40 Acres Sports

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.

He must really not want to return if possibility of 2nd round is good enough.

Support Dirk and the Mavs in the NBA Finals.

Great article on the James, Durant, and the “Runnin’ Horns.”

Nacogdoches 5-star forward [tag]Damion James[/tag] has surprised most people and decided to play next season for the Texas Longhorns. James was granted his release for the University of Oklahoma this month after coach Kelvin Sampson left (amid scandal) for Indiana. Most people guessed that James would sign with Texas A&M with the Longhorns already have Kevin Durant signed to play the SF/PF role James most likely would fill. Some people even claimed James to the Aggies was a done deal, but after a weekend visit to Austin Damion announced Monday that he would play for Rick Barnes’ Texas Longhorns.

James is a 6-foot-8 top ranked combo forward who will make an immediate impact for the Longhorns. He already has a developed inside game, runs the court extremely well, and can hit the occasional three pointer. Likely a day one starter next season.

Possible 2006 lineup

Looks like the Longhorns will be very young and very athletic. Tons of inexperience to start the year, but also a ton of upside. Here’s my guess at the Longhorns starting five:

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

Barnes has a lot of options for his lineup, he could even send out a three guard, two forward group that could run all night. Center is the definite weak spot, can the Longhorns get solid minutes on the defensive end from Connor Atchley? Is Dexter Pittman physically ready to play as a freshman? One thing is for certain, players will bring youth and excitement to the Erwin Center in November.

I’m always weary of a guy like Tyrus Thomas who rockets up draft charts based on two weeks.

Despite rumors still surprising. He’d have seen serious minutes this year with Aldridge & Tucker gone.

Longhorn junior forward [tag]PJ Tucker[/tag] announced at a press conference yesterday that he’d be entering this year’s NBA draft but not hiring an agent. He’ll be able to talk to teams and work out at the league’s pre-draft camp in early June to get a feel of his possible draft position. How high is high enough to stay in? PJ isn’t saying.

This isn’t a huge surprise, as Tucker doesn’t have much to gain by returning for his senior season. His game is already very mature and the main thing he lacks, height, isn’t going to improve with another year in school. Because it’s the first year of the new age limit, the majority of experts see this as a very weak draft and expect next year to be much deeper. Tucker will likely be the same player in a year, so getting into this year’s weak draft may be to his advantage. I expect him to stay in the draft and to go late in the first round.

Rumors also have sophomore guard [tag]Daniel Gibson[/tag] entering the draft. Gibson’s situation is very diffferent. For one thing he definitely needs another year to improve his game and I don’t believe he’s ready for the NBA. He’s certainly got potential, but his game and his pocket could certainly benefit from another season at Texas. The issue with Daniel is that he wants to be the Longhorns’ primary point guard next season and that may not be in the team’s best interest. With his height he’ll likely play the point at the next level, but with blue chipper D.J. Augustin coming in Gibson would most likely be playing a good deal of shooting guard for the Horns.

Both players have until June 18 to decide to return to school and withdraw from the draft.