NBA Mock Draft - February, 2008
Our January 2008 mock, which has been confirmed to have been translated in a minimum of 17 languages, will yield to this current edition as we launch our new look at HoopsAddict.com. Additionally, we now feature an NBA Draft section, which will allow me to meet the global demands of my readership and provide a consistent flow of scouting reports, player developments, and coveted specialized insight. We here at Hoops Addict have an improved/upgraded site made manifest by you the reader. Furthermore, my propensity for proactive prose when evaluating players from various programs will give way to more prudent player previews down the prairie towards Draft day 2008. At this time I will keep a positive perspective on the 30 players penned here and their perceived hoop potencies. Finally for the reader’s who have relayed the bounty of bootlegged writings influenced by my pen I appreciate the acknowledgment. Yet rest assured, “my magniloquent myriad of metaphors makes me the mystical mock mystery.” Set your bookmark and read on
The Top Ten
1. Michael Beasley 6-9 Kansas State Power Forward: “Beastly” has taken his high wire act into Big 12 conference play and has already equaled last year’s National Player of the Year Kevin Durant recording 7 games of at least 30 points and 10 rebounds. Cumulatively that’s 7 games combining for more than 200 plus points and 70 plus caroms. Since our last mock, Michael has exemplified more sustained defensive executions (akin to a taxidermist) equated by leading his team in blocked shots and steals. K-State recorded an epic win over then-undefeated, in-state rival Kansas, where the filmed victory is being sold on the Manhattan campus as a 2-disc DVD instant classic. In offing the Jayhawks, Michael led the way with veritable “knock-off” number one play precision. Beasley is getting it done and possesses equestrian speed in his zeal to get back on “d” and fill the lane when the Wildcats push the pill. Beasley’s full court sprint spunk has the hardwood visual effect of a swimmer finishing off several nautical miles. The same law of attraction for basketball excellence that Kevin Durant found a year ago has magnetized Beasley where the frosh is ruling the individual NCAA roost while magnifying the odds for the purple-clad Wildcats’ pursuit of conference gold. Michael Beasley hovers above the draft class like a military chopper while innately submarining various opponents with his raw basketball intelligence.
2. Danilo Gallinari 6-9 Italy Swing Forward: Depending on who you rap with in NBA talent “review-Ville” Gallinari attains various votes as an overall Number 1 candidate. Gallinari, since our January Mock, has been receiving increased attention by the Mock draft paparazzi and has not disappointed those watching. Gallinari the Italian basketball aristocrat has been lighting up European B-Ball with a cavalcade of overall skills reducing many nemesises into uniformed rubble. From my introspective perspective, the optical illusion Danilo presents with his small ball game is offset by expert utilization of his height of 80 plus inches. Danilo and his coordinated versatilities have been enhanced with his commitment to strength fitness combining adept sub-stratum finesse with new found muscle to shed defensive contact while retaining full-court stamina. Danilo’s mental savvy to compartmentalize his game approach in whatever facet allows his hoop brethren the best opportunity for the double-u is noteworthy as that rarified team first ideology for a star status player. Gallinari’s game, which radiates sublime lightning, is part of the illusion since it’s built on repetition of applied basketball skills physics and the mental inertia to carry out the heavy tutelage he has received via a lifetime. Danilo Gallinari is b-ball balance exemplified.
3. Derrick Rose 6-4 Memphis Point Guard: Chicago native Rose’s enrollment at Memphis has elevated his basketball team to a Number 1 ranking and undefeated record. Rose via his hoop histrionics has been a shocking opposites like a taser, sharing the leather rock with the precision of a laser, and causing “ooh’s and aah’s” thru various arenas with wave like energy similar to scalar. This may shock and amaze or keep one un-phased since Rose’s consistency may blaze a Final Four trail thru the March Madness maze. Derrick Rose is a consistent defender and provides doberman like tenacity when pursuing backcourt opponents in Coach Calipari’s tenacious defensive press attacks. Rose on the defensive ends executes textbooks slides compensated by effective closeouts when his man picks up the dribble and stands impassively outside the arc. Rose’s ability to lead by example and create on both ends of the half-court line streamlines the Tigers into a team that would have to implode internally to offset a date in the Championship game come March. Derrick Rose has consistently met the “hype” best personified in the Memphis Tigers’ overall success. Tigers assistant coach and longtime NBA point guard Rod Strickland is the right mentor to ensure Rose’s overall aptitude remains in symphony with the team’s overall hoop harmony.
