That's Cool...

Instead of studying for my Shakespeare and World History finals, I spent yesterday listening to "The Big Show" on WEEI. With the lottery just a few hours away, there was simply no chance my mind was about to focus on King Lear or the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Every 15 minutes, right before coming on the air from a commercial break they'd play a recording of some guy impersonating Tommy Heinson's reaction to what could happen.

"THEY GAVE US THE 5TH PICK?!?!?
WHAT A BUNCH OF BOLOGNA"

I laughed the first time I heard it...right now it's not that funny.


Now that the Boston Celtics landed the fifth pick in this year's draft and have virtually no shot at getting either Greg Oden or Kevin Durant, this is the time Danny Ainge creates his legacy. With all the hype surrounding Oden and Durant, many have forgotten just how deep this draft is. The Celtics are still clearly able to get a future all-star with the fifth pick (Nowitski went 9, Amare went 9, T-Mac went 9, Dwyane Wade went 5) so maybe the situation isn't as bad as it seems.

Jeff Green, Julian Wright, Corey Brewer, Yi Jianlian, and Brandan Wright all look like they have the ability to be great players down the road; combining any of those five with the likes of Al Jefferson and Paul Pierce makes for a lethal front court.

I know Rajon Rondo is the future of the franchise at the point guard position and he's a fabulous player, but if Mike Conley Jr. is available at 5, don't you have to take him? Rondo can't shoot a lick and in today's drive and kick game, that simply doesn't cut it because no defense is going to respect Rondo once he gets into the lane. Conley Jr. reminds me of Tony Parker with the way he's able to penetrate the lane and shoot such a high percentage once he gets there. Both have poor outside shots but by drawing fouls and getting to the basket, it doesn't matter.

The options are endless for the Celtics and their fifth pick. They could trade it along with Theo Ratliff's expiring contract for a veteran like Jermaine O'Neal, Kevin Garnett, or Shawn Marion.

Or they could use the pick and continue with their youth movement. Either way, I'd really like them to sign Grant Hill.

To tell you the truth, I'm too depressed to talk about the Celtics right now. Instead I'll be giving a mock draft of the first 14 picks.

1. Portland- Greg Oden, a real no-brainer here. Greg Oden will win at least 5 rings before his NBA career is over.

2. Seattle- Kevin Durant, the next Jordan? Not in a small market like Seattle, Kansas City, or Oklahoma City (the latter two being possible destinations in the near future for the Supersonics).

3. Atlanta- Mike Conley Jr. is the smart decision here, but Atlanta doesn't make smart decisions (Chris Paul and Deron Williams). Expect them to go with Brandan Wright.

4. Memphis- Yi Jianlian, the mystery man of this year's draft. He's a 19 (or 22) year old 7-footer who plays like a small forward and would really compliment Pau Gasol.

5. Boston- This is clearly the pick that interests me the most so I've given it a lot of thought. If Conley Jr. is available the Celtics need to grab him. If not, I really like Corey Brewer from Florida. He's a mixture of Bruce Bowen and Manu Ginobili who knows what it takes to win.

6. Milwaukee- Jeff Green is the most NBA ready player in this year's draft and should immediately help Michael Redd and the Bucks get back to the post-season.

7. Minnesota- Al Horford should ease Kevin Garnett's pain with a helpful low post presence. Also, the return of Rashad McCants who was hurt all last season will make the Timberwolves a decent team next year.

8. Charlotte- Already possessing a big man in Emeka Okafor and a speedy point guard in Raymond Felton, the Bobcats should look for a future go-to scoring option. Al Thornton from Florida St. is looking like the next Shawn Marion and after spending four years in college should be ready to shoulder the load for a young Bobcats team.

9. Chicago- The Bulls are in desperate need of a low post scoring presence. Spencer Hawes out of Washington is a young offensively gifted 7-footer who would be a steal here for the Bulls.

10. Sacramento- Let the rebuilding begin for the Maloof brothers. Taking Joakim Noah here is the smart selection. Combine that with a big free agent signing like Rashard Lewis or Vince Carter and the Kings should be in decent shape.

11. Atlanta- The Hawks have their second selection of the first round and plenty of talent to choose from. If they didn't take Mike Conley with their 1st pick, then they should right here.

12. Philadelphia- Julian Wright could end up being the steal of the draft if he falls down to 12. Wright should be an all-star a few years down the road, but first he must get a consistent 15 foot jump shot. If this happens, he could soon develop into a more athletic Chris Webber.

13. New Orleans- Chris Paul is my favorite player in the NBA, but in order for him to finally get over the hump and take the Hornets to the playoffs, he needs a consistent scorer by his side for the next 7-10 years. Thaddeus Young is extremely raw, but with a point guard like Paul he'll develop sooner rather than later.

14. L.A. Clippers- With Shaun Livingston's future in limbo, the Clippers need to go point guard with this pick. Acie Law IV is a golden choice; if available he will instantly revive the Clippers after their down year.