NBA DRAFT WINNERS AND LOSERS

The real winners of the 2008 NBA draft were the Lopez twins from Stanford.

Robin Lopez, the 7-footer with some game, was taken by the New Jersey Nets with the 10th overall selection. Five picks later, his twin brother Robin (the 7-footer with no game), was chosen by the Phoenix Suns.

What a day for Mommy Lopez. Her baby boys got drafted and realized their NBA dreams. She'll be in tears once both sign their guaranted contracts. It's like winning the lotto...twice!

It was no surprise that Brook, the serious one in the family, was a first-rounder. He was Stanford's best player last season and should start immediately for the Jay-Z Nets. He'll follow the path taken by another Stanford Cardinal 7-footer with a twin brother in the NBA, Jason Collins. Do the Nets only send their scouts to Stanford University? Just wondering.

The selection of Robin, the funny one with an Anderson Varejao-like haircut only a mother can love, was somewhat of an eyebrow-raiser...or hair-raiser. His profile says that Robin brings hustle and shot-blocking to the table. Translation: He's offensively challenged.

He might have a little trouble fitting in with the Phoenix Suns, who spend all of their time working on the offensive end of the court. The good news for the Suns is that we'll be seeing a lot of Michelle Wie at US Airways Arena to watch her boyfriend sit on the bench.

That'll be exciting.

Draft notes.....

[] All that talk about the Miami Heat trading away the No. 2 pick was simply that...just verbal excercise. Pat Riley did a masterful job of making NBA people think that he was semi interested in can't-miss prospect Michael Beasley where in reality he couldn't wait to get him to Miami and pair him up with Dwyane Wade.

[] I couldn't stop thinking about that movie "Trading Places" after watching O.J. Mayo, wearing those scholarly glasses on draft night, and Kevin Love switch teams. Mayo (aka Billy Ray Valentine), originally taken No. 3 overall by Minnesota, was shipped to Memphis. Love (aka Louis Winthorp), chosen by Memphis at No. 5, received the same phone call to complete an eight-player deal between two irrelevant franchises. What's worse? Dying a slow death in Minnesota or dying a slow death in Memphis? Tough call. At least Love won't have to deal with the arctic cold. Maybe Ophelia can keep Mayo warm.

[] Add the Blazers and Lakers among the draft-day winners. The Blazers get Greg Oden, the top pick of 2007, back this season after missing all of last season after undergoing microfracture knee surgery. Oden may only be about 80% healthy but his big presence alone should put the Blazers in the playoffs. The Lakers are in the ballpark. Andrew Bynum missed most of the regular season and all of the playoffs because of a dislocated knee cap. The Lakers could have used his 7-foot body against the physical Celtics in the NBA Finals. A healthy Bynum means three things: 1) the Lakers will stay atop the Western Conference, 2) push Pau Gasoft to forward and 3) more importantly pacify the ever-demanding Kobe Bryant...for now.