Last night was a blur - at least the first hour or so of the draft at the least.

With all the talks of trades, prospects, and the like, it's hard to believe we actually know now what the roster will presumably look like for next season (Billy Knight said as much during the press conference after the picks, though he did say if the right deal is there they could still make other moves).

A day later, I stand by my feelings last night - this was a terrific draft for the Hawks.

Al Horford and Acie Law are both players who can play right away, and both are capable of providing something the team was missing last year.

And, just to reiterate my argument, I have to strongly disagree with anyone who thinks we should have taken Mike Conley Jr. at #3.

You have to look at the draft as a whole, not as a series of individual decisions. Individually, maybe you think that Conley was the best player available at #3. But I disagree with the notion that we'd have been better off with Conley and say, Spencer Hawes (that would be two more 19-year olds added to the league's youngest roster), than we will be with Horford and Law.

But, if you disagree, that's cool too - we'll see what happens come November!

A couple last things, and then I am off for a much-needed weekend of relaxation.

Today is Joe Johnson's 26th birthday, so be sure to send him happy b-day wishes. I talked to Joe for a couple minutes last night at the Draft, and he seemed pretty pleased with how things turned out. Here is my interview with him, if you want to hear his thoughts.

Also, big props to our video staff, who banged out a Highlight Factory Online episode covering last night's festivities at Philips Arena. From everyone I've heard from, it was a really good time.

So, I hope everyone has a good weekend, and I hope everyone is as happy with Thursday's results as I am.

16 days until Rocky Mountain Revue...

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I know some of you out there disagree, and it's a free country so you are certainly welcome to your opinion, but just so you know, there are many out there who are happy with how the Hawks did tonight.

The AJC's Mark Bradley is one of them. Here is his article for tomorrow about the Hawks' work tonight. I for one couldn't agree with him more. We got two players who can play (and play right away) next year, and both are proven winners.

Hindsight is always 20/20, and maybe someday people will say the team should have done something different. But looking forward, we did as good as we could have in 2007, and a lot of credit for that should go to Billy Knight, who got us in position to do this with the Al Harrington deal.

That's about it for me from here. If we should happen to trade our way back into the second round tonight I will let you know, but it sounds like we are probably about done.

I will close with a story. I went to Texas (ummm, I may have mentioned that in these parts once or twice before), so I saw both of their games this season against Texas A&M and Acie Law. In the game at Austin that most people talk about when discussing Law's heroics, he hit a ridiculous three-pointer over Kevin Durant to send the game into overtime. If you watched the game, or if you watch this segment from when he was on the Jim Rome show (scroll to about 15 seconds in) you will see the camera close in on him celebrating with his teammates as he mouths the words, "That's what I do."

That's when I knew this guy was the right player for this team. That's the kind of player I'll take every single day, a guy who wants the ball at the end and has the confidence in himself to make things happen.

This is a good night, Hawks fans. We aren't to the mountaintop yet, but I promise you we are much closer to it tonight than we were yesterday.

Just over two weeks until Summer League - I can't wait!

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Some people love to know stuff like this, so I figured I might as well tell you.

Next year, new Hawks draft picks Al Horford will wear #15 and Acie Law will wear #4.

No idea why they chose those, but I will make it a point to find out once they get in town.

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The draft party, from what I've heard, was a lot of fun. I didn't get to see any of it because I am down here in the locker room area, but here are some pictures of the event courtesy of ace photographer Jon "Newbs" Newberry.

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Here is the newest Hawk on the podium. I talked to Al a little at his workout and he struck me as a very thoughtful guy. I am really excited to add this guy to our arsenal.

Al Horford On The Podium At MSG

Update: In addition, we also got Acie Law as well - thanks to NBA Video for sending these over...

Acie Law On Joining The Hawks

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Hawks.com: Tell us your first impression of the Horford pick?

Dominique Wilkins: It's a good pick. He's a guy who is NBA-ready, he's got size, he plays with passion, and he's a smart player.

Hawks.com: What does he provide for this team that we didn't have?

DW: Well it's hard to say right now. But here's a guy who has been on championship teams in back-to-back years, and knows how to win. He knows how to play around the basket, is a very good rebounder, and he can get lift around the basket in traffic.

Hawks.com: How much does his championship experience help?

DW: Well, you can't buy experience. You can't buy that type of player that's been to the big show in back to back years. If you look at that team, they have four guys who are going to be NBA players. So it definitely helps them coming in.

Hawks.com: What do you think of the Celtics trade for Ray Allen:

DW: I think its a good trade for both teams, actually. The Celtics get a guy who automatically makes them better, while Seattle gets a couple of great young players.

Hawks.com: What do you make of the talk that this could be one of the best drafts to come along in a long time?

DW: I don't buy into that stuff too much. I don't know if I would say that this is the best draft I've seen in years, but it's a good draft.

Hawks.com: Not as good as '82, right?

DW: Most definitely.

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Man, I don't know about that pick. I have nothing against Javaris Crittenton, who is certainly a talented prospect but...this is the guy that is going to appease Kobe? A 19-year old point guard? Are you still looking for the 19-year olds from earlier who contributed right away from earlier?

Mitch Kupchak, I wish you the best of luck...

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Sorry I haven't posted in a few minutes, but I was in the press room to listen to Billy and Woody talk to the media.

They both seem pretty upbeat, as they should be in my opinion.

As I said before, for those who wanted Conley, I don't care if you do think Conley is the best PG in the draft, I'll take Horford and Law over Conley and Hawes any day of the week.

No real surprises in the last few picks, draft-wise, but we did get another huge deal, as the Blazers and Knicks pull off a blockbuster. Zach Randolph and change to New York for Steve Francis and Channing Frye. Wow.

Man, I have never been an Isiah fan, but this deal is decidedly in their favor. Zach Randolph immediately becomes the best low-post scorer in the East, and teamed with Eddy Curry, that is one frightening frontline. I dare say the Knicks might not even be terrible next season, so long as they can stay healthy and out of trouble (one of those seems more likely than the other).

I still think Portland should have held onto Randolph, but it wasn't that long ago that Channing Frye was considered untouchable in New York, so him coming off the bench as your top frontcourt sub for Oden and Aldridge is a pretty scary thought.

I'll be back in a few with an interview with Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins!

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The Hawks get the point guard they've been needing at #11, which to me reinforces yet again the idea that we made the right decision about taking Horford at #3.

Let's say we took Conley at #3 - who would we have gotten here? No one who will help us as much as Law will.
The dude is a killer. End of the game, this guy wants the ball in his hands to make a decision, and more often than not, he made the right one.

I had a chance to talk to him a little when he worked out in Atlanta, and he told me flat-out that this was the team he wanted to come and play for.

I for one am more than happy with our draft haul. The question now is, are we done for the night?

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Please stop yelling at me!!!

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Man, the Bulls are going to be nasty. If I am Joakim Noah, I am loving life right now. I know he could have been the #1 pick last year and yada yada yada, but man - to go back to school for a year, win a title, and then come into the league with a team that in my opinion has the chance to dominate the Eastern Conference for the forseeable future (sorry LeBron), well...that's not a bad year.

Spencer Hawes goes to Sacto, which I love if for no other reason than we don't have to think about taking him (size = always tempting).

So now we are up - trade? Pick?

Let's see...

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Charlotte takes North Carolina F Brandan Wright, adding yet another Tar Heel to the roster. How many is that, 6? 7?

I have to say, this pick surprised me. All the word out of Charlotte was that if they couldn't trade the pick, they would take someone who could contribute right away. Seemed like Joakim Noah would be the most likely guy to fit that bill, but they chose to go with youth and potential once again.

I guess that means Noah goes to Chicago?

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I'm just going to go ahead and get this out there, cause I feel it needs to be said.

I love Mike Conley, and I think he has a chance to be a very good player in this league. But for those of you who think he was a better pick for us at #3 than Horford, I have to respectfully disagree.

This team needs to win. Now. Conley may be great someday, but he won't be there next year. Do this for me: go find me a 19-year old point guard in the last 20 years who was an impact player his rookie season. Go on, I'll sit here and wait...

Ok, I'm going to move along and you can get back to me when you find one. It would be one thing if there were no point guards left to take after Conley, then I would accept the argument that we needed to reach for him at the top. But I believe there are still guards left in this draft who can help us, and if you can get one of them plus Horford, well, that's the way I'd go if I were the GM.

That's just like, my opinion, man.

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Milwaukee takes Yi Jianlian. Wow. I have nothing against Yi, who could develop into a great player, but I just never saw him in Milwaukee.

Some are speculating that he will end up traded from Milwaukee before all is said and done, but Andy Katz is reporting that for now, the Bucks plan on keeping him.

Stay tuned...

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Mike Conley Jr. goes to Memphis at #4, but the big news is the trade between Seattle and Boston for the #5 pick. There has been a lot of speculation about if the Celtics would try to make another run of it with a team built around Paul Pierce or if they would trade him and rebuild for good, and now we have our answer as the Celts make a huge move, trading the #5 pick and a couple players (I believe Delonte West and Wally Sczerbiak) for Ray Allen. Impressive.

Ray Allen is a great talent, but he is on the wrong side of 30. I think this definitely makes the Celtics better now, but I don't think it makes them well enough to get to the Finals. With the #5, Seattle takes Jeff Green from Georgetown, making that two top five picks for the Sonics.

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Al Horford. Coming to dominate a low post near you. I love - LOVE - this pick for us. Personally, I look at Horford and see a guy with the potential to be as good as Elton Brand - a guy with the potential to put up 20 and 10 on any given night.

The guy has a championship pedigree as we all know, and I just don't think that can be stressed enough as a positive in his favor as he joins a team that has been through an awful lot of losing in the last few years.

Horford is a physical load in the paint, and in the size-deprived East he should be able to thrive. and I'd bet on that happening sooner rather than later.

I know there are some fans who wanted the team to take a point guard at this spot, but this to me was the right pick. Of course time will tell, but I feel very good about the direction this night is going in...

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Kevin Durant, the best college basketball player I've ever seen, goes to Seattle at #2. Bully for them.

WE ARE ON THE CLOCK!!!

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No surprises, Greg Oden goes #1. I am on record, by the way, in suggesting that Kevin Durant will be the better player. Yes, I went to Texas, I admit my bias. But no one in the NBA would ever pass on a legit center, no matter how good the guy after him is. Remember, Houston took Akeem Olajuwon over Michael Jordan, and it would happen again this year if they were in it. I think Oden will be great, but Durant will surpass him in my opinion.

Still, congrats to Portland, who has their Duncan and Robinson tandem ready to dominate the league for the next decade with Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge.

