Post by sagapolutele50 on Mar 26, 2010 6:15:00 GMT -5
FIRST ROUND:
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1. Washington Bullets –
Chris Paul PG 6'0'' 170 22 B- C+ B+ B C- A
Chris Paul PG 22 6'0'' 174 B B- A- A- C- A
Chris Pauls game has grown a lot since his arrival in the league and it shows in his ratings increases. He was the consensus #1 pick and has shown why he was picked there. His turnovers have been a problem but being a rookie, we should see these come down as he becomes accustomed to the UOSLR speed. He has just won the rookie of the year award due to his 4 player of the month awards and made the rookie 1st team behind great numbers of 15pts, 8assts, 4 rebs and 1.8 stls a game narrowly missing out on the playoffs his 1st year in the league. He has already won 5 player of
the game awards and accumulated 19 double doubles and 1 triple double. He looks like a real keeper and a great player for many years to come.
2.Charlotte Hornets via trade with Golden State Warriors –
Greg Oden C 7'0'' 280 19 C+ D+ D B+ B- A
Greg Oden C 19 7'1'' 280 B- C- D+ B+ B- A
The 2nd pick in this years draft was shipped off to the Hornets along with Jose Calderon and Andris Biedrins for Dwight Howard, Blatche and Nick Young during the season. Oden has played 88 games this season and has had a solid if not spectacular start to his UOSLR career. He won rookie of the month for the month of March and also made the rookie 1st team. He has yet to adapt to the speed of things in UOSLR and has averaged 27 minutes this year, look for more minutes for Oden next season along with an improvement on his 8pts, 8 rebs and 1.3 blocks a game.
3. New York Knicks –
Monta Ellis SG 6'3'' 175 21 B C+ C+ C C A
Monta Ellis SG 21 6'3'' 179 B B- C+ C+ C A
Monta Ellis has had to play behind Dorrell Wright this season and if he has a nice offseason, he could be starting next season. Monta has shown glimpses of what the Knicks fans could be in for in the near future. He started 18 games whilst Wright was injured and had some pretty nice games during that stretch. He has shown he is a very capable scorer and could do with some work on his defensive game. He only averaged 19 mins a game but was able to put up 6 pts, 3 rebs and 1.7 assts. He has had 1 player of the game and registered 2 double doubles during his rookie season. I think he could have a bright future at SG for the Knicks..
4. Denver Nuggets –
Al Horford PF 6'10'' 245 21 C+ C- C- B B- A
Al Horford C 21 6'10'' 249 C+ C- C- A- B- A
Touted as the best PF coming into the draft, Al Horford was taken 4TH overall and improved his defensive game in training camps. 56 games into his UOSLR career, Horford was traded to the 76ers along with Chris Anderson, Craig Smith, Morris Almond and Otag for Jason Richardson, up until then he was having a pretty solid rookie campaign, signs of his move were evident when Boozer and Chris Anderson were imported and Horford moved to the bench. Denver were looking at winning now and his game wasn’t as UOSLR ready as the franchise 1st thought. He struggled to adapt to the new role and wanted a trade out of Denver. The 76ers are a young team and can afford to see Al Horford develop, and from what I have seen, his 8pts, 7rebs in 26 mins will no doubt improve.
5. Chicago Bulls –
Thaddeus Young SF 6'8'' 217 19 B C+ C B- C A
Thaddeus Young SF 19 6'9'' 221 B B- C C+ C A
Tiger was over the moon when he drafted Thaddeus Young. On draft day he said
“I got who I wanted after all! I actually thought you'd (Nuggets) go for Young. I'd be happy with either player, but I was leaning towards Young because I have no SF, but I already have Jianlian and AV at PF and C. Ah well, I'm happy the trade worked out ok for me since I got Humphries... and you never know with his ratings.”
Young was seen as the top forward coming into the draft but his game was quite raw and needed experience. His 1st season in UOSLR has seen that he isn’t quite UOSLR ready, only averaging 27 mins a game. He will have the time to work on improving his game on the rebuilding Bulls roster. His rookie numbers of 9 pts, 4 rebs, 2 assts and 1 stl show he has the ability to do a bit of everything. Time will tell for this budding young star (excuse the pun).
6. Portland Trailblazers –
Aaron Brooks PG 6'0'' 160 22 C+ B+ C+ C D+ A
Aaron Brooks PG 22 6'0'' 164 C+ B+ C+ C+ D+ B
Aaron Brooks was drafted by the Blazers hoping to be their starting PG. After he was drafted, Ronald Murray and Allen Iverson were both signed during FAs. Allen Iverson was shipped off to Detroit for Sam Cassell and others which spelt the end for Brooks season before it even began. Brooks has spent his rookie season at the end of the bench with Latrell Spreewell in his ear telling him how he should strangle Zyme for not giving him any playing time.. Hes only played in 16 games averaging 5 mins putting up 3 pts and shootin 100% from the FT line. That’s about all that’s worth mentioning at the moment. If he has a good offseason he could find himself starting, if not, he might be looking for employment opportunities elsewhere..
