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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.

This video shows how Rose can affect the game as he will become a solid NBA-PG.

# 2

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

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 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

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.

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Shock, Horror! Yi Jianlian Signs with the Bucks!

August 31st 2007 05:26

It wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest that when Yi Jianlian was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the sixth pick, that we would never see him playing his basketball there. In fact, the odds of Yi suiting up for the Bucks were so remote, that a safer bet would have been Tupac and Elvis coming back from the dead to perform a duet together. That’s how bad it got.

The initial signs weren’t encouraging, with the Yi and Chinese camps making noises that hell would freeze over before we’d see him in Milwaukee. Well, that’s if the Chinese Communists actually believed in hell.

Herb Kohl, the owner of the Bucks, begged and prodded for Yi to visit the town and just give his city and team a chance. ‘No, dice’ was the answer.

So, the most curious draft prospect was left in limbo and the rest of the basketball loving public continued to wonder what would be of Yi.

Then, a funny thing happened. Jianlian’s camp asked if Kohl would fly over to Hong Kong to meet his young prospect, with the Bucks owner catching the first available flight to China. It was a modest gesture, but one that showed to the player and his minders that the Bucks had his best interests at heart.

Chen Haitao, the owner of Yi’s Chinese team, the Guandong Tigers, was the one that made the request for Kohl to come to China and was suitably impressed: “They were very appreciative of the efforts we made to come here," Kohl said. "To get on a plane and come halfway across the world ... that indicates our commitment to Yi.” (Deveney, Sporting News, 2007)

It had been roughly 60 days when the Bucks threw a spanner in the works on draft night by going against all expectations and acquiring the rights of Yi. The Chinese government, and Yi’s agent, all wanted their man play in a city that either had a big Asian-American population,

Yi Jianlian is smiling all the way to the bank! (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

or was just a big city overall. In fact, Yi’s camp was so intent that Milwaukee wouldn’t be a destination that they did everything in their power to deny the Bucks a chance to get a look at Jianlian.

However, anyone who has ever chased someone in trying to acquire their affections would be familiar with the fact that the more one gets rebuffed, the more we desire said, person. If the Bucks organisation took on human form, there might be charges of stalking being thrown their way!

But there is a happy ending for all involved, with Yi quickly signing a standard form rookie contract, while the Bucks made the right noises.

What does this mean now for both parties? Well, we can safely assume that the promise of significant playing time was on the table in ensuring Jianlian’s signature.

Yi’s holdout has worked out for him in guaranteeing him significant minutes, but the Bucks frontcourt is loaded with a young nucleus, and you can bet that Charlie Villanueva won’t be giving up his power forward spot that easily.

On the flipside, the Chinese want Yi to develop quickly, so he can help out with national team duties, and he won’t be getting experience by getting splinters on his ass from sitting on the bench. Representing China is the pinnacle for athletes hailing from that nation, especially with the Olympics in Beijing next year.

The final word should go to the man of the moment, who isn’t under any illusions that things will be easy in the NBA: “Today's agreement means I finally, formally enter the door of the NBA…This will be a great challenge for me. I know I will have a lot of opportunities, but also a lot of difficulties. But I'll do my best.” (Fly, AP, 2007)

Today’s video is a highlights package of Yi Jianlian against NBA opposition. Albeit, summer league ‘players’.

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Posted By: Stanley - Category: Player News, Milwaukee Bucks

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Oscar Robertson aka The Big O(rgasm).

August 19th 2007 10:10

Who is the greatest all-round player in the history of the game? Magic

Oscar Robertson could possibly be the greatest of all time. (Dick Raphael/NBAE/Getty Images)

Johnson? Great, but not the greatest. Larry Bird, maybe? The hick from French Lick is badass, but not bad to the bone. Jason Kidd? Puh-lease, don’t even trip. LeBron James, perhaps? Now, you’re just being ridiculous.

The aforementioned players are great ballers in a multifaceted manner but don’t hold a candle to Oscar Robertson.

There is a reason why Oscar carries the nickname the ‘Big O’ and it isn’t just because it is the first letter of his name – observing Robertson do his thing is the closest thing to having an orgasm watching the game of basketball being played.

Before we get into a dissertation as to why The Big O is the greatest all-round player to put a ball through a metal hoop, let’s get out the basic facts of the man:

Date of Birth: 24th November, 1938.
Height: 6’5”
Draft: 1960, Cincinnati Royals (1st overall). Traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970.
Average Points per Game: 25.7
Average Rebounds per Game: 7.5
Average Assists per Game: 9.5
Honours: Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1980); NBA champion (1971); NBA MVP (1964); Nine-time All-NBA First Team (1961-69); All NBA Second Team (1970, '71); Rookie of the Year (1961); 12-time NBA All-Star (1961-72); All-Star MVP (1961, '64, '69); One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996); Olympic gold medallist (1960).

