HONORING MICHAEL JACKSON

On the eve of one of the greatest tragedys in music history, the death of Michael Jackson, we still had to cover the NBA draft. I must admit, it was hard for me to watch the draft during this tough time, but we must go on. In honor of Michael Jackson, the greatest entertainer of all time, every subtitle will be one of his legendary songs or great lyrics.

#1 BLAKE GRIFFIN

"Remember the Time"

Obviously no drama here. He's the best player in a weak draft. He'd still be the best player in a strong draft. Front runner for Rookie of the Year. But he will also be the most irrelevant star in the league. He better "Remember the Time" when he used to win, because those days are over! I feel bad saying this, but I can't wait to see his face about 50 games into the season. He'll have the same look that tourist have when they come to New Orleans and take a trip on a bus to the Lower 9th Ward. They have this look of bewilderment or surprise like "Man, I didn't know it was this bad here." And then all the locals are looking at them like, "What did you think, we were just making this thing up?" This is pure hell and nothing's being fixed.

#2 HASHEEM THABEET

"Beat It"

I kept wondering how expensive it must have been to get a suit made for a 7-3 guy. A solid pick here. You have to select him. But what does it say about a draft where your #2 pick doesn't have much offensive game? Will he be a better player than say a Greg Oden? That is yet to be seen. As good as Oden is defensively, I think Thabeet may be even better. Every time a defender brings the ball inside Hasheem can "Beat It" up. I was really surprised by how great the guy is on camera. If he becomes a star he will make a lot of money in endorsements because he seems to have the personality. Being the first guy drafted from Tanzania must be awesome. I am rooting for the guy. But I have never quite recovered from the game when Dejuan Blair just slapped him in the face and took his lunch money on ESPN. It was the ultimate punking.

#3 JAMES HARDEN "Butterflies"

I don't know what it is about this guy that doesn't strike me as a #3 pick. I am feeling a little nervous about it. He does have an NBA body but it's not a scary physique. He has a body kind of like Paul Pierce. No muscle, just solid. Doesn't seem like an athletic freak or anything, but can score inside and out. I was suprised that they passed on Rubio, but maybe they were concerned that Ricky didn't like it there. If that's going to be there problem they'll be passing on guys every year cause not too many kids are taking spring break in Oklahoma City.

#4 TYREKE EVANS

"Smooth Criminal"

Remember the day I said this. Mark it down in your calendar. Tyreke Evans stole some good money in the draft by sneaking into this 4th position to the Kings. The kid's game is smooth. Evans will be a good player, but probably not a great point guard. Not sure about his character. He's a selfish player playing the point guard position. He lives by the creed of "Don't waste your tiiimmmmeee.... Because the doggonne ball is miiiinnnneee" He over dribbles the basketball and is a suspect defender. Tremendous upside? Yes. But some never make it up to the side. His jumper? Well, let's just no talk about it. And furthermore were talking about Evans too much. He's going to Sacramento. That is what we call the black hole of the league. He will disappear. A black hole being swallowed by a black hole. Fitting isn't it?

#5 RICKY RUBIO

"Iiiiii am the one.."

When asked who in the NBA is his game like, I thought for a quick second and came to the conclusion there was nobody. I was waiting for his answer and then he said the best line of the draft. "I'm Ricky Rubio, I'm not like anybody else." That told me a lot about the guy. He's one of the best passer's I have ever seen out of Europe. He's only 18 years old. Can he adjust to the physical style of play in the NBA? I think so. He will get stronger, but you can't teach the court vision. And how can a guy that has played pro since 14 years old be afraid? I don't think it's possible. The T'wolves got a good one.

#6 JOHNNY FLYNN

"Say, Say, Say"

Say, say, say whatcha want, but Flynn will be a very good point guard in the NBA. Say, say, say, watcha want, be he won't be in Minnesota. Why Jay Bilas, Mark Jackson and Stuart Scott failed to mention that last night is beyond me. There is no way that they will keep Rubio and Flynn in the same back court but the T'Wolves knew how good the kid is and I am sure they can package him with someone else to bring in another good player. They later drafted Wayne Ellington from UNC to bring in some shooting. Wherever Flynn ends up he will be a exciting point guard. Looks as if Sebastian Telfair will forever be a back up point guard in the NBA.

