Get fitted for that ring, Z-Bo.
Bill Russell 2K7 is coming…

Tuesday night marked the most anticipated NBA Draft Lottery since 2003, when LeBron was the grand prize. And with the Greg Oden factor, ‘07 will always be compared to the ‘97 (Duncan), ‘92 (Shaq) and ‘85 (Ewing) drawings. The Dime crew was on-hand for this year’s version, held at the NBA Entertainment studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. Six of us crammed into the company H3 to make the “20-minute” drive that’s more like 50 minutes with New York traffic … As we’re pulling up, two guys in full Shawn Kemp circa-1993 Sonics uniforms are headed for the entrance. They’ve got knee pads and headbands and everything. And sunglasses. One’s got on the Sonics-edition adidas Superstars; the other rocks a beat-up pair of Chuck Taylors. If someone in Hollywood ever makes “Sonic Pride” — where two Seattle fans kidnap Omar Epps before Game 7 of the Finals — these two would definitely be the stars. I later find out that they won a fan contest and the Sonics paid their way here … In the green room where most of the NBA employees and non-media folks will watch the Lottery on TV, there’s Dominique Wilkins, Brandon Roy, Randy Foye, David Stern, Michael Curry, Tommy Heinsohn, Mike Dunleavy Sr. (with a HUGE bald spot) and Patrick Ewing … ‘Nique is sporting a huge ring on his right hand that looks a little smaller than a championship ring, and I can see some red in it. Is it for winning a dunk contest? Is it a playoff ring? Hall of Fame ring? … Heinsohn, who may or may not have a bodyguard tonight, greets ‘Nique in the cramped room leading to the studio with a “How ya doin’, babe?” … Also in the cramped room, Larry Bird is sitting on the counter with his legs dangling off the edge while Bob Ryan chats him up. Later on, Bob tells me and Luke Winn from SI about when Bird got drafted in ‘78. The draft wasn’t on TV back then and Bird spent the day at home in Indiana … The banter between the handful of Philly reporters sitting near me was consistently entertaining. The two best lines: “The way I get to sleep at night is to go to bed and count ex-Sixers in the playoffs,” and “Billy King just traded Philly’s pick for that chair next to you.” … Then there was this exchange: “Hilton Armstrong, he could be good in a couple years.” “Like Louis Williams?” … Stu Jackson is sitting in front of me, and Michael Curry’s head is making it impossible to see the stage … The team reps: ‘Nique (Hawks), Heinsohn (Celtics), Some Guy (Bobcats), Some Guy (Bulls), Larry Bird (Pacers), Dunleavy (Clips), Jerry West (Grizzlies) Larry Harris (Bucks), Foye (Wolves), Some Guy (Hornets), Billy King (Sixers), Roy (Blazers), One Of The Maloofs (Kings) and Lenny Wilkens (Sonics) … When ESPN’s Mark Jones introduces the Bobcats’ guy, he excitedly brings up that he has the Kwame Brown pick on his resume from his tenure with the Wizards. Um, that’s not a good thing, Mark. Now the Charlotte guy looks a little embarrassed … It sounds like Jones says “The Inn-anna Pacers.” His interview with Bird is awkward at best … Dominique is wearing a purple tie that he says is good luck. Ironically, purple is one of the Suns’ colors, and Phoenix will get Atlanta’s pick if it’s not in the Top 3 … Studio host Fred Hickman asks Stern about the Amare/Diaw suspensions. Stern starts his answer with, “I think I’ve been commissioner of this League for close to a quarter-century.” Fred doesn’t push it. He saw what happened to Jim Gray when you mess with The Don. … During the commercial breaks, Hickman sounds like a real old-school TV guy. He’s constantly talking to the production staff: “Am I on camera?…1-2-3, 1-2-3…This isn’t prompted, is it?” Most of the stuff I have no idea what he’s talking about, but he sounds like an old pro … Time for the picks. The Clippers and Hornets get 14 and 13 to no reaction. The Philly group makes a murmur when the Sixers get the 12th pick. The Pacers draw 11th, which goes to Atlanta (the Al Harrington trade). Then it’s the Kings, Bulls (small reaction), Bobcats and Wolves. The Bucks get No. 6, which gets a significant reaction … And then the Celtics get the 5th pick, and there’s an audible groan/gasp in the room. And over in the green room, Pat lets me know that people are cheering the Celtics not getting Oden or Kevin Durant. This is Duncan in ‘97 all over again for them … The Grizzlies get No. 4, meaning the Top 3 will be Atlanta, Portland and Seattle in some order. During the commercial break, ‘Nique, Lenny and B-Roy go up to the main stage and smile about missing the playoffs … After the break, the Hawks get the 3rd pick. Wow, two small-market teams are getting Oden and Durant? The Sonics then get the second pick, and the Blazers get the top pick. I’m legitimately shocked and happy, being a Seattle guy and all. I’m already seeing the starting lineup: Luke Ridnour, Ray Allen, Kevin Durant, Chris Wilcox, and Swift/Petro at the five. I can get with that. And if Oden is the championship-maker he’s been hyped up to be, that means my man Zach Randolph could be sporting a ring in a few years. Imagine that …

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