By the way. Greg Oden sounds exactly like former Georgetown coach John Thompson. No surprise, since they are roughly the same age (sorry, I had to make one joke about his age).

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Welcome everyone! Man, my fingers are going to be tired by the end of this thing.

We launched this here BasketBlog two years ago today, live blogging the 2005 NBA Draft to kick things off.

Tonight is the 3rd annual edition of the draft blog, and I hope you will hang out with me for the duration of the evening as the events unfold.

Of course, many of you are actually here at the Arena with me, as reportedly over 5,000 fans made their way to Philips for the Hawks draft party. Should be good times all around.

I am coming to you live from the assistant coaches office, just outside the Hawks Draft Room. Hopefully I will be able to provide commentary and analysis for you throughout the night, as well as interviews with Hawks coaches, players, and hopefully draft picks.

Commissioner Stern just welcomed everyone and put the Trailblazers on the clock, so we are underway!

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Stuart Scott will be interviewing the draftees throughout the night, asking them blatantly obvious questions and trying to make silly jokes while executing the fist bump-into-sparkle move that he loves so much.

Does that sound like I don't like him? Well, for full disclosure, I have to say, I'm not a huge fan. But I have a good reason. Two years ago I made it onto the ESPN gameshow Stump The Schwab, which Stu hosts. I happened to mention on a form I filled out before the show that I had taken a comedy improv class, and so of course when Stu talked to me, he mentioned it and asked me to say something funny.

It's hard to be funny when put on the spot like that, but I feel like I covered nicely, as I responded "Your lazy eye freaks me out." Ok, I didn't say that, but it's what I was thinking. What's the point of this story? Maybe nothing. That dude just bothers me, that's all.

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And we are off - tonight ESPN's coverage features Mike Tirico, Jay Bilas, Stephen A. Smith, and Mark Jackson.

Here's a juicy rumor that Ric Bucher just reported - potentially the Nuggets are dangling Marcus Camby for our #11 pick. That's interesting, to say the least.

Camby, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, would provide instant stability on the defensive end (duh), and I think he is an underrated offensive player. It's hard to imagine that Denver would really do that, but if they did...I like.

Just remember though, this is ALL rumor, and until we see deals announced, it's all just speculation.

By the way, Stephen A. just yelled about something. Who had 7:11 pm in the pool?

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Man, I am nervous. I haven't been this nervous before a draft since...actually, I've never been this nervous. I think it's just because there are so many possibilities tonight, and not just for the Hawks. I have never seen an offseason like this, with so many top-level talents available. It's possible that the entire NBA landscape could look entirely different tomorrow...or not at all.

We'll just have to see how the night goes. I will say this though - I feel confident that we will make good moves tonight, one way or another.

Amazingly, our draft night could be over in a little over an hour. I can't handle the suspense! I'm going to walk around for a few minutes, and then I'll be back for the start.

Let's Go Hawks!

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Well, this isn't much, but since it counts as draft-day news, I am just letting you know.

The first deal of the day has gone down, and it's a minor one. The Magic have basically sold their second round pick (#54) to Houston, getting cash considerations in return. What does cash considerations mean, exactly? Are they considering giving them cash, or perhaps writing a check? I dunno.

Anyway, if any other deals go down, I will keep you posted...

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Morning Hawks fans! To paraphrase Cubs Hall-of-Famer Ernie Banks, "What a beautiful day for a Draft...let's take two."

There is so much speculation going on right now about tonight's festivities, and I for one am just chomping at the bit to get it started and find out what happens.

For the third straight year, I will be live-blogging tonight's events from just outside Hawks Draft Central, and I will try to keep you posted on any and all happenings as they occur.

There are a ton of rumors out there right now about what we are going to do, so tonight has the potential to be a wild, wild evening.

I will be posting throughout the day if anything concrete happens (with our team or the rest of the league), so check back often.

Fasten your seatbelts, this ride could get bumpy!

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You may have noticed some changes today on Hawks.com. In addition to changing up the look of the team colors and jerseys, we have also revamped the front page of the website.

We are pretty excited about the changes - in particular, the larger picture size on the main image, which should give us some great options for photography once the season gets underway. We also have a new calendar, which I'll admit doesn't look too impressive now but will look much cooler once the season starts with color logos for each game instead of just text.

Overall, its a much cleaner look with less to navigate. Let us know what you think!

On a related subject, I'd like to weigh in on the new look for the franchise for 2007-08. I have read a lot of the commentary about the new unis out on the Internets, and though people seem mostly positive, I have seen the critique that says the new threads are ho-hum, and nothing to be excited about.

To that, I say...exactly. By no means am I agreeing that they are boring, but to me what is so great about them is their simplicity.

Call me old fashioned, but I say the best jerseys out there in the NBA are the ones that don't try to do too much. Imagine if the Celtics had joined the fray in the 90's and put together some monstrosity like the Cavs, Rockets, or even ours (see right).

Now let's say they introduced their current look (which they've had forever, but follow me here for the sake of the argument). Would you be blown away? Probably not, it's a simple green jersey with block white lettering. The same thing goes for the current Bulls unis as well - they are great because they are so simple.

To me, that's what the Hawks' new jerseys nailed - it's a very simple, three-color look (using colors that aren't going anywhere for awhile, by the way - no teal on these) that is straight old school with just a touch of new-school design.

