, Lithuania



Young and skilled around the basket, Motiejunas must add strength and toughness to his game. The Lithuanian played at a very high level in Italy this year, but despite a lot of statistical success, he is still not a great rebounder, nor does he hold position all that well. At just 19 he is a year away, but his instincts -- and his hands -- are terrific.



24. Stanley Robinson, Connecticut



Ridiculously long and athletic, "Sticks" is a jump shot away from being an athletic Bruce Bowen. He has good fundamentals defensively, great lateral quickness for his size and also has good hands around the rim on rebounds and alley-oops. He is bigger and better than Jamario Moon, though he may not be as jumpy as Moon.


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25. Jordan Crawford, Xavier



His attitude was brutal for much of the year but Crawford has a confidence that, while it can rub you the wrong way, can keep him believing that the ball belongs in his hands late in games. He's not a great athlete and does seem to carry too much weight. Crawford is very good with the ball in his hands, below average without it. As a late-first to early second-round pick, he needs to expect to play without the ball and improve dramatically in his rookie season.



26. Craig Brackins, Iowa State



His numbers shrunk, and his draft spot has clearly gotten worse, but Brackins has improved as a basketball player in the past year.



He played against a double-team or sagging man-to-man all year and in actuality, he is much better facing up than posting up. Brackens is big and skilled and though not a great or even really a good athlete, his pick-and-pop game, post-up game and ability to score points makes him valuable. If he were a better athlete, he might be a starter and a lottery pick this year, but his David West-type of game only helps if you have a Chris Paul alongside you.



27. Dominique Jones, South Florida



Has a Dwyane Wade-type of game and position. Not a point, not a 2, just a scoring guard that shoots it at an average level, but is unreal at getting into the paint. Jones is a good pickup for a playoff team needing offense off the bench, but he needs to shoot it better from 3. Though he has no position, he can guard a point or an averaged-sized 2 right now, which will help him get onto the court this year.



28. Solomon Alabi, Florida State



Looks the part of a starting center, but can be fairly unproductive. Alabi is a capable rebounder and shot blocker, holds decent position, but is yet to establish a polished post-up game. Still, his length, sheer size and hands make him a good big man off the bench who could grow into a starting role with some serious offensive work.



29. Quincy Pondexter, Washington



Really skilled and experienced wing. Not as big or long as Sticks Robinson, but a far better offensive player. Pondexter lacked confidence in his game until this year, but when the confidence kicked in, he became a dynamic scorer in the half court and transition.



30. Willie Warren, Oklahoma



Probably only 6-2½ in bare feet, but Warren can still score. He was injured, both mentally and physically, this year as his team simply imploded both while he was in the lineup and while he was hurt. A poor man's Ben Gordon, Warren can flat-out score and is a willing passer. He must grow up in his interpersonal relationships with coaches and teammates, but make no mistake: when his head is right, he can really play.
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Man....I'm hyped reading about Dominique Jones from USF....

this is a guy who the Wizards may be targeting with the #30 overall pick in the 1st round. They had him in for a workout last week, and he impressed.
 
Lessons learned in Las Vegas, Part I

LAS VEGAS -- They say that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, but I'm about to spill a few draft secrets from Sin City.



I spent the past two days with trainer Joe Abunassar, of Impact Basketball in Vegas, looking at a number of first-round prospects. Abunassar has a great track record with clients like Kevin Garnett, Chauncey Billups, Danny Granger, Rudy Gay and many others. This year he has a whopping 20-plus prospects in his gym preparing for the draft.



Here are the first five things I learned, with five more coming your way Friday:





1. Avery Bradley's preseason hype wasn't misguided.



Freshmen John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Derrick Favors may be all the rage at the top of the draft, but in April of 2009, ESPNU ranked Texas combo guard Avery Bradley as the top prospect from the high school class of 2009. Bradley didn't dominate in college the way Wall or Cousins did, though. He started the season coming off the bench and didn't really get it going until midseason. After that, his play was up-and-down. He'd score 29 points one night and get just 3 points the next.



But a few things became clear over the course of the season. First, Bradley was, hands down, the best perimeter defender in college basketball. His physical, up-in-your-grill approach frustrated virtually everyone he matched up with.



Second, Bradley has the type of elite quickness and explosiveness that has come to define a new breed of top NBA guards, like Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook.



What Bradley lacked was a concrete position, a definitive role on his team and a sense of confidence.



NBA teams have been all over the place on his evaluations. A few have looked at him as a late lottery pick. Others have him as a bubble first-rounder. I've sort of split the difference all year on the Big Board and have had him consistently in the late teens to early 20s on our Top 100.



After spending two days watching him both in drills and in 3-on-3 play, I think it's time to move Bradley up into the late lottery.



I'm still not sure if he's a pure point guard, and that's a serious drawback. But everything else looks pretty good. He's super-quick and can change speeds on a dime. He showed an excellent jumper, with NBA 3-point range. He displayed the ability to score from just about everywhere on the floor. And when he got into it with the likes of Sherron Collins and Armon Johnson, his stifling defense gave them lots of problems.



Bradley measured 6-foot-1½ in socks and 6-3 in shoes, but has an impressive 6-7 wingspan, ran a blazing 3.03 seconds in a three-quarter-court sprint and showed off an impressive 37.5-inch vertical jump. Those numbers are quite similar to his two closest comps, Westbrook and San Antonio's George Hill. And like Westbrook and Hill, no one is exactly sure what position Bradley plays. He sees the floor fine, but he rarely makes a showstopping pass.



I spoke with Bradley after the workouts about his up-and-down season at Texas. He said he felt he was on par with the more heralded freshmen like Wall and Cousins. What he lacked was a coach who turned the keys over to him. Texas had seniors like Damion James and Dexter Pittman and he tried to fit in and defer to them -- a role he said Rick Barnes asked him to play.



