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NBA Draft Preview: Top Five Power Forwards and Centers
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, NBA,
Banging down low, fighting in the box, scoring in the post, and denying shots from the other team with an emphatic block are jobs designated to the bigs of the frontline. Check out the top five power forward and center prospects in this year’s draft.
NOTE: Due to time constraints, I am combining this position without blurbs. Just being honest. To get in depth analysis on the other positions, either scroll down or click on the appropiate position - Point Guard; Shooting Guard; Small Forward.
Power Forwards
1. Tyrus Thomas, Louisiana State University, 6’9”, 215 lbs.
2. Andrea Bargnani, Italy, 7’0”, 225 lbs.
3. Shelden Williams, Duke University, 6’9”, 250 lbs.
4. Cedric Simmons, North Carolina State University, 6’9”, 233 lbs.
5. Josh Boone, University of Connecticut, 6’10”, 237 lbs.
Others to consider:
James Augustine, University of Illiinois; Justin Williams, University of Wyoming; Kevin Pittsnogle, West Virginia University; Tai Gray, University of Oklahoma
Centers
1. LaMarcus Aldridge, University of Texas, 6’10”, 237 lbs.
2. Patrick O’Bryant, Bradley University, 7’0”, 260 lbs.
3. Hilton Armstrong, University of Connecticut, 6’10”, 240 lbs.
4. Paul Davis, Michigan State University, 6’11”, 270 lbs.
5. Saer Sene, Senegal, 7’0”, 229 lbs.
Another to consider:
Ryan Hollins, UCLA
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NBA Draft Preview: Top Five Small Forwards
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, NBA,
These are the wing players that are usually the marksmen from the outside. However, don’t fall asleep on them on the perimeter because they will go baseline on you and show you they aren’t all that “small.” Here are the top five small forward prospects in this year’s draft.
1. Adam Morrison, Gonzaga University, 6’8”, 205 lbs.
Morrison AKA The Stache led the nation in scoring and can flat out score. He’s as unathletic as you get, but he can score off the dribble against very good defenders, and of course shoot the lights out from anywhere on the perimeter. He’s relentless and flat out can put the ball in the basket. However, he doesn’t really put that offensive effort on the defensive end and he’ll almost definitely have problems guarding players on the NBA level. His ability to score, his seemingly endless energy, and will to win will hopefully help cover that deficiency.
2. Rudy Gay, University of Connecticut, 6’9”, 220 lbs.
Before the college season started last year, Gay was being spoken of very highly. We’re talking being player of the year, the number one overall pick in the draft, etc. While he star has gotten a bit dirty, it’s still shining bright enough for Gay to be an early to mid-lottery pick, based on his upside. He has taller than average wing height, an excellent wingspan, and explosiveness. And he can jump out of the gym, as they say. He also has a pretty good stroke from the outside. A big drawback is that Gay sometimes gets lax and just coasts, not actively looking for the ball in half-court sets.
3. Rodney Carney, University of Memphis, 6’7”, 205 lbs.
Carney is another physical and athletic freak. Quickness, explosiveness, length, strength, great first step, and a sweet shot are all attributes given to Carney. But, Carney doesn’t have much of a handle and his defense is predicated on how he’s going offensively.
4. Thabo Sefolosha, Switzerland, 6’7”, 205 lbs.
Sefolosha is a slasher and benefits in making good decisions with the ball because of his point guard days in the junior levels of the Italian league. He’s a smooth player and seems to play with a chip on his shoulder, which should translate well as far as demeanor goes in integrating into the NBA. He’s not the typical European softy. He’s a bit thin and will have to adapt to playing on a higher plane due to NBA-level competition.
5. P.J. Tucker, University of Texas, 6’5”, 220 lbs.
Tucker is an intense competitor and likes to get down and dirty, especially on the offensive end, which brings Tucker to the line. He has a solid handle and can score in the box. He isn’t a great shooter, but his competitiveness and tenacity are pluses.
