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Tag: NBA Draft

  • Isaiah Austin’s NBA Dreams Are Over, Player Has Marfan Syndrome

    Isaiah Austin, 20, was expected to be a second-round pick in the NBA draft, but his dreams of playing in the NBA have ended.

    Before the draft, Austin underwent genetic testing and results showed that he is suffering from Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects one in 5,000 people. The disorder is inherited and it affects the eyes, skeleton, heart, and circulatory system. People with Marfan syndrome are also described as tall and thin, like Austin’s physique.

    On Sunday, the 7’1” player announced that he will not be able to play basketball anymore because of his condition.

    “The draft is four days away, and I had a dream that my name was going to be called.” He turned to Twitter to apologize to his fans. “I’m sorry (my supporters) couldn’t see me play in the NBA. But it’s not the end. It’s only the beginning,” he said.

    Austin has already proved that he is a qualified player. He has almost no vision in his right eye, due to a detached retina. However, he still performed well on court while playing for Baylor. In the past season, he averaged 12.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in 28.9 minutes.

    Baylor coach Scott Drew was devastated by the news, but said that Austin has the best support system that he needs at this time. “His health is the most important thing, and while it’s extremely sad that he won’t be able to play in the NBA, our hope is that he’ll return to Baylor to complete his degree and serve as a coach in our program,” he said.

    Austin also thanked everyone who gave him support through his ordeal. “I would love to thank EVERYONE who has reached out to me. Toughest days of my life. But not the last! Life goes on. GOD IS STILL GREAT!” he wrote on Twitter.

    Austin will now focus on his health.

    Image via YouTube

  • 2014 NBA Mock Draft Version 1.0 Is In

    2014 NBA Mock Draft Version 1.0 Is In

    NBA teams who are looking to rebuild their lineup have a lot of work in store for them. The upcoming June 26 draft is a chance to change their rosters. Picking players with huge potential can be tricky and the process takes time. Individual strengths and weaknesses of players will still be assessed for the coming months, but SI.com has already revealed a Mock Draft.

    Milwaukee Bucks – Executives have been eyeing Andrew Wiggins, and he is considered one of the favorites. With a height of 6’8” and a weight of 200 pounds, Wiggins could easily be a contender for the two-guard position. However, he also has his flaws, one of them being his lack of aggression. On the upside, he can be a rock-hard defender, and score from anywhere on the court.

    Andrew Wiggins

    Philadelphia 76ers – Rumor is that the Sixers are keeping a close watch on Joel Embiid, a player from the University of Kansas. Embiid is the best bet for the center position among the players in the draft. When paired with Nerlens Noel, the duo would form a strong frontcourt. However, executives will still be looking at his medical results on next month’s draft combine, as he has already had his lower back injured in February.

    Joel Embiid

    Jabari Parker

    Orlando Magic – It seems that Jabari Parker is a good choice, no matter the position given to him in a team. There have been questions about his defense play, but he has already proved to be a strong rebounder and scorer.

    Utah Jazz – Standing 6’6” tall, Australian Dante Exum has already earned praised for his star quality. Scouts have been boasting about his quick first step, and his improvement in his jump shot. Executives will be looking at Exum more closely during the individual and combine workouts to see what more he has to offer.

    Dante Exum

    Boston Celtics – Called the “best player available” by Matt Moore of CBS Sports, Julius Randle may be the best bet for the Celtics. Randle, who is from Kentucky, plays a powerful offensive game that is just too good to not be noticed. He is also a scorer with a talent that is often compared to Michael Beasley and Zach Randolph.

    Julius Randle

    Other picks include Marcus Smart for the Los Angeles Lakers, Aaron Gordon for the Sacramento Kings, Dario Saric for the Detroit Pistons, and Noah Vonleh for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In other Mock Drafts, names that have popped up include Nick Stauskas, Doug McDermott, and Kyle Anderson.

    NBA Executives have a lot of thinking to do as these picks could bring the team to a favorable position, or push the team further away from the top.

    The critics weigh in

    Image via YouTube

  • Victor Oladipo Wore Google Glass to the NBA Draft

    It was a good night for Indiana University guard Victor Oladipo. Not only was the 1st Team All-Big Ten and conference defensive player of the year drafted 2nd overall in Thursday Night’s NBA draft, but he also got some extra attention for an unusual pair of glasses.

    Yep, we’re talking Google Glass. Oladipo rocked them during the day yesterday – through press events and pre-draft events. Unfortunately, he took them off for the actual draft ceremony. But fortunately, we have social media. Here’s a Vine video that ESPN tweeted out before the draft began:

    This high-tech look made him an instant trend on Twitter.

    Oladipo isn’t the only athlete to rock Google Glass at a major sporting event. Earlier this week, American tennis pro Bethanie Mattek-Sands became the first athlete to wear Google Glass during Wimbledon. She didn’t wear the specs during her actual match, however, but for all other events (including practices), she was sporting to wearable tech.

    Google knows that Glass could play a big role in the future of sports:

    “Glass’s potential in the sports realm is huge, and it can connect athletes, coaches, and fans in new ways,” said Google in the past.

  • Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Is Happy To Be Going To The Charlotte Bobcats

    The Charlotte Bobcats took Kentucky’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in last night’s NBA Draft, and while the pick is being highly scrutinized across the webisphere, one thing cannot be mistaken: Kidd-Gilchrist is ready to face the challenge that awaits him in Charlotte. Apparently, the pick was a surprise, even to Gilchrist as the Bobcats kept their cards close to the vest.

    Quoth the Charlotte Observer:

    “I’m just so happy right now, man. And I’m blessed. I’m blessed.” Apparently the Bobcats gave no advance warning to Kidd-Gilchrist that he was their man: “No. I was shocked at first.”

    Kidd-Gilchrist let the world know how he felt about going to the Bobcats on his Twitter feed:

    As for the reaction to the surprising pick, while national scribes were high on the pick, apparently, the local Charlotte Bobcats fans needed some convincing about the pick, something Tom Sorensen, the Observer’s sports/op-ed go-to guy, did quite quickly, and quite clearly:

     
     

    As a UK fan, one that understands the holes the Bobcats have, even though Kidd-Gilchrist may not be the second coming of Michael Jordan (the player, not the owner), you won’t be disappointed in the player or his game. Offense in the NBA is all about getting the ball to the bucket, something Kidd-Gilchrist does with ease. And, he’s a finisher. A ferocious one if given a step:


    While he may not be Jordan, don’t be surprised if resembles something similar to Scottie Pippen.

  • Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Go One, Two, Make NBA Draft History

    While last night’s NBA Draft featured a lot of manufactured drama from ESPN as they tried to create something of “Who will have the most picks? Kentucky or North Carolina” rivalry, the big story was when Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, both of the Kentucky Wildcats, went first and second in the draft, a first for the NBA and its storied history. That’s correct, the NBA has never had the top two picks in the Draft come from the same school, until now.

    A quick look at the highlight reels for each player quickly reveals why both were such highly coveted prospects. I apologize in advance for any poor musical selections made by the producers:


    For those who weren’t following the Draft, Davis was selected first by the New Orleans Hornets and Kidd-Gilchrist was selected second by the Charlotte Bobcats. The significance of the the one-two selection of two players from Kentucky was not lost on the Commonwealth, especially by head coach John Calipari, who wasted little time sharing his exuberance:

    For those wondering how much each player will be making their first few years in the league, Darren Rovell’s got you covered here:

    The bragging points continued for the league Kentucky belongs to, the SEC:

    Calipari also let any potential recruits who might be listening know why it’s such a good idea for them to come to Kentucky:

    “I don’t know what else you can add to our recruiting,” he said. “I just want to know, ‘How did you beat us on a kid?’”… “I just told you three years ago, ‘Let’s make this the gold standard,’” Calipari said in recalling the objective he set in his inaugural Big Blue Madness speech in 2009. “Let’s make this where every kid in America is growing up saying, ‘I want to play for Kentucky.’”… “In three years, we’ll have 10 percent of the league,” Calipari said with a touch of wonder in his voice.

    Never miss an opportunity to strike the iron, especially if it’s hot, right Coach Cal?

  • Anthony Davis’ Unibrow Gets Trademarked

    Anthony Davis’ Unibrow Gets Trademarked

    During the last season of college basketball, Kentucky’s Anthony Davis made the unibrow popular with sports fans, so much so, in fact, it went well beyond Kentucky fans. In fact, some might say the Player of Year in college basketball took shame out of such facial hair and made it socially acceptable, at least judging by all the “Brow Down” t-shirts that were popping.

    Now, not only has Davis brought the unibrow back, he’s trying to make it his, and his alone after trademarking the following phrases: “Fear the Brow” and “Raise the Brow,” according to a report filed by CNBC’s Darren Rovell. And what is young Davis hoping to receive with his newly-granted trademarks? Money. Nothing more, nothing less:

    “I don’t want anyone to try to grow a unibrow because of me and then try to make money off of it,” Davis told CNBC. “Me and my family decided to trademark it because it’s very unique.”

    Does this mean Davis is the only one in the world to have a unibrow? Of course not. The phrase existed long before he set foot on UK’s campus. He is, however, smart enough to trademark the phrases that have been born out of these mega-eyebrows. Apparently, the fact that t-shirts were being sold during his one season at Kentucky turned him onto the idea, thanks to the efforts of UK’s athletic department:

    “We sent a half a dozen cease-and-desist letters,” said Jason Schlafer, the school’s associate athletic director for marketing. “But towards the end of the season, people were getting really creative.”

    An example of this creativity:

    (image)
    The shirts were so popular, fans from other teams apparently purchased them. Apparently, Davis has become fiercely protective of his eye hair, so much so, in fact, that when asked about shaving it, Davis says no:

    “I might have a commercial where I’m acting like I’m shaving it and then throw I’ll the razor down.”

    While Rovell says this crosses Gillette and Schick of off Davis list of potential endorsers, it does pave the way for tolerance movements because connected eyebrows are not a joking matter. If Davis is involved, it’s clearly serious business.