My NBA Mock Draft

Everyone has got their own mock draft by now. So, I figured I should join the party. So here it is, my 2009 NBA Mock Draft:

1) LA Clippers- Blake Griffin

Why: This is pretty much the obvious pick because of Griffin's size, athleticism and potential. If he turns out to be what we all think he can be, he'll be averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds for the next decade.

2) Memphis Grizzlies- Hasheem Thabeet

Why: Most people think they'll take Rubio but I disagree. Mike Conley's a good point guard and their inside presence on the defensive end id terrible. Marc Gasol will have to move over to the 4 spot and Thabeet occupy the middle. With his length and defensive awareness he'll contribute defensively right away.

3) Oklahoma City Thunder- James Harden

Why: With Thabeet already drafted, the Thunder are kind of in a hole. They can't draft Rubio because they already got Russell Westbrook and it wouldn't work to switch Westbrook to the 2 guard. They can take Jordan Hill here and that would be a great pick but I feel that the Thunder will be tempted to take Harden because he's a true 2 guard who can drive to the rim and make it from 3 point range. He'll take pressure off Durant and help clear space for Westbrook to penetrate and convert.

4) Sacramento Kings- Jordan Hill

Why: He will bring the athleticism and length on offense the Kings have been missing since the days of Chris Webber. He won't be the next Chris Webber but he will give them a double-double season a couple of times but his real purpose is to be the second scoring option for the Kings because no one else other than Kevin Martin is reliable on the Kings in terms of their offensive attack.

5) Washington Wizards- Demar Derozan

Why: With James Harden gone to the Thunder, the Wizard who need a guard just in case Arenas gets injured again. So they should take Derozan because he'll be a change of pace with his athleticism and potential. He has a ways to go in term of his shooting ability but Flip Saunders will help him mature on the court and off it and help him develop into a pretty good player.

6) Minnesota Timberwolves- Ricky Rubio

Why: I know every one's wondering why I have Rubio drafted this low. I tell you why. The first five teams don't need point guards and Rubio's a risk anyway because Europeans don't usually don't grasp the NBA style of play for a couple of years. The Timberwolves have Randy Foye but more of a 2 guard so they need someone who'll be willing to pass the ball constantly. Rubio's jump shot is suspect but he has potential. He will have to mature quick but he can make an immediate impact.

7) Golden State Warriors- Brandon Jennings

Why: Jennings has been playing in Europe for the last year and that kind of makes him the most unreliable pick. He's been gone from the NBA system for a minute so he's a risk either way. But he's got great athleticism and quickness. Tends to shoot a lot but in this system it's necessary.

8) New York Knicks(My Team!!!)- Stephen Curry

Why: This is the only place Curry could truly shine because of the style the Knicks play. Mike D'Antoni will help develop as a point guard and help him learn how to run a team. But Curry's real talent has and always will be his shooting ability. In a system that'll call for fast breaks and 3 point shots, Curry will definitely make a statement early.

9) Toronto Raptors- Chase Budinger

Why: The Raptors are in dire need of some athleticism and scoring from the 2 guard position so Chase is the only real option here. They could look at Tyreke Evans but Budinger has a better shot and slightly better athletic skills. Not to mention he stayed in school for 3 years so his maturity is not in question which is good.

10) Milwaukee Bucks- Tyreke Evans

Why: Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva are free agent and the Bucks only have one. If they take Sessions then I recommend they choose Dejuan Blair to give them bulk inside and to replace Villanueva. But I think they'll keep Villanueva so that means they need to pick Evans solely because he can replace Sessions at point guard or back up Michael Redd at shooting guard or even plug himself in at small forward even though he'll have to battle Richard Jefferson for that spot.

NBA Draft: One Man's Future is on the Line

The NBA Draft is the highlight of the summer for NBA fans. There are many great players and they all are expecting to be drafted and to be successful right off the bat. There's Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio, Hasheem Thabeet and many others. Blake Griffin is a powerhouse, Rubio is a quick play maker at point guard and Thabeet is a very tall, lanky defender who has a lot of potential. But there are many others whose futures depend on this daft and how there careers will start in the NBA. A player in this situation is Stephen Curry. This guy has been praised for his feats on the NCAA level but criticized harshly from an NBA standpoint. This draft could make or break his NBA career even before it begins.

