as if the NFL needed more bad stuff to happen

on the brink of a lockout season, a relatively no name player becomes the cover athlete for madden 2012! congrats to you peyton hillis!

exactly...who?

i mean the folks over at EA had a brilliant idea of letting fans pick who was on the cover of this year's madden game, right?

CORRECT!

but sadly to screw up this great idea, the NFL insisted there be a representative from each team so it doesn't look like they're playing favorites. good idea, right?

WRONG.

look at some of these players. brian orapko?!!? ndamukong suh?!?!double u tee eff?!!?!? but the biggest bit of ridiculousness is seattle's name in the hat for the cover athlete. the 12th man. the fan.

what the eff would have been the cover?!?!?!? a picture of the crowd? some random fat slob from seattle?! another fan vote of who would be on the cover?!?! come on now.

so EA is already in trouble with some of their votes on there and do you think they'd do? just fix the votes so either adrian peterson or aaron rodgers is on the cover, right?

WRONG.

EA then decides to post the results aaaaaaaaaaaaaaall the way to the finals to show that michael vick and peyton hillis are the final two in the running. why not just fudge the numbers? why not just put fake percentages?!!? who's gonna know? you don't share the actual raw number of votes with the public, so why show this?!?!?

my hat is off to you EA for having the biggest blunder for the greatest sports video game franchise of all time. 

Some Post Draft Day Thoughts

Winners:

Blazers: Everyone is giving Portland an A+. I give them an A-. Yeah they got Oden...but that didn't take a stroke of genius. But they did have a great draft. Rudy Fernandez could be a potential steal down the road. Byars, Kaponen, and Green are late prospects....heck, even McRoberts isn't a bad pick for how low they got him. As far as the Knicks trade....I've never been a huge fan of Zach Randolf, but the guy can really score and is a legit 24/10 guy! His defense and shotblocking are suspect (ok, non-existent) but thats whats so great about drafting Oden. I think they could've been a formidable frontcourt...with Aldridge still getting plenty of minutes. And Francis has a relatively bad contract himself and Frye is overrated. In the end though, I guess they are taking a half step back for now to improve in the future.

Warriors: If this move gets KG, then this is move gets an A+++! However, if it doesn't...its just a B. It's nice to get rid of J-Rich's contract but he's still a good player. I would've liked this move better if it wasn't B.Wright though. He has nice upside....but of all the top 10 guys, this guy has the biggest bust potential. Still, if Wright can thrive anywhere, it might be in G.S.'s uptempo style where his athletcism will outshine his lack of real basketball skills....and they don't really need J-Rich with all their wings. Like the Bellini pick though. Maybe I'll upgrade to a A-.

Celtics: People clown on Ainge no matter WHAT he does. if he drafted for himself, he'd get critcized for keeping the team too young again. now that he finally brings in a veteran star in Ray Allen and he gets heat for not keeping the pick. We have to remember, the Celts play in the JV league called the Eastern conference. Yeah this team isn't a championship team, but its enough to make some noise in the East. People that haven't seen Al Jefferson this year, have never seen him, he's a legit threat in the post. And Rajon Rondo is a PG who I think will have a sleeper of a season (make note: late sleeper pick in fantasy bball!). Jesus Shuttlesworth will spread the defense for Pierce and Rondo and give more room to Jefferson as well, and Jefferson's post play and Pierce and Rondo's ability to slash will give Allen some open looks as well. I honestly wouldn't be shocked if this team not only made the playoffs but won a round or two. Heck, in the East, you can't count anyone out from making the Finals.
And lets not forget, Ainge in the process dumped the bad contract of Wally, who is hurt every year, and also picked up two very nice sleeper picks in the second round in Pruitt and Big Baby. Both have a good shot of making the team which is nice. People are clowning on Ainge but I actually give the guy a B+/A-.

Btw, I like Seattle's move too......cept I don't love Jeff Green. I see how his game might compliment Durant's well.....still, when youre trying to rebuild a franchise, you try to get superstars first, not complementary role players. Corey Brewer has much more upside than Green, and he might even have a higher floor as well cuz of his defense. Good idea....but wrong pick IMO.

Joakim Noah: Most of the lottery picks are going to really bad teams. Noah gets to go to the Bulls and should fit in well. But the real reason he's here is his sweet suit.





Not as great as people think:

Hawks: Can't hate on the Horford pick...he should be a really good one. Still, I have a feeling Conley will be great. And the thing is, the dropoff from Conley to Acie Law is pretty big. I loved Acie in college, but he's not an NBA all-star type talent. I think they get a B, but heck, I'll give em an B+ just for not screwing things up as usual.

