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26th February, 2010 - 3:44 pm
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| Current Features |
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TEAM RANKINGS: Euroleague Top 16 Power Rankings
Barcelona, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Maccabi, Madrid and Siena enter the Top 16 phase as likely contenders to win the 2011 Euroleague.
STANDING 10: Non-National Games Of The Week (1/17-1/23)
The Knicks make three appearances this week, along with several from Blake Griffin and the Clippers.
PLAYER RANKINGS: 2010-11 NBA Player Rankings Through Dec. 14th
Now that more than a quarter of the season is in the books, we don't have many aberrations in the player rankings as Pau Gasol, Kevin Love, Deron Williams, Chris Paul and LeBron James comprise the top-five.
MOCK DRAFT: 2010 NBA Mock Draft, Version 5.0
An interesting week of prevalent deception is nearly over and the actual picks are hours away. Hundreds of hours have been spent watching the 60 players that 30 teams hope will improve their club in the coming years.
LOCKER TALK: Nash, Cleveland, & Orlando
Steve Nash could draw trade interest this summer and Cleveland isn?t overlooking Orlando?
CLASSICS: Hakeem Vs. Ewing: Who Was The Better Center?
Born within six months of each other in opposite corners of the world, two seven footers who are finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame this fall are two of the best ever to play the center position.
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By Christopher Reina
Hasheem Thabeet?s D-League assignment that spawned a million happy-triggers on the bust gun led me to consider the misfortune and disappointment that seems to frequently surround players that have been selected with the number two overall pick.
The names of Sam Bowie, Darko Milicic, Ryan Leaf and Tony Mandarich have become synonymous with the word ?bust? and they also share the No. 2.
The player taken first is typically a unanimous no-brainer, but the second pick is where actual GMing and player evaluation comes into play, so that's a clear factor. But some of the misfortune has gone beyond just sports and into the realm of injury (both on and off the playing surface) and unfortunately premature death in several circumstances.
Let?s take a look at the history of the No. 2 and see if there really is a history of misfortune that we could nickname the Jan Brady Syndrome.
NBA
2009: Hasheem Thabeet ? Sent to D-Leauge in first season, highest pick to receive designation. General consensus around NBA is that Grizzlies will never shake the criticism of selecting Thabeet over Tyreke Evans, let alone Ricky Rubio or Stephen Curry. The NBA has nearly a complete dearth of defensive bigs, giving Thabeet?s chance of becoming a productive player still a good one.
2008: Michael Beasley ? Already known as one of the NBA?s best budding young scorers and rebounders, but has already had multiple marijuana issues that led to a rehab stint in summer of 2009.
2007: Kevin Durant ? A clear exception as he?s become a top-five player in just his third season.
2006: LaMarcus Aldridge ? For all intents and purposes, Tyrus Thomas was the second overall pick as Chicago traded down with Portland. Thomas had a history of butting heads with Bulls? coaches and management, which at least partly began with his comments ahead of the 2007 dunk contest in which he said it was about money.
2005: Marvin Williams ? Most draft prognosticators believed Williams was the most talented player in the draft, ahead of first overall pick in Andrew Bogut. Williams has eventually become a nice role player, but the Hawks must live with passing on both Chris Paul and Deron Williams in an offseason in which they even needed a point guard.
2004: Emeka Okafor ? While Dwight Howard has become the NBA?s lone dominant center, Okafor has had a steady but underwhelming career. The good news for Okafor is that he shares a class with the injury-haunted Shaun Livingston and Rafael Araujo.
2003: Darko Milicic ? Along with the second overall pick in 1984 that we?ll get to shortly, he personifies this rule to a point where he is a candidate for its naming rights. Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade were selected third, fourth and fifth behind him. Even Chris Kaman, who the Pistons now covet, was taken sixth and played in an All-Star Game this season.
2002: Jay Williams ? Because he?s been gone for so long, he?s already forgotten. Williams was a highly talented point guard that many people believed was the better pick instead of Yao Ming. He was limited to just 75 career NBA games because of a devastating motorcycle accident after his rookie season. His rookie season was inconsistent as his minutes were reduced in the second half, but he was beginning to show signs of becoming an effective NBA player.
