The Orlando Magic select Emeka Okafor from UConn. The Magic are making this pick because he is the best player on the board in the draft and they can't really get any good offers for this pick, so my pick for the Magic if Okafor. Wow that was hard work, well my work here is done. lol.

TheBigO

Robert Johnson:  So, do you think Okafor could really drop this far?

Bernie Bickerstaff:  Well, stranger things have happened, but I wouldn't count on it.

Bob:  Damn Magic.  Ok, the Clips took a high schooler.  That's not the direction we want to go anyway.  He may not have a high ceiling, but Luol Deng looks like a safe pick, he'll be our guy.  Plus, we don't have to gamble on a high school kid that may or may not pay off in three years.  DAMMIT!  Damn Bulls.  Fine.  We'll take Howard.  He was tops on a lot of draft boards for a reason.

Bernie Bickerstaff hands the envelope to Stern.

Darth Stern:  With the fourth pick in the 2004 NBA draft, the Charlotte Bobcats select Dwight Howard, from Southwest Atlanta Christian  high school.

Bob Johnson:  Hey kid, sorry about that whole, "we don't want any prepsters" talk.  Anyway, we've got a little party set up.  We've got some Cristal on ice in the back.  Let's uncork a few bottles and get this thing started.

Howard:  Umm, I'm not 21 yet.

Johnson:  Oh yeah.  Well, no matter.  You are going to love playing for the Bobcats.  Women, partying, money, welcome to the big time.  We're having DMX on RapCity on  BET next week.  You wanna play a gun toting posse member in his new video?  Or how about we hook you up with that hotty from Nelly's "hot in herre" video?

Howard:  Actually, my goal is to spread the gospel of the Lord through the NBA.  I don't want to do any of that stuff.

Johnson:  (muttering)  I knew you were the wrong guy for this team.

Howard:  What was that?

Bickerstaff:  He said you will be perfect for this team.  You can be a great big man in this league.  You've got size, shooting touch, leaping ability, a nice handle, good quickness for your size and, from what we've seen, a great work ethic.  We'll build this team around your unique talents.

Howard:  Sounds good to me. (Whispers to Johnson):  Do you really know the girl from the Nelly video?
 

Kingster

With the 3rd pick in the 2004 Bleacher Mob NBA Mock Draft, the Chicago Bulls select Luol Deng, 6-8, 220-pound small forward from Duke University.

Kingster can fill in the details later.
 

Kingsgurl

Stern Clippers are on the clock.

A young boy wanderers out to the podium, clutching an envelope.

Stern Who are you?

Boy I'm the ball boy, sir. Here's the envelope.

Stern Where's Elgin?

Boy He's in back, sir, still trying to move this pick, he said we don't need Dwight Howard, we have Elton Brand.

Stern Well, he's out of time. (rips open the envelope, a five dollar bill flutters to the ground, Stern pockets it with-out batting an eye) With the Second pick of the 2004 Mock draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select.... Kobe Bryant?

They can't DO that, get Elgin out here!

Elgin enters, slightly out of breath, phone glued to his ear

Stern You can't pick Kobe.

Elgin Why not, the Bobcats get to.

Stern They're an EXPANSION team

Elgin Well, we may as well be.
OK, here's the envelope. We tried to move this pick, but the Bobcats need Call Waiting, their phone is always busy, and I think the Wizards GM retired.

SternWith the Second Pick, the Los Angeles Clippers select
Shaun Livingston, 6’7” 185 lb high school PG

Kid is big, but needs to get stronger. Good handles, Stephon Marbury type. Clipps need a PG.
Strengths

His size is unbelievable when viewed in conjunction with his handling ability. He is a solid 6'7". He also happens to have the point guard abilities usually attributed to someone 6 inches shorter. That size advantage gives him amazing court vision which he accentuates with a point guard savvy of a veteran. His handle is proficient allowing him to beat any press than an opponent would throw at him. Many observers liken him to a Harlem Globetrotter with the way he can weave through traffic with skill and poise, making the game appear scripted to his benefit. He has an uncanny court awareness which allows him to get the ball where it needs to be without hesitation. His size and respectable vertical leap also allows him to literally shoot over shorter opponents.*
 

Critic

David Stern:

With the fifth pick in the 2004 NBA draft, the Dallas Mavericks take Andris Biedrins, a 7’0” and 238 pound center/power forward from BK Skonto Riga, Latvian Basketball League and FIBA Europe League.

Ernie Grunfeld:  Thanks to Cuban for our new starting forward Antawn Jamison

Don Nelson:  Ok, we got to choose between modestly talented players who all play the same positions as our best players (only not quite as well), high school kids who would take longer to develop than my job’s life expectancy if I take them or Euro Bigs who are barely shaving, skinny as rails and might all be less talented clones of Milicic and Tskitishvili.

 I feel I have to go for help where we need it most and that’s in the area of interior defense and low post scoring. If every player available at this pick is a project or a crap shoot anyway, I at least want to make my project and my roll of the dice a big man – one of those young, tall, skinny Euro kids. Andris will have to put on some weight to have a chance to be a good NBA center, but he can float between power forward and center for now. He can already block shots better than anyone on our team and he will add a back-to-the-basket presence in the paint on offense. We’ll have him lifting weights and drinking power shakes every day for the next two or three years.

Better to be 7’0” and coordinated and needing a lot of work than 6’7” coordinated and needing a lot of work. After the first pick today, all the players chosen need a lot of work. But if I can find promising guys at the end of the 1st & 2nd rounds like Howard and Daniels and Dirk with the ninth pick  imagine what I can do with the fifth pick.  Of course, if Cuban let me have my way we'd have taken Podkolzine.  Seven foot five with nice touch?  Hmmmmm (starts drooling)

Cuban:  Some guys never learn.  This kid better pan out if we're going to trade Dirk to the Lakers for Shaq.  We'll need him.

