NBA Draft

I won the Geography Bee when I was in 6th grade, but I was lost as everybody else watching the 2011 NBA Draft last night. In a record setting year, 4 of the first 7 players and almost 15 total players were playing basketball overseas last year. It was hard to watch at some points because I felt so lost from location to pronunciation of names. ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy admitted on some prospects he has never heard of them. I loved the honesty shown by the TV crew. They did not hold back talking about the problems in Cleveland or the weaknesses of the prospects.

Admittedly it was a very week draft class. There will be some solid role players but none that we will look back on and be amazed by their careers. Most likely to become a star? Maybe Cleveland Cavaliers Kyrie Irving or Minnesota's Derrick Williams... but even these two are going to franchises with tremendous issues.

After today will we finally be done having to listen about former BYU G and new Sacramento King Jimmer Ferrdette? He was all the media wanted to talk about. Luckily for me the no defense playing and low percentage shot taking guard was taken by Sacramento, and because the team is no good and is in a small market hopefully we will not have to hear from him for a while. Do not get me wrong, as a former white guard and current lover of the defenseless J.J. Redick, I am pulling for him. I do not see how he is getting as much love as he does (He is a version of Tebow-lite.). Nor do see him becoming anything more than a solid bench player in the league.

The best story of the whole night was when Marquette's Jimmy Butler was selected as the final pick in the first round by the Chicago Bulls. He was kicked out of his home by his mother when he was 13. "I don't like the look of you. You gotta go." are the last words he remembers from her. At 23 with all of the resources I have, I am not sure I could go and be as successful as he has been without the support of my family. Here is the full article by ESPN's Chad Ford. A true inspirational story of perseverance and never giving up on a dream.

Also, I hope I am as lucky as Washington Wizard's Jay Vesely when I get my first real job. How about the kiss he got from his girlfriend after his name was called. ESPN's Stuart Scott said, "You know... some people just got it going for them."