BYU and the NBA Draft

First of all, I am sorry for not writing recently. School is crazy. I am actually currently in Madison Wisconsin for a law school competition. If i knew how to work my Blackberry I would post a picture of me in Cheesehead here, but I can't. Anyway, I have long been on the record saying that Jimmer Fredette will leave BYU this season. Some people are projecting him to be a late first rounder. That’s just too much money for a slow white guy to pass up. Unfortunately I don’t have the time to write a piece on it at the moment. I will try to get to it Sunday, I need to look up how much more money the last pick of the first draft makes than the first pick of the second draft. I suspect it’s a hefty sum since the NBA doesn’t impose a pay scale on the second round. Regardless, thinking about the draft made me reflect on past BYU stars. I was somewhat curious whatever happened to our BYU studs. The results were not encouraging…

2009 Lee Cumard – Undrafted

Cummard spent the summer after his senior year working out for NBA teams but he ultimately failed to make a roster. He then teamed up with former rival Luke Nevil and joined the Utah Flash. You might remember seeing him on the billboard in Orem. He didn’t do too well. As Mark Madsen told us recently “the D-league guys are really really good.” Cummard averaged just five points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. The flash eventually waived his contract and Cummard is now playing somewhere in Europe.

2008 Trent Plaisted – Middle of second round to Seattle

Plaisted was drafted 46th overall in 2008 by the Seattle SuperSonics, and subsequently had his draft right traded to the Detriot Pistons. He never got any NBA playing time. He ended up signing a one-year contract with the Italian team Angelico Biella. There he played in two games before he suffered a season ending injury…he has not returned to the squad.

2004 Rafael Araujo – 8^th overall to Toronto

Araujo was drafted by the Raptors with the eight pick. He got a good 12.5 minutes a game put up 3.3 points and 3.1 rebounds a game. Still for the 8th overall he was considered a disappointment. The next year his numbers dropped to 11.6 minutes, 2.3 points, and 2.8 rebounds. He was traded to the Jazz in 2006 where he played another 26 games. When his contract expired he signed a 1 year contract to play in Russia. In 2009 he returned to Brazil and currently plays there.

2003 Travis Hansen – Beginning of second round to Atlanta

Hansen is probably the most successful BYU player in the last decade. He was drafted by the Hawks in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft, 37th overall. He played 41 games averaging 3 points a game. Hansen was far more successful in Europe. He helped TAU reach back-to-back trips to the Euroleague Final Four and the Spanish League finals. In 2006 he signed for a Russian team, Dynamo Moscow, for two-years. Hansen helped Dynamo take 3rd place in the ULEB Cup and averaged 17.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg while shooting 56.4 FG and 46.3% 3PT. In February 2008, Hansen extended his contract with Dynamo Moscow for three more years, but a year later was released. We would later sign a two year contract with Real Madrid. The most fascinating part of Hansen’s career is the fact that he received Russian citizenship to play for theRussian national basketball team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, although he never did.