Rockets' Draft Picks at a Glance

Before the 2009 NBA Draft, the mood surrounding the Rockets' organization was solemn. Afterwards, it is nothing short of exciting.

The Rockets traded for three second round draft picks, giving up no players in the process. Early word out of Houston is that all three will make the team and become solid contributors.

Chase Budinger, Small Forward

Chase Budinger is an interesting player to say the least. In my lifetime, I don't recall seeing a scholarship athlete in two sports go to the NBA, with those two sports being basketball and volleyball.

In 2006, Budinger was the CO-MVP of the McDonald's High School All-America game, as well as High School Volleyball Player of the year.

My point is that Budinger is an incredible all-around athlete with an unmistakable ability to get to the rim. He has a 40-inch vertical, a lethal outside shot, and the ability finish in traffic.

In his final season at Arizona, he averaged 18 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He was named Pac-10 freshman of the year in 2006 while averaging close to 16 points and six rebounds per game.

Before the season, Budinger was a first round lock and some even predicted him being a lottery pick, but rumors spread questioning his toughness and passion for the game. Teams were unwilling to commit to a player they felt would not give 100 percent, and the Rockets pounced.

It is unclear whether or not Budinger will be an immediate impact this coming season, but he will definitely be a premier sixth man down the road.

Jermaine Taylor, Shooting Guard

With this selection, the Rockets made it pretty clear they are going to part ways with Tracy McGrady.

At this point, it is unfair to compare the two since Taylor obviously has no experience in the NBA. However, Taylor has scoring ability that translates to the next level.

As a senior at UCF, he averaged 26.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and shot 48 percent from the field on the way to being named Conference USA Player of the Year.

Taylor is great coming off screens and can shoot the jumper from anywhere on the floor. His ability to score is a strength from both the outside and inside, making him a defensive nightmare for other teams.

His weaknesses arise when he is forced to make things happen off the dribble. He is much better as a spot shooter when he does not have to handle the ball. Fortunately, he will not have to worry about that with Houston.

One thing that worries me is he averaged more turnovers than assists all four years at UCF. If he wants to have any chance in the NBA, he'd better learn to take care of the ball.

Taylor's high point of the year had to be when he scored 45 points against Rice. You wouldn't catch him saying that, however, since the game resulted in a loss. That is the type of person Taylor is.

The Rockets may have selected a potential All Star in Taylor. It was surprising, to say the least, that Taylor fell all the way to No. 32.

Sergio Llull, Point Guard

Sergio Llull was forced to play a backseat to Ricky Rubio on the Spanish national team, and as a result did not get as much exposure as Rubio.

Llull is basically a poor man's Ricky Rubio. He has spectacular ball handling skills, blazing speed, and a knack for scoring in transition.

The best part of his game is his ability to push the tempo and utilize his speed and dribbling skills to get easy lay ups for teammates on fast breaks.

Llull also shoots the ball at very high rates, shooting 50 percent from the field in the Spanish leagues last year.

He runs into problems when he is forced to play against a physical defender. He shies away from contact and does not possess great leaping ability, which creates a weakness when trying to score in half court traffic.

If he is going to make the team, he will need to work on his defensive abilities and not fouling at such a high rate. He struggles to stay in front of people and has poor defensive mechanics.

All in all, Llull is a work in progress with much upside. If coached by the right group, he can develop into a great back-up for the Rockets.