JB

With the 6th pick in the 2004 NBA draft, the Atlanta Hawks select: Ben Gordon 6'2" PG from University of Connecticut.

The Hawks gotta start somewhere in their latest rebuilding effort and Gordon is a great start. Ben is an outstanding shooter with mid-range and long range capability. He's also a fantastic athlete and has superb ball handling. He played SG for the Huskies, but his transition to PG in the NBA won't be rough as he has all the tools needed to be successful.
 

Critic

With the seventh pick in the 2004 NBA draft, the Phoenix Suns select Jameer Nelson, point guard out of Saint Josephs.

Bryan Colangelo: Sorry to be late – had to run an errand for my daddy. It should come as a shock to no one that, with no dominant centers on the board after today’s first pick, we took the best PG available. As luck would have it, this young man is not only the best PG available in the entire draft and the most talented player remaining on the board at this point in the draft. His college training and experience leading the successful NCAA performance of St. Joseph’s, NBA-ready defensives skills and his steady nerves and intelligence are the tools that will make him an outstanding NBA point guard. Really, someone has to bring the ball up court and get it to Stoudemire and Marion. This kid will get his chance to be the man to do it. His only drawback is being only 6’0” tall. But, if he were taller, he would never have lasted till the 7th pick. We think that, for years to come, the six teams who passed on him will be kicking themselves.

(aside) Did I do good, daddy? Was that what you wanted me to say? If not, tough. You ran this club for decades and it has never done squat. Maybe now it can go somewhere.

VladeFan21

David Stern: And with the 8th pick of the 2004 NBA Draft the Toronto Raptors select...AAAAAAAaaaaaaa!

(Screams from the crowd...)

Radio voice: Oh the humanity!

...deep gulp...Okay, for those of you unable to witness what's going on, I hope I can describe the carnage. I have never before seen anything quite like it...especially in a ceremony usually so staid and devoid of true emotion.

The Toronto Raptors mascot just jumped up on stage, grabbed David Stern in his jaws and ran off. People here are stunned. They have never seen anything quite like this.

The crowd is milling around. People are looking at each other. The ESPN group is asking if they can show game 5 during the lull. The NBATV group is screaming that they alone have the rights to broadcast game 5. Their entire summer programming, according to some guy with a Pistons shirt on, is built around showing that game 24/7... or until Jerry Buss buys them off.

Now things are beginning to calm down. The ASPCA is here with a tranquilizer gun. They're going down the corridor the Raptor used to make his escape. We'll be back after these quick words from our sponsors...

New voice: Does your dog suffer from performance anxiety? Is he nervous in those special times? Do those special areas refuse to perform? Well then, he may need SUPERDOGGYDO. Yes, SUPERDOGGYDO helps your dog do what he needs to do when it needs to be done... Now, back to our regular announcer...

Radio voice: Things may be calming down a bit. Word is the Raptor has been subdued. Commissioner Stern is reported to be fine, albeit suffering from an allergy reaction to wool. We expect the draft to resume any moment...

Guy in a David Stern mask and David Stern suit (that doesn't fit well): We will resume the announcement of the selection for the Toronto Raptors. With the 8th pick of the 2004 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select Pavel Podkolzine.

Jodystone6467

The 6ers choose:

Humphries, who was measured at 6-81/4 by the NBA (without shoes) averaged 21.7 points and 10.1 rebounds in his only season at Minnesota. He is projected as a small forward and the key will be whether he can defend some of the quicker players at that position.


There.

Next...

Hallama

Stern: With the 10th pick the Cleveland Cavaliers select, Devin Harris, PG Wisconsin.

Paxson: After extensive research, and a heavy inverstment, we have learned that human cloning is illegal and ethically and morally wrong in the public's opinion, so we will not pursue cloning LeBron James from this point on.

Stern: Excuse me?

Paxson: Did I just say that out loud?

Stern: Not a bad idea...

Paxson: You just said that out loud. Anyway, after blundering the signing of Kevin Ollie last offseason, we would like a running mate for LeBron and McGinnis, and Harris slipped this far to us it was a no-brainer.

 

Hallama

Stern: With the 11th pick the Golden State Warriors select, Al Jefferson, PF Prentiss HS.

Mullin: Big, bad, and a banger. He had the three B's we were looking for. Bad to the Bone. Bitchin'. Ah, fo'get bout it...

Stern: Welcome to the NBA GM club, Chris. Sorry to hear about St. Jean...

Mullin: I didn't kill him.

Stern: Didn't say you did.

Mullin: Right. Keep it that way if you know what's good for ya'.

Stern: Are you threatening me?

Mullin: Fo' get 'bout it....

Reno Lady

Rick Sund: "Gee, I don't know where to start. We need so darn many things to make this team a contender again. There are a lot of good players in this draft, so, as usual, I'm a little confused about what to do. What to do? What to do? Okay, the one thing a team can always use is a big guy, and let's face it, our big guys last year weren't all that great, so......with the 12th pick of the 2004 NBA draft, the Seattle Supersonics pick Robert Swift from Bakersfield High School. Swift is 7'1", 280 pounds and he's only 18. He hasn't stopped growing yet, so we could be looking at a Shaq-like body by the time he's 23 or 24."

CatMan

David Stern: With the 13th pick in the 2004 Bleacher Mob Mock Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers select Luke Jackson from the University of Oregon. Utah is on the clock.

John Nash: Coach Maurice Cheeks and I agreed with needed some depth in the backcourt and we’ve addressed that with the first of our two first-round picks. Kid has a sweet J …

Damon Stoudamire: Did he say J? Dude …

Nash: Sorry, jump shot. I was referring to his outside …

Darius Miles: Reefer? All right …

Nash: No, no, I mean he can beat you so many …

Ruben Patterson: Hey, let’s leave wife beating out of this …

Nash: Mo, we’ve got bigger problems. Let’s go think this over before it all goes to pot …       

Shareef Abdur Rahim: Yo, I’m likin’ this team, man.
 

