By: Kevin Cottrell, Jr. Ten years ago the NBA draft featured two high schoolers, one that became a three-time NBA champ, two dynamic Big East guards, and an ACC point-guard who would eventually be deemed as the "best point-guard" in the NBA. Not to mention a Canadian that preferred soccer to leading a fast break, who would eventually become a two-time MVP. Exactly who am I refering to you ask: Kobe Bryant #13 (3 time Champ), Jermaine O'Neal #17, Allen Iverson #1 and Ray Allen #5, Stephon Marbury #4 and Steve Nash #15. Many believe that the 1996 NBA Draft may have been one of the "deepest" drafts of all-time. But please don't overlook the fact that the draft also featured: Kerry Kittles #8, Samaki Walker #9, Erick Dampier #10, and Todd Fuller #11. With that being said the 2006 NBA Draft is far more confusing than it is deep. There is no consensus #1 pick and the draft is as shallow as a kiddy pool. So put yourself in GM shoes. Do you draft based on need, potential, or simply the best available? Depending on one's roster you're faced with all of the above. There are 200 names in the draft with only 60 available slots. I'm no mathematician but there will be 140 long faces come Thursday morning. If you're into six-man awards, breakout players, and four-year projects then you're in luck because you'll have a hard time selling sneakers with this year's crop of talent. Just a day away from the Toronto Raptors being placed "on the clock" I'll tell you what lottery teams will call what names at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. 1. Toronto- Andrea Bargnani, (7'1 Italy) forward, who many compare to Dirk Nowitzki, is known for his Euro style of play. Sure he can shoot, dribble, and run the floor, but many may question his intensity level just as they do Nowitzki. He should be fine along side Chris Bosh and Charlie Villanueva. 2. Chicago- Tyrus Thomas (6'9 LSU) Power Forward that loves to block shots. His performance during the Tigers final four run truly raised his stock in being the best interior defender in college. There's only one problem with Thomas he can't score. He may be the most athletic player in the draft, but he reminds me of an undersized Tyson Chandler. Hopefully Bargnani will be overlooked at #1. 3. Charlotte- Brandon Roy (6'5 Washington) With Michael Jordan running the show, one has to believe that he is thinking of a scorer. Tar Heels Sean May and Raymond Felton coupled with Uconn's Emeaka Okeafor are proven champs in the collegiate ranks. With a scorer like Roy added to the nucleus this team could be exciting to watch. Then again they are the Bobcats. 4. Portland- Adam Morrison (6'8 Gonzaga) voted as the top player in the nation (or 2nd depending on which award) its amazing that three teams would pass on the man with the 'stache. Despite his lack of athleticism, defense, and health issues (diabetes) he is still a dangerous scorer. On the other hand only two Caucasian Americans have been among the top 20 in scoring since 1992 (Tom Gugliotta & Keith Van Horn). 5. Atlanta- LaMarcus Aldridge (6'10 Texas) many may be screaming that the Hawks need a PG but let's face it, there's no Chris Paul in this draft. So, they should opt for the best available (since they have a lot of needs) Aldridge can run the floor, and more importantly score! But don't be surprised if the Hawks make the first trade of the evening for a certain guard featured in the '96 draft (Iverson). 6. Minnesota- Marcus Williams (6'3 Uconn) when it comes to the Timberwolves where do you begin. KG is still the centerpiece but he needs more than the draft can give. At least Williams can push the rock, which at the very least is a start. 7. Boston- Rudy Gay (6'8 Uconn) With a 39" vertical jump and a wingspan of 87" his potential alone would draw any GM in the league. The thing that makes this pick attractive is that he can slash with Paul Pierce. 8. Houston- J.J. Redick (6'5 Duke) This guy range begins when he enters the gym. Sure he was cited for a DWI but what else could you say about this four-year sharpshooter. He's faced ACC talent every season and still managed to become the All-Time scorer in ACC history despite season-to-season adjustments. His final collegiate performance may have been disappointing (3-18) but what was impressive was that he kept on shooting. 