2009 NBA Mock Draft

Here is my mock draft for the 2009 NBA Draft. I will go so far as to guarantee you that I will hit on at least 20 of these picks and that my analysis will be spot on in regards to the careers that these players will have in the NBA.

1) Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin, F, Oklahoma. I watched Griffin play a lot this past year, and am not as impressed with his game as most people. His three point shot is poor and his inside game is highly overrated. He’ll be a consistent scorer in the league, but not a dominant one like Kobe Bryant. Think of Griffin as a medium between Mike Miller and Richard Hamilton from the standpoint that his point totals will rarely top 20 on most nights. Tyreke Evans will be a much better player than Griffin. I’d rather take him than Griffin if I’m the Clippers.
2) Memphis Grizzlies: Hasheem Thabeet, C, Connecticut. I love Thabeet as a Dikembe Mutombo-type shotblocker in the NBA who will cause fits for most NBA big men on defense, and am much more optimistic about his ability to improve on offense than most people. I think he could be a consistent 15-to-25 point scorer for the Grizzlies by the start of 2010. He showed me light years of improvement in his footwork around the rim in March, and he could develop into a Dwight Howard-type presence if his touch improves. Memphis should pick Thabeet over Ricky Rubio, as Mike Conley is still only the equivalent of a college junior and had some good games down the stretch last year.
3) Oklahoma City Thunder: Ricky Rubio, G, DKV Joventut (Spain). Rubio is the best point guard in this year’s draft due to his quickness and Steve Nash-type ability to see the floor. He’ll lead the Thunder to the playoffs this year and we’ll be a better version of Nash and Jason Kidd.
4) Sacramento Kings: Tyreke Evans, G/F, Memphis. Tough pick here for the Kings from a standpoint that their biggest need is a good big man. However, Evans is the best player on the board at this point and we’ll kill it right away in the NBA like O.J. Mayo did last year, as he can shoot lights out from the perimeter as well as snap fools’ ankles off the dribble. He can play point guard, shooting guard and small forward, and we’ll give Sacramento a deadly 1-2-3 combination with Beno Udrih and Kevin Martin.
5) Minnesota Timberwolves: James Harden, G/F, Arizona State. Harden’s a great scorer, as he can drive to the basket and shoots well from the perimeter, and while he didn’t do a great job of setting up his teammates at Arizona State from a passing standpoint, he provided a Kobe-type presence by commanding double teams and so much attention in zones. He’ll do the same thing for the Timberwolves right away, and we’ll be no worst of an NBA player than Griffin.
6) Minnesota Timberwolves: Stephen Curry, G, Davidson. I don’t like Del’s son as much as most people. He’s not a great passer and doesn’t seem to be able to drive or set up his shot at all. He won’t be any better than J.J. Redick in the NBA.
7) Golden State Warriors: Jordan Hill, F/C, Arizona. I Love how this guy developed from his sophomore year to his junior year from a physicality standpoint. Two years ago he would shy away from contact in the paint, but this year he would back down his defenders and take the ball right under the basket instead of settling for hook shots. He’s also a good rebounder and kick-out passer. It will be tough for him to get minutes on a team that features Andris Biedrins, Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf and Brandon Wright, but he has all the tools to be a solid big man in the NBA.
8) New York Knicks: Jrue Holliday, G, UCLA. Don’t like this guy at all. He had a bad season at UCLA despite having a lot of resources around him, and there is not one thing that he is great at. Don’t expect him to make any all-star games nor crack many starting lineups in his career.
9) Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan, G, USC. I loved watching this guy play at ‘SC this past year, as he has a great shot and can drive with ease. He’ll be a better version of Mike Miller in the NBA.
10) Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Jennings, G, Pallacanestro Virtus Roma (Italy). Jennings’ subpar performance in Italy this past year can be attributed to him playing against much more physical grown men and the limited minutes philosophy of his head coach (if he had played for Arizona this past year he would have been just as good as Jonny Flynn). However, with that said, I do not think Jennings’ future is very bright in the NBA, as his floor vision is very low and his ability to beat defenders off the dribble is mediocre. He has a good shot, but not much else, and we’ll be no better than Sebastian Telfair in the NBA.
11) New Jersey Nets: James Johnson, F, Wake Forest. Johnson will be everything that Lamar Odom wishes he was in the NBA, as he can play both the 3 and 4 and has both an inside and outside game. He’ll kill it right away in the NBA.
12) Charlotte Bobcats: Terrence Williams, G/F, Louisville. I liked Earl Clark more than Williams for Louisville this year, but with that said Williams will be a consummate pro in the NBA, as he plays good defense and has a high basketball IQ (he isn’t particularly great at shooting, penetrating or passing though). He’ll be another Francisco Garcia in the NBA.
13) Indiana Pacers: Tyler Hansbrough, F/C, North Carolina. He’ll be a good rebounder in the NBA, but the biggest question is whether he’ll be able to finish at the rim against physical big men (he struggled with that in college). I don’t think he can, and see him being no better than Ronny Turiaf.
14) Phoenix Suns: Earl Clark, G, Louisville. This is a good fit for the Suns, as Clark can run with their fast-paced offense and possesses both a good jumpshot and the ability to beat defenders off the dribble while being a solid defender at the same time. I see him being a Moe Williams-type player in the NBA.
15) Detroit Pistons: Jonny Flynn, G, Syracuse. Flynn is small and quick like T.J. Ford (he’s slightly bigger than Ford) but can shoot like Devon Harris. His game will be more Ford than Harris in the NBA though due to his size, but will be a contributor nonetheless (an NBA mainstay but not exactly a star).
