Cleveland Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant and Head Coach Byron Scott talked with the media after they drafted Dion Waiters and traded for Tyler Zeller in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft. Watch video
Plain Dealer's Cleveland Cavaliers beat writers Mary Schmitt Boyer and Jodie Valade talk about the Cavs drafting Dion Waiters and trading for Tyler Zeller in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft. Watch video
Highlights include Indians at Baltimore.
CLEVELAND, Ohio
Today's TV and radio sports listings
AUTO RACING
11:30 a.m. Quaker State 400 practice, Speed Channel
1:30 p.m. Quaker State 400 Happy Hour Series, Speed Channel
3:30 p.m. Feed the Children 300 qualifying, Speed Channel
5 p.m. Quaker State 400 qualifying, Speed Channel
7:30 p.m. Feed the Children 300, ESPN2
BASEBALL
2:10 p.m. Houston at Chicago Cubs, WGN
7 p.m. LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS vs. West Michigan, AM/1330
7:05 p.m. AKRON AEROS vs. Erie, AM/1350
7:05 p.m. INDIANS at Baltimore, SportsTime Ohio; AM/1100
8 p.m. Pittsburgh at St. Louis, MLB Network
BOXING
10:30 p.m. Ruslan Provodnikov vs. Jose Reynoso, ESPN2
EXTREME SPORTS
9 p.m. X Games, ESPN
GOLF
9 a.m. The Irish Open, Golf Channel
11:30 a.m. United Leasing Championship, Golf Channel
1 p.m. Senior Players Championship, Golf Channel
3 p.m. AT&T National, Golf Channel
6:30 p.m. NW Arkansas Championship (tape), Golf Channel
GYMNASTICS
9 p.m. U.S. Olympic Trials, women, WKYC
SOCCER
8 p.m. MLS, Chicago at Kansas City, NBCSN
SOFTBALL
7 p.m. World Cup, pool play, ESPN
SWIMMING
4:30 p.m. U.S. Olympic Trials, qualifying heats (tape), NBCSN
8 p.m. U.S. Olympic Trials, finals, WKYC
TENNIS
7 a.m. Wimbledon, early round, ESPN
TRACK AND FIELD
6 p.m. U.S. Olympic Trials, finals, NBCSN
The Cleveland Cavaliers chose Syracuse guard Dion Waiters with the fourth overall pick in the NBA Draft. Waiters averaged 12.6 points last season with the Orange.
The Cleveland Cavaliers chose Syracuse guard Dion Waiters with the fourth overall pick in the NBA Draft. Waiters averaged 12.6 points last season with the Orange.
Press conference transcript provided by ASAP Sports Transcripts and the NBA
Q. If you can give us your opening remarks about being drafted by Cleveland.
DION WAITERS: Just a blessing, not having worked out with the team and just their faith in what they see in me; I can't ask for much more.
Q. Talk about going from being a role player in a college team to being expected to being a starter on a professional team.
DION WAITERS: It's great. I played as a starter all my life until I got to Syracuse and I think Syracuse helped me out a lot. As far as being a team player, just having to sacrifice. I went there, I wasn't the starter, because, you know, the guys before they, they had been there for a while, so I didn't know how to adjust to that my freshman year. Coming out the high school, Top 15 player, given everything, and coming there, having to work for it, I didn't know how to handle it.
My second year, I knew my role coming in. I knew what I had to do. I excelled at it.
Q. You said that you didn't work out for Cleveland; were you shocked to hear your name?
DION WAITERS: Kind of. But I left that up to my agent to do all that. I just tried to stay as stress‑free as I could, and you know, I was just letting him take care of everything. Like I said, I'm blessed to be in this situation, and I can't wait to get to Cleveland.
Q. Now that you know you're going to Cleveland, what is it about the organization that stands out to you?
DION WAITERS: Just the fan base, the crowd. They come to every game and they support the city, and it's a great city. I was there my freshman year and played in a tournament there. Calm city, quiet, things like that.
Q. And of course playing with Kyrie Irving ‑‑
DION WAITERS: I'm excited to play alongside my brother. I've known him for six or seven years, and we have been texting and talking forever. He was the first person that greeted me off the stage and gave me a hug and told me, welcome to Cleveland. That meant a lot to me.
Q. Wanted to ask you about how Cleveland has been progressing the last couple of years under Byron Scott. How much are you looking forward to helping him continue that progression?
DION WAITERS: I just want to do whatever I have to do to help us win. Coach, he's been here before and he's played in the NBA, so it's my job to pick his brain as much as I can to get better in the league and just work hard and try to get wins, and one day get a championship. Just keep taking steps, moving forward.
Q. It's a lot of conversation about having a big 3; Kyrie, 1, and then you, 2. Does that come across in your mind to say, hey, I'm the second one, or we can get a third one, and then after that, community service opportunities, they are big in Cleveland for athletes.
DION WAITERS: Yeah, you know, we've got to play together, a group of guys who is willing to win, play with each other. I just can't wait to play alongside Kyrie, because I know he can help me. He's been here before. I'm going to try to just pick his brain as much as I can, also.
Moving forward, whatever Cleveland decides to do with the Draft or free agency, whatever, try to get another player, I'm fine with it.
Q. About a month ago, we sat in a gym and you told me, no, I'm trying to go top five, and I shook my said; what did you know then that I didn't?
DION WAITERS: Confidence. It's confidence. You really can't listen to a lot of people because you never know what can happen in certain situations. Somebody telling me I'm going 15 to 20, I don't listen to that. So it's all about hard work and knowing what you put in.
You know, just believing, and just thanking the Man above every day for putting me in the position I'm in today.
Q. You thought you were moving up yesterday; was there any surprise that it was 4?
DION WAITERS: I mean, yeah, and no, at the same time. Because like I said, you never know in these situations. You never know especially for a guy that has not worked out for anybody. The only thing you can do is go by what you hear. My agent has been giving me good feedback and the only thing I can do is keep believing, keep my hopes up and things like that.
Q. It was kind of unconventional to make the decision to not work out for any team. So explain how your agent explained that to you and why you guys made that decision.
DION WAITERS: Anything he tells me you can't question. He's been in this game for a long time, and I've got a lot of faith in both of them. I think that whatever he told me, it was best for me. He told me he thinks I should shut it down and just go home and work hard, and that's what I did. I'm here today and I'm thankful for listening to him.
The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired UNC center Tyler Zeller from the Dallas Mavericks in a trade for a first and two second-round picks in the NBA Draft. Zeller was the 2012 ACC Player of the Year.
The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired UNC center Tyler Zeller from the Dallas Mavericks in a trade for a first and two second-round picks in the NBA Draft. Zeller was the 2012 ACC Player of the Year.
Press conference transcript provided by ASAP Sports Transcripts and the NBA.
Q. Statements and feelings about the whole Draft process and such?
TYLER ZELLER: Very excited to go to Cleveland. I think it's a great opportunity to be able to play. I know that there's great opportunity for playing time, as well as learning from all of the guys and the coaching staff. I think it's a great honor to be able to go there and I really look forward to getting there tomorrow and meeting everybody.
Q. Looks like the center position is open, wide open, so talk about how you are looking forward to that opportunity to be able to possibly start on opening night.
