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September 1st, 2004
The All-Ex Brooklyn Team
There is always a lot of talk about the amount of talent that Brooklyn looses each season. So, I decided to take a look and see how good of a team that would really make. The obvious exclusion from the following list will be AJ Schulz because he was traded away to try and improve the team not lost due to cap reasons. You will also notice that Justin Krueger will be included in the list since he will almost certainly be lost to free agency. So what would the team look like?
The Starting line-up would be Justin Krueger, Michael Kutak, Lonnie Gerson, John Davis and Al Zarra. Key bench players would include Woody Reynolds, J.J. McCauley, Ozzie Kramer, Brody Liang, Reynaldo Deangelo and Myron White. The obvious weakness in this line-up is the lack of depth in the power positions but Laing and Deangelo could both fill in these spots off the bench because they are good rebounders.
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NAME POS H S FG FT 3P R P B S F V A O T AGE INT/HAR OFF AB
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Justin Krueger 1---- A+ B+ C+/ A- B-/ D C-/ D+ D- B+ D+ B B+ B B A- A- 26 -0.0024 -0.0123
Michael Kutak 12--- A+ C B / A- C+/ D+ D+/ A- B- B- C+ A+ D+ C+ A A B 26 -0.0068 -0.0237
Lonnie Gerson --3-- A+ C+ C+/ B A-/ A- D-/ E A- D+ F A+ B- A A A B+ 26 -0.0048 -0.0291
John Davis ---45 A+ A+ C / A+ C+/ A- E-/ F A+ E+ F C+ C- B C A A+ 28 -0.0213 -0.0109
Al Zarra ----5 A+ C+ D+/ A+ A+/ C- D / F A E- A+ A- E- B A A B+ 29 0.0016 -0.0227
Woody Reynolds 12--- A+ B C+/ B- E+/ B B-/ C E+ B F B+ C B+ A B- B+ 29 -0.0364 -0.0109
J.J. McCauley 123-- A C+ D+/ C+ F / F C+/ C C B E- A+ D A A B B 29 -0.0166 -0.0012
Ozzie Kramer -23-- C A- C+/ B+ D-/ B+ C-/ D D+ D+ E- D C+ A- B C+ B- 28 -0.0341 -0.0094
Brody Liang --3-- A+ B+ C-/ B+ B+/ E D+/ F B B B- D C- B+ A A- A- 28 -0.0013 0.0028
Reynaldo DeAngelo--3-- A+ C E-/ B D-/ B C-/ C- A- B+ C- C E+ B A A B 28 0.0027 -0.0133
Myron White ---45 A+ C+ C-/ A- B-/ C E-/ E A E B D F B B A- B 28 -0.0118 -0.0020
This could be a fun team to put on the floor. A couple of things really stand out. First is that the starting line-up would be a very efficient one offensively. They are not great passers but shoot a very good percentage and get to the free throw line. They also rebound quite well and would a great steals team. The bench would also be strong defensively. No doubt there would be weaknesses but this team should be better than borderline play-off teams like Omaha, SCL, Gabon and Baltimore. This team may even be on par with teams like Texas, Boston and London. It is hard to tell at that level because this would be a real TEAM with no superstars but serious quality at every position. Depending on how they all fit together this team would even have a chance at being a serious play-off team. But, that is all a guess because with this sort of line-up it is easy to see that they would be good but almost impossible to tell how good.
September 1st, 2004
Franchise Rankings
1) Colorado 507-195 0.722
No doubt there will be those who say that Colorado's high standing is still riding on the legacy of legendary owner Marc Hameleers. It is true that Hameleers put Colorado in the number one position with three straight 70 win seasons and that Colorado has only once relinquished that spot after Season 7. But, what people need to realize is that Hameleers was still the GM after Season 7. BJ Stanley has done a great job with the team since then. The team took a slight dip this last season but it is hard to fault a 55 win season and most importantly the team is very young. Stanley will find though that as his stock as a GM rises so will the value of his players and the challenge will then be keeping his players. But, the future is bright in Colorado.
