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2009 NBA Draft: Breaking Down The First Round

Darren Heitner — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:30:48 +0000

After 60 picks and 100,000 trades, we now know who was selected in the 2009 NBA Draft and what teams they may be playing for in 2009. I will let the other web sites debate over what teams were the winners and losers. Here, our main concern is sorting out the agencies that were popping champagne vs. those leaving Madison Square Garden with their heads down. This post will cover the first round. A second round post will follow.

First Round

Clippers - Blake Griffin PF/C – Agency: Excel Sports Management
Grizzlies – Hasheem Thabeet C – Agency: BDA Sports
Thunder – James Harden SG – Agency: Landmark Sports Agency
Kings - Tyreke Evans PG/SG – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
Timberwolves – Ricky Rubio PG – Agency: BEST
Timberwolves - Jonny Flynn PG – Agency: CAA
Warriors - Stephen Curry PG/SG – Agency: Octagon
Knicks - Jordan Hill PF – Agency: BDA Sports
Raptors - Demar DeRozan SG/SF – Agency: Goodwin Sports Management
Bucks - Brandon Jennings PG – Agency: BDA Sports
Nets - Terrence Williams SG/SF – Agency: Goodwin Sports Management
Bobcats – Gerald Henderson SG – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
Pacers – Tyler Hansbrough PF – Agency: Excel Sports Management
Suns - Earl Clark SF/PF – Agency: BEST
Pistons - Austin Daye SF/PF – Agency: BDA Sports
Bulls - James Johnson SF/PF – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
76ers - Jrue Holiday PG/SG – Agency: BEST
Timberwolves – Ty Lawson PG – Agency: Peake Management Group
Hawks - Jeff Teague PG/SG – Agency: BDA Sports
Jazz - Eric Maynor PG – Agency: ASM Sports
Hornets - Darren Collison PG – Agency: BDA Sports
Trailblazers – Victor Claver PF – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
Kings – Omri Casspi SF/PF – Agency: CAA
Mavericks – B.J. Mullens C – Agency: ASM Sports
Thunder – Rodrigue Beaubois PG – Agency: Comsport
Bulls – Taj Gibson PF – Agency: Priority Sports
Grizzlies – DeMarre Carroll SF/PF – Agency: Priority Sports
Timberwolves – Wayne Ellington SG – Agency: Wasserman Media Group
Knicks – Toney Douglas PG/SG – Agency: FAME
Cavaliers - Christian Eyenga SG/SF – Agency: ASM Sports

Notes:

Leading up to the draft, I really liked that Goodwin Sports Management was doing to get its clients connected on social networks. My man Nate Jones, a law student at UCLA, has been doing a great job helping out Aaron Goodwin and Co. on publicizing GSM client Twitter accounts and setting up Rookie Chronicles.
BDA Sports seems to have dodged any potential negative recruiting ramifications from the company’s involvement with the O.J. Mayo scandal. Three BDA clients were taken in the top ten picks of the draft. Four BDA clients went in the top fifteen. Six in the top twenty-one! Where WMG made the headlines last year, BDA definitely took over the 2009 draft.
Speaking of WMG, the company had three players taken in the top sixteen picks. And BEST had three guys selected in the top seventeen picks. WMG still dominated with five total draft picks in the first round.
The first Israeli player drafted was taken by the Kings. The fairly new GM of the Kings is a friend, Jason Levien. I am happy for him because I think Omri Casspi was a steal at the slot picked, and Levien is supporting the Jews!
One of my favorite players in the draft, Toney Douglas, was taken by a team who I think will really benefit from drafting him. Knicks fans should be happy with that pick.

2009 NBA Draft: Breaking Down The First Round from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The NBA Draft Cometh

Darren Heitner — Wed, 20 May 2009 13:00:43 +0000

Only a little more than a month away from the 2009 NBA Draft (June 25, 2009 at Madison Square Garden), and almost all the top prospects have signed on with agents. This is the time when Jonathan Givony over at DraftExpress.com really gets pumping, delivering what I believe to be his best work of the year. Givony has put together a great, sortable list of player workouts leading up to the draft. It is regularly updated and includes players who have already performed workouts with various teams.

Also, Givony reports that this year there will be three major workouts, hosted by 3 NBA teams, with many other teams latching on to scout the highly touted players invited. Golden State, Minnesota, and New Jersey are hosting, with the largest overall team turnout expected at the New Jersey workout.