#7 STEPHEN CURRY

"Don't Go Around Breaking Young Girls' Hearts"

For Knicks fans he was almost there. They were one pick away from having one of the best player's in the draft. All the fans wanted Curry. And then...... The Golden State Warriors swooped in like a Hawk to grab the phenom. I have to admit, I wanted Curry to go to the Knicks too. I saw him play at Madison Square Garden this year. He struggled the whole game, but then mesmerized the fans at MSG in the games last five minutes making clutch basket after clutch basket, putting West Virginia away for good. Curry is very exciting to watch, too bad I'll have to stay up all night to see him get his booty handed to him playing for The Warriors. Maybe they should change their "Warrior" name because they rarely ever put up a fight. Was that a mustache and a beard I saw Curry growing last night? The kid is learning already.

#8 JORDAN HILL

"Just Reee-mem-ber to always Think Twice"

Poor Knicks fans. This is the least sexy pick of the night. First and foremost I have to say this. There has never been a superstar basketball player that wore dreadlocks. Maybe braids, but not dreadlocks. In football, they're ok, but not in basketball. They make you look out of control, no matter how poised your game is. Coach will be saying "your moving too fast, slow down." But it's not you, it's the dreads shaking out of control that gives off the mirage. He is a strong, athletic big man, but to me nothing special. He has some work to do on his offensive game and he played in the PAC-10, which I am not a fan off. Too soft of a conference in my opinion. "My strong advice.....just remember to always think twice" about taking a guy with dreads. And the Knicks will be thinking twice about this pick for a long time. Damn, Curry was right there!!!

#9 DEMAR DEROZAN

"Keep it in the Closet"

I just feel like this kid could've benefited from one more year in school. He is a freakish athlete who was the MVP of the PAC -10 tourney. Now his school is falling apart with all the allegations so that may be one thing that caused him to bolt. And he probably wants to make a little more money by going to the NBA (Get it?). All in all, I think he should've stayed and kept his game in the closet for one more year. Then he could've burst on to the scene. But hey, they say if you can go in the lottery then you should come out. So to Celevision Derozan says "Shut the hell up." And you know what? He's correct. Who the hell am I?

#10 BRANDON JENNINGS

"I want to Loooove You.....PYT"

This guy's game is exciting. He has the flair, he has the confidence. He rocked the high top fade, he took the trip overseas to the unknown. The Bucks are getting a player who is going to be a star, but I'm not sure when. He is still a tremendous talent and someone who can bring some flair to a town known for boredom. Jennings is exciting but he won't be excited by the lack of nightlife in Milwaukee. Then again, he's too young to go anywhere right now, and I mean that about his game too. I want to love this guys game, but he needs some TLC, tender loving care. I hope the Bucks can take him there.

#11 TERRENCE WILLIAMS

"Don't Think Twice!"

This guy is a beast. I love his game. The NJ Nets don't have to second guess themselves on this one. He is a solid player all around. Doesn't do one thing great, but does everything well. He can guard anybody and I think this guy is one of the toughest guys in the draft. He can rebound, score defend and run in transition with the best of them. He's the type of guy you can put on a Kobe Bryant or a Lebron James and he will be able to hold his own. A very solid pick and he deserves to be in the lottery. He's a little off too. One time I heard him as he was attempting to rap a Lil Wayne tune to himself in warm ups. He was so loud everyone in press row was listening too him. He was cursing and just yelling the lyrics oblivious to anyone else around him. He was in his own world. He seemed a little off to me at the time, but you know what, sanity is not what keeps you in the league. It's heart, effort, skill and opportunity.