Oden's Sense of Humor: Ok, it was a nice surprise that behind that 47 year old face is a young goofy guy with some personality. But since then, its just gone way overboard. Every damn interview, the guy tries to say something funny. I think he's trying to be like Shaq....but he's not as funny as Shaq.

"uh....why did the chicken cross the road?"


"this joke blows."


What Oden needs is a dose of "Jamie Fox" conscience.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0t8gCtw0ISI


Not as bad as people think:

Knicks: I think people are just used to bashing Isiah without thinking about it now. When you hear Isiah made a trade, you naturally cringe at the thought of his next ridiculous move. But this one isn't bad at all. The Knicks get a LEGIT 20/10 guy that can definitely put up points without giving up much at all. Franchise struggled through injuries and could hardly earn consistent mins even when playing and he still has 2 years of a bad contract. Frye....might be one of the most overrated players in the NBA. He's a soft C that can shoot outside....whoopdeedoo. Curry and Zach sounds very soft in the defense department, but they are very good low post scorers....and Zach has range too. Not a killer move but not deserving of the ridicule Isiah is getting. However, I guess Zach moving to NYC might be dangerous. He could get into trouble, or maybe he gets fat eating at all the nice restaurants and sitting there all night at Scores.


Honorable mentions :

Spurs: Geez, I hate the Spurs organization. They keep getting decent to good finds late in drafts and Tiago might be another one. This guy has semi entered the draft for the past 2-3 years and always talked about as a top 15 pick. The Spurs get him at 28 and then get a decent athletic SF in Marcus Williams.
Sixers: Just a nice draft overall. Couldn't move up....but with where they were picking, they picked up some nice potential with all their picks.
Nets: For taking a risk on Sean Williams. He fits their system perfectly. Yeah he's HIGH risk, but he's also HIGH reward. Considering how many people bust per year, this is a nice gamble at pick 17.


Losers:

Yi Jianlian: The guy and his representatives did EVERYTHING they could to not get drafted by Milwaukee....and they drafted him anyways! haha. That sucks.

"I wonder if they eat Chinese people in Milwaukee?"

Lakers: It pains me to say it....but I think the biggest losers are my very own Lakers. Javaris is a decent pick at 19...but its a loss in the sense that although the top 18 or so had a different order, there was noone that "slipped" to 19. Everyone I wanted was gone and Javaris was the only logical pick. (Though Rudy Fernandez might be the better pick as well.) Still, can't hate on the pick.....but then things get bad, ...SUN YUE? Are you kidding me! His highlight was him standing there dribbling for 5 seconds and then passing it. His scouting report says if he fills out, his upside is Luke Walton. FREAKING LUKE WALTON? Thats sad if your UPSIDE is Luke Walton....oh and btw, we also happen to HAVE LUKE WALTON ALREADY!

"Gimme the ball damnit! I'm the Chinese Luke Walton damnit!"

Then we get Pau Gasol's younger, not as good, less athletic brother. I don't like hearing we got a player LESS athletic than Pau Gasol.

"Gyeah, I'd like to see Pau do this!"

Honestly, both second round picks sounds like a ploy to sell tickets (large asian community in LA and the hype of having Pau's brother). And the other reason the Lakers are a big loser is they did nothing to get significantly better. No trades. Drafted a raw 19 yr old PG and 2 stiffs that likely won't make the NBA. Yeah, thats gotta make Kobe REALLY excited about next year. The Lakers can say goodbye to Kobe now.

2007 NBA Mock Draft v.2

Ok, here's an updated and final mock draft before the real draft later this week!

1. Portland Trailblazers: Greg Oden, C, OSU: The Blazers have one of the best young nucleuses (or is it nuclei?) in the L, with last years rooks Roy, Aldridge, and Rodriguez (aka Spanish Chocolate) and also nice young potential in Webster, Outlaw, and Jack. Pritchard has been high on Durant all year, and hey could use a SF and supposedly Durant had an amazing workout. Still, Oden is the likely pick.

2. Seattle Supersonics: Kevin Durant, SF, Texas: Will go down as one of the best draft consolation prizes ever (yes, even better than Sam Bowie at #2). The most talented and versatile college talent I’ve ever seen. Expect scoring titles and all-star games in the near future.

3. Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford, PF, Fla: After measuring bigger than expected and a series of great workouts, it seems Al Horford is fast becoming the consensus #3 guy in the draft. Although they could desperately use a PG and Conley would be a good pick here, Knight has said repeatedly he will take the best player available.

4. Memphis Grizzlies: Mike Conley Jr, PG, OSU: Memphis seems high on Horford and Conley…so whichever of the two that is here will likely be taken here.