4. Roy Hibbert 7-2 Georgetown Center: Hibbert continues to be the undisputed 2008 Draft Eligible center and has added new offensive weaponry since our last Mock. Hibbert has drained three-point jumpers (not set shots) with the game on the line, developed a profound lost art shot for “bigs” an indefensible rolling hook-shot, and reverse pivot moves from either block and straightaway. Most impressive about Hibbert’s offensive capabilities is his zest to maintain the efficient running of the team offense and to not stray to impress anyone but his team and coaching staff. Roy still shadows the painted area on defense and rotates wisely while not over compensating on defense to stay positioned to snare errant shots, offering rivals “one and done” scoring opportunities. Hibbert is a cagey shot blocker and his team efforts thus far have resulted in a Final Four appearance, a Big East tourney title a season ago, and a gaudy winning percentage while donned in Hoya gear as the starting center. Hibbert plays with the quiet fire of a volcano whose game can erupt at anytime which appears to be assured on his way to the NBA. Summer ball against Mutombo and Mourning has Roy Hibbert fearing no one when he suits up for Georgetown.
5. Eric Gordon 6-2 Indiana Guard: The initial sampling one notices about EG the ultra-skilled combo guard for IU is Number 23’s passionate play as if he has something to prove. Gordon who hoists three-point jumpers just one speed dribble after crossing half-court with the consistent precision of a stealth bomber, appears to play with a “chip’ that has processed the Hoosiers to a familiar place… National prominence. Gordon’s steady manipulation of exceptional fundamentals guarantees that he will consistently mete out top-notch performances. Eric’s sound game-time expressions powered by an open mind to fearlessly execute his will is no fool’s gold, built on years of focused practice dedication. Gordon, a prototype NBA hybrid guard, can predominately sustain play at the lead guard position for the full collegiate 40 minutes if Coach Sampson elects for EG to do so. Moreover, Gordon is a quick study on locating glitches on whomever he is guarding or an opponent who seeks to slow his offensive roll. Upon sensing these aforementioned weaknesses Gordon takes apart these opponents deficiencies with zero compassion. A prime attribute of Gordon’s is his separation tactics that leave many of his contemporaries in the shadowed background, hence his consistent capacity to get his shot from the desired landscape, executed with exact backspin at the height of release.
6. OJ Mayo 6-5 USC Guard: As documented in our January Mock, OJ has turbo charged his basketball capabilities at this juncture and as of this writing has been the leading man in the Trojans successful second half season push where they have won five of their last six games including a landmark road victory against cross-city rival UCLA. Mayo, who has been burdened well with his hyped comeuppance into college basketball, now seems entrentched in his play with leadership reasonings that have Tim Floyd’s Men Of Troy marching toward a solid seed in the Pac-Ten tourney and entry as a March Madness participant. OJ continues to define jump shot mechanics not only by camp instructional release techniques but also by the literal fact that he lifts off a minimum of two feet when spotting up on the perimeter. So relentlessly consistent is Mayo’s form that he can be defined as just a jump shooter yet he offers the Trojans solid defensive performances, rebounding and an unexpected dose of unselfishness. Mayo’s maturity and mastery of placing his energy on the game by presence alone is a form of genius that is missed by right brain analysts particular to defining all effort by statistics. Tim Floyd, the Trojan basketball boss, scheduled a challenging non-conference schedule under the impression that he would have current NBA players Nick Young and Gabe Pruitt to run with Mayo and all returning lettermen. Despite the departures and grueling non-conference challenges commensurate with the “Mayo hype machine” OJ’s squad, defined by his zeal to blend and his “be very afraid” on court appeal, is making a serious push and subtly defining Mayo’s talents beyond the inventory of statistics only.