TYLER ZELLER: It's a great opportunity. Any time you play in the NBA, let alone play on a team and be able to start is a great opportunity. It's something I know I'm going to have to work for. There's some great players already on the team and I know that I'm going to have to go in and just try to compete as much as possible.
Q. I had a great opportunity to meet your mom just a minute ago; tell us about the opportunity to be here. You've got Kentucky, North Carolina, Kentucky, North Carolina. I guess you went out because you had four in the first round.
TYLER ZELLER: That's what I like to think.
Q. Is that what that means to you?
TYLER ZELLER: It's a great honor to be able to play with all of those guys. They are fantastic players. I know Kendall, John and Harrison were fantastic players, fantastic teammates, and I really looking forward to watching their progress at the next level.
Q. Your mom expressed a great excitement of going to Cleveland. What do you know about Cleveland, if anything?
TYLER ZELLER: I don't know much. But I do know that I'm from Indiana, I'm from the Midwest. So it can't be that different, right? I don't know, I've never been there, so I don't know much about it but I know I can handle the winter.
As far as the team, I know Kyrie came over and played with us last year multiple times. I think it's going to be a fun team to play with. I think that we are definitely going to get up and down and I love that kind of play.
Q. What's the thought process, here you're picked by Dallas, obviously you want it, you're a Green Room kid, and then all of a sudden a team trades three picks to get you.
TYLER ZELLER: I would like to think I'm as good as three players, but I don't know if that's true. But it's something‑‑ I actually knew that I was being traded as I went up on stage, my agent told me about 30 seconds before the pick was made that there had been a trade made.
Q. Your uncle, Al Eberhard was drafted in the first round in the '70s. Did you speak to him? Is it crazy you were drafted around the same time?
TYLER ZELLER: Yeah, he got picked 13‑‑ the Internet says he got picked 15, we tease him about that. That's something that we have a good time with. He played for Detroit. He was hoping I went there but it didn't work out with it, but it should be fun.
The Cleveland Cavaliers delivered one of the NBA Draft's biggest surprises on Thursday. CineSport's Noah Coslov & SheridanHoops.com's Nick Gibson recap the night's stunners from Newark, plus analysis from Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy.
Video: The Cleveland Cavaliers delivered one of the NBA Draft's biggest surprises on Thursday. CineSport's Noah Coslov & SheridanHoops.com's Nick Gibson recap the night's stunners from Newark.
Anthony Davis, as expected, was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday's NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets.
Sporting News’ Mike DeCourcy offers pick-by-pick analysis of the first-round.
FIRST ROUND
1. New Orleans Hornets. Anthony Davis, Kentucky.
It has been posited elsewhere that Davis might be a “one-trick pony,” a Paul Simon term for a musical one-hit wonder that has been co-opted to mean any person who does one thing exceptionally well but nothing else of note. To apply such a term to Davis is patently ludicrous.
Davis might be the most complete prospect to enter the draft since Tim Duncan in 1997. LeBron James entered with more profound talent and a much better body, but he was not then – and still is not – an exceptional jumpshooter. Nor had James proven he could play high-level defense. Davis has demonstrated he can dominate a game without scoring a basket, not just because of his game-changing ability as a shot-blocker but also as a technically sound defender.
Davis also has a full array of offensive skills, and left clues to these gifts scattered throughout March. Early in March, he at last felt comfortable enough to knock in a few 3-pointers. From the Indiana game, there was his passing off the pick-and-roll. Against Louisville, he revealed his picture-perfect jump-hook – which he can launch with both his right and left hands. Davis will dominate games differently than his most-gifted predecessors: James, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose. But make no mistake: Davis will dominate.
2. Charlotte Bobcats. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky.
Building a franchise around Kidd-Gilchrist could be challenging for the Bobcats, because he does not yet possess the offensive skills to function as a first or second option.
At minimum, Kidd-Gilchrist will become one of the league’s best defenders, best fastbreak finishers, best wing drivers and best chemistry guys. That’s a lot. He’s got so much to offer that if he does learn to shoot consistently he can become a top-25 player in the league.
As a freshman, MKG shot 13-of-51 from 3-point range, but 49 percent from the field. He covered for his spotty perimeter shot by completing plays at a raging pace on the fastbreak and also by generating halfcourt scoring opportunities at the rim with his elite athleticism. The greatest NBA athletes are not just those who run fastest in one direction and jump the highest, but those who can change direction quickly and control their movements in the air. That’s Kidd-Gilchrist.
3. Washington Wizards. Bradley Beal, Florida.
Certainly it is bothersome that Beal shot only 33.9 percent from 3-point range in his one college season. He entered Florida with a well-deserved reputation for marksmanship, having hit 31-of-65 at the FIBA U17 World Championships in 2010, but he suddenly couldn’t make a shot when confronted by college defenders.
Consider, however, that he played his freshman season alongside a poor point guard and with the better defenses recognizing they could face-guard him with few ramifications. And consider, as well, that Beal made 15-of-35 from 3-point range in March single-elimination games, which means he didn’t surrender and that he rose to meet the most important challenges. He also got the ball into traffic enough to earn 173 free throw attempts.
The NBA player whom Beal most resembles, Eric Gordon of the New Orleans Hornets, was more prolific as a collegian but no more accurate – and Gordon has shot far better numbers as a pro. Beal is not a great ballhandler, but he is strong and has a nice burst when coming off a screen. His form is compact, precise and repeatable. Playing alongside point guard John Wall in Washington, Beal can be an elite shooter.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers. Dion Waiters, Syracuse
Waiters played on the ball most of the time at Syracuse, but the ball couldn’t belong to him because he was in a backcourt with a senior (Scoop Jardine) and junior (Brandon Triche) who had owned the position when Waiters still was in high school.
When Syracuse needed to make things happen in tough circumstances, though, it turned to Waiters and his dynamic creativity. He controlled the closing stages of SU’s tight Preseason NIT victory over Stanford with five essential points that were all of his own invention, then nearly pulled off a miraculous Big East Tournament comeback against Cincinnati with 14 points in the final nine minutes.
He will need time to adjust to being a full-time player and still has to learn a lot about how to create for others, but with his grade-A burst he is quite obviously an elite prospect.
5. Sacramento Kings. Thomas Robinson, Kansas
There are some — the Bobcats, Wizards and Cavs, for example — who do not perceive Robinson as quite obviously the second-best prospect in this draft, but someone once selected Hasheem Thabeet in the No. 2 spot, and someone else picked Marvin Williams No. 2 over Chris Paul and Deron Williams. So mistakes happen.
What reasonable concerns are there about Robinson? Does he need to polish his post moves, elevate his release a bit on baseline shot attempts? Indeed. But he’s not merely an inside scorer. He faces and shoots extremely well, and he will become a double-figure rebounder soon after entering the league.
Robinson averaged nearly a dozen rebounds in his one full-time college season. One doesn’t get to that number without having the strength to carve out proper position and the understanding of where that position might be. We've said this before, and will continue until it's no longer true: College rebounding excellence almost always translates to NBA rebounding success.
There are several players in this draft who could be starters on great teams, but for each of the others there is some sort of catch – something missing that will have to be addressed for the player to perform at the playoff level. Robinson won’t ever be a superstar, but he can be a star with only minor improvements – and the opportunity.
