National Recruit May Forgo College, Head Overseas

By Chris Le

Is the idea of college that repugnant?

Now, I can understand how NBA-ready prospects are pissed about being forced to make a one year pit stop at a college university before going pro. If they think they’re ready, they should be able to test the waters. But this long-debated issue is moot. Rules are rules—and kids now must be a year removed from high school in order to be eligible for the draft.

Boohoo. There are greater tragedies in life.

Apparently, getting an education (which would be free for most prospects with NBA aspirations), being treated like a god on campus, and national television coverage wasn’t very appealing to Brandon Jennings, scout.com’s top recruit in the country.

The current Arizona-commit is mulling over the idea of de-committing and playing in Europe, where it is rumored he could make up to $500,000 a year, before heading into the 2009 draft.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t blame anyone for trying to make money. The idea of selling out is just laughable in my mind; there is no such thing. Well, maybe there is, but there’s nothing wrong with it. Anyone who says otherwise is an idealistic, starving artist who hasn’t yet been given the chance to sell out. You gotta do what you can in this capitalistic world.

But I digress.

By all accounts, Jennings is projected as a top-5 pick in next year’s draft. He will become a millionaire. According to mynbadraft.com, lottery players are guaranteed at least $1,424,400. If Jennings does in fact get the $500K paycheck overseas (not necessarily a given he’ll make that much), it would hardly set him or his family for life. Delaying income for one year doesn’t seem so bad, especially seeing the potential earnings in the NBA.

However, I don’t know if his family is in dire financial straits. If so, he should by all means try to get paid. But that doesn’t appear to be the case. Going over to Europe seems to merely be an act of rebellion, a snub of the NCAA and its one-year rule.

If he does in fact just want to make money and maximize his dollar, wouldn’t proving himself against Division I opponents—a much better known product than Euro League players—ensure a higher draft slot, thus the amount guaranteed green?

Should Jennings go through with his international plans, could we possibly see more recruits follow suit?

I sure hope not. Those Euro Leagues would probably just teach American post players to jack up threes and flop.

Top NBA Prospects

By Chris Le

I expect the NBA Draft to be a wild one. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more than a few head-scratching selections and/or multiple trades, even at the top, involving some possible big names.

But I’m not here to predict the details of such happenings or even the selections themselves. I’m sure you’ve already seen a million mocks drafts already; putting forth another one would be overkill and plus, they’re usually pretty inaccurate of how the real thing pans out anyway. So throw out draft order or a team’s needs because these are just my 10 best players available.

1. Derrick Rose, PG, Memphis – Rose has the size (6’1, 195) and physical attributes to be as good, if not better than the likes of Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Tony Parker. With an extremely quick first-step and even greater top speed, he can excel in an up-tempo offense but still has the strength, court-vision and play-making ability—for himself and his teammates—to orchestrate the half-court. But like most point guard prospects, he needs to work on his jumper and his ability to lead. I still haven’t seen that mean streak I see in CP3. And then there are those free throws…But you can’t pass up the chance at a dominant point guard. NBA Comparison: Dwyane Wade with a little bit of Jason Kidd.

2. Michael Beasley, PF, Kansas State – His skill set and natural feel for the game make him the best overall player in the draft. Has the ability to score from anywhere on the court and showed to be a terrific rebound. But the question will be if he can do in the NBA what he did in college, where he had an insurmountable strength advantage. His lack of freakishly explosive athleticism and size (he’s only 6’8), which is usually seen in a top-2 pick, could hinder his NBA success. NBA Comparison: A Carmelo Anthony who likes the paint.

3. O.J. Mayo, G, USC – It seems in any draft there’s one player who is initially projected to go high, only to see his stock crumble for some reason during the off season but ends up going high anyway. Mayo was the number-one pick most of his career, but a slightly disappointing stint at USC and some character issues made some scouts skeptical. Those same critics have finally seen through all the bullshit and realize Mayo is an All-Star in the making. Though undersized, his game is highly developed and routinely makes difficult shots look easy. A very cerebral scorer, but he won’t blow you away, at times settling for tough looks, and his defense needs improvement. Still, I think he’s a no-brainer at number 3. NBA Comparison: A more athletic Brandon Roy with a greater scoring tendency.

