NBA Draft

The annual NBA draft breakdown is here. We better celebrate because in another week, the NBA will be have all the headlines with a lockout. I'm happy to be back from vacation (more on that later) and ready to bring you some NBA draft analysis along with some crappy jokes. The NBA is one league I've stayed away from since the Spurs were knocked out of the playoffs. I was hurt. The pain hasn't subsided much since the Mavs won the title and Tony Parker might be leaving. Every media outlet says this draft is weak. If that's the case, then no need to dive into all the information right? That's crap. It's called a lottery for a reason. Teams are gambling on these young men and whose to say they won't find a hidden gem in the pile of rust. All I want is some exciting trades, good picks and maybe a few surprises.

I know you may have never been to Omaha, Nebraska before or think it sounds boring. I have some news for you, Omaha is pretty sweet one time out of the year. My brother and dad came up from Texas and Oklahoma for the College World Series and it was awesome. T.D. Ameritrade Park opened without any problems and it is awesome. Rosenblatt was a dump compared to this new park. Sure, some of the traditions such as the outfield sections yelling 'Right Field Sucks' 'Left Field Sucks' or the ball girls getting booed for not catching foul balls off the netting behind home plate and you don't have to park in someone's lawn for $20 a game. However, the fans on Tuesday day game did start the sucks chants and a giant wave over the park. I enjoyed parking in a garage and spending less money to park there all day then someone's yard and the new fan fest has more room for games for the kids. My only problem was the General Admission gate was messed up. The tickets tell you to go to Gate 3 or 4 but when you get to those gates, you must walk up a giant ramp on the other side of the fence just for your entrance. It was lame. Other than that and getting a massive sun burn on my arms, I enjoyed my new CWS experience. In fact, my whole vacation was wonderful. I got to spend time with my family, ate plenty of food and watched sports. You can't beat that. We had one of the greatest waitresses ever on Monday night at the Omaha Old Market Old Chicago restaurant. She was beautiful, fun and had a personality. I know you are saying, 'Well she was a waitress so she was just nice to you for the tips.' That is not always the case when some servers really suck. I'd take a few more like her any day. Alright enough about my relaxing time away from work, let's spend some quality time on the NBA Draft.

1) Cleveland Cavs- Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke

This should have been the Clippers pick and I would have loved to see Irving to them instead of the Cavs. This draft is suppose to be a weak one and when the number 1 pick is a guy who played 11 games for his 1 season at Duke, it's weak sauce. He's not a super-duper-star and won't fill the void of Lebron James. There isn't one guy who could do that. At least not in this draft. I won't bore you with versatile, explosive or any of that other crap. In all, Irving needs to come in and be a good point guard and lead this team. It's going to take time, much like Wall in Washington. I have more faith in Wall than Irving. The NBA is a point guard league and the Cavs must feel this guy can lead them.

2) Minnesota Timberwolves- Derrick Williams, F Arizona

I'm much higher on Williams than I should be, probably. Williams was the man I felt Cleveland should have selected. If the Cavs take Williams 1st and Brandon Knight 4th, that's a homer run. Even so, Williams goes to the Wolves, who already have Beasley and Love, so the Forward spot is full as is the guard position. The problem is some guys aren't producing what they should be where they were drafted. Williams is a tweaner, not quite big enough for the Power Forward and to big for the Small Forward. Williams, Beasley and Wesley Johnson are a lot alike. One of them needs to pan out. I can see Williams being much better than either of them. Williams and Rubio who is finally coming to the NBA could make it interesting in Minnesota. Now, find a coach KAHN!

3) Utah Jazz- Enes Kanter, C Turkey

Kanter is a true Center in the draft. Kanter and Al Jefferson could be a great duo inside for the Jazz. I don't know a whole lot about the kid. He's big at 6'11" and can shoot the mid range jumper which is huge. Jefferson is a back to the basket player and Kanter can stretch the defense. I agree with this pick because of Jazz lack of big men. They need another guard and Jimmer could be the guy later in the draft. Kanter should start right away and that's big especially when you add a foreigner. They usually take a few years to come over.

4) Cleveland Cavs- Tristan Thompson, F Texas

I love it. Thompson is a kid who can come and play right away. The Cavs want to use their 2 top 4 picks for guys who can come in and play. The other big foreigner, Jonas, wouldn't be able to play this coming year. Now that may not matter because of the lockout but if the NBA gets a CBA done, they get 2 kids to play right away. Thompson is a bit small at the Power Forward spot at 6'8" and that's my only complaint. Thompson can learn and play right away and that gets my approval.

5) Toronto Raptors- Jonas Valanciunas C, Lithuania

The pregame with Jonas and Bargnani will be interesting to listen too. I realize Toronto is in Canada but that doesn't mean they need all foreign players. Holy crap, I'd hate to be their play by play guy or a local sports talk show host. I would have no idea how to pronounce half their names. I'm not going to feed you a line of crap and say I know anything about this kid. Good luck to him. You will forget about him in a year when he's not playing in the NBA.

6) Washington Wizards- Jan Vesely, F Czech Republic

The sad part of this draft is the Wizards couldn't find a decent shooting guard to help Wall. Vesely is a more explosive Dirk. Vesely is a big kid at 6'11", fast up and down the court and can shoot outside better than Blake, who he was compared too. I don't mind this pick if the kid comes over right away. The Wizards don't have enough talent to wait a year or 3 before getting help for their young star, John Wall. Vesely can come over and team up with Wall and JaVale McGee.