Source: NBA.com

Now, that the preliminaries are over, let’s get into the meat and bones of the career of a one, Oscar Palmer Robertson.

Jason Kidd may have had a very impressive postseason this year and Magic Johnson may have owned the triple-double crown in terms of players that have balled since the ‘80s, but it is Oscar who is the standard bearer of filling numbers in every important statistical category.

Want to know how good he was as a triple-double threat? Are you really sure you can handle the truth? Please, show me a sign that you really want the details because Robertson’s numbers are almost unimaginable in their magnitude. Okay, okay, you’ve convinced me dear reader with your begging.

Take a deep breath, and make sure you’re sitting down. In just Robertson’s second year as an NBA pro he averaged for the season: 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game. That my friend is a triple-double for the entire season!

A couple of posts ago we talked about Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point scoring night, but Robertson’s triple-double season may be more impressive because he set such a high standard for an entire season! These numbers will never, ever be replicated by an individual again.

As great as his 1961-62 season was, Robertson’s 14 year NBA career was filled with so many highlights and dizzying numbers that it’s disappointing his name doesn’t pop up as often as it should when discussing the greatest player in history. Amassing 26, 710 career points, with only eight players having scored more points, Robertson was a prolific shooting machine.

The Big O gives NBA fans chills with his basketball thrills. (Image from nba.com)

Magic Johnson and John Stockton has surpassed Robertson’s career assist total, but this is slightly misleading because the Big O played in an era when the stat was rewarded much less easily. Further proof of Robertson’s all-game capabilities came in one year when he led his team in rebounding, which is unheard of for a guard.

Growing up in a period of deep racial segregation and Black disempowerment, Robertson learnt the game of basketball from shooting a tennis ball and rags bound with rubber bands through a peach basket.

Attending Crispus Attucks High School, which was an all-Black school that didn’t even have a gym, Robertson’s game was polished by his varsity coach. White schools refused to play against Crispus before Oscar showed up and changed everything.

Robertson led his team to two state high school championships, while being named ‘Mr. Basketball’ of Indiana. In leading his team to the state titles, Crispus became the first all African-American school to achieve such a feat due to the Big O.

Throughout Oscar’s early career he had to battle the evil of racism that was lurking in every corner. After Crispus won, the team had to go out of town to celebrate their victory due to the unsubstantiated fears of city officials that Blacks would tear the place apart.

When he attended college at Cincinnati, Oscar became the first Black player to ever play for the school. When his team would visit opponents in the other schools, he wasn’t allowed into the hotels where his teammates stayed, even if he was the best player in the nation. For that treatment, Robertson, stated he would never forgive them for what they did (NBA.com).

In his early years as a pro, Robertson, was nothing short of amazing in his performances, with the triple-double season in ’61-’62, and almost repeating the same feat the following year, falling short with a rebound average of 9.5. Oscar was sublime.

Individual accolades came easily for the Big O, but team success was much harder to come by.

The Cincinnati Royals found it impossible to get past the great 76er and Celtic teams of the era, with Robertson continually frustrated by those wonderful squads.

Cincinnati would stun the basketball world prior to the 1970-71 season when they traded Robertson to Milwaukee for a bag of mouldy bread and a used teabag. Well, it wasn’t quite that bad, but what the Bucks gave up were players that didn’t even inhabit the same stratosphere as Robertson.

Teaming up with a young Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Robertson, would finally taste championship glory when he went to Milwaukee, leading to the inevitable question of: Is the Big O the greatest player ever? You decide.

Today’s video is the Big O weaving his magic on the NBA hardwood.

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Posted By: Stanley - Category: Player News, Milwaukee Bucks

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Bucks and Yi Jianlian Finally have Tea and Scones Together.

July 9th 2007 13:36

It still remains to be seen if Milwaukee’s draft pick Yi Jianlian will ever suit up for the Bucks, but at least management can take some heart that they finally got to meet their man face-to-face for the first time. Hey, can’t knock the organisation for being somewhat stoked at any progress being made because it has been a tough ride thus far for both parties.

