40 Acres Sports

Loss may not end Durant’s days at UT. Despite all the articles, I say it’s 80% shot he’s gone.

D.J. Augustin says he’ll be back next year, and says Durant is telling teammates he’ll be back too.

More love for KD as player of the year and to be the number one pick in the draft.

Who should be number one? Greg Oden vs. Kevin Durant.

The tenth edition of ESPN’s Bill Simmons’ running draft diary is absolutely hilarious. He’s pretty spot on with his remarks about the picks and his employer’s coverage of the event. My favorite comment:

10:20 — The Mavs take Maurice Ager at No. 28. He puts his head in his hands and starts sobbing hysterically as his entourage congratulates him. It’s about time we had some emotion tonight, dammit. Ager walks up to the stage in a triple-breasted, oversized beige suit, goes to shake hands with Stern and immediately gets whistled for a foul on Dwyane Wade.

This was the first time I watched an entire NBA Draft and it was good entertainment. Moves much faster than the NFL Draft, but includes a lot more players no one has ever heard of going to teams I couldn’t care less about.

Lebron James picked up a few new teammates Wednesday night including UT guard Daniel Gibson with the 42nd pick. The experts seem to really like the pick this deep into the draft but still worry about whether he can end up being a point guard. Playing with James should make anyone a better player.

With the 35th pick the Toronto Raptors select Texas forward PJ Tucker. Video below of Jay Bilas and Greg Anthony praising Tucker and praising the pick.

LaMarcus Aldridge is picked second overall by the Chicago Bulls and promptly traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for the fourth pick. This is the highest a Longhorn has ever been selected in the NBA Draft.

Video below of David Stern announcing the pick, Lamarcus Aldridge putting on the Bulls cap, and then the ESPN experts discussing the pick and the trade.

Update

I love the fact that Aldridge makes Stern put on a Longhorn cap and pose for a picture as he makes the “Hook ’em”. I just noticed that, I love it. Good kid and a good Longhorn.

Just a reminder, the NBA draft is tonight at 6:30 on ESPN. Not as entertaining to watch as the NFL Draft, but should have some burnt orange stories throughout the two rounds. The latest rumors circulating are that LaMarcus Aldridge is likely to go number two overall to the Chicago Bulls and then possibly be traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. News also has had PJ Tucker and Daniel Gibson rising. While over the last month’s they were both expected to be mid-second round picks, they’re both now possibly in the first ten picks of that round. I’ve seen Tucker in the first round of a couple mocks as well. It’ll be interesting to watch.

Bevo Sports will have highlights of the Aldridge’s selection tonight.

Updates

It’s official, Aldridge goes second to the Bulls and has been traded to the Blazers for their pick at number four and another player. I’m a little weary of him going to Portland with their reputation as the “Jail Blazers” but I believe they’re trying to remake their image and drafting a good kid such as LaMarcus will help with that. (6:45 pm)

PJ Tucker drafted by the Toronto Raptors at number 35. Just from watching the limited clips of some of these other guys that were drafted ahead of him (Renaldo Balkman?), it’s pretty obvious that NBA teams draft on measurables and not on actual ability to play basketball. (9:55 pm)

Daniel Gibson goes to Cleveland with the 42nd pick. Should be able to get some open shots playing along side Lebron James. Good place for him. (10:10 pm)

Not a huge surprise at all as all rumors pointed this direction, but Texas sophomore guard Daniel Gibson is staying in the NBA Draft. Probably a tough decision for Gibson, which is why he waited till the last minute to make a final decision. If he had returned for his junior season he would have been the Longhorns’ shooting guard, a position he’s not suited for in the NBA. With his height, his future is at point guard and another season at Texas would not have helped his NBA stock at that position. Gibson is likely to go somewhere in the middle of the second round in June 28th’s draft, where there is no guaranteed money.

With Gibson gone, Texas will have a completely new starting five next season:

PG: DJ Augustin/AJ Abrams
SG: Justin Mason/AJ Abrams
SF: Kevin Durant/Damion James
PF: Damion James/Matt Hill
C: Connor Atchley/Dexter Pittman

Should be an interesting season, let’s hope the guys can grow up quickly and gel early in the season. Play well enough early to make the NCAA Tournament and be playing their basketball in March.