2) Brooklyn 505-197 0.719
Despite being two games behind Colorado is could be argued that Brooklyn is the most successful regular season team. Brooklyn has never missed the play-offs or had a loosing season. Every year they are among the top of the standings. Brooklyn, unfortunately, has been decimated by free agency more than any other team. It seems that every year they loose a key player. Justin Krueger who has been a long time starter for the Rage probably won't return for Season 10. But, the future still looks strong for the Rage. Joe Siebert, Tom Perkins and Shane Strom are all turning 29 this year and are the core of this team and arguably the best front court in the league. To balance out this experience Brooklyn has a very young but talented backcourt. Mario Bailey and Omar Jefferson are both future stars however Bernie Henderson will probably get the nod over Jefferson to start allowing Jefferson to backup both Henderson and Bailey. The best news for Brooklyn is that they have Jefferson, Bailey, Strom, Perkins and Siebert all tied into contract for several years.
3) Albacete 425-215 0.664
Albacete is the cream of the Season 2 expansion group. They have never missed the play-offs during their existence and have become one of the leagues true elite teams. Harry Jarvis is the heart of this team and Bobby Cress is its soul. But young talent such as Juwan Bixby and Tyler Kane balances this team out well. This team has no significant free agents so expect them to continue to be a top notch team.
4) Washington 456-246 0.650
The league will miss Sam Plummer. After the first two seasons which Washington struggled in they became a power house. While Boom-Boom Casey doesn't get the press he once did he is still the heart of this team. Around him Plummer put AJ Schulz and Emmett Yee to create a dynamic big three. Washington gets a lot of flack for playing such an ugly style of basketball but Plummer's goal isn't to look good it is to win. And they win in bunches. They also have Yee in a long term contract at a very reasonable rate which will give them a lot of cap room to keep this team on top.
5) Cancun 453-148 0.645
For those who have only been following the WBA for the last four seasons this ranking will be a bit of a surprise. Over the last four seasons Cancun has easily been the most dominating team. They have made it to the Finals all four years won it twice and it looks like they will win it a third time. Parker Mason, Lonnie Gerson, Scott Nicholson and Kent Mercer are all among the best at their positions. The one possible weakness for this team is that their stars are so major that they don't have money to spend on their bench. This leaves them vulnerable if they get a major injury. But, when Nicholson got injured a couple of years ago they found a way to survive so they should still do well. Their core will stay together for at least two more years so expect them to continue their dominance.
6) London 452-250 0.644
London had a few stellar years but recently they have been more solid than great. Chanda, Davidson and Colbert are great veteran players but they don't have much young talent to balance them out and in the competitive WBA neither of these three are good enough to put the franchise on their shoulders. Expect London to continue being good but if they are to get back to their past glory they need to make some moves.
7) Boston 447-255 0.637
This is another team that after some glory has become merely solid. In Season 6 Boston won 69 games and 45 in Season 9. 45 victories is still strong but not dominant. This off-season there will be a change in management which often means growing pains. There is actually a ton of talent on this team. The question is if it can ever gel. Magic Toby has always made GM's salivate and tremble in fear. The problem is that he is a shooting guard stuck in a center's body. John Greene is another issue. He is a huge talent but his injury problems are huge. He may be able to get past them but it will take a couple of years. Is Boston willing to wait that long on a player who is already in their late 20's?
8) Nebraska 430-272 0.613
Brandon Morfeld is certainly the most active GM in the league. No other front office has been involved in as many block buster deals. Currently, the Nebraska roster included possibly the two top offensive players in the league with Dave Williams and Wayne Taylor. But, teams have confirmed that there is a deal in place that will send away Dave Williams. Despite all the success that Nebraska has had they still have not won a Championship with current management. Nebraska is clearly an elite franchise with top notch management but it could be argued that Morfeld is too drawn to the big trades and that he hasn't allowed his teams enough time to develop to top notch teams through small moves and slight adjustments.
9) Cincinnati 402-300 0.573
This may be a surprise to some WBA observers. Over the last three years this franchise has really struggled but for the first five seasons they were among the best in the league just behind Colorado and Brooklyn. But, new management wanted to put their mark on the team and they have yet to rebuild the franchise. This team has some solid young talent and Craig Bradshaw may turn into a star but there is far too little talent on this team currently so expect their franchise ranking to continue to drop over the next couple of years.
10) Rochester 400-302 0.570
Once proud… now desperate. Okay it's not that bad but this is a franchise that after making the first seven play-offs has now missed two in a row. They traded away Dave Williams in a move that didn't pan out and this year Rondall Reynoso had a career ending injury. Rumor has it they are getting Williams back so they may be on the rise again but they are no longer the model of consistency they once were.
11) Texas 398-304 0.567
Jay Vasquez and Heiko Van Brandt are huge players but Texas doesn't have much beyond that. Right now they are good enough to be average but if they get a third major player and some role players they could rise quickly. But, that is a big if.
12) Oregon 352-288 0.550
Many people probably expected Oregon to be rated higher but they were mediocre for their first couple of seasons and the one year that they traded away Gonzales they only won 25 games. Currently, they have a ton of talent and a lot of it is young. Gonzo is the best player in the league and Oregon is putting some great talent around him with players like Stein so expect them to be a quality team for seasons to come. Assuming they don't get the crazy idea to trade Gonzo again.
13) Gabon 375-327 0.534
Gabon got a good run out of the Rookie All-Stars. But that time has past. In Season 9 they didn't even have a winning season and none of the four turned into the type of stars people expected. Bramson is great and Otto Hameleers is a great defender. But, this is a franchise that needs to make a move…or several. Let this be a lesson to other owners. You can't blow two seasons to get a great draft class and expect to ride that class to the top. The WBA is just too competitive for that.
14) Budapest 369-333 0.526
This is one of the most respected franchises in the league. While they look very average in these rankings you have to look at the slow steady improvement this franchise has made over the years. The Budapest ownership came into the WBA with very little basketball knowledge and it showed in their first few seasons but three of their last five seasons have had over 50 wins and they do it when people think they can't. Every year WBA insiders look at the Budapest roster and write it off as not having enough talent but many have now learned that Budapest takes a true team approach to the game and are able to win without the major stars. But, with that said they probably do need to find a star or two for their roster if they hope to get a championship.
15) Roswell 362-340 0.516
No team has fallen further. Roswell was once a proud WBA franchise but over the last few seasons they have become pitiful. Their win total from the last two seasons combined doesn't even reach the wins from one season in their hay day. The only good news for this team is that they have cap space and major contracts ending over the next two years.
16) New York 312-390 0.444
Often when ownership changes teams dip. That shouldn't be the case with New York. Four of their last five seasons have had less than 30 wins. The previous ownership had obviously lost interest in their investment and the franchise should benefit from the change of blood. The good news is that this off-season they will loose none of their key players and they have money to spend so if the new ownership is wise this team is actually in a good spot to build from.
17) Montana 307-395 0.437
Mediocre has always described this franchise. But, the future of this franchise is all about Jarius Miles. Many feel he will be a Wayne Taylor type talent. If Montana can develop him and build around him they have a chance to eventually become an elite team.
18) Miami 251-389 0.392
For a while this franchise looked like they were going to become a serious play-off team. But, it never happened. They have some good talent but their coaching has seemed to be lack luster recently. But, they also need to improve their talent if they hope to be more than average. But, proper coaching alone should get this team another 10-15 wins.
19) Andorra 369-333 0.385
The worst starting guards in the league have found a home in Andorra. The good news is that they have some of the best big men in the league and they have the number five pick in the draft which should get them a good guard. If they can then get another good guard as a free agent or as a second round find they may end up the most improved team in the league.
20) Sacramento 265-437 0.377
Sacramento expected more success this year. They started off strong but fell apart in the second half of the season. The problem is that while their key players are all under contract they don't have much money to improve with but they do have a lottery pick. The key for this team may be patience. They are fairly young and with proper development and drafting they could climb out of their hole. Some may argue after their strong start that coaching is really the problem. Only time will tell.
21) Baltimore 262-440 0.373
This is a team in the Budapest mold. They don't have much talent but had a decent year. They will need to get more talent if they hope to continue to improve and they will have to win for more than one season before they are given any respect in this league.
22) Salt Lake City 259-443 0.369
This is an improving franchise. A couple of years ago they were horrible and while they are not good yet they are showing signs. They have solid players at each position but they need to find some stars to help them rise about average.
23) Carolina 256-446 0.365
No team has ever had a harder year. Kevon Duke had a career ending injury. Simeon Hill was out for the year and they didn't get the top pick despite having the worst record. The good news is that they still have the #4 pick and enough money to grab any major free agent they want. Look for a much improved season in Season 10.