4. Jerryd Bayless, PG, Arizona – I don’t know why this kid didn’t get much publicity in college, but he was killing the Pac-10 on the regular. He’s incredibly explosive, has NBA range, and a gorgeous pull-up jumper. Though his scoring ability is potentially game-changing, he needs to develop his court vision and distributing acumen. At Arizona, he sometimes was overly aggressive, leaving him no outs but to jack up a bad shot. He doesn’t give you much else besides scoring, but it’s one hell of a dimension. NBA Comparison: Point guard version of Monta Ellis.

5. Eric Gordon, SG, Indiana – I can’t believe people doubt this kid. And why? Because of a second half slump? I’m not sure anyone could keep up an elite level of play after losing their head coach halfway through their freshman season. And that’s not mentioning the sprained wrist he suffered. But slump or not, Gordon proved to me that he has the potential to be the best scorer in this draft. He is thick so he’ll be able to finish around the rim against the league’s big defenders and yet also has a first-step that’ll leave defenders spinning. He’s got NBA range and showed some defensive desire, which is impressive on the college level. Not much more you can ask for in a two-guard, except for improved shot selection, 3 more inches in height and better passing. NBA Comparison: Ben Gordon. Times two.

6. Kevin Love, PF, UCLA – Love is my kind of player: old school, highly fundamental, tough-as-nails in the middle, and not the least bit afraid of looking ugly as long as it’s effective. Many view his sub-par athleticism, quickness and overall pudginess as red flags, but I think his strong rebounding, quickly developing jump shot and his uncanny passing more than offset his shortcomings. All this combined with his physical strength and high basketball IQ will make him a great bench player, if not a serviceable starter. NBA Comparison: Poor man’s Bill Walton/David West.

This is where I think the cream separates from the crop. I pretty much love at least one thing about the above prospects. But with the following players, while nice, I don’t see as much potential.

7. Russell Westbrook, SG, UCLA – Nobody’s stock is rising faster. He wasn’t the most productive college player but is an undeniably great athlete who can become a lock-down defender down the line. From what I saw during the season, while still a little raw and needs honing—particularly his ball handling and shooting—he does many things well but doesn’t excel at one particular area. I think he’s got the game of a two-guard, but his size will be a concern. He probably projects as a point in the league, where an athlete like him should be fine. NBA Comparison: Leandro Barbosa.

8. Brook Lopez, C, Stanford – Finally, we get to a 7-foot prospect. They say you can’t teach height, but to a certain extent, you can’t really teach quickness and dexterity either. While at Stanford, Lopez showed a nice knack for scoring, displaying a sweet-for-his-size jumper and admirable effort on defense, but it’s hard to ignore his almost lumbering footwork. A little robotic in his movement, but that didn’t seem to hamper him from producing big numbers in college. Though, what’s with the .468 shooting percentage? I think he’s a project that could be overwhelmed in his first couple of seasons. NBA Comparison: Spencer Hawes with slightly better defense.

9. D.J. Augustin, PG, Texas – Perhaps the best pure point guard in college basketball last year. The kid can score, has nice handles and the best passing skills/court vision in the draft at the moment. He also has a winning attitude which many coaches will tell you isn’t very easy to attain. The only thing holding him back is his diminutive stature. At 5’11, he’ll have trouble when the big bodies bump him, particularly on the defensive end. Though other prospects may be bigger and more athletic, he’s a proven commodity. NBA Comparison: Jameer Nelson.

10. Brandon Rush, SF, Kansas –Projected as a shooting guard, there isn’t much Rush can’t do. I love his length (6’6 with a 6’11 wingspan), which along with his lateral quickness will help him develop into a solid defender. If he puts in some off season elbow grease and shows desire, I see Rush as an eventual decade-long starter. Maybe not an All-Star, but he’ll have a nice career. NBA Comparison: Eddie Jones.

NBA Finals Prediction

By Chris Le

The match up everyone wanted is now here.

Each the number one seed of their respective conferences but more importantly, the two best teams in the league—which seems to be a rarity in sports these days—face off in the championship series.

That’s why people should be pumped.

It shouldn’t be because of the storied histories of each franchise or a rivalry of a bygone era. Those are impossible to meet standards that really don’t apply to this particular group of players. Looking at Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett, I just don’t get the feeling that this is a rivalry anymore, in the same sense of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird or Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. I mean, it’s been, what, a few decades since both teams have concurrently lived up to their franchises’ reputation?

This rivalry needs a shot to the heart. Let’s hope that when this series is over, instead of living in the past, a new chapter in the Celtics-Lakers rivalry is born.

