DRAFT LOTTERY TONIGHT
The NBA’s annual Draft Lottery takes place tonight in New Jersey at NBA Entertainment HQ. And all eyes will be on the Number 1 & 2 slots on the board as potential franchise saviors in the form of two college freshman await being selected in next month’s NBA Draft.
(For the record, Ernie Grunfeld has had to attend the lottery as a Wizards representative just once.)
The debate on whether college freshmen Greg Oden or Kevin Durant should go first in the draft infiltrated the Wizards locker room, and courtesy of John Mitchell of the Washington Times, we now know that Gilbert Arenas and several of his teammates would select Durant if they had the top pick, despite a near consensus from NBA observers that Oden will likely go number one.
What do you think? If you were an NBA general manager who would you select if you had the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft?
Posted: May 22nd, 2007 under 2007 NBA Draft, Miscellaneous, NBA.
Comments
Comment from middletonss
Time May 22, 2007 at 11:30 AM
I would pick Oden. You can always find a Micheal Jordan to build around, but its hard to find a Shaq. Every team has a scorer, not every team has a center that you can rely on. Shaq had four scorers to go along with him. (Kobe, Wade, E. Jones and Hardaway) He didn’t win a championship with all of them, but they all were winning teams.
Comment from kg
Time May 22, 2007 at 2:51 PM
I don’t know how lottery works.. can anyone explain me please? I thought the team with worst records got the first pick.
Comment from wizardsdotcom
Time May 22, 2007 at 4:12 PM
kg - here’s a story we put together three years ago, but nothing has change as far as how the lottery is handled.
Comment from smchawk
Time May 22, 2007 at 4:49 PM
I agree with Tom - you can’t teach height, you take the big man. On top of it, you are getting a guy who is so dedicated to the game he learned to shoot free throws with his off hand, and did a decent job of it. Durant is no doubt a talent, but Oden is the closest thing to a sure thing since Tim Duncan.
Comment from LilGil
Time May 22, 2007 at 5:05 PM
Pretty good job Eric, better than the wikipedia thing for me. I don’t really know those players since I can’t watch ncaa, but you guys seem pretty logic and since I’ve seen like 5 minutes of a Greg Oden game I’d go for him.
Comment from AUNDRA2007
Time May 22, 2007 at 6:32 PM
I love the Big Ogden but this team”Wizards” is built around speed and transition and ball movement.I would definitely go for Durant right now, Ogden is huge and slow which makes him perfect for a half court offense who likes to bang like San Antonio or Utah!Plus he needs to be feed the ball alot to be effective and from that mindset he would need a pass first point guard and that is not what Gil Arenas is all about! I do like “Greg Ogden”his free-throws ability and size plus he looks tough as nails!
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time May 23, 2007 at 7:29 AM
Oden is not slow! In any case, we don’t have a shot at him obviously. Portland has a core of outstanding young players. LaMarcus Aldridge is a big-time talent, Rudy Gay, Jarret Jack, and now Oden. Not to mention Martell Webster and their current scorer, whose name is escaping me (and I don’t really like his game either).
I think they are in the playoffs next year and begin to contend for a title thereafter.
Comment from wizardsdotcom
Time May 23, 2007 at 8:50 AM
TM - Portland is the new team of the future. Amazing string of luck combined with good moves. (FYI - Rudy Gay plays for MEM. You’re thinking of Brandon Roy).
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time May 24, 2007 at 9:15 AM
Right - I mixed up RG w/ BR, and I forgot Zack Randolph’s name.
Watch out for portland, for sure!
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Comment from Tom Mandel
Time May 22, 2007 at 10:01 AM
If they are both as good as people seem to think they are — and I haven’t seen enough of them and don’t know enough anyway — then Oden is the pick. Bigs propel their teams further.