7. Charlotte Hornets –
Joakim Noah PF 6'11'' 230 22 C+ C D+ B- B- A
Joakim Noah PF 22 6'11'' 234 C+ C D+ B- B- A
Noah was taken by the Hornets at the 7th spot. He started off the season on IR for the Hornets and has been on and off ever since. Joakim has found it tought breaking into the rotation of Oden, Beidrins, Scola and Vasquez. He has only played 37 games this season primarily off the bench, and has averaged 4 pts and 4 rebs in 17 mins of playing time. I don’t think Noah will be in a Hornets uniform come next seasons tip off, which could be a good thing for this livewire PF.
8. Warriors via San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets –
Andray Blatche PF 6'11'' 240 20 C+ C C- C+ B A
Andray Blatche C 20 6'11'' 240 B- C C- B- B- B
After a year in college Andray Blatche decided to get his feet wet in the UOSLR waters. Big mistake, hes been to three teams already this season and it doesn’t look like its gonna stop lol. The Spurs took him at 8 and he immediately showed some improvement in the defensive and scoring parts of his game. This improvement couldn’t stop him from being traded to the Hornets as a package for German Superstar Dirk Nowitzki. He was then packaged togther with Dwight Howard and sent to Golden State for Greg “hows it hanging” Oden. Hes only played 10 games this season and in 8 mins hes averaging 2 pts and 2 rebs but shooting the ball really well. Andray Blatche regrets ever leaving college for the pros.
9. Houston Rockets –
Rodney Stuckey PG 6'5'' 205 21 C+ B- C+ B+ C B
Rodney Stuckey PG 21 6'5'' 205 C+ B C+ B+ C B
Stucky was drafted 9th by the Houston Rockets and spent this season learning how to be a SG / SF behind Louis Williams. Both Williams and Stuckey are PGs who can play SG and in Stuckeys case, SF as well. He has played in 80 games this season and has averages of 6 pts, 2 rebs and 1.5 assts a game. The Rockets are in a rebuilding mood and Stuckey could see a lot of minutes next season if he has a good enough offseason and can build on this promising 1st year. Chances are Ronald Murray and Leandro Barbosa wont be back next season so it looks like he and Williams will be having an almighty battle to see who gets the starting nod.
10. Detroit Pistons –
Brandan Wright PF 6'10'' 210 19 B D+ D+ B- C B
Brandan Wright PF 19 6'11'' 210 B D+ D B- C C
Drafted by the Pistons 10th overall, Prince said “I feel kinda screwed taking him, not because he is bad or good, but because he's just another raw player on my team.” And that echoed true at season end. Brandon Wright was on a team that had to win this season to keep their GM employed. Therefore he had no chance of getting any playing time this season. He has only played 6 games this season averaging a paltry 3 mins and shooting a dismal .187 from the field. I guess we will have to chalk this one up to experience.
11. Houston Rockets –
Jeff Green SF 6'9'' 235 21 B- C+ C B- C B
Jeff Green SF 21 6'9'' 235 B C+ C B- C B
Jeff Green played the majority of his minutes off the bench this season at both SF and PF being good enough to win a spot on the all rookie 2nd team. He played in all 82 games and averaged 25 mins a game with returns of 10pts, 5 rebs and 1.9 assts. The majority of his minutes were used backing up Andrea Barganarni at the PF position where he logged in 9 double doubles on the season. He looks like a solid contributor for the future and if Andrea doesn’t watch out, he could lose his spot in the starting rotation.
12. Philadelphia 76ers –
Carl Landry PF 6'7'' 245 23 B C C- C+ C+ B
Carl Landry PF 23 6'7'' 245 B C C- C+ C+ C
Drafted 12th overall, Landry came into a team that had some young front court players already in its stocks. What made it worse for Landry was that the 76ers GM made a play Al Horford and Chris Anderson, effectively sending his rookie season to the end of the bench. Landry has had very limited playing time, averaging 12 mins in 50 games and putting up 4 pts and 2 rebs per game. If he can improve his rebounding and Def he could be in the hunt for more minutes next season. If Anderson and Traylor do not return next season, he could be in luck..
13. Minnesota Timberwolves –
Corey Brewer SF 6'9'' 185 21 C+ B- C B C- B
Corey Brewer SF 21 6'9'' 189 C+ B- C- B C B
Corey Brewer was the last of the lotto picks drafted, he has spent his rookie season as Charlie Villanuevas understudy at SF. He was 3rd on the team in shooting % at a very respectable 46% from the field and averaged 3.8 pts with 2 rebs in 15 mins a game. The Twolves are a very young team and if Brewer can improve on his rookie stats he could possibly challenge for a starting spot at the 2 or even force the Villanueva to PF. Possibly but highly unlikely
14. Cleveland Cavaliers –
Mike Conley Jr. PG 6'1'' 180 19 B- C B- C+ D+ B
Mike Conley Jr. PG 19 6'2'' 184 C+ C+ B- B- D+ B
Mike Conley was the 1st guy take outside of the lottery. He was the primary back up for Larry Hughes and did a very serviceable job. He played in all 82 games of the season and averaged 9 mins a game with 2 pts and 2assts each time. If the Cavs lose Hughes to free agency, then Conley could be asked to lead the team, is he ready for it? Who knows, but if he has a good offseason and Styro can trust him with running the team, he may not have a choice BUT be ready to lead the team.
15. Orlando Magic –
Javaris Crittenton PG 6'5'' 198 19 C+ C+ C+ B- D+ A
Javaris Crittenton PG 19 6'6'' 202 C+ B- C+ B- D+ A
Javaris Crittenton has been for most part, the Magic floor general this season and was rewarded with a selection to the rookie all 2nd team. The write up on Crittenton before the draft scared some teams away but Shaun took a chance on him and is being rewarded from his young PG. He has a lot of potential and if he is molded correctly he could be a star for the future. He has averaged 25 mins this year with 9 pts, 2 rebs, 4 assts and 1 stl a game.
16. Orlando Magic –
Wilson Chandler SF 6'8'' 230 20 B- C C- C+ C+ A
Wilson Chandler SF 20 6'8'' 232 B- C C C C+ A
Also drafted by the Magic was Wilson Chandler who started off as the 2nd string SF for the Magic, ended up being the back up SG to Ronnie Brewer. If he had the same playing time as Brewer, you could argue that he would probably be the better choice. He averaged 22 mins with 7 points, 4 rebs and 1.3 assts a game whilst shooting a team high 49% from the field and was 2nd on the team in 3pt shooting at 40%. A very promising player, who has benefited from the Magics rebuilding path.
17. Lakers via Utah Jazz –
Sean Williams PF 6'10'' 235 20 B- C- D B C B
Sean Williams C 20 6'10'' 239 B C D B C+ C
Was drafted 17th by the Utah Jazz and on day 61 was sent to the Lakers in a trade that saw himself, Peja and Kandi man head to LA for Shaq, Ronald Murray and Alando Tucker. He has however been a major contributor for whichever team he has been on. He has been called on to back up both the C and PF spots for the Lakers and the Jazz and has proven to be more than capable!
18. Los Angeles Clippers –
Glen Davis PF 6'9'' 295 21 B- C D C+ B- B
Glen Davis PF 21 6'9'' 299 C+ C D C+ B B
The 18th pick in the draft went to the Clippers who selected Glen Davis out of LSU. At 299 lbs he has the size to create a lot of space down in the post. Training Camps gave mixed results, with the big guy regressing in his inside scoring but improving his rebounding.Hes played 67 games for the Clippers and averaged 7.9 pts and 5.8 rebs in 21 minutes. Joe Smith could be leaving LA this offseason and that could leave Davis as Yaos right hand man in the paint. His stellar play and being able to make the most of the minutes given to him, has been rewarded with selection to the Rookie 2nd team for this year.
19. Golden State Warriors via Charlotte Hornets –
Nick Young SG 6'6'' 200 22 B- C+ C- C+ C B
Nick Young SG 22 6'6'' 200 B- C+ C- B- C B
Nick Young is another rookie who looks like he could find himself sitting at the end of the bench for the remainder of his rookie contract. He is currently on the Warriors roster buried behind a host of SGs which include Delonte West, Ricky Davis, Mike Miller and Brandon Roy. The only way he can find himself contributing in any way is if he has a remarkable training camp and blows the other guys out of the water in the offseason. His sesason averages of 2pts and 2 rebs in 9 mins is nothing to write home to.
20. Phoenix Suns –
Nick Fazekas PF 6'11'' 240 22 C B D+ C+ B- B
Nick Fazekas PF 22 6'11'' 240 C B D+ C+ B- C
Now for Nick the quick, selected with the 20 pick in the draft, the 240 lb power forward out of Nevada found himself as the third string PF/C for the 8th seeded Suns. In limited minutes he was able to put up 2pts and 2 rebs for the 75 games he appeared in. When I spoke to him after the loss to the Lakers in the 1st round of the playoffs, Fazekas said that he was wondering why he was put behind 2nd round pick Jason Smith in the rotation. Hes hinted at asking Jah for a trade this offseason and hopes that he and Smith can smooth things out.
21. 76ers via Los Angeles Clippers –
Josh McRoberts PF 6'10'' 240 20 C+ C C+ C+ C+ B
Josh McRoberts PF 20 6'10'' 244 C+ C B- C+ C+ B
Has only played 3 games this season and averaged 3 pts, 2 rebs in 7 mins of play. Nothing really can be said about McRoberts is that his name rhymes with Frodo the Hobbit.. Look out for him at a McDonalds restaurant near you lol
22. Denver Nuggets( now on 76ers)-
Morris Almond SG 6'6'' 215 22 B B C- C C C
Morris Almond SG 22 6'6'' 215 B B C- C C C
Very good scorer who needs a chance to show what hes got to offer.. If given the chance he may be able to put up a bunch of points. Probably the best scorer out of all the rookies in this years 1st round. Hes already scored 23 points in a game this season and if he doesnt decline this offseason, could be in a few teams sights this offseason.
23. Utah Jazz (shows as being owed to him in the owed picks thread by SEA – Now on the BUCKS)-
Reyshawn Terry SF 6'8'' 232 22 C+ C+ D B- B- B
Reyshawn Terry SF 22 6'8'' 232 C+ C+ D B- B- B
Please refer to what was said about Josh McRoberts. Doesnt look too promising for this young SF lol...
