Gilbert Arenas is goofy, smart and entertaining as hell. Oh yeah, and he happens to be a great ball player.

On his latest blog post, he references the time leading up to his draft day when he felt like the Celtics owner trashed him. Now, he plots revenge in the form of a bold prediction:

Oh man, everybody is jumping on this Celtics band wagon. You know what? I was going to go prediction-free for the whole year, but I guess I’m going to break that now.

Now, if anybody remembers back when I got drafted, I got a report back that the reason I dropped so far in the draft was that Jim O’Brien of the Celtics said that I was too immature and that I wasn’t ready for the NBA. What really happened was that I had an Achilles injury and I went back to L.A. to go get it healed when I was supposed to have a two-day workout in Boston with O’Brien. He didn’t like that. So word came back to me that he was trashing me and it put this knife through my chest about the Boston Celtics.

Back in the day when I would day dream I thought that if I could score 100 points against any team it would be the Boston Celtics. Now, I knew it would never happen, but if I could do one thing in the NBA it would be to score 100 against Boston. So anyway, since everybody is back on the Boston bandwagon it brought back old memories. So listen here. On November 2nd, we’re going to go into that building, we’re opening up Boston. Right now I’m telling the Boston fans: You guys are going to lose. It’s not going to be a victory for Boston. You might as well just cheer for me, because Boston isn’t winning in Boston for the season opener. I’m sorry.

Please Gil, don’t hurt em! Will this be another Phoenix Suns prediction-and-follow-through or Portland Trailblazers bust? Tune in November 2nd and find out.

Among other topics covered in his post is an offer to Mark Ecko to purchase the Barry Bonds no. 756 home run ball to preserve and keep it from any tainting planned. Doubt it’ll work but hey, at least it’s an athlete coming to the aid of a fellow athlete who happens to be under enormous scrutiny.

It should come as no surprise Team USA took first place at the Tournament of the Americas Olympic qualifier basketball tournament. Team USA dominated the competition winning the gold by a margin of 39.8 points a contest. With superstars Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony going against no name competition it was an easy road to victory. Power house teams such as Argentina and Brazil were not at full strength during the tournament having most of their NBA players sit out the tournament. Manu Ginobili, Andres Nocioni, and Anderson Varejao chose not to play this summer leaving their teams at a definite disadvantage.

The story throughout the tournament has been LeBron James and his improved shooting. LeBron boasted a game of 4-4 from behind the arc along with his 8-11 from deep in the championship game. Even though Kobe Bryant’s intensity set the tone for this team, LeBron James receives all accolades and is the player seen in newspapers. If you go to ESPN.COM you will “witness� a large picture of LeBron holding the trophy… not Kobe Bryant. But in all actuality the MVP of this tournament is neither LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, or Carmelo Anthony. The man responsible for the United States return to glory is none other than Jason Kidd.

Although Jason Kidd will not receive any credit, he was the silent leader of this team. Kidd led by example and played the point guard position to perfection during the Tournament of the Americas. In the nine games Team USA played Jason Kidd recorded a stat line of;

6-10 FG, 5-7 3-PT FG, 30 REB, 42 AST, 12 STL, 4 BLK, 4 TO

Those numbers may not look very impressive compared to LeBron’s 8-11 from three in the final, but it was exactly what the team needed. Coach K and team director Jerry Colangelo were desperate for players who could be given a role, except it, and execute it to perfection. Tyson Chandler is great example. His role was to play 5 to 10 minutes a game, rebound, and block shots. That’s it. Don’t shoot, don’t try to be a superstar, rebound and block shots. Jason Kidd’s job was not as simple… Run the team, give veteran leadership, while keeping LeBron, Kobe, and Melo happy. No small task, but Kidd executed to perfection.

