Mock Drafts For Fun Part 2 of 2

This man has since been fired. Don't mess with the NBA Draft

Way back on May 20, the night of the lottery, I did a mock draft. I will now stick to my promise of doing another just before the draft. Obviously things have changed since then. Davon Jefferson, for instance, who I had at No. 24, has apparently gained roughly 65 pounds. And for some reason everyone still hates Chris Douglas-Roberts (I had him No. 14).

I want to do a mock of who I think each team should take but that will be of no help to the poor saps that actually read mock drafts because they think it will tell them who their favorite team will pick. So I'm gonna stick to the rumors I've read and exercise a little of my own judgment where uncertainty lies.

Here we go:

1. Chicago Bulls- Derrick Rose
They will take Rose (probably), although they should not. He will be a very good player, probably an All Star, maybe the PG on a title winner (probably not in Chicago though), but he still doesn't have the potential to be a dominant go-to scorer like Beasley. But he is a professional apparently. He's gonna really add some awesome three-piece suits and sound investment advice to the Bulls.

2. Miami Heat- Michael Beasley
He will more than likely be picked here, but almost certainly not stay in Miami. It appears Riles and Co. have burned too many bridges with this dangerous, SpongeBob-loving, graffiti-proficient, likely-rapist renegade to keep him. From Chicago to Miami to... Minnesota or Memphis or Oklahoma City. He will average and 30 and 15 within 36 months.

3. Minnesota T'Wolves- OJ Mayo
Apparently everyone wants Mayo all of a sudden, which is fine, because he is going to be really good. He should be a top-notch defender and has a chance to be a franchise player. Minnesota should be happy sitting here and taking him. A young core of Mayo, Foye, Brewer, McCants and Jefferson is a really versatile, well-rounded group for the future.

4. Seattle Supersonics- Jerryd Bayless
This is where things get interesting. Seattle should do everything short of trading Jeff Green to get their hands on Mayo or Beasley, but it's probably not going to happen. Chris Wilcox just isn't as attractive as he used to be. If they pick here, it's going to be Bayless, Robin Lopez or Russell Westbrook. The Sonics desperately need backcourt help and even though they should, probably won't draft big and give up on past lotto picks, Nick Collison, Saer Sene, Robert Swift, Johan Petro and the ghost of Shawn Kemp. You could basically flip a coin on Bayless and Westbrook but Bayless would help take the massive scoring load off Kevin Durant's noodle-benching shoulders.

5. Memphis Grizzlies- Brook Lopez
This one is looking like it could go anywhere. The Grizzlies are trying to use this pick, Mike Miller and possibly Mike Conley to move up or trying to pawn off Brian Cardinal's ridiculous, capitalism-hating contract to move down or possibly out of the draft altogether, if the Knicks part with the only player on their team that everyone doesn't hate, David Lee. If they keep it, I've read Lopez or Gordon. For a team utilizing the likes of Lorenzen Wright and Jake Tsakilidis at center in past years, Lopez should work.

More Picks This Way...

6. New York Knicks- Russell Westbrook
I would hate to see Russ go here because I have been touting him since this whole thing started as a top 5 five guy, but apparently the Knicks really like him. Russ is going to be a top-notch on the ball defender in the NBA and if he develops a mid-range jumper will be Monta Ellis-esque (coming from someone who thinks Monta is one of the best 30 players in the L). The Clippers at No. 7 would be a much better fit. In NY, they will make Westbrook play point, rather than have him slashing and beating guys off the dribble. And dunking. Oh how I love it when he dunks.

7. Los Angeles Clippers- Eric Gordon
It would be a worst-case scenario for the Clips if they couldn't swing that Brand for Marion and pick-swap with Miami and Westbrook and Bayless are gone. Especially if Miami pulls the thing where they just take Beasley and see how the rest of the top 7 goes before trying to trade. Under this scenario, Gordon isn't a bad consolation prize. If they can get Shaun Livingston back, Gordon slides in nicely next to him and might not have as many defensive problems. I'm starting to warm on Gordon, the wrist thing and the Sampson thing made it easy to forget he was just as hyped as Love, Beasley and Rose during most of last year.

8. Milwaukee Bucks- Joe Alexander
For whatever reason, everyone has Alexander going here and the Bucks are just the type of team that would take him because it's the easy thing to do. Who cares if they have other mediocre shooting forwards (Villanueva, Jianlian, Redd)? It's Milwaukee, nobody cares! I'm not sold on Alexander, I question how he will be able to score on stronger, faster defenders without great range yet. But the Bucks are the least interesting team in the league...

9. Charlotte Bobcats- Kevin Love
... Barely beating out this team. Apparently the Cats want Lopez or Westbrook, but Love would still fit Larry Brown's desire for "right way" type guys, even if it means shaving his chinstrap. I truly think Love will be a 12 year starter in this league, but Bobcats fans (if they exist) shouldn't expect him to be more than an NBA team's 3rd or 4th best player.

10. New Jersey Nets- Danilo Gallinari
Andy Katz says he heard Gallinari doesn't get past the Nets, and I believe him. Gallinari only wants to play for the Knicks or the Nets, so this appears to be our last chance at seeing a European temper tantrum in the green room. If they don't take him, he at least has this going for him.

11. Indiana Pacers- Brandon Rush
Those 10 seem to be the consensus top 10, in some order. It was a certainty that the Pacers would take either DJ Augustin or Mario Chalmers at 11, until they traded for TJ Ford. Now, who knows? Like Seattle's pick, a lot depends on this one. They almost have to use the No. 17 pick they now have on one of those young bigs that will probably suck (McGee, Jordan, Randolph, Arthur, Speights, Koufos) so filling a need at 2-guard works, especially when it's a guy that can actually defend someone. Rush isn't going to be a franchise guy, but with Ford, Granger, Dunleavy, Rush, Murphy and No. 17 overall, Indiana can at least creep toward .500 this year. Plus, he probably doesn't own any guns!

12. Sacramento Kings- DJ Augustin
The Kings have to love that O'Neal trade, because now Augustin almost definitely is available here. John Salmons and Francisco Garcia are not point guard and Beno Udrih is Beno Udrih. With Kevin Martin and some other hoisters on this team, Augustin can focus on distributing, which is good, because I doubt he can even get a shot off in the NBA.

13. Portland Trailblazers- Darrell Arthur
Now that the Blazers have the No. 27 pick, it seems like this one is more likely to be dealt. They could just take Mario Chalmers here, but he is pretty Jarret Jack-ian. They could also take something called Alexis Ajinca and store him overseas because they have a solid rotation already, but I don't want them to do that. I want them to take Darrell Arthur, who can be their first or second big off the bench.

14. Golden State Warriors- Jason Thompson
Everyone seems to think Thompson is going here and while it's too high for him, I do like him and it would be a good fit. He is ready to contribute and actually has a semblance of a post-game, which is something Golden State needs desperately. Plus he can run decently with this squad, whoever is on the roster next year.

15. Phoenix Suns- Robin Lopez
I guess Phoenix is trying to trade up and are dangling Leandro Barbosa to do so, which means they are serious. If they don't and Brandon Rush isn't available, they should take Lopez who could be a 20-minute guy next year because of Shaq and Amare's defensive woes.

16. Philadelphia 76ers- Marrese Speights
The Sixers are going to go big and as a fan of their up-and-coming team I hope Arthur is the man. But in this scenario he's gone. They will then pick between DeAndre Jordan, Anthony Randolph, Kosta Koufos, Something Called Alexis Ajinca and Speights. Apparently they like Jordan and Ajinca but I like Speights, even though he could be the next Mike Sweetney or the next Elton Brand.

17. Indiana Pacers- DeAndre Jordan
This might be the perfect spot for Jordan, because he would be the only true post scorer for Indiana and could play decent minutes right away. They don't need Koufos or Randolph because they already have a few doughy-soft forwards.

18. Washington Wizards- Kosta Koufos
This is a tough one. Chalmers is a possibility here, as is JJ Hickson who apparently had a good workout there, but you've got to think they go big to possibly replace Antawn Jamison. Koufos doesn't give them the toughness they need down low but the Wizards haven't been tough (besides of course, Tough Juice) for years and everyone else left is pretty soft. I like Koufos a lot offensively and at the very least he could provide scoring off the bench.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers- Donte Greene
Anyone who watched the Celtics-Cavs series last year cringed at how many open shots the Lebronettes missed. Greene, from my beloved Orange, can't really do anything besides shoot right now. Which is fine. They have Lebron James to do all those other things.

20. Charlotte Bobcats- Roy Hibbert
In a sick, twisted way, this works out well for Charlotte. They get the guy they want even though they shouldn't want him. This is going to be a half-court team under Larry Brown so it's actually not a bad fit.

21. New Jersey Nets- Anthony Randolph
The Randolph Green Room Soap Opera ends here. I don't like Randolph and I'm starting to feel bad for him because after his workouts, not many people do either. But he can be a scorer in the league and a shot-blocker if they work with him. Maybe you try to sell Randolph and Sean Williams as the front line of the future. I don't know. The Nets suck.

