Banter: NBA Draft Part II

By Gus Bode

With the NBA Draft pool as unsure as it is, many say the second round could be as critical as the first. Who will be the second-round pick to make the best impact on a team?

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Sean McGahan

‘For some reason, UCLA’s Darren Collison has fallen to the second round in a number of mock drafts. Even with the disappointing season he had last year, this is unheard of for a guy who would have been a lottery pick if he left college for the 2008 draft. Collison will grow and get over his turnover problems in the NBA and give leadership to any team that takes a chance on him.’

Matt Freeland

‘I have the same feeling about Collison as Sean does, but when it’s all said and done I think he’ll be a first rounder. The player to look for in round two is DeMarre Carroll out of Missouri. He will be precisely the same player as the Houston Rockets’ Carl Landry, maybe better. He will provide whoever takes him with energy and rebounding and will be some teams sixth man for years to come.’

Jeff Engelhardt

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‘Being a Milwaukee Bucks fan, I understand the importance of second-round picks. Michael Redd, Luc Mbah a Moute and Ramon Sessions were all selected in the second round. If a team wants to strike big this year, it should choose Dionte Christmas. The 6-foot, 5-inch guard is an offensive juggernaut. His length also makes him a respectable defender. Since he spent four years at Temple, he doesn’t need time to develop and will make an immediate contribution.’

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