We knew this one was coming.

After all kinds of hoopla concerning Iverson’s move from Detroit to Memphis this 2009 NBA basketball season, A.I. Found out that he’s still coming off the bench, the very thing that led to his divorce with the Pitsons.

You read it, Allen Iverson, at least for the first weeks of the season, is still relegated to a bench warmer after refusing to come off the bench last season for Detroit and as far as A.I. is concerned, he ain’t happy.

According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Allen Iverson voiced out his displeasure with his nonstarting role with the Memphis Grizzlies, saying that he’s ”not a sixth man.” Iverson also said, ”I had no problems [with the hamstring]. I had a problem with my butt sitting on that bench for so long.”

”I’m not a bench player. I’m not a sixth man,” he continued. ”Look at my resume and that’ll show I’m not a sixth man. I don’t think it has anything to do with me being selfish. It’s just who I am. I don’t want to change what gave me all the success that I’ve had since I’ve been in this league. I’m not a sixth man. And that’s that.”

Haven’t we heard that when he was playing for the Detroit Pistons last year?

Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins has made it clear that Iverson is STILL…

Welcome back.

Last time, we took on who we thought as the top three dogs of the 2009 NBA Draft. This time, we’re going to take on the rest of the field who we think should also have an impact in the NBA next season.

First we have DeMar DeRozan, taken no.9 overall by the Toronto Raptors. With a ton of hype entering his freshman season following in the footsteps of O.J. Mayo, DeRozan struggled a bit out of the gates in USC. However, he turned it on late in the season and had many scouts salivating over the potential that he brings to the floor every time out.

DeMar DeRozan is a solid 6-6 guard and fits the mold of a prototypical NBA shooting guard that should at least give the Toronto Raptors solid production from the position again since losing Vince Carter. After all, the guy does have VC’s uncanny vertical leap, problem is, ”DeRozanity” still doesn’t sound right.

Next we have Tyreke Evans. Taken no.4 overall by the Sacramento Kings, Evans’ selection was a surprise considering that Ricky Rubio was still available and the Kings needed a point guard.

Tyreke Evans definitely has strengths and weaknesses in his game but one thing the Sacramento Kings should definitely be happy about is his size. He’s a solid 6′5”, 210 pounder and has a 7′3” wingspan. He also possesses a lethal first step. When he would commit to the strong drive he is very hard to stop, but he is much better going to the hoop in the full court game than the half court.

Next is a guy taken no.17 overall, Jrue Holiday…

Oh yes, they have, once again, their own thing in Phoenix too.

Since we have arguably, one of the best batches of rookies ever to hit the NBA this season, it is only fitting to have the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge to kick off the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend.

This is when this year’s rookies face-off with the sophomores in their version of the All-Star game to culminate the midseason festivities. Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose, the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, the reigning T-Mobile Rookie of the Year, banner this year’s 2009 NBA T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam.

Forward Jeff Green joins Kevin Durant on the Sophomore team, which also includes Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford, Los Angeles Clippers forward Al Thornton, Philadelphia 76ers forward Thaddeus Young, New York Knicks forward Wilson Chandler, Detroit Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey and a pair of teammates from the Houston Rockets, guard Aaron Brooks and forward Luis Scola.

Joining Derrick Rose on the Rookie team are two sets of teammates, guard O.J. Mayo and center Marc Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies and center Greg Oden and guard Rudy Fernandez from the Portland Trail Blazers. Oklahoma Thunder guard…

A lot of guys in diapers got drafted, that’s what.

The 2008 NBA Draft set a record for most number of freshmen drafted in the first round. Last year’s draft set that very record before we saw NBA teams do one better last Thursday night.

And as expected, Derrick Rose was drafted by his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls as the overall No.1 draft pick. The freshman point guard from Memphis was regarded by many as the most talented draft prospect this year and the Bulls wasted no time in taking him.

The problem now is, the Chicago Bulls have somewhat of a situation at the guard spot. With probably two of the Bulls’ best players, that being Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon, playing the same position as their newly acquired talent, something has got to give. I guess we’ll find out soon enough eh?

Kansas State freshman forward Michael Beasley was taken by the Miami Heat as the overall No.2 pick. After letting Shaquille O’Neal move to Phoenix, the Heat are probably hoping Beasley will be able to…

Yes, it’s this Thursday already as NBA teams begin their moves to possibly land them the 2009 NBA title next season.

Of course, with the 2008 NBA Draft here, we felt obliged to give ya’ll our very own little mock draft from the first to the fifth pick. Trust us, we’ll do better than Joe Dumars drafting Darko Milicic back in 2003.

With the Chicago Bulls having the overall No.1 pick, we’ll start from there. The Bulls will probably take Derrick Rose, a 6-3, 190-pound guard from Memphis, as the overall No.1 draft pick. Rose is a Chicago product and the local community is probably pressuring the Bulls organization to take the local boy this Thursday.

Drafting Derrick Rose is STILL a nice move from the Bulls management anyway as the kid still brings an incredible amount of talent to the table

Next we have the UTTERLY PATHETIC Miami Heat who are hoping to land the services of a big man like Michael Beasley. Pat Riley thinks that Derrick Rose is a bad fit for their backcourt with Dwyane Wade, because drafting Rose would give Miami two athletic slashers who don’t have any kind of shooting whatsoever, trying to share the ball.

If the Bulls take Michael Beasley instead of Rose, Plan B suggests…