Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Sites | Writers | Advertise | My Orble | Login

NBA Loud - by Travis

The 2008 NBA Draft

July 1st 2008 03:49
I’d like to post about the previously finished NBA Draft. A lot of trades were completed/proposed making this years draft exciting and noteworthy. In this first post I will be going through the top five picks and thereafter with updates and all you need to know up to the minute stats and transactions.

Let’s get this post draft analysis going with the first overall pick for the Chicago Bulls DERRICK ROSE. Rose out of Memphis has a solid NBA body and can take the punishment as a player in the paint. He will mold himself into whatever type of player his team needs him to be as evident by the video below. He is one of the most ready-type players to enter the league. A truly solid addition to any team, kind of makes me think of the miss of Jay Williams. In which whom the Bulls took as the savior type PG years ago before he had his motorcycle accident stifling his promising career. With this pick Chicago puts themselves back into contention for a playoff spot in the East.


Derrick Rose #1 NBA Pick 2008
This video shows how Rose can affect the game as he will become a solid NBA-PG.




# 2
Michael Beasley #2 NBA Pick 2008
Undoubtedly the Miami Heat selected MICHAEL BEASLEY out of Kansas State. This PF needs no introduction to basketball fans as his huge wingspan makes up for any negativity about his height at the four spot. One of the perfect teams for Beasley to go to, I think his character issues would only become apparent if he were to have to battle with a solid proven veteran for his starting spot. He will be going in battling Udonis Haslem who has seen his stock drop as he needs to create more of his own offence. The heat I am sure are not finished in tweaking their team for the 08/09 season. Marion though will alleviate any concerns of the rookie being overmatched down-low as he is almost like an extra PF out there sometimes with his rebounding efforts and hustle in trying to make the right plays.





# 3
OJ Mayo #3 NBA Pick 2008
Minnesota at the third spot went with OJ MAYO, who I have seen and been hearing about for a good number of years. Mayo will be a solid two as at 6’4” 200lbs he is limited in selected positions, but this guy is just a born scorer and if he ends up in Grizz-town, look for him to team up with Rudy Gay as Mike Miller was moved with Memphis making the choice to let him go after he admittedly carried the Grizzlies last season at times. In return Minnesota looks to get #5 Kevin Love. I am in love with this deal as the T-Wolves send Antoine Walker also to MEM. Minnesota gets the scoring they desperately need and character guys, to build around. I know what fans may be thinking and no this isn’t the second coming of Wally World, Mike Miller is a gamer playing all three spots from 1-3 for the Grizz and did whatever was asked, as he became a versatile and proven scorer, unlike streaky Szczerbiak.





# 4
Russell Westbrook #4 NBA Pick 2008
Russell Westbrook a surprise at number four as the top three had virtually been decided weeks beforehand. Westbrook though an unexpected pick is an explosive guard that will do well in this league especially when Seattle gets all the parts and can continuously run up and down with Durant and Green. The Sonics clearly want a guard that can break down the D and get up and down the court at breakneck speeds. They have found that guy with Westbrook. People want to compare him to NBA champion Rajon Rondo and maybe Monta Ellis, he is long and skinny and extremely athletic, time will tell if he can make the right passes for a long career with Durant by his side.




# 5
Kevin Love #5 NBA Pick 2008
Care of NBADraft.net
Memphis picks Kevin Love at the number five spot and in turn will be sending him to Minnesota in the deal outlined in the third pick paragraph. Love is solid, not an athlete like the Grizz love at the four spot, but the T-Wolves just need ballers in which Kevin is for sure. Down-low he will be helped by Al Jefferson for sure on defense. Also he will have a great passer in Mike Miller to get the ball to him in good spots. I like Kevin Love on a solid team a rebuilding team he may flourish or sink as he’ll need to create his own offence and may struggle with the speed of the NBA at first.
37
Vote
Shared on
   


Dirk Nowitzki will reportedly receive the MVP award this season after leading the Dallas Mavericks to a wonderful 67 win regular season. But let’s be quiet about the postseason shall we, shhhhh.

The formal naming of Nowitzki should happen on Tuesday American time but the announcement is still pending. However, this choice should be a mere formality, making Dirk Diggler the first European born player to win the accolade, while also making history by not attending either a US high school or college in receiving his basketball education – something no other prior MVP has ever done.

MVP candidates are usually announced around the beginning of the second round of the playoffs but the league apparently has given more time in naming Dirk as the big cheese for this season to give some space between the announcement, and the shock defeat his team suffered in the first round. But shhhhh.

Nowitzki also joins Moses Malone and Wes Unseld to win the MVP and not win a playoff series in the season they gained the award. However, if history is any indication when Malone achieved that ‘feat’ he eventually got his championship ring and being a MVP, playoff loser was erased from the memory banks of the naysayers. Wes on the other hand was just
Dirk Nowitzki dunk.
Dirk Nowitzki flying high for German skies. Whatever that means. (Photo by Terrence Vaccaro/NBAE via Getty Images)
a rookie when he won his MVP award.

Although, the disappointment of losing (shhhhh!) in the opening round of the postseason after a brilliant individual and team orientated season let’s not lose perspective on how great the Big Sauerkraut was for Dallas averaging 24.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists. His impressive numbers don’t end here though, on the contrary, because he was the only player to average at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from beyond the arc, and 90 percent from the free throw line. Those are mightily impressive numbers in anyone’s language.

When contacted by ESPN.com about the possibility he had snared the MVP Dirk’s hurt was still palpable in his response: “Nobody's told me anything. You [media] guys have been talking about it for a while, so let's see what happens… [But] it's hard to even think about that stuff right now. Everything [from the Golden State series] is still pretty fresh. It's been some tough days since we lost…I thought this was such an incredible year,” Nowitzki said. “We won 67 games and then to lose in the first round, it just feels so empty right now.” (Stein, ESPN.com, 2007)

Critics have been scathing towards the big man from Germania stating he choked big time during the Warriors (shh…ah forget about it!) series and stating that he isn’t a primetime player when it counts the most. Ah, hate to burst the bubbles of the haters but it was only a season ago when he led his Mavs to the Finals, during that time he dominated the Spurs in a vital game 7 on the road and dropped 50 points in a contest defining performance. So, let’s not give him the label of ‘Deep Throat’ just yet.

Congrats Dirk, NBALOUD still loves you.

Today’s video is of course of Dirk Nowitzki showing how much he desires the NBA Championship trophy. Don’t understand what NBALOUD is getting at? Check the clip out because it is actually quite funny and strangely tragically sad.



33
Vote
   


Travis's Blogs

I have no other blogs :(
Moderated by Travis
Copyright © 2006 2007 2008 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]