NBADraft.net gave "A" grades to 9 teams for their draft selections, including the Hornets... "It is hard to find fault with the Hornets draft night. Anthony Davis has been the consensus top pick, and Austin Rivers is one of the top scoring guards in the draft. On a team that fell so far following the Chris Paul trade, this draft has given them two building blocks for the future. Darius Miller is an athletic wing and committed defender who should be able to make the team." regarding Miller at #46, they wrote... "The Hornets make yet another smart pick at 46, taking Anthony Davis's buddy, Darius Miller. The senior was the emotional core of last year's title team, so at the very least, he'll add to Davis's comfort level as they both adjust to the NBA lifestyle. Miller also possesses all of the traits you want in a glue guy (great perimeter shooter, great defender, does “the little things”), so he'll find his way into the Hornets' playing rotation on day one."
Yahoo Sports names the Hornets the winner of the draft (they named the Rockets the loser)... "What a difference six months make. The Hornets have new owner in New Orleans Saints patriarch Tom Benson, they landed a franchise big man in Davis with the top pick and picked up one of the draft's top guards (Duke's Austin Rivers) at No. 10, as well as a potential second-round steal in Miller. The Hornets' next challenge is to re-sign restricted free-agent guard Eric Gordon, which would give them a talented, young core. Rivers' father, Celtics coach Doc Rivers, also is good friends with Hornets coach Monty Williams. "I love New Orleans more than anything right now," Rivers said. "This is the greatest feeling of my life."
Orlando Sentinel on Rivers: "By all accounts, Austin Rivers' departure from Duke is no risk at all..He will be an NBA star. ... he's been projected NBA star since he was 11-years-old. Darrell Armstrong, former Orlando Magic point guard (he played in the NBA for 14 seasons and won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1999 before becoming a starter) and current assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks (he's been assistant coach for the Mavs since 2009, including their championship season), recalled working with Austin Rivers years ago in one of his youth basketball camps. Armstrong has four levels in his camp, CIAA, DII, NCAA and NBA. The levels are generally divided by age, with the younger kids competing in CIAA and DII, while 13-year-olds start to compete for the NCAA group and high school age competitors are in the NBA division. Rivers was moved up to the NBA level when he was just 11. "He was dominating so much we had to move him up to the high school kids and he was out there doing his thing. Even as a young kid, he knew the game, he'd been around the game, he could play the game and he could beat the game. I already knew he was going to make the league," said Armstrong, who once played for Doc Rivers. "Austin can dribble and get past guys, break guys down, but he can make things happen with his penetration and the way he plays. He'll probably be a three or four time all-star one day."
ESPN on the Hornets' draft: "New Orleans was destined to be the winner of the NBA draft the moment the Hornets won the lottery late last month. Getting Anthony Davis of Kentucky with the top pick guaranteed the Hornets the best player in the draft, the one destined to be a star. But the Hornets weren't done. They didn't take any bait for the No. 10 pick. The draft unfolded almost too perfectly for them. (they then went on to explain how all the pieces fell together perfectly for Rivers to fall to NOLA) ... Getting Davis and Rivers, two heralded one-and-done players, made the Hornets one of the most intriguing teams to watch. ... Davis and Rivers now join a roster that will have a potential All-Star with a healthy Eric Gordon. The Hornets have a chance to create their own big three. ... This is a franchise with new ownership -- the Saints' Tom Benson -- and now an injection of the most heralded talent and biggest names in the first round (in Davis and Rivers). ... (several other teams did well in the draft) But New Orleans will be the team of record for 2012. If this draft is deemed to be a success, it will be because the Hornets pulled off getting Davis and Rivers. The second-round pick of Kentucky's Darius Miller gives the Hornets an experienced player who has already been a tremendous locker-room player, willing to sacrifice time and minutes for the greater good of a championship. Those qualities are needed in reshaping a franchise. ... Something good had to occur for the life to be infused back into New Orleans Arena...Now the Hornets have two of the most important picks in 2012 (in Davis and Rivers). ... The onus is on Williams and Demps to keep it together and on Davis and Rivers to deliver on what they believe will be a prosperous future in a potentially thunderous way." (early in the article they compared how getting Gordon, Davis, and Rivers, was like the Thunder getting Durant, Westbrook and Harden)
NBC Sports also named the Hornets the winner of the draft, giving New Orleans the only A+ grade (they only gave four other teams an A)
Sporting News: "it is not hard to imagine a core unit of Davis, Rivers and Gordon being very successful in the near future." on Davis: "Davis might be the most complete prospect to enter the draft since Tim Duncan in 1997. LeBron James entered with more profound talent and a much better body, but he was not then – and still is not – an exceptional jumpshooter. Nor had James proven he could play high-level defense. Davis has demonstrated he can dominate a game without scoring a basket, not just because of his game-changing ability as a shot-blocker but also as a technically sound defender.Davis also has a full array of offensive skills,and left clues to these gifts scattered.throughout March. Early in March, he at last felt comfortable enough to knock in a few 3- pointers. From the Indiana game, there was his passing off the pick-and-roll. Against Louisville, he revealed his picture-perfect jump-hook – which he can launch with both his right and left hands. Davis will dominate games differently than his most-gifted predecessors: James, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose. But make no mistake: Davis will dominate."
Dick Vitale tweet on Hornets getting Rivers: Dick Vitale @DickieV I LOVE WHAT the Hornets did in drafting Rivers - He is going to be a solid pro FEARLESS - & will excel in NBA game. CBS Sports NBA Insider Ken Berger called Rivers to the Hornets a "feel-good story" and wrote: "the Hornets will be fun to watch with Davis, a presumably re-signed Eric Gordon and Rivers."
i do enjoy reading the press clippings. but like Demps was saying he told Benson, you've got to remember these guys are young: Davis and Rivers are 19, Eric Gordon is 23. they won't be in their prime until they what, 25-29? although the Thunder's Big 3 Durant/Westbrook/Harden are aged 23, 23, 22 respectively, and they are already looking great
Sports Illustrated gave "A" grades to 10 of the teams for their drafts, including the Hornets: "Davis may very well struggle early as he figures out how to affect the game in his unique way at the next level. But he's a tremendous player around whom to start building, and the Hornets didn't stop there on draft night. Despite the Hornets' need for a point guard, I still think they took the right route in picking Austin Rivers (No. 10) over someone like North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall (No. 13 to Phoenix). Rivers can play both guard positions, and a backcourt that is likely to include restricted free agent Eric Gordon won't lack for offensive punch. New Orleans also landed an experienced and talented small forward in Kentucky's Darius Miller at No. 46"
