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.

Wade Sidelined Indefinitely

The defending NBA champions were dealt a huge blow last night as superstar Dwayne Wade suffered a dislocated shoulder. Replays of the incident are tough to watch, especially watching a wheelchair bound Wade wheeled off the court writhing in pain. It's a frightful reminder that injuries play a much larger role in basketball than most people will acknowledge. On a broader scale, this injury could be a major factor in determining the Eastern Conference playoffs. Wade will be sidelined indefinitely and the Heat are sure to struggle in his absence. They're clinging to the 8th seed, only two games ahead of the Nets. If your a Heat fan, Shaq's 20 points and 16 rebounds have to be an encouraging sign. Head coach Pat Riley also returned to work, but the Nets are involved in trade talks and a change of personnel could energize them.

It will be interesting to see if the injury forces the Heat in to a deadline deal. There is a good chance Wade will miss the remainder of the regular season, possibly even longer. Another thing to keep an eye on is Scottie Pippen. One of the NBA's 50 greatest of all time, Pippen has expressed interest recently in joining a contender. He would not make an immediate impact, but could get his legs back in time for a playoff push.

The deadline is fast approaching and only a few minor deals have been completed. Across the river, New Jersey seems to be the most active shoppers but the Lakers appear unwilling to meet their asking price for star guard Jason Kidd. Although the deadline is at 3 PM EST, things probably won't be clear until this evening.

Hardaway Fires Shot at Gay Athletes

I have the perfect premise for TV's next reality hit. It will be appropriately titled "Athletes Say The Dumbest Things" and will feature such gems as Tim Hardaway's gay bashing on Dan LeBatard's Miami radio show yesterday. Hardaway may have had a killer crossover, but he never could drop jaws the way he did on the air yesterday in one of the most disturbing bigotry-laced tirades in recent history. It's a re-inforcement of how backwards thinking some people in this country can be. The worst part? His lame excuse for an apology. It essentially amounted to "I shouldn't have said it when so many people would hear it BUT I mean every word of it".

Putting aside one man's beliefs, let's look at the bigger picture. The whole scene started by host Dan LeBatard simply asking for Hardaway's take on John Amaechi's recent publication. Just a quick summary, former Orlando Magic Center John Amaechi became the first retired or active NBA player to reveal his homosexuality. It's created a media craze; one in which I felt to be completely unwarranted at first. However, since everybody feels the need to comment on it, inevitably people were going to make off-color remarks. Exhibit A, Shavlik Randolph. The former Dukie, and now Portland Trailblazer, would not want a gay teammate to "bring his gayness" on him. Even King James who suggested he couldn't trust a teammate who chose to hide their sexuality from the team needs to insert his foot in his mouth. Luckily for them, they've been pushed to the back of the bus by Hardaway's "I hate gay people" rant. Before sounding off on that, let me explain why I felt this issue received excessive attention.

For a former player to make a stunning revelation to increase book sales (and hopefully awareness, I don't mean to belittle his biographical efforts), I didn't think such disclosure from a former journeyman could impact today's league. If a current player made this kind of announcement and the league had to deal with the ramifications in the locker rooms, I would have found it to be monumental. It just doesn't seem that how an ex-player dealt with being in the closet during his playing days impacts what it would be like for a player to be openly gay in the league right now. Until an active player deals with the obstacles, it seems like these kind of stories are obsolete. However, I'm singing a slightly different tune after the vast opinions being shared.

Surprisingly, "I'm not a role model" Charles Barkley has had the most positive feedback. He has emphasized that he has many gay friends and would have supported gay teammates. He even went so far as to assert that he knew of a few players that were gay, but opted not to out them because it is clearly their decision. It's a shame that counterparts such as Hardaway are not as enlightened. Now I'm not naive. There are plenty of people in this country who do not condone homosexuality, and probably never will. But to come out and say "I HATE gay people" relatively unprovoked is indefensible. Even if the question was "Do you like gay people", his answer wouldn't have had to be so inflammatory. He purposely took cheat shots at an already alienated section of the population simply because he had the captive audience for it.

