The 2009 NBA draft - long-awaited and the source of much speculation during the warm-weather months, when the Pavilion is silent - finally arrives Thursday night at 7 PM...
Dante Cunningham is widely believed to be a second-round selection. It appears, however, that his stock has dropped, as the heat and humidity of Philadelphia has risen. Back in the spring, the initial mock drafts reflected a broad consensus that he would be an early second-round selection.
However, for reasons which aren't entirely clear, the mock drafts are now showing him no higher than the middle of the second round, with some even putting him at the tail end of the round (or in one case, out of it completely).
I have no particular expertise on the dynamics of the NBA draft, so I can only speculate that the decisions of other players (both in North America and overseas) to enter the draft, may have pushed him to the back of the line.
- NBADraft.net projects Cunningham as the 49th selection overall, by the Atlanta Hawks.
- Hoopsworld.com projects him as the 57th selection overall, by the Phoenix Suns (i.e., the end of the second round; there will be 60 selections made).
- MyNBADraft.com does not project him to be selected at all, surprisingly.
- NBADraftDepot.com projects him as the 58th selection overall, by the Boston Celtics.
- NBADraftPress.com projects him as the 45th selection overall, by the Minnesota Timberwolves (who have just traded his former Villanova Wildcat teammate, Randy Foye to the Washington Wizards).
Although he has not been included in any of the mock drafts, there has been a late flurry of interest in Dwayne Anderson as well... The fine site VUHoops has reported that Anderson has been invited to pre-draft workouts by Oklahoma City, as well as Charlotte...
Earlier this month, junior Scottie Reynolds - in light of the fact that he almost certainly would not have been drafted at all, based on the mock drafts - withdrew his name from consideration and will return to Villanova for his senior season...
Note: You can also read more on Cunningham and Anderson's draft prospects here, written on Thursday, June 25 - Draft Day.
Go Wildcats!
Of course, check back for the latest posts in the Senior Farewell series, in which I'll be looking back at the Villanova tenures of the two final departing Wildcats - Anderson and Cunningham; the Frank Tchuisi and Shane Clark series are now already completed...
There are two ways you can contact Villanova Viewpoint. One is by commenting on this blog. Comments are encouraged, and will always be answered. Also, you can e-mail villanova.viewpoint@yahoo.com (Important note: This is a different e-mail address than before. Please use this new one.)
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