I tried not to get my hopes up too much but the Celtics had their highest first round pick (No. 16) in years so I was excited. Needless to say, tonight's events at the 2013 NBA Draft involving the Green and White didn't thrill me (more on that in a subsequent post). Boston selected Gonzaga power forward Kelly Olynyk in the first round then traded cash to the Pacers for a second-round pick (53rd) that they used on Colorado State center Colton Iverson.
I'm a huge college hoops fan and I actually like watching West Coast Conference games mostly because I always stay up late so I know more about Gonzaga, St. Mary's, BYU etc. than most. Olynyk is talented but it's hard to see him making a big leap in the NBA facing much more talented, athletic and tough opponents. In the mid-major WCC, he was able to dominate (17.8 points, 7.3 rebounds) against mainly scrubs. What gives him a chance is that he can shoot three-pointers and is pretty adept at shooting from all over the court. That should help him since even though he's seven feet tall, I don't think he'll be spending much time backing guys down in the paint.
As for Iverson, I don't know nearly as much as him despite the fact that the Mountain West Conference has been really good the last few seasons. He's a tough rebounder but the fact that he went this late in what I predict will go down as one of the worst drafts in recent memory doesn't bode well for his future in the NBA. Besides, late second-round picks are basically extra bodies for summer league and training camp. If you hit on one great but you can't expect to find that many gems.
Here's the best highlight reel I could find on YouTube of Olynyk this past season with the Bulldogs.
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