All About a B

About.com's 2005 Draft Review handed out a B to the Warriors.

The Warriors got the need right -- a low-post scorer -- and had their pick of several guys who could fit the ball. Unfortunately, they picked wrong with Diogu, a smallish power player who benefitted from being the man at Arizona St. and dominated a very soft league inside for three seasons. Diogu's skills are limited and he's not an impressive athlete.

Golden State got tremendous value from their second-round selections of Ellis and Taft, who both slid from Lottery heights. Ellis tested poorly at Chicago, but numbers lie: he's an explosive option at guard who just needs to work on grasping the finer points of running an offense and involving his teammates. Taft's motor has always been an issue, but this slap in the face may awaken him. The flashes of dominance in the paint are often fleeting, but it's hard not to be sucked in when you see his power and quickness intersect even for a moment. ... B

The Source of Analysis

Don't sleep on The NBA Source's In-Depth Look at the 2005 NBA Draft.

The Warriors were ranked as the 5th best performer in the league on draft day and Chris Taft made the Biggest Steals list.

5. Golden State
#9- PF Ike Diogu, Arizona St.
#40- PG Monta Ellis, Lanier H.S. (MS)
#42- PF Chris Taft, Pittsburgh

-I was really pulling for my Warriors to nab Hakim Warrick at #9, but Diogu might actually be a better fit with his superior rebounding and post skills. Ellis and Taft were absolute money 2nd round picks given their potential. 5 years from now the Warriors could very well have had the best 2005 NBA Draft.

4.0 from Fox

FoxSports gave the Warriors an A for their 2005 draft.

Picks: 1) Ike Diogu, 6-8, 250, F, Arizona State; 2a) Monta Ellis, 6-3, 175, PG, Lanier High School (Miss.); 2b) Chris Taft, 6-10, 260, PF, Pitt.

Needs: More power players and depth in the backcourt.

Summary: All of a sudden, Chris Mullin's fingerprints are all over this roster, and that's a good thing. He can only hope Mike Montgomery has a handle on how to take these youngsters to the next level.

Grade: A

Vibin' Analysis

HoopsVibe has some first round analysis. Here's what they had to say about the Warriors taking Ike Diogu:

Ike will help the Warriors down low. Last season, Golden State was the NBA's worst rebounding team. The beefy forward can hit the glass and plays like Elton Brand. With Diogu, Troy Murphy may move over to the center spot.

Shoot Outs straight from the Ike

New Warrior Diogu can shoot it from SF Chronicle by Janny Hu

The way Rob Evans sees it, the Warriors got more than the low-post scorer and rebounder they were looking for in Ike Diogu. The Arizona State coach believes Golden State also found itself a shooter.

With range, that is.

"Every year, we challenge him to improve a different part of his game," said Evans, Diogu's college coach. "Coming out of (Spring 2004), every day last summer, that's what he worked on, shooting from 3-point range.

"The biggest thing you have to understand now is he can take his game outside."

You have to wonder- if the hype is true will the Warriors have some of the best long range shooting PF's in the league in Troy Murphy and Ike Diogu? It's a strange quality to have on your hoops squad.

Nickel and Dimin' for a 3.0

DimeMag gave the Warriors a solid B for their 2005 draft.

Golden State was clearly looking for front line rebounding help and they got it in Ike Diogu. Diogu is a monster in the paint, attacking the glass like his life depends on it. Couple that with his improving offensive game and the Warriors have themselves a solid post player to go to work with Troy Murphy under the hoop. High schooler Monta Ellis is an intriguing talent and could be molded into an NBA point guard in time. Golden State’s third pick, Chris Taft at #42, is well worth the gamble. If he ever figures it out, he could be a steal.
Grade: B

Taft Terror

MVN- The City covers everything you wanted to know about Chris Taft and more in I’m so motivated, it’s unbelievable!

Obviously being drafted #42 was a combination of poor workouts, a bad reputation, and a lot of bad luck. A good thing about being picked this late is that now the onus is on Taft. Had he gone in the lottery, the money would have been guaranteed, and he would have been set for life. Now, as a second round pick, Taft has to earn his way into the NBA. If he lollygags it, there will be a Greyhound bus ticket to the nearest NBDL team. And for the Warriors, all they risk is a second round pick. Taft may be inconsistent, but he’s still a big time prospect. Don’t forget he’s only 20.

Mo Mickael and Zarko. No Mo Rodney

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- The Golden State Warriors exercised their contract options for next season on guard Mickael Pietrus and forward Zarko Cabarkapa.

The Warriors also waived forward Rodney White on Thursday.

Pietrus, the 11th pick in the 2003 draft, will make $1.91 million next season and $2.535 million in 2006-07. The athletic swingman averaged 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 67 games last season for the Warriors, who are grooming him as a defensive stopper.

Cabarkapa, the No. 17 selection in 2003, was acquired from Phoenix in a trade on Jan. 3. The native of Serbia and Montenegro showed promise in 37 games with the Warriors, averaging 6.2 points and 2.7 rebounds.

Cabarkapa will make $1.404 million next season and $2.157 million in 2006-07.

``Mickael and Zarko played a big role in our second half success last season,'' said Chris Mullin, the Warriors' vice president of basketball operations. ``We look forward to watching their continued development in the future.''

White, acquired from Denver on Feb. 24, played little in 16 games with Golden State. He also played for the Detroit Pistons in his four-year career.

Sign our Draft Picks

Slim Pickings draft analysis over at Sign-Arenas.20FR.com

9) Warriors - As you probably know by now, the Warriors drafted Ike Diogu out of Arizona State with the 9th pick. Diogu continues the Warriors' legacy of drafting players from powerhouse college programs (J-Rich, Arenas, Dunleavy), and finally breaks the Warriors' history of duplicating skill sets. Instead of drafting yet another perimeter player, Golden State took one of the leading rebounders in the country, albeit one who stands only 6'8". Of course, if "Moneyball" and the New England Patriots have taught me anything, it's that a guy's performance is the most important thing, not how good he looks doing it. The Warriors needed someone who can rebound and score inside, and they got someone who can rebound and score inside.

He's not an end-all, be-all elite power forward, but that guy wasn't in the draft this year, much less available with the 9th pick. The Warriors weren't exactly presented with a candy lineup to choose from this year. I've talked myself into liking the Diogu pick over the past day and a half, but only as a potential reserve. The best part of this pick is that it means Mike Dunleavy sticks around for a little while longer, after playing well with Baron at the end of last season. Upon hearing the news, Dunleavy celebrated with a wine spritzer and curled up with a good book.

The second round brought two more picks for the Warriors, the first of which was Monta Ellis, the first (and presumably last) high school player ever taken by Golden State. ESPN rushed through this pick pretty quickly, but I did manage to catch three tidbits on Ellis: he averaged 38 points per game in high school, he's 6'3", and he weighs 79 pounds. His highlight film was a big grainy, but Ellis looks to be constructed from raw spaghetti noodles, and I can only assume that his knee problems came about when the chewing gum holding his leg together lost its stickiness.

The Warriors' final pick came at #42, where they selected Pittsburgh forward Chris Taft. I made a mistake earlier when I mentioned that Jay Bilas shook off Stuart Scott's betrayal on national television: instead of simply bringing out the spelling bee kid, Bilas apparently internalized all of his rage and channeled it onto Chris Taft. By the time Bilas was done listing Taft's shortcoming's, I was expecting a live feed showing Taft being sent to Gitmo. I think Bilas even found time to kick Taft's dog.

Taft supposedly has all the talent necessary to become a good player, but his lackluster attitude left a lot of team scared ("shook", according to Stuart Scott) to take him. Of course, Taft could have answered all these questions and more by simply coming out of the stands after Bilas' rant, WWF-style, to challenge Jay to a fight. Bilas would then have begged off, only to throw salt in Taft's eyes when he wasn't looking. At the very least, it would have been nice to hear Taft's music when Bilas was talking, just to see the expression on his face. But I've already listed a number of ways to make the draft better. In the end, the draft itself is just like the players it produces: lots of potential, but destined to disappoint.

