congrats to fresno beach amigo james harden for going to the oklahoma city thunder with pick #3 in the 2009 nba draft. after the draft, james had a q&a with newsok.com: Q: Do you know Russell Westbrook from the Los Angeles area? A: Yeah, actually we grew up together. We were like 12 or 11 and went to the same boys and girls club together. And then just being around him and being an L.A. kid you kind of get to hang around him a lot more. It was fun. He’s a great player. He has great character as well. Q: Have you spoken to him throughout this whole process? A: Yeah. He texts me and we’ve talked a few times. Even Kevin Durant texts me and told me good luck. I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high and think about being there. Since I’m there we’ll start bonding a lot more. Q: There was a story that said your high school coach always had to convince you to shoot. Are you a guy that likes to get everybody involved before you start scoring? A: Definitely. That’s why I think Sam Presti and those guys chose me, because I’m a pass-first guy. They ...

congrats to fresno beach amigo jordan hill for going to the new york knicks with pick #8 in the 2009 nba draft. mike slane of nyknicks.com talked to jordan after the draft: The Knicks selected 6-foot-10 forward Jordan Hill with the eighth overall pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft in a move that not only gives the team some much-needed size but also provides them with another very athletic player in D’Antoni’s fast-paced system. “I love to run the floor, so I’m a good pick for them,” Hill said. Hill is very familiar with D’Antoni’s style of play and believes he can have similar success in the NBA as Amare Stoudemire, the superstar forward who helped lead the Phoenix Suns to four 50-win seasons under D’Antoni. Like Stoudemire, Hill is a long, versatile big man who runs the floor well and can create scoring opportunities. “It’s the up-tempo style (D’Antoni) had with the Phoenix Suns when he had Amar’e running up and down the game every game,” Hill said. “That’s the style I love to play.” The Knicks regarded Hill as one of the best, if not the best frontcourt players in the draft. He had a solo workout for the team two weeks ago, leaving ...

congrats to fresno beach amigo austin daye for going to the detroit pistons with pick #15 in the 2009 nba draft. chris mccosky of the detroit news writes: Taking Austin Daye with the 15th pick Thursday was to Joe Dumars as much about character as it was about talent and potential. "Over the last nine years, this past year was probably the toughest in terms of dealing with issues," Dumars said. "As you all know, I put a premium on character and have guys represent us the right way. Sitting back and watching us go through all the issues we went through last year, I said, 'Never again are we going to be in a situation where we go through those issues and drama.' " First-year coach Michael Curry last season dealt with players missing or being late for buses, planes and meetings. "I think what Joe was most upset about was us losing so many games on Sunday," Curry said. "And that has a lot to do with what (players) did on Saturday night. We want guys to be professional. We want guys who understand they are not only representing themselves and their teammates, but their organization and city, as well. You have to ...

congrats to fresno beach amigo james johnson for going to the chicago bulls with pick #16 in the 2009 nba draft. as jeremiah johnke wrote in the wyomingnews.com: The roar inside Jackson's All American Sports Bar and Grill was nearly as deafening as anything James Johnson heard playing in the famed arenas of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Instead of being hassled by thousands of hostile fans, Johnson was surrounded by several dozen delighted family members and friends as NBA commissioner David Stern announced the Chicago Bulls selected him with the 16th pick of the 2009 draft. "I'm happy to be going to Chicago," Johnson said. "They're a good team, a young team and I'm excited to go in there and put my stamp on it as best I can. I feel like I can get in the rotation and help out a little bit." Johnson, a graduate of Cheyenne's East High, declared for the draft in early April after two seasons at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. He averaged 14.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for the Demon Deacons and was a two-time third-team All-ACC honoree. "Holy-moly, this is the biggest thing that's happened to our family other than fighting," said James' father ...