24. Houston Rockets via Washington Bullets –
Alando Tucker SG 6'5'' 210 23 C+ B- C- B- C- C
Alando Tucker SG 23 6'5'' 214 C B C- C+ C- D
Has had no playing time this season, looks like his career has stalled before it ever got started. RIP
25. Portland Trailblazers –
Arron Afflalo SG 6'5'' 215 21 B- C+ C C+ C- B
Arron Afflalo SF 21 6'5'' 215 B C+ C B- C- C
Played in 60 games and averaged 9 mins per game with 3 pts and 1 reb to show for it. Doesnt look like he will amount to much in UOSLR and looks like he will be another player who is added to trades for salary purposes. Has scored 10 points this season so he can score some, but its not going to be in a UOSLR roster.
26. Utah Jazz –
Acie Law PG 6'3'' 195 22 C B C+ B- C- B
Acie Law PG 22 6'3'' 195 C B+ B+ A- C- B
Acie Law has had alot of work put into his game this season and looks like the future of the Utah Jazz. If the Jazz decide to let Alston walk at seasons end, they will have a nice PG to lead them for the next 8 years or so. Thats if the Jazz want him to play the point, hes been used off the bench at both SG and PG, playing in all 82 games and averaged 20 mins, 6.8 pts, 2 rebs and 3 assts per game. Chances are Alston will be a hard cap casualty so Law stays. Hes had season highs of 18 pts and 9 assts so he looks like a keeper for the Jazz.
27. New Jersey Nets –
Sun Yue SG 6'9'' 205 21 C+ C B- C C- B
Sun Yue SG 21 6'9'' 205 C+ C+ C+ C C- B
The 6'9" Sun Yue will most likely return to China to play in the local league after his contract plays out in UOSLR. He hasnt had any chances to show what hes got, and doesnt look like he will get a chance to show his talent. Through an interpreter he was quoted as saying
"Yao Ming told me it was great over here, but I have not been able to fit into the culture and lifestyle of western basketball. I will most likely play out my contract and return home, oh and Yao, *£$*£$ you."
28. Dallas Mavericks –
Marcus Williams SF 6'7'' 205 20 B- C+ C C+ C B
Marcus Williams SF 20 6'7'' 205 B- C+ C C+ C C
Another rookie with the misfortune of playing in a team that doesnt really need his services. Time for the D-league to pick this guy up..
29. Denver Nuggets –
Ramon Sessions PG 6'3'' 200 21 B- B- C C C- B
Ramon Sessions PG 21 6'3'' 200 B- B C C C- B
The last man drafted in the 1st round has found playing time at the PG behind Luke Ridnour on the Nuggets bench. He is a very capable scorer and has shown glimpses of his scoring ability putting up 18 points, 4 stls and 4 assts vs the Mavericks. I think given a chance he could be a nice player of the bench at both PG and SG.
Other players worth mentioning..
Yakhouba Diawara SF 24 6'7'' 227 B+ C+ C A- C C -
Came into the league after spending time in Europe playing for DJ Dijon and drafted 23 overall by the Nets. He has been awesome for the Nets. He won the player of the month award for the month of April and was selected to the All Rookie 1st team after a very good season with the Nets, averaging 30 mins a game, 13 pts, 4 rebs, 1 asst and shooting at 49 % from the field. I think Broph is pleasantly surprised and it looks like hes a player who has been well worth the wait. Lets hope this isnt as good as he gets...
Zoran Planninic PG 25 6'7'' 210 B A- B C+ C- B -
After playing for KK Cibona, Zoran was drafted by the Suns and were eagerly awaiting his arrival into the league. As per his contract, he is only allowed to play in the UOSLR after the season is done and dusted in Europe, which is after day 70 for the remainder of his contract. He has only played 18 games for the Suns this season but has shown the league why he is worth the wait. He has averaged 33 mins a game with 17 points, 8 assts, 3 rebs and 1.6 stls on 49 % shooting. His def is a liability and is somewhat turnover prone, but his offensive game more than makes up for those deficiences. The Suns cant wait until his European contract is over, then they can have him all to themsleves.
Jason Smith PF 21 7'0'' 230 C C D B- B C -
A unique player where he was drafted in the 2nd round (20th overall) and managed to jump ahead of the 1st round pick, Nick Fazekas in the rotation for the Suns. He has had 3 double doubles this season and averaged 5pts, 7rebs, 1 block and 1 asst for Jah and his Suns. Fazekas has on numerous occasions tried to take Smith out during drills, but has not succeeded. This solid start to his career has also seen him make the All Rookie 1st team, which will make life between the two rookies very difficult.
Derrick Byars SG 23 6'7'' 230 C+ B- C C+ C C -
He was selected 17th in the 2nd round and has been playing alongside Monta Ellis on the Knicks bench. His 3 pts, 1.6 rebs and 46% shooting has seen him selected to the All Rookie 2nd team behind Ellis. Dont ask how he did it but hes got there and has to be mentioned. I dont know if he will improve in his 2nd year, but if he does, good on him.
Well thats it on the 1st rounders in this year draft. From what I saw, only a handful of these players were UOSLR ready, the rest of them are at least a season or two away from really making any noise in the league. It will be very interesting to see who develops out of this motley crew!! Saga etc signing out!!!!
