Coaches, fans hold their breath as more players flirt with NBA. Discussion on AJ Abrams and other NBA Draft early entries.
Archive for the 'Draft' category
Augustin made right decision, no matter what might have been. He had $3 million reasons he had to make this decision.
Like his backcourt mate AJ Abrams, sophomore point guard DJ Augustin will be leaving Texas early and entering the NBA Draft. Augustin will not hire an agent and has until June 16 to pull his name out and return for his junior season. Unlike Abrams I feel that now that Augustin has made this decision he won’t turn back. His draft positioning is pretty well decided at between about 12th and 25th overall and unless something happens to make him drop out of the first round during his workouts.
It looks like we’ll be seeing a very different team next year, let’s hope someone (Justin Mason, Dogus Balbay, and/or J’Covan Brown) can step up and take over the point guard position.
In very surprising news, Texas junior guard AJ Abrams has reportedly declared for the NBA Draft. FoxSports.com is reporting that multiple sources have indicated to them that Abrams will workout for NBA teams but not hire an agent, hoping to get a better feel on what exactly his draft prospects are. Since he’s not hiring an agent, Abrams can pull his name out of the draft at any time and return to Texas with no issue. Thanks to a new(?) rule NBA teams can now pay for travel for workouts so there’s no risk for AJ, but I also don’t see the reward in it for him. I don’t believe there’s much chance a team would use a draft pick on a 5-foot-10 shooting guard.
I just put up a poll a few minutes ago about whether incoming frosh J’Covan Brown or Abrams should start next year, it now looks like Rick Barnes might not have to make that decision. Hopefully he decides to stay in school for his senior season, but if not best of luck to AJ at the next level.
Seattle wants to have team of unselfish, versatile players around Durant, but I don’t think Rashard Lewis is coming back
Durant and Oden shine at NBA Draft, nearly complete roster overhaul for both the Sonics and Blazers.
Seattle definitely had the easiest job in the NBA draft, just pick either Kevin Durant or Greg Oden, whoever is available. But then they go off and do some craziness and trade Ray Allen to the Boston Celtics for Jeff Green (#5 pick), Delonte West, and Wally “My Foot Hurts” Szczerbiak.
So now they have 3 players who play almost exactly the same position, Kevin Durant, Rashard Lewis, and Jeff Green. I know this seems like the big trend in the NBA, having a bunch of 6′9ish swing-men, but trading one of the best pure shooters in the league for players you have no need for just doesn’t make sense to me.
And is just me or should you be able to get a little more for someone like Ray Allen? I would think some other team in the league could have offered up a better deal.
Bill Simmons matches up Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. Advantage: Durant.
Kevin Durant aiming to be the number one overall pick, wants to wow Portland with his talent and character.
The Seattle Times reports that at the NBA pre-draft camp Kevin Durant was the only player who could not bench 185 pounds at least once. And some morons strangely seem to think this is somehow important to where he might go in the NBA Draft.
How much does a basketball weigh? He seems to handle putting it in the basket pretty well. I can throw 185 up ten times pretty easy, maybe the Sonics will draft me. Oh wait, I suck at basketball. For a kid his age and with his height and wingspan, the bench press couldn’t be less important.
Kevin is still very much a kid who is growing into his body. Greg Oden is 35 or 40 years old and is probably near his ceiling physically (though not as a basketball player). The sky is the limit for Durant both from a physical and a basketball standpoint. If any team or scout (other than Portland) who even remotely considers passing on Kevin Durant is an idiot.
Daniel Gibson on NBA TV talking about the draft and Kevin Durant. The two could have been great duo this year.
With the second pick in the 2007 NBA Draft the Seattle Supersonics select Kevin Durant…
Okay, it hasn’t happened yet but the Sonics won the right to pick second in the draft at tonight’s draft lottery. LaMarcus Aldridge’s Portland Trailblazers secured the number one overall pick despite having only a 5.3% chance to win the pick. The Spurs and Mavericks are breathing a little easier after the Atlanta Hawks won the third pick and therefore don’t have to hand it over to Phoenix.
Seattle isn’t a great situation for Durant, but there’s certainly worse places to go (namely Atlanta or Memphis). The team is in a state of disarray both on and off the court. Not a great place from a marketability standpoint either, as most of the team’s games start too late for the other time zones to watch. Plus, there’s still the rumor that they want to move the team to Oklahoma City. That would mean Texas fans could drive up and see KD play, but then he’d have to live in Oklahoma.
I was rooting for the Blazers to get the number two pick so Aldridge and Durant could team up together. That still could happen, while Greg Oden is definitely the likely pick by Portland it is not a given. ESPN’s Chad Ford even mentioned a possible pick swap between Portland and Seattle since Durant might be a better fit for Portland.
It should come down to the very last minute before we know what’s going to happen with the first pick of next month’s draft. Should make for interesting TV.
Related Links
ESPN NBA Mock Draft 2007, only team with good chance of winning lottery that takes Durant is Milwaukee.