Blessed to be a Warrior

Lanier standout falls short of first-round goal from The Clarion-Ledger

Projected as a first-round pick in some circles, Ellis slipped to the second round Tuesday night, where he was selected with the 40th overall pick by the Golden State Warriors.

"There was a lot going through my mind," said a disappointed Ellis, who watched the draft on television with some 200 friends, family and media at a Jackson establishment. "I know half the guys who were drafted — and I know I'm way better than them. But it's a blessing to get drafted by the Warriors. Now I'm just going to go in and work hard and prove everybody wrong."
Ellis — a 6-foot-3 guard from Lanier, the state's Mr. Basketball for 2005 and the Parade magazine national Co-Player of the Year, had hoped to become the third high school player from Mississippi in the last three years to be chosen in the first round, following in the footsteps of Travis Outlaw of Starkville in 2003 and Al Jefferson of Prentiss in '04.

The Promise Express

DraftExpress hands out grades for the 2005 draft:

#9: Golden State: B

Ike Diogu, PF, Arizona State (#9)
Monta Ellis, PG, Lainier HS (#40)
Chris Taft, PF, Pitt (#42)

Although he probably won’t be an allstar, Diogu is an excellent pick for the Warriors for where they were drafting. He will bring them a lot of things that they are sorely missing right now, including scoring inside the post, toughness, work ethic, rebounding and a high character. We’ve been telling you for months and months about how underrated Diogu is, and the truth finally came out on draft night. Diogu was promised by the Warriors that he would not slip past them after he worked out for them a few days before the draft (DraftExpress were the only ones to report about this workout), but only if Channing Frye was not on the board. He was there, and unlike a few other promises we heard about, this one was actually kept. In the 2nd round the Warriors took Monta Ellis, a player who was ridiculously overhyped by most scouting services all year, but was destined for the 2nd round since the day he declared because of his attitude and lack of PG skills. Ellis reportedly refused to work out for a couple of teams drafting in the late first round, citing that he had a promise already from another team. He then allegedly came in hung over to the combines at the pre-draft camp and narrowly edged out Luke Schenscher to save himself from ending up as the worst athlete in Chicago. At the end of the day he saw his stock fall to the mid 2nd round, where the Warriors got great value for a guy they can stash in the D-League for the next year or two until he’s maybe ready to back up Baron Davis or take his game to Europe. Chris Taft is a guy who was projected as a lottery pick for most of the year, but absolutely killed his stock with his poor work ethic and by coming in out of shape and working out poorly for every single NBA team we spoke with. Maybe he’ll come in with some type of chip on his shoulder next season, but that’s pretty doubtful unless the NBDL can somehow wake him up from his coma.

Sticking with Dunnuthin'

Mullin fancies Ike and Mike by Carl Steward for Inside Bay Area.com

YOU CAN bet Mike Dunleavy watched Tuesday night's NBA Draft with a great deal of interest, if not some degree of apprehension and anxiety.
After all, it's one thing for your team to tell you that it loves you and that it wants you around forever. But until the team demonstrates its intentions through its actions, a player can never be sure what tomorrow may bring.

An overlooked aspect of the Golden State Warriors' draft is that by selecting Arizona State power forward Ike Diogu with the No.9 pick, they basically told the outside world that Dunleavy is probably going to continue as a Warriors' starting small forward for a while and perhaps even throughout his prime years.

Debriefing with The City

Don't sleep on our man Dave Isaac's Draft Debriefing over at MVN- The City.

I think when you look at the Warriors’ draft, you have to look at it from two different angles. This draft is probably the most loaded since 1996, when superstars, role players, and end of the rotation guys were taken from top of the draft all the way to the bottom. The Warriors attempted to play it safe this year, picking a guy who fit for a need, and was one of the top 20 guys in the draft – maybe not the ninth best. When Andrew Bynum, Gerald Green, and Danny Granger are on the board, you’re looking at guys with a lot of upside. The Warriors picked a big man who had a lot of success in college over a potential superstar in the making in 1998, too. Now, Adonal Foyle is earning $8 million for blocking shots and playing 20 minutes a game, while Tracy McGrady is a superstar with the Houston Rockets. The Warriors were in a position where they could try to upgrade at the 4/5 spot through free agency (thanks to minority owners with fat wallets – as pointed out by Fitzgerald). Now, don’t get me wrong, Monta Ellis is a good pick at #40. A combo guard, he can score in any number of ways, is quick, and can be a very special player in the future. As the first high school player taken by the Warriors, however, he is undersized at 6′3″, 175 lbs. Ellis may be with his second team before he becomes a starting guard. All I have to say about Chris Taft is this: you’ve got a mid-second round pick, and a guy who averaged 13.3 and 7.5 a game is still on the board. His knock is motivation, but he’s got the skills. This is what the second round is for: taking a chance. Who knows – there’s a good chance that the Warriors could end up playing Taft over Diogu down the road.

All in all, the Warriors had a fair draft. Then again, the Raptors were the only team that had draft picks that made you shake your head. Now the Raps have Jalen Rose, Joey Graham, Charlie Villanueva, and Chris Bosh competing for two spots. So who did the best?

It's Ike That

Warriors like Ike with top pick from Inside Bay Area.com

Instead, Golden State opted to fill its need for a low-post threat with Diogu, the first player in Pac-10 history to lead the conference in scoring (22.6), rebounding (9.8) and blocked shots (2.3) in the same season. Granger went 17th to Indiana while Green slipped to Boston one pick later.

Ike Card Pickup

Draft day gambling not in the cards from Inside Bay Area.com

Diogu is an undersized (6-71/2, 250) power forward who rebounds, has a solid jump shot, is active in the paint and makes his free throws. He also spent three years at Arizona State, is the Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year and possesses impeccable character.

Diogu is a safe pick poised for a good career.

Devilish Warrior

Diogu Goes Lottery, Picked 9th by the Warriors from Devils Diget.com

“It caught me off guard being selected that high, but that's the crazy thing about the NBA Draft,'' Diogu told the Arizona Republic after his name was called.”You never know. All it takes is one general manager to like you. I'm very familiar with the area after going up there and playing Stanford and Cal."

Desert Ike

Warriors 'shock' Diogu at No. 9 from The Arizona Republic

In the end, Diogu was the unanimous choice of Golden State's staff, which includes coach Mike Montgomery and former Suns scout Al Bianchi. When Montgomery was at Stanford, he coached against Diogu during his freshman and sophomore seasons.

"After all we had seen of Ike, he was the guy," Bianchi said. "We have a need for a low-post presence. We feel Ike can give us that. He's also a solid citizen. He'll play for 10, 12 years."

Revenge of the Tafts

Taft gets chance at redemption by Marcus Thompson for SJ Mercury

Pittsburgh power forward Chris Taft is excited.

Not because he fell to deep in the second round of the NBA draft Tuesday. Not because his heart is constantly questioned by NBA experts.

He's excited because he gets a chance to prove everybody wrong.

Early Diogu

Diogu picked earlier than expected in first round from SFGate.com

Of the first 15 picks in the NBA Draft, only one didn't step up to the ESPN set at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, wearing the logo of his new employers. Only one didn't make the trip to New York at all. Ike Diogu couldn't put on a baseball cap with a Warriors insignia unless he went to a sporting-goods store in Dallas and bought one.

The No. 9 pick said that even if he had been invited to the Garden, he would have preferred to stay in Texas and be around his family. Diogu knew he wasn't a glamorous prospect. He projected himself in the No. 15 to No. 25 range, not in the top 10.

That attitude will serve Diogu well, because the Warriors hired him for grunt work. They expect him to wash windows.

Liking Ike

Warriors like Ike: Mullin pulls a surprise by grabbing Sun Devils' Diogu with first pick by Janny Hu for SFGate.com

"I was in shock," Diogu said. "That's the crazy thing about the NBA Draft. All it takes is one general manager to like you."

Turns out that person was Warriors vice president Chris Mullin, who shook up the draft by tabbing the Arizona State power forward as his answer to Golden State's frontline needs.

