Column: Waiting on a draft day dud

Staff

Published Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Jeff Budlong, On the Rebound

Where have all the good basketball players gone?

That is the question I have been asking myself since the NBA Draft and the numerous Internet mock drafts kicked into high gear a couple of weeks ago.

I thoroughly enjoyed this past college basketball season and made sure I took advantage of every chance I had to watch guys with the last names Morrison, Thomas, Redick and Bargnani - well, not him because I couldn't afford ESPNEurope.

The college basketball season had a lot of excitement and a Final Four that was fun to watch.

So that leads to the question I opened the column with. By my count there are exactly zero franchise-changing players in this draft.

The Knicks may be kicking themselves for letting Larry Brown get the best of them, but don't lose too much sleep over not having that No. 2 overall pick. You won't be missing out on a chance to get the next Jordan, LeBron, Melo or D-Wade.

I remember growing up and having to go out to eat dinner somewhere where they had cable just so I could watch the draft. It was an event. But when David Stern reads off the names tonight the draft will have to do some serious work to pique my interest above a recent episode of trick bowling I happened to catch.

There are no Tim Duncans here. Looking for the next Shaq? Keep looking. It is so bad that Andrew Bogut actually seems like a sexy pick to me.

This is the first draft without high schoolers in recent memory and although I never thought I would say this I kind of miss 'em.

If you were the Toronto Raptors (and let's all be thankful that we aren't) who would you rather have Andrea Bargnani or Greg Oden? Oden is probably going to lead Ohio St. deep into the NCAA tournament next year which is great for them, but it provides exactly zero excitement for tonight's festivities.

I like Adam Morrison. I wish the Wolves had a shot of drafting him but even AmMo can't save this draft with his star power.

The talk of late has been that Tyrus Thomas' stock has been falling and it might land him in Minnesota. I like Tyrus and with KG already here I think it could work but I can't get excited about it.

The year Chris Webber got drafted by Orlando to make the most dominant front court in the NBA with Shaq that made for a great draft. Webber got the boot because Shaq preferred Anfernee Hardaway after filming the movie “Blue Chips” with him. Hardaway was so happy about the news he ripped off his Golden State hat and had to go retrieve it later to do the ceremonial switching of hats on stage with Weber.

There isn't a single player for player trade involving these draftees that could spark my interest. Who cares where Rudy Gay goes. If people are right that say he was lazy in college, who cares how much talent he has. Shelden Williams is good, but if he is a top 10 pick in this draft what does that say. The same goes for Redick.

College role players and unfulfilled “superstar” players seem to be dominating this year's draft. I don't care what the name on your jersey says, if you couldn't do it in college I can't see the NBA being an easier game.

Every year can't be a barn-burner but the thought of the next Michael Olowokandi getting big time money just because there was no one better doesn't sit well with me and I bet I am not alone in the state of Minnesota.

(Sports editor Jeff Budlong's column runs every Wednesday.)

---

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?

---