7) Sacramento Kings- Bismack Biyombo, F Congo

This kid will go to the Bobcats in a deal done before the draft started. An extremely young kid at 18 allegedly. Bismack is a freak athlete which doesn't always tell me he's going to make it in the league. He might be a good kid and all. I just don't know if he's going to be more than a work-in-progress. He's a 50-50 guy, total flop or good player. I'm going with flop. The best he can do is be the 2nd coming of Mutombo.

8) Detroit Pistons- Brandon Knight, PG Kentucky

I love this kid a lot. The Pistons got a great steal with Knight as I feel he can be better than Irving. The Pistons may be able to unload a guy like Stuckey or Bynum by picking Knight. They have way to many guards now. Hopefully if Detroit can move one of those guys, they can add Hamilton or Prince in the deal. They need a lot of help so Knight goes to a bad team. He should help them improve but management needs to help him out.

9) Charlotte Bobcats- Kemba Walker, G UCONN

Walker is a kid who lit it up in the Big East Tournament and the NCAA Tournament which helped him get to number 9. I have some doubts on Walker. He's really small to be a shooting guard but doesn't know the point position. The best I could see for Walker is getting the toughness of Allen Iverson and get to the rim. He will take a beating and may not get back up after being knocked down. I hope I'm wrong since I like Walker. I just hope he can become a solid player.

10) Milwaukee Bucks- Jimmer Fredette, G BYU

The pick goes to the Kings in the deal earlier in the day. Sac gets a big time scorer in Fredette. He could end up being a Mark Price 2.o. He can't guard anyone but that's not why anyone would drafted him. Fredette should be a good scorer as he can hit shots off the pick and create his own shot. I don't see him as a starter for any team because of lack of defense. He will be a great spark off the bench. Is that good for number 10?

11) Golden State Warriors- Klay Thompson, G Washington State

Finally the first true shooting guard comes off the board. He is a pure shooter and bigger than Curry. The Warriors are packed with guards though so a trade could be in order sometime. Monte Ellis is the guy I keep hearing will be traded. They wouldn't get rid of Curry who is an explosive offensive player. Curry could slide to the point and Thompson the 2 if they trade Ellis. If they don't trade, then I'd say you start Thompson and have Curry come off the bench. Thompson is bigger and can play better defense. Golden State could even play all 3 and go small.

12) Utah Jazz- Alec Burks, G Colorado

The Jazz were hoping for Jimmer to be here so they could add yet another white guy. They have Gordon Hayward for that spot. Burks is another true shooting guard. Burks could easily be the first guy off the bench of the Jazz next season. C.J. Miles should start and then Burks subs for him. He's lengthy which will help his defensive potential and he needs to develop his jumper. I like both picks for the Jazz. They add size and potential.

13) Phoenix Suns- Markieff Morris, F Kansas

One of the brothers comes off the board to the Suns. Morris is a power forward who can play all over the court. He can play pick n' roll which helps Steve Nash, that is if he stays in Phoenix. There were a ton of rumors Nash was on his way out in several scenarios. So far, he sticks around and they add size inside. I liked the pick a lot. Suns needed a guy just like this. He's not as explosive as Amare but he's got better knees.

14) Houston Rockets- Marcus Morris, F Kansas

The twins go back to back. As Stern said, "Yes they do." The Rockets are going to have plenty of questions with Yao and this pick. Patrick Patterson, Luis Scola and now Morris. Houston has more filler and glue guys than any other team in the league. If they had a true superstar, this would be a good thing. They don't and I don't see them getting one. I don't see them jumping into the playoffs this coming year.

15) Indiana Pacers- Kawhi Leonard, F San Diego State

I was shocked it wasn't a white guy. Hey, I'm not racist, it's just what Indiana does. With Jimmer gone, the Pacers take a 6'7" Forward who should work hard on the defensive end with his long arms. Leonard could play well with Danny Granger, as he's a scorer. The real problem for Indiana is the fact they have a bunch of players right around the 6'5" to 6'8" range. That is a lot of tweeners and not a lot of specific position players. I like Paul George, Hansbrough and Granger. Now they add another guy similar to them in Leonard. They do different things though so that's a plus. I just don't know if they can mix well. After I wrote all that, later on in the night, Leonard is heading to the Spurs for my 2nd favorite player George Hill. I hate the trade as I like Hill. Unless it was a trade for a big man who can guard and rebound, it was a bad deal.

16) Philadelphia 76ers- Nikola Vucevic, F USC

He's a big kid and size is something the Sixers needed desperately. Elton Brand played better this year and Doug Collins got the whole team to play solid defense. Nikola can come in and help the back to the basket offense. If he can come in and help defend the post, this team will continue to rise.

17) New York Knicks- Iman Shumpert, G Georgia Tech

I have no idea who this kid is either. The crowd booed him but Knick fans are morons. They boo everyone. Shumpert can help the perimeter defense and that's a good thing. He may not be able to shoot which fills a void for New York. They have to many chuckers. I don't know much about Shumpert. If he can compete on the defensive end and add toughness, that's perfect. Now, they have to add size.

18) Washington Wizards- Chris Singleton, F Florida State

Here is a kid who can play for the Wiz right away. I don't care if he can't score because this was all about defense. Singleton is a solid defender and can guard almost every position. He doesn't need to fill it up, just hustle and get slop shots. He's a good kid and I liked the pick. I would love to see both of these picks come in right away for the Wizards. I like Wall and would love to see them get a little better. My buddy needs a reason to stick with the NBA since he's a Wiz fan.

19) Charlotte Bobcats- Tobias Harris, F Tennessee

This pick goes to the Bucks in the 3 team trade from earlier. From a roster standpoint, he fits the role they need. I don't know much about him so I can't dive in. I will say I had hopes Bogut would be on his way to San Antonio.

20) Minnesota Timberwolves- Donatas Motiejuna, F Lithuania

Another player we won't see right away. The T'Wolves need talent and this isn't a guy with talent. Then again, I don't see much talent in this draft. This pick and Johnny Flynn were traded to the Rockets for Brad Miller, a future 1st rounder and the number 23 pick in this year's draft. Yes the Rockets needed another forward.

21) Portland Trail Blazers- Nolan Smith, G Duke

This was the perfect player for Portland. They need another Point Guard who can help feed the ball to Aldridge, Roy and Wallace. The trade they made late in the year for Wallace was brilliant. Oden is the bust on the team who will never be a complete player or help the team which is unfortunate. This Blazer team is one move away from being a great team. They made the wrong choice in Oden but Smith was a great addition. The trade later on made sense for both teams. Andre Miller is an older veteran and the Blazers got a young PG who I like a lot. Felton is a solid starter and will fit in with the Blazers.

22) Denver Nuggets- Kenneth Faried F Morehead State

Faried comes from a great college name. I grew up in Moorhead, IA. Anyway, I haven't heard much about the kid. He's small at 6'7" to play the power forward position. He is going to be one of those guys who comes off the bench and provides a ton of heart and energy. Those two things can't be measured.

23) Houston Rockets- Nikola Mirotic, F Spain

If David Stern can't pronounce his name, he doesn't deserve to be picked. Never heard from him and he won't be coming over for 4 years. How does this help? Well since they traded the pick it doesn't matter. The T'Wolves are going to get the foreigner. The Rockets add Flynn which isn't all bad. Oh wait, yes it is because he hasn't been good either. The pick was moved again to Chicago

24) Oklahoma City Thunder- Reggie Jackson, G Boston College

The future of the NBA is probably this franchise. OKC is a great team and the trade for Perkins was perfect. I was hoping for a big for the Thunder. Jackson is a role player and that's all this team needs. He can come off the bench at times for Harden and Westbrook. OKC are close to the Finals so they aren't in major need at any position. At 24, Jackson is the perfect role, glue type player.

25) Boston Celtics- MarShon Brooks, G Providence

Brooks will be a bench player for Allen. He won't have the quick shooting touch as Allen but can improve. Celtics can't find new stars at the bottom of the 1st round. Again, you find role players and energy players. Brooks can fill it up and should improve on the defensive end. He should be a decent role guy for now. Brooks was traded later to the Nets. That's not a bad deal for the Nets. They need guys who can score and spot up and shoot. He can play well with Williams and Lopez.

26) Dallas Mavericks- Jordan Hamilton, F Texas

The (large gulp to swallow the puke) world champion Dallas Mavericks chose a homer Texan. He's a defender which is something Dallas has been improving on the past 2 years as a team. I like Hamilton and will be a good player. It's a shame they traded him about 2 minutes after being picked for a Rudy Fernandez. They don't need defense.

27) New Jersey Nets- JaJuan Johnson, F Purdue

JaJuan goes to the Celtics after they switch draft picks. He's a 6'10 back to the basket player which is good for the Celtics. They need a guy on the post after trading Perkins. He needs to get tougher to help their inside defense.

28) Chicago Bulls- Norris Cole, G Cleveland State

This pick went to Minnesota in a deal earlier in the night. Cole is a guy I hoped would fall to the Spurs after trading Hill. T'Wolves made a lot of deals during the draft and they eventually moved this kid to the Heat. I guess Minnesota wanted to make the most moves in NBA Draft history.

29) San Antonio Spurs- Cory Joseph, G Texas

Well the Spurs needed another guard after trading Hill and they add a role player and back up point guard. He's not well known and that's the norm for the Spurs. I can rejoice in the fact he isn't a foreigner who isn't going to play for 3 years. I still look for a big defender/rebounder some time during the draft. I doubt they move Parker now.

30) Chicago Bulls- Jimmy Butler, F Marquette

Yeah I have no idea who this kid is. The draft ends in a whimper.

The NBA Draft had several solid picks and questionable calls. I don't care for foreign players being drafted and then waiting 3 or 5 years to get over to the league, aka Rubio. I liked what several teams did especially the Jazz adding a guard and Center. I felt the Cavs really missed an opportunity to add Williams and Knight. However, they got guys coming right in and helping the teams. The real shame is in a week, 2 professional sports leagues will be in a lockout.

