I have been told that I am
considered one of the “college basketball elite.” While I am no
scout, I watch more college basketball than pretty much anyone you probably
encounter. As a University of Kansas Basketball apologist, the ESPN
Full Court package is my favorite thing about the winter. To me, the
NCAA Tournament is the finest sporting spectacular there is. Nothing
comes close. Not the Super Bowl, Not the World Series, Not the NBA Finals.
Nothing. So in writing a column devoted to the NBA draft and what the
Cleveland Cavaliers should do, my opinions are based solely on what
I have seen with these somewhat blurred eyes of mine over the hundreds
of college games I have seen the last four years. Let’s run down the
players that most experts see as targets for the Cavaliers at the #25
slot. PG Kyle Lowry – 6-0, 185 lbs, 20 years old, Villanova
This is one tough kid. His
freshman season exploded about half way through, when most freshmen
seems to get it, and he came off the bench for Jay Wright’s club as
a spark plug. He had a coming out party of sorts in Nova’s sweet 16
losses to eventual champion North Carolina by locking down Ink’s Raymond
Felton. Last season he started from game one and was defending the opponent’s
best player. He plays much bigger than his size and isn’t afraid to
go to the hole and absorb contact. His rebounding is surprisingly effective
for someone listed at 6’0. On the downside, he rarely takes three
point shots and does not have range. His game is driving and defending.
A glue guy who is probably going to be a career backup PG. The NBA player
he is often compared to is Eric Snow. The Cavaliers already have one
point guard who can’t shoot, who needs another one.
PG Jordan Farmar – 6-2, 171 lbs, 19 years old, UCLA
My opinion of Farmar changed
the more I saw him play. I thought he was nothing but West Coast hype
until I saw him completely dominate the Pac 10 tournament and carry
his team to the NCAA Finals as a sophomore. I am not big on workouts,
just what a player does when the lights are on him. This is what makes
Farmar special. He is a very smart floor general, can penetrate and
dish with the best of them. Jump shot is average. Can really get up
and down the floor and would be perfect to push the pace with Lebron
and Larry Hughes. He sometimes is out of control, but his smarts overshadow
this. He probably would have benefited from another year at UCLA, but
welcome to the 2006 NBA. Of all the players potentially available to
the Cavaliers at #25, I believe he is the best fit.
PG Daniel Gibson – 6-3, 190 lbs, 20 years old, Texas
Brian Windhorst from the Akron
Beacon-Journal reported last week that they Cavaliers are enamored with
Gibson. He cancelled workouts with other teams after seeing GM Danny
Ferry and Coach Mike Brown. Other sources say that he has been telling
anyone who will listen in Austin that he will be a Cavalier. Now I don’t
claim to know more than Ferry, but trust me on this one. If the Cavaliers
pick Gibson at #25, it will be a huge mistake. I watched Gibson at least
20 times the last two years. As a freshman, I thought he was an absolute
stud, can’t miss guy; a better version of T.J. Ford. As a sophomore,
he looked more Gerald Ford than T.J. Ford. He was taken off the ball
mid-season by UT coach Rick Barnes because he couldn’t get his own
shot and was turning the ball over too much. He is not a great shooter
by any means, and is too small to be a 2 man. The Cavaliers need a pure
point guard who can shoot. Gibson is not this. His numbers declined
in scoring, assists (only 3.1 per game), field goal percentage, and
three point percentage after he received so much pre-season hype. He
is Dajuan Wagner all over again, except he isn’t as good of a scorer.
This guy won’t be in the league in 3 years. Mark it down.
SG Shannon Brown – 6-3, 190 lbs, 20 years old, Michigan State
Another guy I have seen a ton.
I really like his game. He is a ball of energy; a great finisher, solid
defender, and a terrific athlete. Improved every year in college and
broke out this past season, averaging 17 points per game. His shooting
really improved from year to year. The negative on him is his 6’3
frame as a two guard and the fact that he doesn’t have the handles
to play point guard. However, he is fearless, tough, and played in plenty
of big games at MSU. I wouldn’t be upset if this were the Cavaliers
pick as he would be a good backup to Larry Hughes at the two and an
upgrade over Sasha Pavlovic and the forgettable Luke Jackson. This is
assuming Flip Murray walks in free agency.
Who I wish the Cavaliers could
take:
PG Marcus Williams – 6-3, 215 lbs, 20 years old, Connecticut
Again, throw out the workouts
and let’s focus on the games themselves. Williams
is so tough, so smart, and so smooth. There is no better point guard
in this draft. He has NBA three point range, goes to the hole when his
team needed a big basket, and was one of the best free throw shooters
in the country. I have loved this guy for two years. Throw out the character
issues with him. He will be an NBA all star and a poor man’s Jason
Kidd – only Williams has a better jumper. The Cavs could start him
from day one and have a scary backcourt with Lebron and Hughes. We can
dream, but this will never materialize.
What The Cavaliers will do:
#25 – I believe Farmar will
be gone and the Gibson rumors are unfortunately true. They will draft
Daniel Gibson, PG Texas and watch him be John Morton 2006 for four
years.
#42 – Best player available player time. Ferry comes from the San Antonio school of drafting guys who have accomplished something. They would salivate to get Cleveland product and West Virginia SG Mike Gansey, but he will be gone. They will go with underrated SG, former McDonald’s All American, and superb athlete James White, SG Cincinnati.
#55 Time for a big body. They would love to see a guy like Paul Milsap from Louisiana Tech, a bruising rebounder. He will be gone. Ferry will go for Leonardo di Pacche Dos Santos, PF Brazil, know as Morro. They will let him stay in Brazil and develop. He is only 21 and is 6-11, 235. Ferry and Brown will hope for another Anderson Varajao out of Morro.