Sadly, Hardaway will now field countless interview opportunities to defend his statements. That's why "Athletes Say The Dumbest Things" would be such a hit. The dumber the better, and the opportunities to "one up" yourself in stupidity are infinite. Now I just have to find someone to pitch it to.

Arenas says "I'd score 84 or 85" on Duke

It's no secret that lots of professional athletes play with a chip on their shoulder. After being passed up by every NFL team, New York Giants LB Antonio Pierce carries a list of all linebackers taken in the draft that year. Whoever's not in the league anymore, their name gets crossed off. Despite going undrafted, he has very limited company from that once lengthy list. This act of vengeance is being far surpassed by Wizards star Gilbert Arenas. Coach Mike Kryzewski and his staff on Team USA left Arenas off the team competing at the World Championships last summer. In response, Arenas has sworn revenge on those assistants, namely Suns coach Mike D'Antoni and Trailblazers coach Nate McMillan.

Let me preface the following with this: the call and response trash talking between D'Antoni and Arenas is some of the most clever banter I've seen. After D'Antoni wondered aloud how Arenas would do against Kryzewski's Blue Devils, the Wizards star answered back in a blog on nba.com:

"He'd like to see what I'm going to do against Duke. I thought it was funny because if I have the chance to go back to college, I'll give up one NBA season to play against Duke. One college game that's five fouls, right? ... 40-minute game at Duke, they got soft rims I'd probably score 84 or 85. I wouldn't pass the ball. I wouldn't even think about passing it. It would be like a NBA Live or an NBA 2K7 game, you just shoot with one person."

First of all, tremendous credit to D'Antoni for his unbelieveable creativity in asserting "He's gonna kill Duke." With this little retort, he managed to poke fun at the absurdity of Arenas desire to get back at men who "wronged" him without directly lashing out at him. Since players with Arenas' personality will never avoid a chance for some media attention, he took the bait. He managed to arrogantly, yet with such a matter of fact tone, demonstrate how confident he is in his abilities. It's a bit unsettling how much Arenas wants to get back at Coach K and staff, but his underdog mentality has led to monstrous on-court results this season.

Some sports "purists" hate stories like these, but the fact remains that the sports industry lies in the same bed as the entertainment world. It's stars are celebrities and America is consumed by the lure of entertainers. End zone celebrations, media trash-talking, and larger than life stars all come with the territorry. Almost all sports networks make it a point to prove the entertainment value of the teams they cover. Playful spats in the media, such as the one between Arenas and D'Antoni, are inevitable with the amount of time players and coaches spend catering to all media forums. It is at least refreshing to see one with wit and ingenuity.

Nuggets Get Their Answer for a Missing 'Melo

How do you respond to losing the top scorer in the NBA? If you're the Denver Nuggets, just go out and acquire the second leading scorer. In the aftermath of the league's decision to suspend their top two performers for a lengthy period, the Denver Nuggets struck a deal with the Philadelphia 76ERS to acquire Allen Iverson. One of the most celebrated Philly athletes ever, Iverson will be switching NBA uniforms for the first time since the franchise made him the top overall pick in the 1996 draft. While Sixers fans will have a tough time saying goodbye, the move couldn't come at a better time for Denver. Disregarding the fact he is one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, acquiring Iverson pushed stories of Saturday night's brawl to the back pages. They not only got a scorer they coveted, they were able to turn a negative situation in to a positive in a very short time.

For the immediate future, the edge goes to Denver in this deal. They bring in a bona-fide superstar to help contend in an ultra-competitive Western Conference. Iverson is capable of carrying the offense until Anthony returns and brings a lot of intangibles that Coach Karl covets in a player. Also headed to Denver is youngster Ivan McFarlin, an athletic forward who will only see limited minutes. Although the Nuggets benefit greatly from this deal, they gave up a lot to acquire Iverson. Gone is steady PG Andre Miller, reserve forward Joe Smith, as well as two #1 draft picks. Miller is a big guard who distributes well, can grab rebounds, and also gets to the basket effectively. Smith was only thrown in to the deal for his expiring contract, but can still give the Sixers a boost off the bench. I think the Nuggets will hurt more from the loss of Miller than people are anticipating. They are now left with Earl Boykins as their best true point guard, who teamed with Iverson, would make a tremendously undersized guard tandem. Either Iverson or J.R Smith will be relied on to handle the ball more than they're accustomed to if they want to keep enough size on the court. Also, Smith had finally been thriving as a true shooting guard, it'll be interesting to see if his progress is hindered by the acquistion of Iverson.

