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All-Time NBA Mega-Draft: Rounds Three and Four
I have a prediction to make, these are the last two rounds that anyone will actually care about. The NBA is a relatively new league with far fewer players than say the MLB or NFL. That means there aren't nearly as many all-time great players in the history of the NBA. Once you get around 100-150 the names begin to drop off from hall of famers to guys who were pretty good for like three years very quickly. That being said, there are still a lot of interesting decisions to be made. Do you value modern players with fewer accolades over old school guys who maybe won a few championships but missed out on the personal glory? Do you value guards over bigs? Which position will dry up first? and so on. One trigger warning I'll make, this isn't a list of the best players ever, it's a draft where dozens of variables are taken into consideration to try to build the best teams. Your favorite point guard may fall 20 spots because all of the other teams already have point guards. Not to say we (John) didn't make some huge reaches for guys who maybe wouldn't have been picked this high, but that's what happens in drafts and that's why they're fun. Without further ado, here are rounds three and four of our mega-draft.
Round 3: The Guys You Have Still Heard Of
Pick 61: Indiana Pacers (Phil): Damian Lillard
Stats: 6x All-Star, 6x All-Pro, 2012-13 ROY
Teammates: Michael Jordan, Robert Parish
It's Dame time in Indianapolis. This team is going to mow everyone else down in the playoffs.
Pick 62: Miami Heat (John): Vince Carter
Stats: 8x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 1998-99 ROY
Teammates: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dennis Johnson
It's been about 15 years since Vince Carter was a relevant NBA player, which is insane to think about because he just retired a year ago. Most people know him as the greatest dunker ever and It's hard to remember how good Vinsanity really was during his prime in the early 2000's.
Pick 63: Denver Nuggets (Phil): Earl Monroe
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 4x All-Star, 1x All-NBA, 1967-68 ROY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: LeBron James, Alonzo Mourning
Earl Monroe has the coolest nicknames in NBA history. A smattering of the best on Basketball Reference include: The Pearl, Black Jesus, The Lord's Prayer, Einstein, and Thomas Edison.
Pick 64: Utah Jazz (John): Bernard King
Stats: 4x All-Star, 4x All-NBA, 1x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Magic Johnson, Bob McAdoo
The Jazz are going to score 130 points a game, and give up 140.
Pick 65: Charlotte Hornets (Phil): Tony Parker
Stats: 4x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 6x All-Star, 4x All-NBA
Teammates: Bill Russell, James Worthy
A proven winner joins two more proven winners in Russell and Worthy. Charlotte won't be flashy, but will get the job done when it matters.
Pick 66: Milwaukee Bucks (John): Dennis Rodman
Stats: 5x NBA Champion, 2x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 8x All-Defensive, 2x DPOY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Wilt Chamberlain, Clyde Drexler
Milwaukee is going to burn to the ground by Christmas.
Pick 67: Phoenix Suns (Phil): Dave Cowens
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 8x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, 3x All-Defensive, 1970-71 ROY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Larry Bird, Russell Westbrook
Phoenix has officially become Boston-West (and Westbrook).
Pick 68: Minnesota Timberwolves (John): Alex English
Teammates: Hakeem Olajuwon, Gary Payton
The coolest team is forming with the lamest franchise.
Pick 69: Philadelphia 76ers (Phil): Manu Ginobili
Stats: 4x NBA Champion, 2x All-Star, 2x All-NBA
Teammates: Shaquille O'Neal, Paul Pierce
Manu will quickly become the most popular player in Philly after Shaq shows up out of shape and Paul Pierce will just be an annoying shit and Manu will show up and play ball.
Pick 70: Houston Rockets (John): Grant Hill
Stats: 7x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, 1994-95 ROY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady
The what-if 2000 Orlando Magic free agency dream team is finally real.
Pick 71: Boston Celtics (Phil): Dikembe Mutombo
Stats: 8x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, 6x All-Defensive, 4x DPOY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Kobe Bryant, Dominique Wilkins
The Celtics are back and are going to dunk everything on your fucking head and block every shot and kinda be dicks about it.
Pick 72: Detroit Pistons (John): Luka Doncic
Teammates: Kevin Durant, Willis Reed
Luka is a lock to be top-30 when we inevitably redo this in ten years.
Pick 73: Washington Wizards (Phil): Wes Unseld
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 1x All-NBA, 1968-69 ROY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Oscar Robertson, George Gervin
Unseld is back in Washington and ready to bring the outlet pass highlight back to prominence.
Pick 74: Memphis Grizzlies (John): Pau Gasol
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 6x All-Star, 4x All-NBA, 2001-02 ROY
Teammates: Julius Erving, Reggie Miller
Pau goes back to Memphis to bring the super exciting duo of Dr. J and Reggie Miller back down to Earth a bit.
Pick 75: Golden State Warriors (Phil): Dwight Howard
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 8x All-Star, 8x All-NBA, 5x All-Defensive, 3x DPOY
Teammates: Steph Curry, Rick Barry
The all dickhead team minus Steph Curry.
Pick 76: Dallas Mavericks (John): Adrian Dantley
Stats: 6x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 2x Scoring Champ, 1976-77 ROY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Moses Malone, Elvin Hayes
A scoring machine to team up with the two rebounding machines.
Pick 77: Cleveland Cavaliers (Phil): Pete Maravich
Teammates: Karl Malone, Walt Frazier
Pistol Pete was probably the most electrifying player in the NBA before Bird, Magic, and Jordan took over in the '80s.
Pick 78: Chicago Bulls (John): Sam Jones
Stats: 10x NBA Champion, 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Jerry West, Bob Cousy
Forgive us Bill Simmons for Sam Jones falling all the way to 78.
Pick 79: Toronto Raptors (Phil): Bob Lanier
Stats: 8x All-Star, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen
A frontcourt of Lanier and Kevin Garnett should scare the shit out of every team thats not the big beer Mavericks.
Pick 80: Brooklyn Nets (John): David Thompson
Stats: 4x NBA All-Star (1x ABA), 2x All-NBA (1x All-ABA), 1975-76 ABA ROY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: David Robinson, John Stockton
This man is going to die in Brooklyn. Thankfully David Robinson and John Stockton are the two most boring players of the last 30 years and will hopefully save his life.
Pick 81: Sacramento Kings (Phil): Artis Gilmore
Stats: 1x ABA Champion, 1x ABA MVP, 6x NBA All-Star (5x ABA), 5x All-ABA, 5x All-Defensive, 1971-72 ABA ROY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd
With his hair he was probably 7'8″.
Pick 82: Los Angeles Clippers (John): Hal Greer
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 10x All-Star, 7x All-NBA, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Elgin Baylor, George Mikan
No offense to Hal Greer, but he might be the first player taken where even some real NBA fans are like "Who is Hal Greer".
Pick 83: Portland Trail Blazers (Phil): Nate "Tiny" Archibald
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 6x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, 1x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Charles Barkley, Bill Walton
The best point guard that nobody ever brings up in the best point guard conversation.
Pick 84: Atlanta Hawks (John): Chris Webber
Teammates: Dwyane Wade, Anthony Davis
Chris Webber makes this arguably the sexiest team so far, but I'm not sure he makes it any better.
Pick 85: Oklahoma City Thunder (Phil): Derrick Rose
Stats: 1x NBA MVP, 3x All-Star, 1x All-NBA, 2008-09 ROY
Teammates: John Havlicek, Bob Pettit
I would give all of my crypto to see 2011 Derrick Rose go back in time to 1963 and see Havlicek and Pettit's reactions.
Pick 86: Orlando Magic (John): Carmelo Anthony
Stats: 10x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, 1x Scoring Champ
Teammates: Allen Iverson, James Harden
The Ringer's Kevin Clark is going to have the time of his life with this team for about 12 games, then he's going to ride the tea cups at Disney World until he looses consciousness.
Pick 87: Los Angeles Lakers (Phil): Kyrie Irving
Teammates: Kawhi Leonard, Kevin McHale
Kyrie in LA is somehow going to be more insufferable than in Brooklyn.
Pick 88: New Orleans Pelicans (John): Nate Thurmond
Stats: 7x All-Star, 5x All-Defensive, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Isiah Thomas, Scottie Pippen
Nate is going to have to crack some skulls from day one.
Pick 89: New York Knicks (Phil): Klay Thompson
Stats: 3x NBA Champion, 5x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 1x All-Defensive
Teammates: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steve Nash
The new Splash Brothers and Giannis are going to get Knicks fans' hopes up so high they're gonna be devastated when they inevitably crash out of the playoffs in crushing fashion.
Pick 90: San Antonio Spurs (John): Chris Mullin
Stats: 5x All-Star, 4x All-NBA, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Chris Paul, Patrick Ewing
One-third of Run TMC with Golden state in the early '90s now becomes the third wheel with two of the best losers of all time.
Round 4: The Drop-off
Pick 91: San Antonio Spurs (John): Amar'e Stoudemire
Teammates: Chris Paul, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin
Just another addition to the "none of these guys have won shit" team.
Pick 92: New York Knicks (Phil): Paul George
Stats: 7x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, 4x All-Defensive
Teammates: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steve Nash, Klay Thompson
Current NBA fans forget that Pre-Pandemic P was the closest thing to LeBron that we've seen in the NBA since he entered the league.
Pick 93: New Orleans Pelicans (John): Joe Dumars
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 6x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, 5x All-Defensive, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Isiah Thomas, Scottie Pippen, Nate Thurmond
Scottie Pippen might be fucked.
Pick 94: Los Angeles Lakers (Phil): Sidney Moncrief
Teammates: Kawhi Leonard, Kevin McHale, Kyrie Irving
Sidney Moncrief had a five year run from 1981-82 through 1985-86 where he was named an All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive player every season. He's the '80s version of Kawhi Leonard.
Pick 95: Orlando Magic (John): Dave DeBusschere
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 8x All-Star, 1x All-NBA, 6x All-Defensive, Hall 0f Fame
Teammates: Allen Iverson, James Harden, Carmelo Anthony
Finally, someone who isn't a score-first ball dominant headcase.
Pick 96: Oklahoma City Thunder (Phil): Bill Sharman
Stats: 4x NBA Champion, 8x All-Star, 7x All-NBA, Hall of Fame
Teammates: John Havlicek, Bob Pettit, Derrick Rose
This just makes the Derrick Rose pick that much better dropping him on a team of '50s and 60's All-Stars.
Pick 97: Atlanta Hawks (John): Chauncey Billups
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, 2x All-Defensive
Teammates: Dwyane Wade, Anthony Davis, Chris Webber
Mr. Big Shot and Dwyane Wade is a big time backcourt that knows how to win and pairs with the uber talented frontcourt of Davis and Webber well.
Pick 98: Portland Trail Blazers (Phil): Dolph Schayes
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 12x All-Star, 12x All-NBA, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Charles Barkley, Bill Walton, Tiny Archibald
Probably good to go by Dolph when your name is Adolph and you made your NBA debut in 1949.
Pick 99: Los Angeles Clippers (John): Jerry Lucas
Teammates: Elgin Baylor, George Mikan, Hal Greer
This old timers team kinda kicks ass.
Pick 100: Sacramento Kings (Phil): Mitch Richmond
Teammates: Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Artis Gilmore
Mitch Richmond makes his long awaited return to the Kings to remind fans that he impacts winning 0% of the time.
Pick 101: Brooklyn Nets (John): Connie Hawkins
Stats: 1x ABA Champion, 1x ABA MVP, 4x NBA all-Star (1x ABA), 1x All-NBA (2x All-ABA), Hall of Fame
Teammates: David Robinson, John Stockton, David Thompson
Possibly the greatest basketball player of his era who got blackballed by the NBA until he was past his prime.
Pick 102: Toronto Raptors (Phil): Tim Hardaway Sr.
Stats: 5x All-Star, 5x All-NBA
Teammates: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Bob Lanier
Tim Hardaway and Kevin Garnett might be more exciting than Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.
Pick 103: Chicago Bulls (John): Walt Bellamy
Stats: 4x All-Star, 1961-62 ROY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Jerry West, Bob Cousy, Sam Jones
Gives the small core some much-needed big beef.
Pick 104: Cleveland Cavaliers (Phil): Nikola Jokic
Stats: 1x NBA MVP, 3x All-Star, 3x All-NBA
Teammates: Karl Malone, Walt Frazier, Pete Maravich
The reigning MVP adds a versatile point-center to pair with scoring machine Karl Malone in the frontcourt. Jokic, Frazier, and Maravich can all initiate the offense and create one of the most intriguing lineups so far.
Pick 105: Dallas Mavericks (John): Joel Embiid
Teammates: Moses Malone, Elvin Hayes, Adrian Dantley
This team will grab every rebound that's ever been available in the history of organized sports.
Pick 106: Golden State Warriors (Phil): Tom Heinsohn
Teammates: Steph Curry, Rick Barry, Dwight Howard
A swiss army knife that will help fans forget about the grade A assholes that populate the roster.
Pick 107: Memphis Grizzlies (John): Blake Griffin
Teammates: Julius Erving, Reggie Miller, Pau Gasol
Memphis just became the real lob city.
Pick 108: Washington Wizards (Phil): Chris Bosh
Teammates: Oscar Robertson, George Gervin, Wes Unseld
Bosh was the third-wheel for two Heat Championships and might be the perfect fourth-wheel in Washington alongside beefy Wes Unseld.
Pick 109: Detroit Pistons (John): Kyle Lowry
Teammates: Kevin Durant, Willis Reed, Luka Doncic
Lowry brings some added toughness to the backcourt and can take some ball-handling pressure off Luka Doncic.
Pick 110: Boston Celtics (Phil): Penny Hardaway
Teammates: Kobe Bryant, Dominique Wilkins, Dikembe Mutombo
For the first time in history the Celtics might be the sexiest tam in the league. Penny, Kobe, Dominique, and Dikembe make this the leader for League Pass team of the year.
Pick 111: Houston Rockets (John): Lenny Wilkens
Teammates: Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill
Between playing and coaching, Lenny Wilkens may have done more for the NBA than almost any other person.
Pick 112: Philadelphia 76ers (Phil): Kevin Johnson
Teammates: Shaquille O'Neal, Paul Pierce, Manu Ginobili
The former mayor of Sacramento will need to bring his political savvy to keep this weird hodgepodge of players happy in Philly.
Pick 113: Minnesota Timberwolves (John): Shawn Kemp
Teammates: Hakeem Olajuwon, Gary Payton, Alex English
Reunites the '96 Sonics dup that took Jordan's 72-win Bulls to six games in the 1996 NBA Finals. The Wolves are finally back with one of the best first four picks in draft history.
Pick 114: Phoenix Suns (Phil): Joe Johnson
Teammates: Larry Bird, Russell Westbrook, Dave Cowens
This is the official beginning of the "we don't know what we're doing" section of the draft.
Pick 115: Milwaukee Bucks (John): Dave Bing
Stats: 7x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, 1966-67 ROY, 1x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Wilt Chamberlain, Clyde Drexler, Dennis Rodman
Just has to get the ball to Wilt and stay far away from Rodman for this to work.
Pick 116: Charlotte Hornets (Phil): Yao Ming
Teammates: Bill Russell, James Worthy, Tony Parker
Not sure if Yao is the perfect center to put next to Bill Russell or this is a horrible idea, but this frontline will get the people talking and made Charlotte the de facto most popular team worldwide.
Pick 117: Utah Jazz (John): Kevin Love
Teammates: Magic Johnson, Bob McAdoo, Bernard King
Magic will love a big who can shoot threes who can also get him an in with the Beach Boys.
Pick 118: Denver Nuggets (Phil): Dan Issel
Stats: 1x ABA Champion, 1x NBA All-Star (6x ABA), 5x All-ABA, 1970-71 ABA ROY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: LeBron James, Alonzo Mourning, Earl Monroe
Scoring center who did most of his damage in the ABA should be an interesting fit next to Alonzo Mourning.
Pick 119: Miami Heat (John): Shawn Marion
Teammates: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dennis Johnson, Vince Carter
The Matrix gives the Heat an all-around presence who might have the wonkiest shooting motion of any borderline hall of famer.
Pick 120: Indiana Pacers (Phil): Bob Dandridge
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 4x All-Star, 1x All-NBA, 1x All-Defensive, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Michael Jordan, Robert Parish, Damian Lillard
A two-time champ who can be MJ's new poor-man's Scottie Pippen.
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All-Time NBA Mega-Draft: Rounds One and Two
Who doesn't love a good draft?
