Well, I don't agree with the SS/P comparison. I think finding a good quality PF is every bit as hard as finding a good quality center nowadays. And unlike the era we grew up, drafting quality centers isn't as important as it used to be. Getting a stud center doesn't guarentee you anything. Ask Orlando. Game has changed.

Of the top five players selected in the 2002 NBA Draft, only two are still in the NBA: Mike Dunleavy and Drew Gooden.

LOL, that gives some perspective.

FIRST ROUND
1. Houston (28-54) Yao Ming, c, Shanghai Sharks (China)
2. Chicago (21-61) Jay Williams, g, Duke
3. Golden State (21-61) Mike Dunleavy, f, Duke
4. Memphis (23-59) Drew Gooden, f, Kansas
5. Denver (27-55) Nikoloz Tskitishvili, f-c, Benetton Treviso (Italy)
6. Cleveland (29-53) Dajuan Wagner, g, Memphis
7.* New York (30-52)
traded to Denver Maybyner "Nene" Hilario, f-g, Vasco da Gama (Brazil)
8. LA Clippers from Atlanta (33-49) Chris Wilcox, f, Maryland
9. Phoenix (36-46) Amare Stoudemire, f-c, Cypress Creek HS (Florida)
10. Miami (36-46) Caron Butler, g-f, Connecticut
11. Washington (37-45) Jared Jeffries, f, Indiana
12. LA Clippers (39-43) Melvin Ely, f-c, Fresno State
13. Milwaukee (41-41) Marcus Haislip, f, Tennessee
14. Indiana (42-40) Freddie Jones, g, Oregon
15. Houston from Toronto (42-40) Bostjan Nachbar, f, Benetton Treviso (Italy)
16.** Philadelphia (43-39)
traded to Golden State Jiri Welsch, g, Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia)
17. Washington from New Orleans (44-38) Juan Dixon, g, Maryland
18.*** Orlando (44-38)
traded to Utah Curtis Borchardt, c, Stanford
19.*** Utah (44-38)
traded to Orlando Ryan Humphrey, f, Notre Dame
20.**** Toronto from Seattle (45-37) via New York
traded to LA Lakers Kareem Rush, g, Missouri
21. Portland (49-33) Qyntel Woods, f, NE Mississippi CC
22. Phoenix from Boston (49-33) Casey Jacobsen, g-f, Stanford
23. Detroit (50-32) Tayshaun Prince, f, Kentucky
24. New Jersey (52-30) Nenad Krstic, f-c, Partizan Belgrade (Yugoslavia)
25.* Denver from Dallas (58-24)
traded to New York Frank Williams, g, Illinois
26.***** San Antonio (58-24)
traded to Philadelphia John Salmons, g, Miami (Fla.)
27.**** L.A. Lakers (58-24)
traded to Toronto Chris Jefferies, f, Fresno State
28.****** Sacramento (61-21)
traded to Atlanta Dan Dickau, g, Gonzaga

*=New York traded 7th-pick Nene Hilario, Marcus Camby, and Mark Jackson, and 7th-pick Nene Hilario to Denver for Antonio McDyess and 25th-pick Frank Williams

**=Philadelphia traded 16th-pick Jiri Welsch to Golden State for a future first-round pick and a future first- or second-round pick

***=Orlando traded 18th-pick Curtis Borchardt to Utah for 19th-pick Ryan Humphrey and 47th-pick Jamal Sampson

****=Toronto traded 20th-pick Kareem Rush and Tracy Murray to LA Lakers for 27th-pick Chris Jefferies and Lindsey Hunter

*****=San Antonio traded 26th-pick John Salmons, 57th-pick Randy Holcomb, and Mark Bryant to Philadelphia for Speedy Claxton