The only other question left to be answered by Iverson is whether he can co-exist with Carmelo Anthony. For the first time in his career, Iverson will be the number two guy. While his adjustment to the thin air of the Rockies will take place with Carmelo inactive, he will get a chance to mesh with Anthony in late January. Iverson's always been known to take lots of ill-advised shots and has had trouble getting teammates involved. With Andre Miller gone, the Nuggets will need someone to step up and create shot opportunities for everyone else on the court. If Iverson can help fill that void, this Nuggets team could be very dangerous when the playoffs roll around.

Fallout from the Brawl

As Bill Parcells likes to say, "put away the annointing oil". Just as NBA fans and experts were accepting Carmelo Anthony as an equal in the triumvirate (with Dwayne Wade and LeBron James), the NBA's leading scorer will start serving a 15 game suspension for his involvement in Saturday night's brawl at Madison Square Garden. The penalty was handed down earlier today when Commissioner Stern took another hard stand on cleaning up the image of his league. Teammate J.R Smith received ten games, as did Knicks guard Nate Robinson. Also receiving suspensions were the Knicks' Mardy Collins (6 games), Jared Jeffries (4 games), Jerome James (1 game), and the Nuggets' Nene (1 game). Along with the suspensions, both teams were fined $500,000 for their respective roles in the confrontation.

The "MSG Melee", as the media is trying to hype the brawl as close to the "Malice at the Palace" as they can, should be evaluated on several different levels. First, the involvement of Anthony escalates this issue in the eyes of NBA brass. The gifted class of '03 has become the face of the league. While James and Wade were quicker to gain elite status in the NBA, Anthony rose to prominence with a brilliant performance at the World Championships. That momentum carried in to the season where he is leading the NBA in scoring. Along with his sparkling play, Anthony began to erase the off-court issues that had marred the success he acheived in his first three seasons. He displayed his generosity with a $3 million dollar donation to his alma mater to build new facilities in Syracuse and by laying the foundation for a new recreation center in his original hometown of Baltimore. In the conference call Stern held to defend the league's actions he emphasized the punishment dealt strictly with Anthony's on-court actions. He continued to say he'd been proud of Carmelo's recent progress and felt that Saturday was not a proper reflection on the person he has become. Unfortunately, the league's actions will cost the Nuggets star fifteen games which could have the following repercussions. Despite averaging over 30 points a game, the extended absence could cost Anthony his first appearance at an All-Star game. Aside from the financial benefits he would receive from such an honor, it will deprive him of his first chance to take his place among the game's elite. From a team stand point, the Nuggets are 2-9 (entering tonight) without Anthony since he's entered the league. Currently they are holding the seventh seed in the Western Conference, but could lose ground in his absence. Anthony and J.R Smith were becoming one of the league's better 1-2 punches as the young Smith has found his rythym in the Rockies. Smith, the McDonald's High School All-American Game MVP from 2004, has rediscovered the great range and flashy athleticism that made him highly coveted out of high school. He will be replaced in the starting lineup by defensive star Yakoba Diawara and Linas Kleiza will assume Anthony's power forward duties. Although Coach Karl now faces an uphill battle, he claims no responsibility for the actions on Saturday night. He assigns that blame to Knicks coach Isiah Thomas.