9. Golden State- Patrick O'Bryant (7'0 Bradley) Quick name the starting center for the Warriors during the '05-'06 season? I thought so. With the high-powered Richardson, Davis, and Dunleavy, the Warriors could strike gold with O'Bryant. One thing's for sure they can't do any worse than they did with Ike Diogu. 10. Seattle- Shelden Williams (6'9 Duke) many may describe Williams as being an undersized, overrated Blue Devil but the same was said about Elton Brand and Shane Battier. They turned out to be some pretty good players. 11. Orlando- Ronnie Brewer (6'7 Arkansas) this selection will be labeled a "potential pick." He's a point-forward from Arkansas that is known for his defense. Sure Brewer's no Scottie Pippen now, but neither was Pippen when he was drafted. 12. New Orleans- Rodney Carney (6'6 Memphis) Carney is great in transition and loves to attack the rim, similar to Shawn Marion and Josh Smith. With the ball in Chris Paul's hands Reggie Bush won't be the only thing exciting to watch in the Bayou. 13. Philadelphia- Randy Foye (6'3 Villanova) It's still up in there air as to whether or not Iverson will still be the answer in Philly, but with the selection of Foye, another shoot-first combo guard from the Big East, the Sixers' could potentially be drafting their future. *Please keep in mind that this mock draft is simply that, a projection based off of my knowledge, draft history, and team needs. If I were truly an expert I would be in someone's "war room" breaking down players from their height to what they like to eat. Stay tuned as we will soon find out the entire draft class of 2006, Wednesday June 28, 7 ET (ESPN).

By: Kevin Cottrell, Jr. Ah yes...Wednesday June 21, 2006 marked the first day of summer. Oddly enough Monday the NHL season was concluded with a first-time Stanley Cup Winner (Carolina Hurricanes) as well as the NBA concluding its season crowning yet another first-time champ in the Miami Heat. The NFL off-season is in high gear, and the boys of summer (MLB) are playing at a park near you. With that being said what does a multi-million dollar athlete do on his summer vacation, let's take a look... NBA So the Miami Heat shocked the world by overcoming a 0-2 deficit to defeat the Dallas Mavericks in six games in the NBA Finals. To many that may have been a surprise (it is only the third time in history that was done), but what wasn't surprising to many was the performance put on by MVP awardee Dwyane Wade (34 pts. 8 reb. 4 asst.). With that being said there are some questions that will arrive during the NBA's summer vacation. Q. Its obvious that D-Wade resides in sunny Miami Beach, but normally when one wins a Sports title, and is crowned MVP they attend Walt Disney World in Orlando. So, does D-Wade visit second rated Orlando, when he lives in Miami? A. Sure he does. D-Wade is only 24 years old despite his "Manly heroics", not to mention he has a wife and kid that would enjoy the family time. But don't get to comfy Dwyane because before you know it, it'll be business as usual as he attends U.S. National basketball camp in Las Vegas...Who am I kidding that's still a vacation. Q. Will the Heat Repeat? A. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Mourning and Payton will probably retire now that their pursuit of a ring has finally ended after 14, and 16 year careers respectively. Not to mention Shaq is on the decline and Riley isn't getting any younger. One thing's for sure they still have D-Wade, so after off-season acquisitions one could only imagine. Q. After a 2-0 start, then the four game collapse will the Dallas Mavericks be able to bounce back next year? A. Definitely! The Mavericks reached their first NBA Finals in franchise history (as did Miami) but the only Finals experience they had was Avery Johnson. As a result the Mavs' will lose a lot of sleep this summer, thinking about what they did wrong, and what they could have done to come out on top. The most important thing for the Mavs' to do during their summer vacation is to lock down Jason Terry to keep the nucleus of the team together. Q. Should Shaquille O'Neal and Pat Riley retire? A. Many people would be quick to say yes, but let's examine things first. Shaq has played for 14 seasons, winning four NBA titles, one A.K. (after Kobe). As a result there isn't really much he could prove to the world or even himself. Shaq should really relax his