I think he'll be in serious consideration for a few lottery teams, like the http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=indIndiana Pacers, http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=memMemphis Grizzlies and http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=torToronto Raptors (who sent a scout to the workout), that could use help at the point.



2. Lance Stephenson is out to transform his rep.



Speaking of recent high school phenoms, Cincinnati freshman Lance Stephenson was also in the house. Stephenson was ranked in the top 10 by many scouting services coming out of high school (No. 12 by ESPNU), but a bad reputation scared away a lot of colleges and has marred the opinion of many who've watched him play.



What I saw on Tuesday and Wednesday may cause some to reconsider. Abunassar has been working on Stephenson's conditioning. He is down to 227 with 9.4 percent body fat. He looks as cut and as lean as I've ever seen him. The better conditioning has clearly helped his game. He's lighter on his feet, more explosive and able to keep his intensity up for longer periods of time.



The guy can flat-out score. He's got a nice midrange jumper, can pound it down low and is always hunting for his shot. He wasn't overly selfish (despite the rep), but when a scoring opportunity came, he took it.



I pushed him a little bit after the workout on his bad rep. He was up-front with me that he may have let things get to his head in college. But the last season has been a humbling one for him. He has realized that hype alone won't get him into the league, and he has buckled down to work on his game.



While I don't think Stephenson is a lottery pick, there aren't 30 more talented players in the draft. I'm not sure how he'll handle all the distractions that the NBA brings, but his game is well-suited to the league.



In 3-on-3 games on Wednesday, he challenged Oklahoma State's James Anderson for the most points scored in the morning. He got his points in a variety of ways. He was unconscious from midrange, took the ball to the basket and even posted up a little. While there is clearly more room for maturity on and off the court, he's a talent who could get minutes immediately in the NBA.



3. James Anderson and Manny Harris can really score.



Oklahoma State's James Anderson and Michigan's Manny Harris can clearly put the ball in the bucket, but they do it in different ways.



Anderson isn't the quickest nor the most explosive athlete, but he uses his size, toughness and a knowledge of how to get to the basket and get separation to pour in the points. While he wasn't a showstopper in the drills portion on Tuesday, when they rolled out the ball for 3-on-3 play on Wednesday, he dominated. No one who guarded him could do much to stop him. He even displayed an underrated skill -- his ability to hit the open man when the defense collapses in the lane.



Harris uses quickness and athleticism to get it done. If you combined Anderson's basketball IQ with Harris' physical tools, you'd have the perfect 2-guard.



I think Anderson's range is pretty well set at this point. It probably starts with the Raptors at 13. The http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=milMilwaukee Bucks should have major interest at 15 and he most likely won't get past the http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=chiChicago Bulls at 17. Harris, however, is tougher to project, but should go somewhere between 25 and 40.



4. Craig Brackins has no regrets.



The most surprising prospect in the gym had to be Iowa State's Craig Brackins.



A few minutes into the warm-ups on Tuesday, Abunassar told me that Brackins had a 40-inch vertical. Having watched him at Iowa State over the past two years, I was really skeptical. Abunassar presented me with the testing results later that day and I tweeted them that night. On Wednesday morning Brackins told me that his phone blew up that night with texts and calls from people at Iowa State. "No one believed that I could jump that high," Brackins said with a smile.



While he's clearly not as bouncy as UConn's Stanley Robinson, Brackins showed again and again on Tuesday and Wednesday that he's a much better athlete than we've given him credit for. He was slamming home alley-oops, attacking the basket with authority and running the floor well.



But those things aren't the major selling points for Brackins. What is more impressive is his ability to stretch the floor with his jump shot and score in the post. Few players have the ability to do both well. In drills, Brackins was on fire. It seemed as though he was hitting every jump shot, including NBA 3-pointers. Inside, he showed excellent footwork and touch around the basket. In the games on Wednesday he repeatedly scored over Robinson in the post.



Brackins was ranked 11th on our Big Board at the start of the season and slowly watched his stock sink all the way into the second round by the end, after he struggled to replicate his numbers from his sophomore year. Many people, including me, questioned his decision to return to school for his junior year. Brackins defended the choice, saying he felt he wasn't ready for the NBA physically and enjoyed college. He says he's gotten stronger and, for the first time, had to overcome adversity when college teams double- and triple-teamed him every night.



"I may not have put up better numbers as a junior," he said. "But I became a better player, physically and mentally. If the NBA scouts liked me as a sophomore, I think they'll see I'm a better player because of last year."



Given his measurements and athletic numbers, most NBA teams will agree, and we could see him move back up the charts to where he started the season. There are few big guys in the draft who can score like he can.



5. Sherron Collins and Armon Johnson could find ways into Round 1.



The draft is weak for point guards, so two prospects -- Nevada's Armon Johnson and Kansas' Sherron Collins -- are doing their best to capitalize on that situation and get into the first round.



Of the two, Johnson has the physical advantage. He measured 6-2 in socks and 6-3½ in shoes, with a very impressive 6-7½ wingspan. He's got thick shoulders, is very fast for his size and can explode at the basket. As far as point guards go, he's a physical specimen.



Johnson is at his best when he's slashing to the basket. His jump shot is inconsistent and he showed mixed results with it in drills and 3-on-3 games. He has a good handle but doesn't necessarily show the elite court vision that other top point guards possess. He reminded me of Ramon Sessions a bit.



Collins is clearly undersized at 5-10½ in socks (though he'd argue he's a 6-footer in shoes). He has a super-thick frame which, at times during his college career, moved from thick to fat. But that's no longer the case. On first glance I thought Collins still needed to lose 15 pounds. Then he took off his shirt and showed off his washboard abs. He's not overweight. He's just built like a brick house.



