Acie Law

Acie Law IV (born January 25, 1985) is a basketball point guard who finished a four-year college career at Texas A&M University in 2007. In his four seasons at Texas A&M, Law scored 1,653 points and was credited with 540 assists. Nicknamed "Captain Clutch" for his ability to take over the game late, Law is well known among Aggie basketball fans for "The Shot," his buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat the archrival Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on March 1, 2006, as well as for his play in the Aggies' stunning 69-66 upset win against Kansas (the only Big 12 South team to win at Allen Fieldhouse) on February 3, 2007.

On June 28, 2007, Law was taken 11th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks.

Post-Draft Thoughts on the Trail Blazers

Now that the 2007 NBA Draft has finished, it's time to take stock of the draft. Portland couldn't really have a bad draft with the first pick and being able to pick up a talent like Greg Oden. Who looks like he will be wearing number 52, the number of former Blazer great Buck Williams. But, that wasn't the only move of the night for Portland.

The other big news of the night was that Portland traded oft-troubled Zach Randolph plus Fred Jones and Dan Dickau to the Knicks. In return, Portland gets Channing Frye and malcontent Steve Francis. The rumors suggest Portland may try to buy Francis out to get cap room and go after a free-agent small forward (Rashard Lewis?), and will keep Frye. I'm not sure why the team would want this trade unless it was all to get rid of Randolph. Frye seems to play the same position as Aldridge and has a similar game. Francis is a lockerroom cancer and hasn't produced like Randolph has in the past few years. If Randolph can stay out of trouble in NY (a big IF), Isiah Thomas and the Knicks really got the better of this deal.

I'll reserve judgment but I am leaning towards maybe this not being the best deal for Portland. I think a better move would have been to hold on to Randolph and then try to get more for him at the February trade deadline.

Seattle, who had the number two pick, drafted a tall, skinny forward from Texas, Kevin Durant. Then Seattle traded Ray Allen to Boston for the 5th pick (Jeff Green), Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak. It looks like Seattle may have fleeced Boston. The second year in a row a Northwest team has done that to Boston.

I really liked what Seattle did in the draft, and it looks awfully similar to Portland's 2006 draft. Portland got a tall, skinny forward from Texas (Aldridge) and a well regarded and well rounded upper-classman (Brandon Roy). The Pacific Northwest appears poised to have some really successful teams for the next decade. That is, if Seattle doesn't relocate.

Portland also managed to buy Phoenix's first round pick (no. 24) again this year. Last year Portland drafted Spanish point guard Sergio Rodriguez and this year the team selected a Spanish shooting guard, Rudy Fernandez. I don't know anything about the pick so I can't judge.

The Blazers also picked up Petteri Koponen (30) and Josh McRoberts (37). Koponen is a Finnish guy that I also know nothing about but did give Portland 3 first round picks. But, McRoberts has the potential to be a quality role player passing from the high pivot. He won't be a star but Portland doesn't need that.

At the end of the 2nd round, Portland also picked up shooting guard Demetris Nichols from Syracuse and Taurean Green, the point guard from two-time NCAA champs Florida. If Nichols makes the squad he could provide the outside shooting necessary to creat space down low. And, Green is a wonderful defender a the PG spot. However, the puts quite the logjam at the position. Jack, Rodriguez, Green and Steve Blake if he signs with Portland as many expect him to do all will be vying for time. Not too mention Steve Francis plays some point, as does Roy. However, the also means Portland may be trying to move Jack as has been rumored.

Overall, a good draft for Portland on the basis of Oden alone. Portland did get rid of Randolph but that may not be the best move, in my opinion. The other five picks? The potential is there with McRoberts, Green, and Nichols but playing time let alone a roster spot will be tough to come by. My money would be on McRoberts and Green. The other two, who knows? They will likely stay overseas for at least one season. But, this draft was all about Oden for Portland. Hopefully, it plays out well. I also smell more trades coming out of Portland.

