For those of you who watch the national news you're probably aware of the devastating and record flooding that has been taking place in Minot, North Dakota. Thousands of people have lost their homes, more have been evacuated and the face of the city has been and will continue to be changed in ways that won't fully be realized for many months to come. 

I am a sports reporter in Bismarck by trade but just received word a couple of hours ago that I am being sent north to provide additional coverage of the flood. Minot is located less than two hours away. The days will be long, spent seeking out new information, telling people's stories and staying on top of this ever-changing event as best as I and my co-workers can. This of course will mean little to no time to post here at Mid-Major Madness, something I feel even worse about given my recent vacation - but these are unique times.

I will do my best to provide at least some commentary when and if the time allows, but I currently don't even know how long my stay in Minot will be. I've been told it could be a couple of days, but have also been told to pack for at least a week. Until then though, I appreciate all of you reading the site and being understanding of the sometimes busy nature of my full-time job as a reporter. Please keep the people of Minot and the surrounding area in your prayers until then. 

In case you missed them over the last several weeks, or on our handy section off to the right side of the page, we at Mid-Major Madness have compiled a list of links to all of our player scouting reports released leading up to the 2011 NBA Draft. Interested is Charles Jenkins and Andrew Goudelock can jump from primary scorers to offensive facilitators? Does Kawhi Leonard have the necessary skill set to exist as a small forward? How will sharp shooting Justin Harper factor into Orlando's offense? Browse our write-ups that include visual analysis and advanced statistical breakdowns courtesy of data from Synergy Sports Technology. 

No. 15 - Kawhi Leonard - Indiana Pacers (traded to San Antonio Spurs)

No. 22 - Kenneth Faried - Denver Nuggets

No. 28 - Norris Cole - Minnesota Timberwolves (traded to Miami Heat)

No. 32 - Justin Harper - Orlando Magic

No. 34 - Shelvin Mack - Washington Wizards

No. 44 - Charles Jenkins - Golden State Warriors

No. 46 - Andrew Goudelock - Los Angeles Lakers

NBA Draft delivers speed to roster that had lacked it in NBA Finals against Dallas Mavericks - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Speed in the form of Cleveland State's Norris Cole.

Jimmer Fredette: Sacramento is very excited for the young man who John Salmons will be stealing shots from | ProBasketballTalk
Leave it to the extremely talented and witty Matt Moore to draw parallels between Jimmer Fredette and "Snakes on a Plane".

Ex-Bulldog Smith not picked in NBA draft - fresnobee.com
Greg Smith's dream of being drafted by an NBA team shattered Thursday night and Daniel Lyght captured the grim details of the evening in this well written feature.

Defiantly Dutch: A Speedy bit of serendipity turns Jenkins' draft night memorable
Charles Jenkins didn't land in the first round light many thought/hoped, but seeing him in a Warriors uniform should be interesting to say the least.

Harper's selection shines light on UR hoops | Richmond Times-Dispatch
Finishing ranked in the Top 25 and playing well in the NCAA Tournament are sure ways of drawing attention as a college basketball program - especially with recruits. Sending your players to the NBA is the next step up.

Doug's European Diary, Day One; Team USA Arrives in Lithuania - GoCreighton.com
In his first entry from Lithuania, Creighton forward Doug McDermott discusses how long it takes to get from Colorado Springs to Lithuania, and flying with an NBA lottery pick.

Katin Reinhardt starts over after decommitment - CBSSports.com
The Mater Dei guard and former USC commit has Gonzaga on his radar now.

Jimmer Fredette's NBA future is with the Sacramento Kings rather than the Utah Jazz, and that's good for this BYU phenom. - ESPN
Perhaps the best thing about draft night for Jimmer Fredette wasn't landing in Sacramento but rather not ending up with the Jazz.

Nuggets really rebound with pick of Faried - The Denver Post
Woody Paige is a big fan of the Nuggets selecting the rebound machine from Morehead State.

Mack's draft day begins with calm, ends with emotion - CBSSports.com
Jeff Goodman spent draft day with Butler's Shelvin Mack on his way to being selected 34rd overall by the Washington Wizards.

How Gregg Popovich could trade his favorite player
Great read from 48 Minutes of Hell on the trade that sent George Hill to Indiana and landed the Spurs Kawhi Leonard on draft night.