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (1) Boston Celtics

Regular Season Series: Celtics 2-0

Outcome: Everyone and their mom are on the Lakers’ jock—and for good reason. They’ve been dominant, mixing the most versatile offense in the league with an improved defense (which I personally didn’t see coming). Their combination of size, athleticism and shooting seems to be an impossible riddle to solve.

If there’s a team to do just that, however, it’s the Celtics.

Simply put, from top to bottom, they’re a better all-around team than the Lakers. Justification for such a claim begins with their unparalleled defense, which is just as vaunted as Los Angeles’ offense. Boston is extremely physical, which should help neutralize their opponents’ speed advantage, even if just a bit, and discourage a few of their softer players.

One possible red flag I see is Boston’s lack of a post presence. Without an active body in the paint, the livelier Lakers could have a feast on the boards like they did against the Spurs, playing right into their up-tempo style.

If they can limit or even offset the production of Los Angeles’ role players, though, the Celtics have a legitimate chance of hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy when it’s all said and done. KG will have no trouble against Pau Gasol or Lamar Odom, on both ends of the court, keeping the Celtics close. And Paul Pierce is dynamic enough and has a sufficient mean streak to close out a game.

But despite all this, in the end, the Lakers have two factors the Celtics do not: Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant.

There’s simply no comparing the Zen Master, possessor of nine rings who’s seen everything there is to be seen in basketball, and Doc Rivers, who hadn’t even won a playoff series before this year. This is an utter mismatch that shouldn’t be underestimated.

And then, of course, there’s Kobe, who has raised his game to a level that only an elite few have experienced, where he never loses control of his opponent or his own teammates. Against the Celtics, he’ll have a tougher time incorporating the rest of the Lakers, at which point he’ll have to go for 40—well within his realm. But unlike years past, he knows which Kobe (selfish or unselfish) to be at the right moment. Boston will have to be exceedingly active and amorphous on defense, attempting to make Kobe schizophrenic.

Ultimately, I don’t see them doing it, and Kobe will be the difference in this series.

Lakers in 7.

Who Wants It More: Kobe Or KG?

By Chris Le

To me, the story of the NBA Finals isn’t the resurgent rivalry of the Celtics and Lakers. I’m not sure if it still qualifies as one since both teams were steeped in mediocrity the past few seasons and haven’t met in the postseason in over 30 years.

Basketball isn’t like baseball, where franchises, even cities, are legitimate adversaries (e.g. the Yankees and Red Rox). Granted, they aren’t division rivals, but you don’t see the same burning hatred between the Knicks and Celtics. Alternatively, animosity in the NBA has and always will be character driven. It was the individual battles that made past meetings between the Celtics and Lakers so captivating.

Unfortunately for us, the 2008 chapter of this series lacks just that.

This is far from the battles our grandfathers witnessed between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. Long gone is the Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird grudge matches of our fathers’ generation. No, these upcoming games appear to be completely void of any bad blood, unless you count the small tiff between Kobe Bryant and Ray Allen a few years back when Allen called the current MVP selfish. But that’s hardly a marquee match up worth tuning in for.

Instead, the story of this series, the reason to watch these NBA Finals, is the continuing paths of two men—with their legacies hanging in the balance—seeking the same objective for two completely contrasting reasons. And I can’t wait to see who wants it more. Or, more importantly, who is good enough to accomplish his goal.

Kevin Garnett, whose struggles with the Minnesota Timberwolves are well-documented, seeks his first title. Long known as one of the games hardest-working and fiercest competitors, KG thirsts for a ring so explicitly, wearing his emotions on his sleeves, he almost makes you think he deserves one without actually having to earn it by beating his opponent. His game even prompted the legendary Bill Russell to offer KG one of his own 11 rings if he continues to play with his patented verve and desire. I can only image KG’s reaction if he  actually wins the championship. There’s no doubt in my mind his sobbing will put to shame anything Roger Federer and Terrell Owens consider crying.

Kobe, on the other hand, already possesses three rings. And you may snicker at the idea that Kobe’s hunger for a fourth championship is in the mere vicinity of KG’s want for his first. But Kobe is chasing something he’s craved as long as KG has aspired to be a champion—his own legend, separate from His Airness.

It must eat up his insides to constantly hear claims that he can’t win a title on his own, or that his first three championships don’t count in his quest to Jordan because Kobe was Robin to Shaquille O’Neal’s Batman.

Don’t believe otherwise, Kobe would love nothing more than to shut everybody up and prove he is every bit Jordan’s equal—if not better.

