NBA Draft Review

The 2006 NBA Draft is now officially over, so it is time for everyone to give their opinion on what took place.

Since no one really cares about the Toronto Raptors, maybe we shouldn't care about their top draft pick from Italy, Andrea Bargnani. With that said, the number one pick in the 2006 draft belonged to the Chicago Bulls. They drafted, and promptly traded, LaMarcus Aldridge to Portland for Tyrus Thomas. Although most people seem to be high on Thomas, I just don't see him being a talent worthy of his selection in the draft. He is a world class athlete and a great shot blocker, but he just doesn't have the offensive abilities necessary to be drafted that high. Crazy Adam Morrison was picked number three to the Bobcats (after seeing him act in the NCAA tournament I'm afraid to make any comments about him, as he may go psycho, find me, and chop off my fingers). At number five, the Hawks made the first real surprise pick of the draft taking Shelden Williams. Now as much as I like Duke and Williams, he is another player that is a great defender and rebounder but lacks a polished offensive game that he'll need to really accel in the NBA.

The best player in the draft was selected number six. Minnesota picked Brandon Roy, a player who is the best equpped right now to make an impact immediately. When the night was done, the Blazers ended up with the rights to Roy. He shot over 40% from the 3-point line last season even though his strength is clearly driving the ball to the hoop. Roy is my early pick for Rookie of the Year.

Randy Foye, my second favorite for Rookie of the Year, also bounced around a lot throughout the night and will start his career in a Timberwolves uniform next to KG (unless he happens to be traded).

J.J. Redick went where he was expected at 11 to the Magic despite his recent run-in with the law and herniated disc.

The last two good picks of the first round belonged to the Memphis Grizzlies at 24 and the Lakers at 26. Memphis picked up Kyle Lowry out of Villanova and L.A. selected hometown product Jordan Farmar. Both are high energy point guards and were proven winners in college. I think their winning mentalities will transcend to the professional level.

Any team that picked a former Connecticut player in the first round had an awful draft. The Nets, therefore, had a doubly bad draft taking two Huskies back-to-back. After choking in the tournament run game in and game out last season, none of them deserved to be drafted at all. Yes they made it to the Elite 8 and yes they had great players. In fact, they had more talent than any other team in recent history, which is why barely beating mediocre teams and losing to good teams is not reflective of what should have been the season for UConn. Rudy Gay is a talented loser, Marcus Williams is a talented laptop thief, Hilton Armstrong (my favorite of the bunch) needs to become more assertive, and Josh Boone needs to go back to the planet he came from, learn how to play the game, and tell Sam Cassell's parents to stop looking for him because he's safe on Earth (Boone and Cassell hail from the same galaxy, which is different from ours).

While there is much more to discuss regarding the draft, I need to sleep, so here is where you can find the rest of what I didn't mention. Also, at the end of this is an article I wrote during college basketball season. You can find out what there is to know about some of the players who were drafted and undrafted tonight.

The Best of the Rest in Men’s College Basketball

Steven Wright

March 30, 2006

As we enter the last week of March Madness, arguably the nation’s two best college basketball players this season have already made their last appearance, and cried their last tears.

J.J. Redick’s top-ranked Duke Blue Devils were upset by the Louisiana State Tigers while Gonzaga Bulldog star Adam Morrison’s season came to an end thanks to the UCLA Bruins’ relentless late-game heroics.

Not only did Redick’s team lose, he continued his typical late season inability to get open and make shots during the most crucial part of the season.

As for Morrison, tears gathered in his ‘70s ‘stache with time left on the game clock, and he essentially gave up on his team’s chances to become the first mid-major team to win a national title. Instead, No. 11 seeded George Mason has stolen their limelight and chance at greatness.

So, with the two “best” players in the nation watching the final weekend from off-campus apartments, who are some of the other players that have deserved more recognition this season?

A good place to start is with the other eight players that make up the 2005-06 Wooden Award All-American team.