6. Portland Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard, Weber State
Scouts are enticed by Lillard’s obvious quickness and athleticism and by numbers that are strong across the board: 41 percent 3-point shooting, 88 percent from the foul line, five rebounds a game. What’s not to love?
There are moments when he leaves you wondering, though. Late in a game at Loyola Marymount in which Weber trailed by a couple scores, Lillard seemed not to advance the ball with urgency. When he splits a screen, he’ll take any shot he can generate whether on balance or not.
One can’t use Eric Maynor as a guide on how to view Lillard because Maynor had far more big-game experience, far more experience against high-level competition. But Lillard also has a step or so of quickness that Maynor did not. Given how much the NBA rewards athleticism, Lillard should develop into a solid starter.
7. Golden State Warriors. Harrison Barnes, North Carolina.
There was a sequence in the Tar Heels’ February home game against Duke that crystallized all the belief, all the faith scouts have invested in Barnes’ ability. From the 16:30 mark of the second half until 14:14 remained, a span of a little more than two minutes, Barnes scored nine consecutive Carolina points, including a tough putback, a sweet transition 3-pointer, a remarkable drive finished by a spin move that took him right-to-left across the lane for a hanging one-hander and, finally, one of his favorite moves, a hard dribble to the right into a pull-up jumper. This was Barnes at the height of his powers, in what certainly qualified as an immense game.
That he collapsed at the close of his sophomore season, averaging just 14.3 points over his final 10 games, should not be equated with an inability to perform under pressure. But it did reanimate questions regarding his mental toughness and fragile confidence. It again raised the question of whether he is capable of being a star-quality NBA player.
There should be no doubt he is a starting-quality NBA player. He will, at the very least, be a mid-teens scorer shortly after his career begins. There were only about 50 of those in the league this year, so there certainly is considerable value to it. He is decidedly righthanded, but he could score at the NBA level even if only as a catch-and-shoot threat.
Whether he’s capable of being an important part of a winning team is the greater doubt. Since he's joining the Warriors, it could take years to resolve that issue.
8. Toronto Raptors. Terrence Ross, Washington.
Ross is a big shooter, but he’s not an elite shooter. Doron Lamb and John Jenkins will convert deep NBA shots at a much higher rate, but neither has Ross’ height, length or jumping ability. Lamb and Jenkins don’t play much of the game above the rim; Ross does. That allows scouts to project that he can grow into a strong wing scorer as his jumper matures into a more dangerous weapon.
Ross has a lovely, compact stroke. But for someone who has a rep as a shooter and who took plenty of deep shots, he didn’t hit even 38 percent in either of his two college seasons. And he only shot 77 percent from the foul line. Lamb and Jenkins would weep at those numbers.
Ross is a solid, defensible pick. But until he polishes that jumpshot into something fearsome, he might struggle to see the floor.
9. Detroit Pistons. Andre Drummond, Connecticut.
Pay no attention when Jim Calhoun says Drummond should have been the No. 2 player taken in this draft. He said the same about Hasheem Thabeet. There had to be a better reason, but it won’t be easy to find it.
Watching Drummond as a high school player, we saw someone with physical traits rare even at the highest levels of the game: the size, the strength, the explosiveness off the floor and the fluidity of movement. Hakeem Olajuwon moved like that when he first came to the States and enrolled at Houston. Ah, but so did B.J. Mullens in his freshman year at Ohio State.
That’s what’s scary about Drummond: His skill level is so poor it might be years before he can be effective. He is a solid passer, but everything else is a challenge. He has no post moves. He is not a face-up shooter. He might even be less prepared than Mullens was from a skill standpoint. But he’s much more physically powerful. That’s what is tantalizing about Drummond. In the end, though, he won’t become a player unless he eventually falls in love with the game. He plays the game like he has to play it, not like he wants to.
10. New Orleans Hornets. Austin Rivers, Duke
What is it scouts don’t like about Rivers? Perhaps he is tough to categorize as a player – he could be a scoring point guard or a shooting guard with creative skills – but that ought to be construed as a positive. He measured at 6-5 in shoes, so certainly he is tall enough to be considered to play shooting guard in the NBA. If he is to be a point, he’ll have great size for the position.
Few guards at either position have shown more impressive ability to create their own shot. He shot 47 percent from the field as a pick-and-roll ballhandler, which ranked among the best figures in Division I basketball last season, according to Synergy Sports Technologies. As a deep shooter, he hit 36.5 percent of his 3-pointers, not an exceptional percentage but nearly identical to the supposed “Ray Allen” of this draft, Bradley Beal.
There is a lot of buzz about Rivers’ arrogance as a player. That assessment has been in place since he was in high school. It might even contain some truth, but he never seemed as challenging to coach as Rajon Rondo did at Kentucky, and Rondo has succeeded without really correcting himself in that respect. It sometimes seems as though scouts are bothered that Rivers comes from a wealthy family, this being a relative rarity in the game. That hasn’t robbed Kevin Love of his drive, though.
11. Portland Trail Blazers. Meyers Leonard, Illinois.
The moment the measuring tape hit the top of Leonard’s head at 7-1, it was fairly obvious people would forget all the elements that make him a dubious prospect for NBA success: lack of physical strength, a distaste for contact beneath the goal, a limited package of scoring moves. What they see, instead, is a 7-footer with extraordinary feet who has been reasonably productive in college.
Given that Detroit’s Greg Monroe entered the NBA with many of the same caveats and became one of the better young big men in the league, it’s understandable that Leonard’s package of size and athleticism would be enticing.
Like Bradley Beal, Leonard did not operate in an ideal college circumstance: His team also had no point guard, and Leonard was also handicapped by ending his season under a coach in the process of losing his job. Leonard’s greatest issue is whether he can gain and hold enough weight to stand his ground in the pros. He’s going to struggle to rebound and score points without gaining strength. Monroe did not have that problem. But he’s not 7-1.
12. Houston Rockets. Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut.
Perhaps more than any player in the draft, Lamb needs a situation with positive chemistry and a winning atmosphere. He is mentally tough enough to take big shots and make them but not to counter a deteriorating atmosphere like he faced at UConn last season.
The team’s struggles largely were placed at his feet, but Lamb is no one’s leader. He’s a shooting guard. In ideal circumstances, you give him the ball, give him a little help getting open, and the consequences of the shot won’t affect whether he makes it. He made as many big shots during UConn’s 2011 NCAA Tournament run as any player, including All-American Kemba Walker. That’s a positive quality to have.
Lamb will struggle a bit to guard his position in the NBA. He has length but not muscle, and he’s only a B-level athlete. But he is a reasonable pick for a functional team looking for a functional player.
13. Phoenix Suns. Kendall Marshall, North Carolina.
If Marshall were a football player, he’d be Colt McCoy: somebody a desperate team tries to will into being a first-rate starter, who has enough intelligence, guile and skill to at least make a go of it — but ultimately too limited physically to be more than an elite backup (the comparison works all the way down to the fact that each was kept from his biggest college game by injury). This is certainly the case if the Suns cannot bring back Steve Nash.
