While some athletes may use Twitter to connect with fans and offer up a bit of humor now and again, others use it to complain about their team, their limited playing time, and their gripes with head coaches. Larry Johnson pretty much lost his job with the Kansas City Chiefs because of what he wrote on his Twitter account page.

According to his Twitter page, Terrence Williams wishes Mr. Stern had called his name sooner.

Here’s a little advice for those “Twittering” athletes: Don’t use Twitter to complain, it’s going to get  back to the powers-that-be. Take NBA rookie Terrence Williams for example. Chosen eleventh in the 2009 NBA draft, Williams was selected by the New Jersey Nets. Apparently, the Louisville standout isn’t happy with his playing time or being part of a losing team.

According to SI.com, he “Tweeted” the following: “How would it be if Mr. Stern called my name 10 min earlier, #9 or 5 min later, #12 hmmmmmmmmm to bad I can’t live off what ifs.”

“Too” bad Williams doesn’t use spellcheck. Not only are we well aware that his grammar stinks now, we also know that his attitude stinks as well.  His teammates, coaches, and even Mr. Stern for that matter, know it stinks now, too.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

NBA Players Should Stay Away From Twitter

It was the upset of the decade, as the Mavericks had the best winning record in the league that year.

Since then however, the Warriors have failed to make the playoffs for the past two seasons. Certain questionable trades were made, with the most recent sending Stephen Jackson and Acie Law to Charlotte.

Now there’s a rumor circulating that Monta Ellis is next in line of disgruntled players

Could a trade be coming for Golden State's Monta Ellis?

Ellis has not verbally expressed his desire to be traded, but his agent Jeff Fried has left the door wide open. Fried recently told the San Francisco Chronicle, “I don’t have any trades working right now, but who is to say what might happen down the road?”

Golden State managed to pickup sharpshooter Stephen Curry in the 2009 NBA Draft. But you have to wonder how a young player will be able to grow and develop on a team that lacks continuity.

Image: Zuma Press

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Is Golden State Looking To Trade Ellis?

The 6-foot-7 forward will be transitioning to playing out on the perimeter in the NBA. During summer league, he averaged 6.2 points and 3.0 assists per game. Last year playing with his brother on the Oklahoma Sooners, he averaged 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest.

While the Suns might like his talent, there is also financial motivation for this move. Since he’s a second round pick, they can sign him to the smallest deal allowable in the NBA. With the luxury tax looming, saving every possible penny is good news for Phoenix.

Expect this Griffin to be playing in Iowa for at least part of the season so that the Suns can get a look at him in the NBA D-League. If he can improve his outside shooting and his ballhandling, he may eventually be known for something other than being Blake Griffin’s older brother.

Taylor Griffin and Blake Griffin (Image: Zuma Press)

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Suns Sign the Other Griffin

I might be jumping the gun a bit with Blake Griffin. The guy is a beast, an overall talent that is sure to make an impact in the NBA. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft was told late last month to rest his strained right shoulder for three to four weeks. Though he’s losing out on practice time, the L.A. Clippers don’t believe the injury will inhibit Griffin once the season starts.

Tyler Hansbrough on the other hand, isn’t so lucky. He’s been spotted wearing  a large black walking boot to protect a right shin injury that could keep him sidelined at the start of training camp. Hansbrough was the Indiana Pacers‘ top pick in the draft, and the team hopes that he will recover in the next two months. The injury was sustained sometime in the spring, while Hansbrough was leading North Carolina to the NCAA championship.

Injuries can be potentionally harmful for any rookie’s development as a player. Griffin has the capability of coming back strong from his shoulder injury. But Hansbrough has much more to prove, especially since many analysts predict that he will have a hard time transitioning to the NBA.

Hansbrough Highlights:

Griffin Highlights:

Videos: Youtube

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Top NBA Rookies Already Have Injuries

Blair is regarded by many as the steal of the 2009 draft. Projected early on to be a lottery pick, the bruising forward out of the University of Pittsburgh fell in the draft due to concerns about his health. In fact, MRIs prior to the draft showed that Blair doesn’t have ACLs in his knees. As a result, many team doctors red flagged him and there’s doubt about how long he’ll be able to play in the NBA.

However, in his two years at Pittsburgh, Blair was extremely dominant. He was the best rebounder in college basketball and also scored well. For the Spurs, he’ll give the team a backup bigman who should be able to come in right away and produce next to Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Richard Jefferson.

DeJuan Blair reportedly signed a contract with the Spurs (Image: Zuma Press)

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DeJuan Blair Signs Contract with the Spurs

Griffin was the easiest pick in the draft. With the Oklahoma Sooners, Griffin was hands down the best player in college basketball. He averaged 22.7 points, 14.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season as a sophomore. He also shot 65.4% from the field and blocked 1.2 shots in 33.3 minutes per game.

With the Clippers, expect Griffin to play at power forward. While it may take some time for his offensive numbers to come around, he should be a very good rebounder right away for L.A.

The Clippers made room for Griffin’s spot in the starting lineup earlier in the offseason when they traded Zach Randolph to the Memphis Grizzlies. Other bigmen on the Los Angeles’ roster include veterans Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman.

While few are expecting the Clippers to make noise in the 2009-2010 NBA season, there’s definitely a chance for the team to surprise as long as Griffin is as good as billed.

Blake Griffin - Los Angeles Clippers (Image: Zuma Press)

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Blake Griffin Signs with the Clippers

Coach Don Nelson of the Golden State Warriors stole Curry right out from under the Knicks’ noses when he picked him 7th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft.

To anyone out there who thinks Nelson is planning on trading Curry to the highest bidder (ahem, Phoenix Suns) — think again.

“He can unpack his bags and relax,” Nelson said after welcoming Curry to Oakland. “He can buy a house. We drafted him because we think he’s a terrific player that fits right into our program. He ain’t going anyplace.”

Curry will be paired up with Monta Ellis to create a quick and sharp-shooting backcourt. He will definitely see playing time this fall, as Nelson hopes Curry can help spark his offensive attack.

“I looked at the top 10, and [the Warriors] jumped off the page with the way they play,” Curry said. “I’m a fan of the game, so I notice these sorts of things. I’ve seen enough of them to know I’d fit in here, at least on the surface. It’s exciting to get here and think about what could happen with this offense and this coaching staff.”

If Curry is as exciting to watch in the NBA as he was in college, then Bay-area basketball fans better get ready for some highlight-reel-worthy plays this season.

Post from: EveryJoe

Stephen Curry Is Staying In The Bay Area

1. Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings
The Kings had the fourth pick in the draft and decided to pick Evans. He’s not a bad player but if they wanted a point guard, Rubio made a lot of sense. Curry also probably would have helped more.

Tyreke Evans - Sacramento Kings (Image: Zuma Press)

2. Jonny Flynn, Minnesota Timberwolves
After picking Rubio at 5, the Timberwolves turned around and took Flynn at 6. Back to back point guards? That doesn’t make much sense, especially when both point guards are small.

3. Darren Collison, New Orleans Hornets
The Hornets went the ultimate safe route at 21. Collison, at the very best, will be a backup point guard. He’s probably more of a third point guard.

4. Rodrigue Beaubois, Dallas Mavericks
Beabois is talented but there’s no way he’s a first round talent. He needs to learn the point guard position and there’s no guarantee that he’ll ever be able to do that.

5. Christian Eyenga, Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers need help next year. If they don’t win it all, LeBron James could lead for a bigger market. In the first round, the Cavs decide to go with a prospect who needs two or three years? That didn’t make much sense.

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Worst Picks in the 2009 NBA Draft

DeJuan Blair, San Antonio Spurs
When the draft process first began, DeJuan Blair was regarded as a lottery pick. But then a look at his knees scared off a number of teams and tumble down all the way to the Spurs at pick number 37. He should be a fantastic fit in San Antonio.

DeJuan Blair - San Antonio Spurs (Image: Zuma Press)

Danny Green, Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers need some help out on the perimeter and they got exactly that with Danny Green in the middle of the second round. He’s a very sound player who has great fundamentals. If he can prove to be good enough athletically, he should become an NBA player.

BJ Mullens, Oklahoma City Thunder
Mullens is another potential lottery pick who dropped. He was eventually secured by the Thunder at 24. He’s a raw prospect but he has enough natural athleticism and skill to become a good player.

Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers need a point guard for the future and were able to land Jrue Holiday at 17. He’s a couple of years away from being able to help on a nightly basis but his potential is high.

Post from: EveryJoe

Biggest Steals in the 2009 NBA Draft

First Round

1) Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin, F, Oklahoma

2) Memphis Grizzlies: Hasheem Thabeet, C, Connecticut

3) Oklahoma City Thunder: James Harden, G, Arizona State

4) Sacramento Kings: Tyreke Evans, G, Memphis

5) Minnesota Timberwolves: Ricky Rubio, G, Spain

6) Minnesota Timberwolves: Jonny Flynn, G, Syracuse

7) Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry, G, Davidson

8) New York Knicks: Jordan Hill, F, Arizona

9) Toronto Raptors: Demar DeRozan, G, USC

10) Milwaukee Bucks: Brandon Jennings, G, Italy

11) New Jersey Nets: Terrence Williams, G, Louisville

12) Charlotte Bobcats: Gerald Henderson, G, Duke

13) Indiana Pacers: Tyler Hansborough, F, North Carolina

14) Phoenix Suns: Earl Clark, F, Louisville

15) Detroit Pistons: Austin Daye, F, Gonzaga

16) Chicago Bulls: James Johnson, F, Wake Forest

17) Philadelphia 76ers: Jrue Holiday, G, UCLA

18) Denver Nuggets: Ty Lawson, G, North Carolina

19) Atlanta Hawks: Jeff Teague, G, Wake Forest

20) Utah Jazz: Eric Maynor, G, Virginia Commonwealth

21) New Orleans Hornets: Darren Collison, G, UCLA

22) Portland Trailblazers: Victor Claver, F, Spain

23) Sacramento Kings: Omri Casspi, F, Israel

24) Oklahoma City Thunder: B.J. Mullens, C, Ohio State

25) Dallas Mavericks: Rodrique Beaubois, G, Guadeloupe

26) Chicago Bulls: Taj Gibson, F, USC

27) Memphis Grizzlies: DeMarre Carroll, F, Missouri

28) Minnesota Timberwolves: Wayne Ellington, G, North Carolina

29) New York Knicks: Toney Douglas, G, FSU

30) Cleveland Cavaliers: Christian Eyenga, G-F, Congo

Second Round

31) Portland Trail Blazers: Jeff Pendergraph, F, Arizona State

32) Washington Wizards: Jermaine Taylor, G, UCF traded to Rockets

33) Portland Trailblazers: Dante Cunningham, F, Villanova

34) Denver Nuggets: Sergio Llull, F, Spain

35) Detroit Pistons: DeJuan Summers, F, Georgetown

36) Memphis Grizzlies: Sam Young, F, Pittsburgh

37) San Antonio Spurs: DeJuan Blair, F, Pittsburgh

38) Sacramento Kings: Jon Brockman, F, Washington

39) Detroit Pistons: Jonas Jerebko, F, Sweden

40) Charlotte Bobcats: Derrick Brown, F, Xavier

41) Milwaukee Bucks: Jodie Meeks, G, Kentucky

42) Miami Heat: Patrick Beverley, G, Ukraine

43) New Orleans Hornets: Marcus Thornton, G, LSU

44) Houston Rockets: Chase Budinger, F, Arizona

45) Minnesota Timberwolves: Nick Calathes, G, Florida

46) Cleveland Cavaliers: Danny Green, F, North Carolina

47) Minnesota Timberwolves: Henk Norel, F, Netherlands

48) Phoenix Suns: Taylor Griffin, F, Oklahoma

49) Atlanta Hawks: Sergey Gladyr, G, Serbia

50) Utah Jazz: Goran Suton, C, Michigan State

51) San Antonio Spurs: Jack McClinton, G, Miami

52) Indiana Pacers: A.J. Price, G, Connecticut

53) San Antonio Spurs: Nando De Colo, G, France

54) Oklahoma City Thunder: Robert Vaden, G, UAB

55) Portland Trailblazers: Patrick Mills, G, St. Mary’s

56) Dallas Mavericks: Ahmad Nivins, F, St. Joe’s

57) Phoenix Suns: Emir Preldzic, F, Bosnia

58) Boston Celtics: Lester Hudson, G, Tennessee-Martin

59) Los Angeles Lakers: Chinemelu Elonu, F-C, Texas A&M

60) Miami Heat: Robert Dozier, F, Memphis

James Harden Ended up with the Thunder (Image: Zuma Press)

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2009 NBA Draft Results – 1st and 2nd Rounds