The players who should be the first seven selected in Draft
By Bruce Pearl, for NBA.com
Posted Jun 22 2009 7:28PM
Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl, part of NBA TV's and NBA.com's coverage of the NBA Draft, offers his "Super Seven" for the 2009 NBA Draft:
|
Bruce Pearl :: Head Coach :: University of TennesseeEveryone knows this is a one-man draft. Blake Griffin will not only be the No. 1 overall pick, but he'll also be the Rookie of the Year -- just like Derrick Rose last season.
Today, I'm offering up my "Super Seven." Led by Griffin, these are the players who should be the first seven selected on Draft day.
With Griffin as the top selection, these next six players could go in any order after that.
Hasheem Thabeet
Thabeet is a tremendous shot blocker and has been fun to watch during his time at UConn. I don't think there's a player who's come farther in terms of development in the NCAA in the last two years.
James Harden
I'm impressed with this guy, and I'm clearly not alone on this one. Harden can shoot, he can handle the ball and is super athletic.
Ricky Rubio
I think most fans who are not really familiar with Rubio have heard about his passing and playmaking ability. But it's his vision that makes him so dangerous. He'll be a fine player for whichever team scoops him up.
Tyreke Evans
I can tell you firsthand, Evans is blessed with a rare kind of athleticism that makes him a nightmare for an opponent. He is gifted with fantastic strength and is so effective as a "big" point guard.
Stephen Curry
I'm not sure how many teams have him in their top seven (prospects), but they should. He led the nation in scoring, and has improved his draft status more than any other player over the last month.
Jordan Hill
I see a really big upside in Hill. He's got tremendous length, and is very athletic for a player his size.
- 2010 All-Star Ballot
- 2009-10 Season Preview
- Free Agent Tracker
- 2009 Playoffs
- 2009 NBA Draft
- twitter.com / NBA
- NBA on Facebook
- Transactions
- 2009 Awards
- Officiating & Rules
- 2009 All-Star
- Coach bios
- Hoopedia
 | Hornets vs. Heat: First half Dwyane Wade has 16 points as the Heat lead the Hornets 59-52 at the half. |
 | Celtics vs. Knicks Kevin Garnett hits a jumper at the buzzer to give the Celtics the win in overtime. |
 | Game Winner KG hits a huge shot at the buzzer in overtime to give the Celtics the win. |
 | Buzzer-Beater Marcus Thorton drains a running jumper to beat the 1st quarter buzzer. |
 | Pacers vs. Bobcats: First half The Bobcats take a double-digit lead into the half against the visiting Pacers. |
 | Hammer Time Dwyane Wade blows right by Devin Brown for the vicious one-handed jam. |
 | Quick Hands Derrick Brown picks the pocket of Danny Granger and finishes down at the other end. |
 | Slam Dunk Gerald Wallace drives down the middle and tosses down a dunk. |
 | Pistons vs. Suns Preview The Pistons head into Phoenix to take on the red hot Suns on NBA TV. (SUN 8:00 PM EST) |
 | Magic vs. Raptors Vince Carter scores 24 points against his old team and Dwight Howard drops another double-double. |
NBA.com is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network