Tuesday’s 2019 NBA Lottery Draft was the first draft in a long time that taught me more than what the order of the upcoming draft would be. No, this lottery draft was different, unique and special. If there was one message that I took away from Tuesday night’s lottery, it’s this: come what may and love it.
Never mind that the format and process of the lottery had changed and don’t bother with the hype surrounding the first overall pick. The real story surrounds the New Orleans Pelicans, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson. In order to bring my lesson into perspective, let’s recap.
It’s obvious to most basketball fans that the Pelicans and Davis had a bit of a disagreement during the NBA’s regular season. Davis requested a trade that is still waiting to come true for the All-Star. The breakup has been ugly, as expected, but revealing at the same time. Good things can last, but in the situation between the Pelicans and Davis, that has not been the case.
As for Williamson, the Duke standout put on an incredible season as a Blue Devil. I wrote a while back ago on Williamson and how he is the future of the NBA and is a transcendent basketball talent. There’s no doubt that he will be the first pick of the 2019 NBA Draft and he will change the face of the NBA during his career.
Now, to come back to my original point. This story is not about the Pelicans losing their beloved Davis and his uni-brow. It’s also not about Williamson saving the day for New Orleans. Instead, this is a tale about accepting choices and taking on roles that may be less desirable and learning to love them.
For the Pelicans, the loss of Davis hit hard originally, but their six-percent chance at Williamson has somewhat filled that gap almost instantaneously. Davis wouldn’t have had the slightest clue that he could’ve been teammates with and served as a role model for the next NBA great. Williamson probably expected to end up with the Knicks, but instead will land with the less than desirable Pelicans.
Each choice has it’s effect and the action that follows those choices can determine the final outcome. Williamson was originally reported to consider staying another year at Duke, however, his stepfather publicly said that Williamson and the family are excited to be a part of New Orleans. Williamson views the Pelicans as an opportunity and not a stumbling block.
Come what may and love it.
High School State Competitions
With one final week of school left, the last of the high school sports season finishes this weekend. Both soccer and track and field finish their seasons at the state competition.
Yesterday the Rock Springs Lady Tigers soccer team advanced to the semi-finals. Rock Springs is set to play today against Thunder Basin for a chance to appear in the finals. You can check here for an update on the Lady Tigers.
The Green River Wolves boys soccer team also played in the opening round of the 4A state tournament. The Wolves fell 2-1 to Cheyenne East and were bumped into the consolation bracket. Green River plays today against Kelly Walsh whom they split games with. You can check here for all the Wolves coverage at state.
Track and Field teams from both Rock Springs and Green River are competing in Casper. Results are being posted on the WHSAA and SweetwaterNOW will have all results from the three-day competition posted on the website by Saturday.
I’ve enjoyed covering high school and college sports throughout the school year. I can’t wait for the upcoming year to see what Sweetwater County athletics bring to the table!
Flack Friday Mailbag
I received a suggestion from a Flack Friday reader last week. It reminded me of the mailbag section of my column I had started earlier this year. I figure this is a prime chance to put a plug in for both you and I. I’d love to hear your thoughts or questions on the column. Feel free to shoot me an email (brayden@sweetwaternow.com) with anything you’d like to see on the column or your opinion on a topic and I’ll include it in one of the upcoming columns. The column is driven by you and only improves with your feedback and interaction!
Brayden is a sports and community reporter for SweetwaterNOW. His column, Flack Friday, will be posted every Friday. You can submit comments, questions or ideas regarding the column to brayden@sweetwaternow.com.