7. Nicolas Batum 6-8 France Forward: Batum the rangy teenager who bears a striking resemblance to the Dallas Mavericks Devin Harris, and has the famed plastic-man elasticity of long-time NBAer Stacey Augmon, is a transition impala with sound instinctive intuitions in fast break basketball. Batum’s gift, along with his running game, is his “stretch” like long arms that allow him to finish at the rim beyond the measurement calculation of his defender. Moreover, Nicolas attains constant steals/deflections due to opponents not used to playing against athletes with his unique reach genetics. Batum will greatly require additional physical strength for NBA effectiveness and some instructional sandpaper to smooth out his shooting release that is Jamaal Wilkes meets Shawn Marion. Batum’s follow through stroke is sponsored at the apex of his right ear before traveling a transient trajectory slingshot at the rim. Yet, Batum’s youth, rangy reach, first-class foot speed, success against prime competition and the natural predilections to the fine art of roundball has him a sound placement as a lottery pick.
8. Brook Lopez 7-0 Stanford Center: Lopez has been pounding the glass and extolling his will in the paint in virtually every game he has suited up with peppered panache. Lopez’s style of play and “groundhog day” steadiness to perform at a high frequency makes his style exceedingly translatable for NBA post effectiveness. Lopez has a focused game approach and a symmetrical basketball ideology that meshes well with winning hoops stratagems. Lopez, for a big, rotates well off the weak side on defense, has excellent footwork around the glass with or without the ball, and exercises intelligent use of his wingspan. Lopez has those coveted big man attributes good hands and excellent footwork that can’t be taught since they’re linked with the central nervous system and has the dedication and work ethic to immediately help a team that needs back line backbone.
9. Serge Ibaka 6-10 Congo Power Forward: Ibaka the 18-year-old talent can be found playing second division professional hoops in Europe where he is found guilty of binge dunking. Ibaka, with fast twitch reflexes akin to a basketball-playing jaguar and explosive controlled leaps anywhere a basketball is found, is roundball nitroglycerine ready to be released on the hoop world at large. Ibaka’s rave reviews start and typically end with his exceptional athletic capabilities yet Serge has sound basketball smarts that will breakthrough even more so with game experience. Here is what is known regarding the qualities Serge possesses: text book form on his shooting release, adept mental acuity in the transition game (example: after an Ibaka dunk Serge can instantaneously assess his defensive role position in a trap or full court defense) and a forgotten and even less taught skill; Ibaka routinely follows his perimeter shot (miss or make) with surprising steadfastness. Let the record show Ibaka’s “can’t teach” athleticism and overwhelming physical gifts have been cultivated with European teaching fundamentals that will blend perfectly when these skill sets unite with experience/seasoning. Ibaka’s zeal for self-improvement and fresh skills remind one of the crude gems at a similar stage and age named Hakeem Olajuwon. Yet, Ibaka is more refined than Olajuwon at the age of 18 comparatively since he benefits from first-rate technique tutelage in Europe. Finally, Ibaka is more athletic than the graceful champion “The Dream”.
10. Blake Griffin 6-9 Oklahoma Power Forward: Blake is a certified lottery prospect defying levitation principles when launching his physicality throughout the USA’s midlands. Griffin is an opponent’s nightmare, a powerfully built and graceful sledgehammer pounding the parquet with a plentitude of refinements. Griffin has an intact mid range jumper, finesse/power moves in the key, and a no nonsense knack for clobbering the backboards. Griffin’s highbrow use of his broad body that can outwit his nemesis with ballet-like adroitness, links with competent power modifications to form a skill set preluding to the NBA lottery. Griffin, adorned with a competitor PhD, has been a force for Oklahoma basketball. Griffin’s titan-like clash with Michael Beasley has steered these two special talents on another collision course for power forward supremacy. Griffin’s relentless motor and basketball astuteness is tracked by a multitude of next level talent evaluators impressed with the Oklahoman’s penchant for stellar play.