Curry, as seen above, is one of the best 3 point shooters probably in recent NCAA history. 2 seasons ago, he led his fairly unknown Gonzaga team to the Elite 8. This past year he converted into a point guard and he improved his passing skills thus making him more attractive to NBA teams. Even with all his talent, Curry's biggest obstacle has to be his size. He's 6'3'' and 180 lbs. Most scouts say he won't be able to withstand the rigors of the NBA at his size. Also, they believe that it'll be hard for him to make the transition from an unknown school to prime time games in the NBA where no matter how popular you're team is, everybody knows who you are.

On most boards, Curry is ranked as the #3 point guard available. He has the ability to develop at the point guard position and with his sweet stroke his role as 3 point specialist( kind of like Eddie House) is pretty much set in stone. If he goes #8 overall to the Knicks he will thrive in that situation and probably become 16-19 point per game guy. If he goes late to a team like Detroit or Atlanta his future will fade because he'll never make it in their system.

On June 25, Stephen Curry's career will either get a huge lift or take big hit. His career as an NBA player truly is on the line.

Who Saw This Coming?

Oh my goodness!!! The Cavaliers face elimination tonight in their hometown. The Magic took care of business in the first four games of this series. The only reason the Cavaliers didn' t get swept in he firs four games was because LeBron hit that incredible shot a the end of the game in Game 2. The Cavaliers are having a hard time accepting that they won't win this series because of 2 guys Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard.



Dwight Howard is doing in his series what he does best. He's grabbing rebounds and finally he's scoring he points that he's capable of scoring. In the last game he played he dropped 10 of his team's 16 points. He is finally showing his worth as an offensive dynamo. I'm proud of him. He is going to to have to have another big game to close the Cavs out tonight. And I think he will.



Rashard Lewis is killing the Cavs with his trademark 3 point shot. In Game 1 he hit a clutch 3 point basket to seal the deal for the magic. In Game 2 once again he had a big game even though it was spoiled by LeBron's last second game winner. But in Game 5 it was Rashard Lewis who stole the show. He hit a 3 pointer with only a couple seconds left to put the Magic up by 1. Then in overtime the aforementioned Dwight Howard did his thing and won the Magic the game.

Who would've thought that after 4 games the Cavaliers would be down and close to elimination. Who would've thought that the Magic would execute their game plan to perfection and that even though LeBron is averaging 40 points a game they are 1 game away from the NBA Finals, the closet they've been since the days of Shaq in Orlando. Who saw this coming 'cause I know I didn't. DID YOU?

Steroids: Does Everybody Use Them?

Back in the day during the 70s and 80s when you saw a guy hit 40 home runs you thought he was the best thing since sliced bread. When Reggie Jackson hit 41 home runs in 1980, everyone in New York and around the world thought he was the best player in the league. When it came to the postseason, he was " Mr. October" because he used to destroy the opposition in the playoffs with his ability to use his hitting to change up a game. When you see a player hit 40+ home runs in today's league you have to speculate whether or not they are on some kind of drug or performance enhancer. After Mark McGuire hit 70 home runs at age 34 and 65 home runs at age 35, there was a little speculation but after Barry Bonds hit 73 home runs at age 36, when most players that age are struggling to hit 25 home runs. That set it all off.

At first it looked like it might just be 1 or 2 guys who tarnished baseball's once innocent reputation but before you knew it, everyone who was anyone in baseball started confessing their use of performance enhancers. There is Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, A-Rod and Roger Clemens. These are just a couple of the guys who admitted to using performance enhancers.There are a whole bunch more who are linked to them. The most obvious and most talked about is Barry Bonds. He was linked to steroids from the time he hit 73 home runs. Personally I feel that guys like Bonds and McGwire who dominated the league for years for them to have used steroids is like a slap in the face and I feel that they have disgraced the game.

Guys like Ken Griffey Jr. who have never used or been linked to steroids have been given a bad name because you have to second guess everyone even the good guys like Griffey. He's hit over 600 home runs in his career and if he hadn't been hampered by injury all through his career he probably would've had over 700 home runs and he'd probably be trying to break Barry Bonds home run record.

I don't think that everybody uses steroids but I feel that because of everyone who did and still does, everyone both good and bad, is a suspect. That's just how it is.

Atlanta Falcons: Best Team in the NFC

The Atlanta Falcons have all the tools to be the best team in the NFC. The Giants are in the NFC and so are the Cowboys but the Falcons have the tools to beat them both.There are 4 main parts to this Falcons team that will take this team to the Super Bowl.