Draft beer, the NBA Draft, the movie Draft Day, conscription; ok maybe not the last one, but drafts (for the most part) are fun. Everyone has a good time, the people getting drafted (again non-military) get to usually fulfill a lifelong dream while the people drafting are having fun, joy, and merriment (or going fast if you're racing). In sports the draft is the beginning of a career and the best way to make you team better. In everyday life, people use drafts all of the time. Friends get together for a fantasy football draft, podcasters may have a friendly movie draft, or parents have a kid draft (you don't want to be last in that one), but for the most part these hypothetical "just for fun" drafts are short and unfinished. Let's change that.
Most previous All time NBA lists or drafts are capped at 100 players. "The top 100 players in NBA history", "Re-drafting the first round of the 1984 NBA Draft", "one player every team should draft", and so on. It's usually a fun exercise but I'm usually left wanting more. who is the 121st best player ever? So we decided to take all 30 current NBA teams and using a snake-draft format, draft a full 15-man roster for each team. If you can do math at home that's 450 players in total plus a head coach for each franchise. If your immediate reaction is " I can't even think of 450 NBA players", well neither can I so that's not an excuse to sit this one out.
This whole exercise started out as a podcast which you can listen to here for even more expert analysis and insight on each pick. The reason this also turned into a blog is because I thought it would be easier for the listeners to keep track of all of the picks if I write them down because god knows we could hardly keep track of them ourselves.
The rules of the game were fairly simple. We took all 30 current NBA franchises and put them into a randomizer to get the draft order. We flipped a coin to see who would get the first pick (me) and then alternated teams between the two of us. When it came to drafting players there were no rules. If you wanted to take Stephon Marbury first, then you're an idiot and kind of ruined the project, but no one is going to stop you. You could construct a team anyway you saw fit. All-point guards, only Europeans, every player from the 1992 Timberwolves, whatever you wanted to do was legal. Like the purge but for NBA nerds.
Without further ado, here are rounds 1-2 of the All-Time NBA Mega-Draft. (Don't @ me if your favorite players are eight spots lower than where you would have taken them in your 450 person hypothetical draft.)
Round 1: The Building Blocks
Pick 1: Indiana Pacers (Phil): Michael Jordan
Stats: 6x NBA Champion, 5x NBA MVP, 6x Finals MVP, 14x All-Star, 11x All-NBA, 9x All-Defensive, 1x DPOY, 10x Scoring Champ, 1984-85 ROY, Hall of Fame
An absolute no-brainer of a first overall pick. MJ is quite clearly the greatest basketball player of all time and sadly still has the best Space Jam movie ever made. The GOAT could take a team of high school players and probably make the playoffs against the rest of the mega-draft field. It makes me happy that the Pacers got him, because they fucking hate him.
Pick 2: Miami Heat (John): Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Stats: 6x NBA Champion, 6x NBA MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 19x All-Star, 15x All-NBA, 11x All-Defensive, All-Time Leading Scorer, 2x Scoring Champ, 1969-70 ROY, Hall of Fame
LeBron fans are coming for John for denying a Heatles reunion and allowing him to fall past the second pick but Kareem is arguably the best big man ever and at any point between 1946 and 2015 would be the slam dunk player you wan to build your team around. Unfortunately for him it is 2021 and we've finally figured out that versatile wings are the most valuable players in the game. Kareem does have one thing going for him, he's a better actor and MJ and LeBron.
Pick 3: Denver Nuggets (Phil): LeBron James
Stats: 4x NBA Champion, 4x NBA MVP, 4x Finals MVP, 17x All-Star, 17x All-NBA, 6x All-Defensive, 2003-04 ROY, 1x Scoring Champ
A gift from the dumbass gods, somehow LeBron falls to the Nuggets with the third pick. Some will argue that he should have been the obvious number one pick (those people are wrong), but LeBron is clearly the best player we've seen since Jordan (and the worst actor). He'll somehow get knocked in this exercise for building a super team, but that's kind of the point.
Pick 4: Utah Jazz (John): Magic Johnson
Stats: 5x NBA Champion, 3x NBA MVP, 3x Finals MVP, 12x All-Star, 10x All-NBA, Hall of Fame
Magic Johnson is going to fucking hate Salt Lake City. I give it about 16 games before he requests a trade to the Lakers or the Heat. His twitter handle will be a must follow during the season for all the obvious stuff he's going to "notice" while he's there. @MagicJohnson: Wow, sure is cold in Salt Lake City in February. @MagicJohnson: Awful lot of white people around me. @MagicJohnson (channeling his inner Eric Bledsoe): I don't want to be here. He'll still probably turn it into a party city.
Pick 5: Charlotte Hornets (Phil): Bill Russell
Stats: 11x NBA Champion, 5x NBA MVP, 12x All-Star, 11x All-NBA, 1x All-Defensive, Hall of Fame
Russell his going to bring his 11 rings to Charlotte and a franchise that doesn't have a lot of experience winning. The best defensive player in NBA history is the perfect anchor for this smaller market team, and Russell will be a big part of the community as well. The perfect value/character pick at number five.
Pick 6: Milwaukee Bucks (John): Wilt Chamberlain
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 4x MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 13x All-Star, 10x All-NBA, 2x All-Defensive, All-Time Leader in Rebounds, 1959-60 ROY, 7x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
Is it possible to have sex with every person in a city, because Wilt is definitely going to try it in Milwaukee bringing new meaning to the Cream City nickname. Wilt's individual stats are legendary, but I'm worried how he'll fair going up against the best of the best every night. Bill Russell owned him during their careers and Wilt never had anyone to match his height and athleticism. Now in a league with the likes of Shaq, David Robinson, and Giannis, it will be interesting to see how he holds up.
Pick 7: Phoenix Suns (Phil): Larry Bird
Stats: 3x NBA Champion, 3x NBA MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 12x All-Star, 10x All-NBA, 3x All-Defensive, 1979-80 Roy, Hall of Fame
The desert air will do wonders for Larry Legend's back issues so Phoenix is the perfect landing spot for the three-time champ. The hick from French Lick can turn his good ole' Midwestern persona into a modern day Wild West cowboy. Like Val Kilmer in Tombstone, Bird has a chance to walk around town spouting non sequiturs, calling people a daisy, and shooting the shit out of everyone he sees.
Pick 8: Minnesota Timberwolves (John): Hakeem Olajuwon
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 12x All-Star, 12x All-NBA, 9x All-Defensive, 2x DPOY, Hall of Fame
What better way to replace Kevin Garnett in Minnesota than a wholesale upgrade to Hakeem Olajuwon. The Dream is one of the most well-rounded players in the history of the NBA. He's one of the best defensive players to ever do it, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and he had an array of post moves and made David Robinson his bitch in the 1995 Western Conference Finals. He's the perfect player to build around and should give Wolves fans hope that John didn't totally blow it for them already.
Pick 9: Philadelphia 76ers (Phil): Shaquille O'Neal
Stats: 4x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 3x Finals MVP, 15x All-Star, 14x All-NBA, 3x All-Defensive, 1992-93 ROY, 2x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
Uh oh, 76ers fans just turned on Ben Simmons for missing a shit ton of free throws in the playoffs, and here comes Shaq, a career 52.7 percent free throw shooter that drops to 50.4 percent in the playoffs. Hack-a-Shaq will be in full force in Philly, but who the hell cares he's the most physically dominant player of the last 40 years. Shaq can bully any other center in the paint whether he's in shape or not (lay off the cheesesteaks perhaps) and is a slam dunk pick at 9.
Pick 10: Houston Rockets (John): Tim Duncan
Stats: 5x NBA Champion, 2x NBA MVP, 3x Finals MVP, 15x All-Star, 15x All-NBA, 15x All-Defensive, 1997-98 ROY, Hall of Fame
Rounding out the top ten is the big fundamental himself Tim Duncan. TD presided over a dynasty in San Antonio, winning five championships from 1999 to 2014. He might not be the flashiest player ever, but Duncan got the job done and is arguably the greatest teammate since Bill Russell. He's a steal with the tenth pick as any team built around Duncan will compete for a title for the next 15 years.
Pick 11: Boston Celtics (Phil): Kobe Bryant
Stats: 5x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 18x All-Star, 15x All-NBA, 12x All-Defensive, 2x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
I may never be able to show my face in Boston after taking Kobe Bryant with the 11th pick. Kobe might be on the Mount Rushmore of most hated players in Boston sports history. He beat the Celtics in 2010 to secure the fifth championship in his illustrious career. If the Celtics can get over the fact that he's a lifetime Laker, they'll instantly fall in love with his tenacity and drive to win, but it's going to be hard to win over the Boston fans who love grit and grind stars like Dave Cowens and Kevin McHale above the flash and celebrity that Kobe brought back to the Lakers.
Pick 12: Detroit Pistons (John): Kevin Durant
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 11x All-Star, 9x All-NBA, 4x Scoring Champ, 2007-08 ROY
Detroit and Durant seem like a perfect fit. Everyone hated the Bad Boy Pistons in the '80s, and everyone kind of hates KD today. He seems to be a natural shit stirrer a la Isiah Thomas back in the day. This exercise is tailor made for Durant, he gets to play with other all-time greats and build a super team and if people don't like it, who cares because it's not real. But mega-draft Twitter is real and KD will be the villain from day one.
Pick 13: Washington Wizards (Phil): Oscar Robertson
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 12x All-Star, 11x All-NBA, 1960-61 ROY, Hall of Fame
It's interesting that Washington just got rid of the new king of the triple double in Russell Westbrook and are bringing in the original triple double king in Oscar Robertson. The Big O averaged 30.4 points, 10 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game over the first six seasons of his career. He didn't win a championship until 1971 when he finally teamed up with Kareem, but Oscar is the ultimate Swiss Army Knife and the perfect point guard to build around.
Pick 14: Memphis Grizzlies (John): Julius Erving
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 2x ABA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 3x ABA MVP, 11x NBA All-Star (5x ABA), 7x All-NBA, 5x All-ABA, Hall of Fame
Memphis seems to be a small market that is actually built for Dr. J. He refused to go to Milwaukee in 1972, but Memphis is a bit cooler, jazzier than Memphis which fits the mythos surrounding Julius Erving. Arguably the sexiest player that ever lived both on and off the court, and will bring his fluid above the rim style of play to Tennessee, the Grit and Grind Grizzlies they are not. This will be the early favorite for the League Pass team of the year.
Pick 15: Golden State Warriors (Phil): Steph Curry
Stats: 3x NBA Champion, 2x NBA MVP, 7x All-Star, 7x All-NBA, 2x Scoring Champ
Had to do it. Steph Curry is Mr. Bay Area, they love him there. We're going to sell a million jerseys and this is the first team that is prioritizing three-point shooting. Curry is the greatest shooter in history and will drag out old guards to the tree-point line and make them pick him up as soon as he crosses mid-court. Bob Cousy, Isiah Thomas, John Stockton and others are going to have a hell of a time chasing him all around the court for 48 minutes.
Pick 16: Dallas Mavericks (John): Moses Malone
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 3x NBA MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 12x NBA All-Star (1x ABA), 8x All-NBA, 2x All-Defensive, Hall of Fame
Moses brings the big beef to Dallas as the fifth best rebounder ever. A three-time MVP, Malone finally took the 76ers over the hump when he was traded to Philly in 1982 and led them to the 1983 title. He doesn't have much of a mid-range game, but can hold his own in the paint against bigger centers like Shaq and Wilt. Moses might be the most underrated and forgotten about inner-circle Hall of Famers and getting him at 16 is an absolute steal.
Pick 17: Cleveland Cavaliers (Phil): Karl Malone
Stats: 2x NBA MVP, 14x All-Star, 14x All-NBA, 4x All-Defensive, Hall of Fame
After just missing out on Moses, the Cavs have to settle for the other Malone, Karl. The Mailman was no slouch scoring 36,928 points in his career, second all time to Kareem. He teamed up with John Stockton to make two-straight NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. Unfortunately, they ran into the Jordan Bulls buzzsaw and never got over the hump. Malone will need a good running mate, but can lead his team deep into the playoffs.
Pick 18: Chicago Bulls (John): Jerry West
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 14x All-Star, 12x All-NBA, 5x All-Defensive, 1x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
Jerry West was so good he once won Finals MVP in 1969 for the losing team. The fucking Logo was a next level scorer who could have scored 40 points per game if there was a three-point line in the '60s. West made the All-Star team ever year of his career and was every bit the face of the league as Russell, Wilt, Oscar, and Elgin Baylor were. The Bulls won't get their beloved Michael Jordan, but they get the original great two-way scoring guard in Jerry West.
Pick 19: Toronto Raptors (Phil): Kevin Garnett
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 15x All-Star, 9x All-NBA, 12x All-Defensive, 1x DPOY, Hall of Fame
Kevin Garnett is an absolute psycho and my favorite athlete ever, so I had to take him in the top-20 and give him to the Raptors. It kind of mirrors real life when he was drafted by the Timberwolves in 1995. Toronto is a newer franchise with little history in its side other than the Kawhi championship in 2019. Now, Garnett has a chance to go to a lesser franchise once again and become the face of sports in the city and bring his tenacity to build a winner in the frozen tundra. KG might be the most versatile player in the last 25 years. A 6'11" center with guard handles who can knock down mid-range shots in his sleep and step out to three all while being one of the greatest defenders of his era. The man almost took 34-year-old Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell to a championship. If he can do that, he can win in Toronto with anyone.
Pick 20: Brooklyn Nets (John): David Robinson
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 10x All-Star, 10x All-NBA, 8x All-Defensive, 1x DPOY, 1989-90 ROY, 1x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
The Admiral better hope The Wolves are eliminated so he doesn't have to see Olajuwon again in the playoffs, because we all know how that goes. Other than being Hakeem's bitch, Robinson was one of the most physically gifted centers ever. A chiseled 7'1″ Adonis, Robinson was a dominant scorer before Duncan got there as well as a shut down defensive center. He's a good building block but the nets will need to pair him with another all-time great in order to compete in the East.
Pick 21: Sacramento Kings (Phil): Dirk Nowitzki
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 14x All-Star, 12x All-NBA
Dirk was a one-man wrecking crew when he led the Mavericks to a title in 2011. He can do it all on offese. The best shooting big-man ever (not counting Karl-Anthony Towns yet) he patented the one leg fade away that became so lethal. He's proven he can win a championship on his own, and he might need to do it again in Sacramento.
Pick 22: Los Angeles Clippers (John): Elgin Baylor
Stats: 11x All-Star, 10x All-NBA, 1958-59 ROY, Hall of Fame
Baylor is the first player to really normalize playing above the rim. At 6'5″, 225-pounds, Baylor was a physical freak for the '60s and no one could stop him from scoring at the rim. He averaged 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game in his career as a small forward, and famously went 0-7 in NBA finals. He retired after nine games in the 1971-72 season in which the Lakers went on the win the championship. It's fitting he goes to the Clippers, because he absolutely destroyed the franchise as their executive from 1986-2008. Let him play, but dear god don't let him anywhere near the draft.
Pick 23: Portland Trail Blazers (Phil): Charles Barkley
Stats: 1x NBA MVP, 11x All-Star, 11x All-NBA, Hall of Fame
Charles Barkley is bringing on a new era of the Jail Blazers and it will be spectacular. He is not a role model, but he's going to be the face of Portland and the driving force to keep Portland weird. Barkley is arguably the best player ever to never win a championship thanks in large part to Michael Jordan, but he's got a real shot to advance far in Portland, just keep him off the golf course and out of the casinos.
Pick 24: Atlanta Hawks (John): Dwyane Wade
Stats: 3x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 13x All-Star, 8x All-NBA, 3x All-Defensive, 1x Scoring Champ
Most people nowadays remember D-Wade as Robin to LeBron's Batman, the sidekick of the Heatles super team that won two titles and went to four-straight finals. We forget that young D-Wade put the Heat on his back and willed them to a championship in 2006. Yea he had Shaq, but Wade put in a finals for the ages and is a bonafide winner. The Hawks might be a dark horse, but don'w count out any team led by Flash.
Pick 25: Oklahoma City Thunder (Phil): John Havlicek
Stats: 8x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 13x All-Star, 11x All-NBA, 8x All-Defensive, Hall of Fame
Most of the seven people who actually read this are probably wondering the same thing, who the heck is John Havlicek? Bill Simmons is probably furious that Hondo didn't go inside the top 15. Havlicek was one of the most well-rounded players of his time. A teammate of Bill Russell's on the '60s Celtics, Havlicek won eight championships. It might be a tough ask to have him be the face of a franchise, but Hondo is undoubtedly one of the greatest team players in NBA history.
Pick 26: Orlando Magic (John): Allen Iverson
Stats: 1x NBA MVP, 11x All-Star, 7x All-NBA, 4x Scoring Champ, 1996-97 ROY, Hall of Fame
Holy shit Allen Iverson at 26 is easily the reach of the draft so far. AI is a legend, don't get me wrong, but are you really trying to build a team around him? I understand that he dragged Theo Ratlif and Eric Snow to the finals, but he didn't do a ton of winning outside of that one MVP season. Hopefully John has a plan and surrounds Iverson with responsible teammates.
Pick 27: Los Angeles Lakers (Phil): Kawhi Leonard
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 2x Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, 7x All-Defensive, 2x DPOY
Kawhi is on pace to have the wonkiest resume of any top 30 players in the NBA. He was the 15th pick in 2011, slowly improved year-by-year to become a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and the 2014 Finals MVP with the Spurs. Then he sat out for almost a year while clashing with the Spurs staff about his foot injury. Then he got traded to Toronto, led them to a championship, and left after one season for the Clippers of all franchises. Now he has a chance to win three championships and three finals MVP's with three different franchises. Only LeBron James has done that. A weird career for fun guy Kawhi.
Pick 28: New Orleans Pelicans (John): Isiah Thomas
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 12x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, Hall of Fame
Dude's probably reading this like "I met the qualifications to be drafted in the top 20, but they didn't pick me." Zeke is a top-five point guard ever, a good scorer and even better playmaker who can lead a team to the promised land as he did in back-to-back seasons with the Bad Boys. He just seems to rub people the wrong way and MJ will probably make it his personal mission to make sure Thomas doesn't sniff the playoffs with the Pelicans.
Pick 29: New York Knicks (Phil): Giannis Antetokounmpo
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 2x NBA MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, 4x All-Defensive, 1x DPOY
This pick is looking a lot better now that Giannis is a champion. He's a modern day Shaq who can physically dominate the competition in the paint. Giannis has taken it to the next level and can handle the ball and drive to the basket. He's a three-point shot away from becoming the greatest offensive weapon in history. Knicks fans are going to love him, I hope they have Chick-fil-A in NYC.
Pick 30: San Antonio Spurs (John): Chris Paul
Stats: 11x All-Star, 10x All-NBA, 9x All-Defensive, 2005-06 ROY
Again, this pick looks a lot better now that CP3 finally made the finals for the first time in his 16-year career. Paul might be a bitch of a teammate, but is arguably the best two-way point guard of the modern era. He should be a perfect fit for the Spurs way of life, and a solid pick to finish off round one of the mega-draft.
Round 2: The Quickening
Pick 31: San Antonio Spurs (John): Patrick Ewing
Stats: 11x All-Star, 7x All-NBA, 3x All-Defensive, 1985-86 ROY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Chris Paul
Patrick Ewing is the ultimate "almost but not quite there" superstars in the NBA. He led the Knicks to the finals twice only to be thwarted by Hakeem's Rockets in 1994 and injured against Duncan's Spurs in the lockout-shortened 1999 season. It only fits all too well that he's paired with Chris Paul, the other premier player in the last 25 years who has gotten so close but never won a championship. they should trade for Barkley.
Pick 32: New York Knicks (Phil): Steve Nash
Stats: 2x NBA MVP, 8x All-Star, 7x All-NBA, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Steve Nash was one Robert Horry hip check away from a finals appearance in 2007, and never got another chance at a championship. He transformed Amar'e Stoudemire into an All-Pro player and would do wonders with Giannis catching lobs and running the pick-and-roll. The Knicks are back!
Pick 33: New Orleans Pelicans (John): Scottie Pippen
Stats: 6x NBA Champion, 7x All-Star, 7x All-NBA, 10x All-Defensive, Hall of Fame
Teammates: (Checks notes) Isiah Thomas
Who the fuck is putting Scottie Pippen on the same team as Isiah Thomas? Zeke is probably sitting in his mansion thinking that this is a betrayal on levels that no one has ever seen! There are going to be nightly brawls in the locker room. I know every hates IT, but Scottie Pippen mega hates IT and is not afraid to remind everyone.
Pick 34: Los Angeles Lakers (Phil): Kevin McHale
Teammates: Kawhi Leonard
Now this is a team I can get behind. Kawhi can initiate the offense and create his own shot and Kevin McHale can do a lot of the dirty work down low. He's one of the best post scorers we've seen and can hold his own alongside Kawhi on the defensive end. Very few holes in this team early on.
Pick 35: Orlando Magic (John): James Harden
Stats: 1x NBA MVP, 9x All-Star, 7x All-NBA, 3x Scoring Champ
Teammates: Allen Iverson
Remember when I said AI was a bad pick unless you surround him with responsible teammates? Yea, James Harden isn't that kind of teammate, he's basically beef stew Iverson with a beard. This team will never practice, never play defense, probably get on each other's nerves, but this is the number one pick of strip clubs everywhere. I don't know what the club scene is like in Orlando, but they're about to make a lot of money.
Pick 36: Oklahoma City Thunder (Phil): Bob Pettit
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 2x NBA MVP, 11x All-Star, 11x All-NBA, 1954-55 ROY, 2x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
Teammates: John Havlicek
This team would win 19 championships if it was 1966. Alas, it's 2021 so Hondo and Bullet Bob's achievements have wasted away like those people on an M. Night Shymalan beach, but they're two of the greatest to ever do it. Pettit made an All-NBA team every year of his career.
Pick 37: Atlanta Hawks (John): Anthony Davis
Teammates: Dwyane Wade
John finally got his head out of his ass and made a good pick in the second round. AD is the perfect big to play alongside D-Wade. He dominated the Heat on his way to a championship with the Lakers and LeBron James in the bubble, and will form a formidable two-way duo with Wade.
Pick 38: Portland Trail Blazers (Phil): Bill Walton
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 2x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 2x All-Defensive, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Charles Barkley
The prodigal son returns 44 years after leading the Blazers to a championship in 1977. A foot injury wreck Walton's career, but the biggest Dead Head on national television was one of the best centers in history during his short prime. He's so high right now he probably thinks it's still 1978, and is definitely going to keep Portland weird.
Pick 39: Los Angeles Clippers (John): George Mikan
Stats: 5x BAA/NBA Champion, 4x All-Star, 6x All-BAA/NBA, 3x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Elgin Baylor
Teaming the original GOAT with Elgin Baylor would be unstoppable in 1956. Mikan might have trouble matching up against the likes up Wilt and Shaq, but his fundamentals are unmatched and will bring a winning quality to this throwback team.
Pick 40: Sacramento Kings (Phil): Jason Kidd
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 10x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, 9x All-Defensive, 1994-95 ROY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Dirk Nowitzki
Jason Kidd won a championship with Dirk in 2011 so why not run it back. Kidd was one of the most versatile point guards in league history and will be the exact opposite of what the Kings have gotten used to over the last two decades. We'll have to make sure he isn't allowed to drink soda on the sidelines though.
Pick 41: Brooklyn Nets (John): John Stockton
Stats: 10x All-Star, 11x All-NBA, 5x All-Defensive, All-Time Leader in Assists, Hall of Fame
Teammates: David Robinson
This will be the least vaxxed team in the league. John Stockton was part of one of the most dynamic duos in the '90s with Karl Malone, and has formed another dynamic duo post career teaming up with conspiracy theories. Stockton will not have many fans in Brooklyn.
Pick 42: Toronto Raptors (Phil): Ray Allen
Teammates: Kevin Garnett
The biggest "what if" in Timberwolves history is finally answered by pairing KG with Ray Allen, just as god intended. The Wolves picked Allen with the fifth pick in the 1996 NBA Draft only to trade him to the Milwaukee Bucks for the fourth pick, Stephon Marbury. Marbury was a star alongside KG, but forced his way out of Minnesota after just 2.5 years. Ray Allen is one of the greatest shooting guards of all time and finally teamed up with Garnett in 2007 in Boston where the two won a championship and played in two NBA Finals. Oh, what could have been if they had been able to team up in Minnesota for a decade in the prime of their careers. Could they have won a championship? Possibly, KG took the Wolves to the Western Conference Finals in 2004 and was a Sam Cassell hip injury away from taking down the Lakers. Allen led the Bucks to an improbable run the the Eastern Conference Finals in 2001. It still haunts me to this day. I need answers, and that's why I finally did it. Lets finally see what you could have done together.
Pick 43: Chicago Bulls (John): Bob Cousy
Stats: 6x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 13x All-Star, 12x All-NBA, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Jerry West
Jerry West and Bob Cousy would be your dad's favorite team. Cousy was a baller even before teaming up with Bill Russell, and he can run the show while West racks up the points.
Pick 44: Cleveland Cavaliers (Phil): Walt Frazier
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 7x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, 7x All Defensive, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Karl Malone
Walt Frazier might be one of the most underrated players from the '70s but he led the Knicks to glory twice and is an NYC legend on par with Joe Namath. He'd pair well with Karl Malone and bring some glitz and glam to Cleveland.
Pick 45: Dallas Mavericks (John): Elvin Hayes
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 12x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, 2x All-Defensive, 1x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Moses Malone
The beef boys are ready to grab every rebound in Dallas. Malone is third all-time in rebounds and Elvin Hayes is sixth. The lane is gonna be clogged, but no frontline will be able to matchup with this duo.
Pick 46: Golden State Warriors (Phil): Rick Barry
Stats: 1x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 8x NBA All-Star (4x ABA), 6x All NBA, 4x All-ABA, 1965-66 ROY, 1x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Steph Curry
If Steph Curry is the most beloved player in Warriors history, Rick Barry might be the most reviled. Barry was an asshole, but god dammit he could score. One of the best scoring forwards ever he led the Warriors to a championship in 1975. Fans will hate him (and his kids) but he and Steph would be unstoppable.
Pick 47: Memphis Grizzlies (John): Reggie Miller
Teammates: Julius Erving
Memphis may have just skyrocketed towards the top of the League Pass rankings with this pick. Reggie Miller is one of the most fun players to love, and even more fun to hate.
Pick 48: Washington Wizards (Phil): George Gervin
Stats: 9x NBA All-Star (3x ABA), 7x All-NBA, 2x All-ABA, 4x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Oscar Robertson
The Iceman might not be the best fit alongside a high usage point guard in Oscar, but they will be one of the hardest backcourts to defend. The two Hall of Famers could each go off for 50 on any given night. The defense might not be amazing, but Gervin will sell tickets.
Pick 49: Detroit Pistons (John): Willis Reed
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 7x All-Star, 5x All-NBA, 1x All-Defensive, 1964-65 ROY, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Kevin Durant
Willis Reed seems like a perfect fit in Detroit. He's tough, plays hurt in game 7, and sounds like he should have been a Motown star. Reed's motor and Durant's scoring prowess will do damage and could be the perfect mid-pick pairing at 12 and 49 respectively.
Pick 50: Boston Celtics (Phil): Dominique Wilkins
Teammates: Kobe Bryant
Holy shit the Celtics just became the most exciting team ever assembled with Dominique and Kobe. Two of the best dunkers ever, the days of team play and fundamentals are over in Boston. Yes, Wilkins never won in the NBA and never got out of the second round, but that's why you pair him with one of the best winners ever. Dominique can just run around and dunk on everyone for three quarters and then get the fuck out of Kobe's way in the fourth. Boston might not be the best team out there, but dammit it's going to be everyone's favorite.
Pick 51: Houston Rockets (John): Tracy McGrady
Teammates: Tim Duncan
TMac returns to Houston to team up with Houston's tormentor for 20 years in Tim Duncan. He's the Riggs to Duncan's Murtaugh.
Pick 52: Philadelphia 76ers (Phil): Paul Pierce
Teammates: Shaquille O'Neal
Pierce is going to shit his pants the first time the 76ers fans boo him for only scoring 19 points in a big game. Hack-a-Shaq will be in full effect after watching Ben Simmons' free throw meltdown in the playoffs last year. Things could get flushed down the toilet quickly in Philly.
Pick 53: Minnesota Timberwolves (John): Gary Payton
Teammates: Hakeem Olajuwon
GP made the finals with Shawn Kemp in 1996. Olajuwon is a 5000% upgrade over Kemp, and should be able to take Payton to the promised land. This is the best defensive team in the league already and will play scrappy. David Robinson is going to have nightmares about this team.
Pick 54: Phoenix Suns (Phil): Russell Westbrook
Teammates: Larry Bird
Larry bird is going to throw hands with Westbrook the first time Russ dribbles up the court and takes a pull up three late in the shot clock without passing to anyone.
Pick 55: Milwaukee Bucks (John): Clyde Drexler
Teammates: Wilt Chamberlain
This is a wonky fit in Milwaukee. Wilt is going to be distracted by the bustling Wisconsin nightlife so Drexler will have to carry the load day to day. The last pro player selected to the dream team could feel another slight falling to the 55th pick and work up a dark-horse MVP season.
Pick 56: Charlotte Hornets (Phil): James Worthy
Stats: 3x NBA Champion, 1x Finals MVP, 7x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Bill Russell
Two of the greatest winners ever form an interesting foundation to a team that might not be flashy but will do the little things to get the job done.
Pick 57: Utah Jazz (John): Bob McAdoo
Stats: 2x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 5x All-Star, 2x All-NBA, 1972-73 ROY, 3x Scoring Champ, Hall of Fame
Teammates: Magic Johnson
McAdoo has some big shoes to fill as he takes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's spot as Magic's running-mate. McAdoo is no Kareem, but was a dominate center in his own right in the '70s.
Pick 58: Denver Nuggets (Phil): Alonzo Mourning
Teammates: LeBron James
If he had two good kidneys, Alonzo Mourning would be 10-20 spots higher in this draft. After Shaq, Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Ewing; Mourning was probably the next best center during the heyday in the '90s. He and LeBron create one of the most imposing frontlines in the league and will be nearly impossible to score on.
Pick 59: Miami Heat (John): Dennis Johnson
Teammates: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem gets the defensive-minded point guard who guided the Sonics to a championship before two championship runs with Larry Bird and the gang in Boston in the '80s. John could have had DJ in the third round, but you can't fault him for taking the three-time champ.
Pick 60: Indiana Pacers (Phil): Robert Parish
Teammates: Michael Jordan
MJ gets his former teammate (Yea Parish finished his long career in Chicago) for another run at a title together. Parish is almost underrated because of his longevity and being overshadowed by Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, but he is one of the best centers ever and will pair beautifully with Jordan. What a steal with the last pick of the second round.
Tagged Basketball, Bill Russell, Draft, Michael Jordan, NBA, NBA Draft, Podcast, sportsLeave a comment