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1. Washington Bullets –
Chris Paul PG 6'0'' 170 22 B- C+ B+ B C- A
Chris Paul PG 22 6'0'' 174 B B- A- A- C- A
Chris Pauls game has grown a lot since his arrival in the league and it shows in his ratings increases. He was the consensus #1 pick and has shown why he was picked there. His turnovers have been a problem but being a rookie, we should see these come down as he becomes accustomed to the UOSLR speed. He has just won the rookie of the year award due to his 4 player of the month awards and made the rookie 1st team behind great numbers of 15pts, 8assts, 4 rebs and 1.8 stls a game narrowly missing out on the playoffs his 1st year in the league. He has already won 5 player of
the game awards and accumulated 19 double doubles and 1 triple double. He looks like a real keeper and a great player for many years to come.
2.Charlotte Hornets via trade with Golden State Warriors –
Greg Oden C 7'0'' 280 19 C+ D+ D B+ B- A
Greg Oden C 19 7'1'' 280 B- C- D+ B+ B- A
The 2nd pick in this years draft was shipped off to the Hornets along with Jose Calderon and Andris Biedrins for Dwight Howard, Blatche and Nick Young during the season. Oden has played 88 games this season and has had a solid if not spectacular start to his UOSLR career. He won rookie of the month for the month of March and also made the rookie 1st team. He has yet to adapt to the speed of things in UOSLR and has averaged 27 minutes this year, look for more minutes for Oden next season along with an improvement on his 8pts, 8 rebs and 1.3 blocks a game.
3. New York Knicks –
Monta Ellis SG 6'3'' 175 21 B C+ C+ C C A
Monta Ellis SG 21 6'3'' 179 B B- C+ C+ C A
Monta Ellis has had to play behind Dorrell Wright this season and if he has a nice offseason, he could be starting next season. Monta has shown glimpses of what the Knicks fans could be in for in the near future. He started 18 games whilst Wright was injured and had some pretty nice games during that stretch. He has shown he is a very capable scorer and could do with some work on his defensive game. He only averaged 19 mins a game but was able to put up 6 pts, 3 rebs and 1.7 assts. He has had 1 player of the game and registered 2 double doubles during his rookie season. I think he could have a bright future at SG for the Knicks..
4. Denver Nuggets –
Al Horford PF 6'10'' 245 21 C+ C- C- B B- A
Al Horford C 21 6'10'' 249 C+ C- C- A- B- A
Touted as the best PF coming into the draft, Al Horford was taken 4TH overall and improved his defensive game in training camps. 56 games into his UOSLR career, Horford was traded to the 76ers along with Chris Anderson, Craig Smith, Morris Almond and Otag for Jason Richardson, up until then he was having a pretty solid rookie campaign, signs of his move were evident when Boozer and Chris Anderson were imported and Horford moved to the bench. Denver were looking at winning now and his game wasn’t as UOSLR ready as the franchise 1st thought. He struggled to adapt to the new role and wanted a trade out of Denver. The 76ers are a young team and can afford to see Al Horford develop, and from what I have seen, his 8pts, 7rebs in 26 mins will no doubt improve.
5. Chicago Bulls –
Thaddeus Young SF 6'8'' 217 19 B C+ C B- C A
Thaddeus Young SF 19 6'9'' 221 B B- C C+ C A
Tiger was over the moon when he drafted Thaddeus Young. On draft day he said
“I got who I wanted after all! I actually thought you'd (Nuggets) go for Young. I'd be happy with either player, but I was leaning towards Young because I have no SF, but I already have Jianlian and AV at PF and C. Ah well, I'm happy the trade worked out ok for me since I got Humphries... and you never know with his ratings.”
Young was seen as the top forward coming into the draft but his game was quite raw and needed experience. His 1st season in UOSLR has seen that he isn’t quite UOSLR ready, only averaging 27 mins a game. He will have the time to work on improving his game on the rebuilding Bulls roster. His rookie numbers of 9 pts, 4 rebs, 2 assts and 1 stl show he has the ability to do a bit of everything. Time will tell for this budding young star (excuse the pun).
6. Portland Trailblazers –
Aaron Brooks PG 6'0'' 160 22 C+ B+ C+ C D+ A
Aaron Brooks PG 22 6'0'' 164 C+ B+ C+ C+ D+ B
Aaron Brooks was drafted by the Blazers hoping to be their starting PG. After he was drafted, Ronald Murray and Allen Iverson were both signed during FAs. Allen Iverson was shipped off to Detroit for Sam Cassell and others which spelt the end for Brooks season before it even began. Brooks has spent his rookie season at the end of the bench with Latrell Spreewell in his ear telling him how he should strangle Zyme for not giving him any playing time.. Hes only played in 16 games averaging 5 mins putting up 3 pts and shootin 100% from the FT line. That’s about all that’s worth mentioning at the moment. If he has a good offseason he could find himself starting, if not, he might be looking for employment opportunities elsewhere..