The Chinese national team right now is participating in the NBA Summer League in Vegas and Bucks general manager Larry Harris, along with coach Larry Krystkowiak met with Yi for an hour in what was reportedly amicable discussions. According to Marc Stein on ESPN.com, Yi’s handlers are still privately fuming that the Bucks picked up the Chinese star, but Milwaukee reiterated the fact that they weren’t prepared to trade their prize pick and outlined their reasons as to why they chose him.

Oh, and the Bucks gave him a bunch of team gear as well, which probably didn’t elicit too much excitement from the player.

Jianlian may be facing difficulties right now in trying to find a place on an NBA roster, but he seems to be right at home on-court. Matched up against the Milwaukee Bucks Yi scored 23

Yi Jianlian was impressive today. (Image from Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

points in China’s 86-77 loss to the Grizz.

Showing none of the nerves from his first two outings, Yi impressed the Vegas crowd and Bucks management with his skill and basketball nous.

Bucks owner Herb Kohl has extended an invitation for Yi to check out the place with his family and reps. Expect a long standoff though, which at its current rate won’t be ending up in a satisfactory manner for both parties.

Greg Oden’s magical mystery tour of the NBA continues with a slightly better performance than his first showing because he only had nine fouls.

Portland’s newly minted franchise saviour is figuring out quite quickly that the standard of NBA basketball is of a higher realm than what he has been used to. Who really would expect that he’d get owned by DeSagana Diop from the Dallas Mavericks of all players?

Oden had 13 points, five rebounds and four blocked shots to make his stat sheet a lot more attractive than his opening game when he had more fouls than points, or rebounds put together. The rookie has been used to being the biggest cat on the court, or if he was matched up with someone of similar size he’d lay a beat down on them. Now, he faces the reality that even players by the name of DeSagana Diop can cause drama.

“You just come across bigger guys who can play,” said Oden. (Stein, ESPN.com, 2007)

Things will only get better for Oden as we have mentioned before here on NBALOUD and an oft-cited tale that has been relayed to Greg of late that even the great Tim Duncan was devastated in the Summer League when he first turned pro by Greg Ostertag of all people.

Needless to say that the power balance between the Big Fundamental and the Big Yokel changed dramatically and irreversibly.

Today’s video subject is of Yi Jianlian selling milk with some hotties on show. What a straight up playa!

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Posted By: Stanley - Category: Player News, Milwaukee Bucks

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Andrew Bogut in Trouble Over Obscene Gesture. John Amaechi Scores an Endorsement.

March 14th 2007 00:39

Any doubts that Andrew Bogut has a bit of Aussie mongrel in him would have been dispelled yesterday if his actions after getting ejected are any indication. With 49 seconds remaining in their contest against Toronto, Aussie Andrew decided to flip out and commit a flagrant foul against Chris Bosh.

The nice shove that Bogut dished out to Chris earned him an ejection and upon leaving the court Aussie Andrew decided to give his home crowd an “obscene gesture”. Now, what constitutes an obscene gesture is anyone’s guess because the footage was only available on Milwaukee television. Here at NBALOUD we have the clip, but not the gesture.

Since yesterday’s incident a contrite Bogut issued an apology stating; “Our fans have been very supportive of me since I came to Milwaukee and they certainly didn't deserve my reaction coming off the court," Bogut said. "I got caught up in the heat of the moment and let

Aussie Andrew Bogut must have been in a hard foul giving mood against the Raptors. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

my emotions get the best of me.” (Jenkins, AP, 2007)

Aussie Andrew didn’t stop with the fans though, and like Ron-Ron added to the list of apologies by saying sorry to his teammates, organisation and the NBA as a whole; “My reaction reflected poorly on all of them, which would never be my intent.” (Jenkins, AP, 2007)

League officials have not punished Bogut yet but the incident is under review.

Former NBA player John Amaechi who came out of the closet not so long ago has become the first openly gay athlete to endorse a mainstream product. Headblade Inc. who are the creators of a popular head shaving razor signed Amaechi to a multiyear deal with the details of the agreement not being disclosed as yet.

One of the reasons cited by Amaechi as to why male athletes have been afraid to reveal to the world that they are gay is the fear of losing, and not gaining, any future endorsements. This appears not to be the case with John though, who would have never struck such a deal if he didn’t come out in a blaze of publicity. Does anyone honestly think that companies a year ago were considering John for any type of endorsement deal?

This development is a positive one with Amaechi stating; “I think it's fantastic that HeadBlade has approached me to endorse the brand.” (AP, 2007)

Here at NBALOUD we say bravo HeadBlade.

Today’s clip is the flagrant foul committed by Aussie Andrew. Cheers big ears!

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