2001: Tyson Chandler ? This was the 1986 Draft for people too young to remember 1986, at least at the top with Kwame Brown, Eddy Curry, the late Eddie Griffin, Rodney White and Kedrick Brown. Save a few games here and there for the Bulls and a season and a half with the Hornets, Chicago?s decision to trade Elton Brand for the oft-injured Chandler was not a wise one.
2000: Stromile Swift ? This draft was also quite awful for NBA teams, though Kenyon Martin has put in a solid decade of play. Swift had a couple decent seasons in Memphis, but never developed his game. He was last spotted playing in China.
1999: Steve Francis ? Francis played in multiple All-Star Games, albeit with some Nascar style drafting from Yao Ming. The amnesia amongst sports fans must be pretty strong because Francis was a pretty darn good player during his first four seasons in Houston, good enough to be nicknamed Stevie Franchise. His descent out of stardom was much swifter than anyone expected and it was jarring to watch. I think most people assumed Francis was younger than he actually was since he only played one season at Maryland after JC stints in Texas and at Allegany College.
1998: Mike Bibby ? Michael Olowokandi was a rare draft bust and the Clippers saved then-Vancouver the ridicule by selecting the apathetic center. Bibby was very nearly the point guard of a Finals winner with those great Sacramento teams. He has declined during the 09-10 season, but he has given a full decade of excellent NBA service and has been chronically underappreciated.
1997: Keith Van Horn ? Anybody selected after Tim Duncan has a big act to follow and Van Horn showed some occasional glimpses of the player he was in Utah when he wasn?t injured. He was ultimately limited to just 575 career NBA games.
1996: Marcus Camby ? Allen Iverson went first, Camby second, Shareef Abdur-Rahim third, Stephon Marbury fourth and Ray Allen fifth, not a bust amongst them. Even though Camby is the only one in the group to have never appeared in an All-Star Game, his longevity has been the best despite almost constant injuries throughout his career.
1995: Antonio McDyess ? Joe Smith and McDyess were the first two selections in the ?95 draft and were eclipsed by the career of Kevin Garnett, but they are still playing productive NBA minutes well into their 30s. McDyess had frequent injuries during his first few seasons in the NBA, which limited his athleticism and upside he had coming out of Alabama. He had a run of very good basketball during his brief tour in Phoenix and the next three seasons in Denver until 01-02 when he ruptured his Patellar tendon.
1994: Jason Kidd ? A great trio was taken at the top in Glenn Robinson, Kidd and Grant Hill. All three had several great NBA seasons, but Kidd has taken a couple teams to the Finals and has appeared in nearly 1,200 games at a HOF level.
1993: Shawn Bradley ? Another candidate for namesake status, since the big stiffs are always lambasted the most ferociously. He didn?t have a little version of himself and wasn?t one of the game?s best players, but he played in over 100 more NBA games than Penny Hardaway, 200 more than Jamal Mashburn, nearly 300 more than Isaiah Rider and over 550 more than Bobby Hurley. He also blocked 3.9 shots per 36 minutes and had a career block% of 7.8, which is the best on record.
1992: Alonzo Mourning ? Mourning was no Shaquille O?Neal, but he was one of the best big men in the NBA for more than a decade, despite kidney disease.
1991: Kenny Anderson ? Anderson had more longevity than Larry Johnson or Billy Owens, but never peaked out the way people were expecting given the New York hype. He did have a run of several quality seasons between New Jersey where he was a ?94 All-Star, Portland and a brief encore with the Celtics as the elder statesman for that Paul Pierce/Antoine Walker team. When people talk about Anderson?s career, they typically unfairly remember it for being less effective than it actually was.
1990: Gary Payton ? One of the game?s best point guards, sandwiched between the very disappointing Derrick Coleman and Chris ?Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf? Jackson.