24) Birmingham 229-411 0.358
They were the darlings of Season 8 but fell off the map in Season 9. They just don't have enough talent yet but they do have two first round picks this year so they could be improved next year.
25) Omaha 248-454 0.353
This is another team that just doesn't have enough talent. They are several seasons away from being a serious play-off team.
25) California 248-454 0.353
The same story is true here. This is a team full of role players. Some of them are great role players but they don't have the start to support or enough quality help for them to employ a Budapest strategy and with no first round pick improvement seems a way off.
27) Capetown 218-422 0.341
This is no doubt the biggest surprise of the rankings. Over the last three years Capetown has become a serious play-off team. They have a nice mixture of great young talent and very good veteran talent. They will certainly be climbing up the standings over the next few years but they had been so horrible previously that the hole was just too big. In season six while in Bermuda they won only 8 games. In Season 9 they won 49. This should give hope to many other teams in the league.
28) Virgin Islands 161-479 0.252
It is hard for many people not to laugh when they hear the name Virgin Islands in relation to the WBA. There is no other team that has been so horrible for so long. They are easily the worst franchise in the leagues history. They have never had a winning record and have had win totals less the 20 multiple times. But, it looks as though things may be changing for VI. This team actually has some decent talent, much of it young. They also have the #3 pick in the draft. If they have a good off-season they could actually post their first winning season in Season 10.
September 30th, 2004
Transcript of the Jerry Bollinger Show
Jerry: Good afternoon to everyone out there in the wild. My name is Jerry Bollinger and this is my show. We don't have any interviews for this first segment so we will have a lot of time for phone calls. But first things first; we are broadcasting today from Cimmaron New Mexico. I have to admit I was quite surprised to see Cimmaron listed on the tour stop even to the point that I questioned our booking agent about the WBA fan base there in Cimmaron. Our booking agent assured me, and I might add that he was right, that there is a huge WBA following here in Cimmaron. So lets here it “Kudos for Cimmaron”. With that lets take our first call from Dan in Trinidad, CO. Howl at me Dan.
Dan: First off Jerry, thanks for letting me howl in the wild.
Jerry: No problem. What's up
Dan: In the last issue of GSPN Magazine the #14 pick for most overpaid WBA player was Miamis John Davis. Do you agree with that or is the writer of that article thinking of a different John Davis than I am? I'll just hang up and listen to your answer.
Jerry: Dan I agree with you. This writer must be thinking of a different John Davis. Let's just look at some stats on Davis. Last year he was the #3 top rebounder in the league only to follow Paul Wilson and Corey Mosley. He averaged a double double in rebounding and scoring for last year. This year he isn't doing as well but it's clear that there is some confusion in Miami. The team is just not clicking as well as they were last year. Johns stats are down slightly. I expect however that he will pull out of the lull that he has been in so far. Regardless he is at 51% shooting this season and still pulls down 8.5 boards a game. How someone can come and say that he is not worth 8.25 mill a year is beyond me. Rumors also have it that Miami plans on extending his contract. And I for one don't blame them. Is Davis a 10 mill a year guy? I don't think so. He would have to get his points up per game for that. We should point out that Davis is not a big defensive powerhouse but at the same time his defensive awareness is one of the highest in the league. He is the kind of guy that knows where to be on the floor defensively just to avert the ball from coming to his man. There isn't a stat for that so you don't see it in the box score. But you have to look at how the games have gone for the man that Davis is guarding. For example in their first meeting of Capetown coach Bangerter played Davis out of position and had him guard Mabruke. He basically took Mabruke out of that game. Miami still lost because of a point guard mismatch but looking at the box score all you see is that Mabruke didn't get many touches on the ball and that can all be attributed to the defense awareness of Davis.
Next call we have Raymond in Elizabethtown, IN. Howl at me baby.
Raymond: Thanks for letting me run in the wild. Do you think the WBA will ever correct the divisions based on geographic location and take Miami out of the Western conference and move them to the Mid-Atlantic division?
Jerry: First off; Yes it would be nice to see Miami in the weaker eastern conference. Normally it would all but assure them a playoff spot every year (Except this year of course where they cant seem to get it together). But there is misunderstanding about where Miami's team is. You see back when they were New Orleans they were in the Western conference and when they moved to Miami, most people assumed it was Miami, Florida. But I must tell you all that that is wrong. In fact the first person who can tell me what state the Xtreme are based in gets an old Mike Begley, in a Miami uniform, bobble head doll.