I've seen Collins more than any player in this draft over the years, so I can't say I noticed anything new about his game. He continues to possess one of the best crossover dribbles in the draft. He's quick and powerful and can get his shot off against just about anyone. He's charismatic on the court and clearly a leader. And he still, even in a workout setting, sometimes tries to do too much. For every two good shots he takes, there's a bad one in there too.



When it got to the 3-on-3 games, no one was more competitive than Collins. He kept pushing and pushing guys and at the end of the morning, his team went an impressive 7-1. He would be a great energy point guard off the bench if he can handle not being the alpha dog on a team. But I'm not sure he knows anything but the alpha dog role.

  Lessons learned in Las Vegas, Part II

I spent two days this week with trainer Joe Abunassar, of Impact Basketball in Vegas, looking at a number of first-round prospects. Abunassar has a great track record with clients like Kevin Garnett, Chauncey Billups, Danny Granger, Rudy Gay and many others. This year he has a whopping 20-plus prospects in his gym preparing for the draft.



Below are the final five things I learned. (You can check out the first five from Thursday's blog entry right here.)





1. Stanley Robinson and Devin Ebanks remain enigmatic.



Robinson is every bit the athlete we thought he was in college. He's super bouncy, runs the floor like a guard and finishes strong at the rim. He also showed some of that inconsistency we saw at UConn. He'd drill five shots in a row and then throw up a couple of air balls. He was clearly distracted Tuesday (more on that later). But on Day 2 he played with much more confidence.



Ebanks was very different than the scouting report I had on him. He isn't nearly as long (a 6-foot-9 wingspan) nor is he as explosive athletically as I thought he'd be. He's not a bad athlete; he's just not a freakish one. He also didn't wow me in the individual drills Tuesday.



However, once we got to the 3-on-3 portion Wednesday, he was more skilled and more effective as a scorer than what I saw at West Virginia. Ebanks showed a very good midrange game, attacked the basket and played tough defense.



I'm still trying to get a handle on where both of these guys will go. Both players have their selling points and, at one time during the year, both were ranked in the late lottery on our Big Board. I think their personalities and off-court questions will ultimately determine their fate. If teams believe that they'll work hard and stay out of trouble, both are first-round talents. If they can't convince teams that they have the maturity they need, they could both slip into the second round.



What I saw from both of them in terms of professionalism and maturity in Vegas was promising. But two days isn't enough to definitively answer the questions for NBA teams.

2. Dwayne Collins is really long.



Miami's Collins gets the award for the most extreme measurements I've ever seen. Collins measured 6-6½ in socks yet sported an incredible 7-4 wingspan. I went back and checked our database of measurements from the NBA pre-draft camp and I believe he has the largest disparity ever (9½ inches) between his height and wingspan.



Collins isn't the most skilled big man you'll find, but he's a very good athlete and tries to rip down the rim on every possession. He goes at the basket so strong that players were yelling "Watch your head, Dwayne!" when he'd go up for a dunk. They weren't kidding. A couple of times he almost dinged his forehead on the rim.



3. Jeremy Lin isn't ready for the league.



At some point during the season there was a "Jeremy Lin for the NBA" movement afoot. Lin had a great career at Harvard and put up big numbers against some credible college opponents.



I wanted to like Lin coming in. He's an interesting guy with a good basketball pedigree who chose the path less taken (it seems like it's easier to get a Supreme Court gig than an NBA one coming out of Harvard these days).



But after watching him for two days, in both drills and in 3-on-3 action, I don't think he's ready for the NBA. He's a very good basketball player, but I didn't think he measured up athletically to the other pro prospects in the gym. I think he has the potential to have a good pro career overseas, but I don't think we'll see him in the NBA -- not yet anyway.



4. Here are your combine numbers.



Everyone loves the combine info, whether it's wingspans, vertical jumps or the infamous bench pressing numbers. (For the record, I have no idea how bench pressing a 185-pound bar translates to NBA success.)



My experience over the years is that the numbers aren't great predictors of NBA success. Remember three years ago when Kevin Durant tested as the worst athlete in the draft? Exactly.



But, I know you want the info anyway and Abunassar was kind enough to supply it. Here's a table breaking down all the info we were able to get. Have fun with it.



[h4]COMBINE RESULTS[/h4][table][tr][th=""]Name[/th][th=""]Ht.[/th][th=""]Ht. w/shoes[/th][th=""]Wt.[/th][th=""]Wingspan[/th][th=""]Standing Reach[/th][th=""]Body Fat %[/th][/tr][tr][td]Craig Brackins[/td][td]6-8 ½[/td][td]6-9 ½[/td][td]226[/td][td]6-11 ½[/td][td]9-0[/td][td]8.4[/td][/tr][tr][td]Dwayne Collins[/td][td]6-6 ½[/td][td]6-8[/td][td]230[/td][td]7-4-[/td][td]9-1 ½[/td][td]N/A[/td][/tr][tr][td]James Anderson[/td][td]6-4 ½[/td][td]6-6 ½[/td][td]202[/td][td]6-8[/td][td]8-7 ½[/td][td]N/A[/td][/tr][tr][td]Stanley Robinson[/td][td]6-7[/td][td]6-8 ½[/td][td]213[/td][td]7-0[/td][td]8-11[/td][td]10.1[/td][/tr][tr][td]Devin Ebanks[/td][td]6-8[/td][td]6-9 ½[/td][td]206[/td][td]6-9[/td][td]8-10[/td][td]9.7[/td][/tr][tr][td]Lance Stephenson[/td][td]6-4 ½[/td][td]6-6[/td][td]227[/td][td]6-10 ½[/td][td]8-6 ½[/td][td]9.4[/td][/tr][tr][td]Manny Harris[/td][td]6-3 ½[/td][td]6-5[/td][td]177[/td][td]6-8[/td][td]8-4[/td][td]7.4[/td][/tr][tr][td]Avery Bradley[/td][td]6-1 ½[/td][td]6-3[/td][td]176[/td][td]6-7[/td][td]8-3 ½[/td][td]7.6[/td][/tr][/table]

