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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Alright, it's getting late, and I will post much more on this tomorrow, but let's just take a quick look at what just transpired.

- For only the second time in Hawks lottery history, the team moved up. In 2001 they went from 5 to 3, and tonight we went from 4 to 3. Because of this, we get to keep our pick this year (and lose our first-rounder next year automatically to Phoenix).

- Indiana did not move up, so we get to keep their pick from the Al Harrington trade, which will be the #11 selection.

- For those with trouble counting, that means we have two picks in the top 11 of a draft considered to be one of the deepest in league history.

Crisis averted. Though we did lose out on the Oden/Durant sweepstakes (congrats to the Pacific Northwest, where the lottery winners reside tonight), we end up in a position to make some big moves on draft night.

I spoke to Billy Knight right after the lottery was announced, and you could hear the excitement in his voice.

"Having two picks in this draft is definitely fortunate," said the notoriously understated GM. "I was very nervous when they were announcing the order, but it worked out in our favor. One part of the job is over, and now it's time to start focusing on the next part.

"There are a lot of players available that we think can come in and help us right away, and we are going to get to work figuring out who will fit in with us the best."

I only spoke to BK for a couple minutes, but I came away with the impression that he is not going to be looking for long-term projects. He wants guys who, like he said, can come into training camp and hopefully make a difference on the court right away and not several years down the line.

Big props, by the way, to Hawks VP of Basketball and Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, who once again took the podium on a night when the franchise needed a dose of good fortune. He is now two for two repping the franchise in the lottery.

We know Portland will take Greg Oden at #1. We know Seattle will take Kevin Durant at #2. The intrigue for the 2007 draft begins with us at #3.

What direction should the Hawks go in? Let us know what you think in the comments, and we will talk about it much, much, MUCH more in the next five weeks.

But I think I speak for all Hawks fans out there when I say that tonight, the prevailing thought is, "Wheeeeeeeeew!"

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That may have been the best 3-point shootout ever. Three guys went for 19 or higher in the first round, and Jason Kapono scored 24 in the final to win. Well, I am impressed. I thought Nowitzki would defend his crown, and he did well in the first, but after Kapono set the bar so high in the finals it was pretty tough for either Dirk or Gilbert Arenas to keep up.

The dunk contest is about to begin. I will be honest, I can't say I'm all that excited (please don't fine me NBA!). It was awesome the year Josh Smith won it, but last year left such a bad taste in my mouth - I just pray whoever wins tonight is able to execute the first time. I will settle for the second time, maybe even the third. But after the, say, 11th attempt, it's time to say goodnight.

My guess is the judging will be very tight tonight, seeing as the five judges are arguably the best dunkers of all time: Dr. J, Dominique, Dominique-ripper-offer Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, and Kobe Bryant.

Here is a better picture of the race from earlier tonight, courtesy of NBAE/Getty Images:

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