Shelden Williams, Redick’s teammate, has received much attention from analysts this year. The senior forward averaged 18.8 points and 10.7 rebounds through a brutal ACC and non-conference schedule. He makes his major stand at the defensive end with 3.8 blocks a game. However, Williams was not able to carry the Devils. His offensive stats were elevated thanks to the best perimeter shooter in the history of college basketball clearing out the lane for him.

Over the past few years, basketball fans across the United States have commonly used the term “Pittsnogled” thanks to the inked-up unconventional West Virginia guard-in-a-forwards-body Kevin Pittsnogle. The sharp-shooting big man scored 19.3 points a game in head coach John Beilein’s shoot-it-from-anywhere offense. His scoring ability and charisma are enough to put him the running for best player, but his inability to rebound (second on the team in rebounding [5.5] to 6’4” Mike Gansey [5.7]) and zero point, 0-12 shooting performance against Pittsburgh takes him out of serious contention.

Boston College big man Craig Smith averaged just short of a double-double this season with 17.6 PPG and 9.4 RPG. Obviously, with those numbers and his team’s success (28-8), he seems deserving of his accolades. But after watching him try to be his team’s point guard in the waning seconds of their opening round game versus Pacific, and subsequently travel, his brains don’t match his talent when it comes to being an All-American.

Dee Brown certainly was remarkable all season long. Unfortunately he was unable to carry his team to the same level of last year’s squad without NBA rookies and former teammates Deron Williams (Utah Jazz) and Luther Head (Houston Rockets). If he would have hit his long range 3-point attempt at the buzzer against Washington in the second round of the tournament, he may have given himself a better chance at finishing third in the voting.

Villanova teammates Allan Ray and Randy Foye comprised two of the four guards used in Jay Wright’s offense. They scored 18.5 and 20.5 points per game respectively and harassed opposing guards with their tenacious defense. After nearly losing his eye in the Big East semi-final against Pitt, Ray made a quick recovery, only to struggle mightily, scoring just 16 PPG in the Big Dance. On the other hand, Foye stepped up and poured in 23.8 PPG during the Wildcats’ run in the tournament, improving on his season resume and NBA draft stock.

“The Big Baby” Glen Davis has his Tigers prowling in the Final Four. The nimble, ballet-dancing 300-pounder has been the key ingredient to LSU’s season and tournament successes, averaging 18.7 PPG and 9.8 RPG. His large frame eats up space on the inside, and he secured the biggest rebound for any team this season when he out-hustled four Blue Devils, after missing a free throw, to send his team to the Elite 8.

The best player on the All-American list not named Redick or Morrison has to be Washington’s Brandon Roy. While those two are the best players on their team, I don’t believe they were more important to their teams than Roy was to the Huskies. While watching UW’s progress in the tournament, it was obvious to see that Roy had his hands on the ball from various places on the court during every Husky possession. His most effective play occurred when he was driving to the basket, but if teams were capable of containing that, he could pull up from 3-point range where he shot over 40% on the season. Roy was the best and most versatile player every time he stepped on the court and should be picked higher in the NBA draft than either Redick or Morrison.

The underrated candidate list doesn’t stop with the All-Americans. The best player in the tournament this year has been the half-French, half-Swedish Florida Gator Joakim Noah. If anyone in college basketball could record a quadruple-double, it has to be the 6’11” Noah with his soft touch inside, unyielding effort on the boards, excellent defense and crisp passing. His amazing season comes one year after seeing the court only nine minutes a year ago.

Davis’s teammate at LSU, Tyrus Thomas, possesses absolutely freakish athleticism. On the season, he has recorded 3.1 blocks per game, and in the Sweet Sixteen against Duke, he totaled 21 points and 13 boards, both one shy of tying career records. Not only does he have solid numbers, his gravity-defying dunks energize the Tigers.

National freshman of the year hopeful Tyler Hansbrough led North Carolina in both points and rebounds. Hansbrough dropped 40 points and hauled in 10 rebounds against Georgia Tech. He solidified his greatness by leading the Tar Heels past their Tobacco Road rival Blue Devils with 27 points and 10 boards.

