Suns guard Goran Dragic makes All-NBA 3rd team
Whatever disappointment Goran Dragic felt after not being selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game surely is being washed away this postseason.
On Wednesday, less than two months after he was named the NBA's Most Improved Player, Dragic was chosen All-NBA third team, the first Suns player to make an All-NBA team since Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire were on the second team in 2010.
Dragic averaged 20.3 points, 5.9 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game this season while shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from 3-point range. He was joined on the third team by Portland's Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge, Charlotte's Al Jefferson and Indiana's Paul George.
"Goran had a great year for us," Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough said. "To make one of the top three NBA teams is essentially saying he was one of the best 15 players in the league this year, and that's quite an honor."
The All-NBA first team consisted of Miami's LeBron James and Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant; Chicago center Joakim Noah; Houston's James Harden, an Arizona State product; and the Los Angeles' Clippers' Chris Paul. The second team: The Clippers' Blake Griffin and Minnesota's Kevin Love at forward, Houston's Dwight Howard at center, and Golden State's Stephen Curry and San Antonio's Tony Parker in the backcourt.
Crafting a career
The Suns brought in six players to Wednesday's predraft workout, and the biggest name was Ohio State point guard Aaron Craft, who was named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.
Despite a stellar collegiate career, the 6-foot-2 Craft isn't considered a top NBA prospect. His offensive game has been questioned, in particular his ability to shoot the 3-pointer. He made just 30.2 percent of his 3-point attempts last season for Ohio State.
Asked if he thought Craft's game translated to the NBA, coach Jeff Hornacek said, "If you play hard every night, sure. … His shot is a little different, but there are guys who have goofy shots that make them and make them when the game is on the line."
McDonough and Hornacek praised Craft's competitiveness and leadership abilities; McDonough called him a "winner." Craft tied a Suns workout record when he ran the length of the practice floor 28 times in three minutes.
"Aaron has excelled at everything pretty much his whole life on the court and off the court," McDonough said. "... His defense stands out, his ability to run a team and get guys to certain spots stands out. He's in terrific shape, too. We place a value on winning, and that's what he's done his whole life, just win games."
Craft believes playing four years in college should make him more attractive to NBA teams rather than stick him with the label that he wasn't good enough to go pro early.
"Being at Ohio State, being able to play against some of the best players in the country, playing in big games and big atmospheres, I think that helps a lot," he said.
The five other players in town were Kansas forward Tarik Black, Seton Hall forward Fuquan Edwin, Florida forward Casey Prather, Georgetown point guard Markel Starks and Tennessee forward Jarnell Stokes.
Strong showing
McDonough called the 6-9, 263-pound Stokes an "interesting player." Stokes ranks fourth in Tennessee history with 40 double-doubles and last year ranked second on the team in scoring (15.1 points per game) and first in rebounding (10.6).
"He's a physical specimen, maybe the strongest guy we've had in here," McDonough said. "He has very good hands and feet for his size and he's a very productive rebounder. I think there's a lot of room for growth there. There are a lot of tools and a lot to work with."
The website NBAdraft.net projects Stokes to be the 42nd overall pick to Houston, but Stokes believes he's being undervalued.
"I think I'm just as good as any big man in the draft," he said.