SactoGreg

David Stern:

With the 14th pick of the 2004 Bleacher Mob Mock Draft, the Utah Jazz select, from Louisiana Tech, power forward...

Wait... (scratches head)

Um, Mr. Miller, this cannot be right. Your choice was for Karl Malone?

Larry Miller:

That's right, Dave. Laugh if you want, but this kid is really gonna be something.

Stern:

Mr. Miller, you are on the clock and need to pick a player from the current NBA draft list.

Miller:

(reaches into pocket)

My bad! I pulled the wrong draft card out of the pocket of my polyester 2 piece!

You know, my team only has four players under contract next season!?

It's such a nice day today. I wonder what's on The History Channel?

Stern:

Mr. Miller? Please, let's stay focused. Can I have your draft pick please?

Miller:

(Chuckles)

Ya know, I got this kid, Andrei Kirilenko and he's bustin' his butt out there, and I'm only paying him a measly $1.6 million!

(chuckles again and whispers to himself) I'm so damn smart, sometimes I just have to laugh.

Ahem, anyway, here's the correct draft card.

(hands to Stern)

Stern:

With the 14th pick, the Utah Jazz selects Andre Iguodala - SG, from the University of Arizona.

Miller:

Hee, hee, hee... Another "Andre".

Brilliant... I'm brilliant!...

Reno Lady

With the 15th pick in the 2004 NBA draft, the Boston Celtics pick Jamar Smith, a 6'9" 245 pound senior from Maryland. Jamar can score, loves to dunk, can run a fastbreak, plus he can rebound, and he's a good shot-blocker. He's one of the more versatile big guys in the draft and is ready to contribute to a team right now.

SactoGreg

(camera fade to Stern looking nervous)

Stern:

Mr. Miller, Mr. Miller. Would you please wake up?! It's Utah's pick and I need your draft card.

Mr. Miller, please?

Larry Miller:

Huh?... Oh, OK... I'm awake.

Sorry, I was dreaming about the wonderful rootbeer float my daughter made for me for Daddy's Day.

Oh, so creamy and...

Stern:

Mr. Miller?

Miller:

(walks up to podium to hand Stern his draft card)

Here you are David.

(while handing him the card, Miller whispers in Stern's ear)

What does the NBA think about having Shaq play for my Jazz? I need to know, because I'm getting ready to draft a center and we have buckets of cash left under the cap!

Stern:

(whispering)

Larry, see me after the draft at this location.

(Hands a match book to Miller)

Miller:

(with a big smile, looking at the match book)

Hey, I own this place! Hee, hee, hee...

Stern:

With the 16th pick in the 2004 Bleacher Mob Mock Draft, the Utah Jazz select Rafael Araujo - C, from BYU.

(Stern thinking to himself)

Hmmm... Shaq in a Utah uniform...

Hmmmm...

 

JB

Kirk Snyder

With the 17th pick in the 2004 NBA draft, the Atlanta Hawks select: Kirk Snyder, 6'6" SG from the University of Nevada.

Wow, thanks for letting Kirk slide all the way down to #17. The Hawks should have a nice rookie backcourt with Gordon and Snyder.

Has anybody seen Josh Childress lately? He went to lunch with Jimmy Hoffa on Friday and nobody has seen them since.

 

1kingzfan

J.R. Smith

David Stern: With the 18th pick of the 2004 Bleacher Mob NBA Mock Draft, the New Orleans Hornets select J.R. Smith, 6’-6”, 227 lbs, shooting guard from St. Benedict Prep HS in Newark, New Jersey.

(New) GM Allan Bristow: We were really focused on getting either a big shooting guard that could score and complement Baron Davis’ play or a solid center to back up Jamal Magliore, our all star in the pivot. So we got what we wanted and more with this kid. And I know I said that there was only about a 1-in-3 chance that we would select a high school kid this year, but we expected Smith to go a couple picks ahead of us.

The 18-year old Smith is an amazing finisher, both on drives and on the break because of his extraordinarily quick and high vertical leap. He can put on a highlight reel with his extremely quick leap and with the way he can dunk in traffic. He does show range on his jumper, inconsistent though it may be. He rebounds well for a player of his size, primarily using his athletic gifts but showing the ability to box out on a consistent basis. He’s a hardnosed defender who always gives it his all and has amazing reflexes to get an occasional steal or block. J.R. had sensational performances at both the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Nike Hoop Summit. He will fit in with our needs nicely.

By the way, I’m so excited to be the GM of the Hornets once again. Bob Bass’ GM glory days were over, and I had been the assistant GM long enough. Even though I work for a crappy owner (George Shinn), it’s nice to be firmly in charge again. And I already have Byron wrapped around my little finger. Actually, we think a lot alike on how to build this team for the future, and Byron is a strong advocate of getting more athletic.

Smith was clearly was one of the most athletic players in this year’s draft.

(New) Coach Byron Scott: Whataver Allan says! He’s da man!

Bristow: We were very disappointed to go 41-41 in the regular season and then go on to lose in 7 games to Miami in the 1st round this past post-season. But I have to use that same lame excuse so many espouse to on the Bleacher Mob Forum board for their beloved Kings…had it not been for Davis’ and Mashburn’s injuries, things woulda been different for our team. But at least Bob Bass and I had the balls to do what had to be done, and that was to fire Tim Floyd. Our key injuries made us underachieve and Floyd was accountable.

Can you believe that bastard was playing Baron right at 40 minutes per game? It’s no wonder the injury bug has been with this guy for a while. Floyd just ran his ass into the ground. Thankfully, we have a new coach with a refreshing new philosophy of substitution that he learned as an assistant from one of the best, Rick Adelman, such that Byron’s New Jersey teams went to the Finals both full years he coached them.