aging body during his summer vacation and enjoy time with his wife and kids. Then if he feels he can endure another 82 game season, why not play again. But if the thought of practice makes his big toe throb then maybe he should ride off into the South Beach sunset. As for Riley, well he may be getting up there in age but the youthful Dwyane Wade will keep him young. Pat should stick around for a couple more years to pass the torch to the next head coach....maybe it'll be Shaq? Q. Now that Dwyane Wade has captured his first NBA title, Finals MVP. Is it safe to say that he is comparable to Michael Jordan? A. It wouldn't be right for a basketball discussion to take place without one being compared to M.J. But coming from a Chicago native please stop with the comparisons. Look the two played in two different eras. In M.J. era there was no such thing as the "hand-check" foul. One could have been rode all the way to the rim without a foul being called. Whereas the D-Wade era plays zone, and a foul can be called due to a stare down. Look one can debate all they want but chew on this: Dwyane Wade's third season: 27 points 5 rebounds 6 assists. Michael Jordan's third season: 37 points 5 rebounds 5 assists 3 steals (one-year after breaking his ankle). D-Wade's rookie average (w/o Shaq): 16 pts. 4 reb. 4 assts. M.J. rookie average 28 pts. 7 reb. 6 assts. 2 steals. Q. Okay maybe D-Wade isn't comparable to M.J. but is he at least the best player in the NBA? A. Right here, right now, at this very moment Dwyane Wade is somewhere on South Beach watching the sunset, with a cold beverage from Wet Willy's in one hand, and his Final MVP trophy in the other. I think that says it all. SPORTS VENTZ • NBA: In case you haven't heard Michael Jordan is now the second largest majority owner (to Rob Johnson) with the Charlotte Bobcats. As the NBA draft lies one week away, M.J. will spend his summer vacation grooming some new talent. Some reports say that it may be University of Washington standout guard Brandon Roy. This 6'5 guard has been deemed as the most NBA ready, with M.J. eyeing him could Roy become the next Wade? Sorry, I couldn't resist. • NFL: With the NFL season beginning in two months, many fans and critics are buzzing in anticipation for the '06 season. Recently ESPN.com released its first set of power rankings with Seattle and Pittsburgh at the top of the list. Of course their ranking will change in due time but one that shocked me most was the Atlanta Falcons at #20. I know they didn't make the playoffs last season but the team has the most exciting QB in football. Not to mention there defense was upgraded with the signing of DE John Abraham, S Lawyer Malloy, LB Ed Hartwell returns from an injury, and CB Jimmy Williams was drafted out of Va. Tech to join his Hokie counterpart DeAngelo Hall. I was always told that defense wins championships....Note to the NFC south the Falcons look to soar in 2006. • MLB: Temper...Temper! White Sox manager, Ozzie Guillen, is known for his outspoken comments has recently made Chicago headlines by using a derogatory name for a homosexual in regards to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti. "What a piece of "expletive" says Guillen, he is "expletive" fag." When asked about his comments Guillen defended his statement by saying "Mariotti is not man enough to meet me and talk about things before writing. He also went on the say that where he is from (Venezuela) the word "fag" is used to describe one's courage not sexuality. Those comments are fine but this is what bothers me...Guillen went on to say he has gay friends, he attends WNBA games, he went to a Madonna concert, and plans to go to the Gay games in Chicago...Well if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's a duck! • Sports First: Carolina Hurricanes wins its first Stanley Cup on the heels of 22-year-old Cam Ward (had 22 saves in game 7 victory) and the Miami Heat won its first NBA Championship on the heels of 24-year-old Dwyane Wade, not to mention the Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL on the broad shoulders of 24-year-old Ben Rothlesberger (youngest QB winner in Super Bowl history). So as our children embark on yet another summer vacation let's enroll them in sports camp to enhance their skills because the future of professional sports is now, and your children, Got Next!