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Mike Conley Jr. at full speed? Or just my crappy digital camera...

The Hawks concluded their workouts today, with Florida's Al Horford coming in for a morning session and Ohio State PG Mike Conley, Jr. in for the afternoon.

I tossed my handy digital recorder in the scrum (while also getting a couple pictures at the same time - yes, I'm quite the multi-tasker), and I thought both guys handled themselves well and seemed genuinely excited about the prospect of playing in Atlanta. I know Joakim Noah is the media all-star from Florida's championship winners (and certainly proved himself worthy of that mantle last Friday), but I thought Horford was very poised and thoughtful as well, if not as lively.

Here is the audio from his interviews, and here is Conley's.

So now the workouts are done, and all that is left are 72 hours or so to spend speculating on what the team is going to do. What do you think? Let us know...

Horford shows for the ball in a post drill

Conley Jr. begins a drive towards the hole

Conley talks to the media after his workout

Horford shows his touch around the basket

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This is a big week for the Hawks. First and foremost because of all the excitement and possibility that comes with having two top-11 picks in a stacked NBA Draft. But also because the team is unveiling new logos, new uniforms and, ahem, a new Web site later this week. The official uniform unveiling comes Sunday on Hawks.com and in the AJC, (the new Web site gets launched on Tuesday) but in honor of the two-year anniversary of this blog (we started it on draft night 2005) I thought I'd give you, our loyal blog reader, a little sneak peak at the unis and logos a few hours early. So consider it Christmas Eve. Click Away.

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The Hawks continued their search for potential draftees to fill the #3 and #11 draft spots Friday by working out Joakim Noah, the 6-11/ 232 lb. forward/center from the 2-time NCAA champion Florida Gators.

Noah has been generally regarded as a lottery pick in this year’s draft and ranges anywhere in the top 11 on various mock drafts.

He worked out with Craig Bradshaw, the 6-10 / 240 lb. Kiwi center from Winthrop, who helped the 11th-seeded Eagles make an NCAA tournament mini-run by upsetting 6th-seeded Notre Dame before falling to 3-seed Oregon in the second round.

Noah and Bradshaw worked with Hawks assistant coach Bob Bender on post-up drills, perimeter shooting and defense before engaging them in an exhausting floor-running drill that involved blocking two shots, running the floor and dunking a ball dished by assistant coach Larry Drew, then running back and dunking again on another dish by Bender. Unfortunately, I can’t divulge how Noah or Bradshaw looked during this drill or during any other part of the workout, but I can say that I was winded after just watching it.

If there's one thing that can be said about Noah, it's that he’s already a seasoned pro with the media. After his workout, he spoke to a gaggle of Atlanta reporters and answered questions about his past success, his current process of working out with different teams and his future predictions for the draft and his future in the NBA. He then took the time to speak with several smaller groups of print journalists, do a phone interview and even elaborated on the enormous tub he’ll be getting as soon as he buys a place near the team that drafts him. He’s definitely charismatic, and will be a good quote for the journalists covering whatever team he ends up with.

While listening in on Noah’s interviews, he indicated he wouldn’t mind playing in Atlanta. He’s got a pretty good track record here, winning both the 2007 NCAA tournament and SEC championship in the ATL.

“I did a lot of winning here, actually, but I never got to see the town. From what I hear, it’s pretty cool,” Noah said. “Atlanta’s always been good, in terms of winning.”

As for when and where he’d be going Thursday, Noah also expressed interest in the possibility of being the No. 3 pick, but also conceded his lack of control over his future.

“There’s a chance (I could be the No. 3 pick). That’s why I’m here – if I didn’t think I had a chance, I wouldn’t be here. You know who’s going one and two, but after that, you have no idea. And then, the craziest thing of all is that you have no idea if these superstars want trades.”

Noah also talked about the transition from college to the NBA.

“It’s definitely going to be an adjustment, but at the same time, as a player, I’m still going to give 150 percent every time I step on to the floor. I come from a winning program. I won a lot of basketball games in my college career. What I realize with this NBA draft is that you can’t control where you go. You have to be ready for anything, and to know who you are as a person, and what you want to accomplish in life.

“I feel very fortunate, I feel very lucky to say ‘Today, I’m working out with the Atlanta Hawks, tomorrow I’m going to go work out with the Grizzlies.’ To me, not a lot of people can say they had a shot to play in the NBA. Something that I learned from my mother is to cherish these moments, because you can’t take anything for granted.”

Stay tuned for more player workout updates, as the Hawks will work out Rodney Stuckey, the guard from Eastern Washington, on Saturday, and Florida’s Al Horford and Ohio State’s Mike Conley jr. on Moday.

-- posted by Jonathan Carl

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I'm not saying you should stay tuned to the blog this weekend. But I'm also not saying that you should NOT stay tuned to the blog this weekend. <subliminalhint>Either way, you should probably check out the blog this weekend.</subliminalhint>

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Wednesday the Hawks began the process of bringing in some of the prospects that are potential draft targets in the upcoming NBA Draft. We will be bringing you some coverage of the workouts over the next several days, but I have to admit my personal bias right at the start. Individual workouts don't really mean that much, for the most part. As Hawks GM Billy Knight told the media a couple weeks ago, it's really just for the coaches to get a chance to see the players in person and to be able to talk to them face-to-face for a closer look. The bulk of these players' resumes come from the actual meaningful games they played - a lights-out shooting performance in a workout can only sway someone's opinion so much.