My biggest disappointment going into next year, though, has got to be the break-up of the Canal Street brothel. We almost always had ALL the visiting teams’ stars “taken care of” there on the night before we got together at the New Orleans Arena. I mean, we sucked Kobe in there back in November (hmmm, poor choice of words maybe), and you’d think the guy would be reformed now, right? No way. The guy goes bananas in there, he was seen in 4 different rooms that night, and he finally walks out at 6 am on game day! That night, we clean the Lakers’ clocks by 19 points and Kobe goes 4 for 14 with 11 points. Yeah, the Hornets are gonna miss those ladies. (sigh)

I guess we’ll have to go back to the loaded drinks for our visiting “guests” at some of the famous watering holes in the French Quarter where we have friends….only thing is we got caught doing that once before…I almost went to jail…fortunately, we were dealing with the NOPD.

Scott: (winking) Now THAT’S home court advantage, Allan!

Bristow: Hey, Byron, we got a lot more home court advantages here in New Orleans that you still need to learn about. There’s still voodoo, Cajun food poisoning, the Mafia, blackmail, and a host of other little gems that we have used successfully on our opponents.

Scott: You use voodoo on opposing players?

Bristow: (smirking) Man, we got a 6th generation descendant of Marie Leveau on our payroll.

Scott: (mouth agape)

Bristow: Yeah, we wanted nothing but the best, with no room for error. Some idiot on that Bleacher Mob board called “1kingzfan”, a native New Orleanian, comes back here right before the 2002 Western Conference Finals with the Lakers to buy a voodoo doll in Kobe’s likeness for that extra advantage. He makes a little Lakers uniform and dresses up the doll to look like Kobe. Only thing is, the guy sticks WHITE pins in the doll, rather than BLACK pins.

Scott: Sooooo???

Bristow: White pins are for good luck; BLACK pins are for bad luck. Kobe wound up doing his usual thing against the Kings, and you know the rest. Bastard fan cost ‘em the title that year, since they woulda steamrolled your Nets in the Finals just like the Lakers eventually did. We didn’t want something like that to happen to us, so we have the top voodooist in the area with the blood lines tying her with the Queen.

Scott: Wow, I can’t wait to get going here. Sacramento and New Jersey were both such boring places to coach in compared to here.

Bristow: (smiling) Why do you think they call New Orleans “The City That Care Forgot”?

Scott: This is gonna be fun!

Bristow: You can bet your Tabasco on that. But you know, picking up this Smith kid and getting Baron and Mash healthy again may take us a long way from not needing to use as many of our homecourt advantages here in New Orleans.

Scott: (sighs and, now with sad eyes, his lip begins to quiver)

Bristow: (looking at Scott, ponders for a moment) Nawww, that would take all the fun out of it.

Scott: (perking up) Yessssssss!!!!

Bristow: Laissez le bon temps roulet!!! I really don’t know French, but the locals walk around saying this all the time…

Stern: The Miami Heat are now on the clock.
 

TheBigO

Josh Childress

Randy Pfund: Well, I figured that Podkolzine would be off the board already and Biedrins was probably more of a longshot. But Swift AND Araujo? What's going on here? I Know we've really pulled some steals lately, with the Butler boys and Dwayne Wade but is there some kind of league wide conspiracy keeping us from getting the bigman we need to make the next step. We are left with NOTHING to do.

Stan Van Gundy: Um, Randy . . .

Pfund: Who would we take? PJ Ramos? Ha Seung-Jin? That stiff David Harrison? Is Stern trying to stop us from building a great team? I would have even taken Snyder to groom him to eventually supplant  Eddie Jones at the 2 but no. . .

SVG: Randy . . .

Pfund: This is terrible. What are we supposed to do now? I mean all the guys we had on our draft board are gone. . .

SVG: RANDY!!

Pfund: What?

SVG: Josh Childress is still available.

Pfund: No way. He was already taken by . . . um . . . uh . . . HEY, you're right. How the hell did that happen? Did people just think he was too skinny? Not aggressive enough? A tweener? Did he get injured? Or was he caught smuggling things in his afro? What's the deal?

SVG: I don't know.  It looks like he just got passed over.

Pfund: Well then he's our guy. Turn in our card.

David Stern: With the 19th Pick in the 2004 NBA draft, the Miami Heat select Josh Childress from Stanford University.

Pfund:With Wade able to swing from the one to the two, Butler being able to handle both wing positions and sometimes moving up to PF against small teams and LO having played every position but center in his career, Childress will fit in perfect. He can play either wing, is a great shooter (something we need), can handle the ball, is already a good defender (which most rookies aren't) and can step in and contribute right away.

Van Gundy is smiling from ear to ear and already imagining ways to incorporate Childress into the offense.

Pfund: Wow, now all I have to do is entice the Bobcats to take a big contract off our hands (hopefully Eddie Jones) and then sign a free agent big man (Mehmet Okur, Mark Blount, or Erick Dampier) and I've got that Executive of the year trophy all locked up. I'm gonna go make room on the mantle right now.

CatMan

David Stern: With the 20th pick in the 2004 Bleacher Mob Mock Draft, the Denver Nuggets select Sasha Vujacic, from Snaidero Udine and Slovakia.

Kiki Vandeweghe: We’re hoping Nikoloz Tskitishvili can give us some meaningful minutes this year, so Sasha will either give us some backup at the guard spots or spend a couple of years in Europe gaining experience. Now we’ll need to get us a coach … hey, kid, quit pulling on my pants leg.

Jeff Bzdelic: I’m not a kid, I’m your coach.

Vandeweghe: We already have a coach?

Bzdelic: Well, yeah. Didn’t I get us to the playoffs this year?

Vandeweghe: Hmmm, I’ll look into that. Thought Carmelo Anthony had something to do with that.

