**Official 2009 NBA Draft Thread** (ON RIGHT NOW)

From what I've seen in highlights and read in Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Mag the kid sounds amazing, but I haven't been able to watch any full games of him yet.

There should be a good class of possible PGs out there...Rubio, Ty Lawson, Toney Douglas, Sherron Collins, Jonny Flynn (my opinion, best PG in the nation), Jeff Teague, Darren Collison, Jerome Randle, AJ Price, Nick Wise, Tyrese Rice, and Im sure there are more I didnt mention...

Im sure half of those guys will either be coming out or are seniors that WILL be coming out for sure...so you got a nice class of PGs this year in my opinion...

Jonny Flynn is a shorter, less fat Baron Davis. Yeah, he's dirty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmgIPGy0zOE

Originally posted by crzyafrican:
Jonny Flynn is a shorter, less fat Baron Davis. Yeah, he's dirty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmgIPGy0zOE

Flynn's the best PG in the country. I'm a longtime Orange fan and been to a couple games this year. He is dirty. I'm not so sure he'll enter the draft though...

I was actually at that game BTW. That play got #1 play on Sport Center.

There may not be any Chris Pauls or Deron Williams in this draft, but GameOver is right. This draft is deep at guard.

Here are my rankings...

Point Guards
1) Ricky Rubio, DKV Joventut, Spain
2) Jonny Flynn, Sophomore, Syracuse
3) Brandon Jennings, Lottomatica Roma, Italy
4) Patrick Mills, Sophomore, St.Mary's
5) Ty Lawson, Junior, North Carolina
6) Eric Maynor, Senior, VCU
7) Darren Collison, Senior, UCLA
8) Sherron Collins, Junior, Kansas

-Patty Mills needs to stay (and he WILL stay) another year because his injury this season has destroyed his draft stock. I've loved him since I watched the Olympics.

-I see Darren Collison more as a situational defender--Kyle Lowry type player. Don't think he has much upside.

-Jerome Randle should stay for his senior year or he'll risk going undrafted. I like him though, he's got some swagger.

-Don't really care too much for Levance Fields, AJ Price, Jeremy Pargo, Nic Wise, Tyrese Rice, Toney Douglas, Dominic James.



Combo (PG/SG) Guards
1) Tyreke Evans, Freshman, Memphis
2) Jeff Teague, Sophomore, Wake Forest
3) Jrue Holiday, Freshman, UCLA
4) Stephen Curry, Junior, Davidson
5) Nick Calathes, Sophomore, Florida
6) Greivis Vasquez, Junior, Maryland

-Besides James Harden, Jrue Holiday for me has been the most disappointing player in the tournament. He was considered by many the #1 player in the 2008 High School Class, a future NBA star, and just like DeMar Derozan and Brandon Jennings he hasn't lived up to the hype. Holiday needs to stay at UCLA for four years.

-Vasquez should stay too.

I know that Brandon Jennings is a disappointment overseas, but I'd take him at #7 to the Warriors for sure (if Jonny Flynn isn't available )

Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn said he will return to school for his junior season, according to the Post-Standard.

"I'm coming back to Syracuse," Flynn told the newspaper. "That's it. I'm coming back to Syracuse. There is no 'as of right now.' I'm coming back to Syracuse. Yeah. I'm coming back to Syracuse."



Top 7 pick next year, guaranteed.

Originally posted by crzyafrican:
Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn said he will return to school for his junior season, according to the Post-Standard.

"I'm coming back to Syracuse," Flynn told the newspaper. "That's it. I'm coming back to Syracuse. There is no 'as of right now.' I'm coming back to Syracuse. Yeah. I'm coming back to Syracuse."



Top 7 pick next year, guaranteed.

really? not top 5? top 10? he's gotta be top 7?

I think Johnny Flynn is staying, I'll look for news on that.

From what I've seen from Rubio is that he can pass that ball like few others, and he plays defense (or at least tries). I doubt he's ever a great defender by NBA standards, but as long as his effort stays up he'll be fine. If he finds a jump shot he'll be great IMO.

EDIT: Johnny Flynn is staying, at least thats what he says. http://www.syracuse.com/poliquin/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/123771226554480.xml&coll=1

I'm not sure that he's a sure thing to come out, but if he does, I think that he & Griffin are in a class of their own in relation to the rest of the '09 draft.

Originally posted by crzyafrican:
There may not be any Chris Pauls or Deron Williams in this draft, but GameOver is right. This draft is deep at guard.

Here are my rankings...

Point Guards
1) Ricky Rubio, DKV Joventut, Spain
2) Jonny Flynn, Sophomore, Syracuse
3) Brandon Jennings, Lottomatica Roma, Italy
4) Patrick Mills, Sophomore, St.Mary's
5) Ty Lawson, Junior, North Carolina
6) Eric Maynor, Senior, VCU
7) Darren Collison, Senior, UCLA
8) Sherron Collins, Junior, Kansas

-Patty Mills needs to stay (and he WILL stay) another year because his injury this season has destroyed his draft stock. I've loved him since I watched the Olympics.

-I see Darren Collison more as a situational defender--Kyle Lowry type player. Don't think he has much upside.

-Jerome Randle should stay for his senior year or he'll risk going undrafted. I like him though, he's got some swagger.

-Don't really care too much for Levance Fields, AJ Price, Jeremy Pargo, Nic Wise, Tyrese Rice, Toney Douglas, Dominic James.



Combo (PG/SG) Guards
1) Tyreke Evans, Freshman, Memphis
2) Jeff Teague, Sophomore, Wake Forest
3) Jrue Holiday, Freshman, UCLA
4) Stephen Curry, Junior, Davidson
5) Nick Calathes, Sophomore, Florida
6) Greivis Vasquez, Junior, Maryland

-Besides James Harden, Jrue Holiday for me has been the most disappointing player in the tournament. He was considered by many the #1 player in the 2008 High School Class, a future NBA star, and just like DeMar Derozan and Brandon Jennings he hasn't lived up to the hype. Holiday needs to stay at UCLA for four years.

-Vasquez should stay too.

Seemed like Harden checked ou of the tournament Just too laid back

I've felt that Harden was overrated for a while now. So-so athlete, not very tall, and isn't much of a shooter off of the dribble, average to decent in most other areas. He's clever/smart, but not enough to make up for his lack of physical gifts. He'll be effective in catch and shoot situations, but that's not someone that's worth a Top 5 pick, IMO.

He's the Kevin Love of this year, IMO. He'll be a good player, but I can't see him being a star. He could eventually be a good #3 guy on a good team, but that's not where he's projecting. He'll likely have to be a #2 guy on a bad one.

If Rubio or Griffin aren't available, I'd take a run at guys like Thabeet, Evans, Teague, and DeRozan (despite the Gerald Green similiarities) before I'd take Harden.

Evans & DeRozan are going to need to be well coached to succeed though, whereas I think Teague's a fairly sure thing in terms of being a very good player.

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
I'm not sure that he's a sure thing to come out, but if he does, I think that he & Griffin are in a class of their own in relation to the rest of the '09 draft.

See here's the thing. Everyone assumes he'll come out, but he's got like a $3 mil buyout. For a team like the Kings who have been buying people out left and right to save like 500k, I think this is problematic. An nba team can only contribute half a mil to the buyout. I'm not sure how much money he's made overseas to afford his way here. However, he and Griffin like you said are the 2 best players in the class. They're miles ahead of anyone else right now.

Rickey Rubio is well grounded in the game, has the right attitude and terrific athletic abilities.

Man, I would like to see the Warriors pick this guy up. He is ready to roll in the NBA.

Only 18, but has been playing in the top Spanish league since he was 15!!!!!

Originally posted by JDeezy:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
I'm not sure that he's a sure thing to come out, but if he does, I think that he & Griffin are in a class of their own in relation to the rest of the '09 draft.

See here's the thing. Everyone assumes he'll come out, but he's got like a $3 mil buyout. For a team like the Kings who have been buying people out left and right to save like 500k, I think this is problematic. An nba team can only contribute half a mil to the buyout. I'm not sure how much money he's made overseas to afford his way here. However, he and Griffin like you said are the 2 best players in the class. They're miles ahead of anyone else right now.

I hear you, but I think that it would be in the best interest of any team to draft Rubio, even just from a financial standpoint.

He's an 18 year old kid with a ton of flare on the court who looks like he should be in an emo band. He'd sell tickets. Sacto fans loved White Chocolate, and Rubio's a lot like him, but a better basketball player.