Another disclaimer - because the Hawks don't want to give anything away to other teams as to their plans, I can't really get into any details about how the guys performed. But, like I say, I don't think anything I'd have to say about someone would be particularly meaningful anyway, unless the NBA adopts new rules that call for cones to be placed all over the court.

This morning's session involved a few of the prominent point guard prospects; Acie Law of Texas A&M, Atlanta's own Javaris Crittenton from Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech's Jamon Gordon. North Carolina freshman Brandan Wright was in for the afternoon for a solo workout.

I took some pictures of the action and stood in on the media scrums to get the players' thoughts on how they thought the workouts went, which I am posting below. In addition, I spent a couple minutes talking about the life of a draft prospect with Va Tech's Gordon, who is hoping to show enough in these workouts to convince a team to take a flyer on him later on in the draft. He was a good kid, and I found him refreshingly honest about the whole process.

Check out what they had to say about the process and some pictures from the day below:

Acie Law talks about being a four-year player
Javaris Crittenton discusses wanting to play in his home town
Hawks coach Mike Woodson on his impressions of the PG workout
Brandan Wright on possibly joining fellow Tar Heel Marvin Williams
Jamon Gordon talks about trying to make a name for himself in the pre-draft workouts

... (more)

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As we start getting closer and closer to the June 28th NBA Draft, I thought it would be a good idea to start taking a closer look at some of the players who might be plying their trade in Atlanta next season.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we look at a guy many consider to be the top shooting guard prospect in the draft, Florida's Corey Brewer.

Our guest expert today is Dan Shanoff, who you may know from his work at www.danshanoff.com and from his time writing for ESPN.com. Shanoff is a huge Gator supporter and has already previewed Al Horford and Joakim Noah for us. Here are his words on the third of the Gators' lottery prospects:

Corey Brewer:
Draft Express profile

How they got here: 2007 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player

Strengths: Best defensive player in the draft, versatile, freakishly long, poster-quality finisher.

Weaknesses: Ball-handling, ability to shoot from NBA 3-point range.

Why Hawks fans should want him: Instantly the best defensive player on the team. Completes the dream "All 6-foot-9" lineup including Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Shelden Williams and Joe Johnson.

What might give Hawks fans pause: Come on, ANOTHER swingman?!

What current player he reminds you of: Josh Howard, Manu Ginobili

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As we start getting closer and closer to the June 28th NBA Draft, I thought it would be a good idea to start taking a closer look at some of the players who might be plying their trade in Atlanta next season.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we continue our series with Texas A&M point guard Acie Law, who many think the Hawks are interested in at #11.

Today's guest analyst is Peter Bean from Burnt Orange Nation, which technically is a University of Texas blog, but he saw plenty of Acie's games this season and hey, no one from A&M wanted to write me back, so what can I tell you. Peter knows what he's talking about though, I can promise you that.

Here's what he had to say about the Aggies lead guard:

Acie Law:
Draft Express profile

How he got here:
Law’s road to stardom was hardly preordained. Recruited to A&M by dysfunctional coach Melvin Watkins, the Aggies were winless in the Big 12 during Law’s freshman year. Watkins was fired, and Law very nearly transferred after Billie Gillispie was hired and immediately put his team through a two-week boot camp.

Law stuck around, though, and saw immediate dividends on his investment. Texas A&M was respectable during Law’s sophomore season, then NCAA Tournament bound for Law’s junior and senior seasons.

His “breakout” moment may have come near the end of his junior campaign, when he sank an 18 foot jump shot at the buzzer to beat Texas.

Strengths:
Law’s mental game may be his greatest asset, as he possesses all those intangible qualities that great point guards enjoy. He makes his teammates better, understands spacing and passing lanes, and uses his body and feet well to finish around the rim.

Law has developed an unbelievable reputation as a “clutch” performer, beginning with his game-winner against Texas. In his senior season, he hit a three-pointer to beat Kansas in Lawrence, and two simply unbelievable three point shots in a double-overtime loss to Texas (both threes extended the game an extra period). Law’s unafraid of the big shot, and seems to thrive when there’s a lot at stake.

Weaknesses:
Law needs to improve his consistency from the outside as a shooter to take a big step forward in his game. He’s already a great penetrator, but he needs the shooting game to complement it. Law also will need to add some upper body strength if he’s going to be able to be effective in the same way he was in college.

Why Hawks fans should want him:
Leadership, leadership, leadership. The guy’s a winner, makes his teammates better, and is fearless when the game’s on the line. Often, when a team is struggling to get over the hump, they need a point guard who can get everyone playing with a winner’s mentality.

Why Hawks fans should pause:
Consistency is a big issue with Law, and I wonder whether he’s got enough raw scoring ability to be more than a bench player. If he can take his scoring ability up another level, he’ll be everything scouts hope. If not, he won’t be the kind of player who can consistently lead a team to the playoffs.

What current player he reminds you of:
His upside is Sam Cassell, a point guard who can score quite a bit, use his height to work mismatches, and play heady basketball at all times. We’re not talking about a franchise player, per se, but he’s a guy you’d love to have on your team.

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As we start getting closer and closer to the June 28th NBA Draft, I thought it would be a good idea to start taking a closer look at some of the players who might be plying their trade in Atlanta next season.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we continue our series with Chinese 7-footer Yi Jianlian, who is a possibility for the Hawks at #3.

