:: Official NBA Draft Thread - June 26, 7PM EST ::

[blackmagnus514]

nah my dude copped his last week. i dont wanna do all that going to MSG in the morning if i dont have to.

 

[harlemtothebronx]

I think you're right.

 

[pharelfor3]

Bill Walker hurt his knee at a workout the other day. might have to go back to school

Sources: MRI needed after another knee injury strikes draft prospect Walker

By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
(Archive)

Updated: June 15, 2008, 11:46 PM ET

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Representatives for Kansas State redshirt freshman Bill Walker were scrambling to secure a commitment from a team drafting late in the first round after Walkerinjured his right knee during a workout in California this weekend.

Bill Walker

Walker

Multiple sources close to Walker, and at least one who attended the workout in the Bay Area, said Sunday night that Walker would undergo another MRI on hisknee Monday. Walker was one of 24 players at the Golden State Warriors' facility to work out in front of representatives from 21 NBA teams. The players inattendance were projected as being between the 20th and 45th picks.

Monday is the deadline for underclassmen who haven't hired agents to withdraw from the draft and return to school.

Walker has had multiple knee injuries during his playing career. He played in six games during the 2006-07 season before tearing his ACL in his left knee. Hegraduated from high school that October and became eligible for Kansas State in December. Playing as the understudy to Michael Beasley on the Wildcats thisseason, Walker averaged 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Walker has worked out for Detroit (29th pick) and Toronto (17th). He turned down an invitation to the Orlando pre-draft camp last month.

Reached late Sunday night, Kansas State coach Frank Martin, who hadn't been informed of the extent of Walker's injury, said he was told that Walkerwould not decide whether to remain in the draft until just before the 5 p.m. ET deadline.

If Walker were to return to Kansas State, and is healthy, then he would surely be the focal point on the Wildcats after Beasley declared and stayed in thedraft by signing with an agent. Kansas State lost to Wisconsin in the second round of the NCAA tournament after the Wildcats beat Walker's former highschool and AAU teammate O.J. Mayo and USC.

A year ago, Kansas guard Brandon Rush suffered a torn ACL prior to the withdrawal deadline and was forced to return to KU. Rush ended up helping the Jayhawkswin the national championship in April.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

 

[lnmymind]

Difference between Walker and Rush is that Rush had something to go back to...that K-State team next year has as much of a chance to make the tournament asHoward University.

 

[al3xis]

Surprise, Surprise...

Two players we haven't heard great things about from their workouts so far as DeAndre Jordan and JaVale McGee. Both have reportedlybeen outplayed by lower rated prospects such as Alexis Ajinca (in Charlotte) and Roy Hibbert. Jordan has not impressed anyone by showing up for his jobinterview (what this is essentially) in a t-shirt and shorts while players such as Hibbert and Courtney Lee arrived prepared to get down to business in a suitand tie. Hibbert has gotten some strong reviews from teams who have seen him so far, as he appears to be in excellent shape and is reminding people why he wasconsidered a lock for the lottery just a year ago, running the floor well (better than his peers), finishing with either hand around the basket, and shootingthe ball better than expected from outside. Not surprisingly, the 21-year old Georgetown product has been extremely impressive off the court as well-which isan underrated element in this process.

 

[ValarMorghulis]

^^Love the new avy Al3xis... seeing as you ARE JTIII

Jordan is going to be a bust man i can feel it..he just doesnt have any "feel for the game" and i dont know if he ever will.
Courtney Lee, i think, is going to be good maybe very good

 

[N41D]

God, DeAndre Jordan really needs to go back to school... I don't think I've seen one positive review about him so far through this process....

 

[tmay407]

Originally Posted by Nowitness41Dirk

God, DeAndre Jordan really needs to go back to school... I don't think I've seen one positive review about him so far through this process....

Dude has no damn work ethic whatsoever. Even if he comes back he probably wouldn't play much more than he did last year.

Jordan is going to be a bust man i can feel it..he just doesnt have any "feel for the game" and i dont know if he ever will.

Pretty much. He just doesn't seem to understand that he's gonna have to work in order to get better. He usually looked lost when he got in the games.The only time he ever really looked good was getting put backs on short rebounds, which won't be near as easy at the next level.

 

[rsdplaya]

damn, can't believe phil jackson went to north dakota state!

 

[the lowa]

Originally Posted by Al3xis

Hopefully, I'll be in attendance. I'll denounce Knick fan hood if we select Joe Alexander.

If Roy goes to Seattle....

Lawson guaranteed at 20? He never struck me as a great playmaker or passer....he's just fast, really fast. Can't see him making people better.

Cleveland's front office sucks.

Yes, it does. Best open floor player in the game, and you wana play like the early 90's knicks...

Yo I can not go to the draft I have to work but if I can get off that night I will hit you up because my dude is going to get the tickets.

 

[the lowa]

I think that it is a good idea for the NYK to try and get of those bad contracts so we can make a run a James in 2010.

 

[i nasmatic i]

http://www.draftexpress.com/article...ne-Gallinari-Stays-in-the-Draft--152ET--2929/

 

[Arthur Shelby]

Word is UNC Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington are going back to school

 

[carolinatarheels4040]

Please god let that be true.

Edit: Right after I read that I went to ESPN.com and found this waiting for me:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/news/story?id=3446325

 

[lnmymind]

Walker is IN

 

[i nasmatic i]

just read that chase budinger is returning to zona

 

[lnmymind]

NCAA Staying In:

Joe Alexander, West Virginia (signed with Doug Neustadt)
Ryan Anderson, California
Darrell Arthur, Kansas
D.J. Augustin, Texas
Jerryd Bayless, Arizona
Michael Beasley, Kansas State
Mario Chalmers, Kansas
Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis
C.J. Giles, Oregon State
Donte Greene, Syracuse
Kalen Grimes, Missouri
Eric Gordon, Indiana
DeAndre Jordan, Texas A&M
Kosta Koufos, Ohio State
Jamont Gordon, Mississippi State (signing with Charles Grantham?)
Shawn James, Duquesne
Davon Jefferson, Southern California
Brook Lopez, Stanford
Robin Lopez, Stanford
Kevin Love, UCLA
O.J. Mayo, Southern California
Richard Hendrix, Alabama
J.J. Hickson, North Carolina State
George Hill, IUPUI
JaVale McGee, Nevada
Kojo Mensah, Duquesne
Trent Plaisted, Brigham Young
Anthony Randolph, LSU
Walter Sharpe, Alabama-Birmingham (signed with agent Danny Servick)
Derrick Rose, Memphis
Brandon Rush, Kansas
Marreese Speights, Florida
Bill Walker, Kansas State
Russell Westbrook, UCLA

International Players In:

Alexis Ajinca, Hyeres-Toulon (France)
Nicolas Batum, Le Mans (France)
Danilo Gallinari, Armani Jeans Milano (Italy)
Serge Ibaka, L'Hospitalet (Spain)
Ante Tomic, Zagreb (Croatia)

NCAA Pulled Out:

A.J. Abrams, Texas
Antonio Anderson, Memphis
Chase Budinger, Arizona
Lee Cummard, Brigham Young
DeMarre Carroll, Missouri
Josh Carter, Texas A&M
Robert Dozier, Memphis
Wayne Ellington, North Carolina
Alonzo Gee, Alabama
Danny Green, North Carolina
Lester Hudson, Tennessee-Martin
Stefon Jackson, Texas-El Paso
Ty Lawson, North Carolina
Leo Lyons, Missouri
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, UCLA
Jerel McNeal, Marquette
Jeremy Pargo, Gonzaga
Josh Shipp, UCLA
Ron Steele, Alabama
John Riek, Winchendon School (MA)
Robert Vaden, Alabama-Birmingham