Who's Monta?

Here's an interesting piece on the Warriors 2nd round draft pick Monta Ellis. Warriors Nation might not know too much about him since he's a high schooler, but take a look: Basketball star deals with attention, rumors from the Clarion-Ledger

Chris Tafty

Taft shakes off criticism, vows to impress Warriors from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

"People haven't gotten a glimpse of the real Chris Taft. I am ready to show everybody what I can do. I am very athletic," Taft said. "I see myself fitting in well (with Golden State), especially with a point guard like Baron Davis. I can be one of the guys finishing plays for him."

Taft will come through?

It's not time to give up on Taft from the Post-Gazzette

Golden State will give Taft every opportunity to make the team. It's easy to think Warriors coach Mike Montgomery will be able to find the key to Taft's enormous potential. Montgomery was successful at Stanford before moving to the NBA and knows how to coach young players.

It's easier to think the draft snub will motivate Taft. No one doubts his marvelous athleticism. That's why there was lottery-pick talk in the first place. And Taft does have the one thing that every coach covets -- a long body. Not even Phil Jackson can teach a guy to be 6 feet 10.

What we're all about

Thank you to all our fans and supporters of the Golden State Warriors BLOG.
We've received a ton of fan mail and comments, but we've also had our critics. Part of the criticism seems to stem from not knowing who we are or what the blog is about.

Just to address everyone's questions and comments:

1. "Have you clowns even watched a game of college ball?"
Yup, we watch it and luv it. We were clowning around about the Diogu pick since there really hasn't been anyone with his height and weight at the 4 or 5 position that has been an impact player in the NBA. Charles Barkley was the only one of recent memory. There are of course exceptions to the rule.
In any case, big welcome to our newest Warriors Ike Diogu, Monta Ellis, and Chris Taft from all of us at the Golden State Warriors BLOG!! We're glad to have you on board.

2. "Do you morons even have High School Degrees?"
Yup, we all have them. All of us have some how managed to get college degrees as well (I'm joking- we all did fine). We hold 3 Masters degrees (soon to be 5) and will have 2 PhD's maybe more... someday. I think this is a fair question since there's usually a little bit about the author when you read an article in the newspaper or news site .

3. "You guys aren't basketball experts."
We've all played high school ball and 1 of us played ball for their college. We've all watched the Warriors for 15+ years. We're hoops junkies. We know the game- it's our religion.

4. "The GSW BLOG guys are just a bunch of hella sexy men."
I can't deny it.

5. "This BLOG is more comedy than an actual Warriors site."
No question- we are NOT affiliated with the Golden State Warriors in any way. This is a fan site. We cover everything about the Warriors and offer a comedic spin while staying true to our Hip Hop roots. It should be clear from the blog what is news and what is comedy. Why the comedy? They haven't made the playoffs in 11 years! During this time span George W Bush has won the presidential election twice! If Dr. Evil with a 5th grade eduction can be president there's no excuse for the Warriors mishaps of the past decade plus (and before if you're old enough). It takes a real bunch of Warriors nuts like us to actually care about and cover such a hillariously bad franchise.

6. "News and humor are great, but more analysis already!"
You asked for it, you got it. Stay tuned Warriors Nation...


Questions, comments, praise, hating? Post in our comments or feel free to email us at goldenstwarriors@gmail.com


Track of the Day: Baby Bash and Akon "Baby, I'm Back" (just like the Warriors next season!)

Wednesday's Warrior Words

this blog sucks you guys are bias and make stupid comments go to mercurynews forum, there are smart people on there who know who to pick. whoever makes updates on this draft suck. ike diogu is an awesome player --anonymous

We here at the GSW Blog provide a space for insight critiques, comments, humor and dialogue about Warriors happenings from the hardwood to the dancefloor. We enjoy the fact that Warrior fans from our the globe frequent our site and we appreciate their willingness to offer their perspective on Warriors news. But this guy is just ridiculous.

In the comments sxn of our post about Ike Diogu's resemblance to Fortson, anonymous was furious about our pun at the potential similarities in game, if not the size. If y'all forgot, Fortson used to be skinnier too as did Sir Charles Barkely, other undersized Power Fowards. In a sxn of the San Jose Mercury News this morning, Marcus Thompson compared Diogu to Fortson himself, with the potential upside of Elton Brand. Whether or not he turns out to be good or not remains to be seen, but don't be mad cuz we offer counterarguments. otherwise, whut difference would we be from the official Warriors webpage?

But I digress...

We at the Golden State Warriors Blog are open to dialogue and we respect the freedom of speech. But we remind you, if you come with some weak comments, you will be put on blast. Also the Warriors boosterism and jingoism needs to stop somewhere! Look where that's gotten us???

more updates to come...

In the meantime, enjoy some photos of some of the NBA's Finest Cheerleaders!



(cred. Warriors.com)

EDIT-- Make sure to check out the new Fab 5! [atma brother #1]

Lets Get Physical... Physical...

Greg Beachem breaks down how the Warriors got tougher with the addition of Ike Diogu.

Few observers expected Diogu to be chosen so early in the draft, including Diogu. But the Warriors loved his low-post play, long arms, excellent free-throw shooting and physical presence — all attributes they could use this fall.


"Watching him over his college career and also watching him closely in workouts here, we felt strongly about him going in," said Chris Mullin, the Warriors' vice president of basketball operations. "We like this player. We like Ike, plus he fills what we were looking for as well."

(cred. SF GATE)

3.0 GPA

Yahoo Sports hands out grades and the Warriors scored above average with a 3.0

The Warriors are trying to pattern themselves after Phoenix, with a running style led by a dynamic point guard and a slew of great athletes. Can Ike Diogu be the inside threat to complement the perimeter talent? Monta Ellis is a high school point guard who is very gifted, and Chris Taft is an enigma – a talented big man from Pittsburgh who would have been a lottery pick last season. These guys could all work out for Chris Mullin, but they could all fail, too. No sure things here.
Grade: B

(cred. Yahoo Sports)

Do you ya'll agree? Vote on our polls at the bottom of this page.

Mo' Draft Coverage!

San Jose Mercury News drops its analysis of last nites Draft, but our shit is better.

(cred. San Jose Mercury News)

Low Drama

Tim Kawakami says Mully played it safe last nite

(cred. San Jose Mercury News)

Warriors select Chris Taft #42

The Warriors officially have the ugliest frontcourt in the league after selecting Chris Taft.



This could be a steal for the Warriors. Taft was originally in the lottery in many early mock drafts, but because of his attitude his stock has dropped dramatically. If the Warriors can get him to play up to his talent, this could be a great pick.

Warriors select Monta Ellis #40

Warriors pick up high schooler Monta Ellis for the first of their two second round picks.



He only averaged 38.6ppg in high school. I think he needs to work on his shot. Seriously though, he needs to bulk up but that will come as he's very young.

Ikechukwa Somotochukwa Diogu

Here are some comments about our newest Warrior:

Chad Ford:
"I think this is a great pick for the Warriors. I like Ike. They needed some inside toughness and rebounding and Diogu brings that in abundance. Some scouts believes he's too small and not athletic enough, but he is eerily reminiscent of Elton Brand. He has the reach of 7-footer and is deceptively quick off his feet. He'll be very productive at the next level almost immediately and his presence at the four will allow the Warriors to move Troy Murphy to the five. If everyone stays healthy, I think the Warriors will be a playoff team next season."


From Yahoo:

COMPARATIVE UPSIDE: Elton Brand
COMPARATIVE DOWNSIDE: Gary Trent

"POSITIVES: Diogu always seems to be right where the ball is, and that's not by accident. He pursues rebounds relentlessly, snatches loose balls out of the air with one of the best sets of hands around and scores inside over taller people with seeming ease. While not the biggest power forward prospect, Diogu has the kind of makeup that creates lunch-bucket stars like Ben Wallace. However, Diogu has offensive talent as well and has begun to expand his face-the-basket game as well.