We really got lucky with the preview today, as the writer of The China Sports Blog went well above and beyond the call of duty and got Ma Yue, the basketball editor for the Chinese edition of Sports Illustrated, to give us the scouting report on Jianlian (with translation by June Chan and Mary Nicole Nazzaro).

Not bad, eh? Here's what Ma had to say about the mysterious Chinese big man:

Yi Jianlian:
Draft Express profile

How he got here:
Just like the Chinese men who preceded him to the NBA draft, Wang Zhizhi and Yao Ming, Yi also had to leap a barrier before finally being able to enter the draft. In 2005, Yi had the chance to enter the NBA draft, but his China Basketball Association club, the Guangdong Hongyuan Tigers, forced him to withdraw his name from consideration. After almost two years of negotiations, in November 2006 Yi's club announced that Yi would be eligible for the 2007 draft. It is believed that the Hongyuan team has an agreement in place with Yi regarding both sides' business interests. (This would be similar to the deal struck by the Shanghai Sharks to allow Yao Ming to enter the 2002 draft.)

The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) says that they fully support Yi in his development in the NBA, but they also point out that Yi's new NBA team must sign a contract with the CBA to promise that Yi will be made available for the Chinese national team whenever he is needed. Again, this is similar to Yao Ming's deal with the Houston Rockets - both Yao and Yi will be cornerstones of the Chinese national team at the 2008 Olympics.

Strengths:
Yi is tall and he has long arms. He is a good runner and jumper, and he is very athletic. He is also an excellent shooter.

Weaknesses:
Yi needs to work on his post-up game. He may also find it is hard to fit one position perfectly, because he is too lean and weak to play power forward, and he may be a little slow to play small forward. He needs to improve both his offensive and defensive skills.

Why Hawks fans should want him:
He has excellent basketball IQ and works very hard, which means he is a good learner. He is a 7-footer low-post player, whose movement is very quick considering his size, and this kind of player is seen more and more in the NBA nowadays. (Nicole adds: And the Hawks will inherit a brand new legion of fans from China should Yi Jianlian join the team - the NBA is extremely popular throughout mainland China and the Rockets' games are all broadcast on live television.)

What might give Hawks fans pause:
There are many big men who can run and jump in the NBA - so Yi might not stand out as a superior talent compared to others with the same skill set.

What current player he reminds you of:
To be honest, he reminds me of nobody. There are people who say Yi is like Kevin Garnett, Toni Kukoc and Dirk Nowitzki, but in my opinion they just don't know him. Perhaps he would remind an NBA fan of Andris Biedrins, but Yi's shooting is better.

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As we start getting closer and closer to the June 28th NBA Draft, I thought it would be a good idea to start taking a closer look at some of the players who might be plying their trade in Atlanta next season.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we continue our series with Ohio State point guard Mike Conley, Jr., who the Hawks could take at #3 or gamble and perhaps draft at #11.

Our guest expert today is Sean Sheehan, who writes about the Buckeyes for the blog Around The Oval. Here's what he had to say about the Buckeyes' other freshman phenom:

Mike Conley, Jr..:
Draft Express profile

How he got here:
Mike Conley came to OSU as a highly-touted freshman, but many Ohio State fans viewed him as a guy just brought in to make Greg Oden happy. Once the season started, Conley quickly proved those people wrong. He started at point guard from the first game and did a great job. All season, he demonstrated excellent court vision and passing skills, as well as a knack for coming up with steals on the defensive end. Toward the end of the season, he became a more aggressive player offensively, using his speed to drive to the basket almost at will. While Oden got most of the headlines, Conley was the most consistent player on the team, and arguably the best.

Strengths:
Conley's biggest strengths are his court vision and passing skills. He almost always made the right pass at Ohio State, whether he was driving and dishing to an open shooter or threading the needle between two defenders on a fast break. While he's very good at finding and making the right pass, he's even more impressive when he's making passes other point guards wouldn't even consider. He repeatedly got the ball to teammates in ways that didn't seem possible until after the fact, making impressive passes on fast breaks or wrapping passes around defenders inside. Even with these seemingly higher-risk passes, Conley was still making good decisions. He finished the season with a 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio, one of the top marks in the country. He also possesses outstanding speed, which allowed him to get into the lane against just about everyone and either get a layup or a pass to an open teammate for a three. When he gets to the basket, he can finish with either hand (in fact, while he's left-handed, it almost seems to me that he prefers to finish with his right). While I wouldn't call him outstanding defensively, Conley is a solid on-ball defender and is very good playing passing lanes (he finished the season with 2.2 steals per game, good for 26th in D1 basketball).

Weaknesses:
The most glaring weakness in Conley's game is he isn't much of a shooter right now. He only hit 30% of his threes, and from the free throw line he was only 69.4%. I believe he can eventually get those numbers up to respectable levels, but I don't think he'll ever be better than a decent shooter. A second concern would be one of Conley's favorite shots, a floater that he'll take near the top of the lane. It doesn't look especially pretty, but it was effective all season. While it may continue to work in the NBA, I am a little concerned that the bigger, more athletic big men in the NBA might be able to swat that thing to the other end of the court. Conley's size is a minor concern. At 6'1, 175 lbs., he isn't small for a point guard, but he doesn't possess ideal size, either.

