Ah...the NBA Draft...its FANNNNNNNNNTASTIC...

First we start with a commercial from when the NBA went on strike a few years ago...I thought it was funny at the time, and voila its on YouTube.



Now to the draft...

You know what screw it, I will link to wigdors post and the inevitable Draft diary that Bill Simmons does every year later in the day. I'm only going to talk about two teams in the draft. The Houston Rockets, and the New York Knicks.

The Houston Rockets:

So at the beginning of the NCAA season Rudy Gay is considered to be a lock to be drafted in the Top 3 of the NBA draft. He has an average season, and questions arise about his lack of drive, and thats fine, normal to drop him down a spot or two in the draft because of that. However, he's still one of the most talented and athletically gifted players in the draft, no matter how you slice it. Fast forward to the Draft last night, and look what happens. HE'S FALLING DOWN THE BOARD...he ends available to Houston with the 8th pick. If I'm Jeff Van Gundy (Houston Coach), I'm doing backflips in aisles. Houstons biggest issue was lack of a third scorer, and someone who could take over when Tracy McGrady has his yearly 30 game injury. So you think the logical pick is Rudy Gay, but NOOOOOOOO...instead they are going to pick Rudy Gay, and then trade him and Stromile Swift, to Memphis for Shane "My Head looks like a flat tire" Battier. Shane Battier?...for Rudy Gay, even if Rudy Gay becomes Derrick Coleman and only turns it on when he feels like, wouldn't you rather have that than Shane Battier...terrible pick for the Rockets.

The New York Knicks:

I was raised to despise the New York Knicks by my father. For some reason he hated them, so I hate them as well. But at this point, I almost feel bad for Knicks fans. It's been absolute agony for the Knicks for about 4 straight years now, and in the years since Isaiah "I Fail at everything" Thomas has been affiliated with them, its been even worse. Isaiah's one saving grace was that he was a great evaluator of draft talent. So you figure, he wont completely blow the draft. WRONG AGAIN! Isaiah takes with the 21st pick...Renaldo Balkman???

Quick analysis on Renaldo Balkman: Chad Ford's Analysis: Renaldo Balkman? He plays with great energy and is a great athlete, but he averaged fewer than 10 points per game at South Carolina. No other team would've taken him in the first round. He has no skills other than running the floor -- think of a poor man's Darius Miles. He would've been a decent second round pick -- a guy who might have made a roster. Wow.

Forget about who was still available, to pick someone who everyone on earth says would have been available at any spot in the second round, with the 21st pick of the first round is asinine. I feel bad for Mr. Spence and the other Knick fans I know, because it's not even fun for me to cheer against them anymore.

More on the NBA later today...