Marshall has excellent size for a point guard and is a very good passer, but he’s not a Bird-Penny-Magic sort of inventor. His greatest gift in the passing department is the ability to see ahead in transition and complete long passes on the break. It’s nice to watch, but its practical applications are limited.
Much more important is Marshall’s absence of footspeed, his inability to develop a means to overcome this as a defender, his lack of pace to blow past opposing defenders with the ball. Oh, and he’s not a great shooter, either. No matter how desperate the Suns may be for a starting point guard, it’s hard to see Marshall as the answer.
14. Milwaukee Bucks. John Henson, North Carolina.
Henson is the forgotten member of Carolina’s first-round quartet, but his length and athleticism will be useful tools in the NBA.
He’s just too lean to be a consistent starter for a good team. One might counter that Kevin Durant gets by OK at his size, but Durant is a perimeter player. North Carolina’s attempt to convert Henson to a small forward was a failure. He isn’t comfortable playing away from the goal, and he lacks the instinct or ball skills to function there.
Henson is an excellent shot-blocker because of his timing and his reach, and he developed both a nifty jump-hook that he can launch into either shoulder. He’ll be a solid reserve and defensive stopper.
15. Philadelphia 76ers. Moe Harkless, St. John's.
Harkless has exceptional size for his position and had a productive freshman year, but his rise from underrated high school prospect to solid first-round pick seems a bit rushed.
He played in a situation with so few teammates and such limited talent at St. John’s that someone had to score. No team in basketball gets shut out. He had the freedom to take about any shot he wanted, so he must learn offensive discipline. He lacks an ideal release on his jumper — he flings the ball a bit. His shot is not as unattractive as Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s, but it’s actually less reliable. According to Synergy Sports Technologies, Harkless grades out as a terrible spot-up shooter, average in isolation, below average as a finisher.
Harkless looks like a player who thinks he needs to rush into the NBA Draft before scouts figure out what he does not do well — which is a lot — rather than remaining in college and actually learning to do these things better.
16. Houston Rockets. Royce White, Iowa State.
Anyone who tries to compare White to any previous NBA player is doomed to fail. There have been few players at his size, with his strength, with such enormous playmaking ability. White is a powerful rebounder despite being shorter than many he battles for the ball. He is a dazzling passer despite being taller than most with such skill.
If White had more athletic spark, maybe another inch or two of height, maybe a slightly better jumpshot — he’d at least be the No. 2-overall pick in the draft. As it is, his basketball skill is undeniable and he fits in any system.
The one thing White must improve to become a serious NBA player is his shot, starting at the foul line, where he hit 49.8 percent at Iowa State. That’s a waste of too many potential points. White might never shoot well enough to be a fulltime starter, but he’ll be a functional player for any coach willing to accommodate his unusual gifts.
17. Dallas Mavericks. Tyler Zeller, North Carolina (traded to Cleveland)
The true center might be a bit out of fashion in the NBA, but only because they’re so hard to find. Zeller is a far less risky choice to fill that position than Andre Drummond, for instance, but because Zeller is not an eye-catching athlete he largely was overlooked in the draft process.
That’s a mistake, in the same way it was for so many NBA general managers to wander past Roy Hibbert.
There isn’t much Zeller does not do well, and there are several areas in which he excels. He is a fair shot-blocker. He has a nice jump-hook, especially when he can get to the center of the lane and flick it through the goal while looking directly at the rim. He changes ends reasonably well, a necessity in Carolina’s running game.
He is an extremely capable shooter from the elbow, which makes sense given that he hits better than 80 percent of his foul shots. His 9.6 rebounds per game should be treasured, given how many college centers struggle to get good rebounding position.
18. Houston Rockets. Terrence Jones, Kentucky
It’s easy to forget Jones is gifted enough as a passer to have played a lot of point guard in high school. He’s not gifted enough to make a living at it, though, so it’s fortunate that UK bulked him up into a power forward.
It’s also easy to forget he’s a promising shooter, because the nature of Kentucky’s 2012 team made it less desirable for him to be stationed away from the goal. During his freshman year, when the team had fewer offensive weapons, he made 26 3-pointers. He shot 466 times and averaged 15.7 points. His production dropped as a sophomore, first as he wrestled to understand his role in a reformulated team and later as he embraced that role and concentrated on defending and rebounding. He is quite proficient at both.
The 2012 NBA Draft began with a pair of Kentucky products—Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist—being selected 1-2. (AP Photo)
Jones has a mercurial personality, though. He is quick to get down on himself or his circumstances. If Rockets coach Kevin McHale commits to managing this, Jones could become one of the steals of the '12 draft.
19. Orlando Magic. Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure
Nicholson has admirable size and length and a hunger to excel that supersedes many others in this draft class. He battles like few others, and he might be the smartest player in the draft.
Where Nicholson is suspect is in the area of athleticism. People worry about a Jared Sullinger in this regard, elevation and that sort of thing, but Sullinger is David Thompson compared to Nicholson. As a senior, Nicholson did develop as a shooter, which shouldn’t hurt, but he has a curious release on what amounts to a set shot.
20. Denver Nuggets. Evan Fournier, France.
Fournier led his French team, Poitiers, in scoring in his second pro season, with 14 points in 26 minutes per game, according to Draft Express’s Jonathan Givony. Fournier was the “the undisputed go-to guy of Poitiers, a pretty rare feat in Europe considering his age (19) and the level of competition he's playing at,” according Givony.
He “possesses ideal physical attributes for a NBA wing at 6-7 with a strong frame, and has the ability to create his own shot very effectively thanks to his excellent size, strength, and ball-handling skills. ... Patient and mature with his drives, he reads the secondary line of defense extremely well, frequently making intelligent passes off the dribble to cutting teammates as help-side defenders rotate towards him,” Givony writes.
Fournier struggles with his jump shot and his greatest weakness is shot selection, according to the website.
21. Boston Celtics. Jared Sullinger, Ohio State.
Wide-bodied players with limited athleticism lately have become less appealing to teams as the league grows faster, quicker, more electric. But if his back holds up, Sullinger can be a terrific addition for the Celtics. Those expressing concern about his concentration on low-post scoring as a collegian reveal they’ve not seen enough of him. Sullinger is an excellent face-up player with 3-point range who can operate as a pick-and-pop screener.
Sullinger has a tremendous basketball IQ, too. Although he lacks burst, he is an extraordinary position defender and strong enough to hold his ground. Everyone remembers that 7-foot-1 Kansas center Jeff Withey caused problems for Sullinger inside; they forget Sullinger held Withey to 2-of-4 shooting from the field.
Concerns about Sullinger’s reported “red-flag” over a possible back problem are hyperinflated. It’s a much greater risk to draft a player who won’t cut it in the league. Sullinger is a sure thing.
22. Boston Celtics. Fab Melo, Syracuse.
Although Melo has experience at a U.S. college and high school, it’s probably best to think of him as a “foreign” big man. He began playing the game in his native Brazil, and his offensive instincts are the sort fostered by previous FIBA rules.
Melo does have the size of a natural center, and he moves well in and around the lane. He has never had a great taste for conditioning, which has prevented him from advancing from a player with good feet to a player who runs well. His natural quickness around the goal, however, makes him an effective shot-blocker.
In the post on offense, he’ll turn into either shoulder for a jumpshot. It’s possible he’ll go into the right shoulder simply because he hasn’t played enough to know he hasn’t mastered that technique. But he does have a nice touch when facing up from 10 feet, which is not common. If the Celtics are searching for a short-term big-man project, they could do worse.
23. Atlanta Hawks. John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
He’ll certainly be a contender to win the 3-point shootout as long as he lasts in the league. No one looks prettier letting go of the ball. He is not strictly a catch-and-shoot player. He is highly effective getting to his shot off a ball screen, although that may be more difficult against NBA defenders.
Jenkins ultimately has more ways to get to an open shot than the 76ers’ Jodie Meeks, and is a slightly better athlete. Teams let Meeks slip into the second round, and now he’s making a couple 3-pointers a game. Jenkins is good enough to be a starting shooting guard in the league.
24. Cleveland Cavaliers. Jared Cunningham, Oregon State (traded to Dallas)
At 6-5, Cunningham is as big as any point guard prospect in the draft, and he has a sneaky sort of explosion to his game, bursting away from screens or leaving defenders behind with slick crossover moves.
But what happens when he gets into playmaking territory? He often gets himself off-balance, which makes it challenging to finish plays. When he tries to pass, he’ll snap off something that appears dazzling right up until it bounces off a teammate’s fingers and into the crowd.
Cunningham averaged only 2.8 assists per game despite serving as the primary ballhandler in many (if not most) sets. That can be attributed to a paucity of gifted teammates, but also to his own inability to deliver passes to teammates in scoring position. Cunningham never has been a great shooter.
25. Memphis Grizzlies. Tony Wroten, Washington.
Wroten simply has no business being in the ’12 draft. The person who made this decision has no concept of what it takes to be a pro — or how truly far he is from being able to get on the floor for any NBA team. Perhaps that person is Wroten.
Wroten is not a polished defender, nor a particularly committed one. And he flat cannot shoot. So even though he has impressive size and unholy athleticism for a playmaker, no NBA coach can put him on the floor. Every opponent will go under every screen. Every opponent will overpower him no matter what defensive matchup he attempts.
Synergy Sports Technologies grades Wroten as below average in nearly every play category available. Except offensive rebounds. He was efficient at scoring on putbacks. That’s not going to allow him to keep a job.
26. Indiana Pacers. Miles Plumlee, Duke.
His younger brother (and teammate at Duke), Mason, has long been considered a better NBA prospect. Miles, who measured 6-foot-11 3/4 at the NBA combine, never averaged more than 20.5 minutes per game during his four-year career at Duke. He averaged 6.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game as a senior, and those mediocre totals were both easily career-best marks.
But Miles is an elite athlete — ability that flashed to the surface sporadically for the Blue Devils—and he wowed NBA teams during the predraft evaluation process. He’s strong in the paint, he runs the court well and has decent touch around the basket. The idea that he would have ever been selected before fellow big men Arnett Moultrie and Perry Jones seemed laughable, though, right up until the moment it actually happened.
27. Miami Heat. Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State (traded to Philadelphia)
Moultrie has just enough offensive ability and athleticism to keep everybody wondering if he might make a difference. He has made a few jumpshots over his career, which leads to the question of whether he might have a face-up game in him. He plays comfortably into a left-hand jumphook when he sets up on the right block. He doesn’t make many of them but doesn’t shy away from the shot, which is a positive quality.
He is not strong enough to battle his way to any serious success along an NBA baseline, though, and that’s after four years at the college level. He certainly will play in the league, but it’s doubtful he’ll matter and not all certain he’ll last.
28. Oklahoma City Thunder. Perry Jones, Baylor
There is no more confounding player in this draft. For all the anxiety about Bradley Beal’s meandering shooting touch and Harrison Barnes’ wavering confidence, there is Jones, the prettiest package of basketball ability in the entire draft — but perhaps the least convincing of anyone who’ll be selected.
Jones is 6-10 with a pro body, A-plus athleticism and an unselfish nature. He had moments, such as his 31-point Big 12 tournament destruction of Kansas State, when he suggested himself as a legitimate alternative to Anthony Davis as the No. 1 pick in the draft. But it was a tease. He never approached that kind of excellence in what remained of his college career, and he shrunk from the challenge Davis and his Kentucky teammates issued in the Elite Eight. Jones made political promises in the pre-draft season about performing with more conviction, but it’s not easy to believe the gentleman who shot 1-of-6 in the NCAAs against South Dakota State.
To succeed in the NBA, Jones will have to understand that he’s a power forward and play with that sort of physicality and toughness. That’s why teams are afraid to take him. They perceive him as “too nice” to succeed at his natural position. But they’ll find him to be extremely coachable. He was medically red-flagged by NBA doctors, but if he can stay healthy, Jones will be a steal this late in the draft.
29. Chicago Bulls. Marquis Teague, Kentucky.
Teague’s development almost was suppressed because he was surrounded by so much talent at Kentucky. He got the ball to the rim regularly because opponents declined to help against him, fearing he’d simply toss a lob to the backside of the rim for Anthony Davis, Terrence Jones or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist for an easy dunk.
That Teague struggled as much as he did to finish despite the absence of regular challenges is an indication he still has considerable room to progress. He is a high-level athlete — in terms of strength and speed — and showed himself to be a solid but not spectacular jumpshooter. He showed flashes of having great vision as a passer in high school, but that was not evident at Kentucky, perhaps because opponents refused to leave defensive assignments when he penetrated.
His brother Jeff’s success with the Atlanta Hawks gives cause for optimism because Marquis definitely is further along after one college season than Jeff was after two. Jeff has the advantage of a bit more length, but Marquis has delivered under big-game pressure and showed he could defer to talented teammates. Both were weaknesses for the older brother.
30. Golden State Warriors. Festus Ezeli, Vanderbilt.
Ezeli is big. Is he big enough to justify his selection on that fact alone? He is 6-11½, 265 pounds with a reach of nearly 7-6. So yeah, he just might be big enough.
He is not an extraordinary basketball player. He doesn’t really have post moves, but that’s OK because he doesn’t do all that well at establishing possessions. He doesn’t really have a face-up game. For all the space he can command, he isn’t very good at rebounding the ball.
But he is big. Sometimes, that’s enough.