5. Boston Celtics: Corey Brewer, SF, Fla: Ok, this one is pretty speculative. All of a sudden Phoenix is working out players that are going in the top 10. A trade imminent? Boston seems to make the most sense as they have been shopping their pick and it also seems this all may be tied in with Minnesota and KG. My guess is they work out a deal using Marion instead of Amare and draft Brewer who would be a great fit in their system. If there is no trade, Brewer is still a great pick here and a good fit as if they can’t make a trade, they would likely shop Pierce very soon after.

6. Milwaukee Bucks: Brandan Wright, PF, UNC: The Bucks are glad Wright falls into their lap. Though eventually will likely be a PF, with his slight frame Wright can slide right into the starting SF spot and give the Bucks a nice young (though a little on the soft side) frontcourt with Bogut, Charlie V, and Wright.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves: Yi Jianlian, C, China: Yi is tricky as he is apparently not working out for certain teams (and Minnesota is one of those teams) which makes it difficult to predict where he’ll go. So its hard to say they’ll take Yi when he won’t even work out for them. Jeff Green is the safe pick here but if I’m about to lose KG, I’m looking for some upside here. Yi has a lot more upside than Green and I think he will be the pick here….or at least he should be.

8. Charlotte Bobcats: Joakim Noah, PF/C, Fla: The Bobcats could go for an athletic do it all SF like Wright, especially if they lose Gerald Wallace. But I think Jordan will like that Noah will bring some size and energy to the frontcourt.

9. Chicago Bulls: Spencer Hawes, C, Washington: The Bulls have a ton of young talent, but they need a C, and more specifically a C with some low post scoring skills.

10. Sacramento Kings: Jeff Green, SF, Georgetown: For a team that needs a lot of help, Jeff Green is one of the more polished players in the draft.

11. Atlanta Hawks: Acie Law, PG, Texas A&M: One of my favorite players in college last year. This guy is a clutch gamer that carried his team on his back many times. Since it looks like the Hawks might go for Horford at #3, Acie seems like the logical pick here.

12. Philadelphia 76ers: Julian Wright, SF, Kansas: A do it all point forward type with a ton of skills, intangibles, and a ton of potential. Well, he has all the skills except shooting….but if the gets his jumper down, he will be the whole package. Philly really needs a PF desperately, but with no PF’s in this range, Wright’s versatility is nice and will be a nice complement to more specialists and perimeter oriented SFs Korver and Carney.

13. New Orleans Hornets: Nick Young, SG, USC: I had Young here in my old mock draft predicting his stock would rise. Now a lot of mocks have Nick Young in this exact spot…so no need for me to change my mind now.

14. Los Angeles Clippers: Javaris Crittenton, PG, G.Tech: Cassell is getting old and that Livingston injury looked REALLY BAD. So drafting a PG here makes sense. They could go with Thornton if they can move Maggette, but as that is kinda speculative, I’ll say they take Javaris here.

15. Detroit Pistons: Rodney Stuckey, SG, E.Washington: Another of my secret picks that was exposed. I said Stuckey’s stock would rise and had him going at #16, but now suddenly most mock drafts have him at 15…which makes sense. An explosive combo guard in the mold of Wade, Gordon, Foye, etc. The Pistons could use the scoring and Chauncey is getting up there in age.

16. Washington Wizards: Al Thornton, SF, FSU: Thornton has been moving up the boards due to his athleticism and workouts. This is more a value pick more than anything.

17. New Jersey Nets: Sean Williams, PF, BC: Another guy that I thought would go in this range and now some mock drafts have him here also. The only problem with Williams is his off-court issues….which may be enough to scare off some GMs. Not sure what the Nets think of him…but they could definitely use a player like him.

18. Golden State Warriors: Jason Smith, PF/C, Colorado: The Warriors are a team on the rise and are pretty good at every position. Smith will give them some frontcourt depth and will fit in with the Warriors uptempo style.

19. Los Angeles Lakers: Thaddeus Young, SF, Georgia Tech: Ok, this is MY pick. So far all the picks have been what I think each team will do…but as a Laker fan, I’m reserving the right to make this pick myself. I’ve had my eye on Young for a while now. This is really an upside pick more than anything. This guy was a top 3-4 player in his high school class behind Oden and Durant. He has great athleticism and can shoot outside as well. While still very raw both on offense and defense, his athleticism gives him great potential. Anyways, SF is a great area of need for the Lakers and Young is a great compliment to Luke Walton. Young is very raw but has great athletcism, quickness, agility and a ton of upside. Luke is very polished and has great unathletcism, mind-blowing slowness, and no upside whatsoever.
    

20. Miami Heat: Gabe Pruitt, PG, USC: The Heat need to get younger and more athletic at the PG and SF spots.

21. Philadelphia 76ers: Tiago Splitter, C, Brazil: The Sixers need a PF badly and this is a good value pick here.

22. Charlotte Bobcats: Morris Almond, SG, Rice: Bobcats need some athleticism at SG where they play Carroll or Morrison. Morrison is a total bust and Almond is not only more athletic, but a better shooter as well.

