We got blake in the 2nd!

[Zen-like Todd]

That's all. Im happy.

[AJWatson3]

sweet move for ticket sales. i hope it isn't because he is from MD....

[Ignatius J.]

I'm thrilled.

-DB

[Zen-like Todd]

Funny. He smoked Hinrich when we brought both of them in for a workout. As of now, he's the only pass-first PG we have, and the only one who is a consistent 3-point shooter.

[Buford]

well, he is a PG and we need that. So.....lets just hope that he has a great camp and his D gives him a nice amount of minutes.

[The Wicked Wop]

I heard them mentioning it before the draft as a possability, but I didn't want to get to excited about........now I'm thrilled. Great pick with a legitimate shot to do good things for this team.

[Golgo-13]

Will surely make all the Terp fans happy. Will be really weird to see him and Juan together in the backcourt again.

[Buford]

Originally posted by Golgo-13
Will surely make all the Terp fans happy. Will be really weird to see him and Juan together in the backcourt again.

Nah, I'll feel just right. if they see the court at the same time.

[AJWatson3]

cranky todd, where did you hear that blake smoked hinrich in their pre-draft workout? i read nothing but hinrich being far and away the best PG in the draft.... tj was kind of close, but his lack of shot, lack of height, and possible injury problem knocked him down...

not a knock on blake he is a good kid and great value here (would have rather them gone diff in the first and gotten vranes in the second.. but...)

[Buford]

what they said was the day that both came to Washington to interview.......Blake had a better workout. He hit NBA 3's all over the place. His D was tight and he had no problem handling Hinrich. It was on the News like thursday or friday

[Golgo-13]

Personally I would have preferred Willie Green out of Detroit. I think he has more NBA potential.

[js79]

woohoo, im happy with this pick, although i wanted pietrus(?) over hayes

[Zen-like Todd]

apparently it was discussed on comcast, also on a basketball messageboard by a guy who had a pretty reliable source, and then a blurb to that effect popped up yesterday in the washington post.


...edit...

The washington post blurb was very brief and non effusive, but it corroborates the other reports.


Washington may be able to address its point guard needs with the 38th pick. Maryland's Steve Blake, who had an impressive workout against Hinrich, could be available then, as could Alabama's Maurice Williams.

[AJWatson3]

so did he "smoke" hinrich (doubtful), or hang with him? big difference, but since we had no shot at kirk it doesn't really matter...

[Buford]

he beat him more times than he was beat.

[Skeletor The Invincible]

Wow, Blake and Dixon on the same team again?


That's kinda cool. Good pick and the only true PG the Wiz have.

[Zen-like Todd]

Look, I told you what the deal is. If you dont want to believe it, fine. But you're just making an assumption, and I'm going off of what I heard. It really seems like you're just trying to be a pain in the ass right now.

[BG]

I worry about the handle. It's not an NBA handle. But then again, I thought I said I won't root for the _____ until they change their name back to the Bullets. I will refer to them from now on as the team formerly known as the Bullets.
I like the home grown talent idea. Won't last long but it's nice to think about and us MD fans can finally have some guys to root for on the T.F.K.A.B.
May I save myself some typing and just call them the Bullets?

[Zen-like Todd]

Just another thing on blake... He worked out for the Magic on the 19th, and when Doc Rivers was talking about the kids who had come in, he said...


Before the free-agent period opens July 1, Rivers and the Magic have their focus fixed on Thursday's draft. The Magic worked out Marquette's Dwyane Wade, Kentucky's Keith Boggans, Maryland's Steve Blake and Brazilian Leandrinho Barbosa the past week. Rivers considers Blake, a point guard, one of the sleeper prospects, but the athletic Wade is by far his favorite.

[earl]

i like blake it was a solid pick, but i think mo williams has more potential and will be a star. I think he is the sleeper of the entire draft.

[AJWatson3]

sounds like you are a bit cranky...

making an assumption, asking a question... same thing.

[Buford]

Blake headed to `second home'
Bonner, Jones selected later
BY BOB EMANUEL JR.
bemanuel@herald.com

Former Maryland and Miami High point guard Steve Blake was the top player selected from Florida during Thursday night's NBA draft. Blake was chosen with the ninth pick of the second round, No. 38 overall, by Washington.

University of Florida power forward Matt Bonner was selected 45th by Chicago and traded to Toronto. Indiana selected the University of Miami's James Jones, who will make the switch from power forward to small forward, with the 49th pick.

For Blake, the selection by the Wizards was a homecoming of sorts. After playing for the Terrapins the past four years, he will return to the area to play with former Maryland backcourt teammate Juan Dixon.

''I'm going back to my second home,'' Blake said in a phone conversation minutes after the pick. ``I'll have the same friends up there and I'll be around people I'm familiar with.''

Playing with Dixon is one of the biggest attractions for Blake.

''That's going to be great,'' said the 6-3, 172-pound Blake. ``We have this chemistry that worked. We're a great combination together.''

Blake, who averaged 11.6 points and 7.1 assists as a senior, watched the draft at his grandfather's home in Miami with members of his family. His father, Richard, was at a loss for words to describe the feeling.

''You have to go through it to experience it,'' Richard Blake said by phone. ``It's so much joy. I can't even describe it in words. It's something your son waited for his whole life. It's special.''

For Blake, the selection ended years of movement. He starred at Killian High as a sophomore before transferring to Miami High. After he was ruled ineligible to play as a senior in Florida because of the transfer, Blake transferred to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, where his team went 31-0. He won a national title with Maryland as a junior.

''It's been [a] long and difficult road, but great at the same time,'' said Blake, who is fifth among the NCAA's all-time assist leaders with 972. ``It made me stronger. To finally wind up somewhere at the top level in the NBA, it doesn't get much better than this.''

Bonner, 6-10 and 237 pounds, led the Gators in scoring with 15.2 points per game and was second in rebounding with 6.1.

Jones, 6-8 and 225 pounds, started 89 consecutive games for Miami. Jones, who did not return a call seeking comment, averaged 16.9 points and six rebounds as a senior.

[AJWatson3]

thanks for the article bufford!

[nfchamp1]

I was screaming "BLAKE! BLAKE!! BLAKE!!! as the pick eas about to be announced.

I like that the Wiz are going to play an up tempo style. Blake can handle the ball and loves to pass. He takes pride in his defence and does not allow penetration. Like Dixon, he is not afraid to take the big shot. Excellent 2nd round pick