Name another top five player at their respective position that would only shoot 10 times in 9 games? Not to mention make 6 of them. Kidd dished out 42 assists only committing 4 turnovers. That is an amazing stat. To put this into perspective, Antonio Daniels of the Washington Wizards led the NBA with a 4.20 assist to turnover ratio last season, Chauncey Billups finished second with a 3.59 ratio, and Steve Nash finished fifth in the NBA with a 3.08 assist to turnover ratio. Jason Kidd had a 10.50 ratio during the tournament. That number is a large reason this team did not struggle against their competition. Jason Kidd made sure every possession was a good possession. He made sure everyone got their shots up and more importantly that they were good shots. I give Kidd just as much credit for LeBron’s great play as I do King James. It’s easy to score when you get the ball at the perfect spots. In the championship game Jason Kidd had 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal. No shots taken, no turnovers. Kidd played extremely unselfishly throughout this tournament and should be commended for it.

• TrueHoop finds a source to squash rumors that presidential hopeful Barrack Obama was a leading scorer at Oxy.
• Washington Redskins starting QB Jason Campbell is day-to-day after injuring his knee this weekend. On another injury note, LB Marcus Washington will miss the Ravens preseason game with a dislocating right elbow.
• The Wizards re-signed Andray Blatche this weekend, despite his recent run-ins with the law. He’ll need the extra dollars.
• Once a Wizard, now a Piston, Jarvis Hayes gets some love in Detroit press.
• A tribute to Sunday newspapers, including our hometown classic, The Washington Post, from DWil at TheStartingFive.
• Woodrow Paige of the Denver Post and comedic stylings on ESPN’s Around the Horn visits former Denver cornerback Darrent Williams’ gravesite and doesn’t like what he sees.

With Team USA practicing in Vegas my basketball mind began to think… Kobe or Lebron? Who is the leader of this team? King James or Mamba? With five seconds left in the game who does Coach K go to? It’s definitely not Hibachi, that’s for sure. My guess is that it is Kobe’s teams, but it will be interesting to see how the media paints this picture. Kobe has been silent about his demand for a trade while Lebron’s stock is at an all time high. He is coming off of his first NBA Finals appearance, hosting the ESPYs, and will soon host Saturday Night Live. Could Lebron be anymore “who’s now?� I have had this argument many times with many people about who is the better player Kobe or Lebron. My vote goes to Mr. Bryant in a landslide.

1. Kobe Bryant was NBA All Defensive Team this season. In past seven seasons Kobe has been 1st Team All Defense four times and 2nd team twice! Lebron doesn’t play defense.

2. Kobe scored 81 points.

3. Would Kobe have kicked it out to Donyell Marshall?

4. Kobe has a mid range jumper.

5. The Cavaliers only finished eight games ahead of the Lakers playing in the East. Can you imagine if Kobe and the Lakers played in the East? They would have won atleast ten more games, giving them a better record than Lebron’s Cavs and maybe even winning the Eastern Conference regular season title.

Let’s elaborate more on this

6. Would the Lakers have beaten injury plagued Wizards in the playoffs? Yes!

7. Would the Lakers have beaten the lowly Nets in the playoffs? Yes!

8. Would the Lakers have beaten the Pistons in the playoffs with Flip Saunders not doubling Kobe Bryant at the end of games like he did James? I believe so.

9. Kobe scored 81 points.

10. Would the Lakers have won at least one game against the Spurs? Yes!

11. Would the Cavaliers have beaten the Suns in the playoffs? NO!

More elaboration

If the Cavaliers were in the Western Conference they would have been the six seed in the playoffs pairing them with the… Spurs! That’s rite, if Lebron played in the Western Conference he would not have won a playoff game!

12. Why does Kobe have a bad reputation of shooting to much and not getting his team involved? But it is OK when Lebron drops 48 on the Pistons? Why is Kobe’s 81 selfish, but Lebron’s 48 selfless?

13. Lebron cares more about being a global icon than he does winning a championship.

14. Kobe is getting bashed in the media for demanding more talent on the Laker roster. Everyone is suggesting he should be more like Lebron and just play and not complain, well give Lebron some time… which brings me to my next point.

15. If Kobe is selfish while Lebron is selfless, let’s look at their contracts.
A) Kobe signed a seven year deal committing his prime to his franchise.
B) Lebron signed a shorter deal to get more money and to have the option to leave Cleveland for brighter pastures.

