Draft Duo Make Their Way to Cleveland

Let’s be honest: Does anyone really know what fate awaits ANY of the players chosen in Thursday night’s NBA Draft?

Among the 60 players taken, there will be All-Stars and busts and hidden gems. There may be a Hall of Famer or two in the bunch, and some will never put on an NBA uniform.

O.J. Mayo might turn out to be better than Derrick Rose. Or maybe Russell Westbrook will be better than both. Michael Beasley could average 20 and 10 for the next decade, or he could be a classic underachiever like Derrick Coleman – a player he’s frequently compared to.

So when fans panicked over the Cavaliers’ selection of J.J. Hickson with the 19th pick – and expressed their disappointment in no uncertain terms in response to my Draft blog – I took it with a grain of salt.

Hickson leapfrogged bigger names like Kosta Koufos, Mario Chalmers and Chris Douglas-Roberts to be the second First Round selection in Danny Ferry’s tenure with the ballclub. In just one season at Raleigh, Hickson left an indelible impression in the country’s toughest conference – and obviously on Ferry and the Cavaliers scouting department.

Later Thursday night, the Cavaliers made a couple more moves in the second round – acquiring forward Darnell Jackson and center Sasha Kaun, both members of the National Champion Kansas Jayhawks. Both were four-year players at Lawrence and helped the Jayhawks to four straight Big 12 titles.

Jackson averaged 11.2 points on .626 shooting and a team-high 6.7 rebounds in 40 games. Kaun, 23, averaged 7.1 points on .619 shooting, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.

On Friday afternoon, Hickson and Jackson made their first appearance in the flesh at Quicken Loans Arena – introduced to some Cavalier employees and members of the media by the man who drafted them.

“Both of these guys were pretty aware that we were very interested in them,” beamed Ferry. “Both of them came in for two workouts – which is the maximum that we can have them in for – and we spent time talking to both of them and made them feel confident that this is a place that had some strong interest.”

Ferry knows that the local punditry – as well as most fans – were looking for a “name” in Thursday’s Draft. More than anything, fans were upset that Hickson is only 19-years-old, and could be a year or two from being a solid contributor.

But Hickson might be a quicker learner than expected. He went 12-for-12 from the floor in his first-ever game at NC State, and shot .591 from the field – tops in the ACC. He averaged nearly 15 points per contest and was a relentless rebounder for a freshman, snagging 8.5 boards per game.

Most people – including myself – hadn’t seen much of Hickson. But just a few minutes of watching him in action with the Wolfpack shows what his game is all about. He loves to play with his back to the basket. He has excellent footwork and an impressive array of moves around the bucket. His game has been compared to Al Harrington’s and his favorite player is Kevin Garnett.

“I kind of pattern my game after a couple players – there’s not one single player that I focus on,” said Hickson. “It’s something I’ve worked at and something I try to continue getting better at.”

More than anything, it’s apparent that he likes to stick his nose into the action and loves to bang in the post – a welcome trait for the Wine and Gold.

On the other side of the coin, Hickson is listed at 6-9, but after seeing him in person, it’s hard to see him as an inch taller than LeBron James. (Although LBJ’s aura usually gives him a couple extra inches.)

Jackson was one of five Jayhawks drafted on Thursday. He was the 52nd pick of the Draft, selected by Miami before being sent to Cleveland for the lower of the two second round picks Cleveland has in 2009. The rugged forward talked about his Draft night experience.

“My mom told me I was going to Cleveland, and I don’t know what it is about this place but it’s always been in my heart and on my mind,” said Jackson. “Ever since I started playing basketball and LeBron came here I would think: ‘Man, I’d love the chance to run up and down the court with him.’”

During their respective workouts, neither player had the opportunity to meet LeBron James, personally. James has been working out at Cleveland Clinic Courts – (and was actually shooting with Chris Jent late yesterday afternoon before the media started filing in) – and at one point, Jackson did get a look at him.

“When LeBron was stretching, I took a look over at him,” smiled the Oklahoma City native. “It’s not every day that you get to see the King. I thought: ‘Is that really him?’”

Much of the concern fans had over drafting Hickson was his timetable – and specifically how it affects LeBron’s contract. But a source close to the King maintains that what he wants more than anything is a “4” who can catch the ball in the post and finish.

One look at Hickson’s highlight reel shows that he knows exactly what to do with the ball when he receives it down low. The only question now is: when will he be ready to do so.

“I’m just ready to do whatever’s asked of me,” said the Atlanta native. “If they want me to come in and contribute right away, then I’m willing to do that. Whatever coach asks of me, that’s what I’m going to do.”