Go ahead Mike from Seattle.
Mike: Is the answer: “Miami, Ohio?”
Jerry: No. Sorry Mike. No Begley bobble head today.
Mike: Speaking of Mike Begley isn't he about 52 years old now and shouldn't he retire?
Jerry: Well 52 is a good guess and he probably wont retire until he is that old but as of right now he is a ripe old age of 35. As to when he should retire, if someone keeps giving him money then I'm sure he will keep playing. Wouldn't you?
Mike: I don't know if I would keep playing or not. It's kind of embarrassing at this point. He is clearly washed out. He rides the bench and when he comes into the game its almost as if its just for some charity minutes.
Jerry: Yea I hear you but at the same time he make his minimum WBA salary which is a lot more than you and I make. And to be honest with you I would be willing to look like a fool for even that money.
Next call. George from So Cal. Howl at me George.
George: Is it Miami, Colorado?
Jerry: No you moron there is no Miami in Colorado. Come on people do at least a little research before you call. See ya George you are lost in the dark <click> I can't take a call from a moron who doesn't do any research. He was probably going to ask something like: “Is Wayne Taylor going to be mvp this year again?” Yes Taylor probably will be mvp but I think it should go to either Emmett Yee of Washington or Taylors teammate Dave Williams. This comes back to the age old question of: Should the mvp be given to the best player in the league or to the highest impact player? When I cast my vote, and I do have one I might add, it will go to Yee.
Collin from New Mexico I hope your howl is coyote worthy.
Collin: the Xtreme home court is in Miami, New Mexico.
Jerry: That is absolutely correct. Collin you get a Begley bobble head. The Xtreme move from New Orleans, Louisiana to Miami, New Mexico. Make sure that you stay on the line after the call to give Biff your address information. Do you have anything to howl about?
Collin: I just wanted to ask what you think Miami needs to do in the off season to improve their team.
Jerry: Thanks for the question Collin. The Xtreme have some very talented players and I think they just need to learn how to work together. As for the off season there are a few things that they can do. This is the final year of Marty Williams contract and I doubt very much that he will get re-signed. Miami will try to get him back in free agency but I suspect there will be a team out there that will be in great need of a great rebounding center and I expect Williams will get a decent contract else where. I think Tony Gaston might earn himself a multi year deal with Miami. He turned out to be a great backup to Rainwater. As the trade deadline was approaching I thought for sure that they would move Alvin Simpson but now we are here at the end of the season and Simpson has really turned his game around. Simpson may even live out his contract with Miami. Simpsons backup is a great passing point guard but he is not as good on the defensive side. As for free agency: Miami will have about 8 million to spend on a good free agent but who that would be I can't say. Personally I hope that they get 3 or 4 decent backup players for about 2 or 3 mill a piece. That would help this team a lot.
Well all you wild animals my time is coming to a close. Our next tour stop hasn't been scheduled yet but stay tuned to the show. Until next time oowwweeeooooooooo!!!
August 28th, 2004
Virgin Islands Off-season News…
What a season! Virgin Islands missed the playoffs again but it was suspenseful til the last week of action… VI came into the season only expect 8 wins but then acquire Ed Kane and move Umberto to back up and the just got better and better… Scooter Jacobs, Ed Kane and Al Zarra along with 2nd year players, Harry Applegate, Kevin Boice and Marquez Houston propelled VI to a 32 - 48 record, only 4 games off of their best finish since the existence (36-44)! Just think… that 36 - 44 record would have got them into the playoffs this season… LOL... Season 9 was memorable for Scooter Jacobs; he had a big season almost averaging 20 points a game. VI is looking to possible resign the crafty veteran. VI is also the owner of the number 3rd and 10th picks in the upcoming draft and even thought they are not one of the most attractive teams to the newcomers, we think that VI is really interested in Al Herbert, Samson Erickson, and Raphael Park! Management has refused any comments. Raphael Park was stated saying it would be an honor to pick 3rd in the draft and prove his WBA Worth!
Virgin Islands are in negotiation with Montana, Rochester, and Nebraska… A deal has been made… And the details are… Well we are not at liberty to disclose that info, but just know VI is better!
VI is also on the move again… Yes they are… moving after 5 seasons in the Islands… The move is a bit to the extreme. Atlanta was in strong talks for the relocations, but the deal fell thru. Seems as if another person had something on their mind. The move should be a good one for the publicity of the WBA and GBCA... The players and management don't seem to mind the move and the weather is completely different. This isn't official yet, as seems, we are waiting on the commissioner of the WBA to give us the final permission. But if granted authority to move yet again and for the last time… The move will be to Alaska and the mascot will be SnowBears!
Well this concludes this report! VI Season 10 Champs!
August 23rd, 2004
Texas End of Season Report.
By Clark Lane
After a very bad end of season, the management of the Texas Juggers has decided to call this a season and get ready for the next one.
There are several reasons why the season has been a bad one. One of them is that we didn’t have a big presence on the Small Forward spot. With the acquisition of Heiko Van Brandt we have found the player we wanted to have, and we are going to try to put him where he deserves to be, at the MVP ballot. Another one is the lack of backcourt production. We have had the worse backcourt since I took the team around six seasons ago. We need to turn that around and put a stop at it. We need some quality in there, and hopefully, cheaply.
There are several objectives for next season. The first one is the fifty wins barrier. We need to get over it and forget about it. Once this is done, we are going to try to get into the Conference finals, thing that we have never done neither. We have been as far as the seventh game of the semifinals, but never to the next level. As a third target we are going to try to take the division from Cancun, this is going to be hard, and we don’t expect it to work easily, but if we want to have a chance to win everything we need to beat them. So far they are the best team ever in the WBA.
You may be thinking about how can we do that. It is easy. We are going to try to get a top SG. At FA, or by trading, or by getting a good FA and then trading him, but this team needs a SG. We need a high octane scoring SG, and if it is possible not with a huge contract. Once this is done, we will think about reinforcement of the point.
We don’t expect to get any improvements on the frontcourt.
We hope to put a high scoring, hard-nosed team on the court next season. We think that we are really only one inch away from it, and once everything fells into place we will take our real place in this league.
This being said, Heiko Van Brandt, Jay Vasquez and Al Lee are out of bounds. The rest of the team can be traded. Some of them cheaply, some of them easily if I get just a little bit of something.
Good luck to all the other owners and enjoy the holidays!!
August 19th, 2004
Draft Preview
By Brandon Morfeld
1) Roswell-- PF Walt Jackson-- Jackson is probably the best player in this draft and Roswell could really use a forward after dealing away John Greene. This would give them Phillips, Durden, Freeman, Jackson, and Boone as a starting 5. Jackson also comes with the flexibility to play SF if needed. Jackson should adjust well to the league and be an immediate force for Roswell.
2) Rochester-- SF Ajani Valentine-- I believe this would be the first time in history that a GCBA team would have players go 1 and 2, but we all know that Rochester needs a SF and Ajani Valentine is the perfect fit. He has a slight fouling problem, but overall I would say that for what Rochester needs he is a frontrunner for the #2 pick.
3) Virgin Islands-- PG Evelio Jackson-- This may come as a bit of a shock to the league, but Jackson is one of the best PG's I've seen come out of the GCBA in a long time and VI needs to get a PG that can shoot the ball well enough to keep them in games. Jackson plays a very smart game with no turnovers and few fouls and is tenacious on defense. He'll be an instant impact player on the VI squad.
4) Carolina-- PF Sheldon Gorman-- Gorman is a guy that I feel is deserving of being slected #1 in this draft, but will slip to #4 thanks to team needs. Many thought that Carolina got hurt by losing the lottery, but I actually feel they are getting an almost equal talent to the #1 pick, plus he's younger. Gorman brings so much to the table and he will step right in as a strong contributor to the Carolina franchise. If their ownership is smart he'll be their franchise player for a long time.
5) Andorra-- C Al Herbert-- Herbert is the top Center to be selected in the draft and it's about time. Andorra has been looking at C's to draft just in case they are unable to keep John Van Horne. Who better than the #1 Center in this class and a guy that nearly won Player of the Yera honors. Not to mention he guided Paris U to yet another championship.
6) Washington-- PF Samson Erickson-- Erickson just makes the most sense here. Washington has all their starters set so they will be looking mostly for solid depth and why not draft the best rebounder in the draft. Rebounding is something that anyone can always use.