congrats to fresno beach amigo omri casspi for going to the sacramento kings with pick #23 in the 2009 nba draft. cowbell kingdom got some good quotes from casspi, the first player from israel to become an nba draft pick: “I know I’ll leave a good impression of the Israeli player to the ones who’ll follow”, he added. “I hope to open the door to others, who play nowadays in youth leagues. It’s a great honour to the Israeli basketball, and I’ll be happy when people will wake up early in the morning to watch the Kings’ games." Casspi, accompanied at the table by Maccabi Tel Aviv eternal chairman Shimon Mizrachi and his father, Shimon Casspi, was trying to relive the moment of the pick: “It was an exciting moment. When David Stern went to the podium, I saw this smile, like he’s trying to hide something he knows. When he said ‘Omri Casspi’, it was a feeling I can’t describe. It was a dream came true, from the days I woke up in the middle of the night to see Michael Jordan and the great Chicago Bulls”. Embedded video from CNN Video     Embedded video from NBA Video

congrats to fresno beach amigo derrick brown for going to the charlotte bobcats with pick #40 in the 2009 nba draft. you can check out derrick at the charlotte presser with gm rod higgins and new teammate gerald henderson here and here. chick ludwig of the dayton daily news had a good q&a with derrick after the draft: "I’m a testimony to every kid that you don’t have to be a McDonald’s All-American, and you don’t have to be a Sports Illustrated or Parade magazine player of the year to make it,” Brown said. “All you need is a ball and some time, and the willingness to work. “I arrived at Xavier 6-7 and 185 pounds. Now I’m 6-8, 230. Nobody gave me the weight. When I came to college, I couldn’t shoot. Now I can shoot. No one gave me the jump shot. It’s all about how much you care. You get out of it what you put into it." Embedded video from NBA Video

congrats to fresno beach amigo lester hudson for going to the boston celtics with pick #58 in the 2009 nba draft. mark murphy of the boston herald wrote about lester nerve-wracking wait for the final picks: "ESPN analyst Jay Bilas’ best player available chart can be useful, but for Lester Hudson it was an instrument of torture. There were three picks left in Thursday night’s NBA draft, “and he had me as the third-best player available,” the 6-foot-1 guard said yesterday, traces of panic still present in his voice 12 hours later. “Yeah, I was worried. I thought it was going to run out.” But then Hudson’s agent, Lance Young, called with encouraging news. Though Hudson canceled a workout with the Celts earlier in the week, the agent said he had been tipped off the C’s planned to pick the scorer from the University of Tennessee-Martin. “He said he was going to call me back, but I told him I wanted him to stay on the phone with me,” said Hudson. “I was like, ‘Oh man, don’t hang up.’ My mom and my dad and the rest of the family were in the room with me, and then they made the announcement and ...

congrats to fresno beach amigo malcolm jenkins for going to the new orleans saints with pick #14 in the 2009 nfl draft. wwl.com had a q&a with malcolm: Q: Did you think you would go to the Saints at 14? A: Once a couple of things were going on and on, I thought it was looking nice. I'm just happy and grateful. Q: Where do you think you fit into this defense? A: Just talking to the coaches when they called me, they said corner. Right now I'm thinking about the outside and we'll see how that goes in camp. Q: Prior to the Saints drafting you today, how much interest did the team show in you? A: They showed a lot. At the combine, they showed a lot of interest in me. At the pro day, the defensive backs coach was running the drills, so I got to interact with him. They visited me. I had dinner with them. I'm just happy to be here. Q: Did you think joining the Saints were a strong possibility for you from the first time you started having contact with them? A: Before the pro day, I went out to dinner with the defensive coordinator and the defensive backs coach ...

congrats to fresno beach amigo alphonso smith for going to the denver broncos with the #37 pick in the 2009 nfl draft. timescall.com reports: The Broncos traded their first-round pick in 2010 for Seattle’s 37th pick, which the Broncos used to select Wake Forest cornerback Alphonso Smith. (The Broncos still have the first-round pick in 2010 they obtained from Chicago in the Jay Cutler trade). Smith was projected by some as a first-round pick, and the Broncos felt it was a bargain for him to fall into the second round. “You stick to your evaluation of the player,” Broncos Coach Josh McDaniels said. “We don’t care what anybody else rated that player as or valued that player as. The only thing that mattered to us is how we saw him. He was definitely worth the value.” nfl combine numbers: 5-9, 193, 23, cb, 4.51 40, 13 reps, 34.0 vert, 125" broad, 7.09 3cone, 4.38 20shuttle

congrats to fresno beach amigo darius butler for going to the new england patriots with the #41 pick in the 2009 nfl draft. patspulpit.com reports: One of the top CB's in the draft, Darius is a real find, in my opinion. Projected as a first rounder, the fact that he slid this far is a testament to just how crazy this draft has been. Over the coming weeks, I'll have a hard time fighting my enthusiasm for this kid. Sure, second year guys Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite, along with vets Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden, have it covered. But, Ellis Hobbs' contract is up in '09 and drafting Butler gives them both insurance if he goes and leverage if he stays. Are you worried about Hobbs' return game? He is, afterall, one of the leagues most productive return men. Don't be worried. This from his bio on nfl.com: "Regarded as the premier cornerback in the Big East Conference, Butler added a new wrinkle to his game that would make New England Patriots fans clamoring for him to be their next Troy Brown. Always willing to help the team in any way he ...