23. New York Knicks: Wilson Chandler, SF, DePaul: Almost every mock draft has Dequan Cook here. ESPN thinks Chandler may have gotten a promise from Isiah and the Knicks…..and the thing is…I’m gonna believe it. Say what you will about Isiah the GM, he’s terrible. BUT Isiah has proven himself in the scouting department, having drafted guys like Tmac, Camby, Damo, and promising guys like Ariza, Frye, Nate Robinson, and David Lee late in drafts. Last year everyone clowned on Renaldo Balkman…but even he turned out pretty decent. Chandler is a raw athlete with a lot of potential and to me it makes sense that Isiah would lock him up here.

24. Phoenix Suns: Rudy Fernandez, PG, Spain: For the past 2 years the Suns have been using the draft to cut payroll. I think the Suns will willingly throw their picks into a trade offer to move up to #5. If not, they will likely go international and keep them overseas to save cap space.

25. Utah Jazz: Marco Belinelli, SG, Italy: The Jazz’s only weakness seems to be at SG. Marco seems like the pick, he’s a SG, pretty athletic, can shoot, and most importantly….he’s white.

26. Houston Rockets: Glen Davis, PF, LSU: After the Howard/James trade, the Rockets could use some depth at PF. The Rockets are supposedly high on Nick Fazekas, but I think Davis is the better pick. He has conditioning issues, but also is better inside than Nick and has more upside. A Yao/Nick frontcourt would just be too slow and a defensive liability.

27. Detroit Pistons: Josh McRoberts, PF, Duke: Once considered a lottery prospect, this is not a bad value this late in the draft. Has a lot of skills and talent…and not a bad athlete either. Just doesn’t seem to have “it”. Still would provide good depth backing up the aging Cwebb and Sheed.

28. San Antonio Spurs: Jared Dudley, PF, Boston College: Reminds me of a less athletic, not as good Robert Horry….which isn’t bad. He can be a good role player, especially on a team like the Spurs and he is a smart player with good intangibles, plays hard, and can shoot from outside.

29. Phoenix Suns: Daequan Cook, SG, OSU: Again, I think the Suns aren’t gonna pick here….but IF they do, Cook is a great value pick at this point. Offensively very talented but had an up and down year. If he went back to school and entered next year’s draft he’d likely go much higher. Barbosa and Cook could become a scary backcourt in the future. Or they’ll pick some international guy they can stash somewhere and not have to pay.

30. Philadelphia 76ers: Taurean Green, PG, Fla: Again, the Sixers have so many picks, if they can’t trade to move up in the draft, they will likely have to take an international guy they can stash overseas as well. However, I have them drafting Tiago at 21 who they can stash overseas if need be. Green is a solid pick here as they have no good backup PG.

Kobe don't go!

Kobe had an interview on a sports radio talk show today. And I have to say, I was kinda blown away…..and not in a good way. I thought the interview would be very watered down and political. That Kobe would say what he’s supposed to say and it would be really vague in general. It was the exact opposite.

For those that missed it (or those that don't live in LA) here's the recap:

First, on the recent "ultimatum" thing:

Kobe said that it was NOT an ultimatum or demand for a trade. It was him trying to get the Laker front office (FO) to get aggressive this summer. He said he didn’t mean to throw anyone under the bus. But commented how close he is with West…that he trusts him as a close friend…and how good West is at his job….so it wasn’t a Mitch diss, but meant it as West is the best and if you can bring in the best, you should do it. He said the best thing about West is his sincerity and that he “shoots from the hip”. He mentioned times when West would say “you played like crap”…Kobe likes that he is serious about his job and he gives it to him straight.

On Ric Bucher's article:

Kobe said that Bucher did check back with Kobe and that Kobe did OK the “TV” part. But said the article was totally taken out of context. I don’t think this is hard to believe as Bucher’s article was pretty much paraphrased and really had no real quotes from Kobe. Kobe didn’t seem very happy about the way the article came off.

On taking it public:

It seems that it was a move that he struggled with, if he should take it public or not. He however felt like he had to as he has said the same thing to the FO in private the past 3 years. He mentioned every summer he has sat down with the FO and talked about what they could do to get better. Kobe pretty much feels like those meetings accomplished nothing. Whether you agree with taking it public or not, its not something Kobe did out of complete selfishness or immaturity. He thought about it and felt that was the way to go. Kobe also referred to KG, he said he knows what KG went through and is still going through and he doesn’t want to end up in the same situation as KG.

