LIVE AT THE DRAFT

Just arrived. Actually, arrived about half an hour ago but the NBA folks don't have a seat for me. So I had to bogart someone else's. If you see the dude from Eurobasket asking where his seat is, keep it on the DL, okay?

Ran into an old friend and one of the friendliest, if not the friendliest, sportswriter, there is: Jack McCallum. First thing he said to me: "Isn't it funny how nobody cares about the NBA Finals, but everyone is excited about the draft?"

To which I can only reply, "I miss Magic and Bird." Those were Finals that mattered.

Earlier today Greg Auman suggested the first naughty lottery pick anagram: Greg Oden= Engorged.

Not to be outdone (even though Auman, alias G.A., outdoes me daily), here's my first attempt with Kevin Durant:

Kevin Durant=Naked Runt IV

I don't have the energy to attempt Petteri Koponen yet.

Quick thoughts before the first overall selection:

1. You know who won't regret this draft night? The team that selects Joakim Noah . Honestly, I know she's a diva and all, but Noah is built to play an up-tempo game. I pary for his sake that he gets selected by a team that likes to run and has a point guard who knows how to lead a break. And that's not Minnesota, which the USA Today has him going to at No. 6.

2. If you ask me--and you didn't, but it's my blog, so the point is moot--the best pure outside shooter not already in the NBA is also not in this draft. That would be Michigan State guard Drew Neitzel . He's only six foot, though. If I were him I'd go underground for a year, reinvent myself as Boris Kokapokapaloka, claim to be Armenian, and get a lot more buzz for being a Euro.

3. Ernie Banks is Acie Law's uncle? Really? Where was I during the NCAA tournament? Oh yeah, following the Arizona State women's basketball team.

4. CNBC's Darren Rovell is here, just in case anyone from the WWE wants me to perform a citizen's arrest.

5. Mike Conley, Jr. He's my other "You'll never be sorry you drafted him" guy.

6. I'm already beginning to hear whispers that Brady Quinn will not be selected in the first round.