SECOND ROUND
31. Charlotte Bobcats - Jeffrey Taylor, Vanderbilt
32. Washington Wizards - Tomas Satoransky, Czech Republic
33. Cleveland Cavaliers - Bernard James, Florida State (traded to Dallas)
34. Cleveland Cavaliers - Jae Crowder, Marquette (traded to Dallas)
35. Golden State Warriors - Draymond Green, Michigan State
36. Sacramento Kings - Orlando Johnson, UC-Santa Barbara (traded to Indiana)
37. Toronto Raptors - Quincy Acy, Baylor
38. Denver Nuggets - Quincy Miller, Baylor
39. Detroit Pistons - Khris Middleton, Texas A&M
40. Portland Trail Blazers - Will Barton, Memphis
41. Portland Trail Blazers - Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas (proposed trade to Brooklyn)
42. Milwaukee Bucks - Doron Lamb, Kentucky
43. Atlanta Hawks - Mike Scott, Virginia
44. Detroit Pistons - Kim English, Missouri
45. Philadelphia 76ers - Justin Hamilton, LSU (traded to Miami)
46. New Orleans Hornets - Darius Miller, Kentucky
47. Utah Jazz - Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech
48. New York Knicks - Kostas Papanikolaou, Greece
49. Orlando Magic - Kyle O'Quinn, Norfolk State
50. Denver Nuggets - Izzet Turkyilmaz, Turkey
51. Boston Celtics - Kris Joseph, Syracuse
52. Golden State Warriors - Ognjen Kuzmic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
53. L.A. Clippers - Furkan Aldemir, Turkey
54. Philadelphia 76ers - Tornike Shengelia, Republic of Georgia
55. Dallas Mavericks - Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette (traded to L.A. Lakers)
56. Toronto Raptors - Tomislav Zubcic, Croatia
57. Brooklyn Nets - Ilkan Karaman, Turkey
58. Minnesota Timberwolves - Robbie Hummel, Purdue
59. San Antonio Spurs - Marcus Denmon, Missouri
60. L.A. Lakers - Robert Sacre, Gonzaga
Story by Mike DeCourcy, Sporting News
Contributing: Ryan Fagan, Sporting News staff
While fans at Quicken Loans Arena for the official Cavaliers Draft Watch Party scratched their heads at the Waiters pick, many national and local media members are on the fence with the Cavaliers No. 4 selection.
"I think Santana can be a good hitter with power but it will help to have him hit 5th with a good hitter ahead of him and a good hitter behind him. He gets a lot of walks but teams also know that he is trying to carry the team in the 4ht spot so he also swings at bad pitches." - joedean
"I think Santana can be a good hitter with power but it will help to have him hit 5th with a good hitter ahead of him and a good hitter behind him. He gets a lot of walks but teams also know that he is trying to carry the team in the 4ht spot so he also swings at bad pitches. I think he will hit .260 with a lot of walks and homers eventually but he does not beed to be the clean-up hitter and he needs a good hitter hitting behind him, I think he will hit better if Hafner returns and starts to hit. I wish Brantley could do as well as Choo in the leadoff spot and then Choo hit 6 after Hafner and Santana but Choo has been so valuable as the lead off man I guess we need to leave him at leadoff."
"I just want them to be able to play good "watchable" football. Like they did for the last four games of Mangini's first year and for much of his second year. The 2011 Browns were for the most part an unwatchable football team." - matt_smith_888
"I just want them to be able to play good "watchable" football. Like they did for the last four games of Mangini's first year and for much of his second year. The 2011 Browns were for the most part an unwatchable football team. The defense played well at times (except for blowing the first Cinni game by being caught in the huddle) but both the offense and special teams played bad football. They were poorly coached/prepared and totally unwatchable."
Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch fishing has been good to very good from west of Lorain to east of Cleveland. Lake Erie shoreline anglers are catching lots of white bass.
Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch fishing has been good to very good from west of Lorain to east of Cleveland. Lake Erie shoreline anglers are catching lots of white bass. The bass season opens Saturday on Lake Erie, and largemouth bass fishing has been good on area lakes. The bluegill and catfish bite is in full swing on inland waters.
Cleveland area
Shoreline fishermen around Cleveland Harbor have been catching lots of white bass, with the East 72nd Street area a hot spot for casting agitators trailing a white fly or jig and white twister tail. Yellow perch are being caught in 38 feet of water, with anglers congregating off the Gold Coast, Cleveland Browns Stadium and Euclid.
The best walleye fishing has been in deep water from Avon Point to Mentor, with spinner rigs and nightcrawlers, Reef Runners and Stinger spoons working well. The steelhead trout are still scattered, but walleye fishermen are catching a few.
Shoreline rock bass fishing is good on jigs tipped with soft plastic, leeches and nightcrawlers.
Central Lake Erie
Smallmouth and largemouth bass season opens Saturday, with a daily bag limit of five fish and a 14-inch minimum.
Walleye fishing has been consistent from Huron to Cleveland in 38 to 41 feet of water, and around the weather buoy on the Ohio-Ontario border north of Vermilion. Spinner rigs tipped with nightcrawlers have been catching lots of fish, with Reef Runners starting to make a comeback this week. Spoons are taking a mixed bag of walleye and steelhead trout in deeper water.
The best walleye fishing off the Chagrin River has been in 65 to 70 feet of water, in 72 feet of water off Geneva and in 69 to 72 feet of water northwest of Ashtabula.
Trolling speed and depth have been critical. Divers or 2- to 3-ounce keel sinkers are needed to keep lures in the 20- to 35-foot depth range. Drift-and-cast fishermen are reporting fair to good catches when they can find large schools of walleye.
Yellow perch fishing in 40 to 45 feet of water off Huron and Vermilion has been good, with limits of perch reported in 38 to 41 feet of water from Vermilion to Lorain's Beaver Park and off Avon Lake. Perch also are being caught in 38 to 40 feet of water off the Chagrin River, Fairport Harbor and Conneaut.
Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good around rocky areas in 15 to 25 feet of water around Cleveland, Fairport Harbor, Geneva, Ashtabula and Conneaut. Tube jigs, drop shot rigs with small soft plastic goby imitations and jigs tipped with crayfish and leeches are best.
White bass are being caught almost everywhere across Lake Erie, from shoreline piers to deepwater walleye haunts.
Western Lake Erie
Fishermen are still catching a few walleye north of West Sister Island, northwest of North Bass Island and northeast of Kelleys Island Shoal to the weather buoy on the border north of Vermilion. Some walleye are still being caught west of Green and Rattlesnake islands. Water near Pelee Island in Canada has been productive.
Yellow perch fishing is good east of the Kelleys Island Airport, northeast of Kelleys Island Shoal and in deeper water between Middle Island and Gull Island Shoal.
Inland lakes, reservoirs
Not much has changed around the inland lakes. Largemouth bass are being caught early in the day on top-water lures worked over the weeds and along the shoreline. Afternoon fishermen are taking bass on points and along drop-offs with Carolina rigs and football jigs tipped with soft plastic. The best bass fishing has been at Mosquito, LaDue, Wingfoot and the Portage lakes.
While bluegill moved a few feet deeper after the recent spawn, some seem to be back in the shallows for a second round. For crappie, head to offshore brush piles and stump fields.
Catfish are biting just about everywhere, with night fishing the best bet. Walleye fishing has slowed at Mosquito, Pymatuning and Berlin lakes, but fair catches are reported.
Trophy fish
Vince Austin, Mario Muttillo, Alex Fatica and Martin Wilson, a foursome of Highland Heights anglers, all caught catfish heavier than 12 pounds during a recent evening outing at Roaming Shores Lake in Ashtabula County.
Fishing tournaments
Lake Erie Walleye Trail Championship At Huron How they finished: 1. Mike Solomey and Shane Solomey, 73.99 pounds; 2. Jay Gullet and Scott Geitgey, 72.6; 3. Mike Robertson and Mike Tobias, 69.82; 4. Joe Whitten and Ron Rhodes, 66.17; 5. Gary Zart and Nicholas Zart, 66.14. Total weights are for two-day catches.
