The NBA Draft is one of, if not the most important night for franchises across the league. Futures are decided, dynasties are built, and unfortunate busts may be selected. Of course, you can’t know whether draft selections were good or bad until years down the line, so draft “grades” are rather pointless, but the drama and storylines of the night are some of the best of the whole year. So, let’s dive into some of the best moments from last night, some of the more surprising picks, and of course, my thoughts on the Celtics’ sole selection..
WHO WOULD’VE THOUGHT? – VICTOR WEMBANYAMA GOES #1 TO THE SPURS
Victor Wembanyama is the most anticipated prospect since LeBron “The Chosen One” James, and because of this, when he would be drafted and by what team has been the top storyline of not just the draft, but the entire NBA for some time now. For those who are unfamiliar, “Wemby” is officially listed at 7’ 5’’, and is an anomaly in both size and skill. His highlights speak for themselves, so just take a look:
The announcers don’t even know what to say half the time. His handles, his shooting, his footwork, these things shouldn’t be possible from a man his size. To put it plainly, the things this guy can do are irreplicable by any other athlete on the planet. San Antonio land themselves yet another franchise player at center.
HORNETS TAKE A GAMBLE – PICK BRANDON MILLER #2
Wembanyama was a sure fire number one pick, with FanDuel placing his odds at -50,000 before the draft. Who would go second and third was a toss up between Brandon Miller, the best player in college basketball, and Scoot Henderson, the star of NBA G League’s Ignite team. What’s wild about this situation is that both of these guys would likely go first overall nearly any other year, but it just so happens that the top three selections in this years draft have been the most talented in recent memory.
Now, onto the Brandon Miller situation. Miller was linked to an alleged murder back in January, where Jamea Jonae Harris was shot and killed near Alabama’s campus in Tuscaloosa. In a police testimony, it was found that Miller had brought the gun that was used in the shooting to his teammate Darius Miles, who then handed the gun to another individual, Michael Lynn Davis, who pulled the trigger. Miles and Davis have been indicted on charges charges of capital murder, but Miller avoided legal culpability because he never touched the gun and supposedly didn’t know of the crime that would soon occur.
This legal situation was thought to dampen Miller’s draft stock, and the recent NBA suspension of Ja Morant that involved flashing firearms didn’t help either. Leading up to the draft, Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson were flip flopping as the favorite for the second pick, but when the time came, the Hornets decided to go with Miller. Once again, time will only tell whether this pick was wise or foolish, but for now, Charlotte has chosen a superstar talent in Brandon Miller.
Final note: tell me his play style isn’t identical to Paul George
SCOOT HENDERSON GOES #3 TO THE TRAILBLAZERS
I already touched on the drama of the second pick, but there is another story that comes with Portland taking Henderson at two. Damian Lillard, the longtime star of the Trailblazers, had stated before that he didn’t want the franchise targeting young talent to get them over the hump of a championship. He would’ve rather had them bring in players with more experience and good chemistry, but Portland decided to oppose his plan and draft a young star in Henderson.
While Scoot is an amazing player, his game is not exactly the peanut butter to Dame’s jelly. Both players deserve to control the offense with the ball in their hands, but that just won’t be possible. This decision will likely lead to Dame wanting out of Portland and seeking a chance to contend for a title elsewhere. He has done everything he can for the franchise and been nothing but loyal, but it has become clear that they are more invested in their future than winning within the next couple of seasons.
WARRIORS ADOPT ANOTHER SPLASH BROTHER IN BRANDIN PODZIEMSKI
I’m not sure if there is any better fit out of this draft than Podziemski and Golden State. He shot 44% from three last season and averaged 8.8 rebounds per game. He is terrific off ball and his catch and shoot style will fit in perfectly with the Warriors style of play. Just expect to see graphics of him, Steph, and Klay shooting your team out of the building, all with three point percentages over 40.
HOUSTON GETS THE STEAL OF THE DRAFT WITH CAM WHITMORE AT 20
Cam Whitmore, who was projected to go top five in many expert’s mock drafts, slid to 20 after some “poor medical test” and not great interviews with teams. I can understand the interview aspect, but when it comes to the medical exams, I just don’t get it. The NBA has the best trainers, nutritionists, and medical staff in the world, so why his health would be a problem is beyond me. Sure, he missed the first seven games of the season, but injuries happen, and it wasn’t like he got re-injured later in the season and missed considerable time. Plus, an eye test will tell you that this guy is a physical freak. Just watch the first minute and a half of this tape and you will understand:
GRADY DICK IS READY TO BE FRENDS WITH DRAKE IN TORONTO
The most talked about outfit selection of the evening was undoubtedly Grady Dick, who showed up in a red sequin suit to rep his college team Kansas. Funny enough, the suit perfectly fit the colorway of his new team, the Toronto Raptors. Dick was a standout star this past year, but the thing he looks forward to most in Toronto is meeting one of the world’s most famous stars and known Raptors super fan, Drake.
CELTICS TRADE OUT OF THE FIRST, TRADE BACK IN THE SECOND, AND MAKE ONE PICK: JORDAN WALSH
Bill Belichik must’ve been in the Celtics draft room the way they were trading dowe. In total, the C’s made four trades, taking them out of the first round and deep into the second. All jokes aside, this was definitely a move to save money after making the Porzingis trade a few days ago. His contract is so large, and Boston just doesn’t have the cap to take on more players.
Now, about Jordan Walsh. I like the pick a lot. I think that he plays with a certain chip on his shoulder that fits in perfectly with our organization, and we’ll need that even more now that Marcus Smart is gone. He’s scrappy, fights for every rebound, and plays great defense. His shooting is not great, but it will only get better over time and we don’t even need him to be a shooter anyways. I expect him to get minutes off the bench this year, and be the pest on defense and on the glass that everybody hates to play against.