<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>NEW YORK (Ticker) - Michael Jordan is a gambling man. This time, he rolled the dice with D.J. Augustin. An executive with the Charlotte Bobcats, Jordan grabbed Texas guard Augustin with the ninth overall selection in Thursday's NBA draft at Madison Square Garden. Perhaps the greatest player in NBA history, Jordan has been maligned for his draft prowess with the Washington Wizards and now the Bobcats. Jordan had tabbed the disappointing Kwame Brown with the top overall pick for the Wizards in 2001. This selection may be just as head-scratching. With talented 7-footer Brook Lopez still on the board, Charlotte took undersized point guard Augustin, who will have to play behind emerging floor general Raymond Felton. He will have to earn his playing time. But Augustin does have positive attributes. A genuine point guard who looks to make his teammates better, Augustin showed as much as a freshman at Texas, which boasted phenom Kevin Durant two seasons ago. Augustin deferred to Durant and showed an ability to get his superstar teammate shots. That's his greatest strength - he puts team in front of self. However, his 5-11 stature makes him a long shot to succeed as a starter in the NBA. Most point guards under six feet have above-average athletic ability, something Augustin sorely lacks.</div> <div align="center">Link</div> Thoughts?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>NEW YORK (Ticker) - After selecting one of the smallest players in the draft with his first pick, Michael Jordan went with one of the tallest with his next selection. The Charlotte Bobcats continued to push the envelope with their second pick in the first round, tabbing 7-footer Alexis Ajinca of France with the No. 20 overall pick. Jordan made a curious move by selecting 5-11 D.J. Augustin at No. 11 and followed it up by opting for a player who may not be NBA-ready. Ajinca only played 10.8 minutes per game in the French ProA league last season, averaging 5.0 points and 3.1 rebounds. At age 20, Ajinca is still young and has tremendous upside to be a consistent contributor in a year or two. With a wingspan of over 7 1/2 feet, Ajinca is very athletic for a big man but needs to get stronger and add some weight to help out his rebounding ability, especially in the NBA. Certainly not a go-to scorer, Ajinca has shown the ability to make mid-range jumpers, but he needs to develop more post moves.</div> <div align="center">Link</div>
