Draft day terror, one mans plight

The Toronto Raptors participated in their twelfth NBA draft Thursday evening and despite controversial picks Alek Radojevic (12th overall in 1999) and Rafael Araujo (8th overall in 2004) the Raps have managed to catch the imagination of this humble armchair talent scout.

As an abnormally fanatical NCAA sports fan draft previews, prospect shoot-around’s and the oh so critical Wonderlic tests are negligible. I know who hot, who not and seldom fail to find the individuals with the "goods" necessary to excel at the NBA level. Exceptions to the rule, do exist, players like Tashaun Prince (Detroit Pistons/08 USA Olympic team) and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz/08 USA Olympic team) have managed to slip below my radar despite hours of intense, on-court review but even pro teams such as the Toronto Raptors with their million-dollar payroll of established scouting professionals have slipped up no less then two times in the last twelve years.

This piece however, is not about anyone’s successes or failures, wether they are of the amateur or professional variety, it’s about something far more eerie then success and as odd as failure it self.

In twelve years of first-round NBA draft picks the Raptors have had an uncanny ability to select the player that I believe to be the best pick.

2003

"the big draft," Lebron James being the sure fire first pick by the Cleveland Cavalier, I wasn’t going to impress anybody by falling off the overly packed King James bandwagon. Carmelo Anthony was also having bandwagon density issues, as the Lebron overflow began to trickle down and Melo sealed up an NCAA championship at the University of Syracuse the phenom freshman was no longer a sexy pick either. One player had managed to capture my attention throughout the NCAA basketball season despite not making it to the big dance in March. Chris Bosh a lanky power-forward from Georgia-Tech with more heart then muscles was not only fundamentally sound but the young man appeared to have a good head on his shoulders, a potential class act kind of guy.

The Raptors selected Chris Bosh 4th overall in the 2003 entry draft and after past close calls with the Raptors selecting the guy, "my guy" in the first round I could only hold my breath . . .

1995

The Raptors first NBA draft pick was point-guard Damon (mighty mouse) Stoudamire (7th overall) rookie of the year in the Raptors inaugural season and not really the guy my eyes were focussed on. Shawn Respert another point-guard and "my guy" was selected with the very next pick (8th overall) by the Portland Trail Blazers. Arguably the Raptors brain trust was more successful then my armchair scouting but neither Damon Stoudamire, rookie of the year and nothing more or Shawn Respert amounted to a whole hill of beans in the NBA.

1996

With the second overall pick in their second season in the NBA the Toronto Raptors selected U-MASS centre Marcus Camby and I was sensing the beginnings of something very odd. Camby was indeed "my guy" but never truly lived up to the expectations that come along with a 6-ft 11 inch frame. Ray Allen consummate all-star and recent NBA title winner was selected 5th overall and clearly puts a mark against both my armchair scouting and the Raps professional eyes.

1997 (Tracy Mcgrady) 1998 (Antawn Jamison) 2000 (Morris Peterson) and 2005 (Charlie Villanueva) all combined to make the odd, the eerie and have me constantly fixated on just whom the Raps would pick next.

2008

On Thursday evening the Toronto Raptor selected with the 17th overall pick, seven foot two inch centre Roy Hibbert from the University of Georgetown and I should have been ecstatic, the Raps had again selected "my guy" once again validating my armchair scouting skills but the gloating would have to be put on hold. It was no secret going into this years draft that the Raps and the Indian Pacer had been talking mega deal. Raptors guard T.J. Ford, massive contract Rasho Nesterovic and the Raptors first round pick in this years draft in exchange for perennial all-star Jermaine O’Neill. Although the trade appeared to be all but a done deal as of Thursday nights draft commenced, the ink had apparently not dried and the Raptors had to make a selection at the number 17 spot in the draft. The Raptors selected Roy Hibbert but I could hardly cheer, the "mega" deal loomed and the selection of Hibbert, a player the Raps were said to of had very little interest in was nothing more then a final piece to the puzzle.

Tracy Mcgrady, Antawn Jamison, Charlie Villanueva, Marcus Camby, Damon Stoudamire and too a lesser degree Morris Peterson have all fallen victim to the same draft day curse. The Raptors just don’t retain their first round picks and it’s really terrorizing my armchair scouting.

Other like Kareem Rush and Jonathan Bender were actually trade on draft day thankfully not to the dismay of my own amateur scouting. The seldom played Joey Graham, Franchise player Chris Bosh and enigma Andrea Barngnani are three that at least until this posting have avoided this eerie draft day curse but sadly only Bosh does anything to validate my amateur scouting.

The Raptors latest pick, polished big man Roy Hibbert may lack the fancy feet of some of his draft day contemporaries but this seven foot, two inch paint defender is ready to play at the NBA level following four solid years at Georgetown and I’m proud at least for the moment to say, they’ve done it again they’ve selected "my guy" for the seventh time in twelve years.

Validation.

Zoltan Black