22. Orlando Magic- Courtney Lee
This team really needs a real two-guard and really needs a real power forward. They also have a chance to compete in the East next year, so they can't just take a spin on the Big Man Wheel of Doom. Lee has had great workouts and the Magic apparently like him (scroll down a bit, Magic fans). Plus he can contribute right away. Well, if the indomitable force that is the Greatest Shooter of All-Time, JJ Redick doesn't eviscerate him in training camp.

23. Utah Jazz- Alexis Ajinca
The Jazz are devastated that the soul-crushing boredom of Roy Hibbert is off the board, so they take a big man with actual athleticism, Something Called Alexis Ajinca. The only reason this guy is being considered up top is apparently because he has long arms (7-foot-9 wingspan). They worked out Serge Ibaka as well, who might not have ever played basketball before. Both worked out this weekend with Utah. The Jazz are already really good so it's tough for them. Do they try to add another rotation player (McGee? CDR?) or do they plan for the future?

24. Seattle Sonics- JaVale McGee
I really don't like McGee. I'm not really sure why anyone would. But a big man must be picked here.

25. Houston Rockets- JJ Hickson
This would work pretty well for both Hickson and the Rockets. Houston is pretty good and have Luis Scola and Carl Landry ahead of Hickson so he can ease his way in. But the Rockets can't advance too far with Scola and Landry as their only power forwards. Hickson is a complete enigma. Lots of talent on a terrible team last year. With good post moves and some range on his jumper, he is exactly what Houston needs... if he's still in the league in three years.

26. San Antonio Spurs- Ryan Anderson
This one is apparently a done deal (go down to the Spurs pick). Another outstanding role player for the Spurs who seem to realize that fitting a need (the outside shooting that will be lost when Horry/Barry/Bowen retire/die) in the draft is a lot more helpful than going for the home run. But then again, what do they know?

27. Portland Trailblazers- Ante Tomic
I have no idea who this guy is but I guess the Blazers like him a lot. This pick, which was acquired from New Orleans for cash, could turn around and be packaged with the No. 13 to move up or get a vet though. Kevin Pritchard is a mad man. Mr. Chad thinks Nicolas Batum and CDR are possibilities too.

28. Memphis Grizzlies- Chris Douglas-Roberts
I think CDR should go much higher, but none of the draftniks agree. Something tells me he actually will go higher than this when all is said and done. The guy can be a great defender, great in transition and should at least be able to get to the foul line in the half-court. Should be a great role player that's drafted way too low.

29. Detroit Pistons- Nicolas Batum
Batum had some heart concerns cleared up, which means this is probably too low for him. He was lottery-projected before the season. Front what I have seen of the guy, he has extreme talent but is raw and still doesn't have complete confidence in his game, which in the NBA Draft is, you know, extremely rare. Detroit can let him develop and then join Rodney Stuckey, Amir Johnson and BabyEater Maxiell in the line-up of the future.

30. Boston Celtics- Mario Chalmers
I don't actually think Chalmers drops this low, especially because he could go as high as No. 12. But he could slip, because as you go further down the draft the teams get better. And, shockingly, better teams generally have good point guards. The Celtics don't have a back-up point guard and would cream their jeans if Chalmers lands here. If so, fuck Boston.

Unsubstantiated Draft Links: Draft Links June 24

Nothing about the NBA Draft makes any sense. GMs intentionally lie about who they want to confuse the rest of the league, agents pull players out of workouts to manipulate their value and the Milwaukee Bucks continue to pretend they are trying to win. Mock drafts are always way off, the rumored trades never go down and the ones that do are always out of left field. There is no rhyme. There is no reason. And that is exactly why it is so great. Sports fans love to speculate, and the NBA Draft is 90 percent speculatastic. So in an exercise of almost certain futility, I bring you Unsubstantiated Speculation, a column containing all the relevant, completely false draft news links from around the Intertubes. Look for this once or twice a week leading up to the draft. Believe nothing.

And if you are a blog that covers the draft and feel you deserve to be on the Links, click the e-mail link on the right sidebar.

I haven't been able to post on here nearly as much but with the Draft fast approaching, I gotta get my act together. For today's links, I'll be going pick by pick in the lottery and linking whatever the Internets say each team will do that they inevitably will not do.

I'll be back later this week with another links thing (hopefully) and a final mock draft.

Oh and because it is so bizarre and awesome that it cannot be bound by one pick, here is a link to the utterly amazing Free Darko Draft Previews. Part 1, Part 2.
Continue...

1. Chicago Bulls
It's becoming more and more apparent that Chicago will take Rose, even though I don't think they should. Although those ready to put Miami on the clock already should be wary that Rose is openly politicking for his hometown team to pick him just a week before the draft. Not the sound of certainty. The one thing I don't like is this idea that Rose is a better pick because he acts serious and professional in interviews and Beasley does not. These kids are 19, neither of them are professional. Rose is shy, Beasley is not. Can Rose do his taxes better than Beasley or something? Is Rose more proficient in Excel? No. They are both really good at basketball but happen to have different personalities. Derrick Rose is going to be freaking great but give me Beasley this year. That is all. Now, the idea that Rose should be the pick because he is by far the best true point guard for a league that covets them more than ever -- that makes a bit more sense.

2. Miami Heat
This is probably where Beasley is going to go, whether it's to Miami or not, so let's talk about him. First, ESPN is cashing in on this whole, "The Next Arenas" thing by capitalizing on Beasley's personality even while its writers bash his draft prospects. They have him blogging. They have an "in-depth" feature on him, which tries to overtake that old Wash Post feature as the "link all Internet writers must provide when discussing Beasley's character issues." They have some ESPN Digital Video things (part 1, part 2) of him, which are pretty tame but awesome for a Philly native like me because he hangs out in the city all day. For the record, he does not stab anyone in the videos nor does he give anyone a wedgie. Rose did work out for Miami so if you're the type of person that likes to make blind leaps of faith (and as someone writing about the Draft, I am), that's another sign that Chicago hasn't made up its mind.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves
They hold the key to the rest of the Draft. Not only does their pick affect those after it but it apparently affects those in front of it. If Miami thinks they can get Mayo at No. 4 or No. 5, they may be inclined to trade the No. 2. The T'Wolves seem to be all over the board. Mayo should be the pick but they have brought in Eric Gordon and Jerryd Bayless recently. Brook Lopez and Danilo Gallinari were in there too. As Ian Thomsen at Sports Illustrated writes, this is one of the toughest drafts to predict in recent memory and a lot of it rests on Miami and Minnesota's uncertainty. Thomson says it's down to Mayo and Love for the Wolves. Mayo has been neglecting small markets (although given that he worked out in Minny, his tune may have changed), and Love is a white person. You do the math.

4. Seattle Supersonics
Another team that long seemed to be locked in on a player (Jerryd Bayless), but now could go any number of directions. It appears Brook Lopez and Russell Westbrook (who Chad Ford has the Sonics taking -- now who is the one with the crazy man crush on Russ?), are very real possibilities. Apparently my man Westbrook has shut down workouts and according to Ford, has a promise in the mid-lottery, possibly at No. 4.

5. Memphis Grizzlies
Many reports have the Grizz trading this pick along with Mike Miller (good) and Brian Cardinal (franchise crushing contract). It seems like the Grizzlies best bet is if Mayo falls to them so Miami or other teams that want him will come calling. Otherwise they will probably take Kevin Love. Some are reporting Eric "Chubby Bryce Drew" Gordon is high up there, but others are reporting he doesn't want to play there. Also, this made me laugh out loud, although I'm sure that wasn't the writer, or Chris Wallace's, intention.

6. New York Knicks
Another pick that seems to be way up in the air and also seems to affect all that comes after it. Danilo Gallinari worked out there recently and supposedly balled, which is good because he said he won't play anywhere besides the Knicks or the Nets. Obviously with Donnie Walsh at the helm, who is very much unlike Isiah Thomas, trades are distinct possibilities if the right vet is available.

7. Los Angeles Clippers
It's highly possible that none of the current Clippers besides Al Thornton and Chris Kaman will be on the team next year. It looks like they will be going small with the pick, which assumes they are for some reason optimistic that Thornton, Brand, Kaman will be their front line for more than another month or so. All that being said, if they get Livingston healthy, keep those guys and don't screw up this pick, they could win some games next year.
/places foot in mouth

8. Milwaukee Bucks
Another team that will likely look far different next season. With Scott Skiles now at the helm you can be certain that the pick will be boring. Joe Alexander seems about right. I'm not entirely sure why DJ Augustin isn't an option here, seeing as how Mo Williams stinks and is a shoot-first PG on a team with a glut of shot-hoisting forwards, but then again, it's the Bucks so I guess I should be surprised they won't be taking Sasha Kaun.

9. Charlotte Bobcats
If it was up to Larry Brown he would try to take Aaron McKie, but alas, there is no such option. I haven't read much about the Cats trading this pick like last year, which means they most certainly will. But if they do pick, it might be someone that hasn't worked out for them, because no one wants to. I suppose playing for Michael Jordan and Larry Brown has lost its luster. Besides you can wait one more spot and play for Jay-Z!

10. New Jersey Nets
Speaking of Hov, he is about to make a new friend. Who that friend could be is completely impossible to predict however. Logic says another big man for NJ, but then again logic has no place in the Meadowlands. Gallinari seems to be a lock if he is available because, you know, he doesn't want to play anywhere else, but a "rich man's Bostjan Nachbar" probably isn't too appealing to a future Brooklyn fanbase. They can barely understand the dude who sells Gyros on the corner.

