The Draft: A Jayhawkle Debacle?

Random thoughts on the draft, which I missed due to a wedding rehearsal dinner, but much thanks goes out to all who kept me updated via text message, it was greatly appreciated by all the dudes who were stuck at the dinner with no television to be found.

So now that I'm back in town and reading newspapers and talking to the locals, apparently people are totally pissed about the Jayhawks' misfortune in this draft. I can see being a little disappointed that Chalmers and Arthur fell, but look at some of these quotes from kusports.com:

"How many of you wanted to kick in your television screens when J.R. Giddens, once at KU then at New Mexico, was chosen by Boston. Lots of us saw it as an insult to Chalmers, who then had to wait until No. 34, where no contract is guaranteed."

"And then commissioner David Stern walks to the podium and announces: “With the 30th pick in the NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics select J.R. Giddens of the University of New Mexico.”

Are you kidding me? Not only do the Celtics dump on Chalmers, they stick the dagger deeper by tapping Giddens, the one-time KU bad boy who had been projected to go somewhere in the middle of the second round.

Worse is what Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers says afterward about Giddens. “He has a chance.” Rivers tells the Boston media, “to fight for minutes right away because of his defense.”

His defense??? Has Giddens improved that much since his freshman and sophomore years on Mount Oread when he couldn’t guard the Phog Allen statue?

Sometimes I wonder if the NBA Draft is really serious business or merely an inside joke league coaches and GMs play on a gullible glued-to-the-TV populace."

Wow. Settle down, kids. My not-so-humble opinion on each Jayhawk:

Rush went about where he should have went, and he'll contribute immediately for the Pacers.

The kidney thing with Arthur is unfortunate, if indeed it was something that was cleared up before the draft, yet not communicated to all the general managers. But the whole mess begs the question: Why did he initially refuse the blood tests?

I think early second round for Chalmers is about right, too. I've been watching with raised eyebrows these last few weeks as he has shot up the draft boards. I don't really understand how it's a great injustice that he didn't get picked early. He's a 6'2'' guard without true point guard ball-handling skills.

As for my boy Darnell Jackson, I'm just thrilled he got drafted. I think he will make a solid pro, possibly become a big sleeper, but again, I don't understand the people who are screaming that he went too low. Ditto Sasha Kaun. When you are at that skill level, you're lucky just to get drafted.

So I am of the opinion that Jayhawk fans should just be proud that 5 guys off the team got drafted, instead of freaking out about where they went. Dude, we're the champs. Be happy.

For non-KU related draft picks, here are the ones I liked:

Jeryd Bayless to the Blazers. I can't even wrap my head around how good they're going to be in a couple years. For real.

Mareese Speights to the 76ers. Exactly what that team needed.

Courtney Lee to the Magic. He is fucking good. The league will find out.

DeAndre Jordan to the Clippers. When he was projected in the top 5, I couldn't possibly talk more shit about him. At pick 35, though, that's a steal.

Derrick Rose to the Bulls. The jury is still out on this one. The consensus is that my boy Hinrich will get traded now. If he gets traded, then I like this pick. I've hated cheering for the Bulls the last couple years, it sucks. I hated the Bulls for too long to enjoy them now. But if this pick results in Hinrich not getting traded, and just sitting the bench, then I hate this pick. Let's get Hinrich to another team.

Ones I disliked:

D. J. Augustin to the Bobcats. They already have Raymond Felton, who I thought was doing OK. Unless they have another deal already lined up for one of those two, then I have no idea what M.J. is doing. Wow he sucks at being a GM.

Joe Alexander to the Bucks. Hey, Milwaukee, remember like 12 hours earlier when you traded for Richard Jefferson?

George Hill to the Spurs. I know I just got done saying Chalmers went where he should have, but at the same time, there is NO WAY you can tell me that George Hill is better than Chalmers. No way.

I feel OK about the Knicks taking Danilo Gallinari. I've read mostly good things about him. I feel mostly indifferent about 90% of the picks in this draft. I don't think we're going to see too many all-stars out of the 2008 NBA Draft. Except of course for Sasha, right Lane?