NBA Draft day 2008

Well it's that special time of year again - NBA draft day - and it's anyone's guess as to how this thing will play out. All that seems certain is that Derrick Rose of Memphis is set to go No.1 and join an already crowded Chicago Bulls backcourt.

Of course someone's going to squeezed out of the Windy City team huddle, as a result, and that player will likely be Kirk Heinrich. Too bad really because Heinrich has arguably been the best player in the Bulls for the last few years and definitely sports the best small guard haircut since John Stockton.

In addition, I have serious doubts about Rose.

Yeh sure, he's fast, athletic and can score but I can't recall the last time a player was so heavily backed like this at No.1 when he's really done very little to prove himself. I mean it's not like he's a dominant presence in the way Lebron James was out of high school. Or that he has terrific size like last year's No.1 Grege Oden. I even heard one Espn analyst call him the next Jason Kidd. As Dr. Evil says, "Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiighhhht".

A few announcers go ballistic over a player in the tournament and suddenly everyone's raving about the guy as the point guard of the future. Hey that'd be great if Rose actually played the game like a point guard but check the highlight reel folks - not a lot of passing going on there. He's a pure scorer and nothing like Jason Kidd.

In other news looks like Michael Beasley is a lock at No. 2 for the Heat. And in a very thin draft, Kevin McHale and the T-Wolves should to go with USC's O.J. Mayo. But nothing's a certainty on draft day and more than in any other year, 2008 appears destined for a lot of trade talk.

Just don't trade up your front row seat.

Where'd the cheese go? (I know exactly where)




What can you say about Kansas University that hasn't already been said (especially by those two hack commentators Brad Sham and Fran Fraschilla)?

A superb effort by the Jayhawks, particulalry on the defensive end, kept the Memphis Tigers at bay yesterday.

Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins displayed outstanding hustle and shot sharply when it mattered most. The pair led Kansas to a resilient 75-68 win that won't soon be forgotten.

On the flip side, I personally thought Memphis' main man Derrick Rose played out of control. You can point to the stat sheet all you want but Rose is being incredibly overhyped by hoops commentators at the moment. Apparently it only takes a couple of reverse lay-ups pulled out of the backside of your shorts and you're suddenly the No.1 player in the country! I'm sorry, I don't buy it.

I'm not saying Rose won't play in the NBA but the fact is that he's a freshman, raw on talent and short of NBA type decision making. And if you're adamant about reeling off stats consider these: Rose was 7-17 from the field in the final, 1-6 from downtown and committed a whopping 5 turnovers.

These types of numbers don't matter to Sham or his offsider, who are so intent on predicting every play and providing us with lame inner monologues of the officials to even worry about the real facts. I believe the votes have been counted - Sham and Fraschilla are officially the cheesiest announcers in basketball.

Dick Enberg, where are you when we need you?