On his teammates:

Kobe stated it was not his intention to throw any teammates under the bus. He said this team works hard and gave extra props to Lamar who “played through some serious injuries….SERIOUS injuries”. But he also said, its no secret that the Lakers are not contenders…that its not some new revelation or something he’s making up. The point being, the Lakers are far from contending right now.

On the whole Phil/Jim/Jeanne/Rambis thing:

“It’s [the front office] a big mess!”. Apparently, this whole thing might be an indication of the disharmony going on in the Laker FO. I think this is one reason Kobe indicated in the first article about West having full control of player personel. I think he thinks there is too much bureaucracy and politics going on in the FO, so much so, they don’t seem to have a clear vision on how to get better.

On Kobe's alleged ousting of Shaq:

It’s interesting that at the very beginning, on the first question, Kobe answered the question (about the ultimatum) but said in the answer “and I can’t wait to get into the Shaq stuff.”. This is where Kobe’s tone really started to get very serious. He was ESPECIALLY pissed at this supposed “Laker Insider”. He said he let the Shaq stuff go all these years, and that he wanted to focus on the future and not the past. But then now, that this stuff is really starting to piss him off. He didn’t specifically get into the actual beef with Shaq…but talked about his role in Shaq leaving. He seemed VERY adamant that it was NOT his decision. He said that Buss had a dinner with him (at the Four Seasons hotel) and told him BEFORE Shaq demanded a trade and before Kobe was a FA, that he (Buss) was going to trade Shaq…no matter what Kobe decided to do. Of course, Buss is using this as a reason Kobe as extra incentive for Kobe to stay. But Kobe was clear in that Buss was intent on trading Shaq whether Kobe stayed or not! So even if Kobe left, Shaq would NOT have been a Laker.
Again, this is in line with what I've been saying for years. Signing Shaq to the deal he wanted at that time was a clear cut financial mistake. No owner (cept MAYBE Cuban, and even then its HIGHLY doubtful considering he let go Nash who is a hard worker, not yet in decline, and cost a lot less money) would’ve given the declining Shaq that deal. People forget that Shaq actually got in shape when he left…but that he had shown ZERO indication of staying in shape for years as a Laker. If Shaq got his 30 million a year, people don't realize how crippling that would've been to the Lakers. Only Shaq 2000 would be worth that much, cuz Shaq 2000 was SOOO freakin dominant. But giving that kind of money to an overweight, injury prone center on the decline really is basketball suicide. You think the Lakers have cap problems now with Kobe’s 17 million? How’d you like a fat 400lb center in decline who plays only 50 games make 30M and take up more than 1/2 of your cap space by himself?!
Point is though, Shaq was on his way out no matter what. Let’s also remember, Shaq really didn’t help things when calling out to Buss to pay him during an actual game! It’s still amazing to me though that people still blame Kobe for Shaq’s departure when Buss, and even Jackson (back then) has stated on record that it was not Kobe’s decision many times. Now Kobe is going on record, speaking the truth about how it really went down.

Kobe on the Laker’s promise to him:

I don't think many people knew how close Kobe was to becoming a Clipper (or Bull). I didn’t have real evidence, but my evidence is that back then, Elgin Baylor on AM570 said he thinks Kobe will be a Laker. Then right after Kobe re-signed, Baylor was on 570 again and he legitimately seemed stunned. He said (quote): “I REALLY thought Kobe was going to sign with us.”
Today, Kobe reiterated that he loves the Lakers. That he’s been a Laker fan since he was a kid and that his wife is from “here” and his family is here and he wanted to play his whole career here as a Laker. That said, he said he was actually leaning towards signing with the Clippers or Bulls (which explains Baylor’s shock) at the time. He said he thought both teams had a lot of talent, and that he felt like on those teams they would be contenders. But then right before Kobe made his final decision, Buss gave Kobe a call from his vacation in Italy. Kobe said he told Buss he felt it takes 9-10 years to build a real contender under normal circumstances…and wanted to know what the Lakers plan was. He said Buss promised him that they would do everything in their power to build a contender quickly. That they were going to play for the present and not for the long term future. That was enough to keep Kobe a Laker.

