Amico Report

Go Ahead, Mock My Draft

I like following the NBA draft more than watching the Finals.

There you have it. Another reason to say, "Golly, this Amico character sure is weird."

And you know what? When it comes to the NBA, I am indeed downright peculiar. But, hey, if you're reading this, you're probably a basketball nut, too.

Anyway, enough about our general freakiness and on to the draft.

I've spent the past week scouring Web sites, pouring over the USA Today sports section, and listening to NBA draft guru Chris Monter give his typical pre-draft prophecies on various radio stations throughout the country.

In case you've never heard of Monter, just know that he is The Man when the idea is covering the draft. His newsletter, Monter Draft News, has been around forever, and there's a reason he charges a fee for his Web site and no one else does. It's because Monter is more in tune with the NBA and the draft process than other so-called experts -- and that is why I'm happy to give him a plug here.

As for me, all I can do is go by what I've heard. And the only thing I really know about the draft is my dreams of being picked have yet to come true. (Then again, I still have two years of college eligibility left, meaning I still can declare early-entry).

So I basically go by what other people are writing, and what a few scouts have told me.

That said, I give you the first-ever Amico Report Mock Draft:

1. Milwaukee: Andrew Bogut, C, Utah. Finally, a proven college player goes No. 1. What a concept! But not necessarily a shocker, considering Bogut is said to be the most fundamentally sound big man to come along since Tim Duncan.
2. Atlanta: Marvin Williams, SF, North Carolina. A great kid with an outstanding work ethic, exceptional athleticism and loads of potential. Could go to Milwaukee at No. 1. Either way, the Hawks can't go wrong.
3. Portland: Gerald Green, SG, Gulf Shores Academy High: I keep hearing the name Tracy McGrady when scouts talk about Green --a supposedly spectacular athlete and strong finisher of the fast break.
4. New Orleans: Deron Williams, PG, Illinois. His previously impressive stock rose during pre-draft workouts. Compared favorably to Denver's Andre Miller. Surely, Hornets couldn't pass that up.
5. Charlotte: Chris Paul, PG, Wake Forest. Small-but-mighty point guard who runs show with calming, team-first approach. He and second-year forward Emeka Okafor would make a great pair for years to come.
6. Utah: Raymond Felton, PG, North Carolina. The Jazz are reportedly trying to trade up to take Deron Williams. If that doesn't happen, they could do worse than Felton, an intelligent playmaker who knows how to win. Still, he could slide if Utah drafts Arizona center Channing Frye, then trades him to either Portland or New Orleans for Williams.
7. Toronto: Danny Granger, SF, New Mexico. I was impressed with Granger during one of those Big Monday clashes between New Mexico and Utah, as Granger played at least as well as Bogut. Granger has been labeled a poor man's Scottie Pippen, and it‘s easy to see why. He's a great athlete who can handle the ball, pass, and play the point-forward role.
8. New York: Channing Frye, C, Arizona. Some are calling Frye a Marcus Camby clone, but that may be overdoing it a little. Frye is long but not particularly aggressive. Still, his soft touch and great hands are underrated assets for someone of his size.
9. Golden State: Fran Vazquez, PF, Spain. The type of hard-nosed defender Golden State could use to back up Troy Murphy on the low block. Vazquez also possesses a solid mid-range jumper.
10. L.A. Lakers: Sean May, PF, North Carolina. There's no questioning May's desire or winning mentality, but some scouts wonder whether he'll be the next Elton Brand, or the next J.R. Reid -- a great college player who may be too small to play power forward in the pros.
11. Orlando: Martell Webster, SG, Seattle Prep: Greg Anthony, Stephen A. Smith, and some of the other fellows from ESPN have the sharp-shooting, athletic Webster getting picked as early as No. 3. But the fact he's not NBA-ready may hurt his value.
12. L.A. Clippers: Yaroslav Korolev, SF, Russia. Scouts love his versatility and smooth moves on offense. They‘re equally concerned with his lack of muscle and ability to defend.
13. Charlotte: Charlie Villanueva, PF, Connecticut. A skilled big man who can score from inside or out, Villanueva has drawn comparisons to a young Derrick Coleman. Could be a real steal, provided his defense improves.
14. Minnesota: Antoine Wright, G/F, Texas A&M. The scouts I spoke with compared him to Wally Szczerbiak, who is reportedly on the Timberwolves' trading block again. Mostly, Wright is a good athlete who knows how to put the ball in the basket.
15. New Jersey: Joey Graham, SF, Oklahoma State. Outstanding athlete who would fit in nicely by subbing for Richard Jefferson. Graham could go higher, assuming general managers are willing to overlook his shaky perimeter game.
16. Toronto: Andrew Bynum, C, St. Joseph High: Another promising prepster with a great attitude and work ethic -- not to mention size.
17. Indiana: Rashad McCants, SG, North Carolina. McCants is a wonderful showman and probably my favorite player in this year's draft. Problem is, scouts still aren't sure if he's more Jerry Stackhouse than Joseph Forte.
18. Boston: Roko Leni Ukic, PG, Croatia. Think Jiri Welsch, but with better ballhandling skills. The Celtics may trade this selection for a veteran forward or future picks.
19. Memphis: Hakim Warrick, SF/PF, Syracuse. Some NBA types say Warrick is too small to play power forward and not quick enough to play small forward. All I know is he sure understands the game and always seems to find a way to get to the hoop. Besides, Grizzlies GM Jerry West seems to love drafting proven college guys.
20. Denver: Francisco Garcia, SG, Louisville. Considering Voshon Lenard is injury-prone and past his prime, the Nuggets will be looking for a steady sharpshooter who can spread the defense. Garcia fits that description.
21. Phoenix: Ike Diogu, PF, Arizona State. Even if the Quentin Richardson-for-Kurt Thomas trade takes place, the Suns will still need some grittiness off the bench. The rugged Diogu would provide it immediately.
22. Denver: Martynas Andriuskevicius, C, Lithuania. With two picks in the early 20s, the Nuggets can afford to gamble on this not-quite-ready 19-year old. Especially when you consider Andriuskevicius is 7-foot-3 with a pulse.
23. Sacramento: Wayne Simien, PF, Kansas. The knock against Simien is he has short arms and questionable feet. But scouts are impressed with his ability to score in the low post.
24. Houston: Chris Taft, PF, Pittsburgh. Tough with tons of potential, Taft's game still needs some fine-tuning. Interestingly, he was projected as a top 10 pick less than a month ago.
25. Seattle: Jarrett Jack, PG, Georgia Tech. The Sonics clearly could use a point-producing big man, but won't get one at this spot. Instead, look for them to take a point guard to back up Luke Ridnour -- especially since veteran Antonio Daniels appears to be headed for Cleveland or Memphis.
26. Detroit: Ryan Gomes, SF, Providence. An undersized forward who has drawn comparisons to Luke Walton with his exceptional passing skills and all-out hustle. As an added bonus, Gomes can score, too.
27. Utah: Ersan Ilyasova, SF, Turkey. A young (19), unpolished shooter who is considered one of the most promising prospects in Europe.
28. San Antonio: Ronny Turiaf, PF, Gonzaga. Turiaf may not score much, but his physical play and winning attitude off the bench will remind the NBA champions of Malik Rose.
29. Miami: Johan Petro, C, France. It never hurts to draft a 7-footer with potential -- especially when you have the No. 29 pick.
30. New York: Julius Hodge, SF, North Carolina State. Hodge is listed higher on some draft boards, and the Knicks probably won't take a pass if he's still around. He can slash and score.

Second-Round Sleepers

A list of potential second-rounders who I really like:

David Lee, PF, Florida; Salim Stoudemire, PG, Arizona; Nate Robinson, PG, Washington; Kennedy Winston, SG, Alabama; Randolph Morris, C, Kentucky; Monta Ellis, PG, Laney High; Travis Diener, PG, Marquette; Brandon Bass, PF, LSU; Lawrence Roberts, PF, Mississippi State; Luther Head, PG, Illinois; Jason Maxiell, PF, Cincinnati; Omar Thomas, SG/SF, UTEP; Taylor Coppenrath, PF, Vermont; Eddie Basden, SG, Charlotte; Dijon Thompson, SF, UCLA; Andray Blatche, South Kent Prep; Daniel Ewing, PG, Duke; Shelden Williams, PF, Duke; John Gilchrist, PG, Maryland.

Free-Agent Finds

Now for my list of guys who might not get drafted, but could go on to have decent NBA careers by signing with the right team:

Bracey Wright, SG, Indiana; Tre Simmons, SG, Washington; Sean Banks, SF, Memphis; Matt Walsh, SF, Florida; Anthony Roberson, PG, Florida; Donnell Taylor, SG, UAB; Von Wafer, SG, Florida State; Chris Thomas, PG, Notre Dame; J.R. Morris, SG, Seton Hall; Pierre Pierce, SG, Iowa.

Talkin' Age Minimum, Part 778

If you're among the many who e-mailed, yes, I think the NBA owners and players did the right thing by raising the league age minimum from 18 to 19. A year may not seem like much, but spending a season in the minors would have done wonders for guys like Portland's Travis Outlaw or Detroit's Darko Milicic.

Don't think that the new rule will fail to hold up in court, if challenged. Just look at the Maurice Clarett situation in the NFL -- and remember, pro football doesn‘t even have a minor league. If the players' association agrees to an age minimum (as the NBA players did), it will be nearly impossible to overturn.

Yes, I received your many e-mails regarding last week's age-limit discussion. I am saving them for a slower time, such as August.

From Riches to Rags

Veteran Boston Globe reporter Jackie MacMullan wrote an excellent piece on NBA players who went broke during or after their playing careers.

The list includes former scoring machine World B. Free, who struggled with drugs and alcohol, and once had to borrow money from Bernard King to pay a bus fare.

I encourage you to check out the Nothing But Debt story at the Boston Globe website.

Pro Basketball News Reminder

The new Web site is coming along nicely, thank you for asking. We are looking at a mid-July launch, but may wait until September -- simply because it will be easier to build interest when the NBA season is closer to tipping off.

Either way, you'll be the first to know when Pro Basketball News is finally online.

In the meantime, I'll be happy to share info about the contents of the site (and even provide a sneak preview) if you contact me at the e-mail address below.

Contact Me/Subscribe

To contact me or inquire about a subscription to the Amico Report, send an e-mail to amicoreport@hotmail.com. Please include your full name and hometown, as I love to see where the e-mails are coming from.

About the Amico Report

The Amico Report is a pro basketball newsletter from Sam Amico, and has more than 25,000 readers each week from all over the world. Sam has written about pro basketball for various magazines and Web sites since 1991.

Previous Editions

• Talkin' NBA Age Limit » - June 20, 2005