NBA Draft 2008

Well, my mid-summer Christmas experience known to most as the NBA draft (2008) has come and gone. The myriad potential trades mentioned before the draft didn't exactly come to fruition, but there was plenty of movement on draft day including big names such as O.J. Mayo (from Minnesota to Memphis), Kevin Love (Memphis to Minny), Jerryd Bayless (Indiana to Portland) and the latest green room slide, Darrell Arthur (from Portland, to Houston, to Memphis). After looking over the draft and analyzing who was picked where, I've compiled a list of sleepers. Some of these names have potential to have immediate impact, while others may take a few years to vindicate my projections.

1. Jason Thompson (Sacramento Kings): Thompson was the most maligned lottery pick by our beloved "experts" who claim his success playing against subpar competition (Rider University) makes his NBA ability hard to gauge. Normally, I would concur, but Thompson clearly has all of the physical tools and heady skills to be a fantastic PF at the NBA level. He's got size 6'11, 250, with scoring and rebounding ability (20.2 PPG, 12.4 RPG ). He also averaged nearly three blocks per game, exhibitng a penchant to create havoc on the defensive end. Sure, he put up numbers against smaller, lesser-skilled competition. But what team would better know how to gauge the ability of a small school prospect than the Sacramento Kings, which already hit it big with starting SG Kevin Martin out of tiny Western Carolina University?

2. J.J. Hickson (Cleveland Cavaliers): Potential work ethic issues aside, J.J. Hickson is one of the most impressive physical speciemens in the draft. He's rock chiseled at 6'9 almost 250 lbs, and only 19 years old. He can score with his back to the basket, and face up to hit the fifteen foot jumper. His game is eerily similar to that of Carlos Boozer, except with quicker lateral movement. Many teams worried about Hickson's dedication to developing his game, but something tells me a guy named LeBron James won't let him waste his outstanding potential.

3. Nicolas Batum (Portland Trailblazers): Batum was picked originally by Houston at 25. The Rockets then later traded him to Portland for the rights of Darrell Arthur and Joey Dorsey. Once a perceived high lottery pick, most scouts and draft analysts became disenchanted with Batum after his incosistent play in the French Pro A league. His numbers don't do much to impress (12.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG), but to watch him play, it's clear he's got superstar ability. He's long at 6'8 and can play multiple poistions (SG, SF). He can shoot from all over the court, and was blessed with exceptional athleticism that allows him to get to the hoop. He's the perfect eventual sidekick to Brandon Roy and all it will take is for the Blazers be patient until he develops into a relevant contributor.

4. Darrell Arthur (Memphis Grizzlies): Arthur may have been drafted late in the first round, but make no mistake, he's got top-ten ability. Reports surfaced that Arthur's slide dealt with an erroneus report of his suffering from an undisclosed kidney ailment. The Grizzlies reap the benefits as the ultra-athletic forward will now be its starting PF for years to come. He's a bit slender at 6'8 216 lbs, but in the evolving, breakneck paced NBA, his slight frame could become an advantage. With Arthur playing next to Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo and 2007 Ohio St. phenom, Mike Conley Jr., the future--for once--looks bright in Memphis.

5. Mario Chalmers (Miami Heat): It's impossible not to mention the miracle maker himself when compiling a list of possible sleepers in this draft, especially since he inexplicably fell into the second round. Chalmers may have been forced to sacrifice the most in terms of his PG abilites when buying into the "ultimate team" concept administered by coach Bill Self and his fellow Jayhawks, en route to winning the 2008 NCAA championship. Chalmers has always had PG ability, most exemplified through his outstanding assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.25. Defensively, he is as pesky as they come as he never averaged less than 3.3 SPG. At 6'1 Chalmers has incredile length (6'8 wingspan) that allows him to get his hands into passing lanes and take advantage of the opposition. If Chalmers improves his ball handling, he could end up being the biggest steal in this draft.