The NBA Draft Lottery went pretty much as expected for the Mavericks. With a 98% chance of getting the 13th pick, they got the 13th pick. Cleveland won it, and is expected to take Kentucky's Nerlens Noel. I dunno 'bout that guy, barely got a chance to watch him this year...but, meh. I really don't know who I'd take, 'cause I ain't big on Kansas' Ben Macklemore, either. I like Indiana's Victor Oladipo and Michigan's Trey Burke, but they ain't first overall types. Anyways, I'm basically interested in what the Mavs do. The mocks are all over the place..I've seen Georgia's Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, San Diego St.'s Jamaal Franklin, UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad, Miami's Shane Larkin(been skyrocketing since a big combine), and Syracuse's  Michael Carter-Williams... Lehigh's CJ McCollum probably doesn't fall far enough..Dario Saric is probably a name to keep an eye on due to Donnie Nelson's history.

I don't want Shabazz, never saw one impressive game from him last year. Lotta high school hype...Larkin's big strength is supposedly the pick n roll, which is always intriguing when you have Dirk. But he's only 5'11" and I don't think big combine stats justify a lottery selection. The name helps too- he was a good, competitive player for the Hurricanes, but no thanks...Franklin is interesting, led his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals last year. But his shooting percentage leaves a lot to be desired, especially from 3 point range. Caldwell-Pope is a similar player to Franklin, roughly the same 6'5" frame that can score and rebound. Caldwell-Pope has better range and would be my choice between the two.

The really intriguing guy here is Michael Carter-Williams. I dunno if it's the similar names or the similar builds, but he makes me think of one of the NBA's most talented, wasted careers- Michael Ray Richardson. Carter-Williams isn't as flashy, and at this point, not as talented. But then again, neither was Richardson at this stage in his development. He was coming off his sophomore campaign at the University of Montana, the only school to recruit him. His coach, the great Jud Heathcote, was leaving to take the same position at Michigan St. and coach Magic Johnson.

Richardson, a shy, country kid at the time, considered Heathcote his father figure. But he stayed, grew into his talent, and after his senior season became a first round pick of the Knicks. He struggled a bit his rookie season, but in year two led the league in assists and steals while also putting in 15 points and nearly 7 rebounds a game. He also discovered the New York nightlife and all that comes with that. Studio 54 and the heyday of cocaine. After four seasons and three all-star appearances he was shipped off to Golden State for the great Bernard King. The drugs and erratic behavior were just too much for the Knicks.

His Golden State career only lasted 33 games, as he found the same troubles in the San Francisco night scene. He was shipped to the New Jersey Nets. Around this same time is when David Stern instituted the three-strike drug policy in the NBA. Richardson was constantly having one month stays in drug rehabs. Checking himself in and out, Larry Brown even took him in once. The talent was still there, in the '84-'85 season he put up 20 PPG, 8 APG, 5 RPG, and 3 SPG, playing in all 82 games. He was once again an All-Star but it all came crumbling down the next year. Strike three came, and Stern banned him for life...Richardson eventually got clean and played into his forties in Europe, but we'll never know just how great he coulda been. Hall of Fame talent, Magic said they had the same game. Isaiah said he was the only guy that scared him on the court.

I don't know if Michael Carter-Williams will ever develop into a Richardson-type on the court, but the numbers and size are strikingly similar. Part of Richardson's greatness was his confidence, considered a league leader in trash talking. Not sure Carter-Williams has that vibe, seems like a real nice kid. Which isn't a bad thing at all, it's just an asset that is almost needed at the elite level. These guys have to know they can't be stopped.

Actually I'm kinda surprised by the mocks that have Carter-Williams lasting 'til the Mavs pick. I think he'll go before then, and this comparison will quickly become moot(at least from a Mavs' perspective). But if he does last, he's the guy I'd go for.