SHORTCOMINGS: Diogu is a legitimate 6-8, but that is not big for a power forward in today's NBA. When matched up against Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal or their ilk, he will have to deny them position on the block and try to deny them the ball. He is very strong and can block shots, but length is likely to give him a big challenge."

CollegeHoops.net projects Diogu's numbers:
1st year: 9ppg, 4rpg, 1apg
2nd year: 11ppg, 6rpg, 2apg
Career: 17ppg, 8rpg, 2apg

Holding Down the Fort

Many people in Warriors Nation are so hardcore that they follow the NBA exclusively. Many of you may not even know what Ike Diogu looks like. Here's some pictures of Ike we managed to get our hands on:

Thanks Chris!

I know we here at the Golden State Warrior BLOG have some mixed opinions on taking Ike Diogu with the pick, but you gotta give Chris Mullin some serious props. He listened to what the fans wanted and paid attention to your votes here at the Golden State Warriors BLOG poll.

"Chris Mullin reads the Golden State Warriors BLOG... Chris Mullin reads the Golden State Warriors BLOG... Chris Mullin reads the Golden State Warriors BLOG... Chris Mullin reads the Golden State Warriors BLOG... Chris Mullin reads the Golden State Warriors BLOG..."

Warriors take Ike Diogu #9

Here's looking at our newest Warrior... Ike Diogu?????

More commentary coming...

end of dunleavy..?

PEACE BIATCH!

If they take a small foward like Granger, Green.. i think it's safe to say Dunleavy is getting traded soon.

Who should they Warriors take?

Danny Granger, Gerald Green, Joey Graham, Hakim Warrick, Ike Diogu, Sean May?

This means the Warriors are to take some slow white guy.

Rumor is Todd Fuller's cousin is eligible for this year's draft.

Knicks Get Frye at #8

With the 8th pick, the Knicks select Channing Frye.



From a die hard Knicks fan:
"no frye!!! NNoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!! Isiah what the hell are you thinking?"
Appears as if the fans like pick. Go Isiah!

The WARRIORS are on the clock! Who will they take Granger, Warrick, Diogu?

Toronto Raptors take Charline Villanueva #7

"This is SHOCKING, really" - Jay Bilas
"This pick makes absolutely no sense" -Stephen A. Smith
"Was inconsistent! What? 11pts a game... I can't understand that choice" -Dick Vitale

need we say more? sure we will. he's so damn ugly..

Blazers take Martell Webster #6

The JailBlazers take the first high schooler in the 2005 draft.

Check out his profile.

Martell Webster + Telfair + Miles + Randolph = Nice young core?

Warriors Nation let us know what you think.

Bobcats select Raymond Felton #5

Everybody loves Raymond's NBA Draft Profile



Super fast, super quick, and will put his hand on your face as he posterizes you.

New Orleans Hornets take Chris Paul with #4

What affect does this have on the Warriors? Well, it affects former Warrior Speedy Claxton--constantly shitted on and relegated to the backup position everywhere he goes.

Profile on NBADRAFT.net Chris Paul

Jazz take Darren Williams #3

Hahaha, it's really Deron Williams, but David Stern butchered his name. How embarrassing on draft day! For those of you keeping count that's the 2nd Williams taken in this draft.

NBADraft profile for Deron Williams.

Hawks select Marvin Williams #2

NBA Draft.net's Marvin Williams profile
He couldn't start for UNC, lets see if he can start for the sorry Hawks. And he can do stylish dunks!

Bucks take Bogut #1

Here's a tall, slow, white guy that the Warriors DIDN'T draft.

Check out his nbadraft.net profile.

Our Live Coverage Begins!

Our LIVE coverage of the 2005 NBA Draft begins! We'll keep you posted up until the Warriors select 9th and then cover their two 2nd round picks. Make sure keep hitting Refresh in your browser.

Some updates around the league:
Utah moved up to the 3rd spot by trading their 6th overall pick and 27th along with their 2006 1st rounder to the Portland Trailblazers. This looks like good news for Warriors fans since the 3rd pick could have been Chris Paul or Marvin Williams, players who many regard as future superstars.

In other news the Bucks traded for former Warrior Jiri Welsch for a 2006 2nd round pick to the Cavs.

The Golden State Warriors BLOG-- BELIEVE THE HYPE.

Diogu is the Fans' Pick

Thank you to everyone who voted in our poll about who the Warriors should select. We have passed along your votes to Chris Mullin. He told one of our sources that he will select the player who gets the most votes on this site. He added that it was time to give the Warriors' fans a chance to make the pick. Additionally, he mentioned that it's an improvement over their normal method of just randomly selecting a name from a hat.

Here are the final results:
Diogu and Granger battled it out to the end, and a late surge from Granger nearly brought him to the top, but Ike held on by a mere 2 votes.

Our Thunderous Draft Picks!

The draft is only a few hours away, and inquiring minds want to know, what is Mullin going to do? After hours of extensive research, the Team here has each carefully attempted to scientifically predict who the Warriors will pick. Additionally, we included the player we want the Warriors to select. So without further ado, (drum roll please), here are the picks:


Atma Brother #1
I want the Warriors to pick: Hakim Warrick
I think the Warriors will pick: Chris Taft forming "The Most
Beautifulest Front Court in the League"

DJ Fuzzy Logic
I want the Warriors to pick: Danny Granger
I think the Warriors will pick: Channing Frye

Fantasy Junkie
I want the Warriors to pick: Danny Granger
I think the Warriors will pick: Fran Vazquez

Warriors are Hopeless
I want the Warriors to pick: Hakim Warrick
I think the Warriors will pick: Ike Diogu

YaoButtaMing
I want the Warriors to pick: Maria Sharapova. If not, then I'll take Fran Vazquez
I think the Warriors will pick: Chris Taft (the anit-Sharapova)

Keep Building

Warriors look to build on already-young squad from The Modesto Bee

Dozens of good players will be available, and the Warriors have no single glaring need that could be filled in the draft. That frees Mullin and general manager Rod Higgins to choose their favorite player available, and then give him a few years to establish himself.

"We're trying to keep our options open to every possible scenario," Mullin said. "To me, it's hard to justify picking a position player at the ninth spot who isn't that good of a player.

"The ideal situation is to pick the best player available. We have some improvements that need to be made."

Mr. Popular

Popular Pick by Tim Kawakami for the SJ Mercury

I love working out complex, amazingly improbable scenarios as much as the next guy, and though I agree with Mullin on Frye's unique compatibility with the Warriors' needs, my Mock Draft '05 can find no way to get Frye, a 6-foot-11 shot blocker from Arizona, to the Warriors with the No. 9 pick.

Unless: Mullin wants to use Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy or Mickael Pietrus as bait to move up (hello Utah?) to grab Frye. That would be risky. That would be Mullin-esque.

But I doubt that Mullin would sacrifice that much talent if his consolation prize at No. 9 is a choice among multi-talented New Mexico forward Danny Granger, Syracuse's defensive-minded Hakim Warrick or Arizona State's Ike Diogu.

I'm guessing it will be the 6-8 Granger, who runs and shoots like an NBA small forward but might be able to masquerade as a part-time power forward thanks to his long arms, springy legs and aggressive mindset.

Best Pickings

Marcus Thompson for the Contra Costa Times writes that the No. 9 pick will be best available for the Warriors.

They wait to see if the Milwaukee Bucks take Andrew Bogut or Marvin Williams. They wait to see to whom the Portland Trail Blazers trade the No. 3 pick. They wait to see if the Utah Jazz goes for a point guard or a big man.

What the Warriors do with the ninth pick in today's NBA draft at Madison Square Garden depends so much on what happens ahead of them. Because things are so unsettled above them, the Warriors have no choice but to wait and be prepared for everything.

Our Last 10

The Contra Costa Times lists the Warriors past 10 1st round draft picks.

The Past 10 Draft Picks at #9

For the record let's look at the past 10 #9 picks.

2004: Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers

2003: Mike Sweetney, New York Knicks

2002: Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns

2001: Rodney White, Detroit Pistons

2000: Joel Przybilla, Houston Rockets

1999: Shawn Marion, Phoenix Suns

1998: Dirk Nowitzki, Milwaukee(s1) Bucks

1997: Tracy McGrady, Toronto Raptors

1996: Samaki Walker, Dallas Mavericks

1995: Ed O'Bannon, New Jersey Nets

The Revolution will be Drafted?

Revolution No. 9? It could happen by Janny Hu for SFGate.com

Four more players entering the draft, four more players to choose. More importantly, Mullin knew, the deeper the talent pool pushed down to Golden State at the No. 9 spot.

Barring any trades, that is where the Warriors will make their first selection in tonight's NBA Draft at Madison Square Garden. Tar Heels forward Marvin Williams and point guard Raymond Felton will not be around, but their entry means New Mexico's Danny Granger or Arizona's Channing Frye just might be.

Syracuse's Hakim Warrick and North Carolina's Sean May, the reigning Final Four MVP? Both likely will be available, which reiterates Mullin's point: There are plenty of options in this surprisingly "deep draft."

Enough to Feed the Greedy

Time for Warriors to pick greed over need by Ryan Phillips for the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

The point is, you can draft a star with any pick in the draft if you choose right. And picking for need limits the odds that player will become a star.

This year, the Warriors may be lucky enough to fill a need with the best player available. Should the center-deficient Knicks pass on Frye with the No. 8 pick, Golden State should grab the Arizona product. Rarely does a lottery team get to pick a player that not only is among the best talent left, but also fills its greatest need while also being able to contribute right away.

Who knows? Maybe he’ll even become a star like some other recent No. 9 selections — Stoudemire, McGrady, Shawn Marion (1999), and Dirk Nowitzki (1998).

But if Frye is gone, the Warriors shouldn’t pick someone else because he plays the center position, or can post someone up.

It’s time the Warriors learn from their mistakes and pick a player because he’s the best.

MAYbe Some Help

Former Tar Heel May Help Warriors from the San Mateo Daily Journal

Though it’s largely futile to speculate on the players who might be chosen, many of the best players expected to be available at No. 9 are versatile forwards. Last weekend, the Warriors invited North Carolina’s Sean May, Syracuse’s Hakim Warrick and New Mexico’s Danny Granger to one last workout in Oakland.

All three forwards are roughly the same height at 6-foot-8, but May — a key member of the Tar Heels’ national championship team — is roughly 40 pounds heavier and more suited to a bruising inside game, providing a counterpoint to Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy.

Don't Bust Out!

It's draft day! We here at the Golden State Warriors BLOG are excited but you can bet bet your ridiculous Bay Area rent or mortage that we've got fingers and toes crossed hoping that the Warriors don't pick another comedic BUST.

Sports Illustrated.com has a photo gallery of the top 20 NBA Draft Busts. Warriors fans probably won't be too shocked to see the team coming on strong in the worst way on this list.

18. Todd Fuller, Warriors

No. 11, First Round –- 1996

An Academic All-American who couldn’t put two and two together on the court, Fuller was one in a series of disappointing Golden State picks. The last selection of the ill-fated Dave Twardzik Era, Fuller was taken ahead of Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Peja Stojakovic, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Jermaine O'Neal. Ouch. Fuller averaged around four points and three rebounds in five NBA seasons.

13. Billy Owens, Kings

No. 3, First Round –- 1991

The Next Larry Bird? He was barely the Next Ken Norman. Owens was a jack of all trades, master of none, unless you count floating through practices and tipping the scales to be admirable qualities worth mastering. Drafted by the Kings, Owens became part of a Danny Ferry-esque deal between Sacramento and Golden State that saw the Warriors give up future Hall of Famer Mitch Richmond for Owens' rights.

4. Joe Smith, Warriors

No. 1, First Round -- 1995

Average in name and game, Smith has parlayed his status as a top overall pick into a serviceable career for five different teams, but later selections Antonio McDyess, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace and (especially) Kevin Garnett all have had better careers. Smith's selection changed the way NBA teams look at lottery picks -- do you take the fully-formed All-American from the ACC or the rail-thin project out of high school? Unfortunately for the Warriors, in '95, orthodoxy was out the window.

2. Chris Washburn, Warriors

No. 3, First Round -- 1986

Of the dozens of busts in the '86 Draft, most either fell victim to obesity (William Bedford) or drug problems (Roy Tarpley). Somehow, Chris Washburn combined the two in one glorious, spiraling descent out of the lottery and into oblivion. The N.C. State product scored a grand total of 222 points in 72 career games.

5 years from today when we're talking about the 2010 NBA Draft let's pray we aren't joking about the Warriors 2005 lottery pick.

Either way- Happy Draft Day!

Rock the Vote by Tuesday June 28th 2pm Pacific Time

Listen to P Diddy Warriors Fans!
Originally uploaded by atma brother #1.

Warriors Nation don't forget to vote on our poll "Who should the Warriors draft with the #9 pick?" before tomorrow's draft. We're closing the poll at 2pm Pacific time.

Our poll is the most exhaustive Warriors draft poll on the web with 12 players to select from. We've gone to great lengths to ensure the accuracy of the poll by strictly limiting votes to 1 per person, so there's no gimmicks.

We here at the Golden State Warriors BLOG are probably the only place where you will see a comparison of who the fans wanted versus who the Warriors actually take post-draft. A few years from now we can take a look back at this poll and see who was off- Warriors Nation or the Warriors management.

Rock the Vote!

Potential Blazers-Jazz Trade

Here's an exciting pre-draft trade update as seen on ESPN: The Blazers and Jazz are seriously considering the trade below.

Blazers get:
Kirk Snyder
Gordan Giricek
#6 & #27 picks

Jazz get:
Ruben Patterson
#3 pick

The only thing holding up this trade is that Ruben Patterson will refuse to play for Utah.

Live Draft Updates

Here at the Golden State Warriors BLOG, we want to keep you updated on the happenings of the draft. So, during the draft tomorrow (7:30PM EST) we'll give you pick by pick analysis up until the Warriors select at #9. We'll look at how each pick will affect their team, and what possibilities it leaves for the Warriors.

So if you're stuck at work tomorrow during the draft or not at a crazy draft party, be sure to drop by and check out the blog. Keep refreshing your browser (F5 on your keyboard) because the updates will come fast and furious.

Picking Warrick

Chad Ford's latest draft rumors, updated 5pm EST today.

"The growing consensus is that Hakim Warrick will be the Warriors' selection at No. 9 if Frye and Granger are off the board.

But Warrick's a curious fit for their offense. They're loaded at small forward. They need help at the four and have flirted with moving Troy Murphy to the five. But can Warrick guard fours in the NBA right now? I have my doubts. Arizona State's Ike Diogu and Oklahoma State's Joey Graham are also getting a look."

If Warrick's the choice, does that mean trading Pietrus or Dunleavy? It's hard to imagine Warrick playing the 4 being only 218 pounds.

No Dunleavy trade tomorrow?

An article from RealGM The Second of Three Letters from a Hat-Swapping Draft posits that a Dunleavy trade with the Blazers won't happed.

Teams two through eight are all heavily discussing swapping picks, but the Warriors, a team notorious for executing draft night trades, will not be moving up or down from the ninth spot, contrary to a report in The Oregonian that had Mike Dunleavy going to Portland.

The reason being, there is no player 3-8 that is of greater value than what they can acquire at nine, which to no great surprise will be Hakim Warrick.

Drafting a Forward?

Janny Hu for SFGate dropped an article Warriors do more forward thinking this morning.

The Warriors may not have settled on a player yet for the ninth pick in the NBA Draft, but Sunday brought an indication of where they might be leaning.

Golden State wrapped up six weeks of workouts this weekend by inviting back New Mexico's Danny Granger, Syracuse's Hakim Warrick and North Carolina's Sean May for one last look-over.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Marcus Thompson for the Contra Costa Times writes that the Warriors have Plenty of options, but what to do?

It is by all means a good thing that the Warriors enter Tuesday's NBA draft with options. They have three picks, valuable players with which to trade and the patience that comes with having a solid roster already in place.

But that doesn't mean the draft will be easy.

