Maybe it would be different we thought, but if the Toronto Raptors weren?t the laughing stock of the NBA, they may very well be after draft night, thanks to their astute general manager, Rob Babcock.

 We weren?t exactly enthralled with the job Babcock did in his first year as GM of the league?s lone Canadian franchise, but Tuesday?s draft marked ? at least we thought ? a fresh start, so to speak.  

 Between his draft blunder of a year ago ? the selection of BYU center Rafael Araujo eighth overall ? the ill-advised free-agent acquisition of point guard Rafer Alston (a six-year, $29 million headache) and trade of Vince Carter (for a package of spare parts and malcontents), it was a season to forget for Babcock.  But the Toronto executive had an opportunity to redeem himself, at least in part, during Tuesday?s draft in New York City.  

 Instead, he dropped the ball.  Big time.

 Babcock, once again, showed his ineptitude at the draft table. If last year?s selection of Araujo was, to say the least, a bona fide reach, then what can you say about the first of his two first-round picks, Connecticut 6-11 sophomore power forward Charlie Villanueva, whom Babcock selected, yes, seventh overall?    

 Forget that the Raptors have their franchise player, Chris Bosh, already entrenched at the power forward position; we?re of the belief that you choose the best player available regardless of position, even though Bosh?s contract option was just picked up on Monday and he sure isn?t going anywhere.  But from a value standpoint ? and don?t forget, the draft is as much about value as anything else - was Villanueva good value at No.7?

 Hardly.

 Babcock has shown a propensity of sticking to his guns and selecting players who easily could have been had ten spots lower in the draft.  Villanueva was no exception.

 Here?s a player who, despite talented, displayed a poor work ethic in college (Certainly not a pre-requisite of hard-nosed head coach Sam Mitchell, who has no problem laying down the law with his players), plays soft at times and who quite frankly should have stayed in school at least another year to refine his game and attitude, yet he winds up being taken in the top 10 by arguably the only team foolish enough to waste a lottery pick on him.  

 Then again, with the likes of Alston on board, Villanueva will likely fit in with the Raptors just fine.  

 ?He?s a good rebounder and he?s an improving player, and he?s only 20 years old,? said Babcock, who found himself having to defend his top pick amid a chorus of boos from season-ticket holders gathered at Toronto?s Air Canada Center.  ?He?s a young player who has shown a learning curve that he is improving on.?

 With Bosh likely to see the majority of the minutes at the ?4? spot, Villanueva figures to see minutes at center, although at this point he clearly has some filling out to do if he intends to be a fixture at the ?5? (Villanueva, though listed at 6-11, is more like 6-9, and is 235 pounds).

 ?Charlie can play multiple positions.  He?s a 4-5 who can defend, pass the ball well and post up.     And with Chris (Bosh), who is a 4 and can also play some 5, I envision him and Charlie playing a lot of minutes together out on the floor.?

 Likely joining Bosh and Villanueva in Toronto?s frontcourt will be Oklahoma State forward Joey Graham, selected 16th overall.  

 Graham, considered by some to be the best pure athlete in the draft, provides toughness and defense ? definitely a Mitchell-type player ? but again, with the likes of New Mexico?s Danny Granger and Gulf Shores Academy?s Gerald Green still remaining on the board at the time, was there better value still on the board at 16?  Regardless, Babcock faired better with his second pick in round one.

 Babcock appeared to have found value in round two with the selection of Croatian point guard Roko Ukic.  

 Ukic had a first-round grade and ranked among the top five point guards in the draft by some scouts, so for Toronto to nab him at No.41 was in many regards a steal, especially considering Ukic already has five years of pro experience in Europe and could see minutes right away.  At 6-5, Ukic certainly has the height to give opposing guards trouble on the offensive end?

 Give Bucks GM Larry Harris credit for taking Utah center Andrew Bogut with the first pick.  

 Sure, Bogut was for all intents and purposes the consensus top pick in the draft, but with all the upside that UNC?s Marvin Williams possesses Harris could have easily been swayed.  

 Instead, he opts for the player who can not only step in right away, but as great as Williams could become, it is a lot easier to find impact small forwards in future drafts.  Centers with the ability of an Andrew Bogut don?t come around all that often?

 We can understand Atlanta taking Williams at No.2 (How could they not, right?).  But the Hawks already have the likes of Josh Smith, Al Harrington and Josh Childress at the wing positions, and with point guard clearly a team need, Wake Forest?s Chris Paul would have been the better pick.  

 Again, we?re proponents of taking the best player available, but Paul is an elite prospect in his own right who would have fit the Hawks? style of play...

 Give Utah credit for trading up and getting their man, Illinois point guard Deron Williams.  

 The Jazz had to give up both of their first-round picks this year plus a conditional first-rounder in ?06, but had they stood pat at No.6 Williams would have been off the board.  Utah appears to have finally found a successor to the legendary John Stockton?

 Thanks in part to Babcock and the Raptors, the Indiana Pacers stood pat at No. 17 and had Granger fall right into their laps.  

 Larry Bird, Donny Walsh and Co. knew they would get a solid player, and they may very well have received the steal of this year?s draft.  Simply put, the Pacers solidified their status as one of the league?s top front offices?

 Celtics GM Danny Ainge was also content on standing pat in the first round, and as a result landed Green at pick No. 18.  A possible Tracy McGrady clone, Green may just have the most upside in the draft.  A real coup for the green and white?

 Illinois guard Luther Head?s stock had been rising in the days leading up to the draft as a possible late first-rounder, and so for him to land with Houston at pick No. 24 was a real win-win situation.  

 Point guard was a clear need for the Rockets, and Head, although not a pure point, will have an opportunity to start right away for a legitimate Western Conference power.

 Quote of the night:  ?We?re going to win the NCAA title next year, and then the NBA title two years from now.?
- Celtics head coach Doc Rivers after the selection of Green in round one.      
 
  Kostas.Bolos@realgm.com  
 

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