16. Kobe could not wait to play this summer for Team USA, Lebron wanted to sit it out, but chose to participate because he does not want to miss out on the cash cow that will be the 2008 Beijing Olympics. (did you know Lebron is taking Mandarin for the Olympics so he can continue his goal to be a global icon)

17. Lebron can’t shoot free throws.

18. Lebron does not have the killer instinct that all the greats do. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Isaiah Thomas, these guys were not nice guys on the court. These Hall of Famers wanted to kill you every time they stepped on the court. Lebron doesn’t have that. Kobe does.

19. Kobe scored 81.

Random Story

20. When Shaq left the Lakers Ray Allen decided to take a swipe at Kobe. Allen told reporters that he was looking forward to seeing Kobe struggle without Shaq. He was basically saying Kobe was not as good as he thought he was. Kobe replied in the media saying he would bust Allen’s ass the next time they played (obviously that is in my words not Kobe’s). When the Lakers went to Seattle to play the Sonics in the preseason that year, Ray Allen sat out. Kobe glared at Allen and jawed at him while he sat in his suit on the bench. The next time the two teams played, Ray Allen sat out again. Kobe Bryant scared Allen into sitting out two games, who does Lebron scare?

21. Lebron took the first half of the season off! Let me repeat that, LEBRON JAMES TOOK THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON OFF. Would Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, or Magic Johnson have taken half a season off?

22. Kobe has 3 Championship rings, he won them with Shaq, but I didn’t see Shaq winning any championships before he met Kobe.

23. If you bet everything you own on one game and your team is down by one point with 15 seconds left with possession, who would you want taking the last shot? Kobe or Lebron?

24. I don’t know why everyone is angry at Kobe for hating his GM and Team President, I remember a certain #23 with the word “air� in his nickname hating his GM and Team President, but no one says anything bad about him.

Dear Larry H. Miller,

Who I am is not important, but what I have to say is. Just because you own the Utah Jazz doesn’t mean you know anything about basketball, because if you did you would trade my boy Andrei Kirilenko. You know, the guy you drafted in 1999 with the 24th overall pick… A.K.A. Mr. “AK47,� the man with the Russian pop-star wife who allows the once a year… Yup that’s the one. Well he needs a new start. He would ask himself, but he wants to go the KG route and make it look like the owner decided to go in a different direction, not him. So between you, coach Sloan, and myself, here’s the deal.

AK is your typical hybrid. Being only 6’9�, 227lbs AK is quicker than bigger NBA power forwards beating them down the floor and blowing by them in the post. When a smaller defender draws him as an assignment he exploits them in the post. By his third season Andrei was averaging 17pts, 8rebs, 3blks, and 2stls a contest, making the 2004 All-Star Game. Your Utah Jazz followed the season by signing the budding star to a lucrative extension making plans to build the team around the defensive beast. But the next moves you made were not in his best interest.

In the summer of 2004 you signed free agents Carlos Boozer and Memhet Okur. Carlos Boozer lied his way out of Cleveland to play power forward the Jazz, while Okur fresh off of his NBA Championship run with the Detroit Pistons searching for a starting center position. Ever since the move to bring in another power forward Kirilenko’s days have been numbered in Utah.

Larry, if you already have an All-Star power forward why sign another? I know you wanted to show your team could rebound from losing John Stockton and Karl Malone, but giving two power forwards superstar money was not the answer. You made my boy AK the odd man out. I know he is versatile, but he has no business playing small forward. What made you and Coach Jerry Sloan think he would be effective there? AK can really handle the ball we should play him at small forward… AK has a sweet touch from behind the arc let’s move him to the wing… AK blocks tons of shots around the basket, lets move him 15 ft away from the hoop and see if he the same player…

Andrei Kirilenko is a power forward and has to play near the basket to be effective. I know what you and Coach Sloan are thinking Mr. Miller, “how come we never had this problem before, why is this year the year it didn’t work?� Well fellas, if you hadn’t noticed, Boozer and Kirilenko have never played a full season together. 2007 was the first season where both players played more than 52 games. Usually only one is healthy at a time logging heavy minutes at power forward. AK was forced to play out of position for the entire season resulting in his worse season of his career. Why you would start someone at the wing who shoots under 30% from behind the arc is beyond me. Larry it is your duty to trade Mr. Kirilenko and put both parties in better situations.

