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Tonight can start a new tradition for Wildcat fans that we have not enjoyed that much the last few years: the NBA Draft. With Calipari bringing in 5 star studs and John Wall already on the board as the possible number 1 pick in the 2010 draft, UK fans will be rediscovering the draft the next few years.
Tonight’s obsession? Jodie Meeks of course. Wildcat fans have been obsessing on this for about two months but let’s take a quick look where some pundits have him going and his possible NBA future.
Paul Schenkel of the Shelby Star (NC) has the best news for UK fans. He rates Meeks as the 7th best player in the draft and says the “experts” have done a shoddy job of evaluating talent. He says there is always a need for a player like Meeks that can “flat out score”.
Memphis is an option with two picks possible: the 27th overall (1st round) and 36th (2nd round). Meeks was scheduled to work out for the Grizzlies again yesterday.
Marc J Spears of the Boston Globs staff says a NBA scout (obviously unnamed) said that Meeks may not go till the mid to late 2nd round due him being an “one dimensional scorer”. No telling how this scout sleeps at night collecting a paycheck since he has apparently never seen Meeks play a game.
However, the Utah Jazz vice president of player personnel Walt Perrin witnessed Meeks 54 point performance against UT and offers a different viewpoint, He defends Meeks as anything BUT a one dimensional player and compares Meeks to NBA vet Eddie House. Meeks attended the last Jazz workout on Tuesday. Utah owns the 20th pick in the first round.
There is speculation that Meeks the latest Meeks will be drafted is number 34 as the Denver Nuggests have given him a guarantee at that spot.
Meeks has also worked out for the New Jersey Nets recently and the Nets own the number 11 pick. Ther is talk that the Nets may trade out of that position, possibly with Chicago, who owns the number 26 pick.
Meeks has also worked out for the Minnesota Timberwolves who own the first round of the draft with picks at 5, 6, 18, and 28. However the 6th and 18 pick are rumored to be traded so the Wolves can pick Ricky Rubio or Hasheen Thabeet, That could leave a possibility for Meeks at 28.
None of the three “experts” at CBSSports.com have Meeks going in the first round but Fred Kerber interestingly enough has Nick Calathes going at number 27 to the Grizzlies.
The Sports Xchange Kerry Eggers also has Calathes in the first round, at number 30 to Cleveland, but alas no Meeks. I was not aware so many teams where willing to throw away a first round pick on a player that is content to play in Greece and has given little indication he would still play in the States.
Yahoo! sports has Meeks as the 44th best prospect overall all and the 12th best SG.
The Sporting News has no love for Meeks but also pencils in Calathes to Cleveland at 30.
No Meeks in the first round for Sports Illustrated either, yet the mock draft has not been updated since 6/12.
So where does this leave us? From the looks of things, it may be a long night tonight waiting for Meeks to be called, at least till number 34. But as I have said before, mock drafts do NOT measure heart and Jodie corners the market on that and can suprise us once again.
Good luck Jodie.
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