2011 NBA Draft – Live Blogging
It’s time. We’ll be living blogging the draft today on both twitter @bigdukeballs and here on the site. Please check back in if you’re looking for worthless commentary.
Here you will find my predictions for where Duke Blue Devils (Kyrie Irving, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith), along with other ACC players.
Enjoy.
UPDATE: 33rd DETROIT – Kyle Singler (Duke)
Sorry, but I would have never predicted this. Not in a million years. No one can question his heart, but he needs to be a better scorer.
END OF FIRST ROUND:
30th CHICAGO – Jimmy Butler (Marquette)
Great kid, but I don’t understand why he goes ahead of Singler. Am I starting to sound like a bitter Duke fan? He’s everything Kyle is, except he doesn’t shoot the three as well and he doesn’t rebound as well. At best, he’s a bit better at putting the ball on the floor and creating his own shot.
29th SAN ANTONIO – Cory Joseph (Texas)
Will back up Tony Parker for the Spurs. He should keep a close eye on any girlfriend he brings along with him.
28th CHICAGO/TRADED TO MINNESOTA/TRADED TO MIAMI – Norris Coles.
Minnesota really confuses me. Coles is a good player, solid scorer, but a litte small.
27th NEW JERSEY/TRADED TO BOSTON – JaJaun Johnson (Purdue)
Clearly Boston is regretting that Kendrick Perkins trade. Time to make up for it.
26th DALLAS – Jordan Hamilton (Texas)
Amazing, the Longhorns get three players taken in the first round, yet where did they fall in the tournament. Is Rick Barnes the worst coach in basketball?
25th BOSTON/TRADED TO NEW JERSEY – Marshon Brooks (Providence)
Good pick. I can’t believe he fell this far. He’s a solid scorer. A shooting guard who can play like a point guard.
24th OKLAHOMA CITY – Reggie Jackson (Boston College)
He’s good. He’s quick. He’s long. Where does he fit on a team with Westbrook running the show and Maynor as well? We’ll see.
23rd MINNESOTA (FROM HOUSTON): Nikola Mirotic (Montenegro)
We’ll see you in four years.
22nd DENVER – Kenneth Faried (Morehead State)
Great rebounder, amazing motor. He will fit perfectly in Denver’s system. Great pick. Not a star, but an ultimate role player.
21st PORTLAND – NOLAN SMITH (DUKE)
A stunning pick. I never had Nolan going to Portland. We’ll take a wait and see attitude if he stays there. He’ll back up Andre Miller and Brandon Roy as a combo guard off the bench.
20th MINNESOTA/TRADED TO HOUSTON – Donatas Motiejunas (Lithuania)
A skinny seven-footer, who doesn’t really care and doesn’t like to rebound. I guess they didn’t want someone taking Kevin Love’s double-double’s away. Looks like he’s going to be traded to Houston.
19th MILWAUKEE – Tobias Harris (Tennessee)
Harris joins a potential sleeper team in 2012-2013. The Bucks struggled this past year because of injuries.
18th WASHINGTON – Chris Singleton (Florida State)
He’s the best defender in the draft. He will be the guy guarding LeBron, Carmelo and even a Derrick Rose nightly.
17th NEW YORK – Iman Shumpert (Georgia Tech)
Just goes to show that the NBA still cares more about how high you can jump, ignoring everything a player does in college. Knicks say they took him because of his D, but if that is the case, why not take the best defender in the draft in Chris Singleton.
16th PHILADELPHIA – Nikola Vucevic (USC)
The third Pac-1o player to go, one behind the Big 12 so far. He’s a versatile big man, something the 76ers desperately needs.
15th INDIANA – Kawhi Leonard (San Diego State)
He was projected to be top-10, but when all the foreigners went, Leonard was the one to fall. Does he get the start over Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy? UPDATE: Traded to Spurs for George Hill.
14th HOUSTON – Marcus Morris (Kansas)
Morris twins go back-to-back. Fitting. Marcus is the better Morris twin. If he can hit a three on a consistent basis, watch out.
13th PHOENIX – Markieff Morris (Kansas)
He’s no Amare Stoudemire. Can’t the Suns trade for his brother? It must happen.
12th UTAH – Alec Burks (Colorado)
A scorer who can’t shoot the three ball. Interesting.
11th GOLDEN STATE – Klay Thompson (Washington State)
My first wrong prediction. I had Chris Singleton going to the Warriors all the way. Now I’m thinking he falls to Houston.
10th SACRAMENTO – JIMMER FREDETTE (BYU)
“Maybe he didn’t play defense at BYU because they were trying to save him.” Um, yeah okay.
9th CHARLOTTE – Kemba Walker (Connecticut)
Winner. Question, can he survive a 82-game season with the way he plays?
8th DETROIT – BRANDON KNIGHT (Kentucky)
The Pistons now have a good combo of young (Knight, Monroe) with veterans (Hamilton, Prince).
7th CHARLOTTE – Bismack Biyombo (Congo)
I know nothing about this guy. He’s large. He might be able to actually fly with his 7-7 wingspan. Charlotte was supposed to take a shooting guard, but instead they got a backup for Kwame Brown.
6th WASHINGTON – Jan Vesely (Czech Republic)
A high-flyer who can shoot the ball. I still want to see what he can do in a basic half-court game. His the best PF John Wall has had since Kentucky.
5th TORONTO – Jonas Valanciunas (LITHUANIA)
He’ll have to miss a year because of Euro contract, but he has a chance to be special in a few years when he gains about 40 pounds of muscle.
4th CLEVELAND – Tristan Thompson (TEXAS)
The first small surprise of the year. Clearly Cleveland wants to get better now, although both of their picks were freshmen. He’s a bit small for PF, but he’s long, which helps him own the boards and block shots.
3rd PICK UTAH – Enes Kanter (TURKEY)
No, I’m not putting him from Kentucky. He’s a big boy with great feet and soft hands. He can also play some D. Wonder what the year off will do to him?
2nd PICK MINNESOTA – Derrick Williams (Arizona)
A big who can dominate the boards and hit threes like a shooting guard. Currently Michael Beasley holds down the SF spot, but the Timberwolves will make something happen by sticking him at the 4, next to Kevin Love. Just remember what he did against Duke in the Sweet 16. Owned.
1st PICK CLEVELAND – Kyrie Irving (Duke)
It’s a point guard and Cleveland knows this. If Kyrie Irving is really supposed to be the next Chris Paul, he is a no-brainer. Now some advice: Stay off motorcycles.
PRE-DRAFT
We already have a trade. Charlotte moves up to the 7th pick and also get former Duke Blue Devil, Corey Maggette.
Sacramento moves back three spots to the 10 spot, plus get guard John Salmons.
Milwaukee gets Charlotte’s 19th pick, but three guards, Stephen Jackson, Beno Udrih and Shaun Livingston. Duke fans remember Livingston from the time he committed to Duke, but then skipped college altogether to go play pro ball.