7) Miami-- PG Pete Nelson-- This may seem odd, but Nelson is a great PG and some WBA team is going to get very lucky to have him. Miami has a nice team so this pick could go a lot of different ways, but here they get a PG that doesn't turn the ball over and plays solid defense, plus he shoots the ball well. That's a well rounded PG.
8) Birmingham-- PF Raphael Park-- Amazing that such a talented player could slip down to the #8 pick. He'[s a well rounded player who should adjust well to the league. He may have to work on his rebounding a bit, but overall he's a strong player. Birmingham will be very happy with him playing alongside Watts.
9) Cincinnati-- SF Asher Ward-- Ward will be a very nice addition to any team. He's the complete package at SF and could easily go much higher in this draft. He's a great rebounder and he is a threat every time he touches the ball. Cincy could really use a player like that.
10) Virgin Islands-- SF Wu Dian-Fan-- The third SF to go this draft is almost as good as the first 2. He's a better scorer, but he is a weak rebounder and has some defensive issues. He will need a few seasons to make an impact, but he may also be a nice surprise to a VI team needing scoring.
August 11th, 2004
Season 9 Awards
ALL-WBA
PG: Parker Mason, Cancun
SG: Dave Williams, Nebraska
SF: Wayne Taylor, Nebraska
PF: Dave Short, Boston
C: Lou Gonzalez, Oregon
2nd team:
PG: Steve Peterson, Budapest
SG: Emmett Yee, Washington
SF: Obafemi Mabruke, Capetown
PF: Scott Nicholson, cancun
C: Jay Vazquez, Texas
3rd team:
PG: Brandon Sandler, Cincinnati
SG: Dave Troychak, Miami
SF: Shane Strom, Brooklyn
PF: Bobby Cress, Albacete
C: Kent Mercer, Cancun
ALL-Defensive team
PG: Brandon Sandler, Cincinnati
SG: Bobby Egan, Sacramento
SF: Lonnie Gerson, Cancun
PF: Mark Miller, Andorra
C: Lou Gonzalez, Oregon
2nd team
PG: Steve Peterson, Budapest
SG: Bert Haug, Rochester
SF: Cordell Parks, SLC
PF: Leo Rice, Washington
C: Jay Vazquez, Texas
3rd team
PG: Dexter Kodak, Nebraska
SG: Dave Troychak, Miami
SF: Brody Liang, California
PF: Greg Lacy, Colorado
C: Pat Stephenson, Montana
ALL-Rookie team
PG: Ryan Cuevas, Andorra
SG: Bishop Stein, Oregon
SF: Edgar Kamara, Colorado
PF: Anthony Curtis, Oregon
C: Juwan Bixby, Albacete
2nd team
PG: Tyler Kane, Albacete
SG: Maury Coleman, Roswell
SF: Josiah Gillies, Capetown
PF: Abdiel Gordon, Capetown
C: Vance Clopp, Nebraska
3rd team
PG: Hank Pynn, Boston
SG: Paul Carroll, Cancun
SF: Norm Axelrod, Rochester
PF: Quentin Christensen, Colorado
C: Tyriq Lang, New York
MVP
Lou Gonzalez, Oregon
2-Dave Williams, Nebraska
3-Parker Mason, Cancun
Defensive player of the year
Lou Gonzalez, Oregon
2-Jay Vazquez, Texas
3-Bobby Egan, Sacramento
Rookie of the year
Bishop Stein, Oregon
2-Juwan Bixby, Albacete
3-Vance Clopp, Nebraska
6th man of the year
Brad Bangerter, Cancun
2-Gordon Whitehouse, Albacete
3-Paul Wilson, Nebraska
Most improved player
Brad Bangerter, Cancun
2-Mario Bailey, Brooklyn
3-Tony Dimateo, Oregon
Coach of the year
Patrick Fullum, Cancun
2-Sam Plummer, Washington
3-Dugyik Tamas, Budapest
Executive of the year
Sam Plummer, Washington
2-Brandon Morfeld, Nebraska
3-Patrick Fullum, Cancun
August 10th, 2004
Draft Preview
1- Roswell
Walt Jackson, SF/PF: Our guess here is that Roswell will go with the best player and to us, Walt Jackson is the best player in this draft. Roswell has Tyler Durden at the SF spot and Cristobal Dasher at PF, but if they choose to go with Jackson, Dasher can move over to center, giving Roswell a decent frontcourt.