Secretary: Mr. Vandeweghe, a Mr. Jackson on three.

Bzdelic: Here we go again.

Vandeweghe: Phil, we got the Slovakian kid. Talked with Shaq (fingers crossed) this morning. So, you think you could see yourself here?

David Stern:

With the 21st pick overall - third pick in the first round - the Utah Jazz select Sebastian Telfair - PG, Lincoln High School - NY.

Larry Miller:

(Sitting next to Jerry Sloan and rambling)

These young kids need to go to college and get an education. I don't usually support drafting kids right out of high school, but we need to do something at the point position.

I mean, I'm concerned that John Stockton is going to hang it up soon, and where would that leave us?

Jerry Sloan:

Larry, quit sucking the film off the inside of your office fish aquarium! Stockton retired almost two years ago!

And this kid can create. He really has a lot of ball handling skills, and we need to build our back court anyway.

Miller:

Stockton can't retire. He and Malone haven't won us a Championship yet!

Come to think of it, neither have you, Jerry.

Sloan:

(begins sweating profusely)

Very good observation, Larry. I like your thought process. Excellent pick! Brilliant!...

Stern With the 22nd pick of the 2004 Mock draft, the New Jersey Nets select Josh Smith 6'8" Small Forward.

Thorn- Wow, I really didn't think this kid would still be on the board when we drafted. I'd compare him to a Vince Carter (with heart ) Explosive athlete who can jump out of the gym, excellent finisher on the fast break where he really knows how to finish with flair and excitement, so he'll fit right in with the offense we run. Has the tools to be solid defensively

Josh Smithadjusts his new Nets cap Thank God, man. I heard Jamar Smith earlier and thought I was straight trippin' and they called my name wrong. looks over at Jamar Sorry, dude, for shovin' ya down like that in the hall, I thought you was tryin' to take my hat.

David Stern: With the 23rd pick in the 2004 Bleacher Mob Mock Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers select Ha Seung-Jin from South Korea. Boston is on the clock.

Maurice Cheeks: Man, what are smoking? You go party with Stoudamire?

John Nash: Yeah, I know we needed help at point guard. But you're telling me you'll walk away from 7-3, 300 pounds of pure upside? Remember what Houston did with Yao Ming.

Cheeks: Talk about some magic dragon.

Nash: Word. Remember what I told the Portland Oregonian: 'He's really interesting because of his potential. He's such a young player. With his size and physical presence, you can only wonder what he will be three, four or five years down the road. Certainly he has the physique to become a dominant player.' We'll be high as a kite if this kid's half as good as Yao.

Damon Stoudamire: Spark me up, dude.
 

Reno Lady

Chris Duhon

Danny Ainge, thinking to himself once again (yes, I know there are those who believe thinking is not involved in anything he does, but let's give the guy a break, okay?): I know I suprised everyone before but I just have a really good feeling about Jamar Smith. My problem now is we've left Atkins unprotected and he's pissed at me for that, so I doubt we'll have him next year. So......even though I'd really like to get a big center (because I don't think Blount will be here next year either), I think we need to bring another PG on board to back up, or maybe even start over, Banks. There's really only one or two guys out there who have the traits I need right now......


"Ahem. Commissioner......(Sighs & hopes hes' doing the right thing).....With the 24th pick, the Boston Celtics take Chris Duhon from Duke. The only ACC player to record 1000 points, 800 assists, 475 rebounds, 300 steals, and 125 made 3 pointers, Chris is not only a great ball handler, but he's a feisty, determined defender. He has great court vision and is born leader, something we really, really need.
 

Reno Lady

David Harrison

Ainge, once again thinking to himself (Well, here we go again. Boy, I hope at least one of these guys works out or I'm going to be in more hot water than a hand-picked lobster at my favorite seafood restaurant.)

"Hello again, Commissioner. (Wiping the sweat off his forehead). Okay, with the 25th pick of the 2004 NBA draft, the Boston Celtics choose David Harrison out of Colorado. A legitimate 7 feet, David is very athletic for his size with good overall skills. He's an excellent shotblocker and has a knack for getting to the FT line. (As Ainge leaves the stage: This kid is kind of skinny. I sure hope we can put some weight on him this next season....but I like what he can do on the court.)
 

Kevin Martin

With the 26th Pick of the 2004 Mock Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Kevin Martin 6' 7" SG

Kevin is first and foremost a scorer. He is a very good 3-point shooter, with the potential to be a great one (+44%). He loves attacking the basket and displays excellent body control when getting his shot off against defenders. He is comfortable shooting off curls and fades, as well as off the dribble and catching and shooting in transition. He knows how to get fouled and is a very good free throw shooter. He scores in a variety of ways around the basket and has an excellent left hand-and a great feel for using angles to the basket. He is an adept ball-handler, and can use dribble moves to create separation from his defender. Kevin is a very quick athlete with a good first step and a good exploder to the basket. He sees the floor well, and anticipates openings for himself and teammates. Despite being a prolific scorer, he takes few bad shots and makes his teammates better with his passing abilities. He has the ability to play the point guard position.

Defensively, his lateral quickness gives him the ability to beat opponents to their attacking spot, and his height and reach impact shooters. He has good anticipation, and can rack up steals if the offense is careless. He does not display the same confidence on defense as he does on offense, despite having the ability to dominate on that end of the floor. His court awareness is excellent, as is his defensive I.Q. He knows what the offense is doing most of the time.