Kobe tries to play it politically correct, putting forth clichés like “Michael is Michael. He’s the greatest of all-time. I want to be the best I can be.” Blah, blah, blah.

Everyone just knows he wants to be the best to ever play the game just by watching him. From the way he plays, how he carries himself off the court, it’s just evident. I’m not saying this desire is necessarily bad either. I think all truly great players, deep down inside, for some on a subconscious level, aspire to be the greatest there ever was; it’s a part of what makes them great. You better believe Jordan had this mentality. That’s why when he had his opponents down, he proceeded to stomp on their necks, going for 50 and playing as hard as ever even when a game was already decided. He wanted to leave no doubt as to who was the man.

Of course, no athlete can publicly admit a conscious yearning to be better than another player. They’d be crucified by fans and the media. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have this urge inside them.

Kobe has it. You can tell that he’s wanted to be better than Jordan ever since he was in high school. And with a fourth title, he’d be on his way to Jordan’s summit.

So forget about the whole Celtics-Lakers mystique. This NBA Finals is about Kobe and KG.

The Weekly Rundown

By Bryan Jeon

Red Wings Reclaim Stanley Cup

The Red Wings won their first title in 5 years and fourth in 11 years, jumping out early in Game 6 to finish the series at Pittsburgh. Detroit outshot the Penguins in all six games of the Finals, 222 shots or 37/game to 142 or 24/game. Your deserved MVP, Henrik Zetterberg, who tied playoff-highs with 27 points (with Sidney Crosby) and 13 goals (with Johan Franzen) and scored the series winner to put the Red Wings up 3-1 halfway through the third period.

Game 6: Detroit beat Pittsburgh 3-2
win 4-2

Kimbo Nearly Slices Thompson’s Ear Off in TKO Victory

In the first-ever live mixed martial arts broadcast on network television, something I strongly disagree with because of its’ absolutely raw violence, an MMA-record 6.51 million CBS viewers saw Kimbo Slice trade blows with James Thompson at EliteXC on Saturday before a referee stoppage in the third round to remain undefeated at 3-0. Thompson (16-9) actually won the first two rounds, raising serious questions about Slice’s ability to perform at the professional level. Regardless, Slice was able to give Thompson cauliflower ear, something that forms when you get hit in the ear a massive amount of times and could be permanent, before popping his ear of blood with a haymaker in the third round.

Ramirez Reaches Milestone, Griffey Just One Shy; Cubs Tops in Majors

500 – Manny Ramirez hit his 500th home run Saturday, becoming the 24th player to reach the milestone. It was the 36-year-old’s 11th home run of the year but just his second in his last fifteen games played. His solo shot in the seventh inning secured the Red Sox’s victory over the Orioles 6-3.

599 - Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 599th home run Saturday, moving him within one shot of an even more exclusive club, vying to become just the 6th player in major league history to hit 600 home runs. It was the 38-year-old’s 6th home run of the year and just his second in his last thirty games, as he’s struggling this year with a .255 average. His two-run home run in the first inning was just the beginning of the Reds’ 8-7 win over the Braves in 10 innings.

At 36-21, the Chicago Cubs stand one game better than the Tampa Bay Rays for the best record in baseball, both surprises early on in the season. The Cubs are on a 7-game winning streak after topping the Rockies 5-3 on Sunday and are averaging a major league-best 5.7 runs/game. The last time the Cubs were the best team in June? 1908 when the Cubs last won a championship.

NBA Finals Set for Classic Showdown

The Los Angeles Lakers closed out the San Antonio Spurs in a surprisingly quick five games while the Boston Celtics won their first games on the road in the playoffs and didn’t go the distance for the first time in beating the Detroit Pistons in six games. Together, the Lakers (14) and Celtics (16) own 30 championships, the last being the Lakers’ 2002 taking of the title. The popular pick seems to be the Lakers to beat Boston, the team with the best record in basketball. Allow me to stick with my playoff prediction, Boston, to come out of this one holding the trophy.

Game 1: LAL at Boston Thurs. at 6p PT on ABC

A Look Ahead: 140th Belmont Stakes Sat. @ 3:25p PT on ABC

Big Brown is looking to be the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years when the third and final leg of the Triple Crown is run at Belmont Park in New York. The Morning Line has Big Brown, who is up against 9 horses, at 2/5 odds while his Japanese rival, Casino Drive, owns the only other single-digit odds at 7/2 odds. As if the undefeated Big Brown needed any help, he drew the No. 1 post, where 23 horses have won at Belmont since 1905, the most of any of the posts.