The 2009 D-League draft was held last night. It's a highly enjoyable event for judging the players that you've heard of and laughing at the names of those that you haven't. I only wish that it didn't clash with a Bulls game.

The full draft board can be found here, but since only the first four rounds are really important, here are the results for the first four rounds:


Round One

1. Albuquerque Thunderbirds - Carlos Powell
2. Erie BayHawks - Donell Taylor
3. Los Angeles D-Fenders - Deron Washington
4. Bakersfield Jam - Amara Sy
5. Utah Flash - Garrett Siler
6. Austin Toros - Alonzo Gee
7. Reno Bighorns - Desmon Farmer
8. Maine Red Claws - Paul Harris
9. Iowa Energy - Rashad Anderson
10. Fort Wayne Mad Ants - Alade Aminu
11. Dakota Wizards - Curtis Withers
12. Rio Grande Valley Vipers - Antonio Anderson
13. Sioux Falls Skyforce - Raymond Sykes
14. Springfield Armor - JamesOn Curry
15. Idaho Stampede - Sundiata Gaines
16. Tulsa 66ers - Latavious Williams


Round Two

1. Tulsa 66ers - Mustafa Shakur
2. Idaho Stampede - Dar Tucker
3. Springfield Armor - Major Wingate
4. Sioux Falls Skyforce - Pete Campbell
5. Rio Grande Valley Vipers - Jonathan Wallace
6. Dakota Wizards - Doug Thomas
7. Fort Wayne Mad Ants - Frank Tolbert
8. Iowa Energy - Pat Carroll
9. Maine Red Claws - Darnell Lazare
10. Reno Bighorns - Haminn Quaintance
11. Austin Toros - Russell Carter
12. Utah Flash - Orien Greene
13. Bakersfield Jam - Reece Gaines
14. Los Angeles D-Fenders - Alan Wiggins
15. Erie BayHawks - John Bryant
16. Albuquerque Thunderbirds - Chad Toppert


Round Three

1. Albuquerque Thunderbirds - Erek Hansen
2. Erie BayHawks - Martin Zeno
3. Los Angeles D-Fenders - Jeremy Wise
4. Bakersfield Jam - Anthony Goods
5. Utah Flash - Kevin Goffney
6. Austin Toros - Lewis Clinch
7. Reno Bighorns - Chris Lowe
8. Maine Red Claws - Frank Young
9. Iowa Energy - Sean Barnette
10. Fort Wayne Mad Ants - Jamelle Cornley
11. Dakota Wizards - Marcus Dove
12. Rio Grande Valley Vipers - Jamarcus Ellis
13. Sioux Falls Skyforce - Reggie Williams
14. Springfield Armor - James Cripe
15. Idaho Stampede - Delonte Holland
16. Tulsa 66ers - Cecil Brown


Round Four

1. Tulsa 66ers - Jeral Davis
2. Idaho Stampede - T.J. Cummings
3. Springfield Armor - Craig Austrie
4. Sioux Falls Skyforce - Leemire Goldwire
5. Rio Grande Valley Vipers - Mickell Gladness
6. Dakota Wizards - D'lancy Carter
7. Fort Wayne Mad Ants - Booker Woodfox
8. Iowa Energy - Carl Mitchell
9. Maine Red Claws - Gary Ervin
10. Reno Bighorns - Louis Graham
11. Austin Toros - Ira Brown
12. Utah Flash - Jason Richards
13. Bakersfield Jam - Jared Newson
14. Los Angeles D-Fenders - Christopher Hayes
15. Erie BayHawks - Derrick Mercer
16. Albuquerque Thunderbirds - Yaroslav Korolev


The former NBA players on that list includes JamesOn Curry (a former Bulls draft pick, who spent a year in the NBA without playing in it), Reece Gaines (former bust with a few years of NBA experience), Yaroslav Korolev (picked by the Clippers in 2005 ahead of Danny Granger, don't you know?), Desmon Farmer (veteran shooter in the NBA as recently as last year), Orien Greene (a few teams, not many points) and Donell Taylor (spent a couple of years with the Wizards). Previous training camp invites include Aminu, Cummings, Powell, Washington, Newson, Richards, Thomas, Carroll, Sykes, Siler, Gee, Harris and Anderson, most of whom were in camp somewhere this year. That's not a coincidence.

From further down the draft, other former NBA training camp players include Mike Gansey, Shagari Alleyne, Roderick Wilmont and Scooter McFadgon. There are also returns for Tony Bobbitt and Antoine Hood, who have both been out of basketall since 2007. So that's good news.

Other names you may have heard of include Jamelle Cornley (formerly of Penn State), Latavious Williams (who makes some history for being the first D-League player drafted directly out of high school), Craig Austrie (UConn guard) Sundiata Gaines and Lewis Clinch (who have attended NBA team's free agent mini camps in the past), as well as multiple summer league veterans like Martin Zeno, Leemire Goldwire, Marcus Dove and Reggie Williams. Amara Sy is almost in there, and he would have been a Bobcat this summer were it not for a visa issue that prevented him fromg etting into America. I know that feeling.

It was also a truly great draft for awesome names. Between Mickell Gladness, Booker Woodfox, Anthony Goods, Cornelius Scooter McFadgon and 50's English gangster Lenny Stokes, this daft has offered up an almost unrivalled bevvy of high quality names, names sadly wasted by being attached to non-NBA players. It's a shame. These names need that exposure.

Whether that All-Great Name Starting Five can top last year's effort of Xavier Whipple, Cliff Clinkscales, Torrington Cox, Elgrace Wilborn and Sung Yung-Bang remains to be seen. But I'll happily debate that with anyone for over an hour.

(Also, why Rashad Anderson was in this draft when he was second in Italy's SerieA in scoring last year is a mystery to me. It may have only been on the relegated Snaidero Udine, but it's still a feat and a half to almost lead that league in scoring. And now he's going to Iowa. Not sure why this is.)

Notable undrafted players include Rashid Byrd, Geno Carlisle, Adam Harrington, Cheyne Gadson and Jitim Young, veterans with NBA resumés (however fleeting) whse ages appear to have counted against them. Or maybe they just didn't have brilliant enough names.

All these players now go to training camp alongside the allocated/returning/local tryout players. From that assortment, teams have to select their 10 man rosters for the regular season. And yes, you can see Kevin Pittsnogle in that allocations list.

Good times.