[h4]COMBINE RESULTS[/h4][table][tr][th=""]Name[/th][th=""]Vertical (inches)[/th][th=""]Lane Agility (s)[/th][th=""]3/4 Sprint (s)[/th][th=""]Bench Press (reps)[/th][/tr][tr][td]Craig Brackins[/td][td]40[/td][td]11.62[/td][td]3.69[/td][td]8[/td][/tr][tr][td]Dwayne Collins[/td][td]34 ½[/td][td]12.22[/td][td]3.29[/td][td]23[/td][/tr][tr][td]James Anderson[/td][td]34 ½[/td][td]11.62[/td][td]3.21[/td][td]15[/td][/tr][tr][td]Stanley Robinson[/td][td]38 ½[/td][td]12.36[/td][td]3.15[/td][td]10[/td][/tr][tr][td]Devin Ebanks[/td][td]35[/td][td]11.97[/td][td]3.53[/td][td]6[/td][/tr][tr][td]Lance Stephenson[/td][td]35 ½[/td][td]11.67[/td][td]3.28[/td][td]N/A[/td][/tr][tr][td]Manny Harris[/td][td]36 ½[/td][td]12.02[/td][td]3.22[/td][td]10[/td][/tr][tr][td]Avery Bradley[/td][td]37 ½[/td][td]11.51[/td][td]3.03[/td][td]N/A[/td][/tr][/table]



5. Stanley Robinson is good guy.



Finally, an anecdote -- one of my favorites in the past 15 years of covering the draft.



On Tuesday, Robinson really struggled. His nerves got the best of him when I walked into the gym, and in an effort to impress, he ended up pressing too hard and didn't look great.



Robinson, if you remember, lost his confidence at the end of his sophomore season at UConn. He left the team for a little bit and worked in a steel yard. Finally, coach Jim Calhoun rescued him, and Robinson went on to turn his career around during his junior season. Robinson said, "Coach Calhoun taught me how to be a man. I'll forever be grateful for that."



On Wednesday morning, Robinson grabbed me just before I was going to interview him. He stuck out his hand for a handshake and said, "Mr. Ford. I'm Stanley Robinson. I just want to apologize for yesterday. I played terribly. I was trying to impress you and, well, you saw what happened."



In all my years of doing this, I've never had a prospect apologize for a lousy performance. I found out later that Robinson had stayed up much of the night, worrying about how he had played. I was taken aback. I didn't really know what to say. But then something occurred to me.



"Did you see the Celtics-Cavs game last night?" I asked.



Robinson nodded.



"LeBron James was awful," I said. "I'm not sure why exactly. I'm not sure if it was an injury, or the pressure, or something else going on in his life. We don't know. But here's what I'm thinking. If LeBron James, the best player in the world, can have a bad night, so can you. Shake it off and show me what you've got today."



Robinson grinned from ear to ear. We sat down and talked for another 10 minutes or so. He's a super-nice kid. He was very thoughtful talking about what happened during his career. The theme was clear: When he has confidence, there isn't much he can't do on the court.



I'm happy to report Robinson put that shaky Tuesday performance behind him Wednesday. He came out and played with confidence. He shot the ball with range. He attacked the basket. His team -- Sherron Collins, Lin and himself -- went 7-1 in the 3-on-3 games. He looked like a lottery pick.



As I was pondering the experience on the way home, and in the midst of all the LeBron backlash that came after Game 5, it put things into perspective a bit for me. As a sportswriter, I've failed at times to see the humanity of the players I cover. I sometimes expect them not to have weaknesses, to perform like machines, to not make mistakes on and off the court. When they fail, I am disappointed, and on occasion overreact -- judging without having all the facts. I don't always give them the slack I'd give myself or any other normal human being I know.



Robinson reminded me Wednesday that pro athletes aren't that different from the rest of us. They have good days and bad days. They are proud when they succeed. Beat themselves up when they fail. But unlike us, they put themselves out there on a public stage for the whole world to see.



I for one, as a fan of the game, am grateful that they do. That they put themselves out there in the pursuit of greatness.



If one thing was clear from my time in Vegas it was this: Stanley Robinson is right -- Calhoun did teach him how to be a man.

Workout tour begins in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES -- Every year, the top prospects in the NBA draft leave behind the comforts of college and head out to workout sites in Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Florida, looking for an edge that might put them in a better draft position.



Some hire basketball coaches. Others hire personal trainers. A few hire former Navy Seals. The techniques may differ from gym to gym, but the goal is the same -- to fulfill a life-long dream of playing in the NBA.



For the last decade I've taken a pre-draft tour to the top sites. I've seen the likes of Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade, Greg Oden, Blake Griffin and a host of other, lesser-known prospects prepare for the NBA draft. This year is no different. Over the course of the next week I'll be traveling throughout the U.S. checking in on the pre-draft workouts of various prospects.



This year, the focus is going to be on a number of intriguing sleepers whose draft stock is all over the place, depending on which team you talk to. We end the trip at the Chicago pre-draft combine, where the 60 top prospects in the draft compete in a number of skill and physical challenges in front of every GM in the league.



I started the tour in Los Angeles this year. Here are the guys I got to see:





Paul George, G/F, Fresno State
If you want the upside sleeper of the first round, look no further than George. He is a 6-foot-8 wing whose silky smooth play has drawn comparisons to everyone from Tracy McGrady to Wilson Chandler.