The team's brain trust must be wiped out sifting through all the possibilities. The Warriors don't have any gaping holes, but can stand for improvements. They have some things they need, but can afford to hold out for something they really want. They are just out of the reach of the no-brainers, but have a nice variety of talent from which to choose.

Yahoo for Warrick!

Yahoo! Sports final mock draft has the Warriors taking Syracuse SF Hakim Warrick.

Carmelo Anthony's one-time running mate added a perimeter game his senior year. A mature, well-rounded player, Warrick should help a Warriors team that looked promising at season's end.

Mock from Detroit

Thhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gife Detroit News has the Warriors taking UNC Forward Sean May.

The Warriors have picked up some nice athletic pieces and will probably add one more. But they need a dirty down-low player and May is the best choice.

Draft Theft

CollegeHoops.net dropped a Top 10 list of NBA Draft Steals. You probably wouldn't have guessed it, but the Warriors actually made the list in a good way.

4. Gilbert Arenas

Chosen with the 31st pick in 2001 by the Golden State Warriors, Arenas has developed into one of the better young point guards in the NBA. He was key in the Washington Wizards first playoff series win since 1982. Arena’s success suggests teams made a major mistake drafting Kedrick Brown, Kirk Haston, and Joe Forte ahead of him to name a few.

Say what you want about St. Jean aka St. Jinx, but the man went out with a bang in that 2001 draft picking up JRich, Troy, and Arenas.

Draft Fashion Special

Sports Illustrated.com has some great pictures of past draftees' fashions.

A good case could be made that a former Warrior Erick Dampier had the most interesting "suit."

TNT's Craig Sager is smiling somewhere.

Hyping Charlie

HoopsHype's latest draft has the Warriors going with Charlie Villanueva.

Can play both forward spots. Nice inside-outside game. There have always been questions about his effort.

Comparison: Lamar Odom
Stats: 13.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.8 bpg
Rookie season salary*: $1,595,400
Ranking: 3rd Power Forward / 3rd Sophomore

What the Warriors SHOULD Do

DraftExpress has an interesting mock draft showing what teams SHOULD do (as opposed to “what will”).

9. Golden State Warriors- Joey Graham- For a team that’s stockpiled talent for the last few years and is clearly on the rise and finally ready to compete thanks to Baron Davis, a pick in this part of the draft could be a great way for them to add some more toughness and athleticism at two positions in which they are lacking those things the most. Graham brings them both in huge bundles, and would fit in extremely will in the type of uptempo Phoenix Suns style system that they say they will be utilizing next year.

Dun for #3?

John Canzano for the Oregonian contemplates a potential Warriors-Blazers trade in Would the Warriors really do this.

Keep an eye on the Golden State Warriors. They're sitting at No. 9, and would like to move up.

As trade bait they could use Mike Dunleavy, who would be a nice fit for the Blazers, and there's probably not room for both Mickael Pietrus and Dunleavy in the Warriors long-term future.

It seems a little soon to give up on Dunleavy, but are the Warriors motivated enough to jump up to No. 3 to get Troy Murphy some help?

It's interesting that a Trailblazer writer would suggest this. Maybe they would actually make this trade.

Concerns about TMurph?

Monte Poole writes Murphy at the center of Warriors' concerns arguing that the Warriors need Troy to become an inside force.

They never had a chance to get Andrew Bogut and because the value of height is dramatically inflated in the weeks before the draft, they'll probably lose out on Channing Frye. So if the Warriors are relying on the ninth overall pick in Tuesday's NBA Draft, it's unlikely they will be appreciably better in the paint next season.
Which doesn't mean the Warriors are out of off-season options to improve the weakest aspect of their team...

Which is why the Warriors, as they approach the 2005-06 season, need to find out if 6-11 Troy Murphy can be effective at something other than shooting 18-foot jumpers and grabbing uncontested rebounds. The Warriors need to see if Murphy has what it takes to plant himself on the block, wrestle with the league's gladiators and, above all, finish near the hoop.

In essence Poole is arguing that Murphy should do a little less of this:

And more of this...

1995 Draft- We're #1!!

Mr. or Mrs. Smith?
Originally uploaded by atma brother #1.

I know this past season post-Baron a lot of Warriors fans thought that every game the team won was futile since the playoffs were impossible and the Warriors were just ruining their chances of winning the lottery. 10 years ago the Warriors actually won the lottery. We use the term "win" very lightly though. Let's see what the good people over at NBA Source had to say:

1. Golden State--Joe Smith, PF, Maryland
Career Stats:
10 Years: 12.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 45.1 FG%, 1.1 BPG
Career Highlights:
-1st Team All-Rookie in 1995-96
-Was involved in the most controversial contractual matter in NBA history--which has cost the Timberwolves a 1st round draft pick in each of the past 5 years.
The Lowdown:
Any #1 pick that will best be remembered for signing an illegal contract that broke the league's salary cap rules (what in the hell were the 'Wolves thinking in wanting to hand this guy over $86 million in the first place?!) has to be considered a huge bust. But aside from the incident, Smith never did live up to the expectations of a #1 draft pick. He peaked in his second season (18.7 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.1 BPG) and never came close to numbers like these after being shipped off to Philly at the trade deadline the following year. Smith has since spent his career as a serviceable, yet unspectacular power forward
Grade: D+

Just for the record let's look at who the Warriors passed up:

• #2 Antonio McDyess
  Before the unfortunate injuries McDyess was an EXPLOSIVE near elite power forward. Let's just say having McDyess wouldn't have been all that bad.


• #3 Jerry Stackhouse
  A solid 20ppg scorer.


• #4 Rasheed Wallace
  You probably remember this guy from this years finals... he's good AND crazy.


• #5 Kevin Garnett
  10 years later passing KG for Joe Smith is embarrassing, but let's cut the Warriors a little break here. In 1995 KG was the first high schooler to come straight to the league since Moses Malone, so NBA GM's were treading unfamiliar territory. At this point it was pretty much unheard of to go the high school route. Many people forget that Joe Smith was actually less than a year older than KG. So who would you take? The young guy who tore it up against other high schoolers or the young guy who had a great season against college hoopsters? Okay, enough with the excuses-- can you imagine what the past 10 years as a Warriors fan would be like with KG?


• #7 Damon Stoudamire
  He's no superstar, but he did start for the Blazers this past year. Can you believe he took the Rookie of the Year honors for the 1995 class?


• #9 Ed O'Bannon
  Okay, just joking. Ordinary Joe definitely had a more "illustrious career."


• #10 Kurt Thomas
  The man's solid and if the Knicks-Suns trade goes through we're going to find that out firsthand on more than one occasion this season.


• #13 Corliss Williamson
  If only Joe Smith had a little "Big Nasty" in him.


• #15 Brent Barry
  I'm actually a little surprised the Warriors didn't go after this Slam Dunk Champion/ 3 Point Shootout Champ. They could have gone back to their Barry roots. You know looking back it's a little strange the Warriors didn't take him #1 overall. He's Mike Dunleavy on steroids. Okay, that's probably not strong enough- Brent Barry has been a solid pro, while Dunleavy has well... done-nuthin.


• #18 Theo Ratliff
  Shot blocking MACHINE! A great defensive player and a very limited offensive one.


• #21 Michael Finley
  A pretty nice All Star SG for most of the past 10 years.


• #28 Greg Ostertag
  Okay, maybe I'm pushing it on this one, but you could make an argument he's had a better NBA career than Joe Smith.


• #43 Eric Snow
  A pretty solid passing and great defending PG. Most guys don't mind having someone like Snow on their team.

There you have it Warriors nation- 12 better players the Warriors passed up on when they "won the lottery." This qualifies as bad, Michael Olowokandi bad.

So the big question remains- why didn't Joe Smith develop into a good NBA player? Why did he turn out to be "Just an Ordinary Joe"? He was a young (just a little bit older than KG), athletic player. At the top pick people were debating between Joe Smith, Stack, and Rasheed so it's not like Joe Smith was a ridiculous pick. Coaching? Did Joe just not have the desire? Bad losing atmosphere? The Warriors world will never know.