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text:
Common Loon returns after long absence
May 7, 2019 / 11:00am / By Sal Nudo
Those who liked the irresistible The Long Dream of Birds by Common Loon from 2010 will also dig the band's new self-titled record released back in April. There's the same hazy mix of crunchy guitars, brooding synth, and a few overtly poppy gems thrown in as both guys trade lead vocals and harmonize.
Matthew Campbell and Robert Hirschfeld of Common Loon write atmospheric, tuneful songs that would make them kings of the indie music heap in a perfect world. Yet the musicians and longtime friends are perfectly content not making names for themselves, even spurning playing live most of the time. Guitar music may not be all that "in" right now, but Common Loon's new self-titled album is a reminder that sometimes the most interesting, experimental stuff is being made with zero hoopla right in your own backyard. And it rocks in its own loopy way.
Those who liked the irresistible The Long Dream of Birds from 2010 will also dig the band's new album. There's the same hazy mix of crunchy guitars, brooding synth, and a few overtly poppy gems thrown in as both guys trade lead vocals and harmonize. Everything sounds very British. Campbell plays keyboards and drums, and his voice is startlingly similar to David Gilmour's. Hirschfeld, meanwhile, plays guitar and bass and sounds a lot like Limahl, which is meant as a compliment. (Kajagoogoo's White Feathers is an early-'80s classic, in my opinion.)
Photo by Deb Campbell
Smile Politely: First off, welcome back. It's been too long. How does it feel to make your return with a new album?
Robert Hirschfeld: The album has been done for some time now, but due to some combination of major life events, other objects of interest, laziness, and procrastination, it's taken a long time to officially release it. It had been weighing on my mind for years, so there's an immense feeling of relief to finally let it go. There was also some trepidation about putting out music after so many years of being absent from the scene. How will it be received? Who is left that knows who we are? Still, it has been incredibly gratifying to receive messages from people who appreciate our music.
It's difficult to be objective about your own creative output. As much as I can be, I'm proud of what Matt and I have done here. I would happily write, play, and record sounds just for the benefit of the two of us. But, I won't lie: It's satisfying to hear that other people are moved by what you make. We hope people listen and enjoy it.
SP: What are you most proud of regarding this new album?
Matt Campbell: I'm proud that we finished it, first of all. I'm also proud that the music ended up sounding more or less how we wanted it to sound. What I heard in my head before it was translated to tape was pretty faithfully reproduced on the record, and to me that's a satisfying feeling.
Hirschfeld: In addition to seeking to write good songs overall, I want an album filled with a hundred little mysteries, beautiful surprises, and transcendent but fleeting moments. I think and hope, if you put on the good headphones and listen closely, you'll find a few of those.
SP: I listened for sonic differences between your first album, The Long Dream of Birds, and the new one and didn't hear many. Did you do anything differently this time around in terms of crafting the songs or going for a subtly different sound?
Campbell: The main difference is the way the record was made. We did Long Dream entirely at Adam Schmitt's place, with him engineering the whole thing and mixing it, and there's no doubt that record sounds the way it does because of him. It sounds clean and bright and really great, I believe, and that's all due to his experience, his ear, and his sensibilities.
For this one, the bones of the music were recorded at Matt Talbott's studio, but we did all the overdubs ourselves, at Robert's house. With the buttons being pushed by us instead of someone else, this record was always going to sound a bit different than the first, even though the songwriting and instrumentation are similar. In fact, three of the songs on this album were also recorded during Long Dream but were shelved for one reason or another. It was interesting to go back and listen to the old versions after the new ones were made.
Hirschfeld: We didn't set out to make this sound similar or different than Long Dream. It was never a consideration either way. We wanted to present these songs the best way we felt we could. Ten years on, I'm still really happy with how the first record sounds. So if there's consistency between the two, that's fine with me.
SP: Why did you write a song dedicated to actor Harry Dean Stanton on the new album?
Hirschfeld: At one level, because his name was the first thing that came out of my mouth when the song arrived in my head. And, as someone who could easily stand in as a kind of Beat Generation archetype, I think HDS would appreciate adhering to that kind of Ginsbergian "first thought, best thought" spontaneity. I'd say he acted with a kind of fearless honesty that phrase aspires to.
On another level, because he's the best. Roger Ebert said something along the lines of, "No movie with Harry Dean Stanton in it could be entirely bad." What a testament to your life and work! He lived a strange and extraordinary life. And an unexpected one, I think. That's aspirational. What a delight.
SP: Is that a group of children singing the chorus at the very end of "Harry Dean Stanton"?
Campbell: It's a group of adults, actually. We played a show upstairs at Mike N Molly's in maybe 2012 — I don't remember exactly when — with the specific purpose of recording that part. We set up mics and played our regular set, and then told the audience what we wanted to do, and we sort of conducted them, and they nailed it.
Hirschfeld: The collective belief in the power of Harry Dean Stanton's name was visceral.
Campbell: Then we overdubbed lots of our own vocals later and did whatever we could to make it sound huge. Robert's idea was for it to sound like a soccer stadium full of tens of thousands of people chanting Harry's name. I think it's an appropriately odd tribute.
Hirschfeld: Harry himself as a mantra. He'd hate that. I love it. Top 10 Common Loon moment for me.
SP: What C-U band are you into right now?
Campbell: I've been really digging the Nectar album. And Wingclipper is amazing. I think his stuff deserves a huge audience.
Hirschfeld: I've been living in Chicago the last few years, so I haven't kept up as much with C-U music. Motes are great. I caught Relevator at the Rose Bowl Tavern last month, and they were fantastic. I'm also excited to see what's in store for Rose Bowl as a venue.
SP: What else would you like to say to Common Loon fans?
Hirschfeld: If you've ever attended a show, bought a record, or just enjoyed listening to what we make, we are deeply, deeply appreciative. We were touched that there are some people out there who were excited to have a new Common Loon record. The economics of being an artist, any kind of artist, are hard to square. The space for purely meaningless, unprofitable creativity can easily be squeezed out. The system privileges and incentivizes streaming over purchases. It privileges and incentivizes Amazon over the local shop. But where you can, support local artists and creatives.
You can check out Common Loon's new album below.
Common Loon by Common Loon