George is closer to Chandler than McGrady at the moment, but it's clear that he's the type of player who could explode with a little coaching. He's been in the gym with former NBA big man Don MacLean for the past three weeks working on the little things that separate the good wings from the great wings. Specifically, he's working on creating his own shot -- ball handling, first step and getting separation off the dribble.



In the workout we saw, George was terrific. He showed deep range on his jump shot, exploded to the rim and had terrific quickness. Scouts have had questions about his consistency and toughness. They've also worried about his love affair with the 3-pointer. But it was also clear that he was rarely pushed at Fresno State.



In this environment, playing alongside other NBA prospects, he looked much sharper and more focused. He needs to get stronger and improve his motor (something he admitted to me when we chatted) but MacLean told me George has been a sponge since coming into the gym.



George believes he may be more of a 2-guard than a 3. Some NBA teams agree. In fact his first workout is in San Antonio on Thursday. His workout partner: Kansas shooting guard Xavier Henry.



Damion James, F, Texas
Last year at this time, nearly every NBA team had written off James. After an unimpressive combine in Chicago, James withdrew from the draft and most NBA teams penciled him as a second-rounder in 2010.



But James has been gaining momentum all year. NBA teams loved his toughness, motor and athleticism. But they questioned what position he would play in the NBA. James has worked hard on his perimeter skills and this year became a much more convincing small forward.



James was in for his first day with MacLean, but he was already in terrific shape. He's got big hands, terrific strength and attacks every drill like he's trying to kill. In one drill, during which MacLean had players moving from box to box and dunking each time they came to the rim, James nearly ripped the rim from the backboard on every play.



While James isn't going to show the skill of a player like George in this type of setting, what he does show is plenty of fire. I think it's going to be a terrific selling point for him in the draft. He could rise in a way similar to what Tyler Hansbrough did in last year's draft. You can't teach toughness, motor and NBA readiness. With so many question marks in this draft, James is one of the few guys who you know, right out of the gate, what you are and aren't getting. By June, he could end up in the late lottery.



Jerome Jordan, C, Tulsa
At the start of the 2008-09 season, we had Jordan ranked in the lottery. Jordan was coming off a terrific summer run at the LeBron James Skills Academy, and a number of NBA scouts thought they were looking at a potentially dominant big man.



However, Jordan never quite developed the way many teams thought he would. He got better, but he rarely dominated. By the midpoint of his senior season, it seemed like most NBA teams had lost interest.



I think they'll be regaining it soon. I was really impressed with Jordan in his workout. He was light on his feet, showed a soft touch around the basket and looked absolutely huge.



Jordan has measured nearly 7-1 in shoes and has a big-time, 7-5 wingspan. Size-wise, he's the real deal, which was evident watching Jarvis Varnado struggle to get his shot off against him.



Jordan's two biggest weaknesses are correctable. He only started playing seriously when he was 17 years old, missed his senior season in high school and rarely played as a freshman at Tulsa. In other words, he has a lot of room to grow as a player. He also needs to add strength, especially in his lower body. He's made some progress in that area over the course of his college career, but he needs more time in the weight room.



Of all the players I saw Monday, he was the one I walked away convinced was too low on our Big Board. There is a dearth of centers in the draft, and Jordan has too much potential to slide out of the first round. Big guys rise as we get closer to draft night, and if Jordan continues to play like he did in Los Angeles, someone is going to take a chance on him in the 20s.



Jarvis Varnado, F, Mississippi State
Varnado is easier to get your arms around. He's been the most dominant shot blocker in college basketball the past few years, and it's hard to imagine he won't continue that success at the next level.



He's an explosive athlete with a downright freaky 7-4 wingspan. He has a knack for blocking shots, is a good rebounder and plays hard on every possession. He's slowly been improving on the offensive end, but he's never going to be a dominant offensive player.



Varnado held his own in the offensive drills and even hit a couple of 3-pointers, but that's not going to be his bread and butter. He's so active defensively that he reminds me a lot of the Nuggets' Chris Andersen.



If he can convince NBA GMs he could be that type of game-changing defensive presence, he could go in the 20s.



Jordan Crawford, G, Xavier
Crawford was also in L.A. He's coming off quite a year. First he was in national headlines when he dunked on LeBron at a camp last summer, then he turned in several terrific performances for Xavier in the NCAA tournament.



Crawford is the type of undersized, explosive scorer that seems to be gaining momentum in the NBA. He has deep range on his jump shot and can also get to the basket and finish with a big-time dunk.



Crawford measured out at just over 6-4 in shoes. If he were two inches taller, NBA teams would be calling him a lottery pick. As it stands, he's an undersized scoring guard trying to fight his way into the league. The fact he has a rep as being tough to coach (something Crawford said he's put behind him, now that he realizes coaching is the only way for him to get better) has probably hurt his stock.



But when you watch him start rolling as a scorer (something he showed off in workouts Monday), it's hard to believe he's not going to catch someone's eye as a poor man's Ben Gordon. He's going to be instant offense when he gets into the game.



Ben Uzoh, G, Tulsa
I know Uzoh isn't getting a lot of love right now. Of all the top guys I saw Monday, he was the only one not invited to the Chicago pre-draft camp. But I think he has a chance to be a solid role player in the NBA. He was very good in the workout, showing elite athleticism, shooting the lights out and fighting hard on defense. His handle and decision making need some work, but he's another guy who could provide a scoring boost off the bench.



