The draft that made the Blazers good, but could've made them the better.

Say what you will about Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and the likes of Kevin Garnett. They all garner a whirlwind of MVP talk from various sports writers, bloggers, and around the cooler dwellers, each person claiming "its just their year". That said, as yet another fantastic NBA regular season draws to a close, a new frontrunner has emerged in the MVP race, Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets. Growing up in North Carolina, Paul was an All-American in high school and in 2003 was named Mr. Basketball for the state of North Carolina, averaging 30.8 ppg, 8 apg, 5 rpg, and 6 spg (steals). While posting such jaw dropping numbers he led his West Forsyth High team to a 27-0 record and a state title. Paul then went on to play at the once proud powerhouse of the ACC, Wake Forest in the town he was born, Winston-Salem. There he played nothing short of spectactular winning ACC Freshman of the Year his first year, and was named a consensus First Team All-American his Sophomore, and last year at Wake Forest. All the while that Paul was competing and shining in the spotlight in the ACC, he had an avid competitor for the limelight over at Georgia Tech with Jarrett Jack, currently playing for the Portland Trail Blazers.

   The 2005 NBA Draft. After such talent laden drafts such as the 2003 NBA Draft (Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade, etc.) the 2005 draft often is not as talked about. The Portland Trailblazers got two pivotal pieces to their new revitalized squad in Jarrett Jack, and Martell Webster, but one cant help but dwell on the past and think of what we COULD have picked up in a draft that was seen as pivotal in starting off the rejuvination of "Rip City" in the newly post-Sheed, Bonzi, Damon "Jail Blazer" days. If only we had realized how badly we needed a true point guard, and how Sebastian Telfair so wasn't the franchise player we ignorantly forced ourselves to believe. The 2005 draft was oozing with bright backcourt killers that we could have traded higher for. I'm specifically and obviously after my beginning sermon on CP3, referring to Chris Paul. Watching how the teams in the NBA have realized that their draft picks define their futures as organizations more than possibly any other draft in any other sport, why couldn't these teams (Blazers, I'm talking to you) have realized to take their picks more seriously in considering the long run and future of their success in the league. The 2005 draft was quite possibly the last truly talent full draft since last years with Oden, and Durant. Producing such players as Deron Williams, Raymond Felton, Monta Ellis, and Andrew Bynum. The Blazers had alot to work with even if they couldn't obtain that true missing piece to the reconstruction of a franchise jigsaw puzzle (Paul). But because as an organization we were in scramble mode after the complete breakdown of the once, and longtime successful fan fueled franchise, we decided to cover our eyes and played eeney miney mo. I pick you Martell, and eh...why not that bald mustachioed coy looking kid from over there at G Tech.

  As we now are once again in the bubbling midst of Rip City (which yes I know "never left") the Blazers as a franchise, as a team led by Roy and a fantastic coach in McMillian, are on the rise as a once again playoff contender. But is anyone else in that organization thinking that our train riding on the fast track could be running alittle faster if we had of just took a deep breath, counted to 10, and truly assessed what we needed to be the poster child of the NBA?

 I believe the Trailblazers are a fantastic squad, and are my home team. I find Steve, and Brandon, and LaMarcus to be wonderful blossoming players, and I'm scared at how good they will be next year with Oden. But still, from game to game a different leader tries to win the game and more and more its just showing that the Blazers are still searching for their defined "franchise" role player. Theres always the 2008 Draft.