The NBA Draft Lottery…Isn’t it ironic how David Stern and the NBA who are hell bent against anything to do with gambling, choose their draft order by having a lottery? I’ve always found that interesting. Truth be told, the NBA Draft Lottery and the subsequent selections are gambles.
Granted, the NBA Draft isn’t as much of a gamble as the NFL Draft, but it is a gamble nonetheless. Just look at the Portland Blazers. They chose Greg Oden instead of Kevin Durant, enough said.
Sometimes, it’s the players that were overlooked in the draft that end up shining the brightest in the league. Players like Wesley Mathews, Jeff Teague and J.J Barea went either undrafted or in the case of Teague, 19th overall. But these guys have now become integral parts of their respective teams.
Rajon Rondo was drafted 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns and he’s now one of the premier point guards in the NBA.
It’s not only the player that must be considered when teams are making their draft picks. They must consider their team and the fit for the player. The right fit makes as much a difference as choosing the right player, sometimes more so.
Some of the top prospects for the upcoming NBA Draft include:
Kyrie Irving– the point guard out of Duke who started his freshman season on a torrid pace until an injury sidelined him. He’s talented, but a bit of a wildcard.
Derrick Williams– The force for the Arizona Wildcats all year long. Williams will be a solid pick for any team that needs to sure up their front-court. He’ll grab rebounds, defend and will be able to score in the NBA. Not sure if he’s a number one pick though.
Kemba Walker– Walker was unstoppable in college this year, but this also seemed to be his coming out year. Previously, he hadn’t shown the type of dominance he displayed in the NCAA tournament. His size and position is a question mark as it appeared that Walker was most effective at the No. 2 position. “Tweeners” are always hard to predict.
Brandon Knight – The Kentucky freshman point guard with ice in his veins. This kid has a lot of upside, he’s long, he’s athletic and he’s got great size and excellent range.
Jimmer Fredette– Now that the tournament is over and Jimmermania has settled down, reality can set in. The reality is nobody knows if Jimmer will really be as effective in the NBA playing against top tier athletes and defenders. Don’t expect him to go first, but anytime you can shoot the ball like Jimmer does, there’s a team that has a need for a sharp shooter. Given his Mormon beliefs, Utah couldn’t be a better fit.
Here are the results of the NBA’s 2011 Draft Lottery
14. Houston Rockets
13. Phoenix Suns
12. Utah Jazz
11. Golden State Warriors
10. Milwaukee Bucks
9. Charlotte Bobcats
8. Detroit Pistons
7. Sacramento Kings
6. Washington Wizards
5. Toronto Raptors
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
3. Utah Jazz
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Another LeBron Mr. Gilbert?
