After watching the first week of the NBA summer leagues in Orlando and Las Vegas, the draft class of 2007 is shaping up to be a class that may rival the draft class of 2003. The 2003 draft class included names such as LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh just to name a few. This year's draft is so deep and talented, we need to remember that Joakim Noah from the national collegiate champion Florida Gators would have been the number one pick in the 2006 draft had he come out that year. However, he was taken ninth this year by the Chicago Bulls and that just the start of it. Julian Wright of Kansas was taken 14th by the New Orleans Hornets, Rodney Stuckey of Eastern Washington was taken 15th by the Detroit Pistons and Marco Belinelli was taken 18th by the Golden State Warriors(look out for him!). Other late first round and second round names include Alando Tucker and DJ Strawberry(Phoenix), Glen "Big Baby" Davis(Boston) and Nick Fazekas(Dallas). The
quality of this draft just by name alone is outstanding but of course only time will tell how this draft turns out.

This draft however, is ultimately going to be judged on how great the top two players chosen in this draft play. These two players are Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. The future looks bright for the Portland Trail Blazers and the Seattle SuperSonics I must say and I'm looking forward to watching these two franchises grow over the next few years.

Early indications suggest that both players have found out that the jump from college to the pros won't be an easy one, especially for Kevin Durant who not only has to get stronger(he couldn't bench press 185 pounds once), but has to diversify his game. He drifts around the perimeter way too much and he stays away from contact, two things he did not do in college at Texas. If Durant wasn't shooting the ball, I didn't know if he was on the court or not. Now I know that it's his first week playing professional basketball albeit in a summer league no less but you know that we live in a "Now" world and we all want results NOW! He is one dimensional at this stage of his brief NBA career and that is going to have to change if he wants to enjoy a sucessful career in this league. I know that he's extremely young and that we have to give his body and mind time to mature but after seeing LeBron James at the age of 18, I guess I'm spoiled.

Greg Oden on the other hand, has shown flashes of brilliance in the games that he has played in this week in Las Vegas and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt considering that he has looked sluggish at times on the court, specifically on the defensive end due to his tonsils being described as being as big as golf balls. He is due to have surgery on his tonsils this coming Saturday(July 14) after attending the ESPY awards in Los Angeles. Oden has been shut down from further summer league action for the rest of the summer and probably will miss the Tournament of the Americas slated for Las Vegas beginning in late August. Oden has had a rough summer being drafted number one by Portland, signing lucrative endorsement deals and travelling around the U.S. for the past few months so I think he deserves a break. Although Oden is seven feet tall and weighs around 260 pounds, he is extremely quick and light on his feet and as he matures both mentally and physically
over the next couple of years, he will become a dominant force in the NBA for years to come barring injury of course. Can you say Sam Bowie? The Blazers definitely hope that history does not repeat itself.

On another note, Joel Anthony formerly of the Dawson Blues here in Montreal and the Runnin' Rebels of UNLV has signed a contract with the Miami Heat. Stay tuned.... Good Luck Joel.