Larry, why didn’t you explore the option of trading Andrei to Golden State for Jason Richardson? Richardson would have been the scoring guard Utah is missing and AK would fit in perfectly with Don Nelson’s Warriors (not to mention he is way better than Brandon Wright will ever be). Elton Brand is done for the season, maybe you could get Corey Magette for AK.Between you and I, I think Andrei wants to play in California so he could take FULL advantage of his wife’s once a year special. From what I hear Utah has slim pickings compared to Cali…

The other night at the bar I convince Andrei that a move to the Washington Wizards would be beneficial for him (only after he downed a whole bottle of Vodka and told me he loved me for writing this article on his behalf). Send AK47 to wreak havoc in the East while you can benefit from Jamison being in the last year of his 15million dollar season. Talk about cap relief!

In closing Mr. Miller let’s all do each other a favor and trade AK47 before it’s his wife who starts asking for the once a year special!

• An extended E-Ticket feature about why black Atlanta residents tend to view Vick’s case as a racial conspiracy. “Try walking a mile in their shoes,” Wright Thompson says.
• Chicago Cubs 136 Million Dollar Man Alfonso Soriano may have only hit 18 home runs this season, but now he hitting the DL with a tear in his right quadriceps.
• Indiana Pacer Jermaine O’Neal and Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant are perfect for each other. First Kobe wants to be traded, then he wants to win with the Lakers, now who knows? Yesterday O’Neal wanted to be traded to the Lakers, now he wants to win with the Pacers? What is he going to say tomorrow? I say let’s put them on the same team and see what happens.
• “With the first pick of the 2008 NBA Draft the Los Angeles Clippers draft OJ Mayo from University of Southern California.â€? Oops too early… Elton Brand will miss the entire 2007-2008 season after rupturing his left achilles tendon.
• TrueHoop found a source with further details in the JNC trade to the Grizzlies.
• Rocket point guard Rafer Alston disputes his misdemeanor charges of assault and public intoxication. When asks about why was he staggering while his car was being towed he replies, “I was just Skipping to my Lou.â€?
• The reported dialogue in yesterday’s Andray Blatche arrest for solicitation of prostitution.
• Houston Rocket Yao Ming married his longtime girlfriend Ye Li. After they exchanged vowed they challenged all comers to a game of 2 on 2.
• Comparing home run champs through the various eras: “Booze and Broads,” “Transition,” and “Steroids,” all according to the Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan.

Bonds Hits 755 To Tie Hank
When Barry Bonds hit number 755 off Clay Hensley in the second inning of Saturday’s game in San Diego, the stadium was filled with hypocrisy galore. An initial sound of excitement and cheers was heard as Bonds first crushed the pitch high and deep into left-center but once the San Francisco slugger rounded first base, about 40% (judging by the replay w/ sound) of those revealed the hypocrite within and defected to boos. On their feet cheering one minute, booing the next? Hypocrisy. Commissioner Bud Selig was shown placing his hands in his pockets instead of cheering after the blast, proving that he is willing to collect money Bonds earns him, but he will not even give the man a golf clap when he ties one of the hardest records to reach in sports. Hypocrisy.

Congrats to #25, who is now atop the mountain with Hammerin’ Hank Aaron. Aaron’s interview saying he didn’t want to take anything away from the moment, detracting reporters from reporting on the actual person breaking the record, was typical of the stoic image we’ve seen of Hank in the news.

