- Check out this CNNSI.com article from 9 years ago.
With the 1998 NBA Draft quickly approaching, CNN/SI takes a position-by-position look at the top prospects. Below, Dan Shanoff and Albert Lin each pick their favorite power forward, and then give you five others to watch.
SIZE MATTERS
ROBERT TRAYLOR
6'8", 300, Michigan
Why he's The Man: Despite his ample frame, Traylor—a.k.a. "The Tractor"—showed throughout his Michigan career that sweet hands and near-perfect footwork can exist independently of an expanding waistline. A center in college, Traylor will have to make the transition to power forward in the NBA, where he'll not only set one of the widest picks in the game but also shock opponents with his deceptive speed, touch and leaping ability. There are whispers that Traylor has shed weight furiously, reportedly dropping down to 284 pounds—the lightest he's been since his early teens. Hope not, because it would be great to see his husky frame pirouetting through the paint.
At best, he's the next: Charles Barkley
And if I'm wrong, he's: Take your pick of two ex-players with girth and nicknames: John "Hot Plate" Williams or "Dinner Bell" Mel Turpin.
—D.S.
THE ENIGMA
DIRK NOWITZKI
6'11", 237, Würzburg, Germany
Why he's The Man: This virtually unknown European exploded onto the scene at the Nike Hoop Summit during Final Four weekend in San Antonio. He dominated the game with 33 points (6-12 FG, 2-3 3-pt. FG, 19-23 FT) and 14 rebounds in a 104-99 International Select Team victory. Initially was thought headed to college (he visited Cal and Kentucky), but instead entered the draft; wavered the last few of weeks but did not withdraw his name. Nowitzki has an extremely aggressive, versatile offensive game. He can score inside or step out and hit the three. A good ballhandler, he can take it to the hole (as evidenced by free throw total at Hoop Summit). Very polished in all facets. Will have teams ruing the day they bypassed him. Fellow German Detlef Schrempf was called the best import since the Volkswagen; Nowitzki's coach says, "Here comes the Porsche."
At best, he's the next: Keith Van Horn.
And if I'm wrong, he's: Cherokee Parks.
—A.L.
- Devin Harris to Milwaukee for the #6 pick? According to Eddie Sefko, could be a possibility
From e-mail: The Mavericks have been kind of boring the last few years on draft day. Any chance the try to make a little magic happen like in the early Nelson years?
Eddie Sefko: The hottest rumor going around right now has them trying to move up to No. 6 in the draft by trading Devin Harris to Milwaukee. This came from Eastern Conference contacts, so take it for what it's worth. The guess here is that the Mavs would try to pry something out of the Bucks beyond No. 6, which would either be Mike Conley or Yi Jianlian, most likely. But the bottom line is they aren't looking to go crazy. When you have a 67-win team, even one that disappointed in the playoffs, it's prudent to think you're still going to be pretty good next season.
- The latest KG rumor once again shot down. Just get it over with already. Sick of this crap.
The Minnesota Timberwolves' attempts to get a great deal for Kevin Garnett hit a major roadblock on Wednesday afternoon, sources told ESPN.com.
According to multiple sources, the Timberwolves have been talking to multiple teams about finding a third team to help facilitate a Garnett trade.
As ESPN.com reported on Tuesday evening, Minnesota was looking to acquire Atlanta's No. 3 and No. 11 picks in the draft along with several cap-friendly contracts from the Hawks and Phoenix Suns. To participate, Atlanta wanted Amare Stoudemire from Phoenix.
On Wednesday, sources say one of the Hawks owners vetoed a hypothetical deal for Stoudemire.
The Suns claim to have never had any direct contact with the Hawks about a deal. While they have shown strong interest in acquiring Garnett, the deal never reached a stage where they were asked by either team to give up Stoudemire and never offered him in a trade.
While teams like the Lakers and Suns will continue to pursue Garnett, and the Wolves seem intent on trading him, sources say that it's unlikely a deal goes down by the time of the draft.
The latest drama in the KG saga shows some of the perils of dealing with the Hawks -- arguably the most dysfunctional franchise in the league.
The Hawks ownership group, Atlanta Spirit LLC, is embroiled in a nasty lawsuit with former partner Steve Belkin. Belkin won a lawsuit against Atlanta Spirit LLC last summer and a judge ruled that he could buy out the owners of Atlanta Spirit and gain full ownership of the team. Atlanta Spirit is currently appealing the ruling.
In the meantime, Belkin holds some authority over the team. He can veto any trade or free agent signing that takes the team above the NBA salary cap. Several sources suggested that it was Belkin who vetoed the trade.
This fiasco isn't the only situation the Hawks are dealing with. Sources said that Hawks general manager Billy Knight is in a dispute with some of the Hawks owners over who to take at No. 3. Knight prefers Florida's Al Horford. Some in the Hawks ownership, including influential owner Michael Gearon Jr., want to draft Yi Jianlian out of China.
- ESPN announces College Gameday will be in Blacksburg for Va Tech's opening game. Pretty classy move, should be pretty emotional. On the subject of Gameday, when's this D-bag going to get the axe? He's become senile, has taken a few cool things he used to do every once in a while back in the day and started shoving them down our throats every Saturday (The pencil thing, the noises, the mascot heads, etc.) He definitely thinks everyone tunes in to watch him now. What a tool.
- Sam McGuffie, the internet legend from Cy Fair has Nebraska high on his list. Check the video below.
As the No. 1 All-Purpose running back in the country according to the latest Rivals.com rankings, Cy Fair's Sam McGuffie has found himself on the wish lists of schools all over the country. Although he is seemingly adding written offers by the day, it was another piece of mail that had the 6-foot, 190 pound McGuffie excited recently.