Why Hawks fans should want him:
He combines a high basketball IQ with the ability to make big plays. When people call someone "a smart player," they usually mean "he's boring, but at least he doesn't do dumb things." Conley manages to avoid doing dumb things while also doing exciting things. He was a steady, consistent performer all season who was equally capable of distributing the ball to his teammates and scoring on his own. Furthermore, he seemed just as happy to feed the ball to his teammates as he did to score himself. A shooter like Joe Johnson would benefit from Conley drawing defenders away while driving to the basket, while guys like Marvin Williams and Josh Smith would benefit from Conley's ability to get the ball to them whether they're posted up or cutting to the basket. Point guard seems to be the Hawks' position of greatest need, and Conley is the best point guard in the draft with the highest upside.

What might give Hawks fans pause:
Other than the above weaknesses, the biggest concern would probably be Conley's lack of experience. While he played some talented teams in high school and college, he only played one year of college ball and didn't face a high level of competition week in and week out. It remains to be seen how he'll respond to the competition he'll face in the NBA (though that is a concern for most players in the draft). Another concern is how Conley will fare without Oden down low. He did get some experience in early in the season when Oden was injured, but most of those games were against pretty poor competition. It's a lot easier to look good with one of the best center prospects in years in the low post, and we don't really know how Conley will play without him (though I wouldn't be too worried about it).

What current player he reminds you of:
T.J. Ford. Both are very quick point guards with excellent passing skills, and neither is much of a three-point shooter. I think, though, that Conley is ahead of where Ford was when he was in the draft, both in terms of defense and decision-making, and will end up being quite a bit better than Ford.

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As we start getting closer and closer to the June 28th NBA Draft, I thought it would be a good idea to start taking a closer look at some of the players who might be plying their trade in Atlanta next season.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we continue our series with Florida big man Joakim Noah, who could slot in for the Hawks anywhere from #3 to #11.

Our guest expert today is Dan Shanoff, who you may know from his work at www.danshanoff.com and from his time writing for ESPN.com. Shanoff is a huge Gator supporter and has already took a look at Al Horford for us last week. For now, here are his words on the Gators' other big man:

Joakim Noah:
Draft Express profile

How they got here: 2006 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Could have been the No. 1 overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft.

Strengths:  Energy, selflessness, great passer for a 7-footer, shot-blocking, ability to play up-tempo, magnetic presence.

Weaknesses: Shooting. Don't expect him to be a 1st, 2nd or even 3rd option on offense. But he'll get his points through hustle.

Why Hawks fans should want him: Fantastic complement to the team's gunners. Plus, if you're not going to win, you can at least show your fans you care about playing hard and with passion. From that perspective, he can be the face of the franchise.

What might give Hawks fans pause:  At what point does "high energy" tip into annoyance?

What current player he reminds you of: Andrei Kirilenko, Andy Varejao.

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(Left to right) Thrashers broadcaster Darren Elliot, AVP Tour Pros Mark Williams and Casey Jennings, Hawks scout Harold Ellis

Yesterday afternoon at Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta, Hawks scout Harold Ellis teamed with Atlanta Thrashers broadcaster Darren Elliot for a charity two-on-two volleyball match against professionals Casey Jennings and Mark Williams. The pair is in town for a stop on the AVP Tour circuit, you can check out the action this weekend at Atlantic Station.

My colleague over on the Thrashers Blog, Ben Wright, did a great job getting some pictures and video of the event. It was pretty fun for all involved, and Ellis and Elliot (Team E) received oversized novelty checks for $2,500 towards the Hawks and Thrashers Foundations for their efforts.

Team E hung tough, but eventually the skills of the pros won out in a 21-10 win. We still applaud the effort fellas, especially Ellis, who was wearing all black despite the 90-degree heat.

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As we start getting closer and closer to the June 28th NBA Draft, I thought it would be a good idea to start taking a closer look at some of the players who might be plying their trade in Atlanta next season.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we continue our series with Georgetown forward Jeff Green, who could potentially be available for the Hawks with the #11 pick.

Our guest expert today is Dan Steinberg, who write the DC Sports Bog for the Washington Post, one of the best blogs out there on the Internet. Here are his words on the Hoya forward, with a large assist from Camille Powell, the Post's Georgetown beat writer:

Jeff Green:
Draft Express profile

How they got here: Late-blooming HS star in nearby Prince George's County; three-year starter; Big East co-rookie of the year with Rudy Gay; Big East player of the year; most outstanding player at Big East tournament and NCAA East regional.

Strengths: Versatile -- occasionally brought the ball up for the Hoyas and played point-forward. Excellent passer -- particularly loves the backdoor bounce pass. Really understands the game and makes good decisions -- John Thompson III says he's the smartest player he's ever coached. Unselfish. Not super-athletic, but is explosive -- recall his big one-handed put-back dunk against Boston College in the NCAA second round. Never seems hurried or flustered. At the college level, he was the guy you prayed would foul out if you rooted against Georgetown; having the ball in the hands at the end of the game was never a good sign.

Weaknesses: Inconsistent outside shot. Not always aggressive in looking for his own shot. Took a lot of heat for not being more aggressive in the Final Four, but don't make too much out of one tourney game. People were ready to coronate Noah greatest player in NCAA history after six tournament games last spring. They also say Green lacks footspeed. I'm guessing he'd be able to beat me in a race.