I kept hearing some serious rumors of this over the last two days, but I think I was hoping that if I ignored them they would just go away. Well, they haven’t. Kevin Durant is indeed turning pro.
So congratulations to Kevin Durant. What he accomplished this year by sweeping every major award as a freshman is just amazing, and something we may never see again. As much as I would want Kevin Durant to return, how can you blame someone for not passing up all of that money?
Now we get to have fun seeing where he will end up in the NBA. The Celtics are already throwing games so that they can get Durant. Going to the Hawks or Grizzlies seems to be a career death sentence. Maybe Phoenix could jump up from the 4 spot (via Atlanta) to get him? Now that would be fun to watch.
There will be a press conference today at 4pm on campus in Austin announcing his decision. Feel free to send me pictures if anyone attends.
Would you go pro?
- Yes (82%)
- No (18%)
Total Votes: 140
Loading …I keep telling myself not to get my hopes up, but check this nugget buried in a Sam Smith article (BugMeNot) from the Chicago Tribune:
The pros are beginning to believe Texas’ Kevin Durant may stay another year in college but not Ohio State’s Greg Oden after his foul trouble in the NCAA tournament and horrible coaching. The consensus is few big men have been more poorly used than Oden in Ohio State’s deliberate system, basically putting Oden in foul trouble and not allowing him to use his dominance to start the fast break by rebounding and dishing outlet passes.
Who knows how it’ll end up playing out, probably not even Durant himself, but I’m definitely happy to hear there’s a chance he’ll come back to Texas for one more season. I’m also glad he’s reported keeping his options open by continuing to attend class. Hopefully, he and his family can take out a huge insurance policy and make it about what they think is best for Kevin and not have to worry too much about the money.
Great article from Washington Post on Kevin Durant’s big decision. Odds he comes back getting worse every day.
Loss may not end Durant’s days at UT. Despite all the articles, I say it’s 80% shot he’s gone.
D.J. Augustin says he’ll be back next year, and says Durant is telling teammates he’ll be back too.
More love for KD as player of the year and to be the number one pick in the draft.
Who should be number one? Greg Oden vs. Kevin Durant.
The tenth edition of ESPN’s Bill Simmons’ running draft diary is absolutely hilarious. He’s pretty spot on with his remarks about the picks and his employer’s coverage of the event. My favorite comment:
10:20 – The Mavs take Maurice Ager at No. 28. He puts his head in his hands and starts sobbing hysterically as his entourage congratulates him. It’s about time we had some emotion tonight, dammit. Ager walks up to the stage in a triple-breasted, oversized beige suit, goes to shake hands with Stern and immediately gets whistled for a foul on Dwyane Wade.
This was the first time I watched an entire NBA Draft and it was good entertainment. Moves much faster than the NFL Draft, but includes a lot more players no one has ever heard of going to teams I couldn’t care less about.
Lebron James picked up a few new teammates Wednesday night including UT guard Daniel Gibson with the 42nd pick. The experts seem to really like the pick this deep into the draft but still worry about whether he can end up being a point guard. Playing with James should make anyone a better player.
With the 35th pick the Toronto Raptors select Texas forward PJ Tucker. Video below of Jay Bilas and Greg Anthony praising Tucker and praising the pick.
LaMarcus Aldridge is picked second overall by the Chicago Bulls and promptly traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for the fourth pick. This is the highest a Longhorn has ever been selected in the NBA Draft.
Video below of David Stern announcing the pick, Lamarcus Aldridge putting on the Bulls cap, and then the ESPN experts discussing the pick and the trade.
Update
I love the fact that Aldridge makes Stern put on a Longhorn cap and pose for a picture as he makes the “Hook ‘em”. I just noticed that, I love it. Good kid and a good Longhorn.
Just a reminder, the NBA draft is tonight at 6:30 on ESPN. Not as entertaining to watch as the NFL Draft, but should have some burnt orange stories throughout the two rounds. The latest rumors circulating are that LaMarcus Aldridge is likely to go number two overall to the Chicago Bulls and then possibly be traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. News also has had PJ Tucker and Daniel Gibson rising. While over the last month’s they were both expected to be mid-second round picks, they’re both now possibly in the first ten picks of that round. I’ve seen Tucker in the first round of a couple mocks as well. It’ll be interesting to watch.
Bevo Sports will have highlights of the Aldridge’s selection tonight.
Updates
It’s official, Aldridge goes second to the Bulls and has been traded to the Blazers for their pick at number four and another player. I’m a little weary of him going to Portland with their reputation as the “Jail Blazers” but I believe they’re trying to remake their image and drafting a good kid such as LaMarcus will help with that. (6:45 pm)
PJ Tucker drafted by the Toronto Raptors at number 35. Just from watching the limited clips of some of these other guys that were drafted ahead of him (Renaldo Balkman?), it’s pretty obvious that NBA teams draft on measurables and not on actual ability to play basketball. (9:55 pm)
Daniel Gibson goes to Cleveland with the 42nd pick. Should be able to get some open shots playing along side Lebron James. Good place for him. (10:10 pm)