Bad Bass Champs at Berlin Reservoir How they finished: 1. John White and Trever White, 5 bass, 10.77 pounds; 2. William Westrick and Andrew Westrich, 5, 10.56; 3. Nate Randolph and James Geer, 5, 10.36. Big Bass: White and White, 4.61.
20th annual Walleye/Steelhead Fishing Tournament on Lake Erie at Grand River Walleye: 1. Reel Man, 51.60 pounds, $2,500; 2. DB-3, 48.17, $1,250; 3. Evil Eye Charters, 46.71, $1,000; 4. DB-4, 46.38, $500. Steelhead Trout: 1. Jonke Fishing Team, 21.13 pounds, $600; 2. Fish Full Thinking, 10.01, $400; 3. DB-5, 9.14, $200. Big Walleye: Reel Man, 13.05 pounds, $300. Steelhead Trout: Jonke Fishing Team, 10.76 pounds, $100.
Weeden and Richardson are two of 14 unsigned first-round picks
Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller be formally introduced to Cleveland today during a press conference scheduled for 1 p.m. today. Get updates from @PDCavsInsider on Twitter.
Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller be formally introduced to Cleveland today during a press conference scheduled for 1 p.m. today.
James, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, spoke about Gilbert's letter: Gilbert's response to James leaving the Cavs for Miami, in which he referred to James as "our former hero" and called him out for "cowardly betrayal."
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James embarrassed the Cleveland Cavaliers and the team's fans on July 8, 2010, when he said during a tasteless ESPN special: "In this fall -- this is very tough -- in this fall I am taking my talents to South Beach and play with the Miami Heat."
Many who supported James' departure from the Cavaliers to Miami as a free agent said that he should have announced the move in a more conventional manner than the one-hour spectacle. James himself has expressed some regret, not about his decision, but about how he made it known.
James and Miami clinched the NBA championship, winning the Finals series four-games-to-one, with a 121-106 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on June 21.
The title is apparently not enough for Akron native James to put aside some feelings, though, about a moment in the immediate aftermath of "The Decision," when Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert endeared himself to many fans and spoke for them by criticizing James.
Chris Tomasson writes for foxsportsflorida.com about James' recent interview, scheduled for broadcast on the next two weekends, with Oprah Winfrey:
In an interview with Winfrey that soon will be broadcast, James admitted it was "hurtful" when Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert wrote a letter blasting him after James had bolted the Cavaliers as a free agent in the summer of 2010 to join the Heat. The letter called James "our former hero" and said he portrayed "cowardly betrayal."
Winfrey interviewed James and fellow Heat stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh shortly after they wrapped up the title for the show "Oprah's Next Chapter." Part one will air 8 p.m. EDT Sunday on the Oprah Winfrey Network with part two at 8 p.m. EDT July 8. The network made available Thursday to FOX Sports Florida a clip with James' response when Winfrey asked him about Gilbert's letter.
"It was hurtful because I know how much I put into that organization, and every night I'm out on the floor I tried to give it my all and I tried to bring a championship to that city every single night," said James, who didn't win a title with the Cavaliers from 2003-10, losing 4-0 to San Antonio in 2007 in their only Finals appearance. "But, at the same time, I understood that everyone has their opinion. Everybody has a right to say what they want to say and there's nothing I can do about that."
Video: From "Oprah's Next Chapter," via Fox Sports Florida, LeBron James tells Oprah Winfrey that Cavaliers' owner Dan Gilbert's letter in response to James' leaving the Cavs "was hurtful:"
Gratitude for our military, and for the chance to represent the United States.
Tianna Madison's Olympic Journey
Olympic sprinter Tianna Madison of Elyria is blogging about her U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials experience, exclusively for The Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com. Madison, 26, qualified for the London Olympics when she placed second in the 100 meters at the Trials in Eugene, Oregon, last Saturday. She is the top qualifier for Friday's 200-meter semifinals at 6 p.m. ET, and the final is 9:50 p.m. Saturday.
A 2003 graduate of Elyria High School, Madison was the 2005 world long jump champion.
What I'm experiencing at the US Track and Field Olympic Trials:
This morning as I prepare for the semi-final of the 200-meter dash here at the Olympic Trials, I had this random thought about the people who actually do represent the United States of America in the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and in any other manner in which they protect and serve.
I am on the U.S. Olympic Team, an Olympian. I am now able to represent my country and what it means to be American on an international stage, too. Even with the turmoil taking place globally, people across the continents will stop and watch the Olympic Games. And I’ll be there wearing the Red, White, and Blue. Running for my country, a representation of the American dream and a living testimony for what can happen in your life if you take up your pursuit of happiness. Remember: Honor, Integrity and Self Respect.
For a time, we will all be united, and the only fighting we’ll do is for the medal stand. This is how I will exhibit the pride I have for this country, the dream I have for all people to change their lives for the better, and the spirit of competition that never ceases to unite us all. It is so much bigger than me. I can’t find the words to really describe to you how momentous this experience is and will be.
So, today my focus will be on my strength, technique, recovery and making it to the final tomorrow. I'll be in touch.
-- Tianna Madison
Quarterback Brandon Weeden will get the chance to impress Cleveland Browns fans. Watch video
BEREA, Ohio - Wide receiver Justin Blackmon was not on the receiving end of Brandon Weeden's 90-mph fastballs during Weeden's stint in minor league baseball, but the sting of Weeden's fastballs on the football field lingers.
"When he came in during my freshman year, we noticed right away that he could really throw the ball," says Blackmon, who played with Weeden at Oklahoma State. "We had swollen fingers after catching his throws."
Blackmon and many other AFC rookies took part in the Rookie Symposium this week in Northeast Ohio. It's an NFL program which introduces rookies to life in the NFL.
On Friday, the AFC rookies participated in the PLAY 60 Youth Event with Cleveland-area children that included interactive games and football drills. The NFC rookies participated in the Play 60 event earlier this week.
Blackmon, selected No. 5 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL Draft, says in an interview with Branson Wright how arm strength isn't the only reason Cleveland Browns fans will love Weeden.
"He's a great competitor who finds ways to win," Blackmon said.
The Tribe look to make it two straight against the Orioles tonight in Baltimore. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Get game updates on Twitter from Paul Hoynes, @Hoynsie.
The Tribe look to make it two straight against the Orioles tonight in Baltimore. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Get game updates on Twitter from Paul Hoynes @Hoynsie or click here for a live game box score. You can also download our Cleveland Indians app for Android to get Tribe updates on your mobile device. Read on for a game preview.
In a text, Madison said there is not enough time between her 200-meter semifinal at 6 p.m. ET and the start of the long jump at 6:30 p.m.
EUGENE, Ore. -- Elyria native and 2005 world long jump champion Tianna Madison has pulled out of today's long jump preliminary competition at the U.S. Track and Field Trials.
In a text to The Plain Dealer, Madison said there is not enough time between her 200-meter semifinal at 6 p.m. ET and the start of the long jump at 6:30 p.m. Madison was slated for the second flight of the long jump.
She said her primary concern was having time to properly measure out her long-jump approach.
“(This) is very technical. Due to this, I think there is too much risk of injury,'' she said. “I'm really going to focus on the 200. Am I disappointed? No. Life throws us all kind of challenges. I'll be back in long jump soon.''