One team that you will find does not have a player on the list is Connecticut. But how can the team with the most talent in the country not have a national player of the year candidate? Well, when a team plays with no emotion when winning or losing, and the coach sweats more on the sidelines trying to pump up his team than the players running up and down the court, this creates an environment of eventual failure. After near losses in every round, the Huskies realized this the hard way when they lost to George Mason in the regional finals. A team with no quality on-court leader is a team that does not have a player of the year candidate.

In this list of players, there are undoubtedly players who have been snubbed. One could easily make a case for the UCLA backcourt duo of Jordan Farmar and Aaron Afflalo or big men from Ohio State and Texas, Terence Dials and LaMarcus Aldridge.

The talent and parity in men’s college basketball this year has made for one of the greatest overall seasons in recent memory. The equality in individual talent also portrays the overall picture, as the only 1’s we see in the Final Four are the two that are placed next to George Mason on the bracket. Quality basketball players stretch farther than Duke and Gonzaga. In fact, we may eventually look back on the 2005-06 season and realize that neither Redick nor Morrison should have received the award for the nation’s best player, which one of them will undoubtedly accept in the near future.

The Art of the Flop

So many have perfected it, yet so many more, like myself, despise it. Some say its smart, some say its cheap. Some have made millions implementing it, and some, well, just look silly trying. Of course, the only thing I can be talking about is the flop. No not the flop dealing with three cards in Texas Hold 'Em nor the one where you smack your stomach in a swimming pool. The flop that occurs when you have the ability to look like you just got decked by Shaq when really all that happened was a little elbow from Earl Boykins.

The best way to talk about the flop is to mention the best floppers of all time. Some may agree, some may not, but here are the Top 5:

5. Dennis Rodman - This bad boy of basketball threw his body around better than anyone else ever to play the game. By doing this, he helped the Chicago Bulls win 3 NBA titles. His best flops probably came at the expense of Utah Jazz great Karl Malone. In fact, one could argue that Rodman's defense against Malone in the NBA Finals prevented the Jazz from ever winning their elusive championship.

4. Vlade Divac - Now I can't speak from the beginning of his career because I was just too young to remember much. However, during the many playoff series between the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers, Vlade Dadi secured his place in the Top 5. His job in those series was to draw as many offensive fouls against Shaq as possible. Though it worked sparingly, the pride of Yugoslavia was never able to draw enough, as the Lakers always passed the Kings and subsequently won three titles during his stint with the Kings.

3. Duane Johnson - Better known as The Rock, his entire livelihood has been because of the flop. He is the perfect example of how the flop can generate millions, AND MILLIONS, of dollars as well as fans. His exaggerations in the wrestling ring and the big screen have propelled him to be one of the most recognizable faces in the media today.

2. Reggie Miller - There was not a jump shot this man took in which he did not stick his leg out and fall to the ground after he shot. Arguably the best shooter to ever play the game of basketball, Reggie made his living not only with jump shots, but from the free throw line as well. The ratio between free throws he shot to the number of times he was actually touched has to be close to 20:1. But to his credit, he did his job well and will more than likely be a first-ballot hall of famer. Congratulations for that Reggie (that pains me deeply to say).

1. Every male professional soccer player - These guys fake more things in their job than Jenna Jameson does in hers. Every time they are touched they make it seem as if a sniper just clipped them in the middle of their back from the top row of the stadium. And the best is the faces they make. Their facial expressions go from pure intensity and concentration to that of a person getting both their legs amputated without any anesthetic. The sheer humor I gain from watching the soccer floppers has earned all of them number one on my list.

Many people will disagree with some of these or question why a few are not on the list. Two that could be on the list but I feel do not qualify are my boys D-Wade and A.I. Many Dallas fans had a problem with how many free throws Wade attempted in the NBA Finals, especially his last trip to the line in Game 5 (which was probably not a foul). The fact of the matter is Wade takes the ball hard to the basket every single time. When he goes to the ground, it is not because he felt a little contact and fell over. It is because he is 11 feet in the air getting undercut by bigger men. When a person is that high with that much momentum, getting bumped, even slightly, will cause you to land extremely hard in some precarious positions. The same can be said for Iverson who is the most fearless at driving the lane. At six feet, 170 pounds (both being slightly generous) when he gets hit by another player, he is going to go flying, since he is one of the smallest players in the league.

