Last DNB Before The Draft

Things are going nuts as the draft keeps getting closer. I want to try to have some calm sanity as we get ready for draft night. There are people, myself including all making judgements on these players that make up this draft class. Examining what we like and don't like about players. pretty much putting them under a microscope. There is nothing wrong with that, it is what people are paid to do. However, I just want to stop and hit the pause button for this final moment before the draft. As much as we may like or dislike a given player, for all players that hear there name called it is a special moment. I think that gets lost in the shuffle some times. When in years past we have had Stephen A Smith losing his mind and ripping people at an alarming rate. Dick Vital is the same going off on NBA teams that draft any guy from Europe. It is fine to evaluate and have an opinion. However is it so much to give it 15 seconds to let a kid have his moment before you bury his career for dead?

For most guys in this draft it has been a lifetime of playing and loving a sport that has lead to this moment. There is the odd exception like a Hasheem Thabeet that comes to the game late in life. But even those are special stories as well. Just the fact of 60 dreams being realized is entertaining in and of itself. We do not need the ranting idiots like Stephen A Smith to add fake drama do we? Well actually Stephen A Smith won't be there. He will not be snacking on cheese doodles. Can't say I will miss him. Now if we could some how eliminate Dick Vital we would be making progress. I love the guys passion for the NCAA but he has a clear bias that comes out every year. Love the his passion but leave him off the NBA draft.

Tell me more about these kids as people instead of taking the time to tell me why he is going to be a complete bust.There is still lots of time between picks to do that. But would it be so bad to use an extra 30-45 seconds of talking to these kids. After all this is the biggest moment in their lives to this point professionally.To often in this modern sports world it is all about breaking down people and not enough about building them up. I want to see fresh young faces that still have that star eyed look and may one day become a star. Do we not get enough of people talking about the draft prior to it?

I guess the point to all of this is to say, when you are watching the draft, even if it is for 5 seconds think how life changing a moment it is for every person you see. There are a lot of crappy reality shows on television. The draft is real and the people who lives change are as well. They will have entire careers to be evaluated and judged. But on this day I want to see a bit more of the magic of the moment and a bit less of the talking heads.

So whoever that newest Raptor will be. Understand that for him it is the greatest moment of his basketball life. Even if it is not the guy you want to be picked. Besides there have been times when picks were not loved by fans and worked out well. Damon Stoudamire was booed in Toronto and he went and won rookie of the year. He said on draft night he would turn those boos to cheers and he did that. ESPN just destroyed Charlie Villianuva and he ended up the second best player in his class according to ROY voting. There is always going to be the busts like the Hoffas. However still do you think he really lost? He got paid and made an amount of money that if he handles it right could set him up for a long time. That is what the great thing is of the draft that it can change people's lives for the better.So Bust or All Star is to be determined but the impact on lives is certain.

Just thought this was a good thing to write prior to the draft and perhaps add a bit of perspective to all of this. You are all welcome to come join us on The Score.com for are liveblog @ 7pm as I will be hosting with Scott Carefoot and we will have Holly MacKenzie at the draft tweet for us live from NYC. It should be a good part. I will add the direct link later but if you don't see that posted just go to www.thescore.com and click on liveblogs and you should find the blog listed and just click on it and it is as simple as that. I am going to be there to the end at midnight. Scott will be there for the first round. I guess he is the David Stern of our show. But it is going to be fun and I have been looking forward to this for awhile. So it would be great if you would like to share your draft night and be part of our draft party on the score.com

That is all for me till after the draft. I likely will still do the odd tweet. Because I am rapidly becoming a Twitter addict. You can follow me @dinonationblog on Twitter if you miss me in between blogs.

Direct Link To Live Blog of NBA Draft On The Score.com 7-12pm