"I just got my ACT scores back," said McGuffie. "My dad called me to tell me they came in the mail and I asked him what I had gotten. He told me that he was waiting for me to get home to open it but I couldn't wait that long to find out.
"I got a 22 on it. I wasn't too worried about it, but it was still kind of stressful to have to just wonder for awhile until the results come in. I had actually sat down with guidance counselor this past semester and looked at my core GPA for the NCAA and I had a 3.2 or something like that. I think I only needed like a 14 or something on the test but it's still a relief to get it out of the way."
With McGuffie all but guaranteed to be qualified academically after his senior season, he is now concentrating on speeding up his recruiting process.
"I've been to Texas A&M a bunch of times already this past spring and this summer," he said. "I'm sure I'll make it up to College Station a few more times as well. It's close and it's easy to get there. I like all the people there and my teammate, Chris Lathrop, is committed there so we'll probably visit together at some point."
The Rivals250 running back has also scheduled a trip in the not-so-distant future to a school that's a little further away from his Houston, Texas home.
"I'm headed up to Michigan this weekend," said McGuffie. "I'm going to check out the Big House and see what that's about. I'm gonna see some family while I'm up there too."
While he has never been to the Ann Arbor campus before, McGuffie will see some familiar faces on his visit.
"I'm going to be up there Thursday through Monday," he said. "I know that (2007 Michigan signees and fellow Houston-area products) Brandon Herron and Troy Woolfolk will be up there. Also, I talked to Ryan Mallett a couple of days ago and he's going to try and make it up there this weekend too. Right now he's in San Antonio but he's supposed to be back in Michigan on Sunday or Saturday night."
While McGuffie has no timetable set for making a commitment, he did admit that he is somewhat looking forward to ending the recruiting process.
"I'm just sitting back and looking at everything with an open mind right now," he said. "I'm just trying to take everything one step at a time. But, at the same time, it's starting to wear on me a little bit."
Though he says that he still remains open to every school that is recruiting him, McGuffie does have a few schools that are standing out at the moment.
"If I did have a top five I'm not sure who all would be in it, but Michigan and A&M would both be for sure," he said. "I like Nebraska, Oklahoma State – Oklahoma State only has two running backs on scholarship and I like that. Nebraska's cool cause they have (Blaine) Gabbert and Bryce Givens. I actually stayed with Bryce when I went to the NIKE Camp in Colorado."
- Guess I can't take my flask into the Rose Bowl or at the Nebraska-Texas game.......
Court OKs searches at football games
A federal appeals court cleared the way for pat-down searches to resume at Tampa Bay Buccaneers home games, rejecting a fan's contention that they violate his constitutional protection against unreasonable searches.
High school teacher Gordon Johnston successfully challenged the frisking of fans entering Raymond James Stadium in three lower courts, but a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned those rulings Tuesday - saying Johnston forfeited his right to challenge the constitutionality of the pat-downs when he consented to them.
The court also said Johnston doesn't have a constitutional right to watch a football game, that he was aware of the search policy before entering the stadium and that the Bucs can revoke game tickets for any reason.
"Considering Johnston's ticket was only a revocable license to attend games, there is in the court's opinion at least a question concerning whether Johnston had a constitutional right to pass voluntarily through the stadium gates without being subjected to a pat-down search, even if he had not consented to one," the court wrote.
At three games in 2005, Johnston accepted the pat-down searches but told security officials he did not consent.
NFL officials have contended such searches, which began in 2005, provide an essential layer of security in an age of constant terrorism threats.
The 61-year-old Johnston said Wednesday that he was talking to his attorneys to determine his next move. He could ask the panel to reconsider its decision, request a review by all 12 judges of the 11th Circuit or appeal to the Supreme Court.
"I don't want to give up on it," said Johnston, who vowed to get rid of his season tickets if pat-downs resume. "Being a government teacher and knowing the Constitution, I think it's the wrong decision."
Rick Zabak, an attorney for the Tampa Sports Authority that runs the stadium, said he's trying to determine whether the court's decision allows the searches to automatically resume at the Buccaneers' first preseason game Aug. 10 or if he has to ask a court to reinstate them.
The NFL lauded the ruling.
"Pat-downs are an important part of our comprehensive security procedures, including secure facility perimeters and bag searches," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. "These limited, consensual security screenings are designed to enhance the protection and safety of our fans."
Tampa is the only NFL city where the pat-downs had been successfully challenged in court, although lawsuits also have been filed in Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco.
- One of my most lasting, vivid memories of Zac Taylor. I hope I can look back someday when Callahan is winning big and say that Taylor saved Callahan's job those first 3 years. That will amplify what kind of contribution Taylor made, I don't think people realize what he did to further the program and how much time he bought Callahan to implement his system.
- Back when Oklahoma-Nebraska meant something, Switzer and the jail birds broke many hearts each Thanksgiving. Sooner Magic was alive and well, especially with Keith Jackson.
- Picks O' the day
Yesterday - 6-4
YTD - 26-22
As always, take home underdogs, as well as:
Oakland +105 - Paul Byrd on the mound. Use this theory, if they're over 38 and throw 85 mph fastballs, bet against them. Plus, the Oakland pitcher is 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his last 3.
Toronto -105 - AJ Burnett on the mound, enough said.
St. Louis +175 - Good payout, Wainwright is 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA in his last 3.
TEXAS +185 - Upset pick of the day, goes with my old man pitcher theory discussed above, and Millwood seems to be turning it around, and Texas just seems to play good in Detroit.
1 comment:
Hello! Nice topic, but will this really work?
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