DJ to the Suns

As expected, DJ Strawberry was selected in the 2nd Round of the NBA draft, going 59th overall to the Phoenix Suns. After testing out well in the athleticism rankings and playing very well in the Orlando pre-draft camp, it had seemed to be a foregone conclusion that someone would take DJ. But as the night wound down, with only two picks left, he had still not been selected. Fortunately, the Suns stepped in and took him off the board a little after midnight.

For second rounders, contracts are not guaranteed. For that reason, the destination for those picked is more important than where a player is picked. The Suns are a seen as being a fantastic spot for Strawberry to land. DJ always thrived in the transition game during his time as a Terp, using his strong defense and his quickness to initiate breaks, where he is a very strong finisher. With the Suns' up and down style, DJ will fit right in with the team. And while Phoenix is a prolific offensive team, they lack on defense where Strawberry could help immediately.

While it isn't yet guaranteed that Strawberry will play in the NBA, it would seem to be almost a certainty. Of the 20 college players taken in the 2nd Round of the 2006 NBA draft, all but three saw action last season. Of those 17 that played in the Association last year, 10 played in at least half of their teams' games, with Craig Smith (formerly of Boston College) leading the way by appearing in

For Strawberry, making the NBA is something that not many would have expected when he came to Maryland in the fall of 2003. Strawberry came into the program as part of a highly regarded five man recruiting class with Mike Jones, Ekene Ibekwe, Will Bowers, and Hassan Fofana. Strawberry was perhaps the most lightly regarded of the five at the time. Jones and Ibekwe were top 30 recruits and Fofana was also a top 75 recruit.

Yet Strawberry was a key contributor from the start, due in no small part to his defense. It's no secret that Gary Williams values defense, especially in young players. It's no surprise then that Strawberry averaged nearly 20 minutes per game, ten more than McDonald's All American classmate Mike Jones.

The next season could have been a big one for Strawberry, but a torn ACL midway through the season limited his development and ended his season after 14 games. And when Strawberry came back for the 05-06 season, the team lacked a solid point guard option due to the early departure of John Gilchrist, forcing Strawberry into a role he was ill-suited to fill. Playing out of position Strawberry had a mediocre year on the offensive end, never quite mastering the position. Too many turnovers by DJ helped doom the team to a second straight NIT.

But this season was different. After declaring for the draft last year, Strawberry came back ready to lead the team back to respectability. Strawberry took over as the team's starting SF, winning multiple ACC Player of the Week Awards and earning 2nd Team All-ACC honors.

Strawberry will not have his jersey raised to the rafters, but he had a very solid career with the Terps, always showing intensity and always playing hard, especially on the defensive end. Here's to hoping that DJ's NBA career will be long and successful.