16) Chicago Bulls: B.J. Mullens, C, Ohio State. The Bulls are loaded in the backcourt, so guards like Jeff Teague and Gerald Henderson won’t do them much good. I really like Mullens for the Bulls, as he had a good year as a freshman for Ohio State and is a solid defender and rebounder who should develop significantly as an offensive presence in a couple of years. His body is pretty developed for his age (which is a good sign), which combined with his height should give him the ability to be just as good as Andris Biedrins in the NBA. My guess? He’ll be a slightly lesser version of Biedrins in the NBA while being a starter for the large majority of his career.
17) Philadelphia 76ers: Jeff Teague, G, Wake Forest. He’ll get the nod over Ty Lawson because of his potential to be a solid NBA point guard, and being tutored by a smooth veteran in Andre Miller won’t hurt him either. Back during March Madness I wrote that Teague seemed to be lost in the Bermuda Triangle for the second half of the year, but his jump shot and quickness gives him a high probability of being a successful point guard in the NBA. He won’t be the next Chris Paul, but I’ll bet you that he makes a couple of All-Star games during his career.
18) Minnesota Timberwolves: Eric Maynor, G, Virginia Commonwealth. Maynor’s quick and has a good mid-range jump shot (he’s not too shabby of a passer either). He could end up being the next Monta Ellis, but I see him being more of a Jordan Farmar-type role player in the NBA.
19) Atlanta Hawks: Gerald Henderson Jr., G/F, Duke. Henderson’s a good shooter and defender without much of an inside game. He’ll play about 20 minutes a night and score seven-to-ten points per game with a couple of assists mixed in but won’t do much after that unless he morphs into a Bruce Bowen-type defender, which I doubt.
20) Utah Jazz: Ty Lawson, G, North Carolina. Lawson’s best days ended in college, as he isn’t big enough to be a great scoring point guard in the NBA and doesn’t possess the floor vision to be a great passing guard, and at best he’s a so-so defender. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a UNC fan and I like the guy, but I don’t see him possessing the quickness to succeed as a point guard in the NBA. He’ll bounce around the league and won’t make a single all-star game during his career.
21) New Orleans Hornets: DaJuan Summers, F, Georgetown: Summers has a good inside game, but could be a better defender. His offense makes him a potential Paul Millsap hybrid, but I see him coming up just a bit short of fulfilling that potential due to his lack of a close-range jump shot.
22) Portland Trail Blazers: Pat Mills, G, Saint Mary’s, Calif. Mills is slippery quick and has great floor vision, though his perimeter game could be a lot better. His size won’t make him a great point guard, but he’ll be just as good as T.J. Ford in the NBA. His biggest problem right off the bat in Portland will be getting significant minutes.
23) Sacramento Kings: Omri Casspi, F, Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel): My friends at NBADraft.net compare Casspi to Andres Nocioni and Hedo Turkoglu. He’s 6-9 though his body is not very muscular, and supposedly (I’ve never seen him play) can drive to the basket or shoot from the perimeter. From what I’ve read, I think he’ll be a slightly lesser version of Hedo Turkoglu. Geoff Petrie likes foreign players more so than many other GM’s in the league, so this pick would not be anything out of the ordinary for him.
24) Dallas Mavericks: Chase Budinger, F, Arizona. Whenever I watched this guy play at Arizona, it always seemed like he’d never score. He’s tall enough to get his shot off when defended in the NBA (and he has a good one) and will be a good defender with his range, and will drive inside sporadically, but not as much as he’ll shoot. Worst case scenario: J.J. Redick. Best case scenario: Mike Miller
25) Oklahoma City Thunder: Jonas Jerebko, F, Pallacanestro Biella (Italy): This is another guy that I’ve never seen play before, but my friends on NBADraft.net compare him to Thebo Sefolosha (who’s a better player than you think he is) who can hit threes and post up on the inside but is not effective with his shot when he’s on the move or off the dribble. However, NBAdraft.net’s ravings about his three-point shot combined with his ability to post up in the paint lead me to believe that he’ll be the median of Jermaine O’Neal and Tim Duncan in the NBA. Its a leap of faith, but what I’ve read leads me to believe that we have something special here with Jerebko.
26) Chicago Bulls: DeJuan Blair, F/C, Pittsburgh. I love Blair’s physicality and can-do attitude. He also has great footwork and has a knack for being in the right position as a defender. He could end up being a slightly lesser version of David West in the NBA.
27) Memphis Grizzlies: Austin Daye, F, Gonzaga. Daye has the ability to be the fulfillment of Lamar Odom, as he is skinny and athletic while still being able to play both small and power forward and has a good outside shot. Don’t expect him to possess much of an inside game for the Pacers, but he’ll fill up the stat sheet every night and we’ll be a decent double digit scorer as a pro.
28) Minnesota Timberwolves: Toney Douglas, G, Florida State: One of the more underrated guards in college last year, Douglas can both shoot from the perimeter and beat defenders off the dribble consistently, and at times shows a meanstreak on defense. He has a score-first mentality, and could be a Kevin Martin-type player in the NBA if he’s given enough minutes to flourish right away.
29) Los Angeles Lakers: DeMarre Carroll, F/C, Missouri. Though he will be picked late, Carroll will be a better, more physical version of LaMarcus Aldridge in the NBA, as he can both finish at the rim and his ability to retrieve rebounds almost rebounds me of Ben Wallace in his prime.
30) Cleveland Cavaliers: Vyacheslav Kravtsov, C, BC Kyiv (Ukraine). The Cavs desperately need an efficient big man, and this is the only guy available that fits the build of a dominant rebounding center, as he’s built like Hasheem Thabeet and looks good on film as a shot blocker. I’d take him and try to build him into a Dikembe Mutombo-type player and let the offense come later.

Congrats to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers

I'd like to take this time to congratulate Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers for winning their fourth and tenth NBA Championship respectively. I've always felt that Kobe Bryant is better than Michael Jordan (I get a tremendous amount of flak for that from Jordan lovers) and his performance this season further solidifies my belief, as he can do everything that Jordan could back in his prime-take over a game, hit a game-winning shot and make his teammates better. Just because he doesn't have his own company and distinct logo doesn't make him any worse than Jordan, and the fact that he only has four rings compared to Jordan's six is largely irrelevant since Bryant played with average talent for the three years between Shaquille O'Neal's departure in 2004 and the emergence of Andrew Bynum along with the acquisition of Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol in 2008 and 2009 respectively (Bryant would have five rings today had Shaq continued to don the purple and gold during that period-I bet he's regretting asking Jerry Buss for more money now).
And when it comes to Phil Jackson, Mike Krzyzewski made a great point on the Dan Patrick show when he said that managing players like Bryant, Jordan and O'Neal is an extremely difficult task and that Jackson has done a tremendous job doing it. He's a brilliant and innovative basketball coach (see the triangle offense) and deserves each of his ten rings. Just because he has always had great players doesn't mean that he's an overrated coach, as he has a tremendous feel for the game and doesn't cost his team victories with overcoaching like other coaches in the NBA do (see Don Nelson).
Once again, congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers, and a special congratulations to Sasha Vujacic, who while not scoring any points in the finals still played a large role in the series with his tenacious defense on the floor and enthusiastic spirit on the bench.