Alex Rodriguez, Youngest Ever To Reach 500
The man dubbed as the next “chaser of 755+” hit number 500 on the same day Bonds hit 755. He passes Jimmie Foxx as the youngest to reach 500 and the most surprising part was that Yankee fans didn’t boo him for not waiting to hit a grand slam instead of a 3-run shot. His excitement for the moment showed off what fans hope for — that a player is genuinely happy with what he does for a living. Yankee fans, enjoy the historic mark reached by the baseball player who is very “NOW” because “LATER” he will be reaching milestones in an “anything but…” jersey not covered in pinstripes. By then when you boo him (on every other day or whatever the schedule is) it will only motivate him more.

Tom Glavine Reaches 300 Wins All-Time
By far one of the classiest baseball players from an outside view, Glavine reached the 300 win mark Sunday and celebrated the moment with fans, teammates and his family. Must be nice to have everyone not speculate on your ability to stick around for 300 wins well into years beyond those expected for the average pitcher. Glavine is now one of only 4 other lefties to have ever reached the mark. Many congrats to him.

Hall of Fame Game — Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New Orleans Saints
The Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints kicked off organized football action last night in the annual Hall of Fame Game played in Canton, Ohio. The Steelers pulled off a 20-7 win as Big Ben looked good, the Saints weren’t that great and… well, the game meant essentially nothing but HURRAY! Football season is upon us… (tabloid stories year-round do not count!)

Wizards Deal Navarro… Finally
Fulfilling the demands of Spaniards, the Wizards agreed to deal Juan Carlos Navarro to the Memphis Grizzlies for a conditional first-round draft choice. Had they not completed the deal by this weekend, the buyout of JCN’s contract would have jumped from $2 mil to $14 mil. If the ‘zards were owned by Dan Snyder, they could’ve/would’ve taken their sweet, sweet time.

The fourth of July is the day our nation celebrates independence. With everything going on in our country the day should be about more than barbecues, fireworks, and beer. Sports is a way our country escapes everything that is wrong in the world. It give me great pleasure that even though we might be at war, I am able to escape and watch a basketball game. I will probably scream and curse at the television swearing I can defend better than Jamison, jumping up and down as if the fate of the world depended on it, but after all, it is just a game.

On September 24, 2005 Washington Wizard power forward Etan Thomas gave a speech at an anti-war demonstration in Washington, D.C. The transcript of the speech is below. As we celebrate the birth of our country and how it has come, let us still remember we have a long way to go;

“Giving all honor, thanks and praises to God for courage and wisdom, this is a very important rally. I’d like to thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts, feelings and concerns regarding a tremendous problem that we are currently facing. This problem is universal, transcending race, economic background, religion, and culture, and this problem is none other than the current administration which has set up shop in the White House.

In fact, I’d like to take some of these cats on a field trip. I want to get big yellow buses with no air conditioner and no seatbelts and round up Bill O’Reilly, Pat Buchanan, Trent Lott, Sean Hannity, Dick Cheney, Jeb Bush, Bush Jr. and Bush Sr., John Ashcroft, Giuliani, Ed Gillespie, Katherine Harris, that little bow-tied Tucker Carlson and any other right-wing conservative Republicans I can think of, and take them all on a trip to the ‘hood. Not to do no 30-minute documentary. I mean, I want to drop them off and leave them there, let them become one with the other side of the tracks, get them four mouths to feed and no welfare, have scare tactics run through them like a laxative, criticizing them for needing assistance.

I’d show them working families that make too much to receive welfare but not enough to make ends meet. I’d employ them with jobs with little security, let them know how it feels to be an employee at will, able to be fired at the drop of a hat. I’d take away their opportunities, then try their children as adults, sending their 13-year-old babies to life in prison. I’d sell them dreams of hopelessness while spoon-feeding their young with a daily dose of inferior education. I’d tell them no child shall be left behind, then take more money out of their schools, tell them to show and prove themselves on standardized exams testing their knowledge on things that they haven’t been taught, and then I’d call them inferior.

I’d soak into their interior notions of endless possibilities. I’d paint pictures of assisted productivity if they only agreed to be all they can be, dress them up with fatigues and boots with promises of pots of gold at the end of rainbows, free education to waste terrain on those who finish their bid. Then I’d close the lid on that barrel of fool’s gold by starting a war, sending their children into the midst of a hostile situation, and while they’re worried about their babies being murdered and slain in foreign lands, I’d grace them with the pain of being sick and unable to get medicine.

