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| I had begun the night wearing the Dumars jersey. |
Never before Thursday night had I been close to as excited about an NBA Draft as I was about the version set to take place at Barclays Center.
Why? Since become a "hoops junkie" in the mid-2000s, Michigan basketball had never brought to draft night a projected first-round selection. On Thursday, two Wolverines were expected to have their names called among the first 30 picks.
Not only that, but one, Trey Burke, arguably the greatest player in Michigan history, the kid who hit THE SHOT, the sophomore who took us on that ride to the national title game, the 6-footer who made the block that wasn't (but was), the consensus national player of the year ... yeah, that kid had a chance to go in the top few picks.
Or fall — crazy enough — to the home-state, downtrodden Detroit Pistons.
One guy isn't going to save a franchise with cracks throughout its foundation, but the best point guard in the draft who is an extremely high character and intangibles guy and a proven leader is a good place to start.
Needless to say, I was pumped up for the night, for Burke, for Tim Hardaway Jr., and for that slight possibility of the Pistons becoming relevant to me again.
Well, here's what happened (from my end of things). Times are approximate:
6:12pm
After sneaking out of my work happy hour early and racing home on my bike, I open my dresser and pull out my ugly, late-90s Joe Dumars jersey. Remember when the Pistons had that dragon logo for a couple years? Yeah, that's when I had purchased the jersey of my favorite player from the '90s. Tonight, I am wearing it for good luck. I head over to my man Sam's house for the NBA Draft Party.
7:14pm
The anticipation is building. For the evening, the fellas have a few $1 bets — nothing serious; we're amateurs. The first one: Project the draft's top five, with points assigned for each pick from 5 to 1. My picks 1) Alex Len; 2) Victor Oladipo; 3) Anthony Bennett; 4) Nerlens Noel; 5) Ben McLemore.
7:40pm
Shocker!! The two Sams, Jeff and I are all in disbelief, as the comical, sassy Stern — always delighted to elicit boos from the Draft crowd, man, I'm gonna miss the Commish, announces, "With the first pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select ... ... ... Anthony Bennett..." The camera cuts to the face of Noel, the projected No. 1. Pure disbelief. Shocker!
7:56pm
Another stunner!! We all know Michael Jordan is very capable and proven when it comes to making odd choices, so are we really surprised he took Cody Zeller with both Noel and Len available at No. 4? Yep, we still are. This draft is flat-out nuts. I start to think about who might be available in the No. 8 slot for the Pistons.
8:08pm
I have one of the Sam's shoot a picture of me in my Joe D. jersey and I post it on Instagram with the caption: "Draft Night! #BadDecisions." (I'm hoping to reverse jinx Dumars, the Pistons GM, into not making a bad decision.) On Facebook, I am more positive with the caption, "Do the right thing, Joe D."
8:19pm
The stage is set! As I predicted after the Zeller pick, the draft's two most highly touted big men (Len and Noel) went to Phoenix and New Orleans, respectively, followed by the super talented but questionable Ben McLemore to Sacramento (poor situation for a guy who needs veteran nurturing). This leaves the Pistons on the clock ... and Burke, patiently waiting inside the Barclays Center, available.
Why is Burke the obvious, right choice for Dumars in this situation?
As I outlined in a post before the draft, Burke:
1) Has a very similar skillset and body — with a little bit of muscle gain — to Chris Paul, the best point guard in the NBA.
2) Was the best pick-and-roll player in all of college basketball last year.
3) Is a proven winner, big-game performer, and leader.
4) Oh, and really wants to play for the Pistons and is not one to shy away from any challenge.
The Pistons, meanwhile, have holes on the wing but also moved Brandon Knight — their point guard draft pick of two years ago — to the wing for the last portion of this past season. So how confident are they in the 6-foot-3 Kentucky product to lead them back to the playoffs?
Especially when the best point guard prospect — not to mention a guy who will fill many of those empty seats at The Palace of Auburn Hills — is available.
I wait with baited breath. Social media is blowing up for me like it hasn't since the NCAA Tournament. For the first time since that last Pistons Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2008, friends back home are genuinely excited.
The posts go like this:
"They gotta take him. Right? Right? Right?"
"Gotta take Burke? ... Gotta. Right?"
"Burke???"
For the first time since the NCAA Tournament, I got goosebumps. As someone who watched 90 percent of Burke's Michigan games, I am well aware of what the Columbus, Ohio, native is capable of and how his game will translate to the next level. I have watched his Grantland NBA Job Interview video and become even more convinced.