Areas for improvement: Kevin rarely uses a dribble move to beat an opponent, so this would be a skill that would benefit him-and is something he can do very effectively right now on occasion. He can also be an effective player in triple threat position once he uses his jab techniques. He is a very quick athlete without the ball, he needs to become the same with it. A post game would be an incredible added dimension to his game, nullifying the opposing teams' option of guarding him with a short, quick guard. Physically, Kevin just needs to spend time in the weight room and eat a healthy diet. His strength will increase accordingly. Perhaps his biggest challenge is developing his mental toughness, since he will be the main focus of every defense he plays over the course of his college career. Tough fouls, rugged screens, and relentless defenders will have to be dealt with every game he plays. He is coachable, and in love with his coaches at Western Carolina, which means he is likely to improve each and every year there.

NBA players similar to Kevin: Kerry Kittles is the best pick regarding physical similarities and position-Kevin is a better scorer and shooter than Kerry was at 19. Kerry was a better defender and a tougher, more disciplined player. Kerry would not have averaged 22 ppg at Western when he was a freshman, while Kevin could have averaged 22 at Villanova this year(he averaged 24ppg in 2 road games in December at Big 12 and ACC schools-both wins). As athletes, they are probably even.

Projection: Kevin has a shot at being the best 2 guard prospect in the draft in the next few years. He should have the height, athletic ability, and skills of an NBA player. His statistics will likely favor him over most other guards as well. Ultimately, his effort in the weight room may be the deciding factor in whether or not he is drafted. How he looks means little if he performs well on strength tests, and more importantly, makes plays that require great strength.
 

#27

Los Angeles
Lakers

admode

Peter John Ramos

Stern: With the 27th pick of the 2004 Bleacher Mob NBA Mock Draft, the Los Angeles Expansionsisms...um, Lakers...select Peter John Ramos, a 7'-4", 282- lbs center from Puerto Rico.

Soon-to-be-fired GM Mitch Kupchak: I really, really thought Shaq was kidding. Oh, well....so I had to make this pick...Peter was the best center left on the board, and I know that no respectable NBA vet center would ever come to La-La Land now. (sigh)

Ramos has become a true prospect. His improvement from 2003 to 2004 has simply been amazing. Has a nice post up game showing a decent arsenal that includes a jump hook and a step away shot. He can also hit the outside shots and more importantly, Ramos looks to be more comfortable both on and off the court. He's been showing leadership skills with his Pro Team (Criollos de Caguas) in the Puerto Rican Summer League (considered the best league in Latin America). Ramos is also a good passer and is able to find the open man when receiving a double team. Considering that he is only 18, his body is filling out and he will eventually add at least 25 more pounds. Ramos is an athletic center for his height and is able to run up and down the court without any problem. Stamina is excellent. Has very good potential.

He won't be enough to save my job, though...

Owner Jerry Buss: Damn straight.

Stern: San Antonio is on the clock.
 

#28

San Antonio
Spurs

Orayteks

Delonte West

Stern: And here comes the San Antonio Spurs with the 28th pick..

Pop: Thanks,David.Firstly I want to congratulate my master Larry ”defence win championship”Brown.
Well its another very hard decision for us, do not really know whom to pick.If I had a scorer I would have win this year again(some tears).I do not know if we re-sign Manu and Hedo and Bowen will opt out,some people say Kobe will come I do not know really.Time will show us.
Stern: Ok Pop we are not on press conference,we have 2nd round coming....

Pop:Ok Ok ,S.A.Spurs pick a player who we trust is abilities,and think he can bring us a lot,can score ,can rebound and can defence; the S.A.Spurs pick
DELONTE WEST SG ST.Joseph
 

#29

Jaymo

#30

Indiana
Pacers

MiloshD

Dorrell Wright

.
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Second Round
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Sergei Monya

With the 31st pick of the 2004 Mock Draft, the Orlando Magic select Sergei Monya

I'll add some comments later, I'm off to take my kids to the Zoo.

SPTSJUNKIE

Donta Smith

With the 32nd pick in the Bleachermob 2004 Mock Draft, the Chicago Bulls (now the Suns) Select Donta Smith from Southeastern Illinois Community College.

Scott Skiles - After having no small forwards we like last season, we decided we'd go after two this year. While I was tempted to go after a young, big man in case Chandler or Curry is traded, Smith has too much talent to pass up on. Although I'm a little scared that Rick Pitino wanted this player, I'm willing to look past that and see a player who can flat out score and has been drawing comparisons to Ron Artest. Smith is big, athletic and gives us some extra options with both Deng and him on our roster.

 

Critic

Antonio Burkes

With the 33rd pick in the 2004 NBA draft the Washington Wizards select Antonio Burkes 6'0" 195 PG, Memphis.

Ernie Grunfeld: Fastest PG in the draft. His shot improved dramatically in his senior year. We need a third PG and this is a way to get one cheaply.
 

Kingsgurl

Beno Udrih

OK, we'll take Beno Udrih 6'4" Slovenian PG. (insert intestinal gas joke here to go with the name Beno)

JB

Jaime Lloreda

With the 35th pick, the Hawks will select: Jaime Lloreda 6'9" PF from LSU. He's got an NBA body and he rebounds and set picks for that nice new backcourt I drafted. I also have to get all the good players from Louisiana just so that 1kingzfan cannot get them.

Reno Lady

Blake Stepp

Ok, the Sonics could use another smart guard. So I'm picking Blake Stepp, the 6'4", 194 pound guard from Gonzaga. He's Gonzaga's 2nd all-time assist maker (the first being ????), their all-time leader in 3 pointers made, and 4th all-time scorer. He's cool under pressure, a great passer, and can score on the run, traits that should fit in well with the Sonics.
 

Hallama

Christian Drejer

Tie a yellow ribbon 'round Christian Drejer, a SG/SF out of Denmark, UoF, and Barcelona...a tall SG-SF with true basketball skills. Can shoot and pass with the best of them, and has an extremely high basketball IQ. Plays unselfish to a fault.

This guy is my sleeper pick of this draft. I think he has first round talent...