1989: Danny Ferry ? Ferry played in Italy for a season to force his way out of the Clippers and he was dealt to Cleveland for Ron Harper and a bunch of picks in a trade that Danny Ferry, GM would never have made. Ferry never was able to become the kind of player he was in college, but he lasted well into his mid-30?s, which is always a sure tell sign of a quality player of at least some regard.
1988: Rik Smits ? Smits was consistently one of the game?s best centers throughout his career, which included a late trip to the Finals in 2000.
1987: Armon Gilliam ? The Suns gave up on Gilliam quickly, trading him for an aging Kurt Rambis after 2+ seasons of fairly average basketball. He became a good rebounder during his Philadelphia and New Jersey days, lasting in the NBA for 13 seasons.
1986: Len Bias ? The tragedy of his death two days after he was drafted by a stacked Boston team is well-chronicled. People who pass away young are often remembered in a way where they become larger than life, but he truly had every gift a ballplayer could possibly have. The what-if scenario of Bias joining Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale is like the what-if scenario of Carmelo, Wade or Bosh joining that 03-04 Detroit team except multiplied by about 1,000.
1985: Wayman Tisdale ? Tisdale had a few good seasons in Sacramento for a bad Kings team, but he eventually became known more for his music than his basketball. Tisdale developed cancer in 2007 and eventually had his right leg amputated. He unfortunately passed away suddenly in May of 2009.
1984: Sam Bowie ? Injuries severely limited Bowie?s career and turned him into a default punchline for whenever a GM errs badly in selecting one player over another who becomes vastly superior. Being selected one slot ahead of Michael Jordan is undoubtedly a heavy burden nobody could really understand other than Bowie, just like the burden of being a member of The Beatles without the financial reward and accolades.
1983: Steve Stipanovich ? Stipanovich and first pick Ralph Sampson both played fewer than 500 games because of persistent injuries.
1982: Terry Cummings ? No player appeared in more games than Cummings, who had a really good run from his rookie season until his injury in 92-93.
1981: Isiah Thomas ? Thomas won two titles with the Pistons and is a member of the Hall of Fame. If he was selected second overall in a GM draft, the perspective would change.
1980: Darrell Griffith ? Griffith gets lost between the two careers of first overall Joe Barry Carroll and third overall Kevin McHale. While Carroll showed glimpses of greatness, Griffith was never more than an average player during his career with Utah.
1979: Dave Greenwood ? Picking second because of a coin flip in the one-player draft of Magic Johnson was par for the Bulls course at that point. Greenwood had a few good seasons, but the player Chicago passed on for him, Bill Cartwright, eventually came to join Jordan and company for three titles.
1978: Phil Ford ? Ford had a couple good seasons in Kansas City but his career was short-lived because of injury. He also was no Larry Bird, but he had Rick Robey, Michael Ray Richardson and Purvis Short between him and Bird.
NFL
2009: Jason Smith ? Smith?s rookie season was plagued by concussions, but he has shown enough promise to become an effective NFL tackle.
2008: Chris Long ? Long is another St. Louis pick and he hasn?t blown anyone away, but he does appear to be developing into a solid defensive end and having one of the two top DTs in Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy from this draft will make him far more effective.
2007: Calvin Johnson ? Johnson has been plagued by some nagging injuries, but there is plenty of evidence on film and statistically to insist he?ll be one of the game?s best receivers for the next decade.
2006: Reggie Bush ? There was considerable outrage when the Texans selected Mario Williams over Bush, but that appears to be the correct move with the former Heisman winner not coming close to his pre-draft expectations. He has been banged up and has struggled to adjust to the NFL style of the game, but he?s beginning to come along as more than just purely a gadget player.
2005: Ronnie Brown ? Brown has been one of the game?s best running backs when healthy, which has been infrequent. He has had much better careers, however, than the running backs selected fourth and fifth in Cedric Benson and Cadillac Williams.
2004: Robert Gallery ? Gallery is a namesake nominee for the NFL, as the Raiders passed Larry Fitzgerald and Philip Rivers both in order to draft Gallery, who has been injured and just finally became an effective lineman after a switch to guard.
