AJC > Sports > Hawks > Blog > Archives > 2007 > April > 03
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
The eyes don’t lie …
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m not waiting around for workouts (highly overrated) or official measurements (who cares how tall Corey Brewer is in socks?) and I don’t care who has what pick in the June draft (that won’t be decided until May 22). I’m not even going to sleep on it. I’m going with what these eyes have seen for Blog-Z’s Top 13 for the 2007 NBA draft:
Greg Oden, Ohio State - I watched Oden for 20 minutes at the Nike Camp the summer after his freshman year of high school and knew then that barring a catastrophe this guy was the top pick in whatever draft he declared for. First impressions never lie. You saw the beast Monday night. The eyes don’t lie.
Kevin Durant, Texas - His tournament run was brief but Durant’s crazy freshman season will love on forever. Any other year I’d love him with the top spot. A scoring machine who has a chance to develop into one of the game’s truly elite players when his body catches up to his skills.
Al Horford, Florida - It doesn’t matter if he’s 6-9 or 6-10, Horford has made a believer out of me. He’s as physically ready to play at the next level as any player in this draft. He dropped in 18 and 12 last night on the big stage, which showed me all I needed to see.
Joakim Noah, Florida - There are probably more naturally gifted players out there. But for my money, a player like Noah is far more valuable. He’s a gamer without the fancy polish and selfish attitude. Put him on your team and good things will happen.
Corey Brewer, Florida - North Carolina’s Brandan Wright had been penciled in here for months. But what is it Wright does that Mr. MOP can’t do better? … Exactly. Brewer’s quick lift off the floor and all around game make me think of a more high-tech version of Stacey Augmon, one of my all-time favorite players.
Mike Conley Jr., Ohio State - Wicked is the only way to describe this young PG. His handle, his savvy, his game. It’s just wicked. I had no idea he was this good. It just always seemed he was Oden’s tag along. But he’s basically a brilliant basketball player at 19. And great PG prospects are so hard to find.
Roy Hibbert, Georgetown - Size definitely matters in the NBA. And aside from Oden, no one has it in surplus like big Roy. He fared better in a one-on-one matchup against Oden than Florida’s entire frontline rotation did Monday. Big fella has uncanny skills for a player his size. You can’t overlook that.
Al Thornton, Florida State - This rugged man from Perry, GA made quite the impression after watching his run from afar all season and a little closer during their NIT run. He’s a bruiser of the highest order that has honed his face-up game to the point that he can give anyone troubles.
Jeff Green, Georgetown - While I can try to forget his Final Four no-show, I can’t help but remember all that Green did to get the Hoyas there. And even in defeat I thought his passing for a guy his size was a sight to behold. He’s still one of my guys, though. I just wanted to see him dominate.
Acie Law , Texas A&M - How many big shots does my man have to knock down before the NBA types realize what everyone else who saw him already knew. This man thrives when the pressure is the greatest. More teams (college and NBA) need players like “The Law.”
Julian Wright, Kansas - His fragile shooting touch is his only weakness. Wright has everything else you love in a player his size (6-9, 225) and so much more. I’m seeing a Shane Battier type with even more untapped potential than Battier had after four years at Duke.
Brandan Wright, North Carolina - There were three or four moments during Tar Heels games in the NCAA Tournament that finally illustrated to me what NBA types have been saying about this guy for two years. Who knows if he’s going to fulfill his immense potential? But it’s worth taking a risk on him this high.
Chris Richard, Florida - The New Millennium Swen Nater (do your homework), Richard would have been a major player anywhere else other than Florida. He played Oden better than either Horford or Noah could have dreamed of. Everybody slept on Udonis Haslem, too. Don’t make the same mistake twice.
