His man-cave is far superior to mine!

cut and paste or whatever you might do to check out the link below.

http://www.nba.com/lakers/newsnba/111020lakersshrine.html

NBA Draft 2012

There will be an NBA draft in June 2012, it might not seem like it based on the current climate but it will occur. Who will be the number one choice in 2012? NBADraft.net and draftexpress.com both contained the best mock drafts around. I keep both on my favorites list because over the years I've found both to be close to the actual draft. NBA.com says the lockout will not prevent teams from continuing to scout players. In any event NBADraft.net projects UConn's Andre Drummond number one while draftexpress has him listed as two. Is this freshman that good, playing time will be the test of his potential. I plead guilty I too sometimes get caught up in the hype of a player especially a high profile incoming freshman. It will be interesting how this 6-11 270 pound center adapts to the collegiate game and Coach Jim Calhoun.

Remember his name too

Make note of another name on both websites 2012 mock draft, Robert Sacre of Gonzaga. Sacre is a 7 foot 265 pound center from North Vancouver British Columbia. This 7 footers game while certainly not spectacular has shown steady progress during his collegiate career. He broke his foot three games into his sophomore year receiving a medical redshirt that year. Sacre's game has shown steady growth compiling modest numbers, his junior year numbers were 12.5 points per game and 6.3 rebounds. Sacre from North Vancouver British Columbia might be selected in next years draft.

A dream deferred

That might be the summation for Connie Hawkins because his dream was on hold for several years. This lithe 6-8 215 pound small forward could soar and glide, he was Doctor J. before there was a Doctor J! Hawk made the basketball appear to be a grapefruit with his huge hands all this while he exhibited spin moves and often finger roll the ball into the hoop. I cannot due true justice to the Hawks story space will not permit it, read: "Foul: The Connie Hawkins Story" by David Woolf for the complete story. Hawk was barred from playing in the NBA, when he did arrive it was as a 27-year old rookie. I'm unsure if the series of events that caused his career to be stalled would exist today, the world was different in 1960. Hawk had been implicated in a point-shaving scandal but Hawk was never proven guilty. In addition under intense police questioning (no attorney was present) he never admitted guilt. This poor kid from the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of New York City Hawk had borrowed $200 from a gambler while in college. His brother paid the money back the following summer but the money became the basis for Hawk's "guilt." He maintained he was never told to shave points, one more interesting fact while enrolled at the University of Iowa he was on the freshman team, in those days freshman were ineligible for the varsity. Despite these events he was kicked out of school, and to add fuel to the fire the NBA barred him for life. Hawk's only choice was to begin a pro career as a 19-year old, he played in the American Basketball League, for the Globetrotters and finally in the ABA. Attorneys would later take his case and file suit against the NBA to clear his name and allow him to play in the NBA. The court ruled in his favor and as a free agent he signed with the Phoenix Suns in 1969. It's a shame the majority of the nation never had an opportunity to see him play in his prime. His number 42 is retired by the Suns and Hawk soared once more reaching the mountain top with his election to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Parity, can it work in the NBA?

I didn't read the entire article on ESPN.com, Dwayne Wade said "you can't expect every team to be competitive every year!" One of the many complaints I've heard over the years "the same teams play for the championship year after year." It's true, between the two the Celtics and Lakers have probably won close to half the NBA Championships. My NFL friends tell me parity exists in their league, there are favorites but in theory you could have a "worst to first" team in the NFL. For a number of reasons that type of scenario would never exist in the NBA. There is certainly nothing wrong with an owners desire to turn a profit but I'm just unsure if it's fair to compare the NFL to the NBA. None of us have the opportunity to view the books so we have no idea how fiscally sound a team might be. The one thing we do know Reggie Miller stated several teams have players on their payroll who are essentially dead weight. Their pay far exceeds their production, value and contribution to the team. Next time owners complain about a profit (or lack) they might need to check their ship and determine if it's sailing as smoothly as it can.

"Always do what you are afraid to do!"

Ralph Waldo Emerson