I hope you enjoyed the draft and this blog. You can email me at jcall@bigbadsportsdaddy.com or you can follow me on Twitter @mccall316. Hit up BBSD everyday for new stories and interesting blogs.

NBA Playoff Preview

The regular season has come to an end...finally. Is it just me or does the NBA season seem a little too long? With a lockout looming (I'll send my check to you Mr. Stern), maybe the NBA can make the season shorter and the playoffs back to the format of 5-7-7-7. The first round won't be over until late May. The NBA certainly has had one of the best seasons in over a decade. This year there was a lot of story lines, big trades and less injuries to the main players in the league. The Playoffs seem to continue the trend of story lines as there has potential for several upsets. America has a team to back and I'm not talking the Mavericks. I think we can all agree, if you're not a Heat fan, Go Sixers! I'm looking forward to a great postseason. Who is going to win? Well, if the past serves me the same as my wrestling picks, bet the opposite of what I tell you from here on. I must tell you, not tooting my horn, I did have the Packers in the Super Bowl in my NFL preview. Everyone seems to like one older team and a young squad to make the Finals. Before we get there, we have to dissect how those two teams will make the Finals.

Eastern Conference

Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers

No one can match the stellar play of Derrick Rose. It's a fact. Rose is the MVP of the league. He has asserted himself as the best point guard in the league. The other thing the Bulls have going for them is a lot of size. Luol Deng plays big for a small forward grabbing close to 6 boards a night. Carlos Boozer isn't the best post defender but when you add Joakim Noah behind him, the two are quit the pair. Omer Asik also contributes in small doses off the bench. Indiana is playing well and I like Darren Collison. I don't love him. The Bulls won't let their guard down with Thibodeau. Bulls in a sweep.

Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic

The real surprise to this match up is Atlanta won 3 out of 4 during the regular season. You figure with Orlando's size and outside shooting, Atlanta wouldn't be able to keep up. In fact, I felt the Hawks were regressing a bit even with such a talented roster. The only real problem I have with the Hawks is Joe Johnsons' contract. That is not a reflection of anything on the court, I just had to say it because it's ridiculous. The key is Howard staying out of foul trouble. If Al Horford and Jason Collins can beat up on Dwight and get a few cheap fouls, it will throw him off his game. Howard can't be getting T'd up and keep his composure. The wild factor is Turkoglu. He has to find his offense in order for the Magic to move on. The Hawks have to run at a slower pace. Josh Smith is a nightmare for Orlando. He averaged a double double against them in the 4 regular season games. Most people are picking Orlando to win in a long series. I'm going the opposite, Hawks win in 6.

Miami Heat vs Philadelphia 76ers.

America's team is set to do the unthinkable. Okay, probably not. The 76ers have played better ball with Doug Collins as the head coach. Doug has gotten the most of Elton "Off" Brand since uh ever. Andre Iguodala is playing in the perfect role now. He's not the main focus and more of contributor. Andre is a great player and would be a fantastic second star on a championship caliber team. The Heat are rolling now after several speed bumps along the season. Lebron is still the best player in the league. Bosh is their true x-factor though and it has to do with his defense. Chris will almost always get his on the offensive end but needs to step up his interior defense in the playoffs for the Heat to have a run to the finals. Luckily, it's just Elton Brand in round 1. Heat move on in 5.

New York Knicks vs Boston Celtics

The old time rivalry is renewed in 2011. By next year, the Knicks will be ready for a moment such as this. They haven't been together with Anthony long enough to win this series. It's been 4 years since KG, Allen and Pierce were united in Boston. Even with the stumbles down the stretch, the old veteran team can get this done. I still can't believe they traded Kendrick Perkins away. Boston needs that kind of heart and grit inside. They lack that now with Kristic. The Celtics better pray to the basketball gods that Shaq reverts back to Shaq of 2000. Kazzam, that's not happening. Boston moves on winning the series in 6 games.

Western Conference

San Antonio Spurs vs Memphis Grizzlies

The talking heads every where point out the fact Popovich played the big 3 against the Suns but rested them against the Lakers Tuesday night. How about the tank-a-plooza job the Griz did trying to avoid the Lakers. They might as well have thrown out a high school junior varsity team. Yes, Manu got hurt in the final game of the regular season in a meaningless game. To Pop's credit, he has 4 rings and knows this team inside and out. The injury happened 2 minutes into the game, not 35. I'd rather have Ginobli hurt in that game than say Game 1 of the series against Memphis and miss the rest of the series. The Spurs need a healthy squad to take down the Griz. The major factor is Tim Duncan though. I realize his minutes are down and he averaged the lowest totals of his career. You should know why all his numbers are down. Timmy is now rested and ready for the playoffs. I expect his numbers across the board rise. Rudy Gay is hurt and won't be back until next season. I think Zach Randolph and the Grizz steal a couple of victories. In the end, experience will prevail. Spurs in 6.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Denver Nuggets