JB

Viktor Khryapa

With the 38th pick, the Hawks will select: Viktor Khryapa 6'9" SF from the Ukraine.
Hot diggity dog. I get to add a SF to my all rookie team. Not quite Andre Kirilenko, but he's going to fit in well with all the other young guys. I didn't think he would still be on the board - but he's gone now.

SPTSJUNKIE

Nigel Dixon

With the 39th Pick in the 2004 Bleachermob Mock Draft, the Chicago Bulls select Nigel Dixon out of Western Kentucky.

Scott Skiles - Well, we decided to gamble a bit here. Having an already crowded and promising backcourt we decided to go with another big man to help Curry and Chandler. Dixon no doubt has the talent although there are quesions about his weight. If he can keep it under control, we believe we have gotten an absolute steal in the second round. Also, between Curry and Dixon we can physically wear out any front line in the league punishing them inside with two big men who like to smash players with their frames. Our only hope is that these two don't start sharing their fondness for the buffet line.

VladeFan21

Tony Allen

In the interest of moving this along, the Toronto Raptors select Tony Allen 6' 4" SG out of Oklahoma St.

An extremely aggressive and intense combo guard. Plays tough, physical defense—blocks shots with his superb vertical and possess excellent hands which he uses to come up with plenty of steals (#1 in the Big 12). A very good rebounding guard because of his athletic ability, aggressiveness and strength.

VF, please feel free to add your comments
 

Reno Lady

Jackson Vroman

Interim GM Hallama (Reno Lady fired for Jamar Smith pick ), selects, Jackson Vroman, 6'10" PF Iowa State.

Coolest name in the draft. A Scot Pollard type who knows his role; bang bang bang in the post. Plus he's white, which is great for Boston.

CatMan

Anderson Varejão

Stu Jackson: With the 42nd pick in the 2004 Bleacher Mob Mock Draft, the Seattle Super Sonics select Anderson Varejao from Brazil.

Nene Hilario: Rats, was hoping he'd end up with me, his homeboy, in Denver. I'll kick his buttocks if he makes the team. Plus I know he was a first-rounder on Cat's draft board.

Mel Kiper Jr.: That makes him a value pick.

JB

Stu Jackson: With the 43rd pick in the 2004 Bleacher Mob NBA Mock Draft, the Atlanta Hawks select Tim Pickett, 6'-4", 200-lb shooting guard from Florida State.

Hawks GM Billy Knight: Tim, who went to school not far away from here in Jacksonville, is a steal at this draft position. He is a confident player with good feel for the game. Good decision maker. Wants the shots in clutch situations. Plays the passing lanes especially well with excellent anticipation skills. A crafty scorer with very good shooting mechanics and excellent range. Very good strength, both legs and upper body. Can handle the ball well in the open floor. Has good vision and passing ability but wont be confused for a point guard. A streak shooter who can really heat up. Shoots free throws exceptionally well. Competitive team player.

Jackson: The New York Knicks are on the clock for the 43rd pick in the draft.

 

Hallama

Knicks select, Andre Emmett, SG Texas Tech.

Tough, physical, athletic SG who is more comfortable muscling up a shot than shooting an open long distance jumper.

*Bobby Knight* throws a chair at Isiah Thomas!
 

1kingzfan

Stu Jackson: With the 44th pick in the 2004 Bleacher Mob Mock NBA Draft, the New Orleans Hornets select Matt Freije, 6'-10", 249-lb small forward from Vanderbilt University.

Hornets GM Allan Bristow: We worked out Matt in New Orleans last week and we really liked what we saw. Big mismatch, very hard to guard. A pure shooter who can get his shot off whenever he pleases with his height. Takes over games and is very hard to stop at the college level when his shot is falling. Excellent free throw shooter as well. Has good handles and likes to take his man off the dribble. Dribbles very well for a guy his size but he does not abuse it and his turnover stats back that up. Bulked up significantly over the last summer, adding about 20 pounds to his frame and really showed some leadership skills at Vanderbilt this year. Used to be very shy but has become much more vocal on and off the court in his senior year. Has improved in every aspect, especially his rebounding, free throw attempts and shooting percentages from both 2 and 3. Does not have a problem taking a team on his back. Thrives in the clutch. A very good decision maker, High basketball IQ. Very coachable player.

 

1kingzfan

Stu Jackson: With the 45th pick in the 2004 BMF Mock Draft, the Charlotte Bobcats select Jackie Butler, 6-9, 263-pound power forward from McComb HS in McComb, Mississippi.

Bobcats GM Bernie Bickerstaff: Jackie is a real physical specimen at the tender age of 19. Has slimmed down and built muscle. His strength allows him to put himself wherever he wants in the post. He has great hands downlow and anything that goes his way he gets ahold of. His post game is developing, if he can improve in this area, he's got a chance to be a 12 year NBA player. Very athletic and gets down the court pretty well for a big man when he wants to. Looks like a young Elton Brand the way he hits the offensive boards and finds position for rebounds. His huge wingspan (7 foot) makes him a bigger player than he is.
 

Stu Jackson: With the 46th pick in the 2004 Bleacher Mob Mock Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers select Ricky Minard from Morehead State. Miami is on the clock.

John Nash: We still need that point guard, since we were beaten to Sebastain Telfair in the first round, but you've got to take the next best talent. This kid has been smokin' his workouts.

Damon Stoudamire: Cool, dude smokes and he won't take my job.

Luke Jackson: Yo, pass that thing down....

TheBigO

Stu Jackson: With the 47th pick in the 2004 NBA draft, the Miami Heat select, Darius Rice, from Miami Universtity

Randy Pfund: Well, we need shooting and size, and you aren't going to get any bigs worth anything at this point in the draft. Remember when this kid was talked about as a potential lottery pick?

Stan Van Gundy: Yeah, they called him Darius Miles with a jumpshot. But he's not that athletic

Pfund: And his shooting has gone in the toilet.

SVG: Why are we picking him again?