Now it gets to the real meat of the interview. Kobe feels like the FO basically lied to him. He said he feels betrayed and feels “like a fool”. The reason is on many levels. First of all, there was his commitment to stay, and FO’s promise to rebuild for the short term. I remember, the Kobe haters saying Kobe never made phone calls. Kobe said every summer he met with the FO and talked about players to get and he said he made a lot of phone calls every summer (part of the reason he feels like a fool for doing so now). Now a part that got me mad was this…..Kobe said Baron, Boozer, and Artest all called him FIRST! He said they all called him and said they would love to play in LA and that is when Kobe talked to FO pushing for these guys. Kobe thought they would make it happen. But he said the FO ultimately didn’t want Baron cuz of his injury history, and didn’t want Boozer cuz he wasn’t a good enough defender. (He didn’t say what the deal with Artest or Kidd was.). Kobe also mentions that many players have told him that they would take less money to play with him. Kobe says “its not that they CAN’T get these players, its that they WON’T get these players.” Now you can see how frustrating this has to be for Kobe who is thinking, “aren’t we playing for now?”.
Another thing that will make some Laker fans angry. Kobe did not know about the Caron Butler trade! He said they called him as soon as Caron was traded (but not before) asking how he felt about it. Kobe’s response was “why are you asking me now if you already did it?!” Kobe said how he was shocked and disappointed cuz he and Caron were working out together that summer. That Caron adopted Kobe’s training regimen and they were both waking up early and working out and practicing every day. Then Caron was traded.
Again, this had to be extremely frustrating for Kobe.

Now for another shocker. Kobe said he never really got into details when reuniting with Phil Jackson. They didn’t talk about Shaq or the past, but wanted to move on and win a championship. However, after all this stuff, Kobe said he talked to Phil TODAY and asked him about what went down in 2004. Phil said that in his exit interview, that the FO said that the Lakers were moving in a different direction. That they had a long term plan in place and that it didn’t make sense, both bball-wise and financially, to keep Phil.
This is when Kobe is like “What the heck is going on?” As he feels this directly contradicts and is opposite of what they told him when they were re-signing him. Now Kobe said he has “trust issues” with the FO. He doesn’t know what’s going on. He doesn’t know if they are on a short term plan or long term plan. But given their recent history of moves (selecting Bynum, trading Caron, and refusing to trade Bynum for a star) I think Kobe is thinking he may have been duped. If you look at the moves…they do shout “long term” to me at least.
Let me say that Kobe’s mood at this point is very somber now. He takes several pauses, and sighs deeply with frustration several times. Which is understandable since this is all hitting Kobe literally TODAY. Kobe says how he’s been working extra hard this summer. Waking up at 4:30am everyday. (He also mentioned he has done nothing but work on his defense so far…which I thought was great. Jordan said every summer he asked himself what he could improve. I love that Kobe still wants to work on his overall game. Perhaps he feels like his defense was weaker. Or maybe he’s out to prove wrong all the people that said he didn’t deserve to be on the all-defensive team. Doesn’t matter but gotta love how driven this guy is and how hard he works.) Kobe then mentions how pissed he was when he found out this morning and how betrayed he felt when he read about the “Laker Insider” article where the “insider” says its Kobe’s fault Shaq left. Kobe then challenges anyone to refute this story. He feels angry cuz he felt he took a lot of unnecessary blame all these years for the Shaq stuff. But he felt the media was just doing it to make it a bigger issue than it was. But now he feels betrayed by the “insider” and the organization and challenges anyone to prove him (Kobe) otherwise.

On the Lakers future: Kobe said he hasn’t talked to anyone in the FO so far this summer and is completely “in the dark” as to what their plans this summer are so far.

When asked about his future with the Lakers, his answer: “ I don’t know.”

I have to say that whole interview was very disheartening for me as a Laker fan. I hope Kobe is just extra frustrated cuz he basically found out a lot of crap just this morning (or yesterday morning by the time you read this). Kobe seemed genuinely frustrated and even borderline sad at times during the interview. I think Kobe feels betrayed and lied to by the Lakers right now. I’d rather Kobe just be plain angry than the mood he was in cuz it really made me wonder if Kobe wants to be a Laker anymore.

Sigh.

---
Update: Argh! It's official. Kobe asks for a trade. Things look really bad right now, with no light at the end of the tunnel. In an interview Stephen A. Smith asks: "Is there ANYTHING the Los Angeles Lakers can do to get you to remain with the organization?"
Bryant responds: "No, bro."

Wiz' 2007 Mock Draft I

So the NBA just had its lottery to decide the draft order for the upcoming draft in June. There were three important things that happened that were especially key:

1. Atlanta gets the #3 pick: As a Laker fan, this was HUGE HUGE HUGE. Had the Hawks not been able to get into the top 3, they would have had to surrender their pick (which would’ve likely been the #4 pick) to the disgusting Suns. This would’ve given the Suns a lot of options. As they are desperate to free up some cap room, they could’ve gotten a player like Brewer who would be perfect for them, and at the same time allow them to trade away Marion. For Marion they could then get another player, cap relief, and extra draft picks. Thus they take only a baby step back but secure many more years of greatness. Even scarier were talks that should the Suns get the #4 pick, of them trading up to the #2 spot for Durant. Now you might think Oden and Durant are untouchable. Oden basically is….and Durant might almost be. But if you are the lowly Sonics with an old Ray Allen and about to lose Rashard Lewis, this could be a great chance to start over. As great as Durant is…and offer of Marion and the #4, 21, and 30 picks starts to look tempting at least. Anways, none of this matters, the Suns lost. Consolation prize, they still have picks 21 and 30 and no cap space haha.
2. Memphis doesn’t get a top 3 pick: Again, for a Laker fan, this was also good news. As there is a lot of talk of the Lake Show making a blockbuster move for KG, Jermaine, or Gasol this offseason. While I would love to see KG or Jermaine in a Laker uniform….Gasol actually might be the best value. KG makes a buttload of $, and Jermaine makes a whole lot as well, while always being an injury risk. So Gasol is the cheapest, the youngest, and has the best back to the basket game of the 3. So Gasol is unhappy and wants out…but perhaps getting Oden or Durant changes his mind? Well, too bad! No top 2 pick for Memphis….and I don’t think Yi Lianjiangdifudijadifjiangijalinagnnananiang is gonna be enough to make him change his mind.
3. The Celtics get the #5 pick. As a Laker fan this is good because…..well, really it has nothing to do with us except that it was pretty hilarious. Every Laker fan still has a deep hatred for the Celts since the 80s and for this to happen to them is just great fun for us. The faces of the Celtic fans as they looked like they were going to jump out the windows….the look on Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge’s face, trying to hold back the tears…hahahaha HAHAHAHA ….priceless.

Doc and Danny the day before the lottery.....

Doc and Danny right after the lottery....

Doc and Danny spotted in public using disguises..... (btw, yes that is Jeff Van Gundy's little brother at the top and yes, that is Phil Jackson's little bro at the bottom.)

Now by now I'm sure you guys are probably wondering "Why the heck are Doc and Danny always wearing matching clothes or color coordinated clothes?!"
I know this question will haunt you all the rest of your lives, and so after much research, I finally found the reason....








"Oooh, his belly button is so nice....."



"Is he feeling my belly button!? .......I like it."









Anyways, now, onto the real stuff….the Mock Draft:

(Note: This Mock Draft isn’t the same as a draft board or who I would pick, but its who I think each team will pick.)