Cowbell Kingdom.com - Tyreke Evans On Jimmer Fredette
Jonathan Santiago caught up with the Kings current backcourt star to get his take on the latest addition.

Hawks draft-pick Benson light on his feet, but slight in build  | ajc.com
There must be a good reason why a 6-foot-11 prospect with athletic ability and a productive college stint slips slides deep into the second round of the NBA draft.

Miami Heat top pick Norris Cole impressed team during workouts - MiamiHerald.com
The Cleveland State star was much higher on Miami's board than most would expect.

New Orlando Magic forward Justin Harper wasn't always a great player - OrlandoSentinel.com
The journey to NBA rookie wasn't an easy one for the Richmond big man.

The last major event in the NBA schedule before the inevitable lockout is in the books. The 2011 NBA Draft went off as expected with Kyrie Irving landing in Cleveland and Derrick Williams heading to Minnesota with the top two overall selections. From there, the the night boiled down to a flurry of trades with the occasional unexpected pick being announced - particularly in the second round.

In all, nine players from non-BCS conference teams heard their name called in Newark last night, most expected, at least one was a bit of a surprise. But who were the individual winners? Which players landed in ideal situations and who would have been better off going elsewhere? Here's a look at our winners and losers from last night.

Winners

Jimmer Fredette: This pick by the Sacramento Kings has drawn mixed reviews in the initial hours since it was made, as questions swirl around the ability for the BYU star to co-exist in the same backcourt as Tyreke Evans. So why is this a win for The Jimmer? His ability to succeed in the NBA is almost entirely predicated on the system he plays in. An offense that plays up-tempo, gives Fredette the green light and is willing to forgive his defensive transgressions could allow him to flourish in the same way that Steph Curry has done so far in Golden State. The Kings were the third fastest team in the NBA last season and with a dribble drive talent like Evans getting into the lane consistently, Fredette should have the luxury of being able to spot-up on the perimeter. Neither is a pure point guard, both will look for their shot, but both are more than capable of making the right pass. It might take some feeling out initially, but this could be a good fit in the long term.

More winners and losers after the jump.

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Jimmer Fredette will be a Sacramento King - Ball Don't Lie
Jimmer Mania is off to the Pacific Northwest!

Report: Spurs trade George Hill for Kawhi Leonard - CBSSports.com
Leonard must have felt somewhat disappointed when he slipped out of the top ten, but the Spurs willingness to trade a young talent like Hill to acquire him says something.

NBA Draft 2011: Kenneth Faried goes to Denver Nuggets, pleasing Newark crowd | NJ.com
If Faried being drafted in his hometown doesn't make you smile, few things will.

Miami Heat trades up in NBA Draft, picks Norris Cole - MiamiHerald.com
The Heat made a surprise move, trading into the first round for the 28th overall pick, Norris Cole.

2011 NBA Draft Grades: Round 1 - NBA - CBSSports.com Basketball
Jimmer and Kawhi Leonard get A's but Norris Cole gets an F (though I don't think this one was seen all the way through to the Miami trade).

2011 NBA Draft Grades: Round 2 - NBA - CBSSports.com Basketball
More solid grades for non-BCS stars as Justin Harper lands an A as does Andrew Goudelock. Charles Jenkins and Shelvin Mack earn B's.

More after the jump.

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*Note: Vacation time is over and Mid-Major Madness will be back with daily news, analysis and features! We'll kick it off with one of my favorite days of the year, the NBA Draft.

2011 NBA draft: Jimmer Fredette's visit to NY fuels New York Knicks speculation - ESPN New York
Jimmer Fredette was in New York, creating a buzz over the prospect of the Knicks drafting the BYU product.

Jimmer Fredette wishes for best, hopes for lottery | The Salt Lake Tribune
The Jimmer Saga begins another big chapter tonight, not surprisingly Fredette is ready for the media storm to end for now.

NBA Draft 2011 Media Day: Jimmer Fredette Emphatically States He's A Point Guard - SBNation.com
Just in case you were curious about what position he'll be playing at the next level.

2011 NBA draft: Wizards will have to wait and see with the sixth pick - The Washington Post
Washington could go a lot of different directions tonight as it tries to build around John Wall. One possible avenue is Kawhi Leonard.

The Pistons have their guy... whoever that is - CBSSports.com
Of course, Leonard canceled his remaining draft workouts after visiting the Pistons. Hmmm....

More links after the jump.

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