After last night’s first round of the NBA draft, folks have picked sides as to who won and lost the draft-based on nothing. We’re allowed to do that as fans-with the encouragement of the league(s). Leading up to the draft, the Bucks traded away their most valuable asset, Giannis. After the Bucks won it all a few years back, who thought the two would ever part company?
I’ve already heard the talking heads disagree who won the trade. I fully expect each side to flip flop a half dozen times in the next six weeks and argue the other side with equal passion.
Unlike most years, there was a predraft consensus Top 4 picks, the order of which was debatable. And like every NBA draft, debates will continue for decades as to which of the four was the best. In some cases, the winners and losers are obvious, others less so. Along the same lines, and not confined to the NBA and basketball, making foolish and unfounded career predictions this week about guys that have never played professionally is common. While it’s fun to project and predict, I suggest we let things happen before we have egg on our faces.
While I no longer care enough about the NBA to recall the top five picks of the last decade, I’m certain there are more than a few major disappointments. And without citing any specific cases, I know that there are numerous first round picks in MLB and the NFL who have flopped like berets. Even with a more structured minor league system, development is not linear in MLB, although we can find instances where it is.
Close to home, White Sox fans are salivating over the prospect of selecting Roch Cholowsky with the first overall pick in the upcoming draft. Taking it one step further, the media and fans are already slotting him into the lineup and shifting other players around.
Also close to home, Cubs fans the folks covering them, haven’t said “boo” about the upcoming ML draft. Currently, the talent-starved minor league system is being tested by all of the pitching injuries. Fans are clamoring for any trade to bolster the rotation and bullpen, but the smarter folks out there don’t believe they have the capitol to make any trades. It doesn’t appear to any of us, that Cubs management knows how to draft and develop any more. Without looking it up, I’m not sure when the Cubs’ first pick falls.
After the ML draft, I expect Chicago sports fans will compare the Bears’, Bulls and Sox first round picks and who will be successful quickest. We’re not above ranking the best pro athletes playing in town concurrently-even though they play different sports and on teams with different trajectories.
The Giannis trade offers fans hope, that any player (no matter how established in a city) can be traded. Unless they lead to barroom brawls, these debates about who won a trade or the draft are usually harmless and just what the leagues love.
Even before you could legally bet on everything sports related, it was never to early to forecast greatness, even without a back of a baseball card.
