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NBA Loud - by Arnold

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.
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It was inevitable that Kevin Garnett would face his former team the Minnesota Timberwolves, but who thought it would have happened so quickly? Granted, it was only a preseason hit out, it was still a big deal though.

In case anyone was wondering the Celtics won, 92-81.

Everyone who saw Kevin Garnett play today would have had to make a double-take to adjust to the sight of the Big Ticket wearing Celtic green. Afterall, the man did spend 12 years in Minnesota and was so identifiable with the T-Wolves that many people would still be pinching themselves to make sure they weren’t dreaming.

Today’s game was in London at the O2 Arena in front of a capacity crowd, every aspect of an NBA game was there – mascots, cheerleaders and a high flying dunking crew. Oh, and
Kevin Garnett
Celtic green looks good on KG. (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
don’t forget the celebrities at courtside, such as, F1 driver, Lewis Hamilton, Didier Drogba and even Bill Russell.

The focus was on KG but it was, Ray Allen who shone the brightest out of the ‘Big 3’ with 28 points. Garnett on the other hand was quieter with nine points, six rebounds, two assists and three blocks. It wasn’t a usual KG big ticket performance, but rather a matinee showing with some highlights here and there.

Paul Pierce the other superstar for the Celts was also muted in his play with eight points, but everybody loved Kevin on this day.

Naturally, the interest for everyone was how did it feel for KG to face his old team? Kevin answered this enquiry in the manner that you’d expect anyone to when faced with this question: “The past is the past…This is a new chapter in my life.” (Lehourites, AP, 2007)

It wasn’t just a trip for fans seeing Kevin wearing a Boston uniform, but also his former teammates as well. Ricky Davis, a personal favourite of NBALOUD, confessed that it was strange seeing KG represent in the opposition colours and that he almost passed him the ball a couple of times too.

Boston look good is the sentiment we’ll finish with today.

The other big preseason interest story is that of, Yi Jianlian, the Milwaukee Bucks rookie who had a shocker in his first NBA outing.

A couple of days ago when playing the Bulls, Yi only had three points and fouled out of the game in 16 minutes. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to work out that this was not a great debut. It wasn’t even a mediocre debut – it was something worse!

Today’s game against the Utah Jazz was a vast improvement with the rookie from China scoring 12 points and committing only four fouls.

The young fella still has a lot of learning to do.

A lot of the preseason games as one would ascertain are currently in Europe. Today’s video shows Pau Gasol and Mike Miller in Spain. Pretty cool.




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