By: Kevin Cottrell, Jr. In the world as we know it, we tend to categorize everything: Rich and poor people, white and blue-collar employees, soldiers and civilians, stars and scrubs, franchise players and role players, you get the drift. The best way to classify individuals are with two categories: The Haves and the Wills. For instance, college graduates have gotten jobs or will get jobs, and ladies a man you dated has lied or will lie.... but this is sports ventz, and in the world of sports things are no different. In this week edition of Thoughtful Thursday we'll examine the have(s) and the will(s) in sports. NFL • Have: Kellen Winslow, Jr., Cleveland Browns tight end phenom decided to take a spin on his motorcycle. In the world of cycles, either you have fallen or you will fall. Winslow eventually crashed tearing his knee in three places, interrupting a promising career. Will: Recently Steelers Quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger decided to ignore Steelers officials in regards to joyriding on his motorcycle, and as of Monday he crashed. Big Ben broke his upper and lower jaw, nose, lost two teeth, he has a 9-inch gash across his head, and lacerations to his knees. Just a few months removed from the Super Bowl, Big Ben has not only disappointed his family, fans, but the Steelers organization. Like Winslow, Ben has lived but will that be the end of his career? • Have: Its true that the beauty of the game is scoring touchdowns, and winning super bowls. In this case, All-Pro receiver Terrell Owens "carried" his team to the promise land and the following year he expected compensation for his hard work. As a result there were times that he refused to come to practice, and of course is no longer apart of the Eagles. Will: Super Bowl 39 MVP Deion Branch of the Patriots, was recently a no-show at a mandatory 3-day camp due to a contract dispute with the organization. The biggest difference is that he contributed to defeating that Terrell Owens team...Pay the guy! • Have: Often times a very athletic "black" quarterback has entered the NFL Draft and been converted to a receiver. For instance, Antwaan Randle-El was a dynamic quarterback from Indiana that is now listed as a WR/QB/Specialist with the Redskins. Will: Marcus Vick, former Virginia Tech quarterback, has been signed by the Miami Dolphins as a quarterback but recently worked into the Dolphins offense as a WR/QB/specialist. I guess NFL executives can't help it that these guys are gifted athletes, but a black QB, Doug Williams has won a super bowl, and another black QB will. NBA • Have: A greatly assembled team featuring Shaquille O'Neal (2004 Lakers) the most dominant center in the game, a dynamic two-guard (Kobe), and a future hall-of-fame coach (Phil Jackson) was embarrassed by a team built on youth and defensive tenacity ('04 Pistons). Will: Will the same thing happen to a team featuring Shaquille O'Neal (2006 Heat) the most dominant center in the game, a dynamic two-guard (DWade), and a future hall-of-fame coach (Pat Riley) versus the Dallas Mavericks? I think so! • Have: L.A. Lakers' courtside seats were once the highest priced seats in the NBA, boasting a $2,100 ticket price. Will: The L.A. Lakers' courtside seats are still the highest priced tickets in the NBA with a $2,200 ticket price. • Have: Duke athletes (Lacrosse) have experienced some legal troubles of late, charges stemming from rape to underage drinking. Will: Another Duke athlete (basketball) J.J. Reddick, has recently experienced legal trouble, being charged with a DWI. Apparently the sharp shooter wasn't that sharp when he committed a legal turn after approaching a police road block...But like the Lacrosse players who have been allowed to play, Reddick will too be allowed to play the game that he loves after being drafted on June 28. SPORTS VENTZ • Have: Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all-time, lost his best friend in his father. MJ returned to the game he loved and led the Bulls to capture their fourth NBA title (1996) versus the Seattle Sonics. Ironically enough MJ & Company won the championship on Father's Day. Will: Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer of all time, recently lost his best friend in his father. After a 9-tournament layoff he has returned to compete at Winged Foot (Thursday-Sunday) in an attempt to capture his third U.S. Open Title, in order to obtain his goal he too will have to win on Father's Day. • Have: USA Teams have sucked in the past: '04 Men's Basketball team lost, World Baseball Classic team lost, USA, and the Men's Hockey Team lost... Will: The USA World Cup team will lose. • Have: Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat's number one scoring option, scored 42 points in a winning effort in game 3 of the NBA finals. • Will: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks' number one scoring option, will score 40+ points in a winning effort in game 4 of the NBA finals.

By: Kevin Cottrell, Jr. After watching the first quarter of game 1 in the NBA Finals, Heat fans may have fallen asleep and woke up Friday thinking, "What happened to Miami?" The Heat shot 70% from the field in the first quarter posting 31 points. Wade was 4-5, and Nowitzki went 0-3 from the field. So, after a great start for Miami, how did Dallas cool off the Heat you ask? Simple, their "JET" was able to soar. In "A D.A.M. Good Series", I wrote that there were 5 keys to the team's success in these Finals; let's evaluate each category to see how the numbers don't lie.... 1. Defense- In the first quarter Miami shot 70% from the field due to the Mavericks poor perimeter defense. "In the first quarter we let Miami attack the rim and do whatever they wanted." Says Jason Terry, who led the team with 3 steals. In the second quarter Miami shot 3-12 from the field (0-5 from 3) and committed 4 turnovers. Their poor shooting and sloppy play, allowed Dallas to take a 2-point lead into the half after trailing 8 at the end of 1. In the second half it was all Dallas, allowing the Heat to convert just 12 points on 1-12 shooting from the field (0-6 from 3) in the fourth. If Dallas can continue to force Miami to take low percentage shots it will lead to an up-tempo game (in favor of Dallas) and a World Championship title for Cuban & Co. 2. Star Power- The main reason Miami got off to such a hot start, was because the Heat's offense flowed through Shaq. O'Neal was 3-4 in the first half, finishing the game with 17 points on 8-11 shooting from the field (his second lowest total in Finals play). Dwayne Wade was very aggressive at times taking 25 shots and connecting on 11 (28 points). The problem is some of Wade's attempts were forced jump shots (his weakness) that led to Dallas fast breaks, and Shaq was not getting the ball down the stretch. Nowitzki had a poor game to say the least shooting 4-14 from the field (16 points), not to mention his sidekick in Josh Howard went 3-14 from the field (10 points) in a game which he was not matched against the dynamic Wade. The difference in the two duos was free throw shooting. Nowitzki and Howard shot 10-12 from the charity stripe, whereas O'Neal and Wade combined to shoot 7-19. When stars struggle from the field, they tend to attack the basket with hopes of drawing fouls. Foul calls were balanced in regards to the stars involved, but Dallas' stars shined when it mattered most. 3. 3rd Scorer- Its evident that Wade and O'Neal did their part of the scoring combining for 45 points from the field. On the other bench were Nowitzki and Howard, who combined to score 26 points (Dirk averages 28 in the playoffs). As a result the game would rest in the hands of the third scorer. It's obvious that the third option for Dallas was Jason "JET" Terry, who soared to new heights dropping 32 points in his finals debut. Antoine Walker scored 17 points, but struggled shooting 3-9 from behind the arc, Jason Williams contributed with 12 points, but seven came in the first quarter. In crunch time the difference in the game was Jason Terry, scoring 12 points in the fourth to match the Heat as a team. In upcoming games Walker and or Williams must become a threat down the stretch to keep the Heat in the hunt. 4. Bench Play- 24-2! Does that stat say enough? Dallas truly displayed its depth by maintaining the tempo for its starters. Stackhouse led the way with 13 off the bench, plus a much needed 8 points from Erik Dampier. Many would have expected Devin Harris to be the spark, but the veteran play of Stackhouse shined despite three stitches to his nose courtesy of Shaq. The Mavericks have the ability to use a 10 man rotation in contrast to Miami's 8, but when your bench combines to shoot 1-8 from the field that simply won't get the job done. 5. Adjustments- Game one was an example as to why Avery Johnson earned coach of the year honors. After falling behind by as many as 11, Johnson reiterated the importance of communication, and team defense. As a result the Mavericks were able to respond by holding the Heat to a 7-23 shooting exhibition in the second half. But this category may actually swing in the Heat's favor. Pat Riley has won more playoff games (167) than Johnson has coached in his brief career (131), and with both teams being exposed throughout the course of the game, Riley's finals experience may prove to be the deciding factor in game 2. Game 1 was truly electrifying but when the numbers are crunched things become more shocking. If Miami wants to gain an edge in the series they will definitely have to improve in these five categories. Although Dallas walked away with the win, the Mavericks should be concerned about the poor shooting of Howard and Nowitzki. Then again the last time Nowitzki struggled this postseason scoring 11 points versus Phoenix, he responded by torching the Suns for 50 in the next match-up. Stay tuned Game 2 should be another "D.A.M." good game!

By: Kevin Cottrell, Jr. The week in sports has served up its latest version of D