Spring Break
Best and Worst of 2009 NBA Draft
Issue date: 7/1/09 Section: Sports
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Each organization is looking for the best talent from Spain to California and everywhere in between to build their program for future NBA championships. General Managers, coaches, and scouts are trying to find the next Michael Jordan and avoid selecting the next Sam Bowie.
This years NBA draft, held last Thursday night, was very average from a talent perspective according to certain basketball experts, but I believe there is definitely some future stars in this year's class.
Best drafts
The Oklahoma City Thunder has one of the youngest teams in the NBA and they continued to build their program with the selection of three college prospects.
The Thunder held the third pick in last weeks draft and surprised many by selecting James Harden out of Arizona State. Harden is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who had a stellar career in his two years with the Sun Devils. He averaged 20 points a game this past year.
Harden is a talented left-handed shooter that should compliment all-star Kevin Durant perfectly.
The Thunder also acquired former Ohio State seven footer B.J. Mullens in a first round trade with the Mavericks who selected him No.24. OKC also earned the rights to the No.54 pick Robert Vaden in a deal with the Charlotte Bobcats.
The Chicago Bulls did not have a very glamorous draft on paper but it could end up being extremely effective in the long run.
The Bulls selected Wake Forest swingman James Johnson and University of Southern California big man Taj Gibson in the first round with the No.16 and No.26 picks respectfully.
Johnson, along with current Bulls shooting guard Ben Gordon, will provide two solid shooters for point guard Derrick Rose to distribute the ball to while Gibson will give Chicago depth down low at the center position.
Worst drafts
The Minnesota Timberwolves had a chance to rebuild their mangled team with last weeks draft but instead they shocked everyone.
The Timberwolves selected point guard Ricky Rubio with the fifth pick then took point guard Johnny Flynn one pick later.
Rubio had said prior to the draft he wanted to play in a big sports market and going to Minnesota may not sit well with the young Spaniard who might spur the Wolves' and stay in Spain.
The Timberwolves should have picked up a guard and a big man to build upon their group of young players ala the Thunder, but instead they picked two players that play the same position.
The Los Angeles Lakers were busy last Thursday unloading draft picks to free up money in order to resign current key players who are going to be hitting free agency soon.
The Lakers traded away the draft rights to the No.29 and No. 42 picks in Toney Douglas and Patrick Beverley to try and resign current players Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom.
This left the Lakers with one pick in the second round of the draft where they took Chinemelu Elonu who had an average career at Texas A&M, 59th overall.
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