Friday, June 26, 2009

Pity poor Gary Wilkinson?

So should Gary Wilkinson be disappointed at not hearing his name called on national television during the NBA draft?

We offer a qualified 'no'.

If it ever was this situation for Wilkinson -- which seems extremely doubtful -- the NBA draft after the first round (thus the guaranteed contracts) is not about ego. It's more attuned to freedom -- at least from the player perspective.

If a player isn't to be a first-rounder then not being chosen after the second run through the league's teams allows the freedom to shop around for both the best roster fit and deal, within the NBA and elsewhere.

Sure, Gary Wilkinson will never be able to tell his future kids and grandkids that he was drafted by such-and-such team but the opportunity to maximize his possible earnings potential is actually the most important aspect of yesterday's events.

Wasn't it leapin' Patrick Henry who first uttered "give me the first round or leave me be" -- or something similar?

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