Oden, Durant, then ?

The two most talked about stars in College Basketball are headed to the Pacific Northwest after sensational freshman campaigns, but after they are off the board, it's anyone's guess what will transpire in tonight's NBA draft. Portland has reportedly tabbed Oden as their man with the top overall pick, which all but guarantees Kevin Durant to the SuperSonics. Will it be Oden's longtime teammate Mike Conley Jr to the Hawks at three? More likely it will be Chinese sensation Yi Jianlian or Florida's Al Horford, but there is very little consensus on how the rest of the lottery will shape up.



Any amateur draft has its uncertainties, but the unsettled future of superstars such as Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, and Jermaine O'Neal, whose names are all linked to trade rumors makes this one espeically tricky to figure out. The Celtics #5 selection has been involved in a host of trade talks, but they publicly pronounce they are reluctant to rid themsleves of their lofty pick. With two picks in the top 11, the Atlanta Hawks should be the major swing team of the night. Whether they offer the picks in a package for a superstar or look to acquire more picks, they have the most influence over how the draft will shape up.



Sure-fire lottery picks Durant, Oden, Conley Jr., and the Florida trio of Horford, Corey Brewer, and Joakim Noah have been spotted all over New York City promoting the game. Most of them are sure to get their autograph seekers, but there's one player who doesn't get enough attention. As a member of the two-time defending champion Florida Gators, it's hard to imagine a player being overlooked, but this guy will be special. I'm not talking about Noah or Horford, but rather the 6'8' swingman Brewer, who has an impressive skill set and a non-stop motor. His tremendous wingspan has made him a defensive stopper, as well as being a versatile offensive threat from on the wing. A sure-fire top 10 pick can hardly be described as a sleeper, but Brewer should immediately help any team he ends up on. I'd love to see what he could do in an uptempo system that likes to put a lot of pressure on the ball. He can get a bit too aggressive and be caught out of position on defense, but most of the time he ends up with the ball and an easy two on the offensive end. For selfish reasons I hope he inexplicably pulls a Brady Quinn to the Knicks, but some team will be lucky to have him in the top 10.



With their lottery pick dealt to the Bulls, who could be in the Brewer sweepstakes at 9, the Knicks have to wait until pick 23 for their only selcrtion of the night. According to most reports, the Knicks have locked in on DePaul junior Wilson Chandler. The words most often associated with Chandler are "athletic and versatile", two areas that would greatly improve any team. He's more polished offensively than last year's first rounder Renaldo Balkman and gives the team a much needed boost in the front court. A concern is whether he is enough of a presence on the defensive end to compensate for offensive minded Center Eddy Curry. With that in mind, the Knicks initially had interest in shot blocking specialist Shaun Williams. It's unclear whether he will fall to the Knicks because several teams ahead of them, including the Nets, have him on their radar. The Knicks have no second round pick, which like their first round swap is thanks to the ridiculous Eddy Curry deal, but with 14 players under contract a late draft choice would have a tough time sticking with the team. However, by signing Kentucky's Randolph Morris in March, they essentially picked up an extra first rounder.



For all the heat Isiah Thomas feels as an unsuccessful coach and general manager, draft night is where he shines. He has an undeniable talent of finding less sought after talent, yet inexplicably makes a lot of foolish moves through free agency and trades. While Eddy Curry has grown in to an offensive force, he's too one dimensional to ever warrant the package the Knicks gave up. The slew of picks they forfeited (and are giving away through next year's draft) to acquire him should be reserved only for the most elite, and even then it's questionable. Even with some shaky decision making in the front office, the Knicks have assembled a team capable of winning in a weak Eastern Conference. They've asserted tonight's pick will not be expected to make an immediate contribution, but he will need to do so if the Knicks are to end their playoff drought.