******=Sacramento traded 28th-pick Dan Dickau to Atlanta for a future first-round pick
SECOND ROUND
30. Golden State (21-61) Steve Logan, g, Cincinnati
31. Chicago (21-61) Roger Mason Jr., g, Virginia
32. Memphis (23-59) Robert Archibald, f-c, Illinois
33. Denver (27-55) Vincent Yarbrough, f, Tennessee
34. Milwaukee from Houston (27-55) Dan Gadzuric, f-c, UCLA
35. Cleveland (29-53) Carlos Boozer, f, Duke
36. New York (30-52) Milos Vujanic, f, Partizan Belgrade (Yugoslavia)
37. Atlanta (33-49) David Andersen, c-f, Kinder Bologna (Italy)
38. Houston from Miami (36-46) Tito Maddox, g, Fresno State
39. Washington from Phoenix (36-46) via Denver Rod Grizzard, f, Alabama
40. Washington (37-45) Juan Carlos Navarro, g, FC Barcelona (Spain)
41.* LA Clippers (39-43)
traded to Orlando Mario Kasun, c, Opel Skyliners (Germany)
42. Milwaukee (41-41) Ronald Murray, g, Shaw
43. Portland from Toronto (42-40) via Chicago Jason Jennings, g, Arkansas State
44. Chicago from Indiana (42-40) Lonny Baxter, f, Maryland
45. Philadelphia (43-39) Sam Clancy, f, USC
46.** Memphis from Orlando (44-38)
traded to Cleveland Matt Barnes, f, UCLA
47.*** Utah (44-38)
traded to Orlando, then Milwaukee Jamal Sampson, f/c, California
48.**** Milwaukee from Orlando (44-38)
traded to Memphis Chris Owens, f, Texas
49. Seattle (45-37) Peter Fehse, f, Halle (Germany)
50. Boston (49-33) Darius Songaila, f, Wake Forest
51. Portland (49-33) Federico Kammerichs, f, Ferro Carril Oeste (Argentina)
52. Minnesota (50-32) Marcus Taylor, g, Michigan State
53. Miami from Detroit (52-30) via Toronto and Houston Rasual Butler, f, La Salle
54. New Jersey (52-30) Tamar Slay, g-f, Marshall
55. Dallas (57-25) Mladen Sekularac, g-f, FMP Zeleznik (Yugoslavia)
56. San Antonio from L.A. Lakers (58-24) Luis Scola, f, Tau Ceramica (Spain)
57.***** San Antonio (58-24)
traded to Philadelphia Randy Holcomb, f, San Diego State
58. Sacramento (61-21) Corsley Edwards, f, Central Connecticut State
*=LA Clippers traded 41st-pick Mario Kasun to Orlando for future considerations

**=Memphis traded 46th-pick Matt Barnes and Nick Anderson to Cleveland for Wesley Person

***=Utah traded 47th-pick Jamal Sampson and 19th-pick Ryan Humphrey to Orlando for 18th-pick Curtis Borchardt to Utah. Orlando traded Sampson to Milwaukee for the rights to 1995 second-round pick Rashard Griffith

****=Milwaukee traded 48th-pick Chris Owens to Memphis for future considerations

*****=San Antonio traded 57th-pick Randy Holcomb, 26th-pick John Salmons, and Mark Bryant for Speedy Claxton





Read more: http://www.insidehoops.com/nba-draft-or ... z1RejasZYf

rocky raccoon wrote:JV had a monster game vs Poland last night: 26 points, 24 rebounds and 5 blocks in 32 minutes.

Just to put the FIBA U-19 Tournament into a little perspective....

The MVP in 2007 was none other than Milan Macvan - our second round draft pick.

I remmeber that 2002 draft a bit. There was a lot of talk about caron butler and even some about Amaare if I recall correctly. I think there was a bit of discussion that we would get caeron through a trade. Given those 2 falling shortly behind us, can only wonder a bit what could have been....Of course, that would have affected our lottery standing too.

Butler and Wilcox were the players that Cavs fans thought they were going to get through a trade with the Clippers. If not them then Lamar Odom from the Clippers. Whole thing fell apart and another Cleveland team drafted a player associated with drugs. (Wagner)

Cleveland Cavaliers selection of Tristan Thompson is 'steal of the draft,' says local coach


Published: Monday, July 18, 2011, 7:31 PM Updated: Monday, July 18, 2011, 7:38 PM

By Mary Schmitt Boyer, The Plain Dealer



"My personal opinion is, and I mean this sincerely, I think he's the steal of the draft," St. Edward coach Eric Flannery says of new Cavalier Tristan Thompson, whom Flannery coached in a 2010 all-star game. "You can't go wrong on the human side of things as far as being a great person ... (and) I think the basketball side is a lot better than people think."


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- St. Edward basketball coach Eric Flannery loved the Cavaliers' selection of Tristan Thompson with the No. 4 pick in the recent NBA draft.
"I think they hit a home run," Flannery said. "I really do."
Flannery coached Thompson in the 2010 McDonald's All-American game in Columbus. Thompson, a 6-8, 225-pound forward who went on to play one season at Texas, had eight points and five rebounds in the West's 107-104 victory, but Flannery was as impressed with his personality as he was with his basketball skills.
"The greatest thing about Tristan -- when people get to know him they will realize this -- is that he is going to be a fantastic locker-room guy," Flannery said. "He is a wonderful human being. I enjoyed coaching him as much, if not more, than anybody I've coached in a situation like we had.
"He's just a great, great kid, great personality, very upbeat, a 'yes sir, no sir' kind of kid. First and foremost, the Cavs are getting a great human being, which obviously is a big plus."
Two weeks after the McDonald's game, Thompson, a Canadian, also had a good showing in the 2010 Nike Summit. Much has been made of Enes Kanter's record-setting 34-point performance in that tournament, but Thompson had 14 points, making five of six field goals and -- interestingly -- all four free throws in the 101-97 loss to the United States. He tied Nikola Mirotic as the second-leading scorer for the world team behind Kanter.

