Andrew Bogut 6-10/233 (Utah-sophomore)Milwaukee has been settled on him for a while, but still left a small window of opportunity to take Marvin Williams. He averaged 20.4 points and 12.2 rebounds a game, and has the soft touch of a shooter that makes scouts think he's the next best thing to come along at center in a long time. He was the first College Player selected at number one since Kenyon Martin in 2000. He was born in Australia, and is also of Croatian descent, but still attended college in the US. Utah (the school that is) was the first university to have the number one pick in the NBA and NFL in the same year.
Marvin Williams 6-9/230 (UNC-freshman)He doesn't have the traditional skills of a big man, and plays more like a guard, and has never started a game for the Tarheels. But most agree he could be the best player in this draft. Atlanta didn't have him as their top choice, hoping that Bogut might slide, but couldn't pass on him for one of the PGs that might fit their team better.
Deron Williams 6-3/210 (Illinois-junior)Utah made a draft day deal, shipping their sixth and 27th picks, along with a provisional 2006 pick to Portland for the opportunity to have their top point guard candidate. His size gave him the edge over the rest of the crop. The Jazz did not want to settle for their third choice, or none at all. As a junior, he was named a Consensus Second Team All-American.
Chris Paul 6-0/175 (Wake Forest-sophomore)Paul was the consensus top PG prospect going into the draft, but he wasn't the top choice of the Jazz, but probably was the top choice for the Hornets after a spectacular workout for their team. Chris was named the Rookie of the Year, virtually the leading candidate from the start of the season, in a runaway race receiving 124 of 125 first place votes.
Raymond Felton 6-0/194 (UNC-junior)Three of the top five players to go in the draft are point guards. We will definately hear some more names called in the first round, but these three are clearly the cream of the crop. He was the first UNC point guard to go in the first round since Kenny Smith in 1987.
Martell Webster 6-7/235 (Seattle Prep-HS senior)
I had the first 5 picks correct in my mock draft, but missed here, thinking that they would stick with who they liked from weeks before, Gerald Green. There were a lot of question marks popping up about his desire and maturity, but I guess Portland likes to deal with the troubled players. Webster had his best workout for Portland, and they wanted to rebuild, going young. They made the deal with Utah knowing they could still get their guy later on. Martell was the first high school player's name called. It was the first time since 1998 that a high school player was not a top 5 pick. He is Jason Terry's cousin, so skills run in the family.
Charlie Villanueva 6-11/230 (UConn-sophomore)Toronto was vocal about taking Danny Granger, but I guess they were just blowing smoke. This is quite a jump, and is the biggest mover so far. He could be the best PF prospect in the draft, but he does look a lot like the second coming of Chris Bosh...so they wanted bookends. In one of the 2005-2006 season's surprises, Villanueva was the runner up for Rookie of the Year, outplaying most of his draft class. On June 30, 2006 Milwaukee traded T.J. Ford to Toronto for Charlie Villanueva and cash.
Channing Frye 6-11/248 (Arizona)He was at the top of the Knicks draft board, and they weren't liars. New York fans liked this pick, cuz last they checked Arizona was still in the United States, and not France, but I actually think they blew this one. He probably has the talent of a late first round big man, and I think they reached after getting caught up in his hype after some good workouts. He is prone to dissapear and be very inconsistent. They might have even done better going to Spain (shudder) with this pick. He averaged 13.5 points and 7.3 rebounds over his 4 year college career. He has the distinction of being the first senior taken in this year's draft.
Ike Diogu 6-8/250 (Arizona State-junior)This was a tricky pick, and I called it right. They really desperately needed to find an inside presence, if not a center, and I think they got that in Diogu. He has been moving all over the draft board, but has been skyrocketing lately, proving he made the right decision to leave school.
Andrew Bynum 6-11/270 (St. Joseph HS-HS senior)Shocking! I can't believe they are going to do this to Phil Jackson. Once all the fluff is gone, and he has a few years to mature, he might be able to come off the bench and spell Adonal Foyle. At 17 years old he is the youngest player ever drafted.
Fran Vazquez 6-10/229 (Spain)All indications were that his stock was dropping after some not so impressive work the past few weeks, but they were able to look past that and see what he has done for the past few years and make him a lottery pick, and the top international prospect not to play college ball in the US. He didn't have to declare for the draft, as he was over 21. Fran chose to stay in Europe for the 2005-2006 season.
Yaroslav Korolev 6-9/195 (Russia-18 yrs old)It was rumored that they had give him a guarantee, but it looked like they might be moving in another direction. He has an incredible amount of raw talent, but is a huge risk as well.
