Draft Watch.net/2001

[Zyme]

So sorry for the site going down so long. See there was thing thing called Y2K, don't know if you heard of it, kinda hit us by surprise as well. Apparently most of the world was ready for it be I guess we were the last to know. Our tables only just starting figuring out it was not 1901 this last few days and, now that the lights are back on and the AC is working, we might be able to get some news out.

Our first bit of news is out of the SEC. While not a traditional power, the Gamecocks of South Carolina have vaulted into the #1 in the media polls for the past seven weeks. This has been for both solid guard play, but mostly due to one man anchoring their middle. Jermaine O'Neal, a red-shirt senior, has been lighting up the Conference this season. His 23/9/3 have earned him looks from every scout in the nation. Considering that he comes from the conference that produced Shaq, Oliver Miller, and many other high level post players this should be a good sign for his professional prospects regardless of other factors. When you include he is running roughshod over other high level players, no doubt this senior will be getting a lot of looks come combine and a solid shot at 1st overall consideration.

[Zyme]

This week we turn our attention to the Iberian peninsula where you have one of the best Euro centers going at it. The team is FC Barcelona Bàsquet and the man is on Pau Gasol. He has had most of europe buzzing with his major league quality of finishing. From mid-range and in the post he has excellent touch. The question is whether or not he will declare. He has an option in his contract that would allow him to come over this year but the problem if he does not exercise this clause he stands to make a sizable bonus to his salary next season. To be sure the big Spaniard will have a difficult decision to make very soon.

[UOducksTK1]

"Jermaine O'Neal, a read-shirt senior"

lol, I like how that turned out.

[Zyme]

This upcoming draft really could be called the year of the Teen. A record number of high-schoolers are being tied to it. Names such as Kwame Brown, Eddie Curry and many more are being tied to the draft. It seems that more and more players seem to think that coming out of high school immediately will be best for them. We shall see if this shall be a further trend or will there be a call back to the glory days of the bird and magic days in College ball. Today we will highlight a few of these prospective young ballers:

Kwame Brown out of Brunswick Georgia is the classic case of all the potential in the world. You take one look at him and you say, that could grown into the next big thing (literally, the dude is a man child). He is set to break both the rebounding and blocking record at his school and is a runnaway for McDonald's All-American honors. Every school in the country has tendered offers and rumors are he is torn between, Duke, Georgia and turning pro. Will he say or will he go will be a common theme and soon we shall see who has declared.

Tyson Chandler, out of Hanford, CA, is another hopeful that many think will test. Of all high school names being tied to this class (such as Curry, Dajuan Wagner, and T.J. Ford) many have put forward that Chandler might just be the best of the crop. He is a scoring machine, though given his surrounding competition that should be expected. UCLA have pursued him hard and he has entertained visits to Cal, Arizona, Gonzaga, and UNLV. He may be the best high school players on the west coast, and the feeding frenzy over him in the Pacific 12 and the rest of the West attests to that.