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Volume 128 Issue 118
kansan.com
Monday, May 4, 2015
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COMMENTARY
Chris Paul rewrites his legacy round by round
It's no secret that Clipper's point guard Chris Paul is and has been one of the league's best playmakers every year since he joined the NBA in 2005. Time after time, he has been regarded as the best point guard in the league; but, the knock on him is that even though his skill is elite, he hasn't accomplished anything significant in his career.
Before this season, Paul was an abysmal 17-25 in the playoffs and had never made it out of the second round. Personally, I was critical of Paul's postseason record — not to mention his title of best point guard in the NBA
because of his inability to bring his team far in the playoffs, even with strong rosters to back him up.
I couldn't help but criticize Paul's ability to carry his team when it mattered the most. However, as far as Paul's legacy is concerned, he took a big step toward greatness on Saturday.
The Clippers' game seven win against the defending champions was one of the biggest performances of Paul's career, and it may very well be the most important game of his legacy.
Paul brought a big time performance with 27 points, six assists and two steals in the Clippers' 111-109 victory against the Spurs. He didn't just seal the win with a gamewinning basket, he sealed the series. And, perhaps most impressively, with an injured hamstring.
But for Paul, the job isn't done.
The Clippers now face the Houston Rockets, a team that has much less playoff experience than, the Spurs. Even as a sixth seed the year the Spurs were of the few teams that could bring home the title, the Clippers knocked them off, proving they can beat anybody.
The Clippers have an elite sixth man in Jamal Crawford, as well as two star big men in Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan in the starting lineup, giving Paul the help that he needs.
Even as a big critic of Paul in the past, that game seven performance gave me a lot of confidence in him and his team. If he were able to do the same against the Rockets, there really would be no way to argue against him as the best true point guard in the league.
He has always had the skill, now he's having the success. Overall, we shouldn't think of Paul any differently from a skill standpoint, but as far as winning when it matters, CP3 may have figured out how to get the job done. This season may prove to be Paul's best opportunity to win a championship, but just by making it there, he will have totally rewritten the narrative around his career.
Edited by Lane Cofas
THE FINAL FOUR
NFL draft offers lots of intrigue, little shock
DEREK SKILLETT
@derek_skillett
Senior corner back JaCorey Shepherd celebrates with senior linebacker Ben Heeney after a play. Shepherd was selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, and Heeney was selected in the fifth round by the Oakland Raiders. Cornerback Dexter McDonald was drafted in the seventh round also to Oakland.
The 2015 NFL draft is in the books. Thirty-two NFL franchises chose the players who would lead them into the future. Although there were few surprises to begin the draft, there were a lot of fascinating storylines that emerged from the three-day event.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers began the first round of the draft Thursday night by selecting Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston with the top-overall pick. Winston was accused of raping a woman in 2012 and currently faces a civil lawsuit. Despite a controversial reputation off the field, the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner will be expected to be the franchise quarterback for a quarterback-lacking Tampa Bay team.
FRANK WEIRICH/KANSAN
The Tennessee Titans selected Marcus Mariota, Oregon quarterback and 2014 Heisman Trophy winner, with their No. 2 overall selection, marking the first time in the common draft era that two Heisman Trophy winners had been selected with the first- and second-overall picks in an NFL draft.
On the other hand, Louisiana State offensive lineman Lael Collins ultimately went undrafted. He faces questioning by police regarding the murder of a 29-year-old woman and her baby, although Collins is not a suspect in the case. He was a projected first-round draft pick by many analysts.
But a number of other controversial prospects did get drafted. Nebraska linebacker Randy Gregory had tested positive for marijuana at
the 2015 NFL Combine and dropped out of first-round discussion as a result. However, Dallas Cowboys owner, general manager and president Jerry Jones decided to draft Gregory in the second round.
Missouri defensive end Shane Ray was also charged with marijuana possession during the week of the draft, but still got selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round.
Oklahoma and former Missouri wide receiver Dorial
Green-Beckham was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the draft, although he was a magnet for controversy throughout his brief college career. He was dismissed from Missouri after multiple failed drug tests and was strongly suspected of attempting to break into his girlfriend's apartment and pushing a woman down the stairs in the process. Green-Beckham had not been charged in the case.
Three former Jayhawks were also among the draftees this weekend. The Oakland Raiders selected linebacker Ben Heeney in the fifth round of the draft. The Philadelphia Eagles selected cornerback JaCorey Shepherd in the sixth round. The Oakland Raiders selected cornerback Dexter McDonald in the seventh round. The three Jayhawks were the most Kansas prospects taken in an NFL draft since 2010.
The draft signaled the
unofficial beginning of the 2015 NFL season, drawing a large crowd in the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University in Chicago. New and exciting college prospects will soon take the field for the first time for rookie minicamps. Although some rounds of the draft shook out like some predicted, some controversial players certainly shrouded the event.
Edited by Yu Kyung Lee
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