Other news:

Looks like Golden State is trading Jason Richardson to Charlotte for Brandan Wright (the 8th pick).

Atlanta looks like it got quite the haul with Al Horford at number 3 and Acie Law IV at 11. Atlanta filled its point guard need and Horford is a beast that will give Atlanta some much needed bulk up front. I really think Law is going to end up being a very good PG in the league. Maybe not the level of Chris Paul or Deron Williams but very good.

#1 NBA Draft

Kevin Durant (born September 29, 1988 in Washington, D.C.) is a 6'9" (6'10" with shoes) American college basketball player who played for the University of Texas at Austin in the Big 12 Conference of the NCAA during the 2006-2007 season. He was selected as the 2006-2007 Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Year and received numerous other awards. After his freshman season, Durant opted to enter the NBA Draft

Durant, a 6' 9" small forward with a 7'4¾" wingspan, was widely hailed by the media as the Big 12's top freshman and a top candidate for Freshman of the Year.He averaged 25.8 points per game and 11.1 rebounds a game his freshman year. In Big 12 play he averaged 28.9 points per game and 12.5 rebounds. His college career high for scoring is 37, which he has achieved on four occasions. Durant had twenty 30-point games his freshman year, including a losing effort against Kansas for the regular season Big 12 title.

In March 2007, Durant was named the NABC Division I Player of the Year, and received the Oscar Robertson Trophy and the Adolph F. Rupp Trophy,becoming the first freshman to win each of these awards. On March 30, 2007, he was selected as the Associated Press college player of the year, becoming the first freshman and the first Texas athlete to receive this award since its inception in 1961. On April 1, 2007 he became the first freshman to receive the Naismith Award[19] and on April 7, 2007, won the John R. Wooden Award

In late February 2007, Durant received an invitation to the Team USA Basketball training camp. He is the second freshman to be invited to the camp (Greg Oden being the other).

NBA Rising Star

Top NBA Draft 2007

1) Kevin Durant - Texas - (18)

2) Greg Oden - Ohio State -

3) Spencer Hawes - Washington -

4) Mike Conley - Ohio State -

5) Javaris Crittenton - Georgia Tech -

6) Thaddeus Young - Georgia Tech - (18)

7) Petteri Koponen - Honka Espoo -

8) Artem Zabelin - Avtodor Saratov -



20

1) Al Horford - Florida -

2) Josh McRoberts - Duke -

3) Jeff Green - Georgetown -

4) Ante Tomic - KK Zagreb -

5) Daequan Cook - Ohio State -

6) Marcus Williams - Arizona -

7) Roy Hibbert - Georgetown -

8) Sean Williams - Boston College -

9) Dominic James - Marquette -

10) Wilson Chandler - DePaul -



21

1) Brandon Rush - Kansas -

2) Corey Brewer - Florida-

3) Marco Belinelli - Fortitudo Bologna -

4) Glen Davis - LSU -

5) Nick Young - USC -

6) Jason Smith - Colorado State -

7) Rodney Stuckey - EWU -

8) Jared Dudley - Boston College -

9) Sean Singletary - Virginia -

10) Gabe Pruitt - USC -



22

1) Joakim Noah - Florida -

2) Tiago Splitter - Tau Vitoria -

3) Acie Law - Texas A&M -

4) Rudy Fernandez - DKV Joventut -

5) Marc Gasol - Akasvayu Girona -

6) Aaron Gray - Pittsburgh -

7) Herbert Hill - Providence -

8) Morris Almond - Rice -

9) Jared Jordan - Marist -

10) Chris Richard - Florida -



23+

1) Al Thornton - Florida State -

2) Alando Tucker - Wisconsin -

3) Derrick Byars - Vanderbilt -

4) JR Reynolds - Virginia -

5) Brandon Heath - San Diego State -

6) Mario Boggan - Oklahoma State - none

7) Reyshawn Terry - UNC - none

8) Stephane Lasme - UMASS - none (24)

9) Chris Daniels - TAMU-CC - none

10) Carl Landry - Purdue - none
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