Others to consider:
Renaldo Balkman, University of South Carolina; Marcus Vinicius, Brazil
NBA Draft Preview: Top Five Shooting Guards
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, NBA,
These guys are all about scoring. Hit the triple, slash to the basket, finish on the break… put the ball in the hoop. Here are the top five shooting guard prospects in this year’s draft.
1. Brandon Roy, University of Washington, 6’5”, 195 lbs.
Roy is probably the most polished and most ready to play on the NBA level. And I’ll admit, I’m really high on this guy and he’s the player I’ll be following most from this draft. Roy plays both ends of the floor very well and is a straight up smooth player. He has a high basketball IQ and could be a Shawn Marion type from the 2-guard. Okay, maybe that’s puttting a lot of expectations on him, but Roy does everything well. Roy has had knee problems in the past and that can be a concern, but look at his production in college. Also, he pulled a Dwyane Wade (when Wade was with Marquette) this past season by putting Washington on his shoulders and carrying them deep into the NCAA tournament. The intangibles are just as impressive as his physical abilty.
2. Randy Foye, Villanova University, 6’3”, 205 lbs.
Foye is a smooth slasher that can get to the hoop and finish, even if he gets fouled. He’s as stubborn as that other Philly guard, Allen Iverson, when it comes to driving the ball into the lane. But, he isn’t all about penetration as he can drain the jumper, but he is more a scorer than shooter. His skill set dictates that Foye is a two-guard, naturally, he’s a bit short for the position. He will need to improve his playmaking ability if he needs to play the point on the NBA level.
3. Ronnie Brewer, University of Arkansas, 6.7”, 228 lbs.
Brewer can score and create shots for others almost equally. He slashes to the basket with aplomb and can even drop it off when the defense collapses on him. Defensively, he can lockdown any offensive player thanks to his quickness and wingspan. At Arkansas, Brewer has a career 2.4 steals per game average. The problem with his game is that he has an uglier shot than Shawn Marion. He’ll need to work on the release on his shot in order to be able to score the way he did in college.
4. Maurice Ager, Michigan State University, 6’5”, 202 lbs.
Ager’s athletic ability helps his transition game, which is one of his strengths. Another aspect that is strong in Ager’s game is his ability to hit from beyond the arc. Ager doesn’t score much off the dribble and will need to work on that to be a better player at the next level. He has very good physicallity to succeed as a defender, but needs to be a little more intense.
5. Quincy Douby, Rutgers University, 6’3”, 175 lbs.
Douby can score to a high degree both from attacking the hoop and shooting from the outside, which makes him a difficult defensive assignment. Douby is very quick, but thin. He’ll need to add muscle mass in order to continue to slash to the hoop. Douby is a scorer and can sometimes get that tunnel vision where he isn’t looking for his teammates because he’s so focused on scoring.
Others to consider:
J.J. Reddick, Duke University; Shannon Brown, Michigan State University; Guillermo Diaz, University of Miami; Allan Ray, Villanova University; Rudy Fernandez, Spain
NBA Draft Preview: Top Five Point Guards
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, Editorial, NBA,
These are your floor generals, the extension of the coach on the floor, and the player where it all usually begins. The primary role of a point guard is to set the offense up, whether it’s a half-court set or handling the ball on the fast break and finding the open man. Here’s a look at the top five point guard prospects in this year’s draft.
1. Marcus Williams, University of Connecticut, 6’2”, 200 lbs.
Williams comes from great programs, both in high school (Oak Hill Academy) and college (UConn). He has very good court vision able to find the open man, prototype physicality, and is able to stay cool in tight situations. He has excellent ball-handling skills and being a lefty brings a different dimension to the court. Unfortunately there are some off-the-court issues with Williams and his defense isn’t the greatest.