7. Charlotte Hornets –
Joakim Noah PF 6'11'' 230 22 C+ C D+ B- B- A
Joakim Noah PF 22 6'11'' 234 C+ C D+ B- B- A
Noah was taken by the Hornets at the 7th spot. He started off the season on IR for the Hornets and has been on and off ever since. Joakim has found it tought breaking into the rotation of Oden, Beidrins, Scola and Vasquez. He has only played 37 games this season primarily off the bench, and has averaged 4 pts and 4 rebs in 17 mins of playing time. I don’t think Noah will be in a Hornets uniform come next seasons tip off, which could be a good thing for this livewire PF.
8. Warriors via San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets –
Andray Blatche PF 6'11'' 240 20 C+ C C- C+ B A
Andray Blatche C 20 6'11'' 240 B- C C- B- B- B
After a year in college Andray Blatche decided to get his feet wet in the UOSLR waters. Big mistake, hes been to three teams already this season and it doesn’t look like its gonna stop lol. The Spurs took him at 8 and he immediately showed some improvement in the defensive and scoring parts of his game. This improvement couldn’t stop him from being traded to the Hornets as a package for German Superstar Dirk Nowitzki. He was then packaged togther with Dwight Howard and sent to Golden State for Greg “hows it hanging” Oden. Hes only played 10 games this season and in 8 mins hes averaging 2 pts and 2 rebs but shooting the ball really well. Andray Blatche regrets ever leaving college for the pros.
9. Houston Rockets –
Rodney Stuckey PG 6'5'' 205 21 C+ B- C+ B+ C B
Rodney Stuckey PG 21 6'5'' 205 C+ B C+ B+ C B
Stucky was drafted 9th by the Houston Rockets and spent this season learning how to be a SG / SF behind Louis Williams. Both Williams and Stuckey are PGs who can play SG and in Stuckeys case, SF as well. He has played in 80 games this season and has averages of 6 pts, 2 rebs and 1.5 assts a game. The Rockets are in a rebuilding mood and Stuckey could see a lot of minutes next season if he has a good enough offseason and can build on this promising 1st year. Chances are Ronald Murray and Leandro Barbosa wont be back next season so it looks like he and Williams will be having an almighty battle to see who gets the starting nod.
10. Detroit Pistons –
Brandan Wright PF 6'10'' 210 19 B D+ D+ B- C B
Brandan Wright PF 19 6'11'' 210 B D+ D B- C C
Drafted by the Pistons 10th overall, Prince said “I feel kinda screwed taking him, not because he is bad or good, but because he's just another raw player on my team.” And that echoed true at season end. Brandon Wright was on a team that had to win this season to keep their GM employed. Therefore he had no chance of getting any playing time this season. He has only played 6 games this season averaging a paltry 3 mins and shooting a dismal .187 from the field. I guess we will have to chalk this one up to experience.
11. Houston Rockets –
Jeff Green SF 6'9'' 235 21 B- C+ C B- C B
Jeff Green SF 21 6'9'' 235 B C+ C B- C B
Jeff Green played the majority of his minutes off the bench this season at both SF and PF being good enough to win a spot on the all rookie 2nd team. He played in all 82 games and averaged 25 mins a game with returns of 10pts, 5 rebs and 1.9 assts. The majority of his minutes were used backing up Andrea Barganarni at the PF position where he logged in 9 double doubles on the season. He looks like a solid contributor for the future and if Andrea doesn’t watch out, he could lose his spot in the starting rotation.
12. Philadelphia 76ers –
Carl Landry PF 6'7'' 245 23 B C C- C+ C+ B
Carl Landry PF 23 6'7'' 245 B C C- C+ C+ C
Drafted 12th overall, Landry came into a team that had some young front court players already in its stocks. What made it worse for Landry was that the 76ers GM made a play Al Horford and Chris Anderson, effectively sending his rookie season to the end of the bench. Landry has had very limited playing time, averaging 12 mins in 50 games and putting up 4 pts and 2 rebs per game. If he can improve his rebounding and Def he could be in the hunt for more minutes next season. If Anderson and Traylor do not return next season, he could be in luck..
13. Minnesota Timberwolves –
Corey Brewer SF 6'9'' 185 21 C+ B- C B C- B
Corey Brewer SF 21 6'9'' 189 C+ B- C- B C B
Corey Brewer was the last of the lotto picks drafted, he has spent his rookie season as Charlie Villanuevas understudy at SF. He was 3rd on the team in shooting % at a very respectable 46% from the field and averaged 3.8 pts with 2 rebs in 15 mins a game. The Twolves are a very young team and if Brewer can improve on his rookie stats he could possibly challenge for a starting spot at the 2 or even force the Villanueva to PF. Possibly but highly unlikely
14. Cleveland Cavaliers –
Mike Conley Jr. PG 6'1'' 180 19 B- C B- C+ D+ B
Mike Conley Jr. PG 19 6'2'' 184 C+ C+ B- B- D+ B
Mike Conley was the 1st guy take outside of the lottery. He was the primary back up for Larry Hughes and did a very serviceable job. He played in all 82 games of the season and averaged 9 mins a game with 2 pts and 2assts each time. If the Cavs lose Hughes to free agency, then Conley could be asked to lead the team, is he ready for it? Who knows, but if he has a good offseason and Styro can trust him with running the team, he may not have a choice BUT be ready to lead the team.
