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Andrew Bogut:
Symbolized the story of the draft: Need trumped "Best
Player Available," pushing several top BPAs into the
teens (and to some lucky takers). Time will tell which
camp was right.
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The Lead Item
Two Words For You:
DEVELOPMENT. DRAFT.
The biggest winner of the 2005 NBA
Draft was ...
The NBDL.
Based on the record number of prep picks and Euros
(particularly in the second round), it felt like teams
were drafting more for Ashville or Roanoke than
Toronto or New York.
Make no mistake, for all the hand-wringing by the NBA
over an age limit, last night its finest talent
evaluators took MORE PREPS THAN EVER BEFORE. And that
doesn't even consider the foreign projects.
For every instant contributor that fell into playoff
teams' laps in the middle of the first round, there
was notable after notable college player who joined
the Roll Call of the Damned, otherwise known as
"Undrafted."
Matt Walsh and Anthony Roberson, Randolph Morris and
Kelenna Azubuike, Kennedy Winston, Dwayne Jones, Sean
Banks, John Gilchrist, Eddie Basden, Will Bynum, Jawad
Williams. Ouch.
When your "untouchable" draft status makes even the
sorry second-rounders look blessed, you've encountered
a serious career problem.
Fans, meet your new and improved NBDL, keeping the NBA
safe from prospects and projects everywhere.
High Heels
Well, no wonder UNC won the national title!
With four NBA Lottery picks on the floor, the Heels
could have played in the NBA and finished higher than
the Hawks or Bobcats.
So Charlotte smartly decided to simply import as much
of the in-state talent as possible. Call it the "Can't
Beat Em, Join Em" strategy.
They plugged holes at PG with Felton and PF with May
-- but also capitalized on UNC cachet in a Tar Heel
crazy city. Sellouts soothe losing.
Bogut may have been the top pick, but the Tar Heels
owned the night.
College hoops cheerleaders can't claim a complete
victory for "college experience" over those pesky
preps and Euros. After all, top UNC draftee Marvin
Williams was a mere freshman reserve.
But as pro teams and newly minted pro players check
the day-after accounting for the draft's big winners
and losers (next item), it's amazing that the one of
the biggest winners was a college program.
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CHECK OUT THE QUICKIE EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING! |
|
| WHO'S GOT THE MOMENTUM ... |
Moonlight Graham: 100th anniversary of one game in majors
Curt Schilling: Makes rehab start tonight (AAA Pawtucket)
Augusta Nat'l: Expanding to 7445 yds (2nd longest major) |
| ... AND WHO'S GOT NO MO' |
Oliver Perez: PIT SP on DL, broke toe kicking laundry cart
Lavar Arrington: Police looking into shooting at his party
NASCAR playoff fan vote: France stands by points system |
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Draft Winners/Losers
GM/Executive:
Winner: Danny Ainge, Celtics
Loser: Rob Babcock, Raptors
TOR should axe Bab, hire Chad
Steal:
W: Danny Granger at No. 17!
L: Charlie Villanueva at 7?!
Pacers rule; Raps? Huge mess
2nd-round Sleeper:
W: Ryan Gomes to Boston at 50
L: Von Wafer to Lakers at 39
Celtics balance Green teen
Prep-to-pros:
W: Andrew "Babyface" Bynum
L: Monta Ellis, Lou Williams
None will get any PT anyway
Draft Cliche:
W: "Bouncy"
L: "Upside"
Runaway winner: "Length"
Fashion:
W: Frenchie Mikael Gelabale
L: Coaches in golf shirts
See P2's Fashion Report Card!
Yankee Summit
No changes to coaching staff, according
to Cashman (via USA Today).
But read between the lines and the Yankees are under
pressure to please the Boss and produce some
results.
Naturally, on the same day as the summit in
Tampa, the team goes out and loses to the Orioles on a
walk-off HR by Brian Roberts.
MLB Tuesday
All-Star voting: Lee surging on Pujols
at NL 1B! (Only 60K behind and closing fast). In
another wild turn, Abreu now leads all NL OFs.
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Slam-tastic: Travis Hafner's 9th-inning slam
buries Foulke and the Red Sox. (Anderson, Ensberg,
Atkins all hit slams, too.)
No 13 for D-Train: Battered by the Braves. Will
it hurt Willis' chances to start the All-Star Game?
Let's check his nearest comp ...
Rocket foiled by own team (again): Clemens left
the game with a 4-run lead, which, as any Astros fan
knows, is as good as a ND for Clemens.
Burnett going ... where? He's open to a long-term
deal with the O's, but the Red Sox are reportedly in
the mix now, too. (via Wash. Post)
MLB milestone watch: Craig Biggio was plunked
by a pitch for the 267th time, tying him with Don
Baylor for the modern record. (As has been suggested
elsewhere, how about live look-ins for his at-bats?)
Must-follow Wednesday game:
Kerry Wood starts vs. Brewers
Roenick Clarifies
Naturally, he blames the media, saying they
missed his point:
"My message during the interview was: How do we make
the game more appealing to the fans?"
Sure, if "appealing" means "alienating."
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Matt Walsh:
"I don't know who told Matt Walsh he was going to be a
first-round pick. But whoever told him that was an
idiot." When Jay Bilas calls you out ... ouch.
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Today on ESPN.com
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| Quickie live! |
| Draft Fashion Review |
| Draft grades |
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| All-Fashion Team |  Beulah Walker
| M. Webster's grandma!
|  Deron Williams' daughter
| A real cutie!
|  Mikael Gelebale
| Best hair in NBA (NBDL?)
|  Greg Anthony
| GM Grunfeld: Keep Big 3 intact!
|  Paced the TV crew
| | See P2's full report! |
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Wimby Watch: Venus vs. Maria set for one must-see
women's semi Thursday (Davenport vs. Mauresmo in the
other)
Anytime the gold-standard Pats make a personnel move,
it's worth noting: They signed KR Chad Morton. Watch
him have a huge Pro Bowl year ...
Michelin offering fans a refund and tickets to an '06
event for the screw-up at the U.S. Grand Prix. Better
than what F1 is offering to fans ...
Music notes: Calling it now: Fountains of Wayne's
newly released rarity cover of "Hit Me Baby" will be
the surprise hit of the summer. (Out today.)
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