Luke Harangody, F, Notre Dame
Once again Harangody has gotten himself into great shape and has tightened up his body. I'm not sure where he'll go in the draft. Everything about him is unorthodox. His shot is ugly (but it goes in), he's undersized to be a 4 (but he cleaned up on the boards), he's not a great athlete (but scored at will in college). When I asked him to give me his comparison in the NBA, even he couldn't come up with anyone. Clearly a workout-type setting won't be ideal for him. But when you watch him go in 5-on-5, it's hard to argue with years of 20 and 10 in the Big East.
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Tyreke Evans + John Wall=
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| I'm not sure how Wall + Evans works. Sounds good. But can you really picture Reke not having the ball in his hands for 90% of their possessions?
 
In preparation for Tuesday's draft lottery, here are some interesting storylines you should take note of before the envelopes are opened.

• Of the teams in the lottery this year, five teams -- the http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=minMinnesota Timberwolves, http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=detDetroit Pistons, http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=uthUtah Jazz, http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=indIndiana Pacers and http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=memMemphis Grizzlies -- have never won the lottery.

Is it just me or are the Timberwolves the only team in the group that could theoretically screw this up -- even if they get the No. 1 pick? Last year the team took three point guards in the first round (they traded one of them, Ty Lawson, on draft night). GM David Kahn is infatuated with Ricky Rubio and may not want to scare him off any more than he already has by drafting John Wall.

In fact, I heard over the weekend from a source inside Evan Turner's camp that they Wolves have sent signals to Turner that he, not Wall, would be their pick if they win the lottery. I'm a big Rubio fan, but if the Wolves get the No. 1 pick, they should trade Jonny Flynn if they can get a good offer for him. If not, they should keep Flynn and deal the rights to Wall for something of equal value. There's no guarantee when or if Rubio will ever play for them.

The Pistons went nearly 10 years without appearing in the lottery, but now are in serious rebuilding mode. While the team loves Rodney Stuckey (they traded Chauncey Billups to give him more playing time) I think Wall is the type of player that would put them back on the map.

The Jazz are the team that could see the biggest boost from doing well on Tuesday night. They're already a serious playoff team which is benefitting from a draft pick Isiah Thomas traded away years ago when he was running the Knicks. If they land anywhere in the top three, they'll get a major upgrade -- a rarity for a playoff team.

If the NBA is going to do a favor to anyone, maybe it should stack the deck toward the Pacers. Since the Ron Artest brawl, the franchise has been snake bitten. Now with Larry Bird running the show it seems like it's in the NBA's best interest to help out this once-proud franchise. A lottery win could really catapult the Pacers back into the mix in the East. What they need more than anything else is an athletic point guard. Add Wall to the mix and the Pacers are a dangerous playoff team next year.

The Grizzlies are due, though the odds are heavily stacked against them. The team has had the worst record in the league three times and has never won the lottery. If they get the No. 1 pick, they could be a very good team. They like Mike Conley, but Wall seems like a perfect fit in their offense.

• If you're looking for teams that probably don't deserve to win, look no further than the Clippers and Nets. The Clippers have won the lottery three times and the Nets have done so twice. But that's just part of the story. When those teams end up with the top pick, they generally screw it up.

The Clippers passed on Paul Pierce and Dirk Nowitzki in 1998 to draft Michael Olowokandi. Their No. 1 pick in 1988 was better -- Danny Manning. But he didn't turn into a superstar either. It wasn't a great draft, but Mitch Richmond would've been a better pick. When they drafted first last year, that turned out to be a disaster, too. Blake Griffin sat out the entire season with a stress fracture in his left patella. The curse of the Clippers continues!

The Nets have more excuses. Kenyon Martin was their No. 1 pick in 2000. While Martin hasn't been a superstar, neither has any of the other top player in that draft. It will probably go down as one of the worst drafts ever. In 1990, the Nets took Derrick Coleman with the No. 1 pick -- one pick ahead of future Hall of Famer Gary Payton. This year a number of other GMs are rolling their eyes at the Nets who seemed to deliberately gut their team in order to both clear cap space and get the No. 1 pick. If they get Wall and a top free agent like LeBron James, you're going to hear a lot of complaining.

• Everyone fawns over lottery picks, but take a look at some of the guys who've gone later in the draft over the years:

[h4]No lottery? No problem![/h4]
This is a sampling -- but not an all-inclusive list -- of some of the high-value players picked after the lottery.
[table][tr][th=""]Year[/th][th=""]Player[/th][th=""]Pick[/th][th=""]Draft Team[/th][/tr][tr][td]2009[/td][td]Darren Collison[/td][td]21[/td][td]Hornets[/td][/tr][tr][td]2007[/td][td]Carl Landry[/td][td]31[/td][td]Rockets[/td][/tr][tr][td]2007[/td][td]Rodney Stuckey[/td][td]15[/td][td]Pistons[/td][/tr][tr][td]2006[/td][td]Rajon Rondo[/td][td]21[/td][td]Suns[/td][/tr][tr][td]2005[/td][td]Monta Ellis[/td][td]40[/td][td]Warriors[/td][/tr][tr][td]2004[/td][td]Al Jefferson[/td][td]15[/td][td]Celtics[/td][/tr][tr][td]2004[/td][td]Josh Smith[/td][td]17[/td][td]Hawks[/td][/tr][tr][td]2003[/td][td]Josh Howard[/td][td]29[/td][td]Mavericks[/td][/tr][tr][td]2002[/td][td]Carlos Boozer[/td][td]35[/td][td]Cavaliers[/td][/tr][tr][td]2002[/td][td]Tayshaun Prince[/td][td]23[/td][td]Pistons[/td][/tr][tr][td]2001[/td][td]Tony Parker[/td][td]28[/td][td]Spurs[/td][/tr][tr][td]2001[/td][td]Gilbert Arenas[/td][td]31[/td][td]Warriors[/td][/tr][tr][td]2001[/td][td]Mehmet Okur[/td][td]38[/td][td]Pistons[/td][/tr][tr][td]2000[/td][td]Michael Redd[/td][td]43[/td][td]Bucks[/td][/tr][tr][td]1999[/td][td]Manu Ginobili[/td][td]57[/td][td]Spurs[/td][/tr][tr][td]1999[/td][td]Andrei Kirilenko[/td][td]24[/td][td]Jazz[/td][/tr][tr][td]1998[/td][td]Rashard Lewis[/td][td]32[/td][td]Sonics[/td][/tr][tr][td]1996[/td][td]Steve Nash[/td][td]15[/td][td]Suns[/td][/tr][tr][td]1996[/td][td]Jermaine O'Neal[/td][td]17[/td][td]Trail Blazers[/td][/tr][tr][td]1993[/td][td]Sam Cassell[/td][td]24[/td][td]Rockets[/td][/tr][tr][td]1990[/td][td]Toni Kukoc[/td][td]29[/td][td]Bulls[/td][/tr][tr][td]1987[/td][td]Reggie Lewis[/td][td]22[/td][td]Celtics[/td][/tr][tr][td]1986[/td][td]Mark Price[/td][td]25[/td][td]Mavericks[/td][/tr][tr][td]1986[/td][td]Dennis Rodman[/td][td]27[/td][td]Pistons[/td][/tr][tr][td]1985[/td][td]Joe Dumars[/td][td]18[/td][td]Pistons[/td][/tr][/table]