Sean May 6-8/260 (UNC-junior)The most outstanding player in the Final Four becomes the third UNC player taken in the lottery this year. He has a great inside presence, and can help a team right away. The top candidate for the slippery slider award so far is Gerald Green, who was a lottery lock, and thought to be a possible top 5 pick. Danny Granger is also slip sliding away.
Rashad McCants 6-3/207 (UNC-junior)McCants is the 99th first round pick for Carolina, tying Duke for the all-time record for first round picks in the draft. McCants was an enigma in the days preceding the draft, but when it came down to it, he is a potential star for the NBA.
Antoine Wright 6-7/205 (Texas A&M-junior)The Nets went for the best available player....forgetting for the moment about Danny Granger. Wright was at the top of the list of some very evenly matched swingmen.
Joey Graham 6-7/225 (Oklahoma St.)I guess that Danny Granger wasn't even their top swingman....He was the top athlete in the draft, but didn't seem to have any teams in love with him. He did well for himself with this pick.
Danny Granger 6-8/225 (New Mexico)He has the biggest "upside" of the seniors, and might be the best SF prospect out there. He is also one of the top sliders, after seeming to be a pretty hot commodity. He was the only NCAA player to average over 18 points, 9 boards, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks last year. Indiana clearly grabbed the best available player here, and in this situation could excel as a rookie.
Gerald Green 6-8/195 (Gulf Shores Academy, TX-HS senior)He is the winner of the slippery slider award! Since Portland passed on him, he didn't have anyone in love with him, so Boston got a real steal here. He is probably the top high school prospect in the draft, all disrespect intended to those picked above him. You have to think that a couple of teams might not have been paying attention.
Hakim Warrick 6-8/220 (Syracuse)He was the last player waiting in the dreaded "green room". Fortunately he didn't have the same embarrasment as Rashard Lewis, who wasn't picked until the Second Round. This isn't really all that low for him, as he was only realistically flirting with the lottery.
Julius Hodge 6-6/210 (NC State)He is a multi-talented senior who can help a team right away. He might not have been at the top of Denver's wish list, or maybe he was...
Nate Robinson 5-9/170 (Washington-junior)Wow! This is a huge reach! Nobody predicted this one. He doesn't have the height, but that doesn't mean he can't play. Phoenix traded Quentin Richardson, the rights to Nate Robinson, and cash to New York for Kurt Thomas and the rights to Dijon Thompson.
Jarrett Jack 6-3/191 (Georgia Tech-junior)I don't know if anyone saw him going to Denver, as most thought the Nuggets would get at least one international prospect. He is a legit PG prospect and legit first rounder. He deserves a shot to make it in the NBA and I think he'll get it. Portland traded Linas Kleiza and Ricky Sanchez to Denver for Jarrett Jack. Portland definately got the better of that deal.
Francisco Garcia 6-7/185 (Louisville-junior)As the draft approached it looked like he was going to sneak into the lottery, so this is a bit of a slip. He has as many tools as the other shooting guards selected above him, so it just boiled down to personal preference.
It was rumored that Houston had him targeted as their first choice. There ya go.... Houston sometimes has some real odd picks...and they usually stick to their guns no matter who is left on the board. Houston is going for the all 6-3 undersized shooting guard team in Bobby Sura, Mike James, Jon Barry and David Wesley. I'll put Sura in the middle on that team.
Some of the burning questions we have yet to answer: "Is Chris Taft a second rounder?" "Who will be the next high school player taken?" "Does Uros Slokar wear boxers or briefs?"
Johan Petro 7-0/240 (France-19 yrs old)Petro jumps over Martynas Andriuskevicius as the next international player taken. Seattle needed to start bulking up on their front line, and this is as good a place to start as any at the bottom of the first round.
A huge reach over some less questionable players, but heck...I liked Danny Fortson, and there are some comparisons here. I thought he could be a steal late in the second round, and actually had him going to the Pistons...at 45 instead of 26. Truth is I thought they were going to stash CJ Miles away for their future, but they went for someone that could play immediately.
He was one of the more questionable underclassmen to declare, that was pretty much guaranteed being drafted that is. I thought they might have tried to go big with this pick, as there are a few players out there that can fill the paint. Has there been a Martynas Andriuskevicius sighting? We might wanna go find him, as he didn't want to stay in the draft unless he was going to go in the lottery....oops.
eek! They must see something but it is puzzling. I guess he's actually a really good volleyball player, but only averages 5 points on the hardwood court.
Wayne Simien 6-8/255 (Kansas)I still believe that Simien could quickly become not only one of the top seniors in this draft class, but also one of the top power forwards. Or he could flop, but in either case I think we'll know very quickly. I see him as a Carlos Boozer-Lee Nailon-Udonis Haslem type steal. On August 12, 2005, Miami signed him to a 2 year deal with a 2 year team option. They exercised their option.
