NBA draft 2013
A wild NBA draft is over after trades galore and one huge move that had nothing to do with the draft and won’t even be official for another two weeks. So who won?
USA TODAY Sports’ draft grades take into account only what happened on draft night that was relevant to the draft itself. They are not weighted for the impact of the players. So that a team with only one second-round pick could get an A or an F depending on what the team did with its pick, even though the selection might not have much impact on the franchise’s future.
NBA draft.
Canada Basketball. Any time history is made, that’s a good place to start. When the Cavaliers shocked the basketball world by selecting UNLV forward Anthony Bennett to kick things off, our neighbors to the North registered their first No. 1 overall pick ever. Canada’s program has been on the rise for a number of years, highlighted by Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph getting selected in the first round of the 2011 draft. Joining Bennett in the lottery was Gonzaga center Kelly Olynyk, who hails from Toronto. This growing youth movement could well pay off in full if Andrew Wiggins, arguably the best wing prospect since Kevin Durant, is selected first in the 2014 draft as expected. Imagine if someone had told you as recently as 2010 that Canadians would go No. 1 back-to-back in 2013 and 2014. Kaboom: mind blown. The only disappointment for Canada? Myck Kabongo, a high school teammate of Thompson’s, went undrafted.
Anthony Bennett – Talking to the No. 1 pick in the draft on Thursday, you could tell he was stunned We all were. It was genuinely shocking, but he was thrilled at the opportunity. My biggest concern with Bennett was whether he would land somewhere with a good point guard. He landed with one of the best in the league. He should thrive in Cleveland next to Kyrie Irving. Not only did he go higher than expected, but he landed in a place where he can really have an opportunity to succeed.
New Orleans Pelicans – Yes, giving up a guy who might have gone No. 1 and a first-rounder in 2014 is a tall order. But Jrue Holiday is an All-Star player who makes their team instantly better. He combines well with Anthony Davis, and with Ryan Anderson, and with Eric Gordon. He can score, he can pass, he can defend. It works perfectly for them, and if they wanted to get ahead of the rebuilding process, this is a great way to go about it.
Portland Trail Blazers – Portland landed maybe the best overall talent in the draft in C.J. McCollum, and the biggest second round steal in Allen Crabbe. These should be major scoring upgrades for a team that needs them badly.