Less than a month 'till NCAA Football 2010

With today being June 15, that means that there are only 29 days (less than a month) until Best Buy's and GameStop's everywhere are stocked with EA Sports' NCAA Football 2010. Michael Crabtree (XBox 360 cover), Brian Johnson (PS3 cover), Brian Orakpo (PS2 cover) and Mark Sanchez (PSP cover) will be featured more than annoying, anti-athlete Rick Reilly articles in ESPN The Magazine or Kobe and Lebron puppets on ABC (I'm a fan of those Nike commercials, and don't understand why Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon aren't), and I can't wait. This year's game will feature sideline commentary from ESPN's Erin Andrews (who talks like a dime), and while I usually don't get hyped up over a game's features (I have basically skipped past features like superstar mode and mascot mode), I am interested about the new strategic-playcalling feature, which claims that you can fool opponents by running virtually the same types of plays out of one formation (say consistent HB dives and smashes to the 2.5 hole) via "Playaction, misdirection or double moves (EA Sports)."
I will get the game at Best Buy on July 14 and play it heavily (along with Tiger Woods 10, which I am playing now) until Madden 1o comes out on August 14, and then play it at about a 1-t0-8 ratio to Madden (that's the tough thing about playing a college game with a pro game, the pro game is usually played at a faster pace, and thus better-in my opinion).
There are three teams that I am looking forward to playing with the most in NCAA Football 10, The U, Ohio State and LSU. Jacory Harris was really good in the game last year and should be even better this year in the green and orange, and you can probably say the same thing for Sean Spence, Aldarius Johnson and LaRon Byrd, while playing with Terrell Pryor is just as fun as playing with Troy Smith for the Buckeyes a couple of years ago, and I am looking forward to seeing who is better at QB for the Tigers in this years game, Jordan Jefferson (who played well in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl last New Year's Eve) or Russell Shepard, the true freshman who is this year's SEC version of Julio Jones from a hype and scouts/rivals.com standpoint. Plus in dynasty mode you will have to go to Georgia, Alabama and Ole Miss with Les Myles' team.
It will also be interesting to see how Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy compare to each other in the game, and how good EA Sports makes Mitch Mustain, Aaron Corp, Matt Barkley and Garrett Green, who are all vying to fill Mark Sanchez's shoes at USC.
I cannot wait to play NCAA Football 10 on PS3 in 29 days, and guarantee you that I can beat anybody in an online game no matter what their ranking (my PS3 gamer tag is cletitans if anyone's interested in playing me). Its nothing to Prince Peter mane!

Cady shows up at B412 again

I hit B412 in Palo Alto again tonight and had a great time. I came through with the light blue and white plaid Rocawear dress shirt, dark blue jeans and Sperry’s with gel in my hair and owned the place like I was JaMarcus Russell. I enjoyed meeting a girl named Krystal out of Fremont (who looked dime in a shiny red top, white shorts, heels and long curly brunnette hair, and a girl named Kittie out of Idaho (who looked dime in a white outfit with a black belt with long brunnette hair. The DJ’s in both the main room and the patio were spinning great music, but especially the DJ in the main room, as he played a lot of gangster music like Icey by Gucci Mane and Young Jeezy and Speeding by Rick Ross and R. Kelly. I’d like to thank John Farhang, the owner of the club for a great night.

