There is in air of anticipation in Gainesville, Florida this week. And it’s not because football season is only two months away. The University of Florida’s athletic program once again looks to go where no school has gone before.
In Thursday night’s NBA Draft, Florida has the potential to see three of its brightest stars get selected within the top ten picks. No collegiate basketball program has ever experienced such good fortune before. Not Kentucky. Not North Carolina. Not Indiana, Duke, Kansas or UCLA. If the Big Three (Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer) all get drafted in the top 10, it will be the first time EVER three players from the same school have all been drafted so early.
Some programs have come close. The 1976 Indiana Hoosiers team, coincidentally the last college basketball team to finish the season undefeated, had three players chosen in the Top 11 picks: Scott May went second to the Bulls, Quinn Buckner went seventh to the Bucks, and Bob Wilkerson went eleventh to the Sonics.
Similarly the 2005 national champion North Carolina Tar Heels had four players selected in the top 14 picks. Marvin Williams was selected second by the Hawks, Raymond Felton selected fifth by Charlotte, Sean May thirteenth also by Charlotte and Rashad McCants selected 14th by Minnesota.
This is not the University of Florida’s first brush with draft greatness. The school has had a total of six first round draft picks in their history, most notably Mike Miller who was selected fifth by the Orlando Magic. Neal Walk remains U.F.’s highest drafted basketball prospect, selected second overall in 1969, one spot behind Lew Alcindor. Dwayne Schintzius (1990), Jason Williams (1998), Donnell Harvey (2000) and David Lee (2005) were also selected within the first thirty picks in their respective drafts.
Power forward Al Horford is projected to go as high as third to the Atlanta Hawks with former teammates Noah and Brewer probably following not too far behind him. Many thought Noah would have been the first player taken in last year’s draft had he left Florida as a sophomore, but he and his teammates opted to return for the junior seasons for another shot at a national title. Although Noah’s stock may have dropped, he’ll always have that extra championship ring to polish.
The possibility of this team once again making history through the draft should once again indicate how special this group of players was as once again, the Florida Gators stand on the verge of making history.
Tons of people have been jumping on the Brewer bandwagon, but I've always been an Al Horford guy. He's going to come in and give some team 15 and 8 right off the bat. He's already got the NBA body. If he can develop a steady outside 15 to 17-foot range jumper, he'll have a healthy career in the bigs.
Al Horford looks like he could be a man-beast on the glass in the NBA. He has the potential to be a major player in the rebounding department. I wouldn't mind seeing him in Celtic green come fall.
This could be huge, but do u really think pony tail boy will go in the top 10? I really don't think Noah is a top 10, but what the heck do I know? Nice read here Rev, and it would be kewl to have another history lesson taught by the Gators. :)
Boeheim, unfortunately a) I don't think Horford will be around when the C's pick at 5 and b) You already have an Al Jefferson at the power forward spot.
Lisa, in a word... yes. Let me ask you this. How does a guy, who was a projected number one draft pick, win another national championship and put up similar numbers, lose ten spots in draft position? Noah, if anything, got better, but no player was going to put up gaudy individual numbers on those teams. While Noah won't be a go-to guy in the post at the next level, on the right team he will flourish. On the Suns, he'd be ideal. At 6-foot-11, with that wingspan, energy, and pedigree, I think someone will take a shot at him in the top 10.
Horford is going to be real good, and I think Green becomes a good NBA point guard. Noah I see as a decent rebounder and defensive role player, nothing more. Brewer will be a starter for many years, though I did like Oden's two-handed block of his shot, in the championship game. Horford will go 3, Noah in the top 7, Brewer in the top 10, and Green in the late first round, or early second round. I think Green will be picked by the Pistons or Sixers late in the first round.
I think other than Durant and Oden, the kids from Florida are pretty can't miss prospects, who will be good players in the league.
Rev, you know I agree with every word. And yes, Lisa Noah will probably go in the first round. I know you have a problem with him, but he's really an unselfish player!
Rev. I think I got my pic up. Sorry for the disgrace to Gator fans!!
I'd rather have Horford and see the Celts go with a small lineup than have any other player that might possibly maybe be there at 5. Besides, the Celtics have a history of good players sliding down the board into their hands (Pierce, Jefferson, and maybe we can say Gerald Green if he matures), so the luck of the leprecaun might work in their favor.
PF, don't sleep on Chris Richard either. He could be a steal late in the second round for someone who needs a bruiser. If you watch the championship game again (which I have several times), it's actually Richard who defends Oden better man-to-man than either Horford or Noah.
FHT, be right there.
ReturnofBoeheim, Horford's gone at either three or four. Stop living in denial.
