With the 2009 NBA Playoffs underway, teams that didn't make the playoffs will be looking elsewhere to help them get over that hurdle. There has been exciting development in the 2009 NBA Draft. The list of underclassmen making themselves available has been released, and European star, Ricky Rubio, has also declared.
1. Sacramento Kings selects PF Blake Griffin, Oklahoma -- He's still the best player in the draft without question. Griffin combines size, toughness, strength and athleticism with a lot of skill and grit. He has a very good chance of making a giant splash in the NBA. NBA Comparison: Carlos Boozer
2. Washington Wizards selects PG Ricky Rubio, International -- Though the Wizard need a big man, Rubio's upside is tremendous. He's like Steve Nash with defense. Washington has a lot of talented wings, but no set up man to bring them together. Rubio could play that role for them. NBA Comparison: Steve Nash.
3. LA Clippers selects PF Jordan Hill, Arizona -- Jordan Hill has the athleticism and work ethic to be a nice fit alongside Thornton, Kaman and Gordon. NBA Comparison: Poor man's Chris Bosh.
4. Oklahoma City Thunder selects C Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut -- This pick would make a lot of sense. Thunder GM, Sam Presti, comes from the San Antonio Spurs train of thought that defense wins championships. That's what prompted this group to select Jeff Green a couple years ago, and Russell Westbrook last year. Thabeet may not have a lot of offense to his game, but his defense is excellent. NBA Comparison: Dikembe Mutombo.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves selects SG James Harden, Arizona -- The Wolves have sufficient size, minus a shot blocker, in Al Jefferson and Kevin Love, and combo Guard, Randy Foye, continues to show promise. Harden would be a nice complement to what's already in place. NBA Comparison: Joe Dumars.
6. Memphis Grizzlies selects G DeMar DeRozan, USC -- The Grizzlies don't need athleticism on the perimeter, but there may not be a lot in the way of big men at this point in the lottery. DeRozan came on strong late in the college season, but still has some developing to do. Memphis could also opt for a promising point guard prospect, if they're not sold on Mike Conley's development. NBA Comparison: Vince Carter.
7. Golden State Warriors selects F Earl Clark, Louisville -- Golden State should be salivating if Clark slips this far. At 6-10, Clark is extremely versatile and would fit in well with the Warriors' run-and-gun style. NBA Comparison: Danny Granger.
8. New York Knicks selects PG Brandon Jennings, International -- Jennings had a tough stint over in Europe, but rookies often don't get minutes playing overseas. Jennings has tremendous upside and could be a steal here. The Knicks could use an upgrade at the point guard position. NBA Comparison: Kenny Anderson.
9. Toronto Raptors selects G Gerald Henderson, Duke -- Henderson's stock seems to be rising, but Toronto would be an especially good fit for him. The Raptors are playing the up-and-down game, like GM Jerry Colangelo prefers, and Henderson's athleticism and shooting ability makes him a good fit. His size (6-4) will work against him, and he does have asthma. NBA Comparison: Jason Richardson.
10. Milwaukee Bucks selects PG Jonny Flynn, Syracuse -- Flynn's small stature may be the only thing working against him. He's extremely athletic and has the ability to score in bunches. NBA Comparison: Damon Stoudamire.
11. New Jersey Nets selects G Wayne Ellington, North Carolina -- The Nets may want insurance for an aging Vince Carter. In the meantime, Evans could provide a spark off the bench. NBA Comparison: Eric Gordon.
12. Indiana Pacers selects G Stephen Curry, Davidson -- Curry is an enigma in this draft. He's not really a point guard and he's too small to be a shooting guard, making this pick a big risk for Indiana. NBA Comparison: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf or Shawn Respert.
13. Charlotte Bobcats selects F James Johnson, Wake Forest -- Johnson needs to get stronger, but his versatility may be an attractive weapon for the young Bobcats. Gerald Wallace is always an injury question mark, and unless there's a top-notch big man available here, Johnson would be a good fit for Charlotte. NBA Comparison: Boris Diaw.
14. Phoenix Suns selects F Patrick Patterson, Kentucky -- Don't expect the obvious with this pick. The Suns are a different batch now, with Steve Kerr at GM. They may go with a backup point guard here, but more likely, they'll want to improve interior defense. Patterson's undersized at power forward, but he's a hard worker who could complement Shaquille O'Neal and Amare Stoudemire off the bench. NBA Comparison: Buck Williams.
Missing the Cut
Ty Lawson, North Carolina; Eric Maynor, VCU; Jeff Teague, Wake Forest; and Jrue Holiday, UCLA -- There are a lot of promising point guards in this draft, so someone has to be dropped. Lawson barely misses the cut because he's short. However, that might make him a steal later. Jrue Holiday is another who could be a steal. He's extremely talented, but hasn't proven anything.
Tyler Hansborough, North Carolina -- There are loads of questions about his ability to perform at the NBA level. While he'll likely be able to be somewhat effective in the NBA, he's considered to have a relatively low ceiling.
Terrence Williams, Louisville -- Williams is extremely versatile and athletic, but shooting below 40% will turn teams off from him.
