The Baseline with Laz Jackson: NBA Draft Edition.

In my house, there is a basement. In that basement, there is a futon. That futon folds out into a bed. On that bed, I present to you my (real-time) review of the 2009 NBA Draft.

6:55 PM: First words! My intro, I think, is currently a little weak, but that’s not what the people came to read.

7:00 PM: Who let Omar Epps into the green room? What?…. That’s Tyreke Evans? Oh, my bad. I’m sorry, I’m not sold on you if you look like the guy who blew his knee out in “Love and Basketball.”

7:03 PM: Does James Harden have a bowtie on?

7:04 PM: “Possible Amare Stoudamire trade”? Phoenix better get something GREAT back in return, and it better not be draft picks THIS year (Honestly, this draft is sub-par).

7:05 PM: L.A. sells the 29th pick to NY for money. Eh, not so interesting.

7:06 PM: News on the Amare Trade: It’s to GOLDEN STATE (??!?!?!?!!??!??!?) for Brendan Wright, two foreign guys, and the 7th pick this year. Eh, I wouldn’t do that. Won’t Amare be better without Shaq in the lane when he rolls off the pick-and-roll?

7:12 PM: I get it, Blake Griffin is beastly. But that won’t matter when he’s playing for the second-worst organization in sports (Yes, the Lions are the WORST organization in sports). And he’s wearing the same colors I did at my senior prom… I don’t know if I approve (because he and I have similar taste) or disapprove (because he and I have similar taste, but I’m not about to be drafted #1).

7:15 PM: I like the goatee look from Stephen Curry. Makes him look like he’s 20, as opposed to 16.

7:28 PM: Ladies and Gentlemen, the unintelligible Dick Vitale! “Say something, Dick!” “Aarahahaharharahrahgharhrharahha, BAYYYBBEEEE!!!” “Thanks, Dick!”

7:31: “Oh look, A ginger! He’s a cutie!” My sister, on Blake Grifiin. Stop by anytime, sis.

7:33: “It’s a very rowdy group tonight.” Damn skippy, David Stern.

7:34: RACCOUS booing at the mentions of the Lakers status as NBA champs, followed by a round of “LAKERS SUCK (clap, clap, clap-clap-clap)!” Gotta love MSG.

7:39: With the First pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select… Blake Griffin! No surprises there. I feel terrible for his ACL’s already. And they’re golf clapping in the War Room in Los Angeles.

7:42: Blake Griffin tapes SNL every week? I wonder if he knows all the words to “I’m On a Boat”….

7:44: Mike Dunleavy asleep for his videoconference… Nope, wait, he’s awake. Maybe that’s why he can’t coach worth a damn… his eyes are closed half the time.

7:46: With the Second pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select… Hasheem Thabeet! Grizzlies get a shotblocker and rebounder… and we’re not sure he can do anything else. (And more golf clapping… it’s because Rubio told them he basically WOULD NOT play for them)

7:48: “I’m not sure his offense is ever going to be there.”-Jay Bilas. Last time I checked, that’s not what you want in a #2 pick…right?

When you're a lefty with a great stroke, it appears no one cares if you wear a bow tie to the biggest day of your life.

7:53: With the third pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder select… James Harden! Surprise, surprise…Rubio’s still on the board. And Harden IS rocking the bowtie. By doing this, OKC is committing to Westbrook as the point, because Harden is definitely a 2.

7:54: Wait, this means Thabo Sefolosha isn’t going to get that much PT… good thing, good thing.

7:55: “I’m not the fastest guy, I’m not the most explosive guy, but I get from point A to point B.” James Harden needs to work on his PR skills just a little.

7:57: 4th pick, Sacramento takes Omar..Tyreke Evans. Rubio’s turn to do a golf clap. So apparently, Evans can… get to the lane, and score in transition. Doesn’t a point guard need distributing skills?

7:59: Must Improve: Perimeter Shooting. Umm… shouldn’t a point guard have perimeter skills? Not a fan of this guy in general.

8:02: Just remembered the knock on Rubio is that he can’t shoot. Feeling like an idiot just a bit.

The first time he passes to Ryan Gomes and Gomes turns it over, he's going to make this exact face.

8:03: 5th pick, Minnesota takes Rubio! Really think Sacramento still made a mistake passing on Rubio.

8:04: Minnesota on the clock… Déjà Vu all over again.

8:05: Kevin Love and Al Jefferson DO need someone to get the ball to them, BUT Minnesota still doesn’t have a Head Coach… issues much?

8:06: Rubio needs to improve his… Perimeter Shooting! Maybe Epps… Evans isn’t an unjustifiable pick. Maybe now I have a reason to watch Sacramento? Naahhhh…

8:09: 6th pick, Minnesota takes Johnny Flynn… interesting. He and Rubio both play the 1, and Flynn is too short to switch to 2… I’m surprised. Wouldn’t Stephen Curry have been a better pick?

8:10: Jay Bilas is mildy surprised… much like myself. Flynn IS a better perimeter shooter than Rubio, at least, but again, he’s not Stephen Curry.

8:12: Golden State on the clock… does this mean that Amare trade is dead? Maybe they’re picking FOR Phoenix… but I feel like that trade is dead.

8:15: 7th pick, Golden State takes… Stephen Curry.

8:15:05: MSG ERUPTS in boos.

8:16: I really, REALLY hope that Jamal Crawford doesn’t take Curry under his wing. That would be bad.

And it’s sad that that is my first thought after they take him.

8:17: My second thought: Don Nelson is going to LOVE this guy.

8:18: Why is Lisa Salters kneeling in every interview? They couldn’t get her a chair at each draft table? Is her skirt ripped? It feels kinda sexist, her kneeling at all these guys’ feet.

8:19: Again, love the goatee. Makes Curry look like a man.

8:20: MSG’s reaction to this pick better be good, this is what I’m really waiting for.

Even the BABY knows NY should have traded up for Curry.

8:21: 8th pick, New York takes Jordan Hill.

8:21:30: PERFECT shot of a two year old, in his dad’s arms, giving the pick the thumbs down. PERFECT.

8:22: Anytime your lottery pick “hasn’t played organized basketball for a relatively long time,” you have to make that pick. But it looks like he’s someone they can put next to Lee and pencil in for 12 and 6 in 25 minute a game.

8:24: How does some guy who can’t really shoot all that well fit into D’Antonio’s offense? He’s not as athletic as Marion or Amare, and he “needs to work on passing out of the post”… at least he can run the floor pretty well.

8:25: Rachel Nichols is looking pretty nice, gotta say.

8:27: 9th pick, Toronto takes DeMar DeRozan, AKA the guy I’d never heard of before last week.

8:27:45: The TV is telling me he first dunked in 6th grade. THAT’S RIDICULOUS.

8:29: So many points in this draft need to work on their perimeter shooting…

8:30: Looking up what DeMar did against MSU in the tourney…

8:31: 18 points on 6-13 shooting, 0-3 from 3, 1:1 assist/t.o. ratio. Not bad, but not great either.

"My agent didn't want me here because we didn't know if I'd get drafted in the first round!"

8:32: 10th pick: Milwaukee selects Brandon Jennings! From what I’ve heard/read, he’s not a great shooter, didn’t play that much in the half-court in Europe, and according to the ESPN Europe guy, he’s “a project” at point guard.

8:33: Ramon Session’s lock on the starting position in Milwaukee seems to be unchallenged.

8:35: Jay Bilas: “His jump shot is broken, and needs to be fixed.” Excellent… Van Gundy makes a good point about how Scott Skiles (a great point is his own right) is going to impact him in a good way.

8:37: Oh yeah, now that New Jersey’s on the clock… WTF???? Why, if you’re Orlando, give away Courtney Lee and Rafer for Vince Carter? You act like SVG be able to motivate Vince at all…

8:38: 11th pick: New Jersey takes Terrence Williams.

8:39: I remember how scary he was against MSU in the Elite Eight, and I have to say that’s a good pick. In New Jersey, 4 out of the 5 starters (IF he ends up a starter) are going to be young guys with great upside (Harris at the 1, Lee at the 2, Williams at the 3, Lopez at the 5). Not a bad way to build a franchise.

8:40: I misremember… Williams scored 5 points against MSU in the Elite Eight.

8:41: Williams takes a shot at Dukie Jay Bilas. Ok, I like this guy.

8:44: 12th pick: Charlotte takes Gerald Henderson.

8:45: First thought, more hometown picks by the Bobcats, picking up the Blue Devil. Second thought: MJ must really like this guy, to take a Blue Devil after being such a die-hard Tar Heel. Third thought: He and Grant Hill (who he compares favorably to) are the only guys from Duke I’ve ever liked.

8:47: Seriously, someone get Lisa Salters a chair. I feel like she’s been kneeling for the last hour and 45 minutes…

8:48: Okay, Henderson used to be a golfer, we get it, now he has to focus on his ball-handling just a little.

Picking this guy before DeJuan Blair? MISTAKE.

8:50: 13th pick: Indiana takes Tyler Hansbrough (!!!??!?!!?!?!?!?!?!??!??!)

8:51: “OVERRATED” coming from MSG. Nothing but agreement here.

8:52: At the very least, he fits the “over-achieving white guy” profile that Indiana loves so much (See: Dunleavy, Mike; Murphy, Troy; and Foster, Jeff).

8:53: ESPN guys playing up the “he has a great body of work in college” angle. News Flash: So did Christian Lattener.

8:55: Tyler Hansbrough went before Earl Clark, Jeff Teague, DeJuan Blair, Jrue Holiday, and Ty Lawson. Pitiful.

8:56: 14th pick: Phoenix takes Earl Clark.

8:57: Dammit, I really wanted Earl Clark to come to Detroit. Dammit. He’s a skilled ball-handler (impressive at 6-10), good shot, decent enough defender, needs “to be refined” (Jay Bilas). Sounds like he has a Phoenix skill set.

8:58: Detroit on the clock. Please don’t screw this up, Joe.

9:00: I’m thinking DeJuan Blair… and that’s a screwup, because that’s like taking a better Maxiell.

9:02: 15th pick: Detroit takes Austin Daye. He better be taller than 6’8.

9:02:30: Yup, he’s 6-11. He’s skilled, he’s got range, length, needs to get stronger, but his question is physical toughness. Eh, I can live with the pick, because it’s not someone under 6’8. Definitely Youtubing him later. Hey, he kinda looks like Tayshaun… is that a good sign?

9:05: OF COURSE Dickie V likes the Hansbrough pick…

9:06: “Day makes Prince look like the Hulk.” Thanks, JVG… this is going to take some getting used to.

9:08: 16th pick: Chicago takes James Johnson.

9:10: So he’s a 6-8 Power Forward (Bad), a Martial Arts Champion (Nice), and I’ve never heard of him (Eh, I don’t watch that much college basketball, so that’s a push). I don’t think he’ll play much behind Miller/Noah/Thomas/whoever they get from Portland for Hinrich anyway.

9:12: 17th pick: Philadelphia takes Jrue Holiday.

9:13: According to Van Gundy, Philly needed a point guard… but I’ve heard he’s a combo guard. That, and his basketball IQ is lower than you’d like (which isn’t going to play nice with the Princeton system new Head Coach Eddie Jordan will likely implement).

9:14: Oh great, Philly has ANOTHER guard that needs to work on his perimeter game.

9:15: Minnesota on the clock… if they take Jeff Teague, I declare shenanigans.

9:16: I’m pretty sure Year One sucked at the Box… so please stop the ads for it. Michael Cera’s not funny. At all. Make it stop.

9:18: 18th pick: Minnesota takes Ty Lawson (!?!?!?!??!)

9:18:30: SHENANIGANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9:19: MAYBE, just MAYBE, they’re hoarding these guys for future trades. If not, I know who’s getting poor draft grades tomorrow…

9:20: Ok, they’re moving Lawson to Denver for some pick that’s owed to them to Charlotte through Denver or some other crazy crap like that.

9:22: Jay Bilas is more approving of draft picks than Paula Abdul is of singers.

Say it with me: VALUE PICK. Teague fell, ATL swooped, Value Pick.

9:23: 19th pick: Atlanta takes Jeff Teague.

9:24: LOVE this pick. Remember how Atlanta passed on Chris Paul? Yeah, Atlanta wasn’t going to let that happen again. Teague can shoot, pass, and drive. (According to Bilas, no one in the ACC could stay in front of him) I actually watched him play (one of the times I watched non-MSU college basketball), and he impressed me greatly with his driving ability and decision-making. He needs to work on his defense, but what 6-1 guard doesn’t?

9:27: 20th pick: Utah takes Eric Maynor.

9:28: Well, he’ll play behind Deron Williams. And Maynor seems like one of those guys who has that aura of leadership, but not the measurables (Even Jay Bilas doesn’t like his speed /wingspan /measureables). Like the pick.

9:32: 21st pick: New Orleans takes Darren Collison.

9:33: Hmm… he won’t supplant CP3, obviously. But maybe he’ll fill that Jannero Pargo, scorer-off-the-bench role that New Orleans seemed to be missing last season.

9:33:30: Must improve: Scoring ability. Shows how much I know.

9:35: Hold onto your hats, kiddies, the Portland Trail Blazers are on the clock. (I really think Wanye Ellington would be a great value pick for them here.)