2- Rochester (via Montana)
Wu Dian-Fan, SF: Rochester has struggled on offense this season, and Wu might be the best offensive player. Plus he would be a nice addition to replace the tragic loss of Rondall Reynoso.
3- Virgin Isl. (via California)
Evelio Jackson, PG/SG: Well, it looks like VI has lost faith in Umberto Ditullio. Can he be a starting point guard in this league? Plus, Scooter Jacobs, coming off a great seson, is a free agent and not getting any younger. Jackson can play both the point and shooting guard, so VI can start him at either position.
4- Carolina
Sheldon Gorman, PF: Center Keyshawn Eosso and power forward Simeon Hill are two of the only bright spots on this squad. Luke Benner's contract is up and Carolina certainly has the money to retain his services. So drafting a guard here would seem like the obvious choice, but can they pas up on Sheldon Gorman? We personnaly believe here that Gorman is just too good to pass up on at number four.
5- Andorra (via Miami)
Ahmed Dougherty, SG: Everyone in the WBA knows that Andorra has one of the worst backcourts in the league. So drafting the best guard available makes sense, and Dougherty is that player.
6- Washington (via New York)
Al Herbert, C: This is a hard pick to predict, because Washington doesn't need it, having all its important players back, and they have youngsters and able backups at every position. It wouldn't be a surprise if that pick was traded. If not traded, Washington might go with Al Herbert, because Casey will be a free agent next season. But they have Reed Moses, so it could go any way.
7- Miami (via Andorra)
Reid Dall, PG: They might either go after a center as insurance in case they arent able to resign Marty Williams, or go after a point guard, since Miami management seems unsure about Alvin Simpson. Our guess is that they will go after Reid Dall, since they already have Jose Nobis to take over for Willaims should he decide to leave.
8- Birmingham
Samson Erickson, PF: Blackstone and Delaney are entering their final contract year, so Birmingham probably will go after a small forward or a power forward here. The best rebounder in the draft will do!
9- Cincinnati
Adjani Valentine, SF: Misha Kryznetsov is a free agent and they might go after a shooting guard, but having Valentine available at this spot, they just might go after his defense. He would be a great complement to Abegunda Abasi, being able to help out Brandon Sandelr on defense.
10-Virgin Isl.
Evan Kerr, SG: Assuming they got Jackson with their first pick, how about a shooting guard to complement him? Evan Kerr is a great shooter that would be able to replace Jacobs. A rookie backcourt to go with the young frontcourt of Marques Houston and Kelvin Boice would be a great foundation for VI.
11-Sacramento
Chad O'Donnell, C: Sacramento has players under contract at every position but they need help still since they didnt make the playoffs. Considering Cushman has trouble staying on the court, they might choose the college defensive player of the year.
12-Rochester
Raphael Park, PF: They might go after a backup shooting guard like Johny Blaylock here, but if Raphael Parks is available, it might be too tempting to grab him here. He could provide offense with Dian-Fan or even challenge Jack Berger and Jerry Sims for the starting power forward spot.
13-London (via Omaha)
Johny Blaylock, PG/SG: Its obvious that London needs a shooting guard, and Blaylock is the best one available.
14-SLC (via Gabon)
Pete Nelson, PG: They might loose Eric Manning, so drafting Nelson here makes sense. He would be insurance in case Manning would leave, and if he does not, Nelson will be a great backup.
15-Salt Lake
Joe Brennan, SF/PF: Owning two consecutive picks, SLC might cover themselves here in case Cordell Parks should leave. Joe Brennan is not the defensive player Parks his, but SLC already has other great defensive players and Brennan might be a great pick here.
16-Capetown (via Texas)
Ryan Lowe, PG/SG: Chuck Henderson will be a free agent after next season and Capetown might want to draft Lowe to cover themselves. He will get a year to earn playing with Henderson and would be a good backup this upcoming season, wether its at the point or at shooting guard.
17-Baltimore
Rodger Garson, SF: Mike Ivey and Odibe King, both of whom were at one point the starting small forward's on this team are free agents, Rodger