15. Orlando Magic –
Javaris Crittenton PG 6'5'' 198 19 C+ C+ C+ B- D+ A
Javaris Crittenton PG 19 6'6'' 202 C+ B- C+ B- D+ A
Javaris Crittenton has been for most part, the Magic floor general this season and was rewarded with a selection to the rookie all 2nd team. The write up on Crittenton before the draft scared some teams away but Shaun took a chance on him and is being rewarded from his young PG. He has a lot of potential and if he is molded correctly he could be a star for the future. He has averaged 25 mins this year with 9 pts, 2 rebs, 4 assts and 1 stl a game.
16. Orlando Magic –
Wilson Chandler SF 6'8'' 230 20 B- C C- C+ C+ A
Wilson Chandler SF 20 6'8'' 232 B- C C C C+ A
Also drafted by the Magic was Wilson Chandler who started off as the 2nd string SF for the Magic, ended up being the back up SG to Ronnie Brewer. If he had the same playing time as Brewer, you could argue that he would probably be the better choice. He averaged 22 mins with 7 points, 4 rebs and 1.3 assts a game whilst shooting a team high 49% from the field and was 2nd on the team in 3pt shooting at 40%. A very promising player, who has benefited from the Magics rebuilding path.
17. Lakers via Utah Jazz –
Sean Williams PF 6'10'' 235 20 B- C- D B C B
Sean Williams C 20 6'10'' 239 B C D B C+ C
Was drafted 17th by the Utah Jazz and on day 61 was sent to the Lakers in a trade that saw himself, Peja and Kandi man head to LA for Shaq, Ronald Murray and Alando Tucker. He has however been a major contributor for whichever team he has been on. He has been called on to back up both the C and PF spots for the Lakers and the Jazz and has proven to be more than capable!
18. Los Angeles Clippers –
Glen Davis PF 6'9'' 295 21 B- C D C+ B- B
Glen Davis PF 21 6'9'' 299 C+ C D C+ B B
The 18th pick in the draft went to the Clippers who selected Glen Davis out of LSU. At 299 lbs he has the size to create a lot of space down in the post. Training Camps gave mixed results, with the big guy regressing in his inside scoring but improving his rebounding.Hes played 67 games for the Clippers and averaged 7.9 pts and 5.8 rebs in 21 minutes. Joe Smith could be leaving LA this offseason and that could leave Davis as Yaos right hand man in the paint. His stellar play and being able to make the most of the minutes given to him, has been rewarded with selection to the Rookie 2nd team for this year.
19. Golden State Warriors via Charlotte Hornets –
Nick Young SG 6'6'' 200 22 B- C+ C- C+ C B
Nick Young SG 22 6'6'' 200 B- C+ C- B- C B
Nick Young is another rookie who looks like he could find himself sitting at the end of the bench for the remainder of his rookie contract. He is currently on the Warriors roster buried behind a host of SGs which include Delonte West, Ricky Davis, Mike Miller and Brandon Roy. The only way he can find himself contributing in any way is if he has a remarkable training camp and blows the other guys out of the water in the offseason. His sesason averages of 2pts and 2 rebs in 9 mins is nothing to write home to.
20. Phoenix Suns –
Nick Fazekas PF 6'11'' 240 22 C B D+ C+ B- B
Nick Fazekas PF 22 6'11'' 240 C B D+ C+ B- C
Now for Nick the quick, selected with the 20 pick in the draft, the 240 lb power forward out of Nevada found himself as the third string PF/C for the 8th seeded Suns. In limited minutes he was able to put up 2pts and 2 rebs for the 75 games he appeared in. When I spoke to him after the loss to the Lakers in the 1st round of the playoffs, Fazekas said that he was wondering why he was put behind 2nd round pick Jason Smith in the rotation. Hes hinted at asking Jah for a trade this offseason and hopes that he and Smith can smooth things out.
21. 76ers via Los Angeles Clippers –
Josh McRoberts PF 6'10'' 240 20 C+ C C+ C+ C+ B
Josh McRoberts PF 20 6'10'' 244 C+ C B- C+ C+ B
Has only played 3 games this season and averaged 3 pts, 2 rebs in 7 mins of play. Nothing really can be said about McRoberts is that his name rhymes with Frodo the Hobbit.. Look out for him at a McDonalds restaurant near you lol
22. Denver Nuggets( now on 76ers)-
Morris Almond SG 6'6'' 215 22 B B C- C C C
Morris Almond SG 22 6'6'' 215 B B C- C C C
Very good scorer who needs a chance to show what hes got to offer.. If given the chance he may be able to put up a bunch of points. Probably the best scorer out of all the rookies in this years 1st round. Hes already scored 23 points in a game this season and if he doesnt decline this offseason, could be in a few teams sights this offseason.
23. Utah Jazz (shows as being owed to him in the owed picks thread by SEA – Now on the BUCKS)-
Reyshawn Terry SF 6'8'' 232 22 C+ C+ D B- B- B
Reyshawn Terry SF 22 6'8'' 232 C+ C+ D B- B- B
Please refer to what was said about Josh McRoberts. Doesnt look too promising for this young SF lol...