congrats to fresno beach amigo sherrod martin for going to the carolina panthers with the #59 pick in the 2009 nfl draft. heraldonline.com reports: The Carolina Panthers found a conversion project with their original second-round pick, taking Troy's Sherrod Martin 59th overall. Martin was a college safety, but he went through the postseason all-star games and combine working as a corner, and the Panthers think they've found someone who can contribute immediately. “He's coming in as a corner,” general manager Marty Hurney said of Martin. “He's an explosive kid, tough, a hard hitter. We think he's going to come right in and be part of the mix.” The Panthers are down at the position, after cutting starter Ken Lucas for salary cap reasons. Richard Marshall's expected to move into the starting lineup, though Martin's got the kind of skills to challenge for immediate playing time on third downs. Hurney said in addition to safety, they saw potential in Martin as a nickel back as well as a special teams player. “He's just a very good, tough football player,” Hurney said. nfl combine results: 6-1, 198, 24, cb, 4.52 40, 12 reps, 36.0 vert, 123" broad, 6.60 3cone, 3.98 20shuttle, 11.17 60shuttle

congrats to fresno beach amigo kevin barnes for going to the washington redskins with the #80 pick in the 2009 nfl draft. hometownannapolis reports: Yesterday morning, he flipped on the television again at his mother's house in Glen Burnie, expecting to go in the third round as the draft resumed. When the Redskins had their turn midway through the round - with the 80th pick overall - Barnes said he didn't expect anything to happen. "They called me within the last week or so, just to check my (phone) numbers," he said. "But I hadn't really talked with them. I don't think I even met with them at the (NFL scouting) combine." But Barnes was the man the Redskins wanted. Suddenly, the phone rang with a call from the 703 area code, northern Virginia. Barnes answered it, not knowing what to expect. On the other end of the line were Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, vice president Vinny Cerrato and head coach Jim Zorn. They fired questions at him - "Are you healthy?" "How would you feel about being a Redskin?" - and they must have heard the answers they wanted. A moment later, they uttered the words Barnes had been waiting ...

congrats to fresno beach amigo chip vaughn for going to the new orleans saints with the #116 pick in the 2009 nfl draft. nola.com reports: Vaughn (6-2, 221 pounds) projects as a strong safety, though he could potentially play either safety spot. Vaughn thinks that was one of the reason the Saints took him. "I'd say it's my versatility," he said. "I played free safety and strong safety and I can play corner in red zone situations if need be. I feel like I was the total package to them." Saints Coach Sean Payton said Vaughn will start as a free safety in the Saints' defense. He was rated as the third-best strong safety prospect according to NFLDraftScout.com. He's big and fast. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds at the NFL combine. Vaughn said he is faster than that. "Some teams had me running between 4.36 and 4.39 as my fastest time and being the fastest safety up there," he said. nfl combine numbers: 6-1, 221, 23, s, 4.51 40, 21 reps, 37.0 vert, 125" broad, 7.04 3cone, 4.12 20shuttle

congrats to fresno beach amigo michael hamlin for going to the dallas cowboys with the #166 pick in the 2009 nfl draft. carolinalive.com reports: Michael Hamlin was surrounded by family and friends at his Pee Dee home expecting to get a phone call at any minute when the third round of the NFL Draft began on Sunday at 10 am. But the phone didn't ring as the third and fourth rounds came to a close. Hamlin would stop watching the draft coverage within an hour and went to his room alone to take a nap and read the Bible. Finally, in the 5th round with the 166th pick, the phone call came from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. nfl combine numbers: 6-2, 214, 23, s, 4.62 40, 17 reps, 37.5 vert, 9'9", 7.17 3cone, 4.42 20shuttle