Coach Karl is not alone in placing fault on the Knicks head man. Thomas, a member of the famous "Bad Boy" Pistons teams of the '80s, has never shied away from the physical nature of the NBA. His on camera warning to Carmelo Anthony and post game complaints about the Nuggets' questionable personnel decisions late in the game paint a pretty clear picture Thomas is no innocent bystander. However, this situation goes much deeper. Many believe Karl came to New York to defend good friend, and fellow UNC alum, Larry Brown's honor. This belief fueled Isiah to think Karl looked to run up the score, and it appeared that way with the Nuggets holding a secure double digit lead in the final ninety seconds with their stars still in the game. When Isiah told Anthony it would be a good idea to stay away from the paint with a devilish grin on his face, it is evident Thomas either knew his players were looking for a hard foul or personally ordered flagrance. However you slice it, Thomas needs to shoulder some blame. Anyone who's ever watched an NBA game knows flagrant fouls do not just die easily, so if Thomas specifically ordered the harmful foul it is unfathomable that he will go unpunished. As recently as November of this year, Thomas has been involved in bizarre on-court incidents. His high intensity as a player and now a coach often translate in to inappropriate displays on the court. Both teams were assessed a $500,000 fine but David Stern claimed it was a matter of setting a precedent. He wants to hold teams accountable in the future for the actions of their employees and said that the circumstances surrounding this particular incident did not play in to the levying of this fine.

When a group of competitive athletes get in to the heat of battle, there's always the possibility of extreme escalation. Fighting has always been a part of sports, but seems to be put under the microscope when on the basketball court. The biggest reason is the proximity to the fans. Unlike any other sport, fans are closer to the action in basketball than any other sport. There is an innate intimacy to sitting on the court, so when fighting erupts the spectators are perceived as being in real danger. If the criteria for handing out harsher penalties is keeping the fans safe, how come J.R Smith and Nate Robinson did not bare the brunt of the suspensions? The two of them wrestled in to the first few rows behind the basket and were most responsible for putting fans at risk.

For now, both teams will have to spend the holidays with a shortened bench. The Knicks are heading nowhere fast and the Nuggets severely complicated their hunt for a coveted Western Conference playoff berth. From an individual standpoint, Carmelo Anthony took a huge step backwards after an offseason littered with progression. He has handled a lot of adversity in his young career and hopefully will bounce back even stronger after this ugly incident.

New "Whining" Rule Ruining Pace of the Game

As David Stern continues to try and clean up his league, he's managed to break the old adage "if it aint broke, dont fix it". Stern's new initiative of stopping players from complaining has proven to be a horrible distraction through the early action. In last night's action several players received multiple technicals and ejections due to the new rule, including high profile players such as Mike Bibby and Rasheed Wallace. While the latter is no surprise as many have dubbed the new legislation as the "Sheed Rule", many other players picked up technicals as the referees strictly enforced the rule.

While I certainly agree that after a certain level of complaining about a call a player should receive a technical, but the way they're being handed out now is ruining the tempo of the game. In the Knicks game guards Stephon Marbury and Nate Robinson each picked up technicals for voicing their displeasure, and rightfully so due to the language of the new rule. However, both were away from the play and did nothing that warranted such a harsh penalty. If this continues to be called with such frequency teams are going to lose players at an alarming rate and the length of the games will be extended unnecessarily. It interrupts the flow of play and players can't be held to such high standards. Forty somethings in local YMCA's can't even keep their mouth shut after some slight contact in a game, how is it fair to expect players absorbing a lot of contact not to ask for a call. Emotions are a huge part of any sport. Asking players to curtail their complaining is one thing, demanding they do not even give the slightest knee jerk reaction is another. The Commissioner's office claims theres a "heat of the moment" clause, but the way it's been called so far has been detrimental to the game.

USA Demonstrates Dominance

Asked before the game what he thought of the USA's newest dream team, Dwyane Wade emphatically stated this is not a dream team. At least for one night, they certainly looked like it. In front of a large crowd in Las Vegas the newest members of team USA dominated Puerto Rico in a tune up for the World's Championships later this month. Avenging an embarassing loss at the hands of the Puerto Ricans in the 2004 Olympics, three of the holdovers from the '04 US Team lead the way in last night's rout. Carmelo Anthony paced the team with 18 points, including seven of the first nine to jump out to an early lead. LeBron demonstrated the versatility that experts believe will be the key to the U.S success with a great all-around effort including a highlight reel swat. Fresh off his MVP performance in the finals Wade played suffocating defense and chipped in fourteen points, two coming on a jaw-dropping breakway dunk followed by a salute to the troops in attendance. The '03 boys started the game along with fellow draft mate Chris Bosh and Chris Paul ran the point. Much has been made of the lack of playing time Anthony, James, and Wade got in the 2004 Olympics and they all seem to use it as motivation. In several interviews LeBron has re-iterated that they felt they could have contributed more in the past Olympics but now cherish their roles as the faces of the new team.

