ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas dished out some thoughts on this week’s NBA draft on a conference call Monday. The Examiner’s Jim Williams was there as Bilas simultaneously hedged on the overall quality of this year’s draft and yet made sure it sounded like the Wizards could actually land a quality asset.
“We have guys who will go [in picks No.] 2-10 who last season might have been mid to late first-round choices,” said Bilas regarding the depth of the 2009 draft class. “That is not to say they are bad players. It is to say that we simply do not know who in this class can step on an NBA court and make an instant impact. That is the problem.”
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Bilas said five years from now some guys will be busts and some will be good role players. In draft-speak, that sounds to us like very little upside.
However, Bilas offered a silver lining from the Wizards’ latest unlucky showing in the NBA draft lottery last month.
“To me the Wizards should take Tyreke Evans, the guard out of Memphis. He is as fine a talent as I have seen in college basketball,” said Bilas. “There is no doubt that he needs time to grow as a player, and yes, I know that the Wiz have Gilbert Arenas. But Evans, in my mind, four to five years from now could be the best-rated player in this draft. So if I am the Wizards, he is my pick, and I think they will have a shot at him.”
Thanks, Jay. We think.