2. Sergio Rodriguez, Spain, 6’3”, 170 lbs.
Rodriguez is only 19-years-old, a dynamo with the ball who is able to find teammates to finish and get to the hoop. Unfortunately, with that youth, Rodriguez can get too caught up in trying to look flashy, he causes turnovers. He hasn’t shown the ability to play well on defense and can be burned from the perimeter or off the dribble. However, he has a huge upside and because of his age, will probably be one of the point guards taken first within the position.
3. Rajon Rondo, University of Kentucky, 6’1”, 171 lbs.
Unlike the aforementioned players, Rondo can play defense. Not only that, the boy can rebound as well (6.1), actually leading Kentucky in that category last season… as a point guard! He has great physical skills, able to sky, great lateral quickness, and a long wingspan. Rondo’s drawbacks are that he’s thin and doesn’t quite have great perimeter shooting skills. For example a 57.7 career FT% is not a good thing.
4. Jordan Farmar, UCLA, 6’2”, 170 lbs.
Farmar is a great playmaker, heady, and makes his teammates better. He sounds like another Cali point guard that has since become one of the best point guards to ever play in the NBA - Jason Kidd. I’m not saying Farmar is the next Kidd, but he does have those intangibles. Farmar can score and pass with the best of them, but has only average athleticism and needs to create space, or have it created for him by a screen, to be effective.
5. Kyle Lowry, Villanova University, 6’0”, 185 lbs.
Lowry is a tough player on both ends of the court - attacking the basket and playing defense up in his man’s face. Of the two, Lowry’s defense is his better quality. He doesn’t have a polished offensive game and his perimeter shooting is questionable. Also, Lowry is shorter than the ideal point guard height.
Others to consider:
Dee Brown, University of Illinois; Mardy Collins, Temple University; Jose Juan Barea, Northeastern University; Darius Washington, Jr., University of Memphis; Gerry McNamara, Syracuse University
WHAT? Really? No way! Did anyone see this coming?
Okay, everyone saw this coming - it was just a matter of time before it happened. While a 23-59 record certainly justifies Larry Brown being fired, should he be the only one to take the fall for this sad showing of basketball ineptitude? Most New York Knicks fans (and I’m one) would tell you - Are you kidding? No, the blame for the Knicks 2005-2006 performance, or lack of it, can be spread around all over the organization.
And if you ask me, it starts from the top on down.
Click to continue reading New York Knicks Fire Larry Brown
Yesterday was the first day of Summer. Two days ago the NBA Season came to an end with the Miami Heat’s first title, ending a flat out fantastic NBA Playoffs. Three days ago the NHL Season came to an end as the Carolina Hurricanes won their first Stanley Cup title behind the heroics of a rookie goalie.
So, as the seasons and sports officially transition, what are sports geeks to look forward to during the summer of 2006? Here is my Top 11{ref1} list for what to expect during upcoming 3 months.
11. MLB All Star Game and Home Run Derby: There is usually at least one memorable moment from the All Star Game and Home Run Derby. In Pittsburgh this year.
10. MLB record watch: Can Barry Bonds catch the Babe? Will Ichiro break more records. Someone will set a record, surely.
9. Wimbledon: I don’t even know who the tennis stars are these days, but I’m looking forward to the traditional 6:00 am breakfast for Wimbledon.
8. NFL Kickoff Weekend: The return of professional football will signal the next season change.
7. Return of NCAA Football and the Longhorns defending their first title in years: We’ll find out a lot about this team on September 9th when they host Ohio State.
6. The British Open: Can Phil make up for his debacle at the US Open?
5. The NBA Draft: Who will draft the Stache? Who will draft the next Sam Bowie?
4. Fantasy Football Season: Ah, the best time of the year. Productivity goes down and trash talking goes up. Everyone thinks that they can be the next best Billy Beanesque type General Manager.
3. World Cup Quarterfinals: The action really heats up and the top teams have to be on their game to move on.
2. World Cup Semifinals: Can the United States advance further than they ever have before? They have yet to reach the final 4, this might be the year.