The most impressive part of last night's game was the defensive intensity brought by the Americans. They employed full court pressure for much of the night and hustled to every loose ball. Guards Dwayne Wade and Chris Paul put a ton of pressure on the Puerto Rican backcourt and the bigger guys did a great job of helping out on drives to the basket. Early in the game Carlos Arroyo got to the hoop with relative ease, but was really shut down in the second half. The guys really seem to be responding to Coach K and showed intense pride in wearing the U.S uniforms. Although it was only an exhibition, this could be a great sign of things to come for the Americans.

Miami Heat Back In A Flash

Since Michael Jordan stepped away from basketball for the final time in 2003, NBA enthusiasts have tried to annoint the "next Mike". In case you haven't considered him before in this discussion, insert the name Dwyane Wade. Wade single-handedly removed the Heat from the verge of playoff extinction last night with a spectacular perfomance that re-defined clutch. He tied a playoff career high with 42 points, along with a personal best 13 rebounds. As if that wasn't enough, he did it on a bum knee and with five personal fouls. Despite those obstacles he continued to attack the basket and make the unique plays that have transformed the former Marquette superstar in to a premiere NBA two man. More importantly, he did most of his damage when his team needed him the most. In the fourth quarter he poured in 15 points and grabbed several key rebounds. He led the Heat back from a 13 point deficit in the fourth quarter to a critical two point victory. His points came in a variety of ways; taking hard at the rim, tough mid-range jumpers and even from beyond the arc. Fittingly, he touched the ball last as he broke up a pass at the rim intended for Josh Howard.

Discussion of the 2003 draft class usually focuses around LeBron and Carmelo. As difficult as it is for me to admit as a rabid Anthony supporter, Wade continues to distance himself from the former Cuse star and makes a compelling argument for being top of the class. While LeBron continues to be a triple-double threat each night and displayed late game abilities in this year's postseason, Wade's clutch scoring ability may make him the brightest of the three stars. In the pantheon of NBA greats, it is the natural scorers and world champions who are held with the highest regard. At this early stage of their careers, give the nod to number three. These three special players will continue to draw comparisons to the great quarterback crop of the 1983 NFL draft of Marino, Elway, and Kelly. Amazingly, twenty years from now the '03 boys may leave a greater legacy in their sport than those three passing greats.

Countdown to the Draft

With day one of the NFL Draft just ten days away, speculation runs rampant as analysts everywhere try to predict what will happen. Mock drafts are being conducted on websites everywhere, but picking players in an accurate order is more difficult than a perfect bracket for March Madness. Even reviewing draft publications, each magazine sees team needs differently. Today San Francisco acquired an additional first round pick, Denver's # 22, in exchange for a second and third rounder. They are a team with many needs, but could this be a move to maybe land the number one? With the sixth overall pick they are close enough to the top to be appealing, and an additional first rounder is tempting. If they could reunite former high school teammates Reggie Bush and Alex Smith in the backfield of their home state, it could be a fantastic marketing move. Granted it would be better if they were closer to their Helix High stomping grounds near San Diego, but remaining in state seems good enough. The odds of this happening are slim to none, but could be an interesting storyline if it developed. For Denver, they still hold on to the 15th pick where they could address their glaring WR need with Santonio Holmes or Chad Jackson. They must feel confident that a solid running back will slip early in to the second round because it appeared they were poised to take DeAngelo Williams if they stayed at twenty two. However, he should be off the board by the time they pick in the second round.

In the NBA, the dreadful Knicks went out on a high note, defeating the New Jersey Nets reserves in a meaningless last game. However, the win did prevent them from dropping sixty games in this horribly embarassing campaign. Hopefully they will clean house (including management) and being to rebuild the franchise. Heading in to the playoffs, the defending champion San Antonio Spurs look to be the team to beat in the West. Their top competition should come from Dallas who finished with the second best record, but will be the fourth seed. In the Eastern Conference, it should be a three team competition between the Nets, Pistons, and Heat.