NBA Texas Basketball

University of Texas sophomore DJ Augustin is expected to announce his intentions to enter the NBA Draft today, according to a source for the Austin American Statesman. Augustin, last seen struggling against Memphis guard Derrick Rose in the Elite 8, is expected not to hire an agent, in an effort to protect himself in the event of a draft-impacting injury.

Augustin averaged 19 points for the Longhorns this season, and is considered one of the top point guards available in this year's draft, if he does indeed follow through with his eligibility. Currently his stock lands him as low as24th and as high as 7th.

Augustin's biggest knock is his size. At 5-11, he could suffer against taller, more athletic guards like Rose at the pro-level. But this deficit is overcome by his strength, savvy, quickness, and ability to distribute, which should land Augustin somewhere in the top half of the draft with a few solid workouts.

With the news that LeBron's 'sidekick' (and I use that term extremely generously), Larry Hughes, is very unlikely to play tonight in the pivotal Game 4 against Detroit due to a busted heel, all eyes turn to one man: Daniel Gibson.

For the large segment of the NBA viewing public that pays no attention to college basketball until the premiere players ascend to the League, here's the book on Gibson: school boy hero in Texas, where he averaged 25.5 points and led Jones High School to its first State title in 39 years. Recruited by everybody, but became a Longhorn, where he started from Day 1 and despite spotty shooting, still averaged 13.8 points. 3.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. As a sophomore, he teamed with LaMarcus Aldridge to guide Texas to the Final 8 before losing to LSU and its twosome of Tyrus Thomas and Glen Davis.

Gibson has begun to flourish against the Pistons, scoring nine points in each of the last two games as his minutes have increased. Tonight, it seems likely he'll get to start against one-time NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups. This game will decide the series, and the Cavs are trotting a rookie out to get stomped by a cagey veteran?

The Pistons are 1.5 point favorites, which, in light of the Hughes injury, makes sense. It certainly thins out the Cleveland bench - you can be sure Mike Brown will not want Damon Jones on the floor in crunch time. Eric Snow is a dinosaur, and rookie Shannon Brown may be a wild card. He's a run-and-jump guy who can get out on the break, throw down a filthy dunk, and excite the crowd. But can he guard anyone?

I'm going out on a short limb and taking the Cavs in another close one, 84-82. Think 30-10-10 again for LeBron. Feel free to make your predictions.

It's good news in Boston and bad news in Austin as DraftExpress.com is reporting that Texas freshman sensation Kevin Durant has decided to declare for the NBA draft and will make his announcement at a news conference next week.

DraftExpress.com cited "multiple sources, both from the NBA and close to the player himself" in its report.

Durant, the first freshman in college basketball history to be named player of the year, is widely expected to be the second player chosen in this year's NBA draft, after fellow freshman Greg Oden, the Ohio State center. That means the Celtics, who have the NBA's second-worst record and are therefore the most likely recipients of the second pick in the draft lottery, are a likely landing spot.

Durant has already cost NBA executives $60,000 in fines, with half of that going to Boston's Danny Ainge, who sat with Durant's family during the Big 12 tournament. With his brief Texas career, he won't make the kind of lasting impact on the college game that he could have if he had stayed longer, but he might be a harbinger, as the NBA's minimum-age rule turns college basketball into a game that's increasingly dominated by freshmen.

The Los Angeles Daily news ran a story that included a brief mention of Kobe Bryant of placing a call to University of Texas stud forward Kevin Durant on behalf of Nike.

Word is Kobe Bryant has already called Kevin Durant on behalf of Nike and that a shoe deal ranging between $30 million and $50 million simply needs to be presented.

Kobe ... is not amused. He had this to say to the Dallas Morning News:

"It's complete B.S.," Bryant said. "I don't know him, I've never spoken to him, I've never seen him. Obviously he's a phenomenal talent, from watching him on TV a couple times, but I don't know him at all. So I don't know where they got that story from or that idea from. They might want to start checking their facts."

Man, that Kobe ... always being accused of something he didn't do. That's just his thing.

Anyway, I'm choosing to take Kobe's word for it on this one, simply because he's Kobe Bryant. Not that that implies any level of honesty, of course, but it implies that he's a little bit too much of a celebrity to be a Nike errand boy. I wouldn't doubt at all that Nike's made some sort of back channel overture to Kevin Durant, but ... I doubt it came by virtue of #24.

It would take quite a set of coconuts for anyone at Nike to even ask him to do this. "Hey, Kobe, we know you're pretty busy with trying to get the Lakers into the playoffs and everything, but ... would you mind being a runner for us, too?" I just don't see that happening.