David Lee 6-9/240 (Florida)Lee is a solid pick at the bottom of the first round. Previously a questionably draft prospect, he has worked himself into the first round, and I think he's legit too.
Nobody that was a lock for the first round has slipped, but some notable players still out there include Chris Taft, Calvin Miles Jr, Andray Blatche, Roko-Leni Ukic and Martynas Andriuskevicius.
Second Round
He is Damon's brother, and a big playmaker. He does have some question marks, but Atlanta needed to add the best available PG, and he is that, and might start for them this year. Atlanta signed him to a three year deal.
This is the year of the point guard. We just can't draft them fast enough!!! LA signed him to a deal.
The only thing notable is that he plays the same position as Chris Taft. Taft must really suck.
Calvin Miles Jr. 6-6/210 (Skyline High School, TX-HS senior)This is about where he deserves to go. Will he be the last high school player ever taken in the draft?
A lot of questions about him...I mean tons....can't even mention them all. This might actually be a tad high based on all these questions. I'm telling ya the Riddler would love him. They signed him to a two year deal.
Ronny Turiaf 6-10/243 (Gonzaga)He could have easily snuck into the first round. Take a look...the Lakers make the most out of their second round picks...really. he has the potential to be one of the better PF in this draft. He is the third Gonzaga player taken in the past four years of the draft.
There are definate question marks, but he could still be a player. Orlando signed Diener to a 2 year contract.
The Lakers signed him to a deal.
Its rather odd that so many high schoolers go in the second round, and he is the third taken already. He was a possible first rounder, but probably deserves to go right here. Golden State signed him to a deal. After a sensational 2006-2007 season when he averaged 16.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 steals Monta was named the NBA's Most Improved Player. He also stared 53 games for the playoff bound Warriors.
Roko-Leni Ukic 6-5/185 (Croatia-21 yrs old)We thought he was going in the middle of the first round, and even that Toronto would take him with their first round pick. Well at least I got the team right.
Chris Taft 6-10/250 (Pittsburgh-sophomore)He's at least top three in the slippery slider award, but his sliding started about two weeks ago. He just didn't show anything in workouts, and now we're not sure if he can live up to the lottery potential that we all thought he had. Golden State signed him to a deal.
Interest in him has died out recently, and this is actually a pretty good spot. Did Martynas Andriuskevicius really declare? Maybe not all the teams got his paperwork. On September 13, 2006 New Jersey signed Mile Ilic to a two year, $1.65 million contract.
Martynas Andriuskevicius 7-3/240 (Lithuania-19 yrs old)He has not done well since being a top 10 prospect last year, when he withdrew...oops. I still thought someone would grab him in the first round. Orlando traded the rights to Andriuskevicius to Cleveland for a 2006 second round draft pick and cash. Cleveland signed him to a two year, minimum contract. On August 18, 2006 Cleveland traded Martynas Andriuskevicius to Chicago for Eddie Basden.
Philly signed him to a deal.
Lorbek also has first round potential, and has the ability to contribute right away.
He is the fourth player from France taken in this year's draft...thats gotta be a record. On July 12, 2006 Seattle signed Gelabale to a two year, minimum contract.
He might be in the competition for the top slippery slider award. Nah...he's no good. If a player had taken him higher, they would have been sorry. Blatche was the eighth high school player taken, which is tied for the record. Washington signed him to a 2 year deal.
Gomes is one of the better NBA ready prospects left on the board. On August 18, 2005 Boston signed Gomes to a three year, $2 million contract with the first year and a half guaranteed. Boston exercised their option on Gomes signing him through the 2007-2008 season.
They signed him to a 2 year deal.
Boston signed him for 2005, but then released him after the season. Indiana picked him up on waivers.
A UCLA player has been drafted for 9 consecutive seasons, it is the second year the Knicks have taken a UCLA player (Ariza). Thompson will be a player and find a way to make it work in the NBA. Phoenix traded Quentin Richardson, the rights to Nate Robinson, and cash to New York for Kurt Thomas and the rights to Dijon Thompson.
Seattle traded the rights to Roberts to Memphis for a 2006 2nd round draft pick, a 2007 2nd round draft pick, and cash.
Amir is the ninth high school player drafted, a new record. Detroit signed him to a contract.
Phoenix traded the rights to Gortat to Orlando for cash.
He had first round potential, and has been on the radar for years, but just can't close the deal this year in the draft. Being drafted this late, I don't see any hurry for the Raptors to bring him over.
Detroit signed him to a contract.