Since trading Carmelo Anthony, the Denver Nuggets have played better over all team basketball. The Melo-drama is over and the team has flourished. Felton and Gallinari have filled the roles left by Anthony and Billups. The rest of the team seems relieved as does Coach George Karl. The Thunder traded away a quality piece of their young core, Jeff Green. In return, they added the quality of size needed in the playoffs in the aforementioned Kendrick Perkins. Without Anthony, Denver doesn't have the scoring option to match Kevin Durant. How is it possible Durant is underrated? He's the best young player in the league. The focus this year was Blake Griffin and the 8,000 dunks. I hope you don't read that wrong because I love Blake. If I were to start a franchise though, I'd be picking Durant before Griffin. The Thunder are poised for a long run starting with the dismantling of the Nuggets. Thunder take the series in 5 games.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers were another team who didn't sit around and watch all the moves. They made them. Adding Gerald Wallace was a brilliant move since Brandon Roy's knees are an uncertainty. Wallace seems to be getting more comfortable in their offense, averaging 19 points the last 10 games. Meanwhile, for all the crap that spews out of Mark Cuban's mouth, the Mavericks didn't do a whole lot this year. They added Peja "don't ask me to play any defense" Stojakovic and Corey Brewer but not in trades. I do like Brewer and think he's a good player. He needs a long term home and a coach that believes in him. Tyson Chandler's career has been salvaged from the dumpster in Dallas. He stayed relatively healthy and had a good season. Dirk was Dirk doing Dirk things. He's so consistent. The regular season series tied at 2 games. I expect a long hard fought series. The Mavs fail in the first round. Blazers in 6.

Los Angeles Lakers vs New Orleans Hornets

Phil and Kobe should be very happy playing the Hornets. Seriously, if Memphis was completely healthy, they would have been a nightmare. The Hornets don't have the size to contain Pau and Bynum. Kobe and company are primed for the playoffs even if they struggled to finish the season strong. People tend to forget the Lakers won 18 of 19 after the All-Star break. LA should have a very easy time taking down Chris Paul and the Hornets. Paul get the hell out of there as fast as you can. The Hornets are going down. I predict they missed the playoffs next season. The Lakers in a sweep.

To recap the second round will look like this:

Eastern Conference

Bulls vs Hawks, Heat vs. Celtics. I have the Bulls and Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals with Bulls taking it in a 7 game series.

Western Conference

Spurs vs Thunder, Lakers vs Blazers. The Thunder will upset the Spurs (my heart is broken) and the Lakers will take down the Blazers. In the Western Finals, Lakers beat the Thunder in a 7 game series.

NBA Finals

Bulls vs Lakers. I hope Magic and Jordan show up for a few of these games. They can be shown on the big screen laughing at each other. All the while, Jordan is fuming on the inside because Kobe has a chance to match his ring total of 6. I'm taking the Bulls to oust the defending champions. Bulls in 7 and a changing of the guard in the NBA. The future is now for these young kids. The lockout will stall their development which is unfortunate.

J Call

The New Stars

The NBA is back! I know everyone has put up previews, picked their champion and other awards. I had plans to do that myself in a very unique way. Instead, I sat back, watched a few games and then make some observations. This isn't a preview blog. This is more about the over all look at the NBA and their budding stars. The league is full of young talent that is blossoming. I blame you if you're not watching.

I start with the man who had a spectacular debut on Wednesday night, Blake Griffin. How pumped was I to see the debut? Good question. I dvr'd the game since I wake up for my other job at 6am. I sent texts with the word BLAKE to random friends. I passed on the World Series game to focus on Blake and Durant. Blake, barring injury is going to win the Rookie of the Year. He's making the Clippers, yes the other LA team, seem relevant. I looked up the T'Wolves schedule (closest NBA team to me) to see when the Clips would be in town. Road trip. Blake is going to be special. The Clippers as a whole, not so much. They were dominated on the offensive glass. They lack jump shooters and Baron Davis needs to show he cares. Blake and Eric Gordon are the main attractions. Blake debuted with a 20 point 14 board, 9 offensive, night and we are only touching the surface.

Blake wasn't the only man who debuted this week. John Wall will try to revive a Wiz team in desperate need of a court leader and new identity. Wall is a work in progress. Point guards don't normally come out of college and lead an NBA franchise. Wall needs help and his mates won't provide a ton. That's not a knock on Wall. I think John is going to be a great NBA player. He's explosive, gets the hoop with ease and finishes. He has to work on his shooting abilities. We won't witness it this year because he will need time. I expect Wall to be playing in All-Star games and meaningful games in April in 2 years.

This is such an interesting time for the Association. You can find young studs all over the league. You can find 3 of them on one team. Oklahoma City is going to be on ESPN and TNT every other week. That's a great thing. Durant is worth the price of admission alone. Westbrook continues to amaze and Jeff Green is no slouch. The Thunder is the most fun group of players to watch. Durant is adding the MVP trophy after winning 60 games this year. The thing I love most about Durant is his personality. His team is put first. That includes the way he handled being the man at the World Championships over the summer. I heard a story about Durant that proves he's special. According to the story, Lebron was having a party and invited Durant. The party was on an off night for KD and he was scheduled to have a pre-season game the next night. Durant turned the invite down saying he doesn't go out on nights before games. Thank you Durant. My affection for him went to full fledged bromance in one moment.

Now talking about Wall, Blake and Durant is easy. They get a lot of love from everyone. I said the league is full of talent. Some quick hits on several more:

Derrick Rose- Chicago's point guard is the key to elevate the Bulls from middle of the pack to elite status. They are still the 4th best team in the East until proven.

