Who’s the Next Great Rap?

Perhaps this question cannot be answered immediately, but we may be able to answer who Bryan Colangelo and the Raptors will draft on Thursday.

This draft has not been as hyped as it has been in the past few years, where we have had such names such as LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose. Blake Griffin is expected to be the first overall pick by the Clippers, but what the Raptors choose at No. 9 depends on a lot of factors.

Such as, is Bosh part of the Raptors future? Future as in beyond the next year when his contract runs out. It also depends on what they plan to do with Shawn Marion and if he will be a Raptor next year.

Since very few have answers to these questions, we must go on speculation

The following are the two most probable picks for the Raptors on June 25.

Gerald Henderson Jr. – In his junior year the Duke guard was putting up 16.7 points a game.

He should be able to score consistently, something which they haven’t had from a shooting guard. He also plays defense, which may be even more important for the Raptors and that is something they have lacked for quite some time. Henderson is the son of Gerald Henderson Sr., a 13-year veteran of the NBA. The Senior Henderson also played the shooting guard position. A strong basketball tradition in a family is usually passed down especially the characteristics of work ethic and dedication.

DeMar DeRozan – A big guy for a shooting guard, but the Raptors might skip on him because of his raw talent. The Raptors may not want to get a player who’ll fulfill his potential in a few years since they haven’t had much luck with the waiting game. Rafael Aruajo (can you even believe he was a lottery pick?), and Joey Graham have not worked in this regard. Nevertheless, DeRozan’s potential is known by many and if the Raptors are interested in building for the future, it’ll probably be a good idea to pick up the South California player.

These two seem to be the most likely outcomes for the Raptors in the first round of Thursday’s draft. But a lot can happen in a draft and there are always surprises, which is why the Raptors are likely to have a plan B, C and D. There is also the rule that many general managers and teams follow, which is draft the best player available. One team’s resource is another team’s treasure and that could be the Raptors ticket to a major trade in the near future.