Want to know who the players getting workouts have signed to represent them leading up to and following the draft? Check out our most recent NBA Draft Signing Update.

The NBA Draft Cometh from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

Early Entries Starting To Select Agents

Darren Heitner — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:00:54 +0000

Some of the best graduating seniors in the NCAA are currently participating in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. Those that are younger and as, if not more, talented are starting to decide whether they will forego their NCAA eligibility by signing an agent and entering the draft, test the NBA draft waters without an agent (retaining eligibility), or wait at least one more year before entering their names into the pool of possible selections.

Draft Express has done a great job of compiling information thus far, and will continue to provide valuable nuggets of knowledge leading up to the 2009 NBA Draft. I have extracted the confirmed underclassmen and senior agent signings from the web site:

Andy Miller (ASM Sports) – B.J. Mullens, Daniel Hackett
Brad Ames (Priority) – Ben Woodside (good write-up on Woodside here)
Brian Elfus (Elfus & Siegel Management) – Connor Atchley
Chris Emens (Octagon) – Lee Cummard
Dan Fegan (BEST) – Earl Clark
Dan Tobin (WMG) – K.C. Rivers, Aaron Jackson, James Johnson
David Bauman (DB Hoops Management) – Josh Heytvelt
Keith Glass – Luke Nevill, A.J. Abrams
Lance Young (Octagon) – Lester Hudson
Leon Rose (CAA) – Nando De Colo
Mark Bartelstein (Priority) – Jeremy Pargo, Micah Downs
Michael Siegel (Elfus & Siegel Management) – Ahmad Nivins

Right off the bat, it looks like WMG is racking it up again. Interesting to note that it is Dan Tobin making big moves with the underclassmen instead of Arn Tellem or B.J. Armstrong. Priority has some nice names, as does Octagon.

Early Entries Starting To Select Agents from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

NBA = National Basketball…Australia?

Chris Lesley — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:00:14 +0000

Although the NBA Draft is still a fair way off, there are already players who are being highlighted as potential draftees. Thousands of players go through the rigors of balancing school and sport to try and make it on the biggest stage in Basketball, but at the end of the day there are only 60 whose dreams become a reality. That being said, I am so proud that there are 3 Australians who have a strong chance of being drafted.

Firstly, Patrick Mills. At the time of writing, Patrick Mills is averaging 19.8 points in 31 minutes, not to mention a healthy 2.3 assists per game. The guard currently is a sophomore at St Marys, and to say he is integral in their team is an understatement. However, it was in the Olympics where Pat made a name for himself. Being the only NCAA player in the tournament, he held his own against the more experienced US team, scoring 20 points with 2 steals. So good was Mills, he received glowing reviews from Team USA, with Chris Paul having this to say about him:
“Man, he’s fast. I read something that says he’s faster than me. They’re probably right. He can move.” [Source]
If Patrick Mills keeps up his consistency then there is no reason why he can’t be a solid first round pick. Draft Express currently have him ranked 15th in their mock draft.

Next up is AJ Ogilvy, playing for Vanderbilt. The sophomore is averaging over 15 points and 7 rebounds in 27 minutes. However, it was his rookie season where he really shined, with his outstanding skills making him a potential first round pick. AJ had a stellar Under 19 Championships and this was highlighted by his excellent field goal percentage. He plays with such passion and intensity that when under the ring he truly makes his position known. He is currently ranked 16th in Draft Express’ mock draft.

Fans of NCAA basketball will probably know the previously mentioned players quite well, but there may be a third player still playing in the Australian NBL that might sneak into the second round, and that player is Joe Ingles. The small forward shot into calculations from his rookie season playing for the South Dragons. Although “Jingles” as he is often coined, could have opted to nominate for the last draft, he chose to try and improve his skills in the same league that Nathan Jawai got drafted from. Jingles did not see a lot of game time during the Olympics, but he played well and this could lead to him being a potential pick. He can do everything and has a great basketball mind with the ability to read plays well. He is projected at 24 on Draft Express’ mock draft.

Australian basketball certainly has a bright future. With Andrew Bogut recently signing a lucrative long term deal with Milwaukee and Nathan Jawai about to start with Toronto, hopefully these three will become a welcome addition to an NBA team next season. Whilst the national league is in dire need of an overhaul, there are hundreds of Aussies at colleges all over America. The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has done a great job in educating and training these players to become professionals and is doing everything to ensure that their full potential is being realized.

NBA = National Basketball…Australia? from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules