The players, all projected lottery picks, were ushered into a ballroom for interviews at the Radisson Hotel in Orlando, Fla.
Media beat the dynamic duo – Texas forward Kevin Durant and Ohio State center Greg Oden – to their tables, edging and elbowing to get a prime seat.
That’s because Thursday’s NBA draft is just about Durant and Oden, isn’t it?
Not quite.
There are others. Many others.
“They are all great players, and they are here for a reason,” Oden said. “It’s not just me and Kevin.”
Said Durant: “I think they deserve as much attention as we are getting.”
This draft is as deep as any in recent memory. But zeroing in on whom is worthy to be taken after the top two, and in what order, is, at best, head-scratching and, at worst, a hair-pulling experience. Durant already has an early favorite.
“One of the best guys that I’ve seen play this year is (former Florida State forward) Al Thornton,” Durant said. “I know he’s going to be a good player in the NBA.”
Thornton’s value is high. He is a lottery prospect who has helped himself with impressive workouts the past two weeks. He said he grew up feeling he had something to prove. He is not alone.
“All of the attention goes to those guys,” former Georgetown standout Jeff Green said. “And it’s well-deserved with the seasons they had, Oden playing with one hand and with Durant having the season he did. But we’re here for a reason, too. We played the same games and did most of the things they did.”
Green left Georgetown after his junior season and, unlike teammate Roy Hibbert, who decided to return to school, stayed in the draft. He led the Hoyas, who made it to the Final Four, in scoring (14.3) and was second on the team in rebounding (6.4) and assists (3.2). He projects as a lottery pick.
“I’m the type of player that likes to fly under the radar,” Green said. “I was like that coming into college with guys like Rudy Gay, who came into (Connecticut) and got all the press. I just came in under the radar and just improved my game over the years.”
The games of the Florida trio – Al Horford, Corey Brewer and Joakim Noah – improved over the years as well, though Noah hurt his stock a bit when opted to return to school after the 2005-06 season. Then, he was projected to be a top-five pick. Now, he’s at the lower end of the lottery.
Horford is the most polished of the three and most ready to have a significant early impact. In a system that devalued individual play and emphasized team concepts, the power forward still averaged 13.2 points, 1.8 blocked shots and a team-high 9.5 rebounds.
Horford’s main strengths are on the glass and scoring from the block, but he is also a deft passer and underrated ball-handler for a post player.
“I think our draft class is pretty talented,” Horford said. “I feel like most of us are proven players. We played at the college level, played at the highest level. In the case of Corey, Joakim and myself, we’ve won championships. So, I think that’s all there is to say about us.”
Brewer is arguably the best perimeter defender in the draft. He said he doesn’t think the rest of the lottery players have to show they are in the same class as Oden and Durant.
“I don’t think we really feel like we have to prove anything,” Brewer said. “I think everybody knows what our worth is. But those are some special kids, Greg and Kevin. They don’t come around too often. We don’t mind them getting the publicity. They’re good.”
North Carolina forward Brandan Wright rates near the top of the this-guy-could-be- a-special-player-someday category. His athleticism has scouts salivating. His rough-edged basketball skills give scouts pause. Ohio State point guard Mike Conley Jr., who left school early along with Oden, has impressed with his quickness and overall good decision-making.
The wild card? China’s Yi Jianlian, who has been compared to Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki because of a blend of speed, quickness, perimeter shooting and good ball-handling skills from a player who stands 6-feet-11. Houston Rockets center and fellow countryman Yao Ming has questioned his strength, but Yi’s 238-pound frame is stout enough to land him in the top half of the lottery.
The bottom line?
“Somebody,” former Texas A&M guard Acie Law said, “is going to be fortunate enough to draft us.”
Staff writer Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com.
The top 10
Staff writer Chris Dempsey picks his top 10 players available in Thursday’s draft:
Rk. Player P School Ht. Wt. PPG RPG Comment
1. Greg Oden C Ohio State 7-0 250 15.7 9.6 Size, athleticism, potential. He will enter the NBA as a top-five center.
2. Kevin Durant F Texas 6-9 220 25.8 11.1 Offensive skills are better than Oden’s. Strength is an issue.
3. Al Horford F Florida 6-10 245 13.2 9.5 Perhaps the most polished low-post player in the draft.
4. Brandan Wright F North Carolina 6-9 205 14.7 6.2 Explosive game. Wright is raw but has huge potential.
5. Yi Jianlian F/C China 6-11 238 NA NA Guard skills in a near 7-foot frame. Best international prospect.
6. Corey Brewer F Florida 6-9 185 13.2 4.7 Arguably best defensive player in draft. Offensive skills underrated.
7. Mike Conley Jr. G Ohio State 6-1 180 11.3 5.1 Consensus best point guard in the draft.
8. Al Thornton F Florida State 6-8 220 19.6 7.2 Sparkled on the workout circuit. Scores and rebounds in bunches.
9. Joakim Noah F Florida 6-11 232 12.0 8.4 Ultimate energy player. Solid defender. Decent offensively.
10. Jeff Green F Georgetown 6-9 235 14.3 6.4 Good in all areas, but not great in any one.
NBA draft order
FIRST ROUND
1. Portland
2. Seattle
3. Atlanta
4. Memphis
5. Boston
6. Milwaukee
7. Minnesota
8. Charlotte
9. Chicago from New York
10. Sacramento
11. Atlanta from Indiana
12. Philadelphia
13. New Orleans
14. L.A. Clippers
15. Detroit from Orlando
16. Washington
17. New Jersey
18. Golden State
19. L.A. Lakers
20. Miami
21. Philadelphia from Denver
22. Charlotte from Toronto through Cleveland
23. New York from Chicago
24. Phoenix from Cleveland through Boston
25. Utah
26. Houston
27. Detroit
28. San Antonio
29. Phoenix
30. Philadelphia from Dallas through Denver and Golden St.
SECOND ROUND
31. Seattle from Memphis
32. Boston
33. San Antonio from Milwaukee
34. Dallas from Atlanta
35. Seattle
36. Golden State from Minnesota
37. Portland
38. Philadelphia from New York through Chicago
39. Miami from Sacramento through Utah
40. L.A. Lakers from Charlotte
41. Minnesota from Philadelphia
42. Portland from Indiana
43. New Orleans
44. Orlando
45. L.A. Clippers
46. Golden State from New Jersey
47. Washington
48. L.A. Lakers
49. Chicago from Golden State through Denver, Boston and Phoenix
50. Dallas from Miami through L.A. Lakers
51. Chicago from Denver
52. Portland from Toronto
53. Portland from Chicago
54. Orlando from Cleveland
55. Utah
56. Milwaukee from Houston
57. Detroit
58. San Antonio
59. Phoenix
60. Dallas
