Chad Ford's final NBA mock draft

Here it is. As much as I don't really enjoy watching the NBA, my innate love of basketball and fascination with pro sports team-building has me captivated every year.

The Bobcats yesterday gave up a future (protected) #1 for 20 from Denver. What does that tell me? Charlotte really thinks they are about to turn the corner and they want to load up on talent now. If the draft unfolds as Fords predicts, Michael Jordan (Charlotte's GM) will go nuts with joy in landing both Kevin Love and Roy Hibbert.

And with that, some former Rambler sheds a tear

ESPN has a list of the worst lottery picks, by draft position, in league history. One of the "dishonorable mentions" from the number 14 slot will upset some readers of this site.

And with that, I say, "Bring on Derrick Rose!"

LIAR

Clay Bennett bought the Seattle SuperSonics with the intent of moving it to his hometown of Oklahoma City. Everyone knows this, yet he continues to lie:

Bennett testified Tuesday that he was a "man possessed" to keep the team in Seattle -- despite e-mails that show he and co-owners discussed relocating soon after buying the team. He cited his efforts to have a new arena built in the Seattle suburbs.

Why destroy the NBA in Seattle, which has been a good city for the league? Why not buy a team that gets crappy support (not that they've had good teams to cheer for), like Memphis, Charlotte, Atlanta, or until this year, New Orleans?

(By the way, can anyone spot the geographic trend with cities?)

Ronny Turiaf isn't a jerk

I'll give Laker backup power forward (neither scrub nor star, for those who don't know) Ronny Turiaf credit for this. He walks up to a club in LA trying to get in, and he's told that he can't without a reservation.

So what does he do? He turns around and walks away. How many athletes would do that?

Later, though, his buddy goes up and pulls the Laker card and is still denied. The question is whether Turiaf told him to do it or not. I can't figure that out, so I'll give Turiaf the benefit of the doubt.

The Bulls really stink

Listen, I am aware that the Celtics are good this year, but this is pathetic. Many analysts picked the Bulls to win the East, and while that may have been a bit too ambitious, 9-15 is NOT what anyone expected.

Pretty much the only bright spot so far this year has been Aaron Gray, the big rookie center in the mold of a bigger, more talented me (when I was young, at least). He has a wonderful low-post game for a second-round pick.

Celebrity birthday

John Bender! (Not Jonathan Bender, the former Pacer.)

Quick NBA quiz

Who will have a better rookie season: Greg Oden or Ms. Joakim Noah?

Answer: Noah

This is huge. Who knew he was injured? Microfracture is not a surgery that is easy to overcome. Some guys do, and some guys are never the same. Oden's a very good athlete, but he's skilled and big enough that even if he loses some explosiveness he can be a good player in the league.

Overall, this is a big, big story.