Give them health benefits that barely cover the common cold. John Q. would become their reality as HMOs introduce them to the world of inferior care, filling their lungs with inadequate air, penny pinching at the expense of patients, doctors practicing medicine in an intricate web of rationing and regulations. Patients wander the maze of managed bureaucracy, costs rise and quality quickly deteriorates, but they say that managed care is cheaper. They’ll say that free choice in medicine will defeat the overall productivity, and as co-payments are steadily rising, I’ll make their grandparents have to choose between buying their medicine and paying their rent.

Then I’d feed them hypocritical lines of being pro-life as the only Christian way to be. Then very contradictingly, I’d fight for the spread of the death penalty, as if thou shall not kill applies to babies but not to criminals.

Then I’d introduce them to those sworn to protect and serve, creating a curb in their trust in the law. I’d show them the nightsticks and plungers, the pepper spray and stun guns, the mace and magnums that they’d soon become acquainted with, the shakedowns and illegal search and seizures, the planted evidence, being stopped for no reason. Harassment ain’t even the half of it. Forty-one shots to two raised hands, cell phones and wallets that are confused with illegal contrabands. I’d introduce them to pigs who love making their guns click like wine glasses. Everlasting targets surrounded by bullets, making them a walking bull’s eye, a living piñata, held at the mercy of police brutality, and then we’ll see if they finally weren’t aware of the truth, if their eyes weren’t finally open like a box of Pandora.

I’d show them how the other side of the tracks carries the weight of the world on our shoulders and how society seems to be holding us down with the force of a boulder. The bird of democracy flew the coop back in Florida. See, for some, and justice comes in packs like wolves in sheep’s clothing. T.K.O.’d by the right hooks of life, many are left staggering under the weight of the day, leaning against the ropes of hope. When your dreams have fallen on barren ground, it becomes difficult to keep pushing yourself forward like a train, administering pain like a doctor with a needle, their sequels continue more lethal than injections.

They keep telling us all is equal. I’d tell them that instead of giving tax breaks to the rich, financing corporate mergers and leading us into unnecessary wars and under-table dealings with Enron and Halliburton, maybe they can work on making society more peaceful. Instead, they take more and more money out of inner city schools, give up on the idea of rehabilitation and build more prisons for poor people. With unemployment continuing to rise like a deficit, it’s no wonder why so many think that crime pays.

Maybe this trip will make them see the error of their ways. Or maybe next time, we’ll just all get out and vote. And as far as their stay in the White House, tell them that numbered are their days.â€?

11. The Atlanta Hawks select Joakim Noah out of Florida University

The Atlanta Hawks cannot second guess drafting Conley with the third pick wishing they addressed their point guard problems here. Conley would not still be on the board at this point and is a much better fit than Crittenton from Georgia Tech. Acie Law IV would be available with the 11th pick, but Conley is better fit for the roster and a potential superstar.

12. The Philadelphia 76ers select Al Thorton out of Florida State

Look for the Sixers to do some wheelin’ and dealin’ in this year’s draft. They have three first round picks and might look to move up in the draft. If they stay put Al Thorton is the guy. He has the physical tools to fit in nicely with Andre Miller and Andre Igodola. The Sixers are going to have a freakishly athletic, defensive, and young team next year. I just hope they can keep Larry Brown away from the sidelines.

13. The New Orleans Hornets select Thaddeous Young out of Georgia Tech

The Hornets were very aggressive last year in free agency. After point guard Chris Paul won rookie of the year the organization has tried to surround him with weapons to ensure success. The problem is the Hornets invested 15 million a year in injury proned has-beens Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson. Peja made ten million dollars this year only playing in thirteen games. Jackson will be 37 by the time his contract is up.

The Hornets need to find Peja’s replacement and fast. They need an athletic small forward who can run the floor with Chris Paul. With Desmond Mason entering free agency the need for such a player is even greater. Ladies and gentlemen Thaddeous Young!