The top five destinations for Vick

Michael Vick will still be a very productive football player in the NFL even after two years away from the game (he was still playing football in jail), whether it be as a quarterback, running back or receiver. He’ll still be a fast runner and have the same keen sense for the game that he did with the Atlanta Falcons, so long as he is in good shape, and will be able to find a team by the start of the season with a good attitude and the willingness to play other positions besides quarterback. Now that the Falcons have officially released Vick, here are the five teams that I think Vick would succeed with the most. Whether or not a team would be willing to sign Vick is also taken into account for my list:
1) Indianapolis Colts: The Colts could use a scat back, and Vick would be able to get open underneath as a receiver playing alongside Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez. Plus, Tony Dungy (who still has the ability to strongly influence the Colts front office and head coach Jim Caldwell) is a supporter of Vick, and could encourage team president Bill Polian that Vick has changed and deserves a second chance.
2) San Francisco 49ers: Mike Singletary says that Vick deserves a second chance and says that he hasn’t made a decision yet in regards to whether the team should sign Vick or not (though GM Scott McCloughan and team president Jed York do not seem to be as open to the prospect of Vick wearing Red and Gold), and Vick would allow the team to run a mean wildcat with Frank Gore and Alex Smith or Shaun Hill. Vick could also serve as a changeup back to Frank Gore and Michael Robinson, and could also be a productive fourth receiver for a team that already features three threats at the position along with a flat-out boss in tight end Vernon Davis.
3) Jacksonville Jaguars: The team could run a great wildcat with Vick, David Gerrard and Maurice Jones-Drew, and he could be productive as a spell back for Drew and stretch the field as a receiver in an offense that will feature mostly possession receivers this year (note: the Jaguars receivers will be a lot better at catching the football this year with the addition of Torry Holt and rookies Mike Walker and Tiquan Underwood).
4) Baltimore Ravens: Ray Lewis (who had his own legal issues back in the day) would be a great mentor for Vick, and he could potentially see a lot of carries as a running back for the team, as Willis McGahee has had surgery twice this off-season, and John Clayton says that because of that Ray Rice (who had a solid season last year but runs like McGahee) will be the starter. Vick could be a great changeup back to Rice and McGahee, and the team could be dangerous in wildcat plays with Vick, Joe Flacco and McGahee/Rice on the field at the same time.
5) St. Louis Rams: Mark Bulger always misses about four-to-six starts each year, and Vick would be a better quarterback for them when Bulger is out than Kyle Boller or Brock Berlin. Vick could bring some buzz to the team, which desperately needs it after going 2-14 in 2008 and releasing Torry Holt in the off-season. Vick could provide the Rams with the ability to run outside at the running back position, which the Rams currently lack.

Nick Montana commits to Washington

A son of Joe Montana has committed to play for Steve Sarkisian at Washington. (Westlake Village, CA) Oaks Christian Star Nick Montana committed to play for the Huskies last night, according to Oaks Christian head coach Bill Redell. Montana had offers on the table from a plethora of schools, including Alabama, LSU and Ohio State. His older brother Nate is currently following in his father's footsteps as a quarterback for Notre Dame. See the full story here.
-Rivals.com

Lakers will beat Magic in seven

The Los Angeles Lakers will beat the Orlando Magic in seven games, thanks to a three-deep set of big men with 16 fouls to give, Lamar Odom and a solid supporting cast.
Don't get Peter da Prince wrong, I see the Magic proving to be just as formidable of a threat for the Lakers as the Rockets were, as Mickael Pietrus is an extremely underrated defender who will be able to pester Kobe Bryant (though he won't be able to stop him) and Dwight Howard should be productive in every single game (Howard hitting his free throws will be crucial for the Magic).
However, Bryant should be able to score a good amount of points in every game and so should Gasol, and Odom, Shannon Brown, Luke Walton, Andrew Bynum (maybe), Derek Fisher and Sasha Vujacic should each be good for at least one solid game so as to give the Lakers a win or two if Bryant or Gasol has an off night.
The Magic killed the Cavaliers with three point shooting, but the Lakers (while not playing good inside defense) have limited the Jazz, Rockets and Nuggets to 30-percent shooting from beyond the arc, which is not a good sign for Hedo Turkoglu, Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee. Expect Vujacic to do a good job on defense against whichever one of these players he is guarding, and for Phil Jackson to give D.J. Mbenga (a solid defender) a good amount of minutes against Howard.
The Magic will only have a shot at winning this series if Rashard Lewis has three 25-plus point games, and I don't see that happening, as Odom has the ability to step out and guard him from the perimeter, something that Anderson Varejao and Ben Wallace couldn't do against him in the Eastern Conference Finals. Of course the Magic could also give the Lakers fits with Howard and the Polish Hammer (errr, Sausage) Marcin Gortat in the game at the same time against the soft-Lakers big men, and if Jameer Nelson can prove to be an anti-Bynum and play at an All-Star level right away after four months of no real competition.
However, the Lakers bench should be good enough to overcome any of these afore-mentioned scenarios for two games, and Bryant and Gasol should have monster games to carry them to two more victories and the NBA Championship. The Lakers should win games one and two before the Magic win games three, five and six (the Lakers will win game four) and then the Lakers will take game seven by ten-plus points to be finals champions.
The Lakers will win their 15th NBA Championship on Thursday, June 18th. Lock it like a double clip from an AK-47, as I guarantee a Lakers championship.