I don’t think the draft could have gone any better for Tar Heel stars Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson. No, neither was a lottery pick. That was never going to happen. What both of these guys needed was a good fit, and I say they got it.
Surprisingly, Hansbrough was taken before Lawson when Indiana scooped him up with the 13th overall pick. But then again, that’s just about a perfect pick. Can you think of a better place for Hansbrough than Indiana? Pacer fans will appreciate and celebrate his hard-nosed style and work ethic.
Indiana’s pick may have been the only sure thing in the first round. Hansbrough isn’t going to develop into the guy who averages a triple double and has the big market franchises drooling to build their team around him. But he also isn’t going to hold out, slack off in practice, get in trouble off the court or fade into obscurity in two years. There are no mysteries here. He’ll play solid minutes. He’ll contribute. He’ll work his ass off. And he’ll understand and fulfill his role. There’s a place for that in the NBA.
Lawson is a different case. After testing the draft waters last year and finding them a little on the cool side, he returned to Carolina. This past season was a split between Lawson as the key to Carolina’s championship run and Lawson on the bench, injured. Some day he may be a lottery caliber NBA point guard, but right now I think teams would just like to see if he can deliver the brilliance he showed sometimes in college over an entire season as a pro.
Last night Lawson was part of a strange Minnesota first round in which the TWolves drafted three guards. Fortunately for him, Lawson was immediately dealt to Denver. Perfect! The Nuggets made an impressive run to the Conference Finals this year and appear to be settling in as the Lakers’ chief rival in the West. If Lawson establishes himself on this team he has the chance to be a part of something special.
Best of all, Denver is set at starting point guard with Chauncey Billups. Lawson is like the QB who gets drafted by a team with a stellar but aging veteran under center. Lawson won’t be pressured to be the man immediately. And, while he’s developing, he couldn’t ask for a better mentor than Billups who should be good for Lawson’s game and attitude. If he keeps his head on straight Ty Lawson could become something special.
