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Draft analysis
How the first round unfolded and what it means
Posted: Wednesday June 28, 2006 10:46PM; Updated: Thursday June 29, 2006 2:08AM
Burns' First Round Draft Analysis Pick Team Pos. Player School/
CountryClass Ht. Wt. 1 
PF Andrea Bargnani Benetton Treviso (Italy) -- 6-10 240 An international prospect for the NBA's international city. The big Italian's shooting touch should make him a good fit alongside Chris Bosh in a new wide-open Raptors attack. But new GM Bryan Colangelo can only hope Bargnani will someday be famous for more than just being the first European to go No. 1 overall. 2 
PF LaMarcus Aldridge Texas So. 6-11 235 Thank you, Isiah Thomas! The Bulls are sending this pick to Portland for the No. 4 pick. The Blazers decided they needed an extra big man in case they want to move Zach Randolph and/or Joel Przybilla departs as a free agent. Aldridge, though still a year or two away, is the best of the low-post players out there. 3 
SF Adam Morrison Gonzaga Jr. 6-8 200 New boss Michael Jordan opts for the "next Larry Bird" over the raw potential of Rudy Gay. After his experience with Kwame Brown, who can blame him? Morrison's a great scorer who should fit well with Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor and Raymond Felton, but can the 'Stache defend on the NBA level? 4 
PF Tyrus Thomas LSU Fr. 6-8 220 It appears this pick is headed to Chicago in exchange for Aldridge. Though Thomas doesn't solve Chicago's need for a low-post scorer, he gives the Bulls a much-needed athletic forward to join the likes of Luol Deng, Andres Nocioni and Tyson Chandler. He also gives them flexibility for a future trade. 5 
PF Shelden Williams Duke Sr. 6-9 260 No surprise. The Hawks needed a defensive power forward, and "The Landlord" is an Antonio Davis clone who did a good job protecting the paint at Duke. But will Atlanta regret passing on a point guard again, especially if Randy Foye or Marcus Williams blows up? 6 
SG Brandon Roy Washington Sr. 6-6 210 The T'wolves made this pick for the Blazers (at No. 7). In return, they'll get Randy Foye. He's a Chauncey Billups-type combo guard who should help make up for the loss of Rashad McCants to a season-ending injury. He could be the playmaker Kevin Garnett needs. 7 
SG Randy Foye Villanova Sr. 6-3 210 The Blazers got this pick as part of the Sebastian Telfair/Raef LaFrentz trade. They then traded Foye to the T'wolves to get the player they really coveted in Roy. Portland needs an all-around player like Roy, who's ready to play right away, and the fact that he's from the Pacific Northwest doesn't hurt. 8 
SF Rudy Gay Connecticut So. 6-8 225 The Rockets wanted Roy, but since he was no longer available, they apparently have made this pick for the Grizzlies as part of a larger trade. Gay is a raw talent but he should help bring some much-needed athleticism to Memphis' attack. But does he have the heart and desire to be the complementary piece Pau Gasol needs? 9 
C Patrick O'Bryant Bradley So. 7-0 250 The Warriors need a center, and this agile 7-footer is the best of this year's crop. Unfortunately this year's center group is not strong, and O'Bryant is not likely to be much better than Adonal Foyle right now. 10 
C Saer Sene Pepinster (Belgium) -- 7-0 235 The Sonics tried to trade down here, but apparently had no luck. So they followed their recent trend and went big with this long-armed Senegalese shot-blocker. He will likely need a year or two of seasoning overseas, but at least Seattle won't have to pay him until then. 11 
SG J.J. Redick Duke Sr. 6-5 190 Gutsy call. While Redick finished his career as one of the greatest shooters in NCAA history, some teams were scared off by concerns over his defense and a back injury. But the Magic needed an outside shooter, and Redick should get lots of looks playing alongside Dwight Howard. 12 
F/C Hilton Armstrong Conecticut 6-10 240 The Hornets were widely expected to make this pick, since they need a big man. Armstrong is a wide body with good hands who can defend and set screens. He also comes from a winning program at UConn. He might not be a great player, but he looks solid. 13 
F Thabo Sefolosha Biella (Italy) -- 6-6 215 This pick was made for the Bulls, with the two teams trading places on the board. The Bulls wanted to add a big defensive shooting guard, and they love this versatile Swiss swingman with long arms and ball-handling skills, but there are questions about his assertiveness. Most pundits had Sefolosha going a little later, so GM John Paxson is taking a bit of a risk here. 14 
SG Ronnie Brewer Arkansas Jr. 6-7 225 A Brewer in Utah? Well, the Jazz needed an athletic perimeter player to go with Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur, and this Arkansas standout can slash and score. Nobody will go drink themselves silly to celebrate this pick, but it's hard to argue with it. 15 PF Cedric Simmons North Carolina State So. 6-10 225 Once again, the Hornets go for size. Like Armstrong, Simmons is a solid-if-not-spectacular type from a major college conference who should be able to help some right away. With Chris Andersen suspended (drugs) and P.J. Brown in the last year of his contract, New Orleans clearly wanted to shore up its frontcourt. First Round Analysis Draft Continued
