Pick of the litter

(done in the inimitable style of the NBA analyst Hubie Brown)

So you're the Houston Rockets. You've got two of the best players in the league in Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, and one of the finest coaches the last decade has yet produced. You're coming off of a rough, injury-plagued season, during which you discovered two things: you need your two stars healthy, and the rest of your team needs serious help. You've got the NBA Draft coming up tonight, and with the eighth pick you're in a position to pick up a keeper.

Here's the bad news: neither you nor your fans any idea who might be available when you're on the board, much less who you might take. It could be J.J. Reddick, the Duke sharpshooter who might not pan out in the pros; Brandon Roy, the Washington guard being (unfairly) pegged as the next Dwyane Wade; Rudy Gay, a potential-soaked Connecticut swingman possibly lacking in heart; or maybe even Thabo Sefolosha, a Swiss prospect who has come out of nowhere over the last few weeks. If this isn't the most star-studded draft we've ever seen, it's certainly going to be one of the most exciting and unpredictable.

(Thanks, Hubie. We at Houstonist would also like to add that the Rockets are hosting their very own Draft Party. It's free, but you have to register to attend online. Other than that, keep your fingers crossed, and hope like crazy for the Rockets to pull off a coup—and for some draft pick to make the fashion mistake of a lifetime.)

Photo: Telebasket.com