Selections 11-20
11. Kevin Love 6-9 UCLA Power Forward: Kevin has displayed little love to conference rivals where he has virtually outplayed the best post players in the Pac Ten. Love is not the next Brian Scalabrine launching primarily outside shots, but a certified banger that relishes having one on one conversation with UCLA’s resident sage, the Wizard of Westwood himself, John Wooden. Love has thumped away conference games where he’s grinded out 20 boards and has had consistent 20-point games from primarily short shots. No need to tangle the script since Love has drained three-pointers from the Hollywood hills. Kevin Love the son of former NBAer Stan Love has exceeded expectations as a highly touted frosh phenom with a pedigreed sophistication.
12. Chase Budinger 6-7 Arizona Guard: Budinger’s organic display of lottery talents has made his enigma more intriguing based on his laissez faire approach. Budinger whose basketball caricature is attached with a So Cal surfer dude stigma belies his abilities to be an unmatched producer at the next level. Chase has a bevy of talents that play like a Mozart flow chart. Budinger yen to turn up the tempo is an analysis in waiting.
13. Donte Green 6-9 Syracuse Forward: Green’s performance in the Carrier Dome has raised the megahertz on the volume scale sending a crescendo of salutations for his meritorious achievement. Green’s challenge is to maintain consistency, play within himself, and let his knack for inventiveness find the automatic pilot switch therefore cruising into his basketball faculty bump-free.
14. Darrell Arthur 6-10 Kansas Power Forward: In the power forward training grounds known as the Big 12 conference, Arthur’s contributions to a standout team has been deferred for the team’s offensive good. Arthur’s encryption on Kansas’s stout production the past two seasons has not fluctuated and he typically has been above and beyond dutiful for a talented team. Arthur’s roundball expertise, which is not short on imagination, translates to being lottery level or the next tier since he is not self-absorbed.
15. Jerryd Bayless 6-3 Arizona Guard: Bayless is a basketball extrovert playing full throttle for the Arizona Wildcats, a breeding ground for NBA backcourt players. Bayless has watered down his opponents’ flames with a flair and facility for solid fulfillment, and as a result, Arizona has one of the nation’s best backcourts with him and Budinger. Bayless’ leadership capacities and intense desire to excel while cornering tangible big time skill sets has him concussing the draft mix.
16. Richard Hendrix 6-9 Alabama Power Forward: Richard is having a banner year while rolling with the Tide. Now my readers, get ready for a rarity - a statistical support for the Athens, Alabama native Hendrix. “Daddy Rich” is shooting 63%, averaging 19 points a game, and engulfing 10 and a half wayward ricochets per outing. In this power forward laden draft Hendrix can continue to raise his estate with his persistence bullying his way thru the SEC and beyond.
17. Jason Thompson 6-11 Rider Forward: Thompson’s ingenuity has him on a track to make Rider University basketball infinity by attaining the school’s first ever first-round selection. Thompson is the intrinsic prospect and his dream of constructing an NBA future from humble NCAA beginnings is germane since he has created electro cranium stimulation amongst scouts with his athletic fluidity, three-point reliability, defensive prowess, and undeviating knack for making hustle plays.
18. DeAndre Jordan 7-0 Texas A&M Center: Aggies first-year coach Mark Turgeon has relegated Jordan to an off the bench role which has been perceived by some as an attempt to curtail DeAndre’s NBA aspirations. Regardless of Jordan’s Aggie playing designation, his projected upside has scouts hooked on his future professional escapades. DeAndre’s game plays off his nimbleness and versatile post play.
19. DJ Augustin 5-11 Texas Point Guard: Augustin plays like a human tornado wreaking havoc for adversaries and bringing bountiful harvests for his Longhorn team. DJ has all the character traits for leadership at point guard, including a bevy of moxie and directorship spice, which are all supported with a cluster of expanse hoop inventiveness.
20. Devon Hardin 6-11 California Center: The only draft eligible big that surpasses Hardin’s immense robust vigor is Serge Ibaka. Hardin has competed against high caliber contestants and has typically maintained his position as a first round potential. Hardin can sustain position in the post and has that intangible gift where he can perform at the next level with no dominant one skill.