9:36: Those Dos Equis commericials? Genius. Sheer genius.

9:39: 22nd pick: Portland takes Victor Claver from Spain.

9:39: At 9:39, we have our first unknown foreign player taken. He’ll stay in Spain for now, but is he their next Rudy Fernandez? We’ll see in two-to-three years.

Took them 2 hours and change, but they finally let her stand, not kneel, on-camera.

9:40: Lisa Salters stands for the first time tonight, for the Shaq phone interview. Rejoice!

9:42: Shaq… isn’t coming off the bench behind Z, despite what he’s saying. Bet on it.

9: 44: 23rd pick: Sacramento takes Omri Casspi

9:44: At 9:39, we have our second unknown foreign player taken. Not going to comment on him, because I know NOTHING about him.

9:46: Poor DeJuan Blair… he’s going to have to send back the two identical jet-black Escalades every NBA rookie who can afford them drives.

9:49: 24th pick: Dallas takes B.J. Mullens. This is the guy I was hoping the Pistons wouldn’t take. He’s raw, very raw, and “a ways away from contributing at the NBA level” according to Bilas.

9:50: DeJuan Blair soon won’t be able to afford the capital J in his name.

9:53: 25th pick: Oklahoma City takes Rodrigue Beaubois.

9:54: Apparently, this guy’s a point guard who “Must Improve his Point Guard IQ”. Nice.

9:55: According to Bucher, picks #24 and 25 will be swapped. So OKC will get Mullens, and Beaubois will likely stay in France, but Dallas will have his rights.

9:59: 26th pick: Chicago takes Taj Gibson.

10:00: Not a bad pick by Chicago. He’s a shotblocker/rebounder guy, good post defender. He’s actually more of what Chicago’s looking for with the James Johnson pick. I remember he gave Goran Suton some trouble in the NCAA tourney.

10:02: Yeah, Suton only had 7 points in that game, 4 of them coming from the line. Gibson will play good defense and rebound, and won’t be asked to do much else.

10:04: JVG looks stunned when asked about what “exciting” losing style of basketball Memphis can play… remember, this is the guy who liked winning 80-72 for four years in Houston. You can’t ask him to not emphasize defense and winning.

10:05: 27th pick: Memphis takes DeMarre Carroll.

10:06: DeMarre might need a liver transplant in 20-25 years… awesome. And an NBA career won’t exacerbate that in any way, shape, or form? Right… stuff like this is why I love the draft.

10:07: Bilas comes the closest I’ve heard to bashing a pick when he says he had Carroll in the second round.

10:10: 28th pick is Minnesota with its 4th first round pick: Wayne Ellington.

10:11: Good pick. Here’s a guy who can play the 2 or the 3, can really shoot the ball well, underrated athlete, good value. I’m sure Rubio can find him open on the wing three or four times a game.

10:12: LISA SALTERS HAS A CHAIR!!!!! Thank the Lord, I was starting to worry about her knees.

10:14: Lakers sold the pick to the Knicks, so whoever the Lakers get is going to the Knicks.

10:15: DARKO WATCH: Darko’s going to NYC for Quentin Richardson. Smell that? That’s the smell of salaries being dumped.

10:16: 29th pick: New York (essentially) takes Tony Douglass.

10:16: I remember this guy… doesn’t naturally play point, but is a good combo guard and made some great plays to get FSU to the ACC title. With Richardson gone, maybe he’ll take minutes from Nate Robinson and Larry Hughes’ expiring contract. Value pick.

10:22: With the last pick of the first round, Cleveland takes Christian Eyenga… anti-climatic end to the first round.

Quick judgement calls:

Winners:

Minnesota: Rubio, Flynn, and Ellington are all guys that I liked. I’m sure Rubio and Flynn will occasionally be on the court at the same time, but getting deeper in the backcourt prevents Sebastian Telfair from seeing the court, which is always a good thing.

Golden State: Stephen Curry fits perfectly into Nellie-ball. Not much else to say.

Phoenix: Earl Clark is just the kind of versatile big man that they are always looking for.

Losers:

Indiana: Taking Tyler Hansbrough in the Lottery puts you SQUARELY in the losers’ column.

Sacramento: Not taking Rubio and gambling on Evans (who IS a gamble, mark my words) wasn’t extremely smart.

DeJuan Blair: It’s very strange that “the Best Rebounder in the draft” didn’t get taken when the “Best Passer” (Rubio) and “Best Shooter” (Curry) got taken so high. Lots of teams are going to regret passing on him (Dallas… )