The list above is the most impressive floppers of all time. The only flop that these guys can't pull off, is one that gives you the winning hand at the World Series of Poker.

The Middletown Volleyball Legacy of Spiking the 'Set

The highlight of my past three summers has been participating in Spiking the 'Set sand volleyball tournament at Sunset Park in my hometown of Middletown, Ohio. The tournament creator/organizer/director, my good friend and former teammate Jay Blistan, has put on the best quality tournament I have played in each year, with Jay adding more and more elements that increase the success of the tournament. Spiking the 'Set seemed to mean something special to all of us who participated, especially those of us who played all three years and even more to those of us who spent countless summer hours playing at Sunset each summer. Last year it was only fitting that in the final year of the tournament the top two finishers were teams made up of a majority of Sunset regulars (myself, Nate, Todd, EJ, and Mark). Even though one of us had to win and one of us had to lose, we all knew how important it was to us to make sure we kept the bragging rights in Middletown. Our two teams successfully accomplished that.

Looking back and truly examining the tournament, though, it was never about winning or even getting the chance to play. The purpose of the tournament lied solely in the cause and the beneficiary.

When Jay decided to create the tournament three summers ago, he had no intentions of keeping any profits for himself. At the time, I really didn't understand why anyone would want to put the extraordinary effort into something and not receive what he could have received (mostly money). Now, I am grateful I was able to be a part of the magic. All the proceeds went directly to the American Cancer Society. Jay has had some family members suffer from the disease, so when he thought he needed to find an organization to help, the solution was easy: give back to an organization that helped save loved ones lives.

Near the beginning of this past February, I was also affected by the disease when my grandfather was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer caused by contact with asbestos. Unfortunately, we lost my Grandpa Bob Easter morning, the day after I arrived back home from our national volleyball tournament in Salt Lake City. It was a very quick and trying two months that transpired from the time we found out until the time he lost his battle with cancer.

I was privileged to deliver his eulogy a few days later at his funeral. While preparing for that, so many memories flooded my thoughts, and the oft used cliche, "Everything happens for a reason," came to mind. As much as I don't like cliches, I tried to use this one to help me better understand why this was happening to me and my family and think about things that had happened in the past that may make more sense now. The first memory that stuck out in my head was that of the annual Spiking the 'Set tournament and that I had been a part of something so great that was able to raise money to help cure the disease that took my grandpa away from us. The fact that my team had won the year before he passed away instantly became so much more gratifying, and the reason, at least in my mind, we won the tournament was to honor him.

Spiking the 'Set has now outlived its years, as most of us have moved on in our lives and pursued other endeavors beyond Middletown. The three year stretch will always remain etched in my mind as being the most exciting days of summer volleyball ever. I'd like to thank Jay for putting so much into the tournament, his efforts went above and beyond any expectations that any of us could have had (this should not come as a surprise to anyone who knows Jay and his insatiable desire to be the best).

The things I learned the most from these experiences is that sports can have such an impact on everyday life and vice versa. Almost weekly you can find a charitable sporting event such as Spiking the 'Set or on a grander scale such as the Coaches vs. Cancer college basketball tournament held every preseason in memory of former N.C. State coach Jim Valvano. Proceeds from that tournament go directly to the V Foundation, another cancer fighting organization.

The roles that sports and life play do not always have to be centered around money. Even more, situations in everyday life can inspire athletes to perform at a higher level. Every season in every sport you hear about a player or a coach who just lost a loved one and how they and the team respond and play inspired. No better example of this is when Brett Favre passed for nearly 400 yards on Monday Night Football the day after his father passed away. Unfortunately for Tiger Woods, he was unable to shake off the rust from not playing for several weeks after his father also lost a battle with cancer and failed to make the cut at the U.S. Open. I do not feel this was because he was uninspired, rather golf is a game of repetition and without that for the weeks he didn't play, no one can expect to be very successful.

For the rest of my competitive playing days, I will always be able to use my grandpa for inspiration. I believe that the athletes who play inspired will always defeat the ones who are listless. Hopefully none of you will have to lose a close member of your family or friend to gain inspiration, rather draw from the experiences of others who have.


