(Image source: Sports Illustrated)

BY: DAN CORNFIELD

ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY

 

You're watching multisource sports video news analysis from Newsy.

The All-Stars of the future.
That’s the hope anyway for the NBA Draft class of 2011. It’s a group praised more for leadership and character than for dazzling skills. But Sports Illustrated Seth Davis says the real story... four of the top seven picks came from outside the U.S.

“That’s a combination of #1, a very strong international crop. But more importantly #2, the decisions by some of the top collegians, guys like Harrison Barnes, Jared Sullinger and Perry Jones, to return to school. A weak college crop and a strong international crop gave us a foreign flavor to the draft.”

But the #1 overall pick came from the states NCAA powerhouse, Duke. Cleveland took Kyrie Irving as the first piece in its rebuilding plan. ESPN’s Dickie V. says the Cavs scored a strong leader.

“They made the right choice. You want to have a foundation. And the foundation starts right now in the NBA at point guard play. So having a quality point guard like Irving is absolutely the way to go and they made the right decision.”

Other headlines include the Jayhawk Morris twins.
Born only seven minutes apart, they were drafted roughly five minutes apart going back-to-back at #13 and #14.
UCONN’s Kemba Walker is off to the Charlotte Bobcatts.
And phenom sharpshooter Jimmer Fredette landed in Sacremento, where the Kings fans just got over scares of relocation.

“A lot of people just say they are very thankful that again, we have another year with an NBA Draft pick right here in Sac. Of course, the fear is that this would not happen. The question is where does the team go now after this season. They’re all very hopeful that these picks and these moves will keep us here for years to come.”

After two rounds, sixty picks and trades across the league, there has to be a winner. Cleveland did take the #1 and #4 picks, but Fox Sports’ Marques Johnson gives the crown to the  squad from Salt Lake.

“I also like the job some of the teams did in terms of putting together nice packages. Utah with Enes Kanter, very good big man out of Turkey, very highly skilled. To go along with Alec Burks out of Colorado. A lot of people hadn’t this name before, but he’s a guy that I think in 4, 5 years could be All-Star level caliber player, just 19-years-old right now. So I think Utah a tremendous winner in this draft.”

With free agency fireworks just around the corner and labor disputes looming, the offseason is just heating up. But for now, draftees settle into their new digs.

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Transcript by Newsy.