6'10" 197 SF LSU
Chris Mullin and the Golden State Warriors go for who they perceived as the best available talent - Anthony Randolph. Although I would have preferred Marreese Speights, I can't complain too much because Randolph is quite possibly the player with the most upside in the draft. Early in the draft process, he was being projected as high as the top 5, but had fallen in GM's rankings because of his sub-par workouts and psychological and mental evaluations. The Warriors conducted a private workout and interview with Randolph so I'm sure that they delved into any of the red flags and took the risks under careful consideration.Hollinger's Draft Rater Report threw up some red flags initially, but if you consider that he is only 18 years old (even though Hollinger's ranking system accounts for age) you can forgive some of his turnover prone play and chalk it up to inexperience and playing against a level of competition he needs to adjust to. He adjusted fairly well towards the end of the year and managed to put up very impressive numbers across the board for a freshman. He still needs to cut down on his turnovers but for a guy that just started to play the game of basketball in the 8th grade, he's bound to continue to improve in all aspects of his game.
He has good athleticism and handles for his size, but he is far too thin to play effectively anywhere other than the SF position. As he gains weight and fills out his frame, he'll be able to play multiple positions becoming a mismatch nightmare for the opposition. Immediately, he brings additional rebounding help and the extreme length to disrupt passing lanes and block shots. He'll work well in the Warriors' defensive scheme once he adapts to the system and gains valuable on-court experience. Upside is what makes this pick so intriguing and hopefully it pays off for Mullin and company in the end.
Anthony Randolph Mix
From: Trophicose
Anthony Randolph Workout Highlights
From: AnthonyRandolphnet
Anthony Randolph Interview, NBA Draft Media Day
From: jgivony
Richard Hendrix
6'8" 250 PF Alabama
The Warriors got interior help in the second round with the selection of Richard Hendrix. He was the very player I coveted on the board at the time and balances out the draft night by bringing in a banger, rebounding beast, shot blocker, and under rated offensive threat. I did an a little study on evaluating the Bigs of the Draft and he ranked in the middle of the pack among the best big man prospects. He outscored the likes of McGee, Hibbert, Hickson, Lopez, Jordan, and Arthur.Hendrix sounds like a player that understands what it takes to succeed and appreciates the importance of what hard work and determination will bring to the evolution of his game. He stood out in the 24-man workout in Oakland as well as other pre-draft workouts throughout the process. From many accounts, we got a Paul Milsap type of talent. If he's anything close to him, we got a major steal at #49.
Game Log and Statistics
NBADraft.net Scouting Report
Warriors Pre-Draft Interview: Richard Hendrix
From: GoldenStateWarriors
Richard Hendrix pre-draft workout
From: TOblazers25
You can see both players in action by viewing the complete game of LSU vs. Alabama that took place on February 2, 2008. Click here for Yahoo! Sports Video Library.
ESPN Boxscore
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