1) The Quarterback: Matt Ryan- The 2nd year man is the 5th best quarterback in the NFL. The only quarterbacks better than Ryan are Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Tony Romo and Carson Palmer. Ryan has only been in the league for a little bit and he's already shown the potential Peyton Manning. Ryan threw for 3440 yards last season and while he only had 16 touchdowns via passing, he only threw 11 interceptions and he led the Falcons to the playoffs and if the Cardinals hadn't had that magical playoff run the Falcons would have beaten the Eagles and make it to the Super Bowl. Then they would've faced the Steelers. But I feel that they would've ended up losing. Matt Ryan coming in as a rookie and leading a Falcons team decimated by the Michael Vick scandal to the playoffs. Next year, he's throwin' for 3700 yards and 23+ touchdowns and leading the Falcons to the Super Bowl.

2) The Workhorse: Michael Turner- This man right here is the definition of a workhorse. All the Falcons did last year was give him the ball. Why do you think Matt Ryan only had 16 touchdown throws? Everytime they got to the endzone, the Falcons 85% of the time gave the ball to Turner and let him try to bulldoze his way in into the endzone. Mike Turner had 1,699 rushing yards and he was he integral part of the Falcons offensive attack. He had 17 touchdowns via rushing and he is set to contend with Adrian Peterson for the best RB title in the near future. He's going to get at least 1500 yards next year and he's going to lead the league in touchdowns.

3) The Receiving Corps: Roddy White & Michael Jenkins- These 2 men are the two biggest surprises other than Matt Ryan in the Falcons organization. Roddy White was deemed a spotty player before his two breakout seasons in the NFL. What that means is that his play would be spectacular one week and then horrible the next. He was a fast kid who couldn't produce the way people expected him to. But after Michael Vick got suspended this kid became magical. He was catching everything thrown his way. He finished the season with 1202 yards and 6 TD's. Last season, with Matt Ryan throwing to him Roddy set the Falcons' single season receiving yards record. He had over 1300 yards and made the Pro Bowl. I predict next season that he'll have 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Now there's Michael Jenkins. He was a good receiver all throughout his career but the QBs that were throwing to him weren't good at putting the ball where he could get it. And for that his stats and career suffered. But after Matt Ryan arrived everything changed. He caught Ryan's first career touchdown on a 62 yard grab. He finished with 777 yards and I predict next season he will have 800 yards receiving.

4) The Defensive Line: John Abraham- Ever since Abraham was with the jets he was a very dangerous rapper with a ability to tear up the NFL with his pass rushing prowess. He has always dominated the competition when healthy and last season he demonstrated his prowess and with much effectiveness. he had 16.5 sacks and it's hard enough for people to get 10 sacks. But John Abraham showed us all that when he's healthy he's definitely top 5 in the NFL's best defensive line players. When he was with the Jets, when he played a full season he had at least 10 sacks. He's the future of the Falcons defense and the future of their defensive line. He will get at least 12 sacks next year and know that sounds like a lot but when Abraham plays, he delivers.

Next year is going to be a big year for the Falcons and if they can establish their position early in the season we'll be seeing them in the Super Bowl versus the Jets, Patriots or Steelers. These 4 main parts to their offensive and defensive attack will be the reason they make or miss the playoffs.

Cavaliers or Magic?

The upcoming Eastern Conference Finals have the potential to be something short of a classic. On one hand there is LeBron James leading his almighty Cavaliers. On the other hand you have Dwight Howard A.K.A Superman leading the Magic's charge. Who will win, who knows. I am positive that the series can stretch out to 6 or 7 games if the Magic execute their scheme. A scheme that calls for plenty of outside shots and Dwight Howard being an imposing presence on offense and especially on defense. But on the Cavs, there is a man just as if not more imposing than Dwight and that's the "Chosen One" LeBron James. Combining speed, offensive and defensive awareness, an improved jumpshot and brute strength Lebron is the most complete player in the NBA.

Let's take a look at the Magic shall we? The first thing that anyone is going to notice about their team is the fact that they have Dwight Howard. Howard, while still raw offensively, is a beast on the glass and in the paint. Whether he's blocking shots or slamming in the putback, when Dwight makes a play it has Superman written all over it. Also, the other guy we should look at is Hedo Turkoglu. When he's hitting his shots the Magic are on top of their game and they have a better chance of winning because Rashard Lewis is going to knock down shots and Dwight's gonna be Dwight so they need Turkoglu to step up and contribute in whatever way he can. But remember when Hedo knocks down shots like he did in Game 7, the Magic become a team that can beat the Cavaliers.

Now let's look at the Cavaliers, who is the man that makes this team go? Who is the face of this franchise? Who has been dominating the NBA for the past 3 years and thus captured the MVP trophy this year? That's right, his name is Lebron James. But you know what I'm tired of Lebron so I'm gonna talk about the supporting cast that makes the Cavs go. First off, Mo Williams. The best trade made this season and yes, even better than the Chauncey Billups trade and here's why. Without Mo, the Cavs would've made the playoffs but they wouldn't be contending for a title. With Mo, if Lebron resigns, that's a duo that can bring Cleveland at least 2 rings. Chauncey's 33 years old and at the end of his prime he'll only be good for but so long. So Mo Williams with his shooting can take a lot of pressure off of Lebron because he has a dependable shot and he's a clutch player. The other guy really contributing is Delonte West. He is a great shooter who can run the point and give the Cavs two great shooters that Lebron can kick it out to for the 3 point trey. Not to mention after his thunderous dunk against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of the semis at least we all know when Delonte goes up, he's coming back down hard.

So who do I think will win, honestly I got to pick the Cavaliers. The reason is because Dwight Howard has enough trouble scoring 1 on 1, imagine how hard it's gonna get when he's double even triple teamed. For the Magic to win Dwight's gonna have to hit those close shots he takes he'll have to convert at the free throw line. If he can't his stuff together then he'll have to to kick it out to Rashard or Hedo and hope the trey falls 'cause if it don't, I think I smell a third straight sweep comin' on. Lebron's gonna get his points and so will MO. But the X factor for the Cavs is Daniel Gibson. I know, haven't heard his name in a while right? But if he can remind us of just how good he is from downtown and hit about three 3 pointers a game, I think his comeback alone will win the series for the Cavs in 5 or 6 games.

Sanchez Is Better than Clemens, Hands Down!!!

Mark Sanchez, who is he? Let's see... he's a former USC quarterback who had a breakout year and got drafted 5th overall by the New York Jets. People are saying that he won't start opening day and that Kellen Clemens will get the gig at starting QB. But Kellen Clemens isn't the one that should be starting because no offense to him but he has thrown 6 more interceptions than touchdowns. He's not cut out for the job. I saw Clemens play in person and his play was atrocious. He has no recognition skills. He can throw far but he can't make the ball go where it should. His confidence in his skills aren't good he doesn't have the body language or personality of someone who's hopeful of a comeback in terms of reviving his almost-if-not already dead career.

Sanchez, while he's a rookie will do a better job. He has better awareness, better decision making skills and a way more accurate arm. I understand this is the NFL, where the defenses are way more imposing and complicated but you can see the man's excitement in his eyes. He can really pull a Peyton Manning because in manning's rookie year he had 18 interceptions which was expected from a rookie. But he surprise was that he threw for over 3700 yards. If Sanchez can throw for 3,000 yards and throw only 14 interceptions then the Jets can win 12-14 games. His touchdowns will have to be over 16 but I think this kid can do it and lead the Jets to the AFC Championship. If Ben Roethlisberger can lead the Steelers to the AFC Championship then so can Mark Sanchez and that's something Kellen Clemens will never do.

Celtics' Green can't match Magic Blue

The Celtics are the defending champs and last night they turned into the the defending chumps. The Celtics put up a fight but it turned out to be be a waste of talent and strength. The Magic took care of business last night but it would've better if they beat the Celtics earlier in the series. But they did their thing last night and it's good that they can move forward and face the Cavs.



The Celtics were held to just 39 percent shooting in the entire game. They were only able to hit 25 percent of their 3 pointers and they lost by 19 points. The Celtics only had 10 turnovers and they had 17 fast break points but the lack of made shots caused them to lose. Their 30 points in the paint was respectable considering the Defensive Player of the year was in the paint waiting to swat anything coming his way.



The Magic had a much better night and 51 percent field goal shooting night and the 3 pointers were falling. 61 percent of them to be exact. The Magic had a monster 4th quarter which allowed them to seal the deal. Dwight Howard who hasn't had a really good game since the 1st round. He only had 12 points but he had 16 rebounds and he had 5 blocks. I believe if Dwight can learn to knock down the close hook shots he takes and he learns to use his strength to get to the rim and convert his plays he can be the best player in the league. His defensive prowess his unmatched and if he becomes a true offensive threat he'll become the next Shaquille O'Neal.

The man of the night was Hedo Turkoglu, he was in the zone last night. He was 9 of 12 from the field and 4 of 5 from 3 point range. This is expected from a guy who usually hits his shots when called upon. But what we all didn't expect was for him to drop 12 assists on the unexpecting Celtics. When you look at the Magic guards and forwards you don't expect Hedo Turkoglu to have a 12 assist night.

The Magic finally put this series to rest and it's about time. But now they face an bigger task, trying to end the Cavaliers playoff massacre. Only time will tell if the Magic can do it all over again and pull off the upset.

Close, But Not Close Enough

No offense to the Rockets but this is crazy. How in the world does a team without its two best players take the presumed champs all the way to Game 7. They came 1 game away from upsetting the best Lakers team since the Shaq and Kobe era. They came close but they couldn't do it and for that I'm grateful. Even though they lost the Game 7, the fact that they were able to push the series that far out is a testament to their resiliency and determination. Not to mention the Lakers complete collapse in games 2,4 and 6. In those games they let Houston dictate the tempo and run at their own pace. A pace that the Lakers no doubt couldn't keep up with.

The Rockets, even without Yao and T-Mac, had 4 main guys who became their core during this near playoff upset their names are: Ron Artest, Shane Battier, Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry. The 4 guys kept this team in this series from beginning 'till end.They each played different yet cohesive roles in keeping these Rockets in the air.

Ron Artest played the role of team enforcer. From Game 1 he set the tone for a very physical series that involved flagrant fouls, suspensions and even a little blood. Being the person he is and the way he plays his game Ron is the perfect guy for this role. Plus, the way he got all up in Kobe's face back in Game 1 was vintage Ron Artest, not letting anyone disrespect him or get the best of him ever. Whether it's punching a fan to teach him a lesson or telling Kobe to watch himself, Ron Artest is the ultimate team enforcer.

Shane Battier played the role of team defender. Shane Battier in opinion deserved to be on the All- Defensive Team every year because his the most tenacious and accurate defender in the league. The way he guarded Kobe should've left Kobe scoreless but as you all know he's Kobe and really no one can stop him. But the way Battier was able to put his his hand in Kobe's face almost every tme Kobe shot the ball was impeccable because his hand was only inches from Kobe's face and was never really called for fouls at all. Even though Kobe averaged over 20 points a game for the series the fact that Battier kept up with him and never lost confidence in his abilities is amazing in of itself.

Aaron Brooks played the role of the surprise guy. Who had any idea that Aaron Brooks was this good because I sure didn't. He came out of nowhere and shocked us all just like his team did. After that 34 point eruption I personally believed that he would become the key to this series. But hopefully, next year he can continue to show us his talents and how far he can lead this Rockets team.

Carl Landry played the role of the energy guy. With his high-flying, rim-rocking slams he electrified the Houston crowd and helped lead his team to victory, But hype can only get you but so far, and I hope he'll be back next year to electrify us once more.

So that's it, the Rockets came close but the better team won. Maybe next year but for now this is the Lakers' show and that's not going to change. You came close Houston, but not close enough.

The Introduction

Welcome everyone to K-Steph's Sports Section. This is my very first post and I'm excited about telling you guys all about my opinion on all sports issues, First off, my name is Kamal and I am 15 years old. I am a huge sports fan and I particularly love basketball. My favorite basketball player is Kobe Bryant and I know that sounds so cliche. So just for this post I'm going to change my favorite player. My new favorite player is Dirk Nowitzki because being a tall guy myself I find it amazing that a big man can hit 3 pointers like that. His stroke is sweet and pure. His form is kind of odd- looking but it goes down and that's what matters.

My favorite NFL player is Ladanian Tomlinson because the man is simply still the best RB in the game. I don't care what no one says because Adrian Peterson is good but LT has a lot more. He's proved that he's durable, MVP worthy, a franchise player and a game changer. He's also been consistent throughout his career. Don't get me wrong Adrian Peterson is one of the best running backs I've seen in the last 10 years and I know he's already been to the Pro Bowl and led the league in rushing but with his running style he'll only be in the NFL for probably 6-8 more years. LT even at 30, can still play for another 5 years and average over 800- 900 rushing yard a year and that rate he'd be contending for the top of the NFL's all-time career rushing yards list.

My favorite MLB player has to be David Wright and that's purely because the man can put up 30 home runs and 100 RBI every year and he is the league's 2nd best 3rd baseman behind Alex Rodriguez. If he can hit over .300 this year and hit 30 homeruns and have 100 RBI, I think this could be his MVP year. Trust me, if he leads the Mets in batting average, homeruns and RBI and leads them to 1st place in the NL East then the MVP is as good as his.

On a more informative level, I enjoy playing NBA 2K9, Madden 09, and watching the New York Knicks because I am their #1 fan and I know it sound crazy but I am a huge Knicks fan.