Is anybody getting tired of how over-the-top and dramatic some of these writers and other media types have become during the NBA offseason? With Chris Paul as the latest center of attention, we keep reading and hearing terms like, “destroying his legacy” and “throwing everything away” when it comes to CP’s latest drama with the Hornets. SETTLE DOWN. We can list some potential legacy-destroying and image-trashing acts that guys like Magic, Kobe, Jordan, Karl Malone and Bird have committed over the years, but here’s the truth of the matter: Read More »

The Las Vegas summer league is right around the corner, and with it, the 2010 NBA rookie class has its first chance to prove itself on the court against real competition.

But while every first-round pick has a guaranteed contract to fall back on in case they struggle, the guys drafted in the second round are essentially fighting for jobs. These are the 10 second-rounders most likely to sign contracts with the team that drafted them: Read More »

Of all people, Lou Williams best summed up last night’s NBA Draft and the surrounding, um, activities. On his Twitter account (@TeamLou23), Williams wrote: “Early congrats to all the guys gettin drafted tonight and for all the women in NYC tryna get drafted as well. G’luck ladies.” … While the first five picks went pretty much according to form — John Wall to Washington, Evan Turner to Philly , Derrick Favors to Jersey, Wes Johnson to Minnesota, and DeMarcus Cousins to Sacramento — things started getting crazy at six. The Warriors passed on Greg Monroe (a big man who can rebound and pass better than almost all of G-State’s guards) to take Baylor’s Ekpe Udoh, which appeared to cause Detroit to drop its fascination with Ed Davis and snatch up Monroe. Read More »

Exactly one week after the 2010 NBA champion is crowned in tonight’s Game 7 between the Lakers and Celtics, the 2011 season begins with the June 24 NBA Draft.

Since our last mock draft, one projected Lottery pick pulled his name out of consideration (Lithuanian center Donatas Montiejunas), while other players projected to go a lot later in the first round have jumped into Lottery consideration. This updated mock is a combination of what we think teams should do, and what we think they will do: Read More »

The NBA Draft combine at Chicago’s A.T.T.A.C.K. Center was uneventful in the sense that nobody greatly improved or drastically torpedoed their stock. Measurements were taken, interviews were done, and that was about it. No incredible shrinking Mike Beasley or Kevin Durant power lifting exhibitions this year.

So three weeks before the draft, individual workouts and, you know, game footage will take precedence as teams close in on their picks. This updated mock draft is a combination of what we think teams should do, and what we think they will do: Read More »

Each year, the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago showcases top NBA prospects being put through various drills to test their individual athletic ability. Now these numbers don’t always translate into NBA success, but they give us a good indication. As ESPN’s Chad Ford put it, “Every year the quote “best athlete in the draft” does NOT turn into the best player in the draft. Teams do take these reports seriously. This is the first objective testing that we have on these guys and sometimes our eyes do deceive us.” With that being said, let’s take a look at which three prospects helped their Draft stock, and which three prospects hurt it. Read More »

What makes the regular season and first and second rounds of the NBA Playoffs so good is that you can usually rely on at least one game every night. But once we hit the Conference Finals, NBA Finals, and the offseason, there is just less basketball to watch. This is why I savor things like the NBA Draft Combine, Summer League, and the World Championships/Olympics. Read More »

You know what’s the best thing about NCAA sophomores? They’re not freshmen. Not that two-year players are significantly less likely to be NBA Draft busts than one-and-done guys — ask Cedric Simmons, Pat O’Bryant and Chris Taft about that — but for a lot of the players who do get that extra year in the weight room and of game experience, it can pay huge dividends once they hit the pros. Read More »

With the early-entry deadline for this year’s NBA Draft getting closer, the list of underclassmen throwing their names in the hat is growing. Today it’s Syracuse junior SF Wes Johnson and West Virginia SF Devin Ebanks.

Johnson, the reigning Big East Player of the Year, is a projected Top-5 or Top-10 pick. Ebanks is slated to go somewhere in the Lottery or later in the first round.

There was some bad news for another early entrant, Oklahoma’s Willie Warren. Read More »

Under the list of ingredients that have become standard in the NCAA championship recipe — defense, momentum, chip on the shoulder, good coaching, depth, etc. — perhaps we should add one more: Ability to win ugly. Last night’s national title game between Duke and Butler wasn’t one for smooth flowing offense and highlight buckets, but it was nonetheless an instant classic with crazy intensity, where both sides played like their lives were on the line and put on a defensive clinic before Duke walked out of the octagon with its fourth national championship … Read More »