Pfund: Why not? If he gets his shot back he's a steal and if he doesn't, he'll have fun in Europe. At least with us drafting him he won't have to pack his stuff. He can probably keep the apartment he has now.
 

Kingsgurl

Stu JacksonWith the 48th pick of the 2004 Mock Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Chris Garnett 6'11" Center out Indiana Southeast.

Back to the basket player Big body, doesn't mind getting dirty in the paint, and shows flashes of most of the skills you can ask for out of an NBA center. Decent footwork, a big target with nice hands that can establish and hold his position on the blocks. Seals off his man well, and then uses his strength and footwork to get to the basket and finish strong. Has a couple of nice moves in the paint, and when he's focused he is pretty good around the basket. Nice wingspan, but needs to learn how to use it better. Not a bad man to man defender, has no problem being physical and has decent shotblocking skills. Relatively athletic for a guy his size, runs the floor well but is not really explosive. Lots of untapped potential.

Petrie Now, we have a Garnett too. He's athletic, but not so athletic that he will make the rest of the guys look bad in practice.
 

Vladefan21

Stu Jackson: Da plane! Da plane!

Snickers to self...Hey, it's late. What do you guys expect?

Anyway, with the 49th pick of the draft the Memphis Grizzlies select 6-10, 215 lb. forward Herve Lamizana.

Da plane! Da plane!!

Oh, the hell with all of you. I thought it was funny!!
 

David Stern: ...and with the 50th pick of the 2004 BMF Mock Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select...

Donnie Nelson (leaning over Mitch Kupchak's shoulder): Psst! You sure you won't take Walker and this pick for a bag of Fritos?

Kupchak: Last time it was a dozen WingStop teriyaki wings! Stop it!

Donnie: Half a bag?

David Stern: ::ahem::

Donnie: Sorry...here...

DS: You wrote it on a Fritos bag!

Donnie: I worked through dinner...

DS: Anyway...with the 50th pick of the 2004 BMF Mock Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select...Marcus Douthit.

Almost seven foot, blocks shots like a madman, could use a bit of beefing up, but that's a gig for the Mavs' dietician and training staff. Maybe not road-ready this minute, but a Stefansson-type project at worst.

Stu Jackson With the 51st pick of the 2004 Mock Draft, the New Jersey Nets select Ales Chan
 

53TH
pop: Do we have a chance of getting a nice player from this pick?  Yes we do . . .
Here we go again with 53th pick S.A. Spurs pick

DESMOND FARMER SG

 

TheBigO

 Stan Van Gundy: Uh, Randy we're on the clock

Randy Pfund: (waking up) What? Again? Is this thing still going on? What's the point, we aren't going to get a player with a shot of making the squad?

SVG: Come on now, we plucked Rasual Butler in the 2nd and he's turned out pretty good.

Pfund: Yeah, I guess you're right. So, who's still out there? Hey, this must be a mistake, Trevor Ariza is still around? We've already got our share of athletic wings, but we can't pass on this kid. 6'8" with quickness and hops, he can handle the rock and is already a solid defender.

He could have been a lottery pick in a couple years and if he can gain some muscle and develop a consistent jumper, he'll be a flat out steal at this point in the draft.

Wow, Childress at 19 and Ariza at 54? Hey Van Gundy, is it your birthday or something?

MiloshD

Stu Jackson: With the 54th pick in the 2004 NBA draft, the Detroit Pistons select Misan Nikagbatse, from Germany

Joe Dumars: A combo guard whose perimeter shooting can help our team. With Delfino hopefully joining us this year and backing up the SG/SF positions, Misan can add depth at the SG/PG positions.

nbadraft.net:
Strenghts: Although he usually plays PG, he might be better playing SG, because he's not a playmaker but a scorer. He proved that more than once. In 2000 at the Under-18 tournament in Mannheim (Germany) he lead the competition in scoring with 27.8 ppg, including a 46 point performance against Greece. Misan is a streetballer, you can see it in his crossover-dribbling, no-look-passing, and in-your-face-dunking style of game. He's great at penetrating to the hoop, and knows how to use his body against smaller guards. Extremely good ball-handler, uses his "killer crossover" (which is not much weaker than Iversons) to pass by his defender.Weaknesses: He's too selfish for a playmaker. Has to develope more PG skills and develop a new mindset (passing is as good as scoring). He tries to do too much at times. Not that great a shooter, although he tries to shoot very often. Has yet to fulfill his immense expactations.

 

Stu Jackson: With the 55th pick in the 2004 Bleacher Mob Mock Draft, the Houston Rockets select Bernard Robinson from Michigan State.

Jeff Van Gundy: Whoa, Stu, check that again.

Jackson: Well, you wrote Bernard Thompson from Fresno State. But that was, like, 20 years ago.

Van Gundy: Oh.

Jackson: Don't worry, he can play.

Van Gundy: He'd better.

#57

Los Angeles
Lakers

Cat Man

Jaber Rouzbahani

Stu Jackson: With the 56th pick in the 2004 Bleach Mob Mock Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Jaber Rouzbahani from Iran.

Mitch Kupchak: Hey, if Shaq's done, gotta start somewhere.
 

#58

San Antonio
Spurs

Orayteks

Roman Sato

Pop:Ok its enough for this night,I am tired,I do not want to select all of them,Is there any other team that has 3 picks?
Stern: How lucky you are huh huh huh...
Pop:We would be lucky Ýf we choose first 3 picks haha hah hah hah...
Lets go: ROMAN SATO SG

 

#59

Cat Man

Damien Wilkins

Stu Jackson: With the next to last pick of the 2004 Bleacher Mob Mock Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Damien Wilkins from Georgia.

Kevin McHale: Well, he's no Garnett, but the Wilkins bloodlines are pretty good. Hmmm, is he even related?

#60

Indiana
Pacers

MiloshD

Robert Fultz