Fazekas, Davis, Byars Among Second-Round Steals In 2007 NBA Draft
West Palm Beach, FL (AHN) - The 2007 NBA Draft is history. For a class that might be one of the best in recent memory, it was rather anti-climatic.
Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, the first two selections, were a given, so much so that the picks provided as much drama as a Tim Duncan press conference. Even the fact three Florida Gators were taken in the first nine picks was as foreseen as a Kobe Bryant flip-flop about his status with the Lakers.
Because of the lack of surprises in the first round, the biggest news on draft day revolved around some of the trades such as the Celtics acquiring veteran Ray Allen from Seattle and the Knicks getting Zach Randolph from Portland.
That said, the draft was much more interesting in the second round as some players scouts thought might sneak into the first round saw their fortunes tumble a bit.
Some might think every second round in the NBA draft, no matter what year, is full of athletes who will probably sit at the end of the his team's bench or worse, get released and never have a career with the world's premier basketball league.
That notion might be true for some, but there is no doubt there is always a few steals in the second round. Need proof. A man who currently plays for the Washington Wizards-Gilbert Arenas-was selected in the second round of the 2001 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors.
The Wizards guard has done a fine job for himself since that slight as he has averaged 22.9 points in his six-year career. He was even mentioned as a possible MVP candidate this past season after averaging 28.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.0 assists a game before suffering an injury that caused him to miss the final weeks of action.
While this year's second round will probably not find a player who will have the career of Arenas, there are a few athletes out there to keep an eye on. Here is a list of six guys AHN thinks are the ones that warrant the most of your attention.
Gabe Pruitt, PG from USC, drafted by Boston with 32nd pick in draft
While some are applauding the trade for Allen (with a few people criticizing it), the selection of the Trojans point guard is a definite positive considering the Celtics had trouble at that position at the early part of last year.
The club initially played Sebastian Telfair at the point and he disappointed greatly. Boston did have better results with Rajon Rondo running the team in the final two months, but Pruitt should take some minutes away from the former Kentucky Wildcats player.
At worst, Pruitt will be a good man to come off the bench for the Celtics.
Nick Fazekas, PF from Nevada, drafted by Dallas with the 34th pick
At first thought, the selection of Fazekas seemed to be rather odd with Dirk Nowitzki and Austin Croshere at the power forward position. However, Croshere's effectiveness has been on a constant slide for a while. Last year, the former Indiana Pacers player averaged a measly 3.7 points and 3.0 rebounds a game.
That said, the talented Mavericks club obviously does not need much help from Croshere because of 2006-07 MVP Nowitzki. Still, Fazekas could be a steal because he was a great rebounder in college and he plays well in the transition game.
If Fazekas plays as well as he did at Nevada, he will be a solid backup for Nowitzki for years and maybe even a starter with another club somewhere down the road.
Glen Davis, PF from LSU, drafted by Seattle with the 35th pick Traded To Celtics
Wait, another good pick by Celtics general manager Danny Ainge? Yes. "Big Baby" was a favorite of scouts two years ago after LSU reached the Final Four in 2006. Things changed this past year when the Tigers underperformed but it had nothing to do with Glen Davis' play. Still, the team's slide dropped Glen Davis from a sure lottery pick last year, to a second-rounder this season.
The Baton Rouge, LA native had considerable numbers in nearly every stat category in 2006-07 as he did the previous year.
The selection is a wise one for the Celtics because Glen Davis will be an excellent backup for Al Jefferson and if he keeps his weight manageable, he might end up starting for the club one day.
Derrick Byars, SG/SF from Vanderbilt, drafted by Portland with the 42nd pick-traded to Philadelphia
The Sixers traded for Byars who should be a welcome addition to the club's roster. The former Vandy player could play either shooting guard or small forward and he could give both Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala legitimate time to rest.
Byars' biggest attribute is his size so his 6-7, 220 pound body would be best of use at the forward slot, but the youngster is a surprisingly good 3-point shooter. He twice made over 40 percent of his shots from beyond the arc in his four years in college.
Jared Jordan, PG from Marist, drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 45th pick
The man from the small Marist school received plenty of press before the draft, most notably by Sports Illustrated who profiled him on its Web site, but the point guard still fell to the middle of the second round.
Believe it or not, that is probably a good thing for Jordan. The Los Angeles Clippers are a perfect fit for him because he can compete for minutes right away. The club has Sam Cassell at the point, but the veteran underperformed last year and is no spring chicken.
His backup, Shaun Livingston, was impressive at times, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury that could affect him next season. A solid showing by the scrappy Jordan could endear the Marist grad with both fans and the Los Angeles Clippers' coaching staff.
Aaron Gray, C from Pittsburgh, drafted by Chicago with the 49th pick and JamesOn Curry, PG/SG from Oklahoma State, drafted by Chicago with the 51st pick
Many draft analysts said the Bulls' draft was one of the best along with Seattle and Portland. While the playoff club did not get someone like Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, it is easy to see why people love what Chicago has done.
Besides its first-round pick of Florida's Joakim Noah, the club strengthened itself with smart second-round choices. Gray is not the best offensive player in the world, but he shouldn't have to be with the rest of the team's skilled athletes such as Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich. Instead, the Pittsburgh center, who is a fine rebounder, should serve as an adequate backup center for a long time.
Curry's future is not as certain as Gray's because he will have to fight for minutes, but the Oklahoma State player has an excellent jump shot and he can play the point position if needed. That versatility could bode well for an extended career in the NBA.
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