DRAFT SPECIAL EDITION

I informed a friend and reader I thought there would be no trades due to the pending labor impasse. If you followed the draft of course you realize there were numerous trades, in addition several included veteran players.

Grandview's Alec Burks at pick 12 becomes the highest drafted area player in metro history, Anthony Peeler of Paseo was the 15th pick in the 1992 draft. The list of area players noted by the Kansas City Star will increase by one to 24 area players with NBA careers. The list includes Leavenworth's Wayne Simien and Bonner Springs Ed Nealy, I don't considered them metro but that's me. Simien and Nealy had brief NBA careers, Danny Manning only played his senior year at Leavenworth High School therefore his name is not included in the count.

My son gave me the heads-up on this story, he mentioned to me all the stories surrounding Jimmer and the end concluded differently. Jimmermania was in full effect just in case you missed it, "he was going to the Jazz due to his BYU connection. He was going to the Knicks, his home town of Glens Falls New York is 142 miles from New York City and he grew up a Knicks fan." The other pre-draft story, "he was headed to Phoenix to be an understudy to Steve Nash."

As the draft progressed into the second round KU's Josh Selby had not been picked. I was viewing the draft on television and had ESPN and Lakersground websites open on my PC. I kept reading updates from a few Laker fans expressing hope Selby would be chosen, I'm sure I was the only fan hoping he wouldn't be picked. The Lakers requirement for a young point guard has certainly been documented by several websites. No problem with Selby he has holes in his game in my estimation, he "appears" to be a shoot-first point guard. In addition he should have remained at KU for another year most of us witnessed few examples that would indicate he's ready for the NBA.

Another story of interest is that of Jeremy Tyler, after a highly touted high school career he decided (with his parents permission) to skip his senior year. He signed with a team in Israel to continue his basketball career, immaturity and other factors caused him to leave Israel. The next stop was Japan where he played for former NBA coach Bob Hill. The Tsunami forced cancellation of the season and at that point Tyler decided on the NBA. I guess this is a woulda, shouda, couda story, as a prep player he was odds on to be a first round draft choice. He's in the NBA but was the 39th player drafted by the Bobcats in the second round, his draft rights would later be traded to the Warriors.

What's the deal with the foreign players, are they not required by FIBA rules to provide proof of their age? It seems every draft year a foreign players age is called into question. The discussion this time revolved around Bobcats draftee Bismack Biyombo. We must assume they don't issue birth certificates in the Republic of the Congo. The thrust of the NBA draft has changed in recent years, it once was "who can help me (team) next season?" It's now become as one writer stated "promise and potential", do you agree?

In closing this draft special please read Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, his column of June 24th is titled "Stern steers NBA toward chaos." Certainly not my intent to give it away but Wojnarowski indicts Commissioner Stern for the pending work stoppage, read it, well worth your time. By the way, Wojnarowski is one of those media types who knows the NBA and I certainly value his insight into the sport. Several years ago many in the media anointed David Stern the best commissioner in sports, I for one am unsure if that is still the case. As I finish this on Friday afternoon I'm viewing a Stern press conference on NBA TV, he says "the players and owners are meeting next week and currently the owners are not prepared to lock out the players."


"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
Eleanor Roosevelt