24. Houston Rockets via Washington Bullets –
Alando Tucker SG 6'5'' 210 23 C+ B- C- B- C- C
Alando Tucker SG 23 6'5'' 214 C B C- C+ C- D
Has had no playing time this season, looks like his career has stalled before it ever got started. RIP
25. Portland Trailblazers –
Arron Afflalo SG 6'5'' 215 21 B- C+ C C+ C- B
Arron Afflalo SF 21 6'5'' 215 B C+ C B- C- C
Played in 60 games and averaged 9 mins per game with 3 pts and 1 reb to show for it. Doesnt look like he will amount to much in UOSLR and looks like he will be another player who is added to trades for salary purposes. Has scored 10 points this season so he can score some, but its not going to be in a UOSLR roster.
26. Utah Jazz –
Acie Law PG 6'3'' 195 22 C B C+ B- C- B
Acie Law PG 22 6'3'' 195 C B+ B+ A- C- B
Acie Law has had alot of work put into his game this season and looks like the future of the Utah Jazz. If the Jazz decide to let Alston walk at seasons end, they will have a nice PG to lead them for the next 8 years or so. Thats if the Jazz want him to play the point, hes been used off the bench at both SG and PG, playing in all 82 games and averaged 20 mins, 6.8 pts, 2 rebs and 3 assts per game. Chances are Alston will be a hard cap casualty so Law stays. Hes had season highs of 18 pts and 9 assts so he looks like a keeper for the Jazz.
27. New Jersey Nets –
Sun Yue SG 6'9'' 205 21 C+ C B- C C- B
Sun Yue SG 21 6'9'' 205 C+ C+ C+ C C- B
The 6'9" Sun Yue will most likely return to China to play in the local league after his contract plays out in UOSLR. He hasnt had any chances to show what hes got, and doesnt look like he will get a chance to show his talent. Through an interpreter he was quoted as saying
"Yao Ming told me it was great over here, but I have not been able to fit into the culture and lifestyle of western basketball. I will most likely play out my contract and return home, oh and Yao, *£$*£$ you."
28. Dallas Mavericks –
Marcus Williams SF 6'7'' 205 20 B- C+ C C+ C B
Marcus Williams SF 20 6'7'' 205 B- C+ C C+ C C
Another rookie with the misfortune of playing in a team that doesnt really need his services. Time for the D-league to pick this guy up..
29. Denver Nuggets –
Ramon Sessions PG 6'3'' 200 21 B- B- C C C- B
Ramon Sessions PG 21 6'3'' 200 B- B C C C- B
The last man drafted in the 1st round has found playing time at the PG behind Luke Ridnour on the Nuggets bench. He is a very capable scorer and has shown glimpses of his scoring ability putting up 18 points, 4 stls and 4 assts vs the Mavericks. I think given a chance he could be a nice player of the bench at both PG and SG.
Other players worth mentioning..
Yakhouba Diawara SF 24 6'7'' 227 B+ C+ C A- C C -
Came into the league after spending time in Europe playing for DJ Dijon and drafted 23 overall by the Nets. He has been awesome for the Nets. He won the player of the month award for the month of April and was selected to the All Rookie 1st team after a very good season with the Nets, averaging 30 mins a game, 13 pts, 4 rebs, 1 asst and shooting at 49 % from the field. I think Broph is pleasantly surprised and it looks like hes a player who has been well worth the wait. Lets hope this isnt as good as he gets...
Zoran Planninic PG 25 6'7'' 210 B A- B C+ C- B -
After playing for KK Cibona, Zoran was drafted by the Suns and were eagerly awaiting his arrival into the league. As per his contract, he is only allowed to play in the UOSLR after the season is done and dusted in Europe, which is after day 70 for the remainder of his contract. He has only played 18 games for the Suns this season but has shown the league why he is worth the wait. He has averaged 33 mins a game with 17 points, 8 assts, 3 rebs and 1.6 stls on 49 % shooting. His def is a liability and is somewhat turnover prone, but his offensive game more than makes up for those deficiences. The Suns cant wait until his European contract is over, then they can have him all to themsleves.
Jason Smith PF 21 7'0'' 230 C C D B- B C -
A unique player where he was drafted in the 2nd round (20th overall) and managed to jump ahead of the 1st round pick, Nick Fazekas in the rotation for the Suns. He has had 3 double doubles this season and averaged 5pts, 7rebs, 1 block and 1 asst for Jah and his Suns. Fazekas has on numerous occasions tried to take Smith out during drills, but has not succeeded. This solid start to his career has also seen him make the All Rookie 1st team, which will make life between the two rookies very difficult.
Derrick Byars SG 23 6'7'' 230 C+ B- C C+ C C -
He was selected 17th in the 2nd round and has been playing alongside Monta Ellis on the Knicks bench. His 3 pts, 1.6 rebs and 46% shooting has seen him selected to the All Rookie 2nd team behind Ellis. Dont ask how he did it but hes got there and has to be mentioned. I dont know if he will improve in his 2nd year, but if he does, good on him.
Well thats it on the 1st rounders in this year draft. From what I saw, only a handful of these players were UOSLR ready, the rest of them are at least a season or two away from really making any noise in the league. It will be very interesting to see who develops out of this motley crew!! Saga etc signing out!!!!