Brandon Roy- Oden who? The real man to watch on the Blazers is Roy. He's a fantastic shooter and has talent around him. Portland is a playoff sleeper to make a long run with or without Oden. If Roy goes down, that's a whole new story.

Rajon Rondo- The talk of the Celtics always leans to Pierce, Garnett and Allen. The general to lead the Vets is Rondo. His defense is outstanding and the jumper is ever improving. He puts the ball in perfect positions for the Big 3.

Al Horford- Dwight Howard get the most attention as the best young big. Al should be getting more. He's a better offensive threat than Howard. Horford isn't quite the flashy player but that's fine with me. My favorite player ever is Timmy Duncan. I don't need big time dunks, I need a quiet workman like Power Forward. Horford fit that mold.

Stephen Curry- The T'Wolves didn't draft him and the Warriors benefited. The system might change without Don Nelson. Curry will still produce. His shot is beautiful, wonderful touch and is deadly from 3 point land (43% last season). Curry is undersized which hurts him a little. Still, I can't wait to watch this kid grow.

I haven't even mentioned O.J Mayo, Brandon Jennings and the very underrated Kevin Love. The media spends to much time hyping the Heat and the Melo fiasco. The league is better overall when you look at the big picture. I noticed TNT isn't playing the same teams over and over on their Thursday night double-headers. I think that's wonderful. We need to see all the young talent not a little. I wouldn't be a Spurs homer if I didn't talk about them.

The San Antonio Spurs are once again talked about being old and this is their last chance at a title. I thought last year was or the year before was their last chance. Duncan is back in great shape and DeJuan Blair slimmed down to be in better condition. The big addition was Tiago Splitter. Tiago was hidden in the Euro league for a few years before finally signing with the Spurs. He's a back to the basket player, perfect. The rumors are abound with Parker since it's his final contract year. I don't know what to make of that. He's their best weapon to drive to the hoop. He is also their best trade bait. The key for the Spurs is the mixture. Duncan and Manu can't play 35 a night. San Antonio needs Splitter, Blair and McDyess to help Timmy. James Anderson, Little George Hill and the disappointing Richard Jefferson can all take the load off Manu. I love the mixture but sometimes young and old together don't work out. The Spurs have one more run in them. Last year, I was content with a 1st round win since it was over the rival Mavs. This year, I'm hoping for a Western Conference Finals appearance.

No league is perfect and the NBA has its share of flaws. General managers continue to give undeserving 2nd and 3rd tier players fat contract. Sheriff Stern put the hammer down with stupid rules constantly. You can look past that and find a great product. I'm really hopeful the NBA can reach a new collective bargaining agreement. If they do and the NFL doesn't, it will only benefit Stern and the teams. Nobody wants to hear a bunch of bitchy athletes crying they can't afford to feed their 7 kids. NBA, don't be greedy, keep the rookie cap and keep tickets to games low. A professional league being fan friendly will go along way to help your image to the general public. If there isn't an NFL season, that casual fan that only watches the NBA after football is now going to watch more games. You can make more money in the long run if you get the deal done. Big picture people! The NHL would benefit big time if neither of them reach an agreement but that's a whole different topic.

I love the NBA. I was ready for a new season. The mix of young up and comers along with several veterans hanging on for one more year is interesting. I went this whole blog without mentioning the guys that get all the love. You know who they are. Lebron, Kobe, Howard, Wade and Anthony always get talked about. The NBA is in good hands for years to come. Almost every team has a franchise player and it's only going to get better with athletes staying in college for 2 years. Sorry Cleveland you will have to wait your turn again.

J Call

NBA 2010 Draft

The NBA has a draft? I know you thought we were skipping it to get to 'where in the world will Lebron go'. The 2010 NBA draft is a weak class. There aren't many superstars and NBA ready guys. Much like last year, the number one was easy. After that, it gets dicey. I was hoping for a hundred trades because otherwise this was going to be a boring night. I don't expect any one pick tilt the table to where one of the marque names signs. As I did last year, let us break down the top ten and some trades.

1) Washington Wizards - John Wall, PG Kentucky.
No surprise the Wizards took the best player in the draft. Wall is a great point guard and can lead an NBA franchise. The problem the Wiz have is Gilbert Arenas. No way you could ever move Arenas and his six shooter. Wall should be the leader like Rose did with the Bulls. Unfortunately for Wall, he doesn't get that choice. Evan Turner fit them better.

2)Philidelphia 76ers - Evan Turner, SG Ohio State
I love this kid. Evan is a player who can step in and start right away for a team. I have no idea if Andre Iguodala will get along with Evan. They are similar players. Again the fit doesn't make sense but you take him for the talent he possesses. The draft almost needed to be switched. Evan could have been the sidekick to Arenas and Wall could have lead the 76ers. I like Turner and what he brings to the court. I just think he would have been a better fit somewhere else. The need was for a center because Dalembert and Elton "Off" Brand suck.

3) New Jersey Nets - Derrick Favors, F Georgia Tech
I hoped for a trade to the Spurs with this pick. Hey, a guy can dream. No luck. Favors is a work in progress. He is very young and raw. Another year in college would have done wonders for Derrick. He has to work on his low post skills. He doesn't have a mentor in New Jersey either. However the great thing is he is teaming with Brook Lopez. Obviously Harris, Lopez and Favors is a nice trio for a big time free agent to think about signing with the Nets. Boozer would be a nice pick up so Favors can learn something from him.