Flannery, a longtime member of the USA Basketball Developmental National Team Committee who coached the U.S. team at the 2010 Young Olympic Games in Singapore last summer, helped put together the team for the Nike Summit but definitely took note of the opposition.
"Tristan had a great game that year," Flannery said.
In his one season at Texas, Thompson averaged 13.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots per game. He shot 54.6 percent from the field but a puzzling 48.7 percent from the line.
"Defensively, blocking shots, instincts for the game, instincts for the ball, he's as good as any player I've seen at his level," Flannery said. "Offensively, obviously, he needs some work, but it's not like he's a raw individual who has no touch. He's got a nice shot. He's got great touch around the rim. His free throws were a mystery when I saw him in college, because I didn't think they were that bad when he was playing with us."


Though most observers had the Cavs taking Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas with the No. 4 pick, Flannery didn't think the Cavs could pass on Thompson.
"You take in the whole picture, how can you take somebody else?" he said. "If you're taking a chance on somebody else, either character or skill set, I thought he was right there and definitely worth it ... I thought he'd be a perfect fit.
"My personal opinion is, and I mean this sincerely, I think he's the steal of the draft.
"You can't go wrong on the human side of things as far as being a great person. I know that's not what everybody looks at. But I think the basketball side is a lot better than people think."
On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

I guess if he doesn't pan out with the Cavs he's got a starting job at St. Eds waiting for him.

With the NBA lockout nearing the end of its first month, questions are swirling about the effect a prolonged work stoppage will have on the players. Without team activities or a summer league, will they stay in shape? Will many of them run into financial problems because they don't receive a paycheck in November? Because of these two issues, will they go play overseas?
While the lockout is painful for everybody, no one is left in a state of limbo more than the game's youngest players. Rookies barely know their new coaches or teammates, they've never experienced the intensity of a professional game and unlike their counterparts, they haven't been paid. Tristan Thompson, the fourth overall pick in the June draft, has decided to turn back the clock. The future Cleveland Cavalier has returned to the University of Texas and plans on enrolling in classes this fall.
"Once the lockout started, I talked with my agent and we decided I should go back to school," Thompson said. "The Texas doors are always open. I'm basically doing everything with the [Texas] team this summer."
Wary of pro-am leagues because of potential injuries, Thompson sticks to the school's Erwin Center. With former Longhorns D.J. Augustin, LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Durant periodically stopping by, Thompson has no shortage of high-quality opponents. Thompson is living on campus and plans to take communications classes when the school's semester starts in late August.
Thompson hasn't gotten a chance to meet all of his teammates though he knows fellow Cavs rookie Kyrie Irving well. His biggest complaint about the lockout is that he's only spoken briefly with Cavs coach Byron Scott and his assistants. This silence is especially tough on younger players who don't have as many contacts around the league. "Nobody from the players' association has reached out to me," Thompson said. "Everything I've heard has been through my agent and a few veteran guys like Baron Davis. I'm in the dark like everybody else."
While this summer hasn't been an ideal introduction to the NBA for the young power forward, he's diplomatic about his situation. "I've been living 20 years without NBA checks. It's not going to change my life. I'm not going to buy a house or a Bentley or anything. I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing."


Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/b ... z1TWvtaVtm

"I've been living 20 years without NBA checks. It's not going to change my life. I'm not going to buy a house or a Bentley or anything. I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing."

Wow, if nothing else gotta love the makeup of this kid.

Omri Casspi pulls leg muscle, MRI coming
Omri Casspi reportedly slipped and pulled a muscle while practicing with the Israeli national team on Wednesday. He will soon have an MRI.
Casspi walked off the court under his own power, so hopefully this isn't anything serious. He has been talking with a variety of overseas teams about signing a contract during the lockout, but any deal would necessarily include an 'NBA-out' clause.
Source: Dubi Pick on Twitter Aug 10, 1:47 PM

It was the Palestinians, I'm sure.

The Portland Trail Blazers are still looking for a general manager to replace the fired Rich Cho and ESPN reports that two more names have been added to the team's list as possibilities.

Sources tell the site that the Blazers are interested in both Cleveland Cavaliers vice president of basketball operations David Griffin and Los Angeles Clippers vice president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.

Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported last week that Oklahoma City Thunder executive Troy Weaver had already interviewed and that the Blazers are also interested in ESPN analyst Chris Mullin, formerly vice president of basketball operations for the Golden State Warriors, and San Antonio Spurs assistant GM Dennis Lindsey for the job.

Kyrie Irving's toe injury will require another three months to completely heal.
Irving said recently that he feels "150 percent" healthy, but he suffered ligament damage that requires rest and more rest. If the season begins on time (Nov. 1) the Cavs may have to decide whether to play their prized rookie hurt, risking further damage, or to shelve him for about a month until his injury is completely healed.
Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer Sep 24 - 11:20 AM