11. Indiana Pacers
With the rumors surrounding a makes-too-much-sense deal involving TJ Ford and Jermaine O'Neal, DJ Augustin might not be the surefire pick here anymore. I guess Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy are long-term options so one of those wacky, athletic bigs will probably go here if Augustin does not.

12. Sacramento Kings
Not a lot of action on this pick. It seems like they will just keep it and probably take Augustin if he's available. Otherwise a Wheel O' Big Man will be spun and any of the Speights/McGee/Jordan mess will be chosen.

13. Portland Trailblazers
Some have them trading this thing for sure, others have them keeping it and taking something called Alexis Ajinca. One thing is for sure, the Blazers have options and probably don't need to get any younger.

14. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are the team that every prospect seems tailor-made for, which is funny because Don Nelson hates youth. Apparently Jason Thompson, a guy who has been underrated throughout this process, is in play. A 7-footer who can run and shoot? Doesn't sound like something thing that would interest Nellie at all. Initially an upside big man like Koufos, McGee or Randolph would seem to make sense, but don't they already have Brandan Wright and Patrick O'Bryant? (Yes, they do).

Unsubstantiated Speculation: NBA Draft Links June 2

Nothing about the NBA Draft makes any sense. GMs intentionally lie about who they want to confuse the rest of the league, agents pull players out of workouts to manipulate their value and the Milwaukee Bucks continue to pretend they are trying to win. Mock drafts are always way off, the rumored trades never go down and the ones that do are always out of left field. There is no rhyme. There is no reason. And that is exactly why it is so great. Sports fans love to speculate, and the NBA Draft is 90 percent speculatastic. So in an exercise of almost certain futility, I bring you Unsubstantiated Speculation, a column containing all the relevant, completely false draft news links from around the Intertubes. Look for this once or twice a week leading up to the draft. Believe nothing.

And if you are a blog that covers the draft and feel you deserve to be on the Links, click the e-mail link on the right sidebar.

Even with the Finals starting (as you might have heard, there are quite a few storylines with the match-up this year), there has been tons of draft links lately. Let's sift!

(I'm holding to my promise to myself of not getting into the OJ Mayo thing. All I will say is there some weird, completely nonsensical double-standard going on here where Beasley is somehow seen as equally or more of a character risk than OJ, whose bad character is overrated in its own right. I hate the media sometimes, hopefully GMs can see through the fog... riigggghhhht.)
Continue...

Orlando Pre-Draft Camp
- I really can't say this enough, but DraftExpress has really pulled out all the stops this year. They have their usual scouting reports and interviews but this year have added video, player blogs, extensive team need evaluations and even ventured deep into the underground of the Interwebs with podcasts. On the down side, they are making this column mildly irrelevant. Rush the Court has also done a very nice job, albeit without the access.

- This draft notes column by Chad Ford was interesting for a couple reasons. One, Seattle is fending off rumors they will take Jerryd Bayless No. 4 and Phoenix is doing the same about Brandon Rush at No. 15 (which I had merely minutes after the draft order was set... toot toot). But the main reason this was interesting was to hear that Lester Hudson played his ass off in Orlando and could be rising up draft boards. I always liked Hudson because he can get to the rim and is a decent shooter. Kind of like a lower middle class man's Rodney Stuckey. One thing that concerns me: Here is Ford's recap of day 2 of the camp. Notice the common connection between all the players featured as "standouts:" Gary Forbes, Wayne Ellington, Malik Hairston, Josh Duncan. All of them are between positions for the NBA. I'd like to think that's a product of the small-ball trends in the NBA but it's probably more of a product of playing against a bunch of other mediocre, second-round tweeners.

- This might be your best Orlando recap, from one Chad Ford, Draftmaster. Some speculative tidbits: Chad Ford is getting sucked into the Anthony Randolph workout wonder thing, WHO CAN HE GUARD IN THE NBA, CHAD?; Michael Beasley made lots of threes, but may have picked his nose and ate it, devastating his stock; Russell Westbrook apparently looked good and yet for some reason Ford still thinks everyone wants him to be a point guard; Kevin Love might really be picked No. 3; Darrell Arthur looked great, which is no surprise, Memphis really should consider him at No. 5 (like I said); Joe Alexander is apparently LeBron James or something; Davon Jefferson, who I, like an idiot, said could be a lottery pick if he gets his shit together. Well, he didn't, and apparently got fat and stuff. Ford thinks he might be undrafted. Let me know when you are going to go on a donut binge Davon, before I say you are lottery material. Thanks.

- If you want to know everyone that played in Orlando and what it means for them and their respective college teams, Andy Katz obliges. And within this notes column by Katz, my suspicions that Kevin Love would be flying up draft boards due to a lack of girth was correct. And sadly for George Hill, Pride of Ooey Pooey, the dream is over. And finally, this feature by Katz on Jeremy Pargo was great. It's interesting that his brother Jannero, who was less talented than Jeremy coming out of college but is one of the better reserves in the NBA, has advised his brother to consider going back to school (he will oblige if he isn't a first-rounder apparently). I still think Pargo has a decent career.

- Apparently former Iowa State guard Mike Taylor played really well and could be the first D-League player to get drafted. Taylor instead of Rod Benson?! Boom tho?

- Posts like this from the Atlanta-Journal Constitution's Sekou Smith on new Hawks GM Rick Sund are proof that Atlanta should always have a first-round pick so this man has something to cover come draft time. He is a boss.

- Good mini-feature from Michael Lewis (go Blue Hens?) on Keith Brumbaugh, even though it doesn't explain his amazing, troubled story to those who don't know it. This helps, however. I still think he must be better than Ndubi Ebi. Speaking of washed up former HS stars (sorry Keith), whatever happened to Lenny Cooke? Seriously, that's a legitimate question. I would like to know.

Michael Beasley is an enigma
- Actually, no he's not. But everyone in the media sure likes to write like he is. There is this, which contains a quote from Beasley that I was thrilled about.

"I just turned 19 years old in January," Beasley said. "How mature do you want me to be? I’m still a kid. I’m not 20 yet. I’m not legal. I can vote, but that’s about it. On the basketball side of things, I’m 30 years old. Off the court, I don’t know how old y’all want me to be. Do you want me to act 25? 30? 40?. I’m 19. I’m a kid. I’m going to live my life. I’m going to mess up. I don’t know as much as you do or him. I’m learning day by day. I hear a lot about character issues. But I’ve yet to hear what those character issues are. Until I hear somebody tell me, I don’t feel the need to change."

I still fail to see what he has done that is so horribly wrong. He went to many high schools and some coaches piggybacked his ability to better themselves. This happens to every single big-time basketball recruit. How is a teenager who knows he will be in the NBA in the near future supposed to just ignore all these people with power showing him how to get there? And how is Rose any different? Ugh. Hopefully the media treats him as the quirky, outspoken Gilbert Arenas-type rather than the Josh Howard-type who gets blasted whenever he's honest about something. He's probably somewhere in between (in both personality and ability). Oh and any Beasley item on the Internet must link to this article in the WashPost, as required by federal Intertubes laws.

- TrueHoop, which is also very outstanding, approached this fairly. Thank you Mr. Abbott.

- Linked in the TrueHoop item, this piece, which in true NBA Draft form, makes insane speculation that Beasley "is not Pat Riley's type of player." (the same guy writes the same thing in another piece here). Suddenly nothing can be written about this man without the words, "immature," "playful," "candid" and the like being bandied around. I think Chad Ford started all this. Seriously people, let's come up with something new....

- ... Not quite, but getting warmer...

- ... OK, this will have to do.

Things of Different Persuasion
- I was none too pleased to see Donte Greene hire an agent. The only logical explanation for this was that he got one of the 16 "physical only" invites to Orlando, which means he thinks he's like, a top 16 player. This is bad news for my Orange and could be worse news for Donte Greene. NBA GMs love tall shooters but the guy didn't show an ability to do much else in college. And I loved Donte Greene. But who can he guard? Who can he beat off the dribble? Who can he box out? Perhaps the more important question is: Who can he fool into taking him in the top 15?

- Every year Andy Katz is good for a few of those, "How is this college coach handling his players testing the draft waters?" features. This one is on Richard Hendrix and Ronald Steele at Alabama. (I wouldn't be losing sleep Coach Gottfried, Steele is already coming back.)

- I really love the Ball Don't Lie blog over at Yahoo!, even if they are a bit light on draft stuff. The incomparable Kelly Dwyer does well with this rant on mock drafts. Couldn't have put it better myself. (This may prompt another mock draft before draft day where I oblige Mr. Dwyer with his dream mock draft. Or something.)

- Gary Parrish, a true college basketball Internet writer, continues to churn out columns in this offseason. This one is a nice look at how batshit insane some North Carolina fans are. Oh and leave it up to Parrish to actually look at the Mayo thing will a tinge of rationality.

- Fran Frischilla speaks, a New York Post writer listens.