4) Minnesota Timberwolves - Wesley Johnson, F Syracuse
As a semi Iowa State Cyclone fan, I don't care much for Wesley. Bias aside, he fits into Minnesota's system. T'Wolves have nobody on the wing to score or defend. I heard they were shopping Al Jefferson or Kevin Love. I don't get that. Jefferson and Love are two solid players and Jefferson is coming off his second year from knee surgery which means a big year ahead of him. It's a shame this team doesn't have Rubio or they would be as fun to watch as OKC.

5) Sacramento Kings - Demarcus Cousins, C Kentucky
What a boring draft so far! No fun so far in the top 5. Damarcus should be a better pro than Spencer Hawes who the Kings took a few years ago. You know you made a mistake when you have a Center who is white and over 7 feet tall. I don't count Yao, he's Chinese. Cousins will start but probably shouldn't. He is going to be a headache for the Kings. Cousins has the athletic, rebounding and ability to perform. Sacramento is adding pieces, they will still pick in the top 10 next year.

6) Golden State Warriors - Ekpe Udoh, F Baylor
A Bear was a top ten draft pick. What the hell is going on? The Don Nelson system, Udoh will be used more outside the paint and will shoot a ton of jump shots. He will never have to defend because there is no defense scheme. I have never watched a Warriors game and thought to myself, "This defense is incredible." He won't have to start with Anthony Randolph and Biedrins already there. Udoh can improve off the bench and being a nice role player.

7) Detroit Pistons - Greg Monroe, F Georgetown
Monroe is an excellent fit for the Pistons. They don't have a post presents and now Monroe fits the mold. Villanueva can stay out on the 3 point line and continue to stay away from the paint. Villanueva is a soft PF and Monroe can add some toughness. I hope Monroe doesn't talk to Kwame Brown. How is that guy still playing basketball? Pistons still have a lot of trade bait so I don't think they will stand pat and keep quiet.

8) Los Angeles Clippers - Al-Farouq Aminu, F Wake Forest
Good luck kid. You are going to the most cursed franchise in basketball and second overall to the Chicago Cubs. I fell in love with Blake Griffin and we all know how that went. Blake comes back and now it's like the Clips received two lottery picks in one draft. I don't know much on Aminu. The truth is he can't be any worse than half the roster. Could you trade Baron Davis for Gilbert Arenas? It doesn't solve anything but the fan bases for both teams would think it was.

9) Utah Jazz - Gordon Hayward, F Butler
The Utah Jazz added color with another white guy. This guy is Kyle Korver Jr without the 3 point shooting. He's not an athlete or has a superb shot ability. I will say he works hard and seems to have basketball smarts. Gordon gets to go to the perfect place though. He won't have to do much and can develop underneath the talent Utah already has. I will never doubt Jerry Sloan.

10) Indiana Pacers - Paul George, F Fresno State
I know nothing on him. All I heard was potential, potential and potential. That's not a good sign. Indiana has nothing. The team is an absolute mess and no star power. They need depth at every position. In fact, it would be wise to disband the entire team and star over like a expansion team. Dunleavy and Troy Murphy are starting, you have problems.

This was perhaps the weakest draft we have seen in several years. I'm not going to continue this blog and talk about a few more teams. After the tenth, you are only going to get a role player or a bench warmer for a few years. There weren't any trades in the top 10. Only one superstar and potential star in Turner. Anyone tells you this was a night to remember is full of crap. NBA lottery is more exciting than the draft and that is rigged. I'll take the NFL draft over any other draft in sports. Once the free agency begins, I will be back to talk about the headlines like Lebron signing with the Bulls.

J Call

Remember Griffey

I believe it's safe to say America has ADD. I know that sounds harsh. The best way I can describe way I can show you is by looking back at the latest in the sports world. We all saw what happened to Armando Galarraga and Jim Joyce. A perfect game is hard to come by and we could have saw history with 3 in one year. However that should not have overshadowed one of the biggest and greatest stars of our generation retiring.

Ken Griffey Junior will go down as one of the greatest Center fielders in baseball history. We all look at the negatives to often in life. Ken is the perfect example. Fans continue to ask the what ifs from his career. What if he didn't get hurt in Cincinnati? What if he never left Seattle? The what ifs are irrelevant. Stop talking about the what ifs. The truth is Ken Griffey Jr. should be hoisted high on top of the baseball mountain along with guys like Ruth, Mays and Mantle.

Griffey's career was in the height of the steroid era. His prime should have been during the home run chase with Sosa and McGwire. Ken never failed a steroid test. I would be shocked if his name was on any of those lists who tested positive. The what ifs could be answered had Griffey juiced up. He didn't break all kinds of baseball records. Ken didn't get to 700 home runs. He did win 10 golden gloves. He did have one of the greatest swings in baseball. He passed 600 home runs. He was the kid that made people second guess Willie Mays as the best Center fielder in baseball history. Finally he is gold standard for any center fielder ever to lace up the cleats from now on.