14. The Los Angeles Clippers select Acie Law IV out of Texas A&M

This is the perfect situation for both the Clippers and Law. With point guard Sean Livingston’s career in jeopardy after a tragic injury, the Clippers are in need of a point guard. Acie Law is a fearless point guard with a great midrange jump shot, who better for him to learn from than Sam Cassel. Law could not ask for a bettor mentor that Sam I Am. This is probably Cassel’s last season so when Livingston is healthy again, the Clippers will have two solid point guards for the future.

15. The Detroit Pistons select Rodney Stuckey out of Eastern Washington

Stuckey dominated the Big Sky conference this season. Although I have not seen him play the consensus is that he would be a perfect fit in Detroit. He is a big strong combo guard that Dumars covets.

With that being said, where do the Pistons go from here? Can this team afford not to make any major changes to the roster? If the team decides to pay Billups the max contract he desires not only will the team be getting old, they will be financially strapped. Does Dumars really want the same aging team that came up short three years and running? Don’t forget Richard Hamilton is going to need a new contract after this season. Doing a sign-and-trade with Billups might not be a bad idea at this point to get some young talent in there. Trading Sheed back to the Wizards for Antwan Jamison would be a great move.

16. The Washington Wizards select Nick Young out of USC

Hopefully Nick Young will still be on the board at this point in the draft. The Wizards are about three picks to late to get a player that they really need, but Young is a decent consolation prize. Jarvis Hayes is gone, Thank God! Nick Young is what you would call a great upgrade, like getting Shawn Marion or Gerald Wallace for Atwan Jamison. Nick Young can shoot the ball and is extremely athletic. He would fit in nicely at the two guard between Arenas and Butler.

Some thoughts around the beltway are that the Wizards should go big with this pick, but they should first see what they have in Oleksiy Pecherov, the Ukrainian big men we drafted last year. Nick Young fills an immediate need for a two guard, especially if we cannot re-sign Deshawn Stevenson and his John Cena, “you can’t see me� dance!

17. The New Jersey Nets select Sean Williams out of Boston College

The New Jersey Nets actually have a pretty deep roster. It is hard notice because Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson get all the shots and minutes. But with Marcus Williams, Hassan Adams, Josh Boone, and Bostjan Nachbar the team has a nice group of young players. Let’s not forget that center Nenad Krstic was hurt all season after having a breakout performance in last year’s playoffs. At this point in the draft the Nets should take the best player on the board and Sean Williams is that guy. Besides you know Williams and Uncle Cliffy have TONS in common.

18. The Golden State Warrior select Jason Smith out of Colorado

The Warriors obviously need to draft a power forward or center. After being destroyed by Carlos Boozer in the playoffs the Warriors need to get bigger. Jason Smith is a perfect fit for Golden State. He is the type of skilled big man Coach Nelson loves. Smith will be able to spread the floor and draw the opponents big away from the basket. The water cooler talk is the Warriors are dangling Jason Richardson in order to move up in the draft to get their hands on Yi. The Warriors could offer Jason Richardson, Monta Ellis/Andris Biendrins and the no. 18 pick for the no. 5 pick to draft Yi. Would Boston bite?

19. The Los Angeles Lakers select Javaris Crittenton out of Georgia Tech

Do the words Ron Harper mean anything to you? Phil Jackson loves big point guards, why do you think he has stuck with Smush Parker for so long? Crittenton is a 6’5� pure point guards who can defend, although he is not a great three point shooter he should fit in nicely to the triangle offense. Unless the Lakers decided to trade this pick in order to appease Kobe Bryant (who is not going anywhere) Crittenton is their guy.

20. The Miami Heat select Gabe Pruitt out of USC

Between Jason Williams and Gary Payton the Miami Heat are desperate for youth at the point guard position. Williams will have a great year this season (contract year), but the Miami Heat need to get younger and make drastic improvements if they plan on retaining Dwayne Wade when he becomes a free agent in two seasons. Pruitt is the guy to get it done. And it’s not because he is the last point guard on the board, Pat Riley really likes him. Honest…

The Washington Wizards are notorious for having bad luck. At least, that is the frame of mind around the beltway. The departures of Chris Webber, Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace, and Richard Hamilton right before their primes has haunted our franchise for years. Finally, this year, we had a team with a legitimate shot at reaching the NBA Finals.