#12 GERALD HENDERSON

"The Kid is not My Son"

Well technically Gerald Henderson Jr. still is the son of Gerald Henderson Sr. but now he will have to be a man in a man's league. When Gerald Henderson Sr. was asked about his son getting drafted he said, "I wish I can get out there and help him. You have to let him go, play and learn." Gerald Henderson Jr. is a talent. Very gifted athletically, good mid range shooter who can rise up over opponents. He is a little small for a shooting guard at 6-5 but very explosive. They say Duke players never make good pros but I think Henderson will change that realm of thinking. He has all the tools, but of course we have to wait, and the worst thing is, dad can't help him.

#13 TYLER HANSBROUGH

"Leave Me Alone"

Just stop dogging him around. What more can the man do? He is the all-time leading scorer in ACC history. He won a National Championship in college. He goes to work and plays as hard as he can every night. Let me tell you this, I am not a huge Hansbrough fan, but I would take him on my team any day of the week including weekends when everybody else is not working, because he will be. He won't be a superstar in this league, but he will play 10+ years I bet you. If you don't like him fine, but I bet you won't lock yourself in a phone booth with him and go head to head. I know who I'd put my money on to come out alive. And guess what, whoever is reading this and hating on him? My money wouldn't be on you.

#14 EARL CLARK

"Man in the Mirror"

One of the toughest kids I ever coached in AAU basketball was Brandon Smith from New Brunswick High School. He now plays safety for the Michigan Wolverines. He had dreads and he always looked intimidating. He was a football player first, basketball second, but he played basketball like he was on the football field. I remember his high school team was set to play Rahway High School which featured Earl Clark one of the best player's in the nation. It was a State Playoff game so the stakes were big. I was trying to hype him up by telling him he couldn't guard Clark. He said "Coach, I'm gonna shut him down. He's soft." Branden held him to 8 points that night and bounced the heavily favorite Rahway Indians and Earl Clark right out of the New Jersey Group II playoffs. Obviously the Nets weren't at that game. It was the first time I began to question Clark. He is probably hands down the most talented player in the draft. He is Lamar Odom like. The downside is he doesn't bring it every night. He could be a superstar, or he could be like my old teammate at Villanova Tim Thomas a guy your yelling at through the TV every night to pick it up as you wait on the "potential". It's all about the Man in the Mirror for Earl Clark. He better take a look at himself and make a change.

GUYS WHO SHOULD'VE BEEN DRAFTED EARLIER

DEJUAN BLAIR

This is the reason why I never went back to get my Master's Degree. They say it looks good on a resume, but is it really about the resume? Well if it was than Dejuan Blair wouldn't have went in the second round with the 37th pick. You're talking about the Big East Player of the Year. You talking about the Big East Rookie of the Year in the 2007/2008 season. A bully in the paint. The best offensive rebounder in the draft. But this was offensive to Blair. The Spurs found a ruby in a dirt pile.

TY LAWSON

Another guy who furthers my notion that a resume means nothing. Won a national championship. Is a jet with the ball. I am still trying to figure out why the Sixers passed on this guy? They went with Jrue Holiday over this guy? Not sure about that one. Even if Eddie Jordan brings the new Princeton style offense, I'm not sure how this guy can't help you with his lightening end to end speed. Goes to showing you sometimes that winning isn't everything. Denver is so happy right now, to get a guy this talented, this late in the draft. Don't worry Lawson, all you do is just keep on winning.

SAM YOUNG

I say this and I say with all the confidence in the world. The first time Sam Young throws that pump fake on someone and the defender goes flying in the air, and he drives baseline and almost brings the rim down, some opposing GM is going to say "Damn, we messed up." And "messed" is not the word I wanted to use!! Sam Young is going to play for the Grizzlies. Like my boy Delvon McMillan always says on his Facebook status just "Watch.''

This blog is dedicated to Michael Jackson. The King of Pop. We all grew up on MJ and music will never be the same without him. He was the greatest that ever did it. He has so many great classics I can't even name my favorite. We will always love you and miss you forever. RIP.