Porter 'Pretty Bummed Out' To Be Drafted by the Wizards

Washington Wizards first-round draft pick Otto Porter was less than pleased to be selected by the team representing the city he played his collegiate ball in at Georgetown. The Sikeston, MO native averaged 16.2 points and 7.5 boards in his last season with the Hoyas, and said he "hoped he had been selected by a team that plays in a warmer climate, like Miami or Los Angeles." Unfortunately, neither of those two teams had a first-round draft pick, which reduced Porter's preferred destinations to Orlando and Phoenix. "I mean, I spent the last two seasons playing in D.C.," Porter told ESPN. "This city is boring, and to make matters worse, the team is boring. When was the last time the Wizards won the championship? 1978?"

A dismayed Porter addresses the media after being selected by the lowly Wizards (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Indeed, Porter's guess is not inaccurate. The last time the Wizards won a title was 1978 when they were still cool enough to be called the Bullets. Thanks to years of lousy management, botched trades, and stupid draft picks like NBA lowlife Kwame Brown, the Wizards have managed to keep themselves as far from the championship as any other consistently sorry team in the NBA. Porter, though only a rookie, figures to play a prominent role next season in helping the Wizards do what everyone expects them to, which is compete for the top pick in next year's NBA draft. "I know this team really sucked before I got here," said a grinning Porter. "And if I have anything to with it, I'll make sure they suck even more when my guaranteed rookie contract is up in three years."

Leslie Could Be Knicks Next Jeremy Lin

He may not have the same cultural impact as the Taiwanese-American Harvard grad who reignited the Garden's flame in the lockout-shortened 2012 season, but the most recent Knicks summer league pickup, C.J. Leslie, could make teams that passed over him in last week's NBA Draft very sorry they missed him.

C.J. Leslie with averaged 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds last season with N.C. State (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

At 6'9", Leslie is a remarkable athlete with a 7'3" wingspan. Though his game is still unpolished, he has developed a post game, making him a formidable opponent both on the inside and outside. His length and quickness for his size suggests that he could become a solid defender in the future. Leslie was heralded as a top 25 pick going into the draft, but his stock dropped, because teams felt that he lacked the assertiveness to become a contributor at the next level. Still, the former McDonald's All-American is a talented player that should have been drafted. The Knicks made a low-risk move by adding him to the summer league team, one which could pay great dividends if Leslie turns into the player that we thought he would be coming out of high school.