Live-Blogging the 2010 NBA Draft

Hello everybody, and welcome to my running diary of ESPN's coverage of the 2010 NBA Draft. It's one of my favorite sports nights of the year, so with no further ado, let's get this party started! (I apologize in advance for any grammatical or spelling errors that may occur, as I will be moving at a fast pace. Also, all times are in Pacific Standard Time):





4:16: Mark Jones interviews Gordon Hayward. Hayward comes across as a wonderful, classy guy, but I fear that he is just going to be another Adam Morrison-Tyler Hansbrough type in the NBA. Should have stayed at Butler.





4:17: DeMarcus Cousins handling himself well in interview. The former Kentucky Wildcat has been known for his immaturity, but I would love to have him on my team. Too talented to pass up. As a diehard Warriors fan, I desperately hope that Cousins falls to number 6.





4:22: The ESPN graphic of notable free agents features the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki, Amare Stoudamire, and........David Lee? Lee is indeed a terrific player, but he shouldn't be mentioned quite in the same breath as LBJ and D-Wade.





4:23: My last column on LeBron was based in anger, so let me make this clear: I love LBJ, but he just needs to adopt a bigger clutch gene in big games. But there is no denying that he is the most important free agent we've seen in a long, long time.





4:25: Kudos to ESPN for bringing aboard a "capologist", former Blazers executive Tom Penn, to make sense of this salary cap confusion.





4:27: Proposed trade sends Kirk Hinrich to the Wizards. This move is meant to clear cap space for the Bulls in hopes of signing LeBron, but they are going to miss Kirk Hinrich, a solid, reliable player in this league.





4:32: Here comes the commish. I love David Stern, but I get a kick out of the rowdy New York crowd always booing him. The boos are a reminder that the draft is here. It's music to my ears.





4:34: John Wall is a lock to be the top pick, and rightfully so. Wall is going to be a star. However, I actually think Evan Turner is going to be an even better pro.





4:35: Flashback of the last time the Wizards had the top pick. Kwame Brown? I think I saw him working at Wal-Mart earlier today. Somewhere, Michael Jordan is cringing. Not his finest hour.





4:36: If they can survive a year without any roster dysfunction, the Wizards have a chance to be a playoff team next season.





4:37: Jay Bilas, best draft guru in all of sports by far. Take that Mel Kiper, Jr.!





4:38: Congrats to John Wall! No surprise there.





4:40: With John Wall and Stephen Strasburg, exciting times in the world of D.C. sports.





4:43: Next up: Philly. If the Sixers don't take Evan Turner, it will make the Kwame Brown decision look like a stroke of genius.





4:44: The Sixers make the right call and take Turner. Playing alongside Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner is going to be a superb fit in Doug Collins' system.





4:45: Now things get really interesting. The Nets, now under the leadership of new coach Avery Johnson and new owner Mikhail Prokhorov, are on the clock. My best available, in order of preference: DeMarcus Cousins, Greg Monroe, Derrick Favors, Wes Johnson. I would be thrilled if any one of those guys lands with theood pic Warriors.





4:46: Last year at this time, I chose DeJuan Blair and Ty Lawson as my sleepers. Here's hoping I get it right again this year. My draft sleepers this year? Maryland's Greivis Vasquez and North Carolina's Ed Davis.





4:48: The Nets select Derrick Favors from Georgia Tech. Great player, good pick, but will Favors be able to coexist with Brook Lopez in New Jersey's system?





4:51: So far, no sightings of any crazy draft night suits. All of the players so far have been dressed in relatively conservative fashion.





4:53: Nets fan at Madison Square Garden spotted with a vuvuzela. Oh God.





4:54: The T'Wolves select Wesley Johnson from Syracuse. Terrific pick. Minnesota GM David Kahn has a ghastly reputation, but he deserves credit for making the right call.





4:56: Johnson sporting the first flashy suit of the night. Very stylish. Love it.





4:57: Now the question is, will Ricky Rubio ever come and play with Minnesota?





5:00: With the fifth pick, the Kings select DeMarcus Cousins. Kudos to Sacramento for taking a risk on Cousins, despite his maturity problems. Cousins will have a tremendous NBA career.





5:02: Ok, Golden State, we must take Greg Monroe!!! Please Larry Riley, don't mess this one up.





5:04: I'm very nervous.





5:06: The Warriors select Ekpe Udoh from Baylor. Uhhhh, this is cool, I guess. I really wanted Monroe though.





5:07: However, the fact that he led the Big 12 in blocked shots is an extremely encouraging sign. The W's are in desperate need of a solid defensive presence, so I like this pick after all.





5:08: I apologize to Ekpe Udoh for my initial skepticism, because I really am happy that he is coming to the Warriors. Hopefully Udoh will provide a defensive spark to the offensively minded W's. Welcome to the Bay Area, Ekpe!





5:11: Last Warriors note: I love our new retro logo.





5:13: The Pistons select Greg Monroe from Georgetown. If you've been reading, you know that I love Monroe, best passer in the draft.





5:16: The Clippers are on the clock. Here's hoping they select somebody this year who will actually play next season (Sorry, Blake).





5:18: The Clips take Al-Farouq Aminu out of Wake Forest. Aminu, I think, has a chance to have a more fulfilling career than Blake Griffin when all is said and done. Also, awesome glasses!!!





5:21: Aminu in his interview: "Uhhhhhh, they have some really smart dudes runnin' the team." Ummm, is he talking about the Clippers???



5:24: The Jazz have the number 9 pick thanks to a trade with the Knicks, and they select Butler's Gordon Hayward. Yikes. Look, Hayward had a tremendous college career, and he is indeed a very talented player, but the Jazz are likely to regret this pick.



5:25: Jay Bilas seems high on Hayward though, and I have tremendous respect for Bilas, so here's hoping Hayward proves me wrong.



5:27: I'm telling you, all these teams that are passing on Greivis Vasquez and Ed Davis are missing out on two truly special players.



5:30: The Pacers take Paul George of Fresno State. Don't know too much about him. Eager to hear Bilas' take.



5:32: Based on Bilas' description, I like George for the Pacers. Indiana needs a player with George's wingspan and length to play alongside Danny Granger. But 3 turnovers a game at Fresno State? That has to change if George is to thrive in the NBA.



5:34: Amidst all the Chris Paul rumors, the New Orleans Hornets are on the clock. If I'm the Hornets, I'm taking Patrick Patterson.



5:35: Back to CP3 for a second. The Hornets absolutely must retain Paul if they have any hope of winning in the forseeable future. Paul will go down as one of the greatest point guards ever. He's too good a player to let go.



5:37: Welcome to New Orleans, Cole Aldrich. As Fran Frischilla says, this is a low-risk pick. Aldrich will do nothing extraordinary in the pros, and he certainly won't duplicate the dominance he displayed at Kansas. But in new coach Monty Williams' system, Aldrich will be a productive asset.



5:40: Hold on a moment! First trade alert of the night! If the Hornets send Aldrich to the Thunder, that's a mistake. It is a terrific trade for the Thunder, though. Aldrich would be another excellent young player alongside Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, to name a few.



5:43: Jeff Van Gundy: "Aldrich should be traded if he compares Sharron Collins to Chris Paul." Haha gotta love the great Van Gundy.



5:44: Grizzlies take Kansas' Xavier Henry. Jon Barry: "Guess Rudy Gay is not going back." Or, the Grizzlies could be using Henry as a trade piece. We shall see.



5:46: If you are not moved by the family of Xavier Henry, then you are cold and emotionless.



5:49: The Raptors would be wise to choose a big man, because Chris Bosh already has one foot out the door.



5:50: The New York fans chant, "USA! USA!" as the Raptors pick approaches. I've said it before, I'll say it again: I love the rowdy draft crowd.



5:51: Fantastic pick by Toronto. Ed Davis is going to surprise people in the NBA. He will be great for the Raptors.



5:52: Completely unrelated sidenote: Those rappin' hamster videos are the most annoying thing this side of vuvuzelas.



5:55: Yao Ming back in basketball shape. GREAT news for the Rockets.



5:56: Patrick Patterson becomes the third Kentucky player selected, and we are only at pick 14.



5:57: By adding another terrific defensive player in Patterson, G.M. Daryl Morey has crafted one of the best defensive teams in the league. Most teams would be thrilled to have players with half-as-much defensive prowess as Patterson and Shane Battier.



5:58: Patrick Patterson rooting for Spain in the World Cup?! How can we let a Benedict Arnold like that into the league?!