Danny Dime-ing

DimeMag's latest mock draft has the Warriors taking New Mexico SF Danny Granger.

The Warriors job for the draft? Just don’t screw up. G-State is coming off a terrific finish to last season and wants to win this season. We think they’ll draft safe and take someone who can ball right now. If Granger is still available, they have to take him.

MockWorld 8.0

HoopsWorld dropped their 8th mock draft.

Their 5 guys say the Warriors will take either Fran Vasquez, Hakim Warrick, or Charlie Villanueva.

THE Draft Leader

Make sure to tune to KNBR 680 on your AM dial on Monday June 27th at 9pm for a pre-draft special Warriors Roundtable with Tim Roye (Warriors Radio Announcer) and Jim Barnett (Warriors TV Color Commentator).

1994 Milk Carton

At the Golden State Warriors BLOG we like to take a historical perspective on what Warriors nation has gone through over the years. With draft day quickly approaching on Tuesday we thought we'd look take a look back at the 1994 draft with a little help from our friends over at the NBA Source. The Warriors were actually not in the lottery (a Warriors fan's playoffs) this year since it followed their last playoff run. If you remember 11 years ago that was a pretty fun Warriors-Suns 1st round series even though the Warriors got swept in 3 games. Things looked so promising with TWSM (Timmy, Webb, Spree, and Mullin) coming back healthy next year. However, the 1994 draft signaled the downward spiral that would haunt this franchise for the next 11 years. Let's take a look at who they ended up with and some commentary by the NBA Source:

11. Seattle (from Charlotte)--Carlos Rogers, PF, Tennessee St.
Career Stats:
7 Years: 7.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 0.8 BPG, 53.6 FG%
Career Highlights:
-Started just 55 games in his 8-year NBA career
-Beset by injuries to his ankle, back, and knee ever since donning an NBA jersey, thus preventing him from playing with the explosiveness for which he was drafted.
-Released by Indiana in 2002 and hasn't returned to the NBA since.
The Lowdown-Rogers received numerous chances to find a role on an NBA team, but every time he showed flashes of his ability, he suffered an injury which would sideline him and eventually set his progression back further. As the final lottery pick taken in 1994, Rogers has to be considered a major bust for failing to never even start more than 20 games in one season.
Grade: D

You might recall the Warriors didn't actually draft Carlos Rogers, he came to the team via trade with the Sonics. The deal was Carlos Rogers, Ricky Pierce, and two 1995 second round picks for Byron Houston and one the most popular Warriors Sarun Marciulionis. In case you're wondering what ever happened to Carlos Rogers take a look. He actually last played for the Indiana Pacers in the 2001-2002 season and managed to start one game.

16. Golden State (from Cleveland)--Clifford Rozier--PF, Louisville
Career Stats:
4 Years: 4.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 49.6 FG%
The Lowdown-Rozier had personal issues which prevented him from living up to the explosive, raw ability he brough with him from Louisville. After struggling to handle the responsibilities of an NBA player, Rozier was released by Minnesota in 1997 and ended up with the USBL in 1999. Mental problems kept him from maintaining a career in basketball and Rozier was eventually driven to crime. Rozier who has been arrested 5 times since 1999, is now in jail after being convicted of grand theft auto in 2001.
Grade: F

Whoa! We're not messing with that.


You might ask "It's just the 16th pick. You usually don't get a great player. Who cares?" And there's some truth to that, but still it's interesting. So who did the Warriors pass up in taking Rozier with the 16th pick? Former 6th man of the year winner Aaron McKie went next, sharpshooter Wesley Person went at 23, NBA mainstay Charlie Ward was drafted at 26, solid backup Howard Eisley got picked at #30, and 3 point champ Voshon Lenard was selected in the 2nd round #46 overall.

This was the draft that started the most infamous "streak" in NBA draft history.

Make sure to check back tomorrow for some more draft history.

DraftLine

CBS SportsLine has 3 of their writers predicting the draft.

They have the Warriors taking Hakim Warrick, Chris Taft, or Antoine Wright.

Hakim "The Dream" Warrick?

Fanball dropped a mock today that has the Warriors taking Hakim Warrick.

There comment for the possible pick is something that Warriors nation would love to hear:

Golden State Warriors: Hakim Warrick, PF, Syracuse
With the Warriors possibly modeling themselves after the Suns and Sonics, it's only proper to grab an athletic forward who can run the floor and flush the rock. He'll make Baron Davis look like a bearded, chubby version of Steve Nash.

From the LA to Da Bay

This article's for all you Warriors fans who love to hate the Laker-FakersTale of two teams a best seller for Warriors.

HISTORY tells us one team will make the playoffs and the other will be watching.
Unfortunately, history does not run the offense for the Lakers these days, and that's just one reason why the Warriors are headed to the NBA postseason in 2005-06, and their rivals from the south are not.

I don't need to tell Warriors fans their heroes are ready for a serious playoff run since the fast-finishing team from 2004-05 already has sold more than 2,000 new season tickets.

The Lakers, on the other hand, lost the final six games of a disappointing season, and their fans are not looking forward to what will come next.

Central to the Draft

The Golden Draft?
Originally uploaded by atma brother #1.

Warriors.com has put up a Draft Central with tons a of multimedia worth checking out.

Warriors Draft Intelligence

Yup, that headline doesn't make much sense when you consider the Warriors' "illustrious" draft history, but take a look at this Warriors draft preview from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. I'm a little curious though if this author has actually seen a lot of Warriors games when he makes comments that "Murphy is strong down low" and "Dunleavy can drain the outside jumper."

If Arizona's Channing Frye is available, he could be the pick at No. 9. Syracuse's Hakim Warrick may also interest the Warriors if he is still around.

No Impact at 9?

Neil Hayes of the Contra Costa Times writes that there will be No impact player at the No. 9 spot.

Chris Mullin isn't going to find what he needs in the Tuesday's NBA draft, and it has little to do with the Warriors' owning the ninth overall choice. Chances are Mullin wouldn't be able to find what his team needs most even if he were drafting several spots higher.

That, long-suffering Warriors fans, is called progress.

This draft has a distinctly different feel, at least from the Warriors' perspective. They don't need a savior. They already found one in Baron Davis.

They don't have to hold their collective breath, hoping that whomever they choose turns into a franchise player. They would love to acquire someone with that type of ability, no doubt, but the pressure is off. Davis illustrated as much when the new face of the franchise flashed a smile and the thumbs-up sign when the Warriors failed to move up in the draft lottery last month.

They don't need to get younger. They're young enough. They don't need a project. They have several projects on the roster already.

What the Warriors need to take the next step in the maturation process (i.e. earn a playoff berth) is to get older, wiser, more experienced and more playoff savvy. They need to get tougher, grittier. What they really need is a frontcourt player who demands a double team in the post, can put a defensive clamp-down on opposing big men, block shots and start the fast break.

The NBA Draft Source

The good people over at The NBA Source just released their Mock Draft 2.

9. Golden State Warriors

Anthony - C Channing Frye, Arizona

- The Warriors' only glaring weakness at this point remains at backup center. Last year's first round pick Andres Biedrens seems better suited at the '4', making Adonal Foyle the only true center on the team. With Chris Mullin seemingly piecing together a run 'n gun type roster, Frye appears the logical choice at 9. However, I'm going to predict the Warriors trade this pick, nabbing a future 1st, and electing to work with what they currently have.


Paul - F Hakim Warrick, Syracuse

-With Frye almost certainly off the board by the time Chris Mullin and co. are on the clock, the Warriors will have to settle for the smaller, more athletic Warrick-- they might be disappointed come June 28th, but they won't be in the long run.

All About the West

About.com dropped a list of Western Conference team needs as part of their coverage of the 2005 NBA Draft.

