Team USA meets for first practice

Team USA meets for first practice
The United States took a small first step on the march to Beijing on Saturday. The Americans tried on their new uniforms, then went through a two-hour practice at Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus. “We just wanted to start putting our offense in and run shots and the speed at which we’re trying to play, and let them interact,” coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “That’s a big thing - understanding the magnitude of all this.NBA/~4/322285251″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Team-by-team draft grades (Yahoo! Sports)
Teams receive report cards for their performance in the 2008 draft.

Cavaliers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry called him “a work in progress.”

Basically, North Carolina State power forward J.J. Hickson is raw. He was the 19th overall selection in the 2008 NBA draft by the Cavs.

Ferry said earlier in the week that many of the prospects in this draft would have an 18-month window to evolve into a rotational player. Hickson is 19 years old and played just one season at North Carolina State.

“In some ways, he’s kind of an uncarved block,” Ferry said.

Because of the age of the Cavs’ stable of big men—Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Ben Wallace are 33 years old and Joe Smith is 32—they felt a young player needed to be added. Anderson Varejao is on the trading block and can opt out of his contract after this season.

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Hickson surprised with selection

‘ Quicken Loans Arena was the last place J.J. Hickson expected to be on Friday, but he couldn’t have been happier about it.

Cavs notes: West, Gibson offered contracts

The Cavaliers have tendered qualifying contracts to re-sign Daniel “Boobie” Gibson and Delonte West.