The clock hits zero. The pick is in. The Commish approaches the lectern.
8:24pm
"With the eighth pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons select Kant..."
What?
Why?
How?
I don't need to hear the full name, just the "K" instead of the "T." Dumars has done the unthinkable. Dumars has outthought himself. Later, he will explain, "This isn't a popularity contest." Well, no S%@t! The GM, my favorite player, the man who brought that amazing 2004 championship to the Motor City, who had been forgiven for so long for that Darko pick and then — to a lesser extent — for those horrible Ben Gordon and Charlie V. signings, has done this.
It isn't about the guy he has drafted. From what I've seen and read, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a knockdown shooter who brings size and defense to the shooting guard position — although you can't omit the fact that he played on a dismal Georgia team in an attrocious SEC last year.
But forget that. KCP might end up a decent or even good pro. He might be the shooting guard the Pistons have been lacking since the Rip Hamilton days. Who knows. Time will tell.
He's no Trey Burke, though. He's no leader. He's no backbone of a team.
Who's going to "lead" the Pistons back to the playoffs and then deep into the postseason? Brandon Knight? Greg Monroe?
Please.
8:31pm
I'm lying on the hardwood floor of Sam's bachelor pad, the juice sucked out of me. There's still plenty of drama in the room. Our "How many top 10 picks will thank God?" in their Shane Battier interview bet is coming down to the wire. So is our "Last guy left in the Green Room" bet.
But bets can only momentarily take my mind off what just occurred.
"What an absolute disgrace, Pistons," my fingers type on Facebook. I instantly garner four "likes." Friends quickly start posting that they're done with the team, done with Dumars. I, for one, haven't paid much attention to the franchise since moving to D.C. in 2009. After all, I've got the Wizards to follow. One can only pay attention to so many lowly NBA teams.
I was ready to buy the NBA package for the upcoming season, to become fully engrossed in Pistons basketball again. Now, forget it.
8:38pm
I take off the Dumars jersey, which is quickly donned by my late-arriving friend, Don. He can have it, for all I care. I slip on a 76ers Stackhouse jersey. Now there's a team that knows how to draft, having turned the No. 11 pick into Noel, Michael Carter-Williams and a 2014 first-round pick from New Orleans — all for just Jrue Holiday.
8:48pm
Twitter is alive with NBA news — it also ruins the drama of watching the draft — and I quickly learn that Minnesota's No. 9 pick of Burke was for Utah, which gave up the No. 14 and 21 picks for their point guard of the future. I feel better that Burke's heading to a good situation in Salt Lake City where he'll be the guy from Day 1 and have pieces around him in Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap.
Still, Dumars' decision burns.
9:40pm
It's official, I learn from Twitter. I'll be rooting for the Utah Jazz and New York Knicks next season (yes, the Knicks who have taken Michigan's other prospect, Tim Hardaway Jr., with the 24th pick). I love the beaming smile of coach John Beilein, who has soaked in every minute of his career's first two first-round draft choices. He's in Brooklyn and he's having the night of his life.
It's a great night for Michigan basketball, which is not to be overlooked. It's been an incredible past few months, and an amazing journey the past few years, from a program in the dumps to one now considered elite. Another great recruiting class is coming in, Michigan is primed for another run at titles next year, and Beilein is doing everything the right way.
If only he could have been in Joe D's ear. Problem is, Beilein isn't the type of guy to incessantly talk about his guys. He's not Calipari. Or even John Thompson III. He'll let Burke's play and Burke's interviews — same for THJ — do the talking.
12:07am
I walk in the door, back home, finally, from a long night of draft coverage. I've just received this text from Don: "Pistons take Siva, adding salt to the wound." I shake my head, smirking. Oh, what a night. The Pistons have just wrapped up the 2013 NBA Draft by selecting Louisville's Peyton Siva, the point guard that beat Burke in the national title game (and also had his layup attempt smothered by Burke late in that game, although it was ridiculously called a foul).
It's time for bed. The Bill Simmons-Doc Rivers feud has given me something to momentarily take the focus off Joe D.'s decision. But it won't take much over the coming weeks, months and years to remind me of this draft.
I'll be watching a lot more Utah basketball than Detroit basketball in the near future.
I guess I'll have to buy a Jazz jersey, too.
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