[UPDATED] Special Ben Ball Open Thread: 2009 NBA Draft Party

I know not everyone on this board will share that sentiment with me, but I still like the kid and him going high in the draft will also help our recruiting efforts going forward.

I don’t think of him the way I think of DC, AA2 or JS, but I’m still rooting for him and hoping that he has a good career.

he will be a stud in the league.

dc js paa will bring it as goo back-ups i love these guys.

rip mj

I think Jrue is a good kid and, having read all of the interviews and posts to which people take offense, I respectfully have disagreed, consistently with their interpretations.

Jrue made a major contribution to our program, and I wish him well.

However, no one and done will ever win hold the same place in my Blue and Gold heart as that held by the guys who stayed the course.

Players jump up and down draft boards by the hour and it seems as if there is always a new trade possibility. I think this is a product of a draft lacking superstar talent outside of Blake Griffin and a foreigner with a large buyout in Ricky Rubio, but plenty of depth.

but I love seeing teams making such defensive minded picks.

Good for Harden, good for the Pac-10 and GREAT for RW.

And his illegal offhand pushoffs will fit in nicely in the NBA. Westbrook/Harden/Durant make for a nice young trio.

oh well

It seems better than what they do in the NFL

A little bit of a climate change?

must be a trade in the works

He would be a nice fit in NY. Tho right now the Knicks fans might not like whoever NY gets here just b/c it isn’t Curry

It’ll be fun for Warriors fans to watch Ellis and Curry in the back court together. Each are adept on the ball and off the ball, making them dangerous in the open court and also making it tough to game plan against them.

that made me think they were gonna select bigger, like jordan hill

I wonder if that bad work out had to do with the jordan hill selection over Jrue

either Jrue or Jennings, but I like Hill. Toronto has such an uncertain future that I have no idea where they’ll go now.

Anyone else notice how long Jrue has been #1 on Bilas’ picks…seems like it has been quite awhile now.

look for the villian in this video. Really, it works for his former teammates, as well.

Must have been something there there …

Probably should have kept his mouth shut, reduced his whining and focus on his workouts.

I don’t think Jrue saw himself going lower than Tyler Hansbrough, I hope he gets picked up soon. It really is too bad, I know its hard to resist the NBA and all the money they offer, but just one more year studying under Howland and he probably would have been a guranteed top ten pick, maybe even top five.

but not a good pro

book it

Holiday keeps dropping.

anyone surprised? where does he go now?

So I’ll be waiting here to see if Jrue gets picked in the next hour

I’d like to see him do well, but I can’t help but feel a little satisfaction every time he drops

I’m already a bit heart broken that The lakers sold a chance at DC, but I’m eagerly awaiting his selection

Detroit drops His Highness Holiday.

but it worked out for him

DC goes before Jrue.

I feel badly for Jrue. The ultimate jab will be if DC gets picked over him. I wish him well but can’t wonder what it would have been like next year with him still a Bruin.

Oh well. Good luck Jrue,, wherever you land.

I feel badly for Jrue. The ultimate jab will be if DC gets picked over him. I wish him well but can’t wonder what it would have been like next year with him still a Bruin.

Oh well. Good luck Jrue,, wherever you land.

A kid who is going to give it his all, listen to his coach, and not POUT: DC.

And Mr. I’d like to have “fun”, life is not “fair” His Highness Mr. Gatorade All Hype Player of the Year Jrue Holiday.

He now has the perfect case study for MORONs who jump early, based on all hype.

It’s got to be brutal for him to be sitting there all alone now. While not as good as some have hyped up, I think he ends up as a steal this late in the draft

read the community rules. You violate it one more time, you will be gone.

Is Jrue going to be the Brady Quinn of the NBA draft?

Good place for Jrue. He’ll be behind Andre Miller so he can learn from a true pro and will have time to mature. He’ll also get to play a more up and down style, which better fits his skill set at this point. Philly got a lot more value then you should at 17.

I just hope others take note of this outcome

Coming into draft he was a late first round, early second.

Is he kidding?

This is going to be the steal of the draft. Philly got a lottery talent with the 17th pick. And a great fit for Jrue too!

All year long, when many of us said that Jrue would need to come back another year, it was said that no matter how much it appeared that Jrue needed another year in college, the pro’s saw the potential when he was in high school and didn’t really care what he did this year.

The mantra was that he would go high in the draft, and be developed for a couple of years.

I think it is clear to all of us he needed another year. And I hope it becomes clear to other who think their potential is all they need.

That said. Congrat’s to Jrue and may your dreams come true.

I’d love to have a picture of him congratulating DC when he’s picked.

I hear the fans in that town are not very demanding. It should “fun” & “fair”!

there you go j’rue….gotta give love to my bruins

And does “lottery” just mean that they get a guaranteed contract vs. no guaranteed contract?

In that last tennis commercial. Great is an understatement.

Seriously?

On the bright side, at least his name rhymes with “BOOOOOOO”.. He can bullshit himself for a while.

Check out the 2009-10 NBA salary scale on HoopsWorld

There is a substantial difference in going at number 5 spot and going at number 17. It amounts to millions and there is the added factor about not being retained for 3rd year.

GO DC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thats earlier than i thought!

Yeah, baby!!!!!

I wonder what the record is.

Guaranteed contract, no pressure to try to be a starter, and going to learn from one of the best in the game.

but I wish he’d gone somewhere that he’d have a chance to earn more minutes. He does get his guaranteed contract though and no pressure. Not great, but certainly not bad. Congrats!

Waiting for KL’s tweet from you…

Byron Scott, a guy who was known for his defense as a player, takes DC, a guy know for his defense. Coincidence?

In the Ball Don’t Lie mock draft, where I made the pick for the Lakers, I got Claver all the way down at 29.

They’re just a soccer country. Oh, wait…

most likely b/c following them has allowed him to have a career.

From the ESPN Draft Chat:

          "Jon (SFC): Describe your experience at UCLA.

           Jrue Holliday: It was fun. Frustrating at times, but I wouldn’t change it for the world."

Just tweeted:

@Ben_Howland What a great day for UCLA Bruin players again! 2 more 1st round picks. Congras to Darren and Jrue.

It says Ty Lawson was traded to Denver … maybe there is method to Minnesota’s madness.

“The Hornets hope what they have in Collison is a player that won’t need two or three years to develop and can make an immediate impact.’

Part of the reason Jrue fell was because of concerns over a shoulder injury. Believe what you will.

I’m doing all this from my new one. Slick.

“Why would you ever do that?!”

Why the Nuggets got Carmelo. Thank you, Detroit.

but I still can’t believe it. Not only did they get a future second round pick as well, but the 29th pick was valued at $500,000. How do you get $3 million for that? I guess with the Knicks it’s possible, but these aren’t Isiah Thomas’ Knicks.Hopefully I’m wrong though because $3 million for that pick would be great.

For Josh and Alfred. We’re pulling for you guys!

While he did plummet in the draft, at least he’s going to a first class organization

huskies