Golden State Warriors
2005 Picks: No. 9 | No. 40
Recent No. 1s ...
Andris Biedrins, No. 11 in 2004
Mickael Pietrus, No. 11 in 2003
Mike Dunleavy, No. 3 in 2002
Grade: B-
Philosophy: The Warriors have been an irrelevant organization for over a decade, but they now appear on the cusp of legitimacy thanks to a recent draft strategy to target guys with the potential to be franchise players. Ironically, they acquired their first "face" of the franchise via trade by getting Baron Davis at this past trade deadline without giving up any of their past five No. 1 picks. That gang of five and Davis really gelled, going 18-10 after the trade.
Needs: So what will put Golden St. over the top? A beast in the post. Troy Murphy is a nice player, Biedrins will only get better and Adonal Foyle is really tall, but a dependable low-post scoring threat will really make the Warriors go places if they're intent on competing now.

Target at No. 9: Sean May ... This is admittedly a little high for May, and the Warriors may be thinking long-term and thus, more of Fran Vazquez and not of May. But May offers the surest bet at this spot to come in, throw his weight around and give the team a needed scoring threat inside to balance out their arsenal of perimeter scorers.

Will Settle For: Ike Diogu

Round 2 Possibilities: Ryan Gomes, Nate Robinson, Juan Mendez, Jason Maxiell, Ronny Turiaf

Top 5 Draftees

NBADraft.net dropped 15 Top 5 Lists ranking this year's draft class with respect to numerous categories including Athletes, Shot-Blockers, And1 Mix-Tape Ballers, and Question Marks. Definitely check it out.

Inside Daily

InsideHoops.com is updating their mock every day until the draft night. Sounds a little sensational, but anyway they have the Warriors taking Fran Vazquez with the 9th pick.

Don't forget to vote on the Golden State Warriors BLOG poll to the right- Who should the Warriors draft with the #9 pick? We'll end the poll the night before the draft and post a count of who the fans pick. This is the most accurate and largest Warriors fan count anywhere- print or on the web.

Vote or be doomed to the lottery for another 11 years!

Charlie and the Warrior Factory

NBADraft.net's newest draft has the Warriors picking PF Charlie Villanueva out of UConn. Foyle, Murphy, Villanueva, and Dunleavy? I'll leave it to a commenter to state what I'm thinking.

No Q for Kurt

We'll STILL be seeing this a lot
Originally uploaded by atma brother #1.

At the Golden State Warriors BLOG we always take a broader perspective on the context in which the Warriors play, speficially the Pacific division. We have just received a tip from a credible source that the reported Quentin Richardson for Kurt Thomas trade will NOT go through. With Kurt Thomas on the Suns they would potentially have an even stronger frontcourt with Kurt Thomas, Amare, and Marion aka The Matrix. Think about how these 3 would have fared against Foyle, Murphy, and Dunleavy (as the Warriors starters are composed now). You might ask "who's this 'credible source'?" Let's just say it's the source. You should be able to figure it out.

Last Look

Final looks in store for Warrick, Granger over at SFGate.com notes that Warriors are bringing in Warrick and Granger this weekend for some final workouts.

Syracuse senior Hakim Warrick will work out for Golden State again on Sunday, according to Warrick's agent, Bill Duffy. Also scheduled to be in town that day is New Mexico forward Danny Granger, setting up a possible sequel to the pair's private workout in Chicago during the NBA's pre-draft camp.

Several scouts in attendance said the workout was one of the week's most competitive and Duffy described it as a "battle royal" between equally ranked players with different skills.

The session was unconventional: It pit two lottery picks, represented by different agents, in one-on-one drills, but both agents were pleased with the results.

"The teams have seen these guys play," said Mark Bartelstein, who represents Granger. "You want people to see what your heart is all about, the fire you have inside you, how you deal with adversity. (Teams) are investing in who they are."

Both Warrick and Granger are making return visits to Golden State, but only Warrick's qualifies as a true second look. Granger called off his initial session after a few warm-up drills because of an injured toe.

Knickerwarriors

Tim Kawakami of the SJ Mercury writes that the Knicks' decision will affect Warriors: Frye Might Be Drafted by N.Y. or Golden State.

So why are Thomas' moribund New York Knicks and Mullin's newly fashionable Warriors both sending smoke signals about Arizona big man Channing Frye?

Well, first, the rangy, 6-foot-11 Frye could be a special player; he isn't going to be a superstar but might be able to help get a success-starved team into the playoffs ASAP.

Second, Thomas might be bluffing about Frye, in part to fake out Mullin; and I'm guessing that Mullin isn't bluffing, in part to give a Zen fake-out to old Zeke.

Not that Mullin is tipping his hand. He kept Andris Biedrins under wraps before he selected the young Russian center last summer, though Mullin had been plotting that pick for weeks.

This summer is no different.

The Granger Express

Straight to the Warriors?
Originally uploaded by atma brother #1.

DraftExpress details the current climate of the Warriors and why Danny Granger would be the ideal pick for them at #9.

Because of the up-tempo style the Warriors want to play Granger should be able to slide right into the rotation with little difficulty. He would essentially replace everything Dunleavy brings to the court minus the negativity. While this seams a bit foolish at first glance, the fact of the matter is that the pressure to produce has affected Dunleavy’s confidence level. Because of this, Dunleavy has a tendency to disappear for long stretches and his aggressiveness has never been at the level it needs to be for a starting forward on a playoff team.

Granger has an almost identical game to Dunleavy’s, but he comes in with a clean slate and without the expectations of being a team savior. Granger may even be able to start in place of Dunleavy as Pietrus’ streaky scoring ability make him an ideal sixth man option off the bench, think Tony Allen and Ricky Davis of the Celtics last year.

Although the Warriors have a few holes to fill in their rotation the team has a stellar starting five and should be very competitive no matter who they acquire. While the frontcourt could use a veteran to push Foyle further down the bench the team is pretty high on Cabarkapa’s potential and rightfully so as he can play three positions for spot minutes.

Trading Dunleavy should also help the team acquire more veteran depth considering the fourth year forward has shown enough flashes in his game to warrant some team’s attention. While Dunleavy still has a lot of upside and has improved every season in the league his production to date relative to the lofty slot he was drafted in, 3rd overall, have taken him out of favor with the home crowd and put the pressure on the Warriors to make a decision on his future.

Nate King Cole

Earl with more hops!
Originally uploaded by atma brother #1.

David Schoen for Inside Bay Area writes that the Warriors with the 9th pick in the draft should take... Nate Robinson!? Not that we here at the Golden State Warriors BLOG don't love Nate's NASA hops and game (out of this world), but with the #9 pick? Most likely you could snatch up Nate in the early 2nd round. Schoen's reasoning is a bit sketchy in the article, but definitely take a look especially if you're a Nate Robinson fan.

Forget about all the big men in this draft and take the smallest guy available, the guard from Washington generously listed at 5-foot-9 who was taunted by the Oregon student section because he looks like Gary Coleman.

For real.

The 2nd coming of Earl Boykins to the Warriors? We'll take it.

WarrriorsTV

If you missed the link we posted to the podcast of the Warriors draft analysis by NBATV you can check out this video clip (Real Player). Scott Layden aka the worst Knicks GM of all time is one of the analysts, so don't say we didn't warn you.

JCharity

Community work is a slam dunk!
Originally uploaded by atma brother #1.

Here at the Golden State Warriors BLOG we don't just like to celebrate great games on the court, we like to celebrate players who have game off the court as well. Props to JRich for helping put together the "Brothers Against Youth Violence Weekend." Make sure to check A Sparty to hold party for charity.

Express Update

DraftExpress updated their mock today and has the Warriors taking Oklahoma State SF Joey Graham.

ESPN Mock Draft - Ike Diogu

ESPN's latest version of their mock draft has the Golden State Warriors taking PF Ike Diogu.

"The Warriors want Frye or Granger, but if those two are off the board, they'll look for the next-best power forward. Sean May, Hakim Warrick and Chris Taft will all get looks here as well. Diogu gets the nod because of his length (he has the reach of a 7-footer, a la Elton Brand) and shot-blocking ability."

The first 10 picks
1) Bogut, 2) M. Williams, 3) Paul, 4) Deron Williams, 5) Granger, 6) Frye, 7) Green, 8) Vazquez, 9) Diogu, 10) Webster