Patrick O'Bryant Declares for NBA Draft

[Jose Cuervo II]

Wow, this discussion is setting all kinds of records!
Obviously a very hot issue.
You have to go all the way back to the 10th page of older topics, almost 2 months ago to find a topic that was discussed this much, when BU was given the 13th seed and talk was going about the NCAA.

[AV23]

Barring an injury or weird unforseen event, there is simply no possible way POB will fall in the draft projections beyond #20.
Given that, at least 5 teams are in big need of a center or backup (Houston, Orlando, Philly, Boston, Bulls, and others), so I expect POB will stay in the draft and get picked near the end of the lottery choices, and have a Chris Kaman or Michael Olowokandi type career. Not All Star, but decent and productive.
Today's revision of the nbadraft.net mock draft has POB back up from 15 to 12.

Chris Kaman is pretty good. I hope he doesn't have a career like Micheal (I can't play) Olowakandi

[collegehoopjunkie]

But Kaman wasn't very good for his first 2 years, and even now plays a lot of minutes to get 11/9 which are decent, but rank him no better than 9-10th among centers.
Kandi-man also was getting 12/9 by his 4th year in the NBA and looked promising, but an injury that took away 1/2 his 5th & 6th seasons have all but ended his productive career.

[Bravesguy]

One of the "big men" in the draft who would have been above POB has pulled out.
This might mean POB moves up.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/5543600

[MacabreMob]

One of the "big men" in the draft who would have been above POB has pulled out.
This might mean POB moves up.
http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/5543600

Guess Duke pays more than the NBA and he wasn't ready for the pay cut.

[Fetz86]

I didnt think he would actually go anyway.

[Eddie]

Here is another player who has declared for the NBA

Blake Schilb of Loyola

http://loyolaramblers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/042606aaa.html

[tornado]

Pitt's Eric Gray just declared for the draft, and there are a few comments in this article that apply to Patrick O'Bryant.

"Friday, April 28, 2006

By Ray Fittipaldo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pitt junior center Aaron Gray declared for the 2006 NBA draft yesterday but will maintain his college eligibility by not hiring an agent."

According to one prominent NBA scout, Gray has a chance to vault into the first round with a strong month of workouts. The NBA frowns on employees commenting on underclassmen, so he asked to remain anonymous.

"This year, like most other years, there are very few quality centers available," said the scout, a 20-year NBA veteran. "For a player like Gray, who has reached a certain level ... he was dominant at times in the Big East. At other times he wasn't. But at times he was the best player on the floor in Big East games. That's something people are looking for."

The scout said Bradley's Patrick O'Bryant, who thoroughly outplayed Gray in an NCAA tournament game in March, is the only true center rated ahead of Gray going into the workouts."

If he were to be a first-round pick, it would guarantee Gray and his family more than $2 million. The last draft pick in the first round last season was guaranteed $2.24 million over three years, the standard NBA rookie contract. The third year of an NBA contract is a club option, but teams usually pick up the option.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06118/685829-175.stm

[SFP]

POB please talk to TD or JW

POB this is a good article you should read!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2006/columns/story?id=2425185

[squeaky]

Good artcile.
At least Jay Williams' motorcycle accident didn't affect his head.

[AV23]

Re: POB please talk to TD or JW

POB this is a good article you should read!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2...ory?id=2425185

Good article but sanfran lay off POB.

[SFP]

Re: POB please talk to TD or JW

POB this is a good article you should read!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2...ory?id=2425185

Good article but sanfran lay off POB.

What do you mean lay off? Does he read these posts? I'm not telling him what to do and I'm not cocky enough to think he really cares what I say. If he does read these posts by any chance, I just want him to take a look at a player that he could emulate in TD. If my post effect him then he better not go to the NBA because the posts on players there are just vicious. I'm just hoping he stays! So AV23 lay off of me!

[Big Mike]

Really............I see no harm in anyone reading that article...it happens to give a real side the the NBA that isn't normally told.............VERY GOOD READ!

[GoBraves]

Excellent article....

Interesting as well that he states several of the very same things - in much the same way - as Jim Les said. But, of course, we know Jim Les has no idea what he is talking about.

Interesting comment about Coach K as well:

Jim Les says "If you are in the top-ten, you have to go. If not, you should stay" and is accused of promoting his own interests.

Coach K says "Coach said, "Son, you could be the No. 1 pick in the draft right now. But the thing that makes you special is that you have a chance to do something different, to show that you're a different kind of person." and he "showed how thoughtful he was."

[BUBraves06]

That's a great article by J-Will, interesting perspective on his decision and on an NBA locker room.