• Getting the No. 1 pick doesn't guarantee that you'll be making the playoffs right away. Only four No. 1 picks have won Rookie of the Year and helped their teams into the playoffs that same season: David Robinson; Chris Webber; Tim Duncan; Derrick Rose.

It gets even worse. Only five No. 1 picks have ever led the team that drafted them to a NBA championship since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976: Magic Johnson; James Worthy; Hakeem Olajuwon; Robinson; Duncan.

Magic center Dwight Howard has a very good shot of becoming the sixth player on the list this year.

So for all of that talk about LeBron James not winning a championship, he's not alone.

• Finally, drafting No. 1 doesn't guarantee that you'll get the best player. In fact, according to John Hollinger's re-drafts, the top pick has turned into the top player in the draft only four times between 1995 and 2006 -- Howard in 2004, LeBron in 2003, Elton Brand in 1999 and Duncan in 1997. Hollinger hasn't re-drafted the last three groups, but there's a very strong argument that Kevin Durant should've gone ahead of Greg Oden in 2007. In 2008, the No. 1 pick, Rose, has regained his throne as the best player in the draft. But in 2009, top pick Griffin sat out the season, while Tyreke Evans, the fourth pick, won Rookie of the Year honors.
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I think the Kings should get a big man, or maybe a wingman.



Their backcourt seems fine for now with Beno and Reke.
 
I wouldn't be mad if the Wizards took a swing at Lance with either the 30th or 34th pick if he's there. Just please...NO Vasquez.
 
Stanley Robinson is good guy.

Finally, an anecdote -- one of my favorites in the past 15 years of covering the draft.

On Tuesday, Robinson really struggled. His nerves got the best of him when I walked into the gym, and in an effort to impress, he ended up pressing too hard and didn't look great.

Robinson, if you remember, lost his confidence at the end of his sophomore season at UConn. He left the team for a little bit and worked in a steel yard. Finally, coach Jim Calhoun rescued him, and Robinson went on to turn his career around during his junior season. Robinson said, "Coach Calhoun taught me how to be a man. I'll forever be grateful for that."

On Wednesday morning, Robinson grabbed me just before I was going to interview him. He stuck out his hand for a handshake and said, "Mr. Ford. I'm Stanley Robinson. I just want to apologize for yesterday. I played terribly. I was trying to impress you and, well, you saw what happened."

In all my years of doing this, I've never had a prospect apologize for a lousy performance. I found out later that Robinson had stayed up much of the night, worrying about how he had played. I was taken aback. I didn't really know what to say. But then something occurred to me.

"Did you see the Celtics-Cavs game last night?" I asked.

Robinson nodded.

"LeBron James was awful," I said. "I'm not sure why exactly. I'm not sure if it was an injury, or the pressure, or something else going on in his life. We don't know. But here's what I'm thinking. If LeBron James, the best player in the world, can have a bad night, so can you. Shake it off and show me what you've got today."

Robinson grinned from ear to ear. We sat down and talked for another 10 minutes or so. He's a super-nice kid. He was very thoughtful talking about what happened during his career. The theme was clear: When he has confidence, there isn't much he can't do on the court.

I'm happy to report Robinson put that shaky Tuesday performance behind him Wednesday. He came out and played with confidence. He shot the ball with range. He attacked the basket. His team -- Sherron Collins, Lin and himself -- went 7-1 in the 3-on-3 games. He looked like a lottery pick.

As I was pondering the experience on the way home, and in the midst of all the LeBron backlash that came after Game 5, it put things into perspective a bit for me. As a sportswriter, I've failed at times to see the humanity of the players I cover. I sometimes expect them not to have weaknesses, to perform like machines, to not make mistakes on and off the court. When they fail, I am disappointed, and on occasion overreact -- judging without having all the facts. I don't always give them the slack I'd give myself or any other normal human being I know.

Robinson reminded me Wednesday that pro athletes aren't that different from the rest of us. They have good days and bad days. They are proud when they succeed. Beat themselves up when they fail. But unlike us, they put themselves out there on a public stage for the whole world to see.

I for one, as a fan of the game, am grateful that they do. That they put themselves out there in the pursuit of greatness.

If one thing was clear from my time in Vegas it was this: Stanley Robinson is right -- Calhoun did teach him how to be a man.


