2007 NBA DRAFT | MOCK DRAFT ver 6.0

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2007 NBA DRAFT | MOCK DRAFT ver 6.0   
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     By _Basketball News_ (mailto:) 
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Jun 2, 2007, 11:37   
(mailto:?subject=2007%20NBA%20DRAFT%20|%20MOCK%20DRAFT%20ver%206.0&body=http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_22186.shtml) 
 (http://www.hoopsworld.com/printer_22186.shtml)             
This is the 6th installment of the weekly _Basketball_ 
(http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_22186.shtml#)  News 2007 NBA _Mock Draft_ 
(http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_22186.shtml#) . Check back each Friday for the updated Mock Draft. 
 
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     Pk  Team  Greg White  Pree Bhattacharya  Joel Brigham  Tommy Beer  Steve 
Kyler  1  Portland  Kevin Durant  Kevin Durant  Greg Oden  Greg Oden  Kevin 
Durant  2  Seattle  Greg Oden  Greg Oden  Kevin Durant  Kevin Durant  Greg Oden 
 3  Atlanta  Brandan Wright  Brandan Wright  Mike Conley  Brandan Wright  
Brandan Wright  4  Memphis  Al Horford  Al Horford  Al Horford  Al Horford  Al 
Horford  5  Boston  Joakim Noah  Yi Jianlian  Yi Jianlian  Joakim Noah  Corey 
Brewer  6  Milwaukee  Julian Wright  Mike Conley Jr.  Corey Brewer  Yi Jianlian  
Jeff Green  7  Minnesota  Corey Brewer  Joakim Noah  Brandan Wright  Corey 
Brewer  Mike Conley  8  Charlotte  Al Thornton  Corey Brewer  Julian Wright  
Julian Wright  Al Thornton  9  Chicago (from NYK)  Spencer Hawes  Spencer Hawes  
Joakim Noah  Spencer Hawes  Yi Jianlian  10  Sacramento  Yi Jianlian  Julian 
Wright  Jeff Green  Mike Conley Jr.  Joakim Noah  11  Atlanta (from IND)  Mike 
Conley Jr.  Acie Law IV  Spencer Hawes  Jeff Green  Acie Law  12  Philadelphia 
 Jeff Green  Al Thornton  Al Thornton  Al Thorton  Julian Wright  13  New 
Orleans  Nick Young  Jeff Green  Nick Young  Thaddeus Young  Nick Young  14  LA 
Clippers  Acie Law IV  Josh McRoberts  Acie Law IV  Acie Law IV  Javaris 
Crittenton  15  Detroit (from ORL)  Tiago Splitter  Tiago Splitter  Rodney Stuckey  
Tiago Splitter  Spencer Hawes  16  Washington  Jason Smith  Rudy Fernandez  
Jason Smith  Nick Young  Thaddeus Young  17  New Jersey  Josh McRoberts  Jason 
Smith  Sean Williams  Jason Smith  Rodney Stuckey  18  Golden State  Thaddeus 
Young  Nick Young  Tiago Splitter  Rudy Fernandez  Gabe Pruitt  19  LA Lakers  
Rudy Fernandez  Javaris Crittenton  Javaris Crittenton  Josh McRoberts  Jason 
Smith  20  Miami  Javaris Crittenton  Derrick Byars  Thaddeus Young  Javaris 
Crittenton  Zabian Dowdell  21  Philadelphia (from DEN)  Ante Tomic  Marco 
Belinelli  Ante Tomic  Sean Williams  Josh McRoberts  22  Charlotte (from TOR)  
Marcus Williams  Rodney Stuckey  Rudy Fernandez  Daequan Cook  Derrick Byars  23 
 New York (from CHI)  Marco Belinelli  Marcus Williams  Morris Almond  Marco 
Belinelli  Tiago Splitter  24  Phoenix (from CLE)  Rodney Stuckey  Thaddeus 
Young  Daequan Cook  Derrick Byars  Taurean Green  25  Utah  Daequan Cook  Aaron 
Gray  Marcus Williams  Rodney Stuckey  Rudy Fernandez  26  Houston  Morris 
Almond  Jared Dudley  Marco Belinelli  Ante Tomic  Daequan Cook  27  Detroit  
Arron Afflalo  Ante Tomic  Josh McRoberts  Alando Tucker  Kyrylo Fesenko  28  
San Antonio  Alando Tucker  Alando Tucker  Derrick Byars  Jared Dudley  Marco 
Belinelli  29  Phoenix  Aaron Gray  Morris Almond  Jared Dudley  Morris Almond  
Ante Tomic  30  Philadelphia (from DAL)  Gabe Pruitt  Nick Fazekas  Taurean 
Green  Aaron Gray  Morris Almond  
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 Greg's Take: Another crazy week may once again have major implications on 
who gets drafted where. First it was last weeks shocking lottery that moved both 
Memphis and Boston out the top spots as well as Atlanta getting to hold on to 
their picks, and now it was Kobe Bryant's trade request. Well, I guess you 
could call it Kobe's waffling. He came out to let people know he didn't request 
a trade, only to ask to be traded, and then to rescinding that trade after 
speaking with Phil Jackson. While he has backed off of his request, there are a 
number of teams that will no doubt approach the Lakers looking to see if Kobe 
is still available. Especially teams at the top of the draft who could possibly 
entice the Lakers with some young talent. One team to look at is Atlanta with 
2 lottery picks. While Kobe doesn't want to rebuild, they have a nice core of 
young players that could make some noise in the struggling east if a player 
of Kobe's caliber were added. One of the main reasons Kobe intimated he wanted 
to be moved was because of the Lakers looking to rebuild. Atlanta has just 
enough of a group of young players as well as draft picks that could be very 
enticing. Being that the Lakers have a young Jordan Farmar, Andrew Bynum, Ronny 
Turiaf, and a still young but experienced Lamar Odom, adding a few young players 
and a lottery pick could make them pretty good down the road. Another team 
with both a high draft pick, along with young players to entice the Lakers would 
be Boston. I doubt though, that Kobe would accept a trade to Boston. While 
Chicago seems to be the consensus, Charlotte might be the best choice yet. They 
have a young stud in Okafor, a good point in Raymond Felton, along with MJ in 
the front office. If they re-signed Gerald Wallace, and added Kobe, they would 
have a pretty good young roster. Let's face it. In the east, it doesn't take 
much to make some noise. Just look at New Jersey! If any of those teams made a 
move that interested the Lakers, you know they would send over their lottery 
pick. If a team like the Lakers could jump in to the lottery as well as keep 
their other pick at #20, they could be in prime position to get some good young 
studs. While it seems that cooler heads have prevailed, we will have to keep 
an eye on this story as it develops to see how it affects the draft. Look for 
info coming out of Orlando once the pre-draft camps conclude.