I will always remember Griffey for three things: his swing, love for the game and being one of my brother's favorite players of all time. He emulated his swing when my brother played baseball in high school. One more quick story and we will get to Game 1 of the Finals. My brother wanted the infamous Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck Rookie card when he was younger. He had a friend who had that very card. My brother traded an entire Bowman baseball card set for the Junior rookie card. I don't know the values today. I do remember the Bowman set never went up while the Junior card sky rocketed.

The NBA Finals got off to a chippy start. Twenty seconds into the game Ron Artest and Paul Pierce received double technicals. Not deservedly never the less they got them. I guess that is how this series is going to be played. Very tight. I know there have been many debates about legacies, where to rank Kobe and rivalries.

We can all breakdown numbers and talk about rivalries. I get tired of everyone bringing up Kobe and MJ in the same sentence. The debate is simple. Kobe has been the best overall player since Michael took off his shoes for good. You can make arguments for Kobe. However, the biggest thing is MJ was the Finals MVP every year they won the title. Kobe played second fiddle to Shaq for three years. What happened during those years without Shaq? He struggled to get them out of the first round. I also look back a few years ago when LA was up on the Suns 3-1 and lost the series. Jordan never failed to close a team out. Kobe no showed in Game 6 of the 08 Finals. MJ didn't do that either. Kobe is a great player and possible top ten. He will never get to the top two with MJ and Russell.

I won't break down Game 1. The match ups were predictable with Kobe guarding Rondo instead of Ray. I think every fan wants a tough long series. My plan was to have a preview earlier in the week but something came up. The two teams are about even but I think the Lakers have the edge. The luck of the Irish may have finally ended for Boston. Boston makes it back to LA for Game 6 where Kobe gets his fifth ring.

J Call

It's Rigged

I'm not the first to say it and won't be the last to believe the NBA lottery is rigged. How can that be? The NBA is a professional sport with superior athletes. David Stern would never stand for a rigged lottery. The NBA does have superior athletes but David Stern is a law man wanted to make sure the biggest teams get the top collegiate player coming out of the NCAA. The results of the lottery suggest that the top market teams have usually gotten the top pick no matter the odds.

The first lottery was back in 1985. The New York Knicks won the lottery and received Patrick Ewing. He changed the landscape of New York basketball for over a decade. If you go back and watch this lottery, you can see the rigging begin in front of your own eyes. David Stern throws their envelope and bends the corner. Again, I can't be the first one to notice this. The Knicks are in a huge market and Stern needed them to be a good team. They got it when Ewing "fell" to them when they won the lottery.

Now that Stern had made sure he had a headliner in New York, he took a couple lotteries off. That is until 1993. How could the Orlando Magic win back to back years? The Magic picked Shaq in 1992 and magically, they won the lottery with a minuscule 1.52% of winning. The 11th worst record ended up selecting C-Webb and trading him to Golden State for Penny Hardaway. Would the Magic have been smarter keeping C-Webb, perhaps. The bigger question is why was the Magic so lucky? They had their superstar but with a team already in Miami, the Magic needed to have stars. With Penny and the larger than life Shaq, Stern made sure they got the luck of the lottery.

The old saying is good guys always finish last. In 1997, the Spurs All-Star Center David Robinson had his worst injury of his career and his team finished with the third worst record. A former number one pick by the San Antonio Spurs needed some help if he was ever going to win the big one. I know I am a Spurs homer but I can admit this is a little odd. David could never get passed Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon to win a title on his own. David was always a giving athlete and when he went down, Timmy Duncan was the consensus number 1 overall choice. Who better to help Robinson than Duncan? The balls found their way for San Antonio and after 2 titles, David said goodbye on top. I hope this is starting to make you think.

You need even more evidence that the NBA lottery is rigged. I know the Cavs had the worst record in 2003. They were only the third ever team to win the lottery having the worst record in the league. Cleveland was a fluttering franchise and needed Lebron to gain the interest of the fans. Stern was there to save the day. Orlando won it the following year with the worst record. Portland was given a chance to make up the biggest draft blunder ever when they won the lottery in 07. Stern should have made their selection since Portland chose Oden over Durant. I guess history does repeat itself. Chicago was going nowhere and with only a 1.7 percent of winning, they landed Derrick Rose. Last year, the Los Angeles Clippers, who are still terrible and the red headed step child of the Lakers, won the lottery. The Clips curse lives with Griffin blowing out his knee and never playing a minute of this season.

Now the Washington Wizards got the luck and won the lottery. Normally, I wouldn't have even had a second thought because it's the Wiz. However, I started thinking about all the bad stuff that has happened to the franchise lately. They lost their beloved owner Abe Pollin. The Wiz traded away two franchise cornerstones Antwan Jamison and Caron Butler. Before the trade, Gilbert Arenas went John Wayne wild wild west in the locker room. (By the way, it may have been the best thing ever to happen to the Wiz). With all the bad stuff and zero hope for fans, the perfect way to help them sell tickets win the lottery and draft John Wall.

I'm not an insider and have no clue if I am even close to correct. All I can do is justify my feelings. I would say I have done that with all the evidence I have laid out. The next time your NBA team starts to crumble and you think there is no hope, Super Stern will come and rescue you or so it seems. I know winning the lottery doesn't always mean a complete turnaround and make your team a winner. It doesn't hurt though. Now if only I could get Stern to rig the Powerball.

J Call