"Don't give up. Don't ever give up."

-Jim Valvano

USA: Uninspiring Soccer by Americans

Two weeks ago I was shocked and completely disappointed in American sports fans. Today, I compliment them for recognizing something I surely did not see coming.

The daily ESPN Poll question was something to the effect of, "How will you be keeping track of the United States soccer team's opening game against the Czech Republic?" My response was I was TIVO-ing the game and would watch it later (that was until my coworker/roommate decided to check his e-mail at work where it promptly displayed the score of the game). Out of the five possible replies, the number one answer, collecting 36% of the votes, was that people would not be following the game at all. My initial reaction was that this just proves the point that the world's most popular game is less popular in the world's most powerful country than NBA commissioner David Stern is in Dallas (basically he is hated like the Plague). After watching today's debacle against Ghana on TIVO (this time without previously knowing the outcome), I realized members of society may not necessarily dislike soccer all that much, rather they knew that the Americans had no chance.

Again, like many times in sports, the leaders of the team were unable to perform to their abilities, and it was the reason why we only took four shots on goal the entire tournament with only one finding the back of the net thanks to former Furman University star and talented dancer Clint Dempsey (the other US goal we can attribute to an Italian for being an idiot and scoring on his own goalkeeper). The face of American men's soccer, Landon Donovan, continued his games without scoring a goal in international play streak that dates back to 2005. Veteran captain Claudio Reyna handed (or maybe its footed?) over the ball 20 yards from his own goal, leading to a break away and setting up Ghana's first score of the contest. It also doesn't help that our goalkeeper, the AMAZING Kasey Keller, still has not recorded a World Cup victory.

As is way too common with losers (it really pains me to consider the USA soccer team losers, but its true), the key members of the team initially blamed the referees. Head coach Bruce Arena blamed the ref. The aforementioned "All-Star" Donovan blamed the ref. However, at least one player, Carlos Bocanegra, took some responsibility on behalf of the team. In an ESPN interview he said, "We can't wait around for something to happen. We have to learn to make our own luck, and we didn't do that" Thank you Carlos for being a man and fairly evaluating the hideous play of your team, because maybe if you had cleared the ball rather than heading it into the penalty box, the opportunity for the ref to make a bad call would not have occurred. Were there bad calls? Sure. Is there any athletic contest that is played without bad calls from refs? Very few. Will losing teams and individuals ever be accountable for their actions without mentions of poor officiating? I highly doubt it because bad refs can be used too easily as scapegoats.

Now I'm not saying that I have never yelled at a referee or even blamed a referee for an outcome of a game. Trust me, my blood has been boiling over many bad calls in professional, college, high school, junior high, elementary, and even my own games. But at some point, as a fan of sports, you have to mature and realize that refs simply never decide games. The players and coaches decide games. As a fan, blaming a ref is stupid, but it is even more stupid to blame refs when you are a player. The ONLY thing that accomplishes is distracting you from what you need to do to win the game and perform to the best of your abililty. Once distractions set in, as in the case of Team USA and the Dallas Mavericks (they seem to have unfairly become my new favorite target), it completely detracts from what the individual or team is trying to accomplish and more often than not ends in defeat.

With the Red, White and Blue saying bye-bye to Germany, I am now rooting for Brazil. Mostly because I can scream "GO KAKA" and it be perfectly acceptable.

In other news, Roger Clemens got his first start and loss of the season tonight against the Minnesota Twins. We'll see if he will have a significant impact on the outcome of the NL Central. Also, the top 3 seeds for upcoming Wimbledon are Federer, Nadal, and American Andy Roddick. I'd love to see Roddick win, but he'll be lucky to win another tournament, mostly because he likes to blame the refs too much and he loses focus (Imagine That???)

NBA Finals: Big Disappointment for Big D

As I have been living in Dallas this summer, I have undoubtedly encountered many Mavs fans. Not only have I never liked the Mavs, I am a huge fan of Dwyane Wade and Shaq (at least in the second half of his career). Thus, my loyalty during the recent NBA Finals lied strictly with the Miami Heat. Since no one here in Dallas really wants to hear what I have to say regarding the series (mostly because they can't stop whining), I felt this was the perfect opportunity to release some of the excitement I have for the Heat victory as well as tell people the reasons that the Mavericks lost the series.

