- We'll probably have some final pre-draft notes tomorrow afternoon, and of course reaction to the picks--or the trade(s)--when they happen. I know Alex is still partial to Randolph, but I've been scared off by some of the statistical analyses/projections (hey, I have an econ degree, this is how I think) and have come around on Alexander. One thing I find interesting is that a lot of people have really gotten attached to the idea of drafting Alexander, so it will be interesting to see what fan reaction will be if someone else is chosen or if the pick is traded. I'm guessing it will be more negative than it probably should be.
- Tom Enlund leads his draft day article with Joe Alexander, while Charles Gardner weighs in with his mock draft and thinks Alexander's the guy.
Yes, this guy can play for Scott Skiles. The gritty Alexander impressed Skiles and general manager John Hammond, and he fills a desperate need at small forward. Alexander survived and thrived under Bob Huggins and had a blockbuster 34-point game against Connecticut in the Big East tournament.
Like some other mocks, Gardner sees Anthony Randolph falling out of the lottery.
- Tom Enlund blogs about the Alexander/Ranolph debate. While we all knew Alexander stopped by the Bucks' offices on Monday, Enlund writes that the Bucks also spoke with Randolph by phone.
"Very good," said Alexander when asked during a pre-draft media session Wednesday how his second session with the Bucks went. "It was just a meeting where they got to know me better and I got the impression that they were impressed. They just wanted to know about my personal life, what I do off the court, what I'm like."
Said Randolph, "I talked to Milwaukee (Monday) and they seemed pretty interested. That looks like a place I could probably end up. It's a nice city, I liked it. It's a little more mellow and I'm kind of a mellow guy so I think I could fit in with it. They showed me the lake and everything. I'm a big fisherman so that's good." - Jonathan Givony at DraftExpress isn't mincing words: "At #8, it looks pretty much set that Milwaukee will take Joe Alexander."
- Ian Thomsen at SI.com predicts Alexander will be a Buck, ahead of both Randolph and Jerryd Bayless.
- Tom Withers writes the Cavs are still targeting Michael Redd. Even if the Bucks do decide to dump Redd to the Cavs, don't expect anything tomorrow. The two guys Withers mentions as targets for the Bucks can't easily be dealt at the moment--Anderson Varejao is BYC until July and has a no-trade clause until December, while Daniel Gibson is a restricted free agent.
- NBADraft.net sees Alexander over Love (#9) and Randolph (#11).
- Over at Pro Basketball News, Tony Mejia is also predicting Alexander. But PBN's Sam Amico projects the Bucks will bite on a sliding Bayless over Randolph (#9) and Alexander (#12) while nabbing Australian big Nathan Jawai at #37, passing on Richard Hendrix (#39) and Joey Dorsey (#46).
- As for Amico's theory that the Wolves could trade back to select Alexander, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes that earlier Alexander turned down a workout in Minnesota to focus on more likely destinations. However, he did a phone interview with Minnesota this week.
- Charles Gardner blogs about Alexander's language skills.
- Speaking of which, Darren Rovell at CNBC notes that Alexander could find Milwaukee to be a very profitable destination. How long until China offers him a passport and a spot on the national team?
- DX has video interviews with a bunch of guys, including Randolph. Among other things, he mentions Lamar Odom as a role model. Given his length and ball-handling ability, that's probably a good choice (but a LONG way away).
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning-News profiles local product Randolph. Most people know Randolph is one of the few (only?) lotto prospects who played on a sub-.500 team last year, but here's a new bit of scary info: Randolph's high school teams didn't win a playoff game his last two seasons and finished 13-15 his senior year. I don't know much about Texas high school basketball, but I find that fact rather amazing...and unsettling.
- No news on the Andrew Bogut extension front.
"I can't discuss anything with the team until July 1," he said.
"It is frustrating for me but it is the NBA rules and league wide."
"It is like buying a car, it will take eight or nine days. You get a first offer a second offer and then a third offer and hopefully something will be done by about July 10. If we don't, it will be done next year."
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Draft Notes: Alexander edging Randolph?
By
Frank Madden
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