2003: Charles Rogers ? Rogers played in just 15 NFL games while Andre Johnson (selected third) has been the model of high production at wide receiver.
2002: Julius Peppers ? Peppers has been one of the NFL?s best defensive linemen during his entire career and was an excellent pick between the disappointing quarterbacks taken first and third (David Carr, Joey Harrington).
2001: Leonard Davis ? Davis has been a Pro Bowler at guard ever since making the switch when he joined the Cowboys in 2007. The Cardinals did pass on the legendary career of LaDainian Tomlinson, who was selected fifth.
2000: LaVar Arrington ? Arrington, like Courtney Brown and Peter Warrick, had very short NFL careers and disappointing careers.
1999: Donovan McNabb ? The ?99 draft belonged to quarterbacks, most of them ineffective but McNabb has consistently made the Eagles a competitive playoff team.
1998: Ryan Leaf ? At least the Colts took Manning instead of Leaf because life for GM Bill Polian would be very difficult. Leaf had a career passer rating of 50.0 in 25 NFL games. Third overall pick Andre Wadsworth was out of football after the 2000 season, having Leaf to thanks for his enjoyment of anonymity.
1997: Darrell Russell ? Russell had 28.5 career sacks, but constantly failed NFL drug tests and was suspended several times. Russell wouldn?t have lasted half as long as he did in Roger Goodell?s NFL. He died in a 2005 car crash.
1996: Kevin Hardy ? Hardy had an effective career that included an All-Pro nod in 1999.
1995: Tony Boselli ? Absolutely better than Ki-Jana Carter?s 1,144 career rushing yards as a five-time Pro Bowler. His career was cut devastatingly short due to injury.
1994: Marshall Faulk ? Faulk was one of the game?s most dominant running backs of all-time as an excellent multi-purpose threat.
1993: Rick Mirer- Mirer was the safe and sane version of Ryan Leaf, drafted second after Drew Bledsoe. He had a 63.5 career passer rating compared to 77.1 for Bledsoe, who started 125 more games than Mirer.
1992: Quentin Coryatt ? Coryatt is widely considered a bust, though first overall Steve Emtman (also selected by Indianapolis) had an even shorter and less productive career. This less than stellar draft was conducted by former GM Bill Tobin.
1991: Eric Turner ? With Dan McGwire being the top quarterback available, Turner was one of 15 non-QBs selected over the first 15 picks. Turner made a couple of Pro Bowls as one of the best free safeties in the NFL, but he tragically died of intestinal cancer at the age of 30 in 2000.
1990: Blair Thomas ? This became the Jeff George draft, but the Jets selection of Blair Thomas had a disappointing injury-filled career, despite a very promising rookie season.
1989: Tony Mandarich ? Mandarich was an overhyped left tackle, famously lauded by Sports Illustrated and was a terrible bust for the Packers. Mandarich was completely surrounded by Hall of Famers in Troy Aikman, Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas and Deion Sanders.
1988: Neil Smith ? Smith went to six Pro Bowls and went on to win two Super Bowls with Denver.
1987: Cornelius Bennett ? With a great name, Bennett made five Pro Bowls as one of the best linebackers of the late 80s and 90s for those great Buffalo Super Bowl teams.
1986: Tony Casillas ? Casillas was selected by Atlanta with the pick after Tampa Bay took Bo Jackson, who subsequently refused to play for them. Casillas had an eccentric career, but was generally a productive defensive lineman.
1985: Bill Fralic ? Fralic was one of the best offensive linemen of his generation, making four Pro Bowls.
1984: Dean Steinkuhler ? Steinkughler was a solid lineman for Houston for seven seasons.
1983: Eric Dickerson ? Dickerson went right after John Elway, both are Hall of Famers and though the running back?s career was shorter and didn?t include any Super Bowls, his name is absolutely littered throughout the record book.
1982: Johnie Cooks ? Cooks lasted 10 seasons and was part of New York?s famed defense that beat the Bills in Super Bowl XXV.