congrats to fresno beach amigo and former fresno state bulldog tom brandstater for going to the denver broncos with pick #174 in the 2009 nfl draft. fresnobee.com reports: Brandstater, who spent the past three years as Fresno State's starting quarterback, watched the draft in Modesto at a bar that overlooked a pristine golf course. About 70 family members and friends joined. At one point, Brandstater said he was told he could go as high as the third round. With each round that passed and each quarterback that was taken that wasn't him, Brandstater was consoled by his mom. Then finally, Brandstater received a call from the Broncos, who said they were trying to trade with the Detroit Lions to get him. The room of family and friends all quieted down to hear Brandstater's conversation. A couple of minutes later, Brandstater's name was announced on ESPN. High school friends mobbed the 6-foot-5 quarterback and some family members cried. Brandstater wanted to hear what ESPN's draft expert Mel Kiper had to say about him, but the room was too loud for anyone to hear over the cheers. Brandstater was the seventh quarterback taken in the draft and joins a Broncos team that traded ...

congrats to former fresno state bulldog bear pascoe for going to the san francisco 49ers with the #184 pick in the 2009 nfl draft. fresno bee reports: Down in Porterville, Pascoe stopped watching the draft early on in the third round, instead preferring to retreat to his parents' barn and practice roping a dummy bull. The closest TV was about 100 yards away, back inside his parents' house, where about 30 family members and friends slowly filed in and out throughout the day. Pascoe, a 6-foot-5, 260-pound starting tight end for Fresno State the past three years, said he was told at one point that he might get drafted as early as the third round. But as the day went on and he still wasn't picked, Pascoe didn't care when he went or to whom he went. He just wanted to get drafted. Then as the sixth round got under way, Pascoe received a call from the New England Patriots, who told him they were going to select him when it was their turn. But within a couple of minutes, Pascoe received another call, this time from the 49ers, who said they were going to pick him right then. The 49ers ...

congrats to fresno beach amigo javarris williams for going to the kansas city chiefs with pick #212 in the 2009 nfl draft. arrowheadpride.com reports (and even predicted before the draft that javarris might become a chief): I wrote a post on him back on April 6th following the news that we had worked him out. At the time I wondered if he was going to be considered "LJ insurance." I was surprised to see so much production over an extended period. Here are his career stats. Year Attempts Yards YPC Touchdowns 2006 245 ... 1,233 ... 5.0 ... 11 2007 195 ... 1,187 ... 6.1 ... 12 2008 207 ... 1,037 ... 5.0 ... 15 nfl combine numbers: 23, 5-10, 223, rb, 4.52 40, 25 reps, 33.5 vert, 117" broad

congrats to fresno beach amigo and former clovis high cougar zack follett for going to the detroit lions with pick #235 in the 2009 nfl draft. dailycal.org reports: He had to wait a little longer than expected to find out where he was headed, though. Projected as a middle-round talent, the former Cal linebacker dropped all the way to the middle of the final round -- a fall that, he says, might be less of a disappointment and more a blessing in disguise. "I look at it like what's God trying to teach me in situations like that?" says Follett. "This just humbled the crap out of me, to tell you the truth. I'm not gonna be going in with a big head, thinking this and that. I'm gonna have to work that much harder. Work won't be a problem for the self-described "blue-collar" backer. What might be are the nagging neck problems that have bothered Follett since high school -- the result of a bulging disc -- and were aggravated in 2007 when he suffered a neck stinger in his junior season with the Bears. It's already affected his professional career before he has played a down. Follett's agent, according ...

congrats to fresno beach amigo rashad jennings for going to the jacksonville jaguars with pick #250 in the 2009 nfl draft. wsls.com reports: ESPN’s draft experts, Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, agreed that Jennings was a steal that late in the draft, and both were surprised he lasted as long as he did. Kiper theorized that Jennings’ upright running style turned some NFL general managers off, and he noted that running backs often fell much further in the draft than players at other positions ... Jacksonville struck at the final moment, drafting Jennings in the seventh round, 250th overall. Jennings watched the draft at his family’s home in Forest, Virginia, spending the day “excited, frustrated, angry a lot of the time.” But once his name popped up in the final hour of the draft, the frustration turned to elation. nfl combine numbers: 24, 6-1, 231, rb, 4.67 40, 29 reps, 34.0 vert, 120" broad, 6.86 3-cone, 4.20 20shuttle, 11.46 60shuttle