First I'd like to start off by congratulating every player on the Miami Heat, Pat Riley and the rest of the coaching staff for winning an NBA title and Wade for earning a well-deserved NBA Finals MVP. The player I am most happy for, however, is Alonzo Mourning. The man has been on a long journey which really began when he was diagnosed with kidney disease and culminated in Game 6 where he played the best he had all season, coming up with five momentum changing blocks and providing a bit of offense.

As much as I would enjoy going down the list of Miami Heat players who deserve credit for this championship, it is much more fun (considering my current situation) to point out all the reasons (or the one big reason) that the Dallas Mavericks did not win a championship.

The reason why the more highly touted Mavs did not win, and will never win, an NBA title is because of their seven foot all-star. For the past two years I have told everyone that is willing to listen that Dirk Nowitzki is unable to lead a team when it matters the most. Big Dirk helped prove my point now in back-to-back playoffs. Last year Dirk made it evident by criticizing and yelling at teammates when the Mavs were ousted int he second round of the playoffs, displaying how he felt it was the rest of the team's fault they lost and not his. A true leader and a true champion would never blame his team, rather take on the responsibility of being the best player and perform in crunch time.

Until the finals this year, I felt as if Dirk would make me eat my words. For every other series in the playoffs, Dirk showed that leadership, that poise, that determination to win that is necessary to escalate your status as a professional to being a champion. I had even admitted to most Mavs fans that I was impressed with this turnaround, and maybe even maturity, in Dirk. But once he got his opportunity to choke in the finals, the old Dirk, my favorite Dirk at that, showed his true self. Nothing showed it more than after his meltdown at the end of Game 5 by kicking the ball into the stands, molesting an exercise bike, kicking another chair and probably screaming German expletives on his way into the Mavs locker room. So although I was willing to give Dirk the benefit of the doubt that he had transformed as a player, I know revert back to my former stance on the matter, which is a Dirk Nowitzki-lead team will NEVER win a championship.

Although there is so much more to talk about just on this one topic, its late and I need to get to bed. But one more thing must be said before I go to sleep. Of all the sports I have watched and all the referees I have cursed, I've finally been able to accept the fact that referees don't, and will never, be the reason one team wins or loses. I have heard so much complaining about the poor officiating in the NBA finals, but in the end, those decisions did not create the outcome of the games. The most talked about finish here in Big D has been that of Game 5 and D-Wade's phantom foul. In my eyes, that probably should not have been called a foul, but here are a few points to make about that game and that play:

1. First of all, Wade still had to go to the line and sink those two shots to win the game. Regardless if he should have been on the line or not, he was there and calmly sank both.
2. Second, Josh Howard called a time out and proceeded to walk off the court. He called it, no questions asked, no argument against that. Quit trying to speculate and bend the rules in order to make it sound like the Mavs should not have been charged a time out when he called for it.
3. Third, if the Mavs were man enough to make their free throws (Dirk, Howard) at the end of the game, they would have never been in this situation. If the Mavs don't put themselves in the situation to have it be possible for the refs to blow a call, then the game is over and the series is probably over in six games with Mark Cuban hoisting the championship trophy.

A few things make this extremely hilarious for me. The first is that the mayor of Dallas, in which I have no idea the name, scheduled the victory parade for the team after they won Game 2 and then leaked it to the press. OOOOOOPS. I guess that was a mistake. The funniest part is that I received a death threat at work for supporting the Heat. On my "Go Heat" sign I kept on my desk, someone drew a man's face with a knife through it and blood dripping from the knife. The note attached with this cute little drawing was "DIE." Hopefully that person doesn't find me at work over the month and a half. As much as I like the Heat, I don't think I need to die because of them.

Look for more Wright Ideas in the coming days, and don't forget to cheer for U.S.A. over Ghana and Italy over the Czechs tomorrow in World Cup action. Until next time.... GO HEAT!