I remember sitting in the Verizon Center rafters when Chris Webber’s Pistons came to town right before the All-Star Break. I chanted MVP every time Agent Zero went to the free throw line. The Wizards beat down the Pistons that night. The highlight of the evening was texting “Hibachi� to my friend Tyrell, a diehard Pistons fan from Detroit who was seated a few rows up from the court, every time Gilbert scored. We were on top of the world! I watched my team stink for so long, standing in my seat begging fellow fans to stop booing young Kwame Brown, but those days were over.

We were the number one team in the Eastern Conference and Eddie Jordan was going to coach the All-Star game. Does it get any better?

We all know how the season has gone since then. Jamison misses six weeks with a bad knee. Caron Butler misses a few weeks with a bruised knee and back spasms, only to come back and break his hand, ending his season. Then the straw that broke the camel’s back: Gilbert Arenas, aka. Agent Zero, aka. Mr. Hibachi himself is lost for the season with a torn meniscus. The Washington Wizards’ season is over.

The Wizards have lost six of their last seven and backed their way into the playoffs. To make matters even worse, Arenas’ backup Antonio Daniels went down with bruised back this weekend. Even though we are probably looking at an early exit in this year’s playoffs, I could not be happier with the way our team has played since Gilbert and Caron went down. In fact, I think that Eddie Jordan deserved April’s Coach of the Month Award.

I know you are reading this thinking, “I.G. has lost his Washington, DC sports-loving mind,� but hear me out.

Excluding Sunday’s no-show, our point differential has averaged around five points a game. Not bad, considering four out of those six games were against playoff teams.

During the losing streak, Eddie Jordan has been doing his best coaching job of the season. He has every player our roster playing well beyond what they have been doing all season. Look at the stats:

• Etan Thomas has had two double-double in a six game span including a game of 19pts, 10rebs, and 3blocks against the Charlotte Bobcats.
• Songalia scored 19 in an overtime loss to New Jersey Nets on 7 of 14 shooting.
• DeShawn Steven scored 25 in a win over Atlanta Hawks on 9 of 16 shooting.
• Jarvis Hayes has been shooting 50% from three the past six games and had 29 pts against the New Jersey Nets in an overtime loss shooting 5 of 8 from behind the arc.

Even Big Brendan Haywood had a double-double against the Miami Heat, leading the Wizards in scoring with 14 pts and 10 rebounds over the Big Aristotle.

The player who has really stepped up their game since Gil and Caron have gone down is Antonio Daniels. In his past six starts, Antonio is averaging 14 pts and 10 assists a game, both double his season average. Daniels also leads the league with a 4.10 assist-to-turnover ratio, compared to Steve Nash, the reigning MVP, who sits at eighth-place with a 3.06.

Eddie Jordan has his team playing their hearts out. Gilbert and Caron averaged a combined 47.5 pts, 12 rebounds, 9.7 assists and 4 steals a game this season. If Eddie Jordan and the rest of the team had decided to give up after losing their two best players would anyone have blamed them? Instead, Washington went from a run-and-gun system to a defensive, pound-the-ball-inside team overnight.

Who knew the Wizards were capable of playing such a way. In the win against the Atlanta Hawks the Washington Wizards had 27 assists on their 36 field goals!

Even though the team has lost six of the seven games, they have only been blown out once. And in the Wizards’ defense, Donyell Taylor was the starting point guard. It is almost impossible for any team to keep it close with a second year, third string point guard leading the way. In a league where teams such as Boston, Memphis, Milwaukee, and Seattle tank for an upcoming loaded draft, it’s good to know Eddie Jordan and the Wizards are too proud of a team to stoop so low. I am proud to say that I will be cheering on my depleted team and great coach in the playoffs.