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Science Fiction/Fantasy
Rebellions, Rivals, and Ruthless Rulers: 9 Fantasy Books With Epic Political Intrigue
Megan Mabee Jul 27, 2021
When it comes to reading, fantasy forever holds the place of honor as the first genre I fell in love with. Growing up, I went through so many phases of fantasy sub-genres as old favorites got replaced by new ones. In my later elementary school years, I read the entire Dragonriders of Pern series, marking the beginning of my epic dragon phase. Later, I moved on to Arthurian legends and enchanting fairytale retellings. In high school I frequented the library to search the terms "vampire romance" in the catalog. Each sub-genre in fantasy offers something delightful and different, and these days I have fun switching between them. Looking back on the fantasy books I've read, I noticed a common theme sneaking out between the pages of some of my favorites. The fantasy books that enmesh me well and truly in the magical world are the ones with thrilling political intrigue.
Political intrigue in fantasy books can take many forms. It can involve heirs competing for the throne, kingdoms rebelling, overthrowing tyrant rulers, empires falling. However the political intrigue unfurls, it usually involves different groups or people vying for power. I find it fascinating to watch these dynamics at play. George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series is a perfect example of this, and I'll devour all of the fantasy books with political intrigue I can while I wait on The Winds of Winter to publish.
As you might imagine, the fantasy book world is overflowing with books steeped in political intrigue. Below, you'll find a selection of some of these excellent fantasy reads, including some standout backlist picks and exciting new releases.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
This poignant and thrilling debut by Shelley Parker-Chan promises plenty of political intrigue with its fantastical retelling of the rise of the Ming Dynasty. Set during Mongol rule in 1345 China, we meet the Zhu family, whose eighth son Zhu Chongba receives a fate of greatness, while their second-born daughter receives nothingness. After bandits orphan the two children and Zhu Chongba dies of despair, this daughter shakes off her fate of nothingness and takes on her brother's identity, determining to live up to his fate.
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
On the continent of Meridian, we see the interactions between multiple political groups, including a number of city-states loyal to the holy city of Tova. Between a powerful religious order governing the city and the various Sky Clans that reside there, Tova itself brims with further political intrigue. With superb world-building and likable, nuanced characters, Rebecca Roanhorse weaves a compelling fantasy as Tova prepares for a dire celestial event. The story follows the Sun Priest Naranpa, bisexual and magically-gifted sea captain Xiala, a young blind man Serapio with a predestined fate, and Okoa of the Carrion Crow Clan.
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Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore
While this is the fourth book in the Graceling Realm series, it spills over with so much political intrigue, and I loved it so much, I had to include it. Each book in the series focuses on a different character (though Bitterblue does star in both the third and fourth books), so they can be read as standalones. Drawn to the newly discovered country of Winterkeep after the disappearance of her political envoy, Queen Bitterblue gets lost at sea herself, leaving her companions to continue the investigation without her. Meanwhile, Lovisa Cavenda, the teen daughter of two opposing members of Winterkeep's democratic republic, may have the answer to everything.
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
Drawing inspiration from the history of India, this captivating new fantasy by Tasha Suri spins a tangled web of political intrigue. Malini, a captive princess, plots her escape from her dictator brother, all while rebellion brews within the kingdom. Entrapped within an ancient temple once the source of magical deathless waters, Malini finds her path intertwined with the maidservant Priya's after she witnesses Priya's secret nature.
Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
In the vein of A Song of Ice and Fire, the turbulent political situation in Saladin Ahmed's epic fantasy leads to the overlooking of a growing supernatural threat. In the Crescent Moon Kingdoms, rebellion simmers below the surface as the current Khalif faces a threat to his power by a mysterious thief called the Falcon Prince. On the brink of retiring from his many years of ghul hunting, Doctor Adoulla Makhslood gets pulled back in after a murder close to home. With the help of his young assistant, the holy warrior Raseed bas Raseed, and a fierce lion-shapeshifter named Zamia Badawi, Adoulla will follow a string of murders and uncover a plot more sinister than any of them could have ever imagined.
This epic fantasy by N.K. Jemisin takes political intrigue to a whole new level in the floating city of Sky, at the heart of the hundred thousand kingdoms. After her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, outcast teen Yeine Darr receives a summons to Sky where her grandfather the king has named her one of his heirs. Yeine soon finds herself caught within a power struggle between her cousins who have also been chosen as heirs, as well as the intrigues of the enslaved gods residing in Sky.
The Vanished Queen by Lisbeth Campbell
This riveting fantasy romance by Lisbeth Campbell includes all sorts of political intrigue, from tyrannic kings to resistance groups and secret assassination plots. Blazing with a need for justice and revenge after her father's execution, student Anza discovers the long vanished Queen Mirantha's diary in a forbidden library. Inspired by the missing queen's words, Anza joins the resistance, delving into plots to overthrow the king. After an arrest brings her face to face with Prince Esvar, Anza gets drawn further into the court's intrigue.
Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope
The political intrigue of L. Penelope's enthralling fantasy series focuses on the tensions between two neighboring kingdoms, Elsira and Lagrimar. Plus, it digs into an ancient mystery which adds an extra layer of intrigue. A magical veil called the Mantle has separated the two lands from each other for hundreds of years, but when cracks begin to form, Lagrimar's ruler sees an opportunity to strike. Farm girl Jasminda lives as an outcast due to the color of her skin and her Earthsong abilities. When she meets an Elsiran spy, Jasminda finds herself setting off on a quest to save the Mantle and uncover the secrets of the Queen Who Sleeps.
The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
I thought I'd close this list with a backlist fantasy classic of political intrigue. As the newly appointed secretary-tutor to the sister of the heir to the throne, ex-soldier Cazaril has returned to the royal court of Cardegoss. In between the treacherous intrigues of all those who make up the royal court, Caz must protect his royal pupil from the legendary curse that hangs over the House of Chalion.
Looking to dig further into the political intrigues of fantasy worlds? Check out these books too!
5 Royal Young Adult Fantasy Novels for Fans of The Crown
5 Completed Series to Read While You Wait For Winds of Winter