- Lang Whitaker over at Slam Online with an entertaining second-person perspective thingy on being John Paxson (not a working screenplay by Charlie Kauffman). I'm not so sure about the Doug Collins hiring but I still think it's better than Avery Johnson. He's just as likely to want Rose as Avery, but at least he won't try to turn him into Anthony Carter.

- Looks like Jamont Gordon is leaning toward staying in the draft, which I pleased about. He should be a late first-rounder as an impact reserve for a playoff contender.

- Way to strike when the iron is hot, Mike DeCourcy. Will your next column be about how great it is that the draft is two rounds now?

Unsubstantiated Speculation: NBA Draft Links May 26

Nothing about the NBA Draft makes any sense. GMs intentionally lie about who they want to confuse the rest of the league, agents pull players out of workouts to manipulate their value and the Milwaukee Bucks continue to pretend they are trying to win. Mock drafts are always way off, the rumored trades never go down and the ones that do are always out of left field. There is no rhyme. There is no reason. And that is exactly why it is so great. Sports fans love to speculate, and the NBA Draft is 90 percent speculatastic. So in an exercise of almost certain futility, I bring you Unsubstantiated Speculation, a column containing all the relevant, completely false draft news links from around the Intertubes. Look for this once or twice a week leading up to the draft. Believe nothing.

And if you are a blog that covers the draft and feel you deserve to be on the Links, click the e-mail link on the right sidebar.

Continue...

Beasley/Rose
- Chad Ford looks at the Rose/Beasley pick, which is somewhat uninforming. I think Ford is great but I have a BIG problem with him continuously questioning Beasley's character and depicting Rose as squeaky clean. He has never backed up his questioning of Beasley besides that "he ran into trouble from time to time with practical jokes, pranks and general troublemaking," which is wildly vague and mildly defamatory. Both Rose and Beasley had very shady recruitments (Beasley with the Huggins thing, Rose with the Worldwide Wes thing) but neither had academic or legal troubles in college or high school. So based on, you know, actually important factors, it still remains a difficult decision. I think as a player Beasley should be the pick, but maybe there is a vagrant he killed that only Chad Ford knows about.

- For what it's worth, Bulls GM John Paxson has said it will be Rose or Beasley. Obviously not a surprise.

-This guy, who might be an idiot, thinks Rose.

- This was a pretty interesting piece from the Chicago Tribune where the reporter, KC Johnson, spoke with Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard and Magic GM Otis Smith about selecting first. There's a very good chance Smith only still has his job because he picked Dwight Howard over Emeka Okafor (the guy did pay Rashard Lewis 8 gillion dollars) and Pritchard still gets an "incomplete" on his. Obviously Paxson cannot blow this (and it's going to be very difficult to blow it). By the way, this KC Johnson fella appears to be the go-to reporter for the draft this year, much like John Canzano of The Oregonian was last year. In this notes column, he has the scoop on Avery Johnson possibly being the next Bulls' coach. Let me go on record and say that would be a disaster for both Chicago and Derrick Rose, who I bet Avery would pick. Avery is exactly like Scott Skiles, except more Katt Williams-ish.

- NBADraft.net's Aran Smith has Rose No. 1 in this mock draft but that's not the real news. No, the real news is that -- and I'm not sure how this is relevant to anything ever -- that Michael Jordan's son Marcus and Rose are dating Chicago-area twins. I do not want to know how Smith obtained this info, but man that guy is good at his job.

- Everyone in Chicago has an opinion on this, including this Sun Times blogger, who is promptly assaulted in the comments section.

ESPN Coverage
- Let's knock out all the ESPN.com items now because ESPN has already done a great job covering the draft this year (yes, I said it).

Within the same Chad Ford Beasley/Rose thing from before, he suspects DeAndre Jordan has received a top five promise because his agent has declined some workouts or something. This is exactly the type of blind speculation I live for. And drafting DeAndre Jordan in the top five is exactly the type of thing that gets a GM fired. Which is coincidentally exactly the type of thing Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace thrives at.

- Here are a bunch of draft-related videos they have up there. Important things within: Kevin Love is no longer fat and has been hitting NBA threes and should be moving up draft boards; Bill Walker will stay in the draft is he thinks he is a first-rounder; Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni played with Danilo Gallinari's dad, meanwhile, Isiah Thomas likes spaghetti; OJ Mayo will never say anything interesting again; Marrese Speights and Joe Alexander look much better in workouts than in college.

- Ford takes a look at Walker, Brandon Rush, CDR and Jeremy Pargo at the A.T.T.A.C.K. gym in Chicago. He also loves Joe Alexander, which concerns me. Alexander seems exactly like the type of guy that looks way too good in individual workouts. And he thinks Chase Budinger is a lottery pick, which concerns me for many of the same reasons. (by the way, Chad Ford has roughly 36 players in his lottery.)

- JaVale McGee is the son of a WNBA player, which could not be more perfect. NEVER draft a skinny big man who was birthed from a WNBA player. I believe Red Auerbach first formed that rule.

- Gene Wojciechowski continues to write about controversial topics and a nation continues to be indifferent.

- Good to see Dana O'Neill is still writing even with the college hoops season over. She turns in another good piece on one-and-doners for next year.

Other Things Besides The Already-Redundant No. 1 Pick Debate
- Here is the first list of guys who will be at the Orlando Pre-Draft camp next week... but only to be interviewed.

- Memphis' Antonio Anderson has decided to go back to school, before participating in the draft process at all. I'm pretty convinced Anderson just declared for the draft to get out of Coach Cal's spring practice, headed to Cancun and then withdrew when he got back. Genius.

- Jerel McNeal is going back to Marquette, which is smart, but disappointing. I think McNeal can be a pro with his defense and athleticism. So what if he is a bit undersized and can't shoot, you only need to do one thing well to find a spot as a role player in the NBA (see: Varejao, Anderson).

- Josh Carter going back to Texas A&M, Alonzo Gee back to Alabama. That didn't take long.

- It appears Marrese Speights will stick in the draft, which is good news for teams in the 10-20 range who need a really good power forward. Apparently Speights has slimmed down and is routinely knocking down 18-foot jumpers. I think I'd rather have him than Joakim Noah at this point. Although Noah does bring other qualities to the table.

- Here's a good feature on Ryan Anderson, who I feel is being underrated by all the draft pundits. The guy is 6-10 and can score like crazy. And while he cannot guard anybody, neither can many NBA forwards. Again, the way role players work in the NBA (and all but about 6 or 7 players in this draft will basically be role players) is you fill a certain need for a team. Look athe Lakers, Jordan Farmar plays defense and hits open shots, VladRad shoots, Turiaf rebounds and acts like a crazy person, Vujacic shoots, defends and annoys people, Luke Walton passes and shoots. All of those guys were late picks that are incredibly effective in their specific role. And since there aren't going to be all-around studs around in the 20s, you might as well take a guy who can score off the bench and spot up on the perimeter like Anderson, defense be damned. He's only gonna play 20 minutes a game, tops, anyway... OR, just take Bill Walker or something.

- Speaking of Anderson, the blogger at BMac's Blog (presumably BMac himself) agrees with me, writing that Anderson's biggest draft flaw is not being European.

- Great interview from the great DraftExpress with CDR, who doesn't appear to be entertaining any idea of going back to school. (by the way, for everything you need on the draft, just go to DraftExpress, they are outstanding... but, uh, still read this site! hehe). With his handling, size and defensive ability, the first up-tempo team outside the top 10 should really consider taking CDR. Golden State at No. 14 would be crazy to pass on him.

- This Portland Tribune writer thinks the Blazers should trade the No. 13 pick (and so do I). With Oden coming in and Spaniard Rudy Fernandez coming over, Portland already has a full rotation of promising young guys. If they can turn the pick and one of the young guys for a solid point guard (Andre Miller, TJ Ford/Jose Calderon, Andre Miller), they should be a legit playoff team next year. Although, this guy thinks with a good number of lottery teams looking to trade (he cites "reports" on this, but that's a bit vague), the Blazers might get more talent by just keeping the pick. They need a shooter and unless Eric Gordon falls to No.13, there are really any shooters worth taking there.

- Some guy in Minnesota wants the T'Wolves to trade the pick because they suck at drafting players. Little does this man know, the Wolves are also very bad at trading for players. He claims there are no stars at No. 3, to which I ask: Why would a team trade you a star for a pick that cannot be used on one? Ugh, just take Mayo or Lopez.

- Here's a decent scouting report on Kosta Koufos except the writer says Koufos is soft because he is polite to people and that Daequan Cook is a prime example of self-assurance. I realize Cook was decent for Miami last year, but that comparison is completely insane. He also questions Koufos perimeter game, which we all know is nuts. I actually think Koufos' best skill is his ballhandling for a 7-footer, which he didn't get to show in college. I'd take him top 20. There's also a possibility he will play for Greece in the Olympics.

- And finally, George Hill, Pride of Ooey Pooey, is going to Disney World.

Mock Drafts For Fun Part 1 of 2

Alright let's take a shot at the first ever 2008 Mock Draft, maybe in the entire world (UPDATE: Nope, Chad Ford is WAY ahead of us all, as usual). I'm not big on doing these, you know, because they are meaningless, but they are fun so whatever. This will be the last until the day of the draft, I would imagine.