Madison is the top semifinal qualifier in the 200. The final is Saturday, and the long jump final is Sunday.
Madison already has earned a Summer Olympics berth in the 100. She was the 100 runner-up last Saturday.
On Twitter: @TimsTakePDSports Illustrated gives Cavs an "A," saying other early-pick teams liked Waiters and the trade to get Zeller "is tremendous value for a team that needed size and scoring up front." Not all opinion was as complimentary, but most grade the Cavs' effort better-than-average. Links to more stories, opinions.
Cavaliers NBA draft linksJust because the Cavs made a surprise pick at No. 4 doesn't mean it was the wrong pick, and I'd be killing them here if the guy they got (Syracuse shooting guard (Dion Waiters) was someone on whom other teams weren't nearly as high. But that wasn't the case, as Waiters also appealed to Golden State at No. 7 (where Jerry West, among others, wanted him) and Sacramento at No. 5. He's tenacious, efficient and confident, even if he wasn't a starter for the Orange. At No. 17, grabbing North Carolina center Tyler Zeller in a trade with Dallas is tremendous value for a team that needed size and scoring up front. Cleveland traded No. 24, No. 33 and No. 34 to get him, but the chance to grab an ACC Player of the Year was well worth it.
Although surprising, the Cavaliers' draft picks likely will help the team improve next season. Watch video
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- So, are the Cavaliers a better team after the surprising selections of Syracuse shooting guard Dion Waiters and North Carolina center Tyler Zeller? Forget where they were drafted, where they were expected to be drafted or who should have been drafted instead.
Did the Cavs improve?
As Chris Grant pointed out early Friday, "We went into the draft with a number of needs-- scoring and additional big guys, and we were able to come out of the draft with two players that we targeted and felt really good about. At the end of the first round, we felt very good about where we were and where we were going."
Coach Byron Scott said he thought Waiters was the second-best player available in the draft, behind only No. 1 pick Anthony Davis of New Orleans. He also had Zeller rated in the top 10. He thought getting both players was a coup.
"I went to bed with a big smile on my face," Scott said.
The addition of Waiters should have the Cavs improve on their average of 93 points per game last season -- 25th in the league. Though he averaged just 12.5 points per game in his role as sixth man for the Orange, he likely will have an expanded role with the Cavs, who certainly are penciling him in as the starting shooting guard -- provided he survives the rigors of Scott's summer league and training camp.
In addition, his skill set will benefit Rookie of the Year point guard Kyrie Irving, who was said to have been thrilled with the selection of Waiters.
"With Dion, he knows his first day he's going to have to earn that spot," Scott said. "But playing with Kyrie, we think they can be a dynamic duo. Again, it gives us another guy so Kyrie doesn't necessarily have to have the ball 99 percent of the time. He can sometimes rest on the offensive end and let this young man have the ball to create for himself and his teammates.
"We have another guy who can create. We had one guy in Kyrie. That's a lot of pressure for one guy to handle. Now we have another guy who can share in that. He doesn't mind sharing it. He doesn't mind having the ball in his hand with the game on the line. He's not afraid to fail. That's the thing I love about him. He's a competitor and a tough kid.
"It's going to fun. You have two young guys who can both win basketball games for you by getting to the basket or by making shots or by find their teammates. That's a luxury we haven't had. I'm looking forward to having them both on the floor."
In addition, Scott is looking forward to having a legitimate center -- even if he is only a rookie. Certainly, Scott was pleased with the play of converted power forward Anderson Varejao last year, at least until he broke his wrist in February and was lost for the season. The trio of Ryan Hollins, Samardo Samuels and Semih Erden took disappointing turns. Eventually rookie power forward Tristan Thompson became the starting center.
So Zeller can fill a very big void.
"When you look at all the big men that went, I think he's the most complete, most ready to play in the NBA right now," Scott said. "He does pretty much everything pretty well. He runs the floor extremely well. He rebounds, he blocks shots, he plays good solid defense. His basketball IQ is very high. He can shoot the ball. You can run your offense through him. There's a lot of things about him that we really liked.
"With him playing at the center position, Andy can go back to his natural position. It does put us in a unique situation to be able to play those two together, play Tristan with either one of them as well."
It's more than three months until training camp starts, nearly four until the season starts. With summer league slated to begin in two weeks, there will be plenty of time to figure out how much the two new additions will help a team that has won 40 games the past two seasons.
So are the Cavs better? Without question. Whether that will translate into victories remains to be seen.
On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider
Brandon Weeden and other draft picks in the early twenties are trying to get all four years of their contracts fully guaranteed.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The holdup on Brandon Weeden's contract -- and that of the three players picked behind him -- is a fully guaranteed contract for all four years, league sources said today.
It's the same issue that caused Browns defensive tackle Phil Taylor, the No. 21 overall pick last year, to hold out for the first four days of training camp.
With the NFL's new rookie slotting system, guaranteed money is usually the only point of contention. Weeden, the No. 22 overall pick, is set to receive a four-year deal worth about $8.1 million, but is intent on the fourth-year guarantee as opposed to the three that many players late in the round receive.
Ultimately, the Browns and Taylor agreed last year to a combination guaranteed base/roster bonus for 2014 instead of the full guarantee. The $750,000 roster bonus, due in early March, forces the Browns to make an early decision on whether or not to keep Taylor for the year. His base for the final year is also $750,000. Overall, his deal was worth four years, $8.1 million.
Weeden, who participated in the NFL Play 60 in Berea Friday as part of the rookie symposium, said he's still hopeful a deal will get done before training camp, which opens to the public July 28th. Rookies report a few days earlier.
"It'll get done,'' said Weeden, one of 14 unsigned first-rounders including teammate Trent Richardson. "We’re working. It takes two sides, though.''
If the Browns decide not to budge on the guaranteed fourth year, Weeden will most likely have to settle for the combination guarantee/roster bonus that Taylor received.
Last year, picks one through 16 -- and No. 20 pick Adrian Clayborn of the Bucs -- received all four years fully guaranteed. This year, picks one through 16 received the four years and picks 17, 18 and 19 got the combo package. No. 20 overall pick Kendall Wright remains unsigned by the Titans, presumably because he's working off Clayborn's fully-guaranteed four-year deal from last year.
This year's No. 21 overall pick, defensive end Chandler Jones of New England, signed a four-year deal worth $8.17 million, but didn't receive the roster bonus in the fourth year that Taylor secured, according to profootballtalk.com.
The Browns still have almost a month to resolve the issue, but sources expect Weeden to be in on time, especially considering he's set to be the starting quarterback.
As for No. 3 overall pick Richardson, his holdup is likely tied to the "offset language'' that clubs want in the contract. Offset language means that if a player with a guaranteed contract is let go and signs with another club, the original team is off the hook for the portion of the salary paid by the new club. For example, if Richardson were due $5 million in 2015 and his new team paid him $4 million, the Browns would owe him $1 million.
Offset language is the major reason the first eight picks have yet to sign, a source said.
"For me, I think I’m really just waiting on one and two (Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin) to get done," Richardson said at NFL Play 60. "Then when the big guys get done, I can sign.''
Richardson will receive a four-year guaranteed contract worth close to $21 million.