Why Hawks fans should want him: He's a winner -- he led Northwestern HS to its first Maryland state title in 17 years, and Georgetown to its first Final Four in 22 years. Hit three game-winning shots as a junior. Hoyas were 72-30 in his three seasons. Many observers thought he was the best player through the first four rounds of the NCAA tourney.

What might give Hawks fans pause: What position will he play in the NBA? Does he have the quickness and outside shooting to play the 3? Will fans in the Southeast confuse him with NASCAR's Jeff Green?

What current player he reminds you of: Responses vary in WaPo land. Boris Diaw seems to be the most popular pick. His stats in his senior year, averaged over a 48-minute game, compare more closely to David West than anyone else in the league, but he probably won't develop into that type of a scorer.

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A few notes on a Wednesday...

We have launched a pretty cool draft contest here on the Hawks website, the 11 Picks To Paradise Sweepstakes. It's a pretty fun contest, if you don't mind my biased opine. Choose who you think the first 11 picks will be in the upcoming NBA Draft, and you could win a trip to Paradisus Resort in the Dominican Republic among other things.

For those who want to enter but don't really have a handle on which players might go where, no worries - we've provided a link to ESPN's Top 100 Prospects to give you a helping hand.

There is literally no reason you shouldn't enter this contest!

In other news, Hawks co-owner Ed Peskowitz is currently in Israel with Hawks assistant coach Herb Brown for the 2nd Annual Friendship Games, a weeklong basketball event designed to try to increase the peace in the Middle East and around the world. The games are the brainchild of Peskowitz, and feature 30 teams of college students from 17 countries around the world.

Sufficed to say this is a terrific initiative, and an amazing experience for all involved, and if you are interested in reading more about it, check out their blog.

Thirdly, I will just throw this out there - we are still looking for a few bloggers with intimate knowledge of some of the players the Hawks might look at drafting to help with our little player previews (check out the ones we've done so far on Al Horford and Spencer Hawes). Interested? Email the hawks mailbag and let me know if there are any players you followed closely and a link to your blog and perhaps we will use your input.

Finally, the NBA Finals begin tomorrow, and I have to weigh in. The Spurs will win it, and fairly handily I say. I am not swayed by the fact that Cleveland swept the season series with San Antonio, nor am I swayed by the notion that LeBron James can win this series on his own the way he did the Eastern Finals.

San Antonio made relatively quick work of three teams in the West (Denver, Phoenix, and Utah) that would all beat the Cavaliers in a series, and nothing Cleveland did leading up to this point gives me confidence that they can make a dent in the Spurs armor. The Spurs may not be the sexiest team, but they are the most fundamentally sound, and are seemingly impervious to distractions or hype.

What LeBron did against the Pistons (especially in Game Five) was impressive, but it says here his individual brilliance won't be enough to win the day - at least not this time around.

Spurs in five is the call here.

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As we start getting closer and closer to the June 28th NBA Draft, I thought it would be a good idea to start taking a closer look at some of the players who might be plying their trade in Atlanta next season.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we continue our series with Washington big man Spencer Hawes, who is projected as a possibility for the Hawks with the #11 pick.

Our guest expert today is Zach Landres-Schnur, who authors UDubDish, a blog that covers the University of Washington sports scene, and is a contributor to the sports blog The Big Picture. Here are his words on the Huskies' big man:

Spencer Hawes:
Draft Express profile

How they got here: Hawes had a decent freshman year, leading UW in scoring and changing the dynamic of the game when he was on the court. He showed his best stuff on the big stage, scoring 12 points and grabbing 12 boards in a loss at Pitt. Going up against fellow 7-footer Aaron Gray, he held the Panthers' big man to just five points.

Strengths: He's a seven-footer, soft touch, 7-footer, good turn-around jumper, 7-footer

Weaknesses: Lack of experience, not assertive enough, not a shot-blocker

Why Hawks fans should want him: Did I mention he's 7-feet?

What might give Hawks fans pause: He was supposed to be the guy to come to Seattle and help the Huskies make a deep NCAA Tourney run. Washington didn't even make the NIT. He's shown his potential at times, but right now, that's pretty much all he has: potential.

What current player he reminds you of: Does Shawn Bradley still play?

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As we start getting closer and closer to the June 28th NBA Draft, I thought it would be a good idea to start taking a closer look at some of the players who might be plying their trade in Atlanta next season.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we will begin our series with Florida big man Al Horford.

Our guest expert today is Dan Shanoff, who you may know from his work at www.danshanoff.com and from his time writing for ESPN.com. Shanoff is a huge Gator supporter and will have previews of other UF players in the coming weeks. For now, here are his words on the Gators' big man:

Al Horford:
Draft Express profile

Stats: 6'10", 235 lbs. Averaged 13.2 ppg and 9.5 rpg as a Junior in 2006-07.

Strengths: Physically, the most NBA-ready player in the draft. Ferocious rebounder and finisher. Deft passer. Consistent jumper out to the elbow. Runs the court like a guard. And, picking his spots, he can lead the break with the dribble.

Weaknesses: Not much. Can always be a better outside shooter.

Why Hawks fans should want him: I think he could step in and immediately be one of the Top 3 power forwards in the East.

What might give Hawks fans pause: They just spent a Lottery pick on a power forward a year ago. Can he and Sheldon play together?

What current player he reminds you of: Carlos Boozer, Elton Brand

 

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