1. World Cup Finals: Seriously, it doesn’t even matter who is playing. This is the number one event of all of 2006.
It’s gonna be a hot summer, enjoy!
The Miami Heat completed an impressive NBA Finals run on Tuesday, winning the series 4 games to 2. The series was appropriately packed with storylines and great games; a fitting end to a fantastic two months of NBA playoffs.
In my opinion, the best storyline of this whole series was not Dwyane Wade carrying the Heat, or Shaq winning his 4th ring, or Pat Riley coaching his 5th champion, or Mark Cuban running out onto the floor and making the series all about him. This series, ending on the last day of spring, was a tribute to the Alonzo Mourning.
The once super star center out from Georgetown was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2000, and his minutes have been limited ever since.
Tonight, he played a critical role pouring in 8 points, 6 boards, and 5 blocks. The energy that he brought to the team during his 14 minutes with Shaq on the bench and in foul trouble was inspiring. He has been an inspiration to many throughout his illness, transplant, and recovery.
Congratulations Heat, and Alonzo Mourning.
Miami Heat - NBA Champions!
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Championship, Kudos, NBA, Playoffs, Scoreboard,
In what seemed impossible, the Miami Heat beat the Dallas Mavericks in Game Six of the NBA Finals, 95-92, to claim the franchise’s first championship. It’s not that the Heat were huge underdogs to win tonight’s game, but in the fact that they won four straight games after going down two games to none at the beginning of the series.
But, before I go any further, I have to give props to the Dallas Mavericks who easily could have been the world champions instead. The only problem was that they had to defend the Heat’s Dwyane Wade, who was simply off-the-charts the last four games. In any case, the Mavs will probably sign Jason Terry, who shined during the postseason, and keep this team together to contend the next few seasons. Kudos to them.
At the opening of tonight’s game, it looked like the Mavs were going to run away with the game early, but thanks to Wade scoring seven points in under two minutes for the Heat, the end of the first quarter wasn’t as bad as it could have been. In the second quarter, the Heat just continued to pour it on, outscoring the Mavs for the quarter, 26-18 and taking a one point lead into the half.
But, the second half of the game couldn’t have been played any more tightly.
Click to continue reading Miami Heat - NBA Champions!
Draft the Stache!
Posted by Sean O'Connor Categories: Athletes, Drafts, Front Office, NBA, College Basketball,
The 2006 NBA draft is quickly approaching (June 28th), and it sounds like that the Portland Trailblazer fans are making it very clear who they would like the team to select with the 4th pick of the draft.
The Draft the Stache Campaign is gaining traction in the Rose City, and urging the Blazers to draft Gonzaga star Adam Morrison. An open letter to the team declares that Morrison is the player that can help re-establish the fans trust in the organization harkening back to the days of Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter.
I wonder if the fans campaigned to draft Sam Bowie back in the 1984 NBA Draft?
Read More 
| Draft The Stache
Luckily for Miami Heat fans, not only did Dwyane Wade show that he can do it again in Game Four, and by that I mean score a ton of points against some tough defenders, the old Shaquille O’Neal showed up. The Diesel looked more in attack-mode and was able to throw down a few hammers against the Dallas Mavericks. I guess O’Neal read my Game Four preview when I said he looked tentative. Attack, big fella, that’s all you have to do. Use the Shaq-Fu.
An important factor in the Heat dominating the contest in Game Four is that the Mavs’ Dirk Nowitzki had an absolutely horrible game, shooting 2-for-14 from the field and finishing with 16 points. If Nowitzki hit more shots, would it have made a difference considering the final score of 98-74? I think so. Nowitzki has the ability to stop a team’s momentum with timely shots and/or a scoring explosion where he strings together a few baskets. But, it didn’t happen for him or the Mavs this time.
However, something else that will affect the Mavs did.
Click to continue reading NBA Finals Game Five Preview
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