I would love for the Sac Kings to get Noah, I just don't see him dropping down to the 10th spot, the Kings need a defensive big man, please no one else draft him!
Vearl, the strength and conditioning program at UF is so top-notch, from everything I've read all our players, including Green and Richard, have really impressed NBA coaching staffs.
I'm happy for you Rev. I'm happy for all the Florida Gators Basketball fans. So where's the celebration party? Will there be beer and hot wings? Damn you Gator fans have football bragging rights, you have basketball bragging rights and now you have draft bragging rights.
If I didn't know better, I'd think you were a Florida fan.......say it isn't so....ha ha. That would be an incredible thing for sure if they did it.....very hard to do. I'm with Pig, if they do it.....I'm expecting a huge party.
Pig, we also have some damn fine co-eds down here. They'll be serving the beer and hot wings. Come on down.
Steeler, what's up, man? Like I said, there's plenty of anticipation around here for the draft. Most places should be packed. We know what's at stake and hope all three go in the Top 10. It should happen.
Last edited by ReverendRhythm on June 27th at 5:57 AM.
Not to rain on this Gator love-fest, but no one is gonna waste a top 10 pick on Noah. He'll probably go late first round. That makes Florida like a bunch of other schools who've had three players taken in round 1.
WOOHOO!!! Co-Ed's serving beer and hot wings. Kinda like a HOOTERS down there at the University of Florida. They sure can win some championships.
Hey...Kinda good that the coeds are serving beer and hotwings because with the graduation rate down there...that's what most of the coeds will be doing in a few years. THANK GOD for HOOTERS!!!
Rev... we are just continuing the trend of "year of the gator" it actually has gone a little longer than a year but who's counting. It is a real possibility that all 3 go in the top 10, that would be great.
Also, think in a couple years when Tim Tebow goes number 1 in the nfl draft, Im already giddy over that one, lol.
Why am I not surprised tha someone who sees Noah as a top 10 pick also thinks their QB who has never started is Heisman worthy. You guys make Arky homers look like reasonable, well versed sports fans.
And I'll man up, agreed. However, when Noah is drafted 22nd, I wanna see a blog about how easy it is for Florida fans to stick their thumb up their butt and become bloated.
Reverend, I apologize, that was kinda mean. I'm just havin' one of those days, sorry.
What I will do, if Noah goes top 10, is write a respectful, well researched, glowing blog about the Gators and their tremendous successes of late. If he doesn't go top 10, can you write something negative about your Gators? (at least the women's bowling team or something?)
Oh man...Ijust looked. the Florida Gators women's bowling team is anchored by Tabitha Tebow, 6'3 240. Seems she uses Chuck Norriss's head for a bowling ball and averages 310.
You'll have to look harder to find something bad to say than I will to find something good, lol.
Great post as always Rev! I agree that Horford is best suited right now to play in the NBA. Easily a 15/8 guy as a rookie.
My only concern for Horford is going into the witness protection program that is the Atlanta Hawks. They are the most poorly run and dysfunctional professional sports franchise in all of sports, from ownership on down.
Hogfan, we got Tabitha free of any recruiting violations. Try again.
Franco, thanks. Again, I'll be on the road tonight so good luck with the show. You know I'll be there in spirit and will catch the archives next time I'm in front of my pc.
By the way, I usually don't like mentioning my own stuff when commenting... but you said that I had a twisted mind, and so on and so forth... so I just put something out there that may fit that description... and then some. Just curious if you would inform me if I have officially "lost my mind" or what... ha ha
later - kp
Watching the draft last night I see Noah go to Chicago and obvioulsy Brewer to Minnesota. Think anyone else is saying Noah to Minnesota along with Player A, B and/or C for Kevin Garnett? Noah and Brewer together and KG goes to the Bulls.
Probably never going to happen, it's just fun to specualte.
Good night for the Gators, but then again, isn't every night lately?
Chris Richard also went second round the T'Wolves.
Hoit, let me put this in a language you can understand. Seeing three Gator players set history by being drafted in the Top 10 would be like you hunkering down for a big weekend, going to the video store and renting Karate Kids I, II and III on DVD for a weekend marathon.
Turn-ons: Gator national championships ; Sushi; NBA Playoffs; A Tribe Called Quest; Women; Jack Daniels; Women who drink Jack Daniels; Women who drink Jack Daniels while eating sushi; Women who dream of more Gator national championships while eating sushi and drinking Jack Daniels during basketball season, The Red Zone Report
Turn-offs: Waking up early; The inevitable media coverage Bobby Bowden will get when he finally retires; Drama; Prejudice; Chicken liver; Work of any sort
