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.

Carson’s dad is a match, the family hopes to have transplant done by early August.

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)

Show is scheduled to air in October. (via)

Urban Meyer over Mack Brown? HA! Seven coaches rated higher than the winningest coach in college football?

Brown turned around the University of North Carolina, guiding a historically woeful team to three 10 win seasons in the tough (compared to Utah’s Mountain West) ACC. Since his departure UNC has quickly returned to losing 10 games per year and getting beat by Duke. Brown then tookover a Texas program that had fallen on very mediocre times and since then has won more games than any other coach in the nation. Consistently great teams, top national recruiting, a clean program with kids that (for the most part) keep out of trouble and represent the University well, two Rose Bowl wins, and of course a national title.

Meyer is a good coach (that I’m not particularly fond of) and will have success at Florida, but he has proven absolutely nothing yet. It’s also a bit of a joke for Charlie Weis to be that high on the list after a single season at Notre Dame. Would you have ranked Tyrone Willingham this high after his initial success for the Irish? Mark Richt and Jim Tressel are also both a little overrated. Look at their schools’ records before they took over compared to after, there’s not a ton of improvement there. Plus Tressel and Ohio State are constantly making news for the wrong reasons.

[tag]Mack Brown[/tag], Pete Carroll, and Bob Stoops are the top three coaches in football and in my opinion it’s not even close.

Definitely not in midseason form but Roger looked like he’ll be ready soon.

You can own the “droopy” horns from the North scoreboard for a mere $6,000 bid.

The stadiums and the crowds look absolutely gorgeous.

Thank God we don’t let some color blind Nike employee design our uniform.

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.