1. Chicago Bulls- Michael Beasley
The Rose/Chicago thing is fine and dandy but they need a frontcourt scorer in the worst way. Chicago will certainly shake things up this offseason (Luol Deng might be gone) but right now it has a ton of different line-up options for whoever the hell its new coach will be. This puts them back into serious contention within two or three years. Rats.

2. Miami Heat- Derrick Rose
It gives them one of the best backcourts in the league, a terrifying transition team and even more players that are pretty tough to keep out of the paint and off the line. They too will be back in contention soon if they can turn Shawn Marion into a decent big man (Elton Brand?). Pat Riley will be coaching again by mid-November.

3. Minnesota T'Wolves- OJ Mayo
They need a perimeter scorer badly to go with Al Jefferson and Mayo fits pretty well, even if he is a sure bet to befriend some party-boating Vikings. This would give them Foye, Mayo, Brewer, McCants as a solid backcourt core for awhile and only their coach, management, fans, market and history in the way of contending again. Good times.

4. Seattle Sonics- Brook Lopez
Beasley or Rose would have been perfect but I guess they have to go Lopez here. I'd try and trade down to be honest. They need some kind of a big man that isn't Robert Swift, Johan Petro or Mohammed Sene, all past lottery picks that are simply lucky for the Sonics to be a franchise. Lopez is basically all of those guys, except good and stuff.

5. Memphis Grizzlies- Darrell Arthur
Someone does not want Memphis to keep their franchise. Their poor lottery luck continues to kill the franchise. Arthur might be a bit surprising, but it's 15 minutes after the lottery ended, give me a break. I really like Arthur and think he could fly up draft boards once teams see him out of that balanced Kansas attack where he didn't play as much as the other prospective lottery guys. Plus Memphis is pretty set at the 1-3 and would get a perfect, athletic PF to accommodate an up tempo system.

6. New York Knicks- Jerryd Bayless
This would give them four scoring guards in a point guard's body but Bayless is the best player available and there is no guarantee that anyone on that roster besidese David Lee will still be there come late October. He's got a lot of polish and strength for a 19-year-old guard, plus he can run, shoot and penetrate in D'Antoni's system. Eric Gordon might be an option as well, for many of the same reasons.

7. Los Angeles Clippers- Russell Westbrook
Again, Gordon is an option and again, who knows who will be on this team next year. I have a minor man-crush on Westbrook (scroll down) so he gets the edge here. Plus he's a UCLA guy. As a combo guard, Westbrook would work well if Shaun Livingston can locate his knee and can provide some scoring in the half court for an awful offensive team because of his penetration ability and strength.

8. Milwaukee Bucks- Eric Gordon
I really don't care what Milwaukee does. Honestly. They are a soulless basketball team. But Gordon is the best player available and would be a semi-steal at No. 8. The Bucks have a new GM, who will certainly be getting rid of a good deal of their young, frighteningly mediocre players, so Gordon is a good backcourt guy to build around. They could also take one of the Anthony Randolph/DeAndre Jordan/JaVale McGee overrated big man trio, fitting with past draft strategies.

9. Charlotte Bobcats- Anthony Randolph
Let me make one thing clear. I don't believe in Anthony Randolph. But he would work pretty well here I guess. With Big Fat Sean May coming back and Okafor still plodding along, Randolph would be a nice inside-outside, fleet-footed option. Larry Brown being the coach kind of clouds things because he hates youth and anyone associated with "potential." In that case Kevin Love, who is basically a better version of May, would be a serious option.

10. New Jersey Nets- DeAndre Jordan
Let me make one thing clear. I don't believe in DeAndre Jordan. BUT, this is the 38th consecutive year the Nets will be looking to draft a big man, specifically one that can average more than 2 points per game. Jordan is a project, but could provide at least 3 points per game. Plus they have Nenad Krstic and Sean Williams for the future as well, so Jordan can ease his way in. He was pretty disappointing at Texas A&M, but, like, you can't teach size or something.

11. Indiana Pacers- DJ Augustin
I'm not as big on DJ as other folk but Indiana needs a point guard who is not fat and a center who is not Jeff Foster. No centers worth taking are there so Augustin it is. Somehow Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger are pretty decent scoring options so Augustin would be more of a distributor than he was at Texas. This would be a good fit for Indiana and a tough break for Augustin.

12. Sacramento Kings- Kevin Love
If you look at him in the Chris Webber/Vlade Divac role, the few Kings fans left should be thrilled with this. The problem is he is very similar to Brad Miller and Spencer Hawes, who aren't too encouraging. But put Love on the high post with Kevin Martin and Ron Artest slashing and posting and this could be a pretty solid halfcourt offense. But then you get rid of Brad Miller immediately.

13. Portland Trailblazers- Danilo Gallinari
I don't know enough about the Euros yet, so that's why this character is down here. The Blazers are pretty set at all spots and have another Euro, the outstanding Spaniard Rudy Fernandez coming in. So I fully expect them to look to move this pick for a point guard, none of which would be available right here. This guy would be a nice scoring option off the bench for a team low on outside shooters. A low post banger like Marrese Speights would work for them too.

14. Golden State Warriors- Chris Douglas-Roberts
Who knows what the Warriors will look like next year with Baron Davis' uncertainty and probable realization that you can't win while completely ignoring defense. CDR would finally give them a perimeter defender so the perimeter scorers in the West don't continue their 40 points per game average against them. Plus he can run and handle, which we all know Nellie loves. Kosta Koufos would be interesting here because he's basically a young, cheap Al Harrington.

15. Phoenix Suns- Brandon Rush
16. Philadelphia 76ers- Marrese Speights
17. Toronto Raptors- Robin Lopez
18. Washington Wizards- Kosta Koufos
19. Cleveland Cavaliers- Donte Greene
20. Denver Nuggets- Joe Alexander
21. New Jersey Nets- Nicolas Batum
22. Orlando Magic- JaVale McGee
23. Utah Jazz- Serge Ibaka
24. Seattle Sonics- Davon Jefferson
25. Houston Rockets- JJ Hickson
26. San Antonio Spurs- Ty Lawson
27. New Orleans Hornets- Ryan Anderson
28. Memphis Grizzlies- Nathan Jawai
29. Detroit Pistons- Chase Budinger
30. Boston Celtics- Jamont Gordon

Release From Hibernation: NBA Draft Early Entrants Part 1

Draft time is Hubie time

OK, I haven't been able to post on here lately due to things less interesting than basketball occupying time. So it goes. But on Thursday they announced the final list of early entry candidates for the Draft. For your own sake, here is a summary: EVERYONE declared for the draft. Seriously. There are 69 early entrants to the draft, just from college. Some are no-brainers, others have no brains. Here are those that are important and what their prospects are, in addition to a couple notable returnees. For analysis on Lee Cummard's draft chances, look elsewhere and be sure to put SafeSearch "on" before you Google.

Today we look at those who are in the draft, with an agent. Those that are testing the waters will come at a later date. Those who are coming back will be covered as well, with the possibility of a few thousand words on how dumb Tyler Hansbrough is.

Oh and hopefully I can get some more draft stuff up, because it is my favorite thing of the year.

IN (with agent):
Michael Beasley- I hope Beasley didn't kill a vagrant or impregnate a thirteen-year-old or something, because that is the only way he is not No. 1 in my book. Derrick Rose is a ridiculous freak of a basketball player, but Beasley is probably the most ready NBA ready player of the past three years. He can play 35 minutes at either forward for you right now. His ceiling is lower than Rose, but not by much.

Derrick Rose- Looking at the potential teams for the top pick, only Seattle should consider taking Rose. That being said, I have never seen a combination of size, speed and athleticism in a point guard that Rose has. He will never be a great scorer (like "Top 15 in the league" great) but he has the capability of being great at everything else, especially as a defender. If he did go to those Sonics, I would consider purchasing them.

Jerryd Bayless- The weirdness surrounding that program, plus the coming of Brandon Jennings and his hair made this pretty easy for Bayless. As great as he was in college, I don't know if he's a sure thing for the pros. One thing he does have going for him is all those intangibles that might be meaningless but that GMs love. He plays hard, hurt and has a mean streak in him, which is probably worth a slot or two in the draft order. He is going to be judged against Mayo and Gordon, which should make for some mind-bottingly awesome workouts.

Eric Gordon- Everyone who thinks he should slide is a bit insane. Of the guards near the top of the draft his game is the one that is least suited for college in relation to the NBA. There's no reason for someone like Eric Gordon to not take a buttload of threes in college when his range is roughly 72 feet. I don't think he's an All Star, but, like, isn't he better than someone like Randy Foye, who was drafted pretty high and is a decent pro?

OJ Mayo- No player in this year's draft will be more divisive. Mayo can step into the league and be a very good defender right away and on a team like Minnesota, with a good post player, could be a good scorer right away because teams won't be able to focus on him. He is not a headcase. At all. So don't worry about all that crap about character that ESPN's retarded analysts will freak out about. Like I said, he will be compared to Gordon and Bayless and I think I'd take him over both at this point.

Derrick Caracter- Fat.