Selections 21-30
21. Ryan Anderson 6-10 California Forward: Anderson is the silky undeviating forward with the offensive touch from three-point range, mid level spot-ups, and crafty, unorthodox, defensively discourteous, offensive maneuvers around the goal. Anderson hits the boards and frets not when trading elbows with the upper echelon frontlines pervasive in the Pac-Ten theater. If Anderson tones up with more strength work his performance late in games will be less likely to wane.
22. Marreese Speights 6-9 Florida Power Forward: Speights is trampolining his way up the draft board with his ubiquitous post play condensed with innovative mobility. Marreese has the pro-style inside game offensively, defensively, and packs miniscule frontcourt rubbish with a zealous strives toward synthesizing his squad’s success in the victory cavalcade.
23. Chris Douglas-Roberts 6-6 Memphis Wing: CDR is the computerized stylized replica model of a Spalding-slinging marksman representing Tiger tenacity with advanced hoops applications in human form. CDR, in a draft dominant with skilled bigs, is a talented wingman playing tight b-ball lullabies in the City of Memphis’ version of basketball Blues.
24. DJ White 6-9 Indiana Power Forward: White has had spectacular production and has not bottomed out as he tag teams with frosh stalwart Eric Gordon percolating a mutual blitz throughout the Big Ten. White’s running style may resemble a big bear, yet his Grizzly-like ferocity when rising up around the rack has him heavily involved in the draft review.
25. Kosta Koufos 7-1 Ohio State Center: Koufos has salvaged his season by making the best out of his interesting role with the Buckeyes. Greg Oden, last seasons overall number 1 selection, felt left out of Coach Thad Matta’s offensive approach in not getting a plentitude of offensive touches, which the same can be said of Matta’s current center. Koufos has displayed enough proficiency to be an offensive talisman with amiable defensive traits.
26. Mario Chalmers 6-1 Kansas Point Guard: Chalmers is an NBA-ready floor leader that grades high in floor generalship, poise, athleticism, clutch play and is arguably the best defensive lead guard in the nation with his penchant for creating steals. Mario’s super defense is legit, while his thief in the night skills have him in and out of transition regularly.
27. Darren Collison 6-1 UCLA Point Guard: Collison is a unfluctuating, unshaken, unwavering, and unfaltering guard go-getter for the Bruins of UCLA. DC with an electric game that also can turnover to AC with little interruption has the Westwood faithful confident in reaching another Final Four. Undoubtedly, the Bruins collision with destiny rests with Collison’s undisputed leadership consummations.
28. Greivis Vasquez 6-6 Maryland Point Guard: Venezuelan native Vasquez, the Terrapins team leader in points and assists, is an accomplished tall floor maestro with chic passes and crowd-pleasing pizzazz. No need to grieve for Greivis who has plenty of substance matched with his lead guard eminence…reminding one of a taller mod Kirk Hinrich.
29. Tyler Hansbrough 6-8 North Carolina Power Forward: Hansbrough known by his teammates as “Psycho T” has had a first team All-American season and is on his way to becoming the ACC player of the year. Hansbrough hands down has been the Tarheels’ most consistent starter yet questions about his actual height and contact first post play jeopardizes his stock from a higher seeding. Tyler’s weight room workouts are legendary in Chapel Hill.
30. Brandon Rush 6-8 Kansas Wing: Brandon is a firm basketball player that is a starter on 95% of the D-1 programs in the USA. Rush rationalizes his game time commitments/assignments and establishes his volition on every basketball ultimatum he encounters.
Comments
By Commish on March 7th, 2008 at 1:07 am
Your Mock Draft is way off. Number 2 is 5 too high. Number 4 is 5 too High. Did you even research this?
You do have nice synopsis write ups of the players tho.
Ill give you that.
By derek on April 9th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Tyler Hansbrough is way of he she be a top prospect in the top ten
And Where is Paul Harris on that list . WHy not research then put down ur top 30.
i will give u one thing though Micheal Beasley is amazing