Were experts wrong about the talent level of the 2009 NBA Draft?

[Eja117]

This is just me, but I think the reason it's perceived as a good class is that the top guys are still considered good prospects moving along at a typical NBA rookie speed, whereas a lot of lower prospect guys are totally exceeding expectations, so there aren't really any players yet that are disappointing, but a lot that are very encouraging, in a year where a lot of guys weren't expected to even play

[Donoghus]

One guy I have been disappointed with thus far has been Harden; it's still early, but I expected more from him.

Yeah, he's on a team that doesn't really have a starter-quality SG and yet he's only getting a few minutes a game and scoring 6 pts in those minutes.  I've read that the issue is probably that he's too used to dominating the ball.  He's always been the number 1 guy.  Now he needs to play and contribute on a team where there are at least two other guys ahead of him in the pecking order.  It'll take time for him to get used to that.  But at the very least he projects to be a solid shooter, if nothing else.

Agreed about Harden.  He's been a bit disappointing so far but I think you make legitimate points for why it may be a bit of a struggle for him.

Outside of Griffin, he was the guy I really liked going into this past draft. 

[Eeyore III]

I tend to agree with the OP.  Blair looks like the second coming of Dennis Rodman, in that he's a superb position rebounder.  Derozan has all the talent in the world: of course he looks bad given that his team is floundering, and consists of nothing but pansie--er, finesse players, but my money's on him.

I say give it a few years: this draft will produce more starters and rotation players than most.  I've thought this ever since Vegas summer league, where everyone except Hasheem Thabust looked good.

[Cman]

I thought Blair and Budinger would both be solid contributors, and that's what they look  to be thus far.  I really wanted the Celtics to buy a pick and grab one of them.

Yeah, me too.  I was higher on Budinger than Blair leading up to the draft, and couldn't believe how far he fell.

[nickagneta]

I was pushing for a trade into the first to get Wayne Ellington. He's not going to be outstanding this year given who he plays for and with but he can do a little of everything and I think he would have been a steal coming into the C's system being able to play with players like Rondo, Ray and Pierce. He can do it little of everything. Reminds me of Courtney Lee.

[Brickowski]

You could go back and dissect just about any draft in similar fashion.  Even in 2000, the worst draft in history  in which so many lotto picks were busts (e.g. Jerome Moiso, Mateen Cleaves),  there were some decent players in the second round (e.g. Michael Redd, Eddie House, Eduardo Najera).  In fact, Redd, arguably the best player in that draft, was taken at #43.

[Change]

One guy I have been disappointed with thus far has been Harden; it's still early, but I expected more from him.

Yeah, he's on a team that doesn't really have a starter-quality SG and yet he's only getting a few minutes a game and scoring 6 pts in those minutes.  I've read that the issue is probably that he's too used to dominating the ball.  He's always been the number 1 guy.  Now he needs to play and contribute on a team where there are at least two other guys ahead of him in the pecking order.  It'll take time for him to get used to that.  But at the very least he projects to be a solid shooter, if nothing else.

Agreed about Harden.  He's been a bit disappointing so far but I think you make legitimate points for why it may be a bit of a struggle for him.

Outside of Griffin, he was the guy I really liked going into this past draft. 

Harden will have to outplay Thabo if he wants any meaningful minutes. Have you guys seen Sefolosha lately? He's becoming a shutdown defender. I mean Bruce Bowen suffocating D. And he's shooting the ball really well.  That said, I still believe Harden is a stud.

[Thruthelookingglass]

I thought Blair and Budinger would both be solid contributors, and that's what they look  to be thus far.  I really wanted the Celtics to buy a pick and grab one of them.

Yeah, me too.  I was higher on Budinger than Blair leading up to the draft, and couldn't believe how far he fell.

Add me to that list.  I thought Budinger would be underrated precisely because people didn't recognize that he managed to succeed on the court in spite of the chaos at Arizona.  My guess was that he'd look even better in a stable situation, and well, it looks good for him so far.