1. Portland Trailblazers: Greg Oden, C, OSU: The Blazers have one of the best young nucleuses (or is it nuclei?) in the L, with last years rooks Roy, Aldridge, and Rodriguez (aka Spanish Chocolate) and also nice young potential in Webster, Outlaw, and Jack. They could use a SF, but GM Kevin Pritchard knows whats up. One of the better GMs in the league, he wont hesitate to take Oden.
2. Seattle Supersonics: Kevin Durant, SF, Texas: Will go down as one of the best draft consolation prizes ever (yes, even better than Sam Bowie at #2). The most talented and versatile college talent I’ve ever seen. Expect scoring titles and all-star games in the near future.
3. Atlanta Hawks: Mike Conley, PG, OSU: It seems the consensus #3 pick is Brandan Wright. But the Hawks have been looking for a legit C and PG for the last billion years. I actually think the Hawks should and will look to trade down a little bit. But after biffing on passing Chris Paul and Deron Williams, and reaching on Sheldon last year, I think if they can't trade out of this spot, they will reach a little for Conley.
4. Memphis Grizzlies: Corey Brewer, SF, Fla: West has been looking for a real C forever and Yi Jianlian might get some consideration here. But I think Brewer will test out as one of the best players in the draft and would give Memphis a ridiculously athletic team overall. (Adding Brewer to the group of freak athletes Gay, Warrick, Stro, and Alexander Johnson.) Plus if West trades Gasol, he’ll likely get a big back anyways. (Maybe Kwame and Bynum???)
5. Boston Celtics: Yi Jianlian, C, China: Noah would be a good fit here as well. But after missing out on Oden, I think Ainge will look to trade Pierce and simply go back to rebuilding with his talented young players. So I think he goes with the upside of Yi over Noah. Most drafts have Wright and Horford as the best players after Durant, but I can’t see Ainge taking a PF after the year Al Jefferson had.
6. Milwaukee Bucks: Brandan Wright, PF, UNC: The Bucks are glad Wright falls into their lap. Though eventually will likely be a PF, with his slight frame Wright can slide right into the starting SF spot and give the Bucks a nice young frontcourt with Bogut, Charlie V, and Wright. (Though if the Hawks take Wright at 3, this pick will likely be Conley here as they could lose both Mo and Bell to free agency.)
7. Minnesota Timberwolves: Al Horford, PF, Fla: Like Wright before him, Horford slips a little in the draft. The Timberwolves are happy to snatch him up and get some toughness to play next to KG…..or will he be a KG replacement???
8. Charlotte Bobcats: Julian Wright, SF, Kansas: A do it all point forward type with a ton of skills, intangibles, and a ton of potential. Well, he has all the skills except shooting….but if the gets his jumper down, he will be the whole package. His all around skill should net him some mins since heck, their “shooter” SF (Morrison) can’t shoot anyways.
9. Chicago Bulls: Spencer Hawes, C, Washington: The Bulls have a ton of young talent, but they need a C, and more specifically a C with some low post scoring skills.
10. Sacramento Kings: Joakim Noah, PF/C, Fla: They’ll take a look at Jeff Green as a replacement for Crazy Ron Ron. Still, the Maloofs are no goofs. Noah is the best player available at this point and they won’t likely let Noah slip by them.
11. Atlanta Hawks: Tiago Splitter, C, Brazil: Knight is cursing Noah went one spot above him. Wait a second, were talking about Knight here, he might have been hoping for another swingman and one of the Wrights to drop. The Hawks reach again a few spots and take the next best 7ftr in Tiago.
12. Philadelphia 76ers: Jeff Green, SF, Georgetown: Could use a PF, but do-a-little-of-everything Jeff Green will be a nice complement to more specialist SFs Korver and Carney.
13. New Orleans Hornets: Nick Young, SG, USC: This seems too high for Young. But this kid got game and I think his stock will rise when he shows off his skills and the Hornets will strongly look at him here.
14. Los Angeles Clippers: Acie Law, PG, Texas A&M: One of my favorite players in college last year. This guy is a clutch gamer that carried his team on his back many times. This is a great pick for the Clippers. Cassell is getting old and that Livingston injury looked REALLY BAD. Who knows what his status is now. Plus Mobley is getting up there in age, and Law could play some SG as well.
15. Detroit Pistons: Sean Williams, PF, BC: Huh? Who? Didn’t I see this guy’s name in the second round of all mock drafts? Ok, this pick is a serious reach….for now. What’ll happen though is GMs will start turning their heads at this guy’s freakish athletcism and he’ll start rising up the boards. This still might be high for him but Dumars isn’t afraid to go against the norm (Darko) and he might have found his Ben Wallace replacement in Williams. (This guy’s shot blocking is straight nasty!)
16. Washington Wizards: Rodney Stuckey, SG, E.Washington: Sorry to my friend Bert who discovered this guy months ago. An explosive combo guard in the mold of Wade, Gordon, Foye, etc. A super athlete and explosive scorer. Since then, we’ve been secretly hoping the Lakers draft this guy….ah woulda been nice. This is another guy that is low in mock drafts, but he’s starting to show up on the map. After GMs get a better look at him, his stock will definitely rise.
17. New Jersey Nets: Al Thornton, SF, FSU: Looks like there’s a good chance Vince isn’t a Net next year. Thornton is likely the best player available at this point. RJ can slide over to the 2 and Thornton should be able to contribute some right away.
18. Golden State Warriors: Jason Smith, PF/C, Colorado: The Warriors are a team on the rise and are pretty good at every position. Smith will give them some frontcourt depth and will fit in with the Warriors uptempo style.
19. Los Angeles Lakers: Thaddeus Young, SF, Georgia Tech: Ok, this is MY pick. So far all the picks have been what I think each team will do…but as a Laker fan, I’m reserving the right to make this pick myself. I’ve had my eye on Young for a while now. This is really an upside pick more than anything. This guy was a top 3-4 player in his high school class behind Oden and Durant. He has great athleticism and can shoot outside as well. While still very raw both on offense and defense, his athleticism gives him great potential. Anyways, SF is a great area of need for the Lakers and Young is a great compliment to Luke Walton. Young is very raw but has great athletcism, quickness, agility and a ton of upside. Luke is very polished and has great unathletcism, mind-blowing slowness, and no upside whatsoever. Ok, for those of you that don’t care about my pick and want to know who the Lakers will pick, here it is: 19. Los Angeles Lakers: Josh McRoberts, PF/C, Duke: Why will the Lakers take him? Is it cuz he was a high school all-american? Is it cuz of his versatility? Is it his Duke pedigree, learning under Coach K? Well, maybe, but how I came to this pick is, I simply asked myself “Who is projected to go in this range that Phil would want and that I would LEAST want? The player who, if the Lakers select him, I will go jump out the window into oncoming traffic while yelling “DAMN YOU MITCH!!!!!”. And that person is Josh McRoberts.
    

Ok, that concludes my Mock Draft #1. I stopped at 19 cuz first, I’m a Laker fan and had to make it to at least #19. Second, its 2am and I’m tired. And third none of you really care whether Ante Tomic gets drafted before Kyrylo Fesenko or not.