Kevin Love- Fat. .... Oh sorry. Love will also be a divisive dude because most fans will expect a player of his profile to be a star but he will not be in the NBA. What he will be is a pretty good secondary player. Think Joakim Noah except someone you don't necessarily want to stab. This is another guy that needs a good fit. It needs to be a team with a somewhat capable scorer on the block so they can go high-low and take advantage of his passing/shooting. And a team with a good point guard because Love is probably the best pick-and-pop player in any of the past couple drafts (note: no one in the lottery fits that description, but I still think he should be a lottery pick). He will not be a low-post scorer or a good defender though. He needs to get rid of that chinstrap.

Brook Lopez- I am in the camp that thinks Lopez should be the No. 3 pick. I have not seen many people at this camp. He's got an NBA-ready frame and while his post moves are non-existent, he's not a stiff. There is no one at the top of the draft that can justify not taking a center, especially one whose weaknesses aren't physical or ability-related, but just a matter of needing more polish.

JaVale McGee- I hate people like JaVale McGee. JaVale McGee is Rafael Araujo. He is Patrick O'Bryant. He is Cedric Simmons. A guy who thinks he can be an NBA player because he is big and can run a bit. McGee is going to be a lottery pick for a team like Indiana or New Jersey, which have no idea how to run a franchise and take him because he is big and he can run a bit. We must stop this menace.

Chris Douglas-Roberts- He will be the quintessential "great role player" from this draft. If he's one of your top three players in the NBA, you suck. If he is your fourth or fifth best player, you are in good shape. The jumper needs work but he's good at everything else and appears to have the mental make-up to embrace a lockdown defender role if needed. He's the type of player that can take an emerging late-lottery team (Golden State, Portland, Sacramento) into the playoffs.

DJ Augustin- I was surprised that Augustin hired an agent, especially because he didn't test the process last year (side note: it is completely idiotic to hire an agent the first time you declare for the draft; conversely it is completely idiotic to not declare at least once during your college career). He's not a top five guard in this draft, which doesn't bode well for his lottery hopes in a league of decision-makers that cream their jeans over size. Maybe he can become a Tony Parker type dude, but his best bet is if a Western Conference team (Houston, Utah) makes him its back-up.

CJ Giles- Bad at basketball.

Davon Jefferson- I've been unable to find a reliable place with info on whether Jefferson signed an agent, but I have to assume there is no way he will return to USC after the weird, up and down season he had last year. Jefferson is EXACTLY the type of risk/reward guy that GMs are terrified of. One of two things will happen with him. A) he will have some crazy workouts and some team will shock everyone by taking him in the late lottery and he will be awful and/or crazy. B) everyone will be scared of his inconsistency and age (he's 21) and he will drop to the bottom of the first round or early second and then be really really good. Nothing else can happen to him.

Robin Lopez- He is Harvey Grant. He is Jason Collins. He is Jarron Collins. He is Frank Stallone,. But he's actually pretty good and would be a real solid bench big man for a playoff team picking in the 20s that needs 20 minutes of defense rebounding and energy. Will be compared to Anderson Varejao by many.

Anthony Randolph- I really liked this guy before the year and saw him play a couple times and continued to like him. That being said, he is NOT a top 10 pick, like many people think he is. Yes he is a better fit for the new, sleaker NBA, but as we have seen in the playoffs, you can't get by on simply athleticism like you can in college. He is a small-ball power forward in the NBA and one that favors comparably to someone like Brandan Wright, who he will be compared to constantly, because he can shoot a little bit. But I can't see him being anything but a huge liability trying to cover other NBA power forwards in the half-court. Another guy that has talent, but will be drafted too high by some awful franchise (Milwaukee) that will squander it.

Brandon Rush- Boring, somewhere in the 20s pick that will be a key contributor for a good team in the future.

And just for the record, here are the 14 guys I think should be in the lottery, in no particular order, with no regard to team needs or anything.

Derrick Rose
Michael Beasley
OJ Mayo
Brook Lopez
Jerryd Bayless
Eric Gordon
Russell Westbrook
Kevin Love
Danillo Gallinari (from other country)
Nicolas Batum (from other country)
Anthony Randolph
Davon Jefferson
Chris Douglas-Roberts
Darrell Arthur

Hooray For Links! NCAA Tournament Edition

I was never a big proponent of doing link dumps and the like on this site because, well, it didn't really make sense to me. Why would I simply reproduce things that are already out there? But as I did my own scouring of the Intertubes for college hoops content, I realized there was just too much quality (and, at times, utterly awful) stuff out there to simply leave untapped. So I give you Hooray For Links! which should appear at completely random intervals. Because without links, it's not really a blog, it's just a place to put thoughts I might not want to forget.

I haven't written all that much about the Tournament, except for some wildly outstanding previews; I prefer to just kinda enjoy it as a spectator and avoid consuming the enormous mass of regurgitated storylines and feature ideas. This year's March Madness has been tremendous, something I was worried about after the mediocrity that highlighted the regular season and the general lack of interesting match-ups. I thought this year would be an event that would bore for the first two rounds and then really shine in the regionals, after all the craptastic teams were eliminated. Well the second part of that has came true -- these games this weekend should be awesome -- without the boring part. So here are some links, many of which are preview items as the content produced about the actual Tournament is pretty boring.

Them links be after the jump.
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- Given their first meeting and its outcome, watching the diverging paths of North Carolina and Duke in the NCAAs was fascinating. The Heels have been utterly dominant. Duke was awful, would've been the victim of the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history if not for Gerald Henderson playing like a man, were destroyed in the second half against West Virginia and are home now. I'd like to think this moment, and this moment alone, was the turning point for both teams. Revel in its beauty.


- This CBS Sportsline column about Tyler Hansbrough from Mike Freeman was pretty bold, pretty controversial (read the comments) and difficult to argue with. I'm not going to go to deep into it; he basically feels there is a double standard perpetuated by the media regarding highly visible white players in college hoops. The giveaway line is : "America loves a tough, white guy." He is right in that regard but doesn't quite make a full argument or offer a lot to support the hypothesis. Freeman is a fellow University of Delaware alum so in interest of full disclosure, I'm probably an apologist for a fellow Blue Hen. But it's an interesting read.

- Dan Steinberg at the fabulous (heterosexually fabulous, that is) DC Sports Bog with a great first-hand account of storming the floor following American's Patriot League Championship (which seems like it happened year ago).

- Everyone was all fussy about the Selection Committee matching up mid-major with each other, including me, and no one has been better at chronicling the view from the little guys than ESPN.com contributor and Mid-Majority editor Kyle Whelliston, Lord of the Mid-Majors. After the field was announced he penned this great column on the traveshammockery that is Selection Sunday. In light of the runs made by mid-majors like Western Kentucky and Davidson, which has hopefully validated the many cries of foul directed toward the Committee for seemingly wanting the BCS schools to conduct their business without losing face, Whelliston has renamed his site The WKU-Majority. Rather than link all of Whelliston's great posts from the weekend -- it would require many hyperlinks and possible carpel tunnel -- just go to his site and read it all. After a year where the big boys reigned, the mid-majors are back and have found a place at the top. George Mason was no fluke, watch out world.

- Basketball Prospectus, in its first year on the job, offered this season's best tournament preview. And to follow it up, they have been outstanding in their tourney coverage. So go there, read it, love it, live a better life.

- For someone with the rare and unfortunate combination of being a basketball addict and former English major in college, this piece on how Ernest Hemingway would analyze some of the top NCAA contenders was absolutely fantastic.

- I enjoyed this column from Andy Katz on Kevin Love and OJ Mayo, even if it was approximately the 8 millionth of its kind and basically jinxed the hell out of USC. Hopefully we can put all those preconceived notions about the two and the completely false "antithesis" they represent.

- Alright so one more Kyle Whelliston item to pass along. Last one, I swear, but the guy is doing great work over there. With my brackets in complete shambles, as I predicted, I enjoyed this column asking readers to not fill out a bracket this year. I wish I could do this. Unfortunately my body and mind will not allow me to abstain from Bracketering; I must have a chemical imbalance. But with my picks basically ruined, I have enjoyed this year's tournament even without having any real live reason to root for a specific. I've become a liberated fan, something that the boys at FreeDarko talk a lot about; I am simply an enjoyer of good basketball. And this makes very much sense. The reason I love the NCAA Tournament is not because I love winning office pools, it's because I love basketball. A lot. So, as Whelliston argues, by filling out a bracket you are simply celebrating prognostication, right and wrongness. Not basketball, which is what this thing is all about. Just because there is no prospect of winning money off of them, doesn't mean you can't like a team or have interest in a game.

- There certainly are some curious trends the Selection Committee seems to be perpetuating, and Gary Parrish is there to point them out and call out the Committee. For someone who is unusually Freshman-centric, I also enjoyed this column he wrote on young bucks and their big tourney roles.

- This is why I enjoy Bill Raftery.

- This was in Sports Illustrated's March Madness preview issue, a great look from Grant Wahl at how size dictates tournament success, especially in regards to this year's field, which contains a lot of small-ball teams, which follows the trend recently seen in the NBA. Looking at the teams left, many of the remaining top seeds at least has respectable post players, but squads like Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia and Memphis will be operating without a great deal of size. Should be interesting to see how that dynamic plays out (especially with Texas vs. Stanford; the best Sweet 16 match-up this year).

- Further proof that no matter how much Bill Simmons knows about the NBA (which is a whole lot), he should not write about college basketball.