This was an amazing read. Stuff like this really makes me feel good.
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thanks for posting DC.  I always like Stan.  He can be as good as he wants to be.
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Originally Posted by Im Not You

I wouldn't be mad if the Wizards took a swing at Lance with either the 30th or 34th pick if he's there. Just please...NO Vasquez.
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Bro....i'd be heated beyond belief if the Wizards took Greivis w. the #30.  I just hope that with Ted running the show, he'll stay away from drafting local guys for the sake of them being local.  As you know, that's what the mentality was when Abe was alive. 

What I'm going to say next is going to contridict what I just said, but whatever
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INY....let's say the Wizards get the #5 or #6 pick....how do you think a guy like Greg Monroe would fit in on this team?  Yeah he's a local guy, but a 6'11" dude with his skill-set doesn't exactly grow on trees.  The last guy to come along at that size with the same court vision was Lamar Odom.  Odom is probably a better ball handler and has WAY more range, but I think the skill sets otherwise are similar.  Unlike Odom, I think Monroe will show a little more heart and an actual desire to become better each year. 
  
 
Is Ed Davis still projected as a lottery pick?.

I'm trying to understand why he stayed in the draft given his sub par season and injury problems.
 
Has anyone ever seen Ed Davis score on something other than a dunk or a lefty jump hook?

Him being a top 10 pick still is as odd to me as Bradley being a later Round 1 pick.

When is the last time a Marcus Haslip/ Stro Swift/Tyrus Thomas/Brandan Wright type actually really flourished?

no way should he go over Monroe or Udoh.
 
I could swear I was reading the Odom/Monroe comparisons somewhere else I can't remember if it was Twitter or ESPN but I agree a little with it. He's probably the closest thing to Odom since that draft. 

Never mind, it was on Twitter.  DJ's brought up the same points last night. 
 
Originally Posted by Proshares

I could swear I was reading the Odom/Monroe comparisons somewhere else I can't remember if it was Twitter or ESPN but I agree a little with it. He's probably the closest thing to Odom since that draft.
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It was Twitter last night.
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Monroe is more like Pau than LO in my eyes. However, he won't be as good. I'm thinking his ceiling is something along the lines of 16, 8 and 4. I don't think he can be relied upon as a first or second option, but he would be a very good third option.
 
Originally Posted by DoubleJs07

Originally Posted by Im Not You

I wouldn't be mad if the Wizards took a swing at Lance with either the 30th or 34th pick if he's there. Just please...NO Vasquez.
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Bro....i'd be heated beyond belief if the Wizards took Greivis w. the #30.  I just hope that with Ted running the show, he'll stay away from drafting local guys for the sake of them being local.  As you know, that's what the mentality was when Abe was alive. 

What I'm going to say next is going to contridict what I just said, but whatever
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INY....let's say the Wizards get the #5 or #6 pick....how do you think a guy like Greg Monroe would fit in on this team?  Yeah he's a local guy, but a 6'11" dude with his skill-set doesn't exactly grow on trees.  The last guy to come along at that size with the same court vision was Lamar Odom.  Odom is probably a better ball handler and has WAY more range, but I think the skill sets otherwise are similar.  Unlike Odom, I think Monroe will show a little more heart and an actual desire to become better each year. 
  
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I like Monroe as a pro. I've given up on what he COULD be and I've accepted what he is, which won't be a star but he'll be pretty damn good. Obviously long term, I'm not sure how it all works out if Blatche and McGee develop but short term...I love it for the next few years from a depth point of a view. IF and only IF we get slotted outside of the top 3...I want Monroe. But right now I'm praying for Wall or Turner. Just no Wesley Johnson please.
 
Originally Posted by Im Not You

Originally Posted by DoubleJs07

Originally Posted by Im Not You

I wouldn't be mad if the Wizards took a swing at Lance with either the 30th or 34th pick if he's there. Just please...NO Vasquez.
Click to expand...

Bro....i'd be heated beyond belief if the Wizards took Greivis w. the #30.  I just hope that with Ted running the show, he'll stay away from drafting local guys for the sake of them being local.  As you know, that's what the mentality was when Abe was alive. 

What I'm going to say next is going to contridict what I just said, but whatever
laugh.gif


INY....let's say the Wizards get the #5 or #6 pick....how do you think a guy like Greg Monroe would fit in on this team?  Yeah he's a local guy, but a 6'11" dude with his skill-set doesn't exactly grow on trees.  The last guy to come along at that size with the same court vision was Lamar Odom.  Odom is probably a better ball handler and has WAY more range, but I think the skill sets otherwise are similar.  Unlike Odom, I think Monroe will show a little more heart and an actual desire to become better each year. 
  
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I like Monroe as a pro. I've given up on what he COULD be and I've accepted what he is, which won't be a star but he'll be pretty damn good. Obviously long term, I'm not sure how it all works out if Blatche and McGee develop but short term...I love it for the next few years from a depth point of a view. IF and only IF we get slotted outside of the top 3...I want Monroe. But right now I'm praying for Wall or Turner. Just no Wesley Johnson please.
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I feel the same way about Monroe as well.  

Are you anti Favors?
 
Whoever drafts Greg has to do just that. Accept him for what he is and utilize his strengths. He's likely the best passing big man in basketball, any level..and whoever drafts has to have a plan for that. And pair him with somebody up front who rebounds and defends.


I don't think he's comparable directly to one player. For better or worse, he has a unique game.
 
I was NEVER anti Favors...just up until the ACC Tourny...I wasn't buying him as the 2nd best prospect after Wall like he was slotted before the year started. Once I saw how AWFUL GT utilized him in the offense and I saw how he still displayed his talent while being used the wrong way...I bought back into him being a top 5 pick. I think he's a good get on a team where he can just go in a play from day one and through mistakes.
 
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