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In our third edition of TSL Insights, Greg Crawford (@wchoops), College Basketball Insider for Comcast Sportsnet and CSNNW.com talks to me about this year’s NBA Draft and a special player in the draft that name you will hear for years to come.
Jovan Alford: According to many mock drafts, I have seen Junior PG Damian Lillard from Weber State going in the Top 10 of the NBA Draft, where do you have him going in the draft, what makes Lillard standout, and what NBA player do you think he compares to?
Greg Crawford: I see Lillard going anywhere from sixth to 9th, He is a wonderful player, who perhaps has the greatest gift of a strong work ethic. I hear people saying he can’t pass the basketball, to that I say talk to his teammates, as I have. Really think he fits Portland’s needs at number six.
Jovan Alford: Who are some players in this year’s draft class that people should lookout for in the years to come?
Greg Crawford: Besides Lillard, I like players like Bradley Beal (needs a few years to develop), Terrence Ross, Arnett Moultrie and perhaps Jared Cunningham, who has impressed people in his workouts. Unlike some people who do not know, this is not a deep draft, this in an average draft, next year will be a super draft.
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Jovan Alford: For CSNNW.com, what college basketball teams do you cover and are there any players from those teams that could possibly be drafted?
Greg Crawford: For CSNNW.com I cover basketball nationally, but am based in Portland, Oregon, which obviously is a hotbed for basketball with the Blazers and all the great high school players who have come out of Oregon, for it being such a small state. Of course I have seen Cunningham play, Terrence Ross, Tony Wroten often, as well as Lillard. For 52 years I have listed my top 50 college players following the season and all of the above are in that top 50 this year. Lillard, Ross and Wroten will go in the first round, as will another player with great Oregon ties Terrence Jones.
Jovan Alford: I know for CSNNW.com, y’all cover the Portland Trailblazers, the Blazers have four picks in this year’s draft. Do you the Blazers using all four picks since they have a new General Manager?
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Greg Crawford: I actually do not cover the Blazers for CSNNW.com, we have Chris Haynes and Dwight Jaynes who do an awesome job of covering the NBA and Blazers, but I do cover the draft and I do not see the Blazers trading any of their picks. This organization needs to rebuild, starting with their new GM and whoever is the new coach, who could possibly be Jerry Sloan.
Jovan Alford: Finally, with the Philadelphia 76ers having the 15th pick in the NBA Draft, where do you see them going with their pick?
Greg Crawford: I love the city of Philadelphia, to me the best sports fans in the world, glad to see the 76ers doing better. In my June 8th Crawford’s Court at CSNNW.com, I did a 1/2 mock draft, which I had Philadelphia choosing Jared Sullinger. Most people have him going higher, but I am not as in love with Sullinger as most, do not like the fact he had a better 2010-11 than 11-12, but he would help the 76ers.
Once again, special thanks goes to Greg Crawford, College Basketball Insider for Comcast Sportsnet and CSNNW.com. Make sure to check out his blog Crawford’s Court on CSNNW.com.
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