I decided to make a slight name change to the blog that I think fits it better. 

Well, as I wait for tonight's Spurs beatdown, I'm gonna rant a little bit about one of my favorite NBA events, the draft. I love watching the draft each year, mostly because it amazes me how so many organizations make the exact same mistakes year after year. Time and again, teams fall in love with athleticism and potential and forget actual performance on the court. It's the reason why Brandon Roy was allowed to slip to 6th in the last draft,  and how Josh Howard slipped past guys like Jarvis Hayes and Mickael Pietrus. The worst offenders in this category are the Atlanta Hawks, who have made it an annual tradition to select the most athletic forward available, apparently in hopes of one day monopolizing the slam dunk contest. The rumor going around this year is that they're looking at Brendan Wright and Javaris Crittenton with their first 2 picks, adding to their ridiculous collection of forwards and rolling the dice with the Georgia Tech product to fill their gaping hole at point guard. Because for every Amare Stoudemire there's DeSagana Diop, I'm listing some of this year's prospects who fit the rough athlete mold (lets call them the "Marvin Williams All-Stars") and some guys who've actually shown solid performance (lets call them the "Chris Paul All-Stars").

Marvin Williams All-Stars (can be seen quickly rising up the Atlanta draft board)

• Javaris Crittenton - An amazing athlete, to be sure. The sky's the limit for a 6-5 point guard with hops, and as an ACC fan I saw that he's clearly very skilled. However, when decision-making is listed as your biggest flaw, how good a point guard prospect can you be? He's at best the 3rd best point on the board, and the 11th pick is way too high for a guy who needs at least a year or two to become a viable option at the point.
• Josh McRoberts - I couldn't believe that people were talking about him as a lottery pick last year, and I still don't see much reason to be high on for him. He's got good size and above-average (not elite) athleticism, but he's shown all the mental fortitude of a high schooler. He's a decent prospect, but I certainly wouldn't rank him above a guy like Jared Dudley.
• Daequan Cook - He basically burned all his bridges at OSU before he left, which doesn't speak a whole lot to his character. He's not real good at doing anything other than scoring, and he's streaky at that. In a draft this loaded, I sure wouldn't be wasting a first-rounder on a potential head case with huge flaws in his game.

Chris Paul All-Stars (you'll be asking where they came from next year)

•  Al Thornton - Most mocks have him at 12-13, yet there's a good chance he'll have more impact next year than anyone not named Durant or Oden. He's a freakish athlete and has a much more polished game than most people give him credit for. He's also a stud defender. He's like Shawn Marion with a better jumper (anybody realize that he shot over 42% on 3s for three of his four college seasons?).
• Acie Law - There's something that makes great players great. It's not a measurable statistic, but you know it when you see it. It's what separates Michael Jordan from Vince Carter. It's the reason why Robert Horry is still employed. It's the difference between net and rim on the game-winning shot. Whatever "it" is, Law has it. He's the consumate leader, and he has the uncanny ability to will his team to victory.  Nobody has hit more big shots in the last two years, and yet teams would rather have the "potential" of Crittenton than the proven excellence of Law.
  
• Taurean Green - He was probably the most valuable member of back-to-back championship teams, the steady hand that made the Florida engine run. Despite that, he apparently has no shot at the first round. Keep this in mind when he's on the All-Rookie team next year.
• Stephane Lasme - He's too old. He's too short. He's too raw. Apparently, people would rather draft the head case Sean Williams (who didn't even play in Orlando, which means scouts haven't seen him since early last season) instead of Lasme, college basketball's best shot-blocker and a strong rebounder. He could easily be this year's Paul Millsap, and his game also brings Dennis Rodman to mind. Some team will get a steal with him in the late second.

That's all for now. I'm gonna try to blog game 2 later tonight, so be sure to check that out.