foreign players

3 of the top 6 choices were from… Turkey, Lithuania, Czech Republic.

News flash: there goes Kemba Walker at #9, to Charlotte but probably to Sacramento Milwaukee in the trade.

Back to the topic of foreigners. They started trickling into the NBA in the 1980’s, but with limited impact initially.

Dirk Nowitzki isn’t the first foreign-born player to lead his team to a championship (that would be Hakeem Olajuwon with Houston in 1994 & 1995). But I guess Dirk is the first European to do it. Tony Parker (France) helped San Antonio do it several times, but Parker wasn’t really the best player for the Spurs.

But now Europe produces lots of tall young guys who shoot much better than people their size in the U.S. usually do.

The Czech guy going to Washington looks amazing on highlight footage.

Kemba Walker is the first to use the word “surreal” in interviews this year. But he seems to think he’s actually going to Charlotte. I doubt it. He’s headed to the Sacramento Kings Milwaukee Bucks in that trade.

Kemba’s mother also gets the first mom interview of the year. She seems likable enough.

two best interviews

So far, the most well-spoken players were the first two picks, Irving and Williams.

I like Kyrie Irving’s dad, Drederick Irving. Seems to be just a couple of years older than I am. Played for Boston University from 1984-88.

Interesting. Kyrie was apparently born in Australia. His dad was playing pro basketball over there after college.

Detroit takes…

Brandon Knight, the Kentucky point guard (more of a shooter than most point guards, though).

Poor Kemba Walker. Wins a national championship for Connecticut and still can’t get drafted near the top.

Bismack Biyombo

The Conogelese star definitely does have the best name of anyone in the draft so far. Drafted by Sacramento, but probably headed to Charlotte in the three-way trade.

Speaks six languages and was just described, to laughter, as “allegedly 18 years old.” (Biyombo’s response: “It’s not the first time I heard that [about my age], but I really don’t care.”)

Biyombo now saying in the interview that he met Michael Jordan (now Charlotte’s team owner) yesterday.

Played in Spain recently, but that deal needs a buyout.

Still undrafted… Brandon Knight, Kemba Walker, Jimmer Fredette.

By the way, speaking of Charlotte… It is still ridiculous to me that any pro team, as opposed to a high school team, would be called the “Bobcats.” The nickname is a disgrace.