- No No. 1 seed was really even tested in the first round this year, but there is really nothing better than when one gets scared. Here is a run-down of the closest calls in history.

- The world will never be the same. There is no God.

- Very good piece analyzing CBS' first weekend coverage of the NCAAs (even if it praises Seth Davis for non-comedic excellence). I thought it was pretty good coverage as well, except that Gus Johnson had all blowouts and Tim Brando was nearly comatose during that insane Friday in Tampa. Given all the tooting being done for Davis taking Davidson, I would like to point out that I said Belmont would give Duke all they could handle in the first round. I may be near last place in all my pools, but I will hold onto this for years.

- And here, an example of why local nightly news will not bring upon the end of civilization, contrary to popular belief:

Friday's Picks: Big East and Pac-10 Semifinals, Patriot Championship

The stars will be out for tonight's battle of LA, USC v. UCLA

Because the best way to feign actual knowledge on a subject is an accurate prediction, I introduce The Picks. Every weekday, Monday-Thursday (hopefully) I will pick the televised games of the night, against the spread of course, and follow the results to see if I actually know something about basketball. The results should be both entertaining (for readers) and soul-crushing (for me). And if I'm wrong, I'll just do what all the TV "experts" do: never bring it up again and avoid all accountability. And since I won't be betting actual money (that often), I win every time!

I'll also be occasionally picking against one of my roommates, Craig, so we can have a rational method of settling all disputes involving rent, household matters, etc.

Wednesday Night: Another two wins for me as Mount St. Mary's beat Sacred Heart (-2) in basically a high school gym with an outstanding atmosphere. And Portland State (-4.5) crushed Northern Arizona, not in a high school gym, at the freaking Rose Garden, where the Blazers play. I love this idea, by the way, I think more of the smaller conferences should have its final in a NBA arena, and give the kids that thrill. PSU gets its first ever bid and will probably be a No. 16 as well.

Patriot League, Colgate at American (-7)- The top-seeded Eagles survived a big scare in the first round when they hung on to beat Holy Cross by two. Colgate, the No. 3 seed, had a similar first-round scare against Lafayette. Actually this entire tournament has been full of excitement (as much excitement as the Patriot League can contain), including the "March Madness Has Begun" moment of the year. This game is on American's home court; the Eagles swept Colgate, have beaten Maryland and played Dayton tough this year. They have an outstanding backcourt, which includes Derrick Mercer, a former guard at St. Anthony's in New Jersey, who was featured in the outstanding book, The Mircale of St. Anthony, by Adrian Wojnarowski, which I recently finished. So I'm kinda rooting for them. These teams will pound the air out of the ball, which favors American's guard play and great three-point shooting. The Eagles have never been in the NCAAs so I suspect that arena, despite the 4:45 starting time will be sufficiently riotous. In a low-possession game it will still be tough to cover seven, though.
The Pick: American

Big East Semis, West Virginia vs. Georgetown (-3)- I continue to think Georgetown is a largely fraudulent team. It needed a record performance shooting threes to hold off Villanova and has had an incredible amount of luck in close games this season (43rd in the country in KenPom's luck rating, which doesn't even account for shitty referees). And on top of that, this entire bracket opened up for them to win this league, get a No. 2 seed... and possibly lose in the second round. Beware of the Hoyas. The problem is, unless they shoot like yesterday, they can't score. Not one player on this team, save for DaJuan Summers, who is only aggressive in about half his games, can create his own shot (although the addition of freshman Chris Wright, who has been hurt should help a lot). They turn it over a decent amount as well and rely very much on their great defense and the hope that the opponent doesn't get hot. That being said, West Virginia has got to be pretty exhausted by now, and as great as Joe Alexander is, the guy can't put a third straight insane game in, especially with Summers hounding him. I wouldn't be surprised if the Mountaineers pull it off, but the fraud of the Hoyas will continue.
The Pick: Georgetown

Big East Semis, Pitt vs. Marquette (-2)- I hate saying it, but Marquette is playing some amazing basketball right now. Defensively the Eagles have always been great but they have some legitimately good scorers now. Dominic James has settled into a non-star role, which is where he belongs, and Jerel McNeal is one of the more underrated players in the country. Add in Lazar Heyward, who came out of nowhere halfway through the season and the newcomer Maurice Acker, who should be a big-time player in this league, and suddenly Marquette is a watchable team, rather than a bricklaying crew. As for Pitt, it's kinda weird; based on its personnel, it looks a lot like a mid-major. An undersized PF at center, a small forward at the other spot and three guards. Of course, the Panthers have really good players, so that helps, but it's still going to be a problem against a team with size and good defenders like Marquette. Sam Young is suddenly good enough to carry a team like Pitt offensively, but I don't think they can score enough with the Eagles' new attack.
The Pick: Marquette

Pac-10 Semis, USC vs. UCLA (-8.5)- This should be a really great game at Staples. Good thing it's not on TV here, if I watched it, it would make every other game unenjoyable because it couldn't live up to UCLA-USC. Yeah, that's it.... shit.... Anyway, everyone knows these teams split the regular season series, and both teams are probably playing their best basketball of the season. All the stars are going to be there (I heard Gary Busey was showing up!) and I've gotta think both Love and Mayo are going to try and go crazy. It's probably not worth analyzing this one because it will be a defensive slugfest with only the incredible individual talent on the floor providing any baskets (basically like most Pac-10 games). These games are rarely decided on Xs and Os, just who can make shots and not crumble under the intensity. That's a big line for this series, and while UCLA will win, it won't run away with it.
The Pick: USC

Pac-10 Semis, Washington State vs. Stanford (-2)- I got to actually watch one of the Pac-10 quarters last night, the Cardinal's win over Arizona, and continue to think Stanford is a Final Four team. The whole offense revolves around dumping it down to a Lopez and watching as good things happen. They either score, draw a double and pass to the open man, get fouled or miss and one of the kamikaze glass-crashers from the perimeter gets a put-back. The thing about Brook is that he is still really unpolished as a scorer and yet catching the ball and immediately turning and shooting, no matter how many defenders are on him, is enough to score 20 a game because of his amazing touch and skill. The Cougars don't have the athleticism on the inside to stop these two guys (Robin is vastly improved on the offensive end), which is probably why the Cardinal swept Wazzou in two close games this year. But, I still question if Stanford's perimeter players can provide enough scoring and open shotmaking for the Cardinal to beat really good teams, even if the Lopez twins go off. And against a tenacious Cougar perimeter D, buckets will be hard to come by. It's really tough to beat a team of Washington State's caliber three times in a season. This will be a one or two possession game.
The Pick: Washington State

Championship Week Record: 11-2
Overall Record: 66-46-4
Regular Season Record: 55-44-4

ACC: 6-10
Big 12: 6-10-2
Big East: 17-6-1
Big Ten: 8-7
SEC: 5-4
Pac-10: 1-0
Missouri Valley: 2-0
West Coast: 6-1
Big West: 0-1
CAA: 0-1
Horizon: 0-0-1
A-10: 2-3
SoCon: 1-0
MAC: 0-1
Non-Conf: 1-0

Lots and Lots and Lots of Games: Conference Quarterfinals Day One

Ahh! The laughing! It's burned into my head! Will it ever stop! Digger you are the bane of my existence!

Today and tomorrow are two of the more underrated days of the year in sports. Consider it a warmup for next week in terms of excitement, quality basketball and, most importantly, pirating illegal broadcasts of basketball on your computer and pushing thin excuses upon your boss to get out of working. There simply must be a study on the amount of national productivity lost on the first two days of the NCAA Tournament. I will not sleep until one is conducted.

Anyway, with the major conferences doing their quadruple-headers today and tomorrow and with a crowded Bubble and whole buttload of parity in college hoops this year, the basketball over the next two days should be both frantic, overwhelming and, of course, awesome. Here are some quick, mostly analysis-free looks at the quarterfinals today and what to watch for.

Pac-10
This is, in my opinion, the best ticket in college basketball not involving the NCAA Tournament. The top eight teams in America's best conference are all in action today in the Staples Center, with each game containing a team on the Bubble in varying degrees. When the Pac-10 was on TV on the East Coast, which generally coincided around most lunar eclipses, it was must-see TV, no matter who the hell was playing. That's how good the league was. If you are an NBA scout you can basically do an entire seasons worth of work in one day for a couple hundred bucks. That's a bargain even Donald Sterling couldn't pass up. Here are the future pros in action today at Staples:

Brook Lopez, OJ Mayo, Jerryd Bayless, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Davon Jefferson, Chase Budinger, Ryan Anderson, James Harden, Jordan Hill, Bryce Taylor, DeVon Hardin, Robin Lopez, Jeff Pendergraph, Kyle Weaver.

And those are just the guys that are basically sure things.

Fun Things To Watch For Because Fun is Fun: Jack Nicholson has been showing up at UCLA games this year so look out for the Bruins new fan. Well, he might be a Bruins' fan or his publicist might just tell him the colorful jerseys are those of the Lakers and he's too far off the deep end to realize what the hell is going on.

These games are on FSN, which actually provides a pretty solid broadcast, even though us on the East Coast probably have to do unspeakable things to watch it. Marques Johnson is a Pac-10 broadcaster and does a very good job, even if the legend from South LA is obviously not used to talking about basketball in wholesome, white person-friendly terms. You can audibly here him holding back some kind of awesome, indecipherable explanation when OJ Mayo embarrasses someone. It's kinda annoying, the guy knows so much about basketball and he has to pander to some corny old alumni. Just once I wish he could get let it all hang out, but then I suppose there is the danger of this (about 1:50 mark and then again 3:00):


For College Students, A Drinking Game For Each Contest:
USC-Arizona State: Drink every time you realize how awesome it is that's its the middle of a Thursday and you are drinking and watching basketball./bitter

California-UCLA: Drink every time Ryan Anderson or Kevin Love are praised for footwork, shooting stroke, passing, boxing out or heart. CBS Sportsline columnist Mike Freeman should not play this game.

Oregon-Washington State: Drink every time a Duck physically leaps over a Cougar or and you wonder how in the hell Oregon is still losing to Washington State.

Arizona-Stanford: Drink every time a Lopez twin talks shit to Jerryd Bayless but has absolutely nothing to say to Jordan Hill.

Big EastUsually the best ticket in college hoops, but still second only to the Pac-10 this year. Gets added points for being at Madison Square Garden, which is the best place to watch basketball in the country, as long as it's not the Knicks. The only quarterfinal that can boast seven nearly surefire NCAA Tournament teams (especially with West Virginia taking it to Connecticut as I write this). If this were the bottom half of an entire NCAA regional, I don't think anyone could complain. Even better than watching these games is attending them as this weekend turns the MSG area into an alcohol-induced warzone. Every bar around the arena is staved off by a certain fanbase and any intermingling results only in death. At least five percent of the paid attendance will be kicked out of the arena by the time the session is over.

Fun Things To Watch For Because Fun is Fun: The promo song for the Big East this year, and basically every year, is some completely retarded attempt at appealing to the "street-tough, New York hip-hop" persona. It is perpetrated by some white ESPN suit (likely this man) and is supposed to make you feel like the Big East is still some kind of tough league. Yes, because there is nothing that makes me think of hip-hop more than nine-dollar beers, school bands and Jamie Smalligan.

Speaking of Smalligan and the Mountaineers, the real question about their performance in this tournament is not whether it will get them into the NCAAs, but will it get them into Scores?

For College Students, A Drinking Game For Each Contest:
Villanova-Georgetown: Game already over, I think your livers could use a midday break anyway.

West Virginia-Connecticut: The game is almost over, so drink every time a Mountaineer completes a successful post-game handshake with a Huskie without getting poked in the eye.

Pittsburgh-Louisville: Drink every time the announcers mention a Pittsburgh player is from NYC or how well Jamie Dixon recruits there. Take a shot if Carl Krauser is mentioned and another one if his current whereabouts are known.

Marquette-Notre Dame: Drink every time Luke Harangody is called "Gody" and you refrain from smashing the TV with a sledgehammer. At that point, you've earned it.

Wildcard drinking procedure: Drink every time Digger Phelps and Bobby Knight go into that insufferable schtick where they resemble Grumpy Old Men in their comedic value, contemporary relevancy and general vitality. Drink every time one of them looks as though he soiled himself. Drink every time assumption is proved true. Call ambulance.

Kevin Love and His Magical, Cancer-Curing Outlet Passes

No, no Kevin. Blocking shots simply will not do

There was a lot of hype surrounding Kevin Love's divine entrance into the college basketball arena. And since I had seen very little of him in high school, I was forced to learn about Love through scouting reports and glowing features. They said he had a great basketball IQ, used his body well, played hard, had great post moves and had tremendous rebounding technique, which is to say, he was white. It was Love's throwback style stuffed into the body of a modern big man that had Bruins fans channeling Bill Walton. And the outlet passes. Oh, the outlet passes. As straight as Orion's arrow or a bolt of lightning from Zeus on high, Love's outlet passes rained down upon opponents with godlike precision, hitting teammates in stride and lifting them involuntarily toward the rim as they never have before. Now Love was Wes Unseld, a guy no one alive has ever seen play and whose outlet passing ability was completely obscured until Young Kevin (as Brent Musberger calls him) came around. Kinda like the recent appreciation of Chuck Norris' badassedness riding a Conan O'Brien-induced resurgence, suddenly Wes Unseld was widely considered the greatest outlet passer ever, simply because we needed someone for which to compare Love (when you Google search "Wes Unseld, outless pass" the second item is about Kevin Love). His outlet passes were like a relic from the past, using all the greatness of the past to dominate in the present.

So when Kevin Love finally took the court as a Bruin, his very unique scouting report formed a specific idea of what he would play like. Even though I knew what he looked like, I automatically assumed he would have a crew cut. He would catch the ball in the high post and mesmerize the defender by moving the ball all over the place and then zip a pass to a cutting teammate, like Walton did. He would have short shorts. He would shoot a set shot. To get a rebound he would stick his ass really far out, catch the ball, pivot and stick his elbows really far out to protect the ball. Then he would fire an outlet pass and that music from the old, grainy NBA Classic films would play (for some reason in my head this music sounds very similar to the Harlem Globetrotters theme). His post moves would be very deft but very fundamental; two dribbles into the lane, pump-fake, jump hook, cash. Unstoppability in its simplest form. He would shoot foul shots underhanded. This might sound ridiculous, but judging by this "throwback" style I had heard so much about and that his best quality was supposedly these Wes Unseld outlet passes, I had no reason to expect any typicality from Love. The legend said he was to be some big white guy, beamed from the past to coexist on the same plane as the highflyers and crossover artists.

Then I watched him play. He had a chinstrap. He shot threes. He movement wasn't labored at all, in fact, the quickness and ease of his passes were comparable to Steve Nash or Chris Paul. His rebounds and post moves were based more on body positioning and quick feet than simply being bigger than others. He seemed to be a modern but skilled big man, a lot like Tyler Hansbrough except more of a true post man or a shorter Tim Duncan (and not as good, obviously), both of whom are certainly fundamentally sound but not exactly anachronistic. Patience, I thought, once those famed outlet passes come, I shall see the light; I will appreciate Love's game on a much more cerebral level. It wasn't how he got things done, it was how he approached the game. And the outlet pass is a perfect example of that approach, one that no one else could even sniff. So I waited.

... And waited, and waited. He threw a couple long passes to Westbrook and Collison and the announcers pants bulged but ultimately the opponent (I'm not referencing a specific game but just the act of watching Love play) recovered well enough to stop the attack. So time passed and I expected the other virtues of Love's game to get some more pub. His incredible tenacity on the offensive boards, his great body positioning when catching the ball in the post, his offensively centric passing from the elbow, his ability to turn low-percentage scoring opportunities into foul shots. You know, practical shit. But nope, announcers, analysts and writers kept harping on outlet passes. If he busted out one or two great ones per game they were the "plays of the game" and were examples of "what made him so special." There were myths of his 94-foot chest passes that could hit the opposite backboard. It sounded cool, but didn't seem to make any sense. Kevin Love is not a great player because of his outlet passes and yet if a casual fan was asked to analyze Kevin Love to another casual fan, he would say, "Oh, the dude's got a chinstrap but he throws these awesome outlet passes."

So ultimately the whole point of why this sucks is that it completely misrepresents Kevin Love's game. Yes, in high school those type of passes can completely change a game, vitalize a fast break and get easy buckets. But in college, players are quicker and in the NBA they are really quicker. Consistent fast breaks come off turnovers and quick point guards, not outlet passes. So when you assess Love's NBA prospects, which many people have been critical of lately, he's suddenly this guy whose best quality is an outlet pass, something that isn't going to get him anywhere in the pros. Thus, common perception is: Love is a poor NBA prospect. Now, it's not all because of outlet passes, but that aspect is representative of a greater conception, that Kevin Love is a white, all-that's-right-with-basketball, player; just some big, pudgy kid that worked his ass off shooting and passing the ball as a kid. It puts him in contrast to his familiar "rival" OJ Mayo, a black kid with natural talent and an completely false public perception of showboating and laziness. Like Bill Simmons wrote last year, it would be some racial, old vs. new rivalry and it has become that but it's been completely perpetuated by the media. And by touting those outlet passes, analysts are just accepting the easiest, most attractive persona to give Kevin Love. The logic is: Most college basketball fans are old and white > old white people hate new flashy black players > outlet passes are an attribute of old, white basketball players > most fans will really like Kevin Love >... profit.

This type of shit is done constantly in the media, especially on ESPN. Come up with easily understandable and identifiable talking points, distribute them to the uninformed masses and watch as they assume those same opinions and gain interest in said storylines. To the average fan, Kevin Love is a big white outlet passer who works really hard and will overcome the black overlords that are trying to take over our game. And while no one will say this outright, they are thinking it. The ironic result is, because no one is expected to like his personality, a guy like OJ Mayo is touted for his natural ability, which is exactly what Kevin Love deserves. "Mayo is an unlikable lazy thug," the perception goes, "but if he actually shows some effort game you'll see something really cool! So watch anyway!"

I suppose this is a nice image for Love to have in terms of marketing, but if he's like most players and wants his all-around game to be appreciated, maybe he should get arrested or at least shove a ref or something.