1981: Lawrence Taylor ? The Saints selected running back George Rogers instead of the future Hall of Famer and original LT. Rogers rushed for over 1,000 yards in four separate seasons, including an incredibly impressive 1,674 yards as a rookie.
1980: Lam Jones ? The Jets took sprinter turned receiver Jones instead of Anthony Munoz. Jones? career lasted just a few NFL seasons and he now has myeloma cancer.
1979: Mike Bell ? Bell battled injuries in his first four seasons, but emerged in ?83 as a great pass rusher.
1978: Art Still ? Still made four Pro Bowls as one of the game?s best defensive ends.
MLB
2009: Dustin Ackley ? The Mariners selected Ackley with the pick following Stephen Strasburg. He?s being converted into a second baseman and needs to get stronger to deliver on the purity of his hitting game.
2008: Pedro Alvarez ? Alvarez is widely considered one of the game?s best prospects and should offer some hope for the Pittsburgh franchise.
2007: Mike Moustakas ? Moustakas hasn?t ascended as quickly as some expected and Matt Wieters is expected to have the best career from this class.
2006: Greg Reynolds ? Evan Longoria and Tim Lincecum are already All-Stars while the Stanford product sat out almost all of 2009 with shoulder problems.
2005: Alex Gordon ? The 2005 MLB Draft has become famously great already, but Gordon hasn?t enjoyed the kind of success shared by Ryan Zimmerman, Ryan Braun, Troy Tulowitzki and now Ricky Romero. He hurt his hip in 2009 and will need a big year in 2010.
2004: Justin Verlander ? Selected after the bust that is Matthew Bush and ahead of Philip Humber, Verlander is one of the game?s best starters.
2003: Rickie Weeks ? Weeks was injured for much of 2009, but he?s established himself as a slightly above average second baseman.
2002: B.J. Upton ? Selected after Bryan Bullington, B.J. Upton is one of the game?s best young stars.
2001: Mark Prior ? Prior became one of the game?s best pitchers almost immediately, but he quickly flamed out due to injuries. First overall pick Joe Mauer and fifth overall Mark Teixeira have been two of the game?s best hitters.
2000: Adam Johnson ? Johnson only had a cup of coffee with the Twins, but this draft was filled with players that didn?t pan out.
1999: Josh Beckett- Beckett helped lead the Marlins to a World Series in 2003 and also land Hanley Ramirez in a trade with Boston. Excellent value for Florida with this pick, who went one slot behind Josh Hamilton to Tampa Bay.
1998: Mark Mulder ? Ahead of Corey Patterson and the controversial J.D. Drew, Mulder had several great seasons with the A?s before being sidelined by injuries with St. Louis.
1997: J.D. Drew ? The Phillies were unable to come to terms with Drew and his agent Scott Boras.
1996: Travis Lee ? The Twins never tended Lee a contract and he became a free agent, eventually signing with Arizona. He lasted a few seasons, but Minnesota didn?t miss out on a whole lot.
1995: Ben Davis ? I was surprised that Davis only appeared in 486 games because I thought he was around a long time. The Padres took the light hitting catcher ahead of Jose Cruz, Kerry Wood and Todd Helton, not to mention Roy Halladay at 17.
1994: Ben Grieve ? The double play machine was the 98 AL ROY and retired with a career OPS of .809, but was plagued by injuries.
1993: Darren Dreifort ? Dreifort lasted just long enough to get that monster $55M contract from the Dodgers. He was another injury case.
1992: Paul Shuey ? Shuey had several good seasons of work in relief, but sixth overall Derek Jeter is also sitting on that draft board, and would have been a perfect table setter for those big hitting Cleveland teams of the 90s.
1991: Mike Kelly ? Kelly only had 684 career at bats and was taken ahead of Manny Ramirez and Shawn Green.
1990: Tony Clark ? Clark played on so many bad Detroit teams, it?s easy to forget how good of a hitter he truly was. He has a career OPS of .824 and continued playing into his late 30s.
Chris Reina's Twitter feed: @CR_Reina. |