Pree's Update: With the Pre-Draft Camp underway in Orlando this week, plenty 
of prospects will be looking to improve their stock and earn their way into 
the first round in June’s NBA Draft. While the top prospects are only attending 
for their physicals and will avoid the games, “fringe” players that are in 
danger of slipping will be giving it all and playing hard. Word is that’s 
exactly why those top players will be avoiding the games, as those contests are 
incredibly rough and tough as prospects who have something to prove often play 
harder than the ones that are lottery locks, increasing the risk of injury. One 
of the players hoping to move up the most is Pitt’s Aaron Gray. Gray dabbled in 
considering entering the draft last year after winning the Big East’s Most 
Improved Player award in 2005-06, but chose to come back to school and was 
expected to have a tremendous year and continue growing throughout the season. 
However, too often through the season, Gray was a non-factor in Pitt’s offense 
despite his imposing size. He was worked by Spencer Hawes when they went head to 
head and he didn’t have a good tournament, either. Many felt that Gray’s lack 
of quickness, athleticism, and explosiveness was exposed as they got a better 
look at him and questioned his conditioning. In Orlando, Gray undoubtedly 
wants to debunk these judgments and highlight his strong post game, both with a 
great set of moves and passing ability, as well as his midrange jumper. Both 
skills are ideal for a half-court oriented team. Thus far, he has shown scouts 
that he’s been working on his body by coming into the camp in good shape after 
losing weight and he’s done well in drills that focus on half-court offense 
(pick and rolls, etc.). Should he continue to show improved quickness during the 
camp, his stock could rise significantly.

Joel’s Update: With league GM’s and scouts getting their first solid looks 
at a lot of guys at the Orlando pre-draft camp, we’re finally starting to hear 
certain players’ names connected to specific teams. Obviously, much of this 
could change in the next four weeks, but according to a report earlier this week 
by Basketball News, the Boston Celtics are very interested in Yi Jianlian at 
#5. Celtics GM Danny Ainge has also made it known that he’s actively looking 
to trade the pick, but if he does keep it don’t be surprised to see Yi taken 
with the fifth pick. If not him, keep an eye on Corey Brewer or Mike Conley, Jr. 
heading to Boston instead. Many have also suggested that Al Thornton would be 
a perfect selection for the Philadelphia 76ers to make at #12. Thornton’s a 
ridiculous athlete from Florida State who would easily be a top ten pick in any 
other draft, but luckily for Philly, he could drop all the way to the back of 
the lottery in this year’s dense draft class. Boston College’s troubled (but 
tremendously talented) Sean Williams’ failure to attend the Orlando camp this 
week has some speculating that he already could have a first-round promise 
from an NBA club. This may or may not be true, but more and more mock drafts are 
slating him at #17 to New Jersey, a team that desperately needs a power 
forward to play alongside Nenad Krstic for the next several years. He’s a gamble 
because of his sketchy past, but you can bet he’ll be worth the gamble to 
somebody. Finally, it’s also been reported by Basketball News that the New York 
Knicks could be interested in Williams as well, but another Orlando no-show, 
Morris Almond, is also a candidate for Isiah Thomas at #23. Both may have hurt 
their stock with Knicks brass by not coming to the pre-draft camp, but after Thomas
’s Renaldo Balkman selection last year, anything is possible, and that’s the 
way we like it.

