The NBA bandwagon has gone from a Ferrari to a Ford. Lamar Odon congratulates Elton Brand at the draft Wednesday night. Chicago's selection of Elton Brand over more explosive players like Steve Francis and Lamar Odom gives the Bulls a solid foundation.
Brand fits that blueprint perfectly.
After speculation on who would be picked No. 1 flipped from Odom to Francis to Brand and back to Francis, the Duke sophomore was in the dark about where he was going to go. I had to sit there for a minute or two to make sure. I didn't know where I was going to fit into this draft. Francis had a better idea, but his fiction didn't fit with fact when the Maryland star heard Brand's name announced as the No. 1 pick instead of his. Now I'm just relieved.