International Players Out:

Rodrigue Beaubois, Cholet (France)
Joe Ingles, Melbourne South Dragons (Australia)
Jonas Jerebko, Biella (Italy)
Luc Louves, Orleans (France)
Rudy Mbemba, Solna (Sweden)
Henk Norel, Alicante (Spain)
Giorgi Shermadini, Maccabi Tbilisi (Georgia)

NCAA On the Fence/Unknown:

Josh Akognon, Cal State Fullerton
Jason Bennett, Tallahassee CC (FL)
Keith Brumbaugh, Hillsborough CC (FL)
Derrick Caracter, Louisville
Bruce Price, Tennessee State

Unknown players

Derek Bailey, Providence Christian Academy (SC)
Charles Carter, Oklahoma Baptist
Paul Graham III, Florida Atlantic
Reggie Huffman, Alabama-Birmingham
Courtney Pigram, East Tennessee State
Kiwan Smith, Redlands CC (OK)
Gordon Watt, Houston Baptist
Raymond Wright, Arkansas-Monticello


International Players Unknown:

Mikheil Berishvili, BC Vita (Georgia)
Omri Casspi, Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv (Israel)
Victor Claver, Pamesa Valencia (Spain)
Nando de Colo, Cholet (France)
Sergey Ilin, Budivelnik (Ukraine)
Mladen Jeremic, FMP Zeleznik (Serbia)
Maxym Korniyenko, Dnipro (Ukraine)
Maxim Sheleketo, VEF Riga (Latvia)
Maksym Vilkhovetskyi, Dnipro (Ukraine)
Ronalds Zakis, VEF Riga (Latvia)

 

[basketballsavant]

Smart move for Ellington and Lawson to head back to UNC. I guess the pressure from Lute made Chase go back to school. I am not surprised by the reports aboutMCGee and Jordan, those are the type of guys that get GM"s fired.

 

[aka quicks]

unc's 08-09 lineup:

pg: lawson, drew
sg: ellington, ginyard
sf: green, graves
pf: hansbro, davis, thompson
c: zeller

09 class: strickland, mcdonald, henson, wear twins
10 class: bullock, golden

NORTH CAROLINAAA, come on 'n raise up

 

[lnmymind]

Wow now they saying Mbah A Mboute is leaving his name in

 

[jpzx]

Someone tell me what's really good with Jason Thompson? The new RealGM Mock has us taking him at #31 so I'minterested.

This from RealGM >>>


[h1]http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/53019/20080616/seattle_and_memphis_looking_at_no_2/[/h1]

[h1]Seattle And Memphis Looking At No. 2?[/h1]

The Sonics and Grizzlies are reportedly interested in trading with the Heat for the second overall pick in this month's NBA Draft, according to The Miami Herald.

The consensus top-two prospects are Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley, with the Bulls rumored to be leaning towards Rose with the first overall selection.

If Miami does decide to trade the pick, Seattle and Memphis are expected to be the top suitors.

 

[carolinatarheels4040]

Originally Posted by aka Quicks

unc's 08-09 lineup:

pg: lawson, drew
sg: ellington, ginyard
sf: green, graves
pf: hansbro, davis, thompson
c: zeller

09 class: strickland, mcdonald, henson, wear twins
10 class: bullock, golden

NORTH CAROLINAAA, come on 'n raise up

You forgot about Bobby Frasor coming off the knee injury. I can't wait to watch us go 11 deep next year. Imagine if Stepheson would have stayed.

 

[lnmymind]

Hope Seattle gets it

 

[jpzx]

Mayo's gunna work out for the Wolves in Chicago

 

[dyyhard]

so Love think's hes going to drop past 7th?
and Kobe > Lebron???
I see you eating good, none of that dorm food now....better yet, Love is now celebrity TMZ status.

http://www.tmz.com/tmz_main_video?titleid=1610689386