Tommy's Update: Over the last three seasons the NBA’s MVP award has been won 
by Steve Nash (twice) and Dirk Nowitzki (once) – name something these two 
players have in common? Answer: They were both born outside of the United States. 
It just so happens that that same distinction is shared by the last two #1 
overall picks in the NBA Draft. Andrew Bogut (Australia) was the top pick in 2005 
and Andrea Bargnani (Italy) was taken first last summer. With that said, what 
is the NBA’s current “foreign exchange rate?” It is a fact that many of the 
game’s top players are foreigners (Yao Ming, Luol Deng, Leandro Barbosa, Tony 
Parker, and Mehmet Okur, to name just a few besides Dirk and Nash). However, 
the ghosts of lottery pasts are haunted by draft busts with non-American names. 
Back in 1999, the Knicks selected Frederic Weis at #15, when Ron Artest was 
still on the board… The Denver Nuggets, in 2004, opted for a foreign flavor 
with both of their lottery picks. They took Nikoloz Tskitishvili with the 5th 
overall pick and Nene Hilario at #7. The Suns were able to scoop up Amare 
Stoudemire two spots later at #9… You think Joe Dumars ever wishes he had a mulligan 
on that Darko pick? I am going to go out on a limb and say ‘Melo, Chris Bosh, 
or D Wade would be able to help the Pistons in Game 5 on Saturday night… In 
2004, the Raptors took Rafael Araujo with the eighth pick; Andre Iguodala was 
next off the board at #9… An of course the Magic are still waiting for 2005 
lottery pick Fran Vasquez to show his face in Orlando… Obviously there have been 
countless American-born draft busts, but it is the unknown intrigue of 
foreigners that seems to entice so many GM’s. Nowadays, with the proliferation of the 
internet, fans have a slightly better sense of player’s skill set (YouTube any 
name in this mock draft and see how many different videos your search 
returns). And teams spend infinitely more time and money to scout overseas. However, 
at the end of the day these guys are still somewhat unknown quantities due to 
the competition they play against and vastly different style of play. 
Moreover, I recently spoke to the GM of a small-market Eastern Conference team who 
described how difficult it was to convince his owner to spend $2.5 million on a 
buyout in addition to signing that player to a multi-year contract. So what 
does that mean for Yi Jianlian, Tiago Splitter, and Marco Belinelli this summer? 
Stay tuned… 

Steve's Update: The Orlando Pre-Draft Camp proved one thing - mediocre 
players can draw some hype. It’s pretty sad that two of the best guys in Orlando 
were Coby Karl and Jared Jordan. Karl is coming off a second cancer surgery, and 
spent more time educating the media on what he went through than where he may 
end up. The running joke was that his father Nuggets coach George Karl was 
tapping his friends around the NBA to spend a second rounder on his son, and 
considering all the coaches with sons coming out of college in the next few years 
don't be surprised to see Coby drafted this year and the favor repaid later by 
the Nuggets. Jordan on the other hand was the least likely guy to get 
attention, given his lack of athleticism, regardless he played well in Orlando and 
made a lot of people mention his name. It may be empty hype, because at the end 
of the day he's not much of an athlete, but the kid can flat out play. Also 
word from the Orlando camp was this would be the last year the camp was in 
Orlando, with more than a few people saying it would return to Chicago next year.
 
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The 2007 Basketball News NBA Draft team consists of Preetom Bhattacharya, a 
senior editor for Basketball News, he creates The Daily each morning as well as 
covers the Lakers and Warriors. Greg White is a senior NBA writer and covers 
the NCAA and The Phoenix Suns for Basketball News. Tommy Beer is a senior NBA 
writer and covers Fantasy Sports, The New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets for 
Basketball News. Joel Brigham is a NBA writer and covers the Chicago Bulls and 
Indiana Pacers for Basketball News. Steve Kyler is the editor and publisher 
of Basketball News, and covers the NBA and the Orlando Magic.



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