5:59: Sorry, I will never let Rush Limbaugh touch my computer again.



6:01: Bucks take Larry Sanders, who is not present at Madison Square Garden. I always have high hopes for players that come out of VCU, an exciting and underrated college program. Last year, Eric Maynor was selected by the Jazz, and he had an excellent rookie season with Utah. Here's hoping Larry Sanders thrives playing alongside Brandon Jennings in Milwaukee.



6:05: With their second pick, Minnesota takes Nevada's Luke Babbitt. Solid pick. Man, there is a surprising amount of competent picks tonight. I'm waiting for a Darko Milicic-like disaster to spice things up a bit.



6:07: Right now, the only truly regrettable pick has been the Jazz taking Gordon Hayward. Other than that, I don't have many complaints.



6:10: Chicago on the clock. There is no doubt that aside from Cleveland, Chicago would be the best situation for LeBron. With Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and a couple of marquee free agents, the Bulls would be a legitimate title contender next season.



6:11: Still, I think LeBron should stay in Cleveland.



6:12: Bulls select Kevin Seraphin from France, first foreign player to be drafted tonight. According to Fraschilla's diagnosis, Seraphin reminds me of teammate Joakim Noah. I love Noah, but two Noah's on the same team??

6:13: The Thunder need a big guy. They already have so many talented, athletic guards.

6:15: Oh no, Sam Presti, why would you choose a guard? No disrespect to the very talented Eric Bledsoe, but OKC already has Durant, Green, Westbrook, and Harden! Foolish pick.

6:17: Potential trade would send Luke Babbitt and Ryan Gomes to Portland for Martell Webster. Big win for Minnesota.

6:19: It will be fascinating to see if Doc Rivers and Phil Jackson decide to stay in Boston and L.A. My money says both men leave.

6:22: So point guards really do exist, after all. Welcome to Boston, Avery Bradley.

6:25: James Anderson a smart pick by the Spurs. He'll be a solid backup, and a future heir, to Tony Parker for Gregg Popovich's team.

6:27: So my outrage over the Bledsoe pick for OKC may have been unwarranted. Bledsoe may be traded to the Clippers.

6:29: Craig Brackens is the big guy that New Orleans needs. Good pick.

6:32: Now that Portland is on the clock, let me just say that the Blazers were mindblowingly stupid in firing the terrific G.M. Kevin Pritchard.

6:35: If I'm Pritchard, I'm purposefully making a horrible pick just to stick it to the Blazers, as this is Pritchard's final night.

6:37: The Blazers should be ashamed of themselves for firing Pritchard.

6:41: Trevor Booker becomes the first senior selected tonight. G.M. David Kahn is surprisingly sane tonight.

6:42: Greivis Vasquez is still available. He is going to be a terrific pro, I'm telling you!

6:44: The Hawks take Damian James from Texas. Ferocious rebounder; should be nice fit alongside Al Horford and Zaza Pechulia in the paint for Atlanta.

6:46: Booker traded to Washington for draft picks.

6:50: Funniest shot of the night: Grizzlies fan mouthing, "I don't know who that is", in response to Memphis' selection of Dominic Jones. Priceless.

6:55: Second funniest shot of the night: Kevin Durant responding with a blank stare when the Thunder draft Washington's Quincy Pondexter.

6:58: The Nets are on the clock. Something tells me Mikhail Prokhorov is celebrating with gorgeous women and lots of money. Man I love that guy.

7:00: Looks like you should disregard my comment about Damian James fitting in nicely with Horford and Pechulia in Atlanta. Proposed trade would send James to New Jersey in exchange for Jordan Crawford. Don't really like that trade for either team.

7:06: Greivis Vasquez!!! Yes! Kudos to the Grizz. They will not regret it.

7:12: How about we just make the Kentucky Wildcats a new NBA team. Wow.

7:17: With the last pick of the first round, the Wizards select Lazar Hayward. Even more amusing, I love David Stern's bemused reaction to the raucous crowd. I love the NBA Draft.

Ok ladies and gentleman, that's all I have for this evening. If any major developments occur in the second round, I'll be sure to share my thoughts in the morning. But right now, I'm just going to sit back, relax, and enjoy the infamous Adam Silver serve as emcee to the second round. Good night everybody!