2009 NBA Draft Q&A: Aran Smith of NBADraft.net (Part 1 of 3)

by Atma Brother ONE on Jun 22, 2009 9:45 PM PDT in Interviews Comment 11 comments

The 2009 NBA Draft is just a few short days away. This time of the year is especially busy for GSoM friend Aran Smith from the mighty NBADraft.net, but we were lucky enough to mic him up for the 3 part Q&A.

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After the jump we've got Aran's thoughts on how good this draft class is and his biggest sleeper/ bust.

Atma Brother #1 (Golden State of Mind): Many draft pundits don't seem to think that highly of the 2009 draft class and are even going so far to call it the worst in years. Do you share their sentiment? Is there hope for teams that won't be able to pry Blake Griffin from the LA Clippers?

Aran Smith (NBADraft.net): It is definitely one of the less talented classes in recent memory. We've been spoiled lately, particularly last year and we can't expect to have that type of talent every year. This draft will have a few nice players that emerge from later picks, but overall this draft is filled with a ton of uncertainty from #2 on down. Not what you want if you're a lottery team drafting high (besides the Clippers. There's hope, but less margin for error.

Atma Brother #1 (Golden State of Mind): Who is your biggest sleeper of the 2009 NBA Draft class?

Aran Smith (NBADraft.net): Based on where players are projected to go, I would say Wayne Ellington or Earl Clark. Wayne Ellington is seen as a guy that could fall into the late first (some even say early 2nd). To me he's one of the top shooting guards in the class and scouts are really sleeping on him. If Clark falls into the late teens, he's a very good value pick. He may never realize his potential, but if you're drafting after the lottery, he's too talented to pass up.

Atma Brother #1 (Golden State of Mind): Who's your biggest bust of the 2009 NBA Draft class?

Aran Smith (NBADraft.net): To me, Jrue Holiday being considered a potential top 5-10 pick is absolutely insane. He never proved himself in college and now we're supposed to believe based in workouts that he can play point guard? If he was legit he should have returned to UCLA and actually learned to play point guard, the toughest NBA position to master. A team will likely buy into the hype and take him somewhere in the teens, but even that is way too high to me. For a UCLA team that was in desperate need of a scorer, he averaged 5.6 ppg over their last 12 games. I'm not sure how a guy that struggles that much in college can be expected to come into the NBA and do much.

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Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 of our Q&A with Aran! Don't forget to check out NBADraft.net for tons of year-round NBA Draft mania!

Poll

How do you think we'll look at the 2009 NBA Draft Class 10 years from now?

LEGENDARY: One of the greatest of all time

32 votes

GOOD

127 votes

AVERAGE

441 votes

BAD

193 votes

HORRIFIC: One of the worst of all time

84 votes

877 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I think this is a pretty average class and with a lot of freshmen and sophomores coming out, we’ll probably see a few big hits and a few real busts.

The Ultimate Opportunist

by Rated-R Superstar on Jun 22, 2009 9:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't see a lot of superstars in this class

I say 3 all stars max out of this draft. Way more busts than studs. Chances are we draft a bust.

by Captain Jack on Jun 22, 2009 10:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Who do you think will be an all star?

If I had to guess, I would say 1) Tyreke Evans
2) Blake Griffin
3) Ricky Rubio( even if he’s not great, the fans will vote him in)

by Sharunas Marchulenis on Jun 22, 2009 11:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

my guesses for all stars would be

griffin, harden, possibly curry, and some sleeper in the mid to 20’s in the first round.

Gerald Madkins

by gorillas on Jun 22, 2009 11:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's why they should trade the pick and some wings for veterans... maybe get back in and take Terrence

by T-Money on Jun 22, 2009 11:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yea I'm guessing

Griffin
Harden
DeRozen

Brandon Jennings, Ty Lawson, or Tyreke Evans. A Warrior in 09.
With the 6th Pick in the 2009 MLB Draft, the SF Giants pick Donovan Tate.

Conductor of the We're Back Warrior Movement!

by ejdacanay on Jun 22, 2009 11:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i’d say that griffin, rubio and harden are the most likely all-stars, if for no other reason than heading into the draft they seem like the three best players. i wouldn’t put any money on all three becoming all-stars, but that seems like the most likely situation. sleeper possibilites are harder to guess, but i’d put victor claver on that list, as well as ty lawson (particularly if he lands on a good team in the east), maybe earl clark (if everything breaks his way), and james johnson. those last three seem to have 1 all-star birth based on unlikely circumstances in them.

heart of a champion, will of the warrior.

by cap'n hack on Jun 22, 2009 11:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think the draft ultimately won’t be that bad – there are a lot of guys with potential, the problem is, from picks 2-20 you’re getting a guy with potential and big question marks and no clue if he’s going live up to his potential or not. Ultimately it will probably produce a few that will, but most of the players won’t develop into anything special.

by Missing Barry on Jun 23, 2009 6:58 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs