BlueDevil

Bargnani better prove hes worth all that money, i wasnt sure that was the best move. And I hope Wright starts, so at least one of the starters can play defense. Nice writeup good job!

Nice read. Montreal and BC are the only places I could really see working though. Unfortunately, due to taxes, many of the players dont want to sign here because they lose so much money. There are ways around this of course, but the players never seem to take the effort, they would rather just stay out of Canada. Such a shame.

Dont get me wrong, all that is true, but is greatness really all about stats. I think Carter will be remembered for having done the most for the Raptors because he led them to the playoffs for the first time, and had that killer instinct, so he would be the player taking the last shot. Is Bosh that kind of player? not really. And very few PFs are. But Carter did so much for this franchise, while Bosh just kind of kept us at mediocre. If he leads us to the Confrence finals or further, then he would probably get my vote. For me though, being the leader in points scored, field goals, etc, doesnt have much of an impact to me, especially with Toronto which is only 15 years old and hasnt had many players stick around for a long time. If it was on a team like the Lakers or Celtics, it would be more meaningful.

Lol thats wierd, cuz Rudy Gay is one of your favourite players

Tayshaun Prince

Dylan...Dylan... Dylan, Dylan, Dylan.- Because he spits hot fire. On a serious note. -Biggie -Nas -Tupac -Lupe -Eminem

I had this same poll on my article on BP, and some people actually picked Bargnani as the best player in the Draft! ya my choices were he would be the one i wouldnt consider a star, and Roy is easily the best in the draft.

I was praying he would go to Europe last year, was so upset he didnt. He is easily the player I hate most in the NBA. Flops, plays with his hair, thinks hes good. Hopefully Ron Ron puts him in his place.

The finale of the three part series looking back at the class of 2006, this article will focus on the top five players in the draft. These players all entered the league with a fair amount of hype, and have achieved success in the NBA. While only one of the players has managed to become the face of their respective franchise, as well as an all-star, all five of these players have had great individual success in the league, and have all had a different impact for their team. If you want to check back on the previous parts, Part One- The Busts can be found at http://bleacherreport.com/articles/235819-a-look-back-at-the-class-of-06-part-one-the-busts while Part Two- The Middle Men can be found at http://bleacherreport.com/articles/236627-a-look-back-at-the-class-of-06-part-two-the-middle-men LaMarcus Aldridge- Drafted Second Overall LaMarcus Aldridge has proven that he can be a starting power forward in this league, and should one day be playing alongside his teammate Brandon Roy in an all-star game. Drafted second overall and traded by Chicago for Tyrus Thomas, Aldridge had a promising rookie year, mainly coming off the bench. He averaged a modest nine points per game, which was good enough to garner All-Rookie honours. It was in his sophomore season that he really exploded, nearly doubling his points per game with 17.8. This was due to his promotion to the starting lineup, as he started all of the 76 games he played. His third year was much of the same, averaging 18.1 points. Aldridge has put in the effort to improve his shooting ability, to the point where he can consistently hit open 18-footers. His rebounding and defense have also improved dramatically. The Blazers have done an amazing job through the draft, and easily have the best duo of the 2006 draft, possibly the top two players. With their young nucleus, along with the addition of Andre Miller, the future looks bright in Portland. Rudy Gay- Drafted Eighth Overall While Rudy Gay my no longer be the face of the Grizzlies franchise, there is no doubt he will be a huge factor in determining how far they progress in returning to the postseason. After a relatively quiet rookie season, Gay exploded, increasing his scoring average from 10.8 points per game to an impressive 20.1. Also in his sophomore season, he became the Grizzlies best player after the trade of franchise player Pau Gasol. Rudy Gay is considered one of the most athletic players in the NBA, and has a highlight dunk every time he’s on the court. Despite all the hype though, he hasn’t really improved his game over his first three seasons. That appears to have changed however, as he is hoping to make the cut for the U.S. national team. Increasing his shooting percentage, and a commitment to defense would not only take his game to new limits, it could also assure him a roster spot on team U.S.A. Now with the addition of O.J. Mayo to the Memphis squad, Gay can maybe take a backseat and become a great secondary option, instead of being the primary option like years before. With the young roster the Grizzlies have developed, it is almost assured that better days are soon to follow. Andrea Bargnani- Drafted First Overall He is coming off a career year, and the Raptors feel that he will improve enough to keep him around for another five years. Bargnani was the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, and many feel he could still be a top player in this league. His points per game have been steadily improving, and while his rebound totals are still low for a 7-footer, he is doing his best to improve. He has greatly improved his defense since his rookie year, but that will never be his strong suit. His ability to hit shots anywhere on the court helps the Raptors spread the court and pull their big men out to guard, allowing Chris Bosh to battle inside. He should not be playing the center position however, so if Bosh does leave soon, Bargnani should be a solid replacement. It took a couple years for Dirk Nowitzki to develop into an NBA MVP, and if the comparisons are true, soon Bargnani will follow. While an MVP trophy may be unlikely, he has the skills to be a very solid player in the league, and could quite possibly make an all-star game or two. Rajon Rondo-Drafted 21st Overall Looking at the stat line of Rajon Rondo will only tell you half the story, and it’s amazing how much this young player has progressed over his first three years. After a rookie year that he spent shuffled in and out of the starting lineup, Rondo really proved his worth in his sophomore season, when he was the unquestioned starting point guard alongside three all-stars in Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett. Rondo did not disappoint as he did everything the Celtics could have asked and Boston once again was crowned NBA champions. In his third season, he continued to improve, this time working on his inconsistent shot that has plagued him his entire career. While that is still a work in progress, he is one of the best slashing point guards, and arguably the best rebounding point guard in the league. He is also one of the fastest players, and is a crafty ball handler and distributor, as well as a leader in steals every year. If Rondo continues to develop at this pace, an all-star game is a sure bet reward, and quite possibly another ring or two. Brandon Roy – Drafted Sixth Overall Brandon Roy is easily the best player in the 2006 draft. His ability to be a clutch shooter, as well as his high basketball IQ, are just a few of the reasons the Raptors would surely draft differently if they were to go back in time. He has been a starter since opening night of his career, and averages just less than 20 points per game for his career. He’s a two time all-star, as well as being in constant MVP discussion. Roy took over as the Blazers captain after his rookie year, after former captain Zach Randolph was traded away. Since then he has increased his production, as well as improve his overall skills. He also possesses the ability to make his team better, as the Blazers have increased their overall wins to the point of returning to the postseason last year. While only entering his fourth NBA season, Roy is one of the older players on his young Blazer’s team. After spending four years at college, Roy has been in enough high pressure games to be one of the most dependable clutch players in the NBA. With Roy leading the way, the future should include an NBA championship for the Blazers. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/237367-a-look-back-at-the-class-of-06-part-three-the-stars

I really dont think Bosh can touch Carter. When Carter was in the dunk competition, he put on a show that made the raptors cool to watch. After that the Raps got so much publicity, and really changed the direction of the franchise. Bosh has been solid his whole career, but hasnt really taken over the raptors. Carter did.

So you can control what they say, but they probably wont be able to say it. So you get creative control, but lose some audio features.

Thats pretty cool. I love it when ppl have played against NBA players. And as long as he can block shots, he should always find work in the NBA. Big guys seem to have that advantage.

LMAO I love how everyone hats Vujacic. I thought I was the only one. Its amazing he can be cut from this team, yet still make millions and collect rings with the Lakers. The Lakers should follow the National Teams lead and buy him out so we can all be rid of him

Wow a clean sweep of the NBA finals, all of us picked the same teams and the same winners. Thats crazy

Just out of curiousity, why is Rudy happy in Memphis? Is it because hes the featured player, because it appears theyre not gonna win big anytime soon

LOL im aware

Every time I see him play for the Raps i cringe. I really thought he would pan out, especially after leaving GS. I guess not though

wow i read about that and couldnt figure out how he did it. simply amazing.

Ya that part, and where it has like Mark Madsen cut by Clippers, etc. It just looks a little messy. But great job I dont know how you do this stuff but keep it up

Thats what i was wondering during free agency, if he were to go to a team like OKC. He would be a starter no doubt, but would he still have that same effectiveness in Utah? I think he would, but hes not a player to build around, just a quality guy who comes in and does his jobs, getting between 10 and 15 points, and a bunch of rebounds. Nothing spectacular, just solid.

im guessin he wanted to have a collection of different kinds of players, who can all contribute differently. If this were one bench, you couldnt have Terry Manu Posey etc all coming off. There wouldnt be enough room. Thats why your seeing someone like Songalia, who would be cheap and at the end of the bench, but still effective.

Kaman rated wayyy too high. And Biedrins wayy too low. I really believe Biedrins is at least a top 15 centre in the league. Detroit Indiana Memphis OKC Philly and Sacramento dont have a top 30 centre in their starting lineup? Memphis with Marc Gasol and Philly with Delembert, even Sacramento with Hawes, I think they all should be somewhere in this top 30. But Detroit Indy and OKC really dont I agree.

I like the OTR player/staff/etc feature, but is there a need to have the group:player/staff/etc underneith it? and also on the homepage where you have the late breaking news, it should be a little more cleaned up and organized. but as always great work. im just nitpicking.

agreed

Im thinkin the same, Millsap is as good as hes gonna get, but if he had a bigger role on a team he would be a huge asset. As for Foye, I was amazed by his career averages, regardless of the fact he was on the Wolves. He put up some nice numbers and could develop into a nice 6th type player.