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Organization of state governments.—As resistance to British authority intensified during 1775, the colonies took steps to organize for resistance. The colonial governors were forced to leave and the committees of safety assumed temporary executive functions. In most of the colonies revolutionary conventions were called which took over the legislative power until it became apparent that the difficulties with Great Britain could not be settled. As it grew more and more evident that the war was to be fought for independence, the conventions took steps to organize state governments. Several of them asked advice concerning such action from the Continental Congress, and that body finally advised all the colonies to proceed on the assumption that they no longer owed allegiance to the crown. The constitutional convention introduced a new principle in the theory of the state. Up to this time governmental authority had rested in England. Henceforth the powers of sovereignty were to emanate from the will of the people, the constitutional convention being the embodiment of the sovereign will.
Type of state governments.—In the formation of governments the states were guided by experience in colonial statecraft. The new constitutions disclosed the influence of the struggle with Great Britain, the framers seeking to protect the commonwealths from the possibility of encroachment of the executive at the expense of the legislative departments. The influence of the political philosophy which insisted that the separation of the departments of government was the safeguard of popular rights was also apparent in the new constitutions. Although they displayed a marked divergence on minor points, in general a common type of government prevailed. In most of the states the legislative department was in two parts, a lower and an upper house; the lower, usually elected for a year, represented the people at large, and the upper, serving for longer periods, represented the wealthier classes. In all but one state a property qualification was required for voters and representatives, and in most cases the property qualification was higher for members of the upper chamber. There was no uniformity in designation, the lower chamber being variously called the house of representatives, house of commons, or assembly; the upper house was usually called the legislative council, but in Virginia it was known as the senate, a designation afterward commonly adopted. The executive was usually weak, being vested either in a governor with limited power or in a small group. So well adapted to the needs of a state were the colonial charters of Connecticut and Rhode Island, that they continued to use their charters as constitutions for many years, merely substituting the authority of the people for that of the king.
Variations from type.—Several of the state constitutions contained unusual features. In Pennsylvania the radical convention in 1776 framed a constitution which provided for a legislature of one chamber and an executive council which could not veto an act of the assembly. Every seven years a council of censors was to be chosen by the voters to see that the constitution had not been violated. By a two-thirds vote the censors could summon a convention to amend the constitution. Georgia also set up a unicameral legislature. The Virginia constitution of 1776 contained a declaration of independence. It also provided that all bills must originate in the lower house and that money bills could not be amended by the senate. A privy council of eight members was chosen by a joint ballot of both houses. This body and the two houses selected the governor. The South Carolina constitution of 1778 provided for the election of the upper house by the people and the governor was deprived of the veto power. By the New York constitution of 1778, the governor was elected by the people, but he had neither appointive nor veto power, those functions being exercised respectively by a council of appointments chosen from the senate by the assembly, and by a council of revision composed of the governor, chancellor, and two or more judges of the supreme court. Objections raised by the council of revision could be defeated by a two-thirds vote of both houses. The first constitution of Massachusetts provided for a legislature of two houses, the upper chamber acting as a multiple executive. In 1780 a new constitution was accepted by the people. This provided that the governor be given military powers and the appointment of judges. He was to be advised by a council of nine elected from the senate by both houses.
Selection of the judiciary.—Divergences appeared in the methods of selecting judges. In Connecticut and Rhode Island they were appointed annually by the assemblies. In Georgia the chief justice was appointed by the assembly, but the people elected the county judges annually; in New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania the assemblies chose the judges for seven years; in Massachusetts, New York, and Maryland the governor and council appointed the judges who held office during good behavior; in other states the legislatures appointed them for varying terms.
The courts.—The states established superior tribunals which were authorized to review and correct decisions of inferior courts. In Georgia the county courts, when presided over by the chief-justice, acted as a final court of appeal. In New Jersey the governor and council constituted the highest appellate tribunal. In Virginia the constitution provided for a court of appeals which passed upon the constitutionality of laws and heard appeals. In Maryland and South Carolina the appellate courts were composed of the presiding officers of the district courts. In the other colonies the supreme court fulfilled the same function. The colonial system of county courts to try the smaller civil cases, and courts of session, composed of justices of the peace, for trial of petty criminal cases were retained.
English law the basis of American jurisprudence.—The English common-law forms of writs and legal process were continued with all their technicalities, a usage which has been one of the stumbling blocks in the attempts to simplify legal methods in the United States. "Either by the constitutions or by legislative enactments, English common law, and all those English statutes hitherto recognized and acted upon in the colonies respectively, were made the basis of state jurisprudence. The force of law was also continued to all existing colonial statutes until repealed or altered, except in South Carolina, where a particular enumeration and reënactment was made of the colonial statutes intended to be recognized."
The revolutionary state of Vermont.—In the Green Mountain region a new state was in the making. There New York claimed jurisdiction but her authority had never been established and in April, 1775, the inhabitants of the mountain country held a convention, eventually drew up a constitution, and asked Congress to recognize Vermont as a state. New York succeeded in defeating the movement in Congress, but the Vermonters, nothing daunted, proceeded to organize their government. The new revolutionary state soon became embroiled in disputes with New Hampshire and Massachusetts. These and the continued opposition of New York caused Congress to delay recognition, and Vermont was not formally admitted to the union until 1791, but to all intents and purposes it was a sovereign state from 1775.
Attempts at Western State-Making.—In the course of the Revolution, likewise, the settlements beyond the Alleghanies were trying experiments in state-making. The Watauga Association in eastern Tennessee, the Transylvania government in Kentucky, and the Nashborough, Association are all examples. These western communities reverted to the compact theory of government, and their experiences illustrate the democratic tendencies of the frontier. As yet, however, the communities were too weak to succeed in the midst of conflicting elements and each reverted for a time to the subordinate position of a county of the older state.


text:
Ipsen Announces U.S. FDA Approval for Newly Designed Pre-Filled Syringe for Somatuline Depot (lanreotide)
Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, an affiliate of Ipsen , announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new pre-filled syringe for Somatuline Depot (lanreotide). The syringe includes updated features, such as larger flanges, designed to help make it easier for healthcare providers to administer the injection.1 The indications remain the same as those for the previous pre-filled syringe and include the treatment of adult patients with unresectable, well- or moderately-differentiated, locally advanced or metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) to improve progression-free survival; treatment of adults with carcinoid syndrome; when used, it reduces the frequency of short-acting somatostatin analog rescue therapy; and the long-term treatment of patients with acromegaly who have had an inadequate response to surgery and/or radiotherapy, or for whom surgery and/or radiotherapy is not an option. Please see Important Safety Information below and accompanying full Prescribing Information.
"The conditions of GEP-NETs and acromegaly can be associated with a number of uncomfortable and unpleasant symptoms, and innovation aimed at improving the injection process is a step forward," said Daphne Adelman, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Northwestern University, Chicago, and one of the authors of the study.
Ipsen conducted five separate but complementary studies in partnership with patients, their caregivers, nurses and other healthcare professionals to better understand the current use of the existing Somatuline® Depot pre-filled syringe and to evaluate ways to improve the features of the device.1 The result of this collaboration is a redesigned delivery system intended to make it easy to grip the syringe and administer the injection. The new syringe features a needle shield removal system, more stable plunger and thermoform tray that has recessed areas designed to help prevent accidental plunger depression. The built-in safety system, which may help to prevent needle stick injury by locking in place following the administration, has not been changed.
"We consistently look for opportunities to respond to the needs of the communities we serve, and this approval would not have been possible without the direct involvement of nurses and the patients with GEP-NETs and acromegaly whom they treat," said Bradley Bailey, SVP, and Franchise Head Oncology/Endocrinology Business Unit at Ipsen. "We listened and collaborated to enhance the existing pre-filled syringe, making it sturdier for healthcare providers when administering treatment, with the intention of improving the injection process. We look forward to bringing this innovation to healthcare providers for their patients soon."
The new pre-filled syringe is for deep subcutaneous injection and is intended for administration by a healthcare professional. Healthcare providers can expect to receive the new syringe during Q3 2019. The device is approved for use in the U.S., EU and additional ex-U.S. markets.
Labels: approval, Ipsen, Newly Designed Pre-Filled Syringe, Somatuline Depot (lanreotide), U.S. FDA
Dova Pharmaceuticals Announces FDA Approval of Doptelet (avatrombopag) for Treatment of Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP)
In continuation of my update on avatrombopag
Dova Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing drug candidates for diseases where there is a high unmet need, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) that expands the use of Doptelet (avatrombopag) to include the treatment of thrombocytopenia in adults with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who have had an insufficient response to a previous treatment.
Doptelet is also FDA-approved for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in adult patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) who are scheduled to undergo a procedure. Earlier this week, Dova announced the marketing authorization granted by the European Commission for Doptelet for the treatment of severe thrombocytopenia in adult patients with CLD who are scheduled to undergo an invasive procedure.
"Dova is pleased to provide Doptelet to patients and physicians in the United States for the treatment of chronic ITP in adult patients who have had an insufficient response to a previous treatment," said Dr. David Zaccardelli, president and CEO of Dova. "In addition to offering patients with ITP a new treatment option, we expect Doptelet will also address an important unmet medical need in the market. We sincerely thank the patients and dedicated researchers who participated in our clinical program as well as FDA for their collaboration during the review of this application."
Doptelet is an oral, thrombopoietin receptor agonist (TPO-RA) administered with food. In the pivotal Phase 3 study, Doptelet administration resulted in a platelet count of at least 50,000 per µL at day eight of therapy in the majority of patients, with efficacy superior to placebo in maintaining platelet counts in the target range during the 6-month treatment period. Additional supportive efficacy data for the ITP sNDA were provided by two Phase 2 ITP clinical trials, as well as two Phase 3 trials for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with CLD.
Safety data for 128 patients with ITP, and more than 1,000 subjects treated across 24 studies in the Doptelet clinical development program across multiple indications, support the safety and tolerability of Doptelet.
"ITP patients should work with their clinician to choose a therapy that supports their lifestyle and aims to achieve the best possible result to treat their ITP. That's why having additional treatment options are so important," said Caroline Kruse, president and CEO of the Platelet Disorder Support Association, a patient advocacy organization dedicated to ITP patients. "We are thrilled to have a new, oral TPO-RA available for adult patients with ITP. Every new treatment provides more choices and new hope to our community."
Dova is committed to enabling patient access to Doptelet. Doptelet will be priced similarly to other TPO-RAs used to treat ITP, and Dova will continue to offer Patient Assistance and Co-Pay programs. The commercial launch of Doptelet for ITP is anticipated to occur in mid-July 2019.
Dova also entered into an expanded partnership in the United States with Salix. Starting on July 1, 2019, in addition to the gastroenterology, colorectal surgery, and proctology segments, Salix will have the exclusive right to co-promote the CLD indication for Doptelet to the hepatology and interventional radiology segments. Dova will continue to pay Salix a commission based on a percentage of net sales in these specialties, which will be in the mid-thirties beginning on July 1, 2019. In addition, the co-promotion agreement was extended to September 2023.
Dr. Zaccardelli added, "The expanded partnership with Salix builds additional momentum for Doptelet and enables the Dova team to focus on a successful launch of the ITP indication. As a growing leader in the treatment of thrombocytopenia, we are committed to realizing Doptelet's significant market opportunity in CLD, ITP and potentially chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) for which we expect Phase 3 trial top-line results in the first half of 2020."
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/AVATROMBOPAG#section=3D-Conformer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatrombopag
Labels: Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), Doptelet (avatrombopag), FDA approval, Treatment
Experimental Drug, Voxelotor, Shows Early Promise Against Sickle Cell Disease
An experimental drug for sickle cell disease reduced anemia and boosted the health of red blood cells in patients, according to a new study.
Whether the drug, voxelotor, will have long-term health benefits to patients remains to be seen.
But if approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, "people living with sickle cell disease might have a new, once daily, tolerable oral medication that increases their hemoglobin level in the near future," noted Dr. Banu Aygun, who wasn't involved in the new trial.
She is associate chief of hematology at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y.
As Aygun explained, sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder affecting more than 100,000 Americans. Black Americans, especially, are prone to the illness.
"The disease is the result of a change in a single gene leading to the production of an abnormal hemoglobin called sickle hemoglobin [HbS]," Aygun said.
"Due to this abnormal hemoglobin, red blood cells take the shape of a sickle and die much sooner than normal red blood cells. The sickle cells block small blood vessels, causing pain and affecting many organs throughout the body, leading to premature death," she said.
Right now, patients with sickle cell -- many of them children -- have few treatment options. "So far, there are only two FDA-approved drugs for sickle cell disease: hydroxyurea and glutamine," Aygun noted.
The new 17-month, phase 3 clinical trial was designed to see if a third treatment might be on the horizon. It was funded by voxelotor's maker, Global Blood Therapeutics, and included 274 patients, ages 12 to 65, in 12 countries.
Patients were divided into three groups that received either a 900-mg or 1,500-mg daily dose of the drug voxelotor, or a "dummy" placebo pill.
The study found that 51% of patients who took the higher dose of voxelotor had a significant increase in their hemoglobin levels after six months of treatment, compared with 7% of those who received the placebo.
Another finding was that 41% of patients who took the higher dose of the drug reached hemoglobin levels of more than 10g/dl at 24 weeks. A normal, non-anemic hemoglobin count ranges between 11.5 to 17.5 g/dl, depending on age and gender, the study authors noted.
"Chronic organ failure, which is predicted by the severity of anemia, is a leading cause of death for patients with sickle cell disease," said study lead researcher Dr. Elliott Vichinsky, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco.
"These patients are susceptible to strokes, renal failure and other complications that lead to early death," he said in a UCSF news release. "We believe this drug has the potential to decrease chronic organ failure in patients with this condition."
For her part, Aygun said the new drug does seem to hold promise, but gains for patients were so far not dramatic.
She noted that patient pain "events" didn't change, regardless of whether people received voxelotor or the placebo. The most common side effects with the new drug were headache and diarrhea.
And Aygun stressed that it remains to be seen "whether taking this medication for longer duration will lead to a decrease in pain events or organ damage caused by sickle cell disease."
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Voxelotor#section=2D-Structure
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voxelotor
Labels: Against Sickle Cell Disease, Early Promise, Experimental drug, Voxelotor
Is Green Tea a Fad or a Real Health Boost?
In continuation of my updates on Green tea
Green tea is a popular health trend, with many people sipping in hopes of deriving benefits from the brew.
There's nothing wrong with that, dietitians say -- green tea is a healthy drink loaded with antioxidants. But the jury's still out on many of its purported health benefits.
"Clinical trials related to green tea are still in their early stages," said Nancy Farrell Allen, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Fredericksburg, Va. "I say drink it, enjoy it. It's not going to hurt, and it might have worthy benefits to it. But nutrition is a science, and it takes time for our understanding to evolve."
Green tea's potential health benefits derive from catechins, which are powerful antioxidant compounds known as flavonoids, said Chelsey Schneider, clinical nutrition supervisor at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Cancer Center in New York City.
One catechin in particular, known as EGCG, is found at higher levels in green tea than in either white or black tea, she said.
"This compound can be even stronger than vitamin C and E, which are very, very strong antioxidants," Schneider said. Antioxidants help prevent damage to cells.
Green, black and white tea all come from the same plant, said Allen, who is a spokeswoman for the Academy of Dietetics and Nutrition.
Green tea is made from the leaves of the mature plant, while white tea is made of leaves plucked early in development. Black tea is made from green tea leaves that are laid out and covered with a damp cloth, she said.
"They dry and blacken and ferment a little, giving black tea that darker, richer flavor," Allen said. But this process also reduces levels of catechins in black tea.
Weight loss has been associated with green tea, with experts suggesting that its mixture of caffeine and catechins can enhance a person's metabolism and processing of fat, according to the University of California-Davis Department of Nutrition.
But it appears that folks have to drink a lot of green tea to get substantial weight loss benefits and carefully watch the rest of their diet, UC-Davis says.
Green tea also has been tied to heart health.
For example, green tea was shown to reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol in a 2018 study of more than 80,000 Chinese published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Evidence suggests catechins in green tea also could lower risk of heart attacks, help blood vessels relax and reduce inflammation, UC-Davis says.
Green tea even has been associated with a lower risk of some cancers.
The American Cancer Society says studies have linked green tea to a reduction in ovarian cancer risk. And UC-Davis said experimental models have shown that green tea might reduce risk of a variety of other cancers.
But a 2016 evidence review by the Cochrane Library concluded that there is "insufficient and conflicting evidence to give any firm recommendations regarding green tea consumption for cancer prevention."
Schneider said the research is limited. "Some small studies say green tea can maybe be preventative for certain cancers, like breast, ovarian, endometrial, pancreatic and oral cancers, but there aren't so many conclusive human trials that support that," she said.
Green tea also might help keep your brain younger. A 2014 study in the journal PLOS One found that Japanese who drank more green tea had significantly less decline in brain function, although researchers couldn't rule out the possibility that these folks might have other healthy habits that helped keep them mentally sharp.
One caveat with all of this research is that it tends to take place in Asian countries, where people drink much more green tea. There might be significant differences for Americans.
And the way you take your green tea could diminish any potential positive effects, Schneider added.
"A lot of people are adding processed white sugar to their green tea, which really makes something beautiful and healthy into something unhealthy," she said.
Adding milk or cream to your tea also might not be a good idea.
"There are some studies that say having milk in green tea can actually block the effects of you absorbing the antioxidant," Schneider said. "If it was me, I'd drink it straight up."
Labels: Is Green Tea, Real Health Boost
Coffee Might Be Your Go-to Brew for Weight Loss
In continuation of my update on coffee
Could America's favorite morning drink also help fight one of its biggest health issues, obesity?
That's the suggestion from a British study that finds coffee stimulates the human body's "brown fat," a heat-generating form of fat that literally burns calories in a process called thermogenesis.
"This is the first study in humans to show that something like a cup ofcoffeecan have a direct effect on our brown fat functions," said study leader Michael Symonds, of the University of Nottingham.
"The potential implications of our results are pretty big, as obesity is a major health concern for society and we also have a growing diabetes epidemic and brown fat could potentially be part of the solution in tackling them," he said in a university news release.
But one U.S. obesity and nutrition expert said it's just too early to label coffee a dieter's best friend.
"Usually thermogenic properties are too minimal and insignificant" to help someone go from overweight to normal weight, explained registered dietitian Sharon Zarabi. She directs the bariatrics program at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
As Symonds' team explained, thermogenic brown fat was long thought to only exist in either human babies or hibernating animals, such as bears.
But in recent years it's been discovered in adult people. It's distinct from white fat cells, which is where the body stores excess calories.
"Brown fat works in a different way to other fat in your body and produces heat by burning sugar and fat, often in response to cold," Symonds explained. So, "increasing its activity improves blood sugar control as well as improving blood lipid [cholesterol] levels, and the extra calories burnt help with weight loss."
But can brown fat be stimulated into calorie-burning activity by something you eat or drink?
To find out, the British team used stem cell-based studies to first see if caffeine might do the trick. It did, at a certain dose.
The next step was to use high-tech imaging to track changes in brown fat stored in people's necks.
"We were able to image someone straight after they had a drink [of coffee] to see if the brown fat got hotter," said Symonds.
"The results were positive," he said, so the next step is to figure out which component of coffee -- perhaps the caffeine -- is activating brown fat.
His team is also "looking atcaffeinesupplements to test whether the effect is similar," Symonds said. "Once we have confirmed which component is responsible for this, it could potentially be used as part of a weight management regime or as part of [a] glucose regulation program to help prevent diabetes."
But Zarabi said dieters shouldn't view coffee as any magic potion for weight loss.
"I'd still recommend a cup o' joe at some point in the morning for a mental boost and pep in the day, but definitely not to help you lose weight -- unless you're using that caffeine for stimulation of a heart-pounding workout," she said.
That's because exercise remains the best and most efficient way to burn calories, Zarabi said.
But if you do choose to try coffee to lose weight, drink it black, she advised.
"This shouldn't give anyone the pass to drink unlimited amounts of coffee," Zarabi said. "And many drink coffee 'light and sweet,' which defeats the whole purpose of burning energy, because you're taking it all back in with the condiments."
Labels: coffee, Go-to Brew, Weight loss
Ipsen Announces U.S. FDA Approval for Newly Design...
Dova Pharmaceuticals Announces FDA Approval of Dop...
Experimental Drug, Voxelotor, Shows Early Promise ...


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        as no_of_days ,apply_date,status,reply,Action from complaint where sid='".$id."' ");
      foreach($req->fetchAll() as $post) {
        $list[] = new complain1($post['complaint_id'],$post['subject_description'],$post['sid'],$post['request_type'],$post['no_of_days'], $post['apply_date'],
          $post['status'],$post['reply'],$post['Action']);
      }
    return $list;
    }

  public function  view_complain(){
    $db = Db::getInstance();

      $req = $db->query("SELECT complaint_id,subject_description ,sid,request_type,TIMESTAMPDIFF(Day, `apply_date`, NOW()) as no_of_days ,apply_date,status,reply,Action from complaint  ");
      foreach($req->fetchAll() as $post) {
        $list[] = new complain1($post['complaint_id'],$post['subject_description'],$post['sid'],$post['request_type'],$post['no_of_days'], $post['apply_date'],
          $post['status'],$post['reply'],$post['Action']);
      }
    return $list;
    }

    public function  change_status_complaint($status , $cid){
       $st = $status;
       $id = intval($cid);
      $db = Db::getInstance();
      $one=1;

      $req = $db->query(" UPDATE complaint
 SET status ='".$st."' , Action='".$one."' WHERE complaint_id ='".$id."' ");
  header('Location: ?controller=admin&action=view_complain&');

      //return $list;

    }

public function  update_reply($cid,$reply_description){
       $st = $reply_description;
       $id = intval($cid);
      $db = Db::getInstance();

      $req = $db->query(" UPDATE complaint
 SET reply ='".$st."'  WHERE complaint_id ='".$id."' ");
  header('Location: ?controller=admin&action=view_complain');

      //return $list;

    }

  }


In front of Grande Island, close to the beach, "Barges" was a swimming harbor during the Vietnam war that has been sunken after its withdrawal from service. It was built from many floating steel docks (barges) that have been connected to each other and are now scattered all over the sea ground over a large area.
Now it is a habitat for loads of corals and sea life and probably one of the best dive sites for scuba diving in Subic Bay. Because of its light slope, starting very shallow at about 5 down to 34 meters it is suitable not only for beginners and discovery divers but also for more experienced scuba divers that want to go for a deep dive.
Due to it's sandy bottom it is very convenient for training dives for first open water experience to practice scuba skills and for discover scuba diving experiences. Anyway experienced good in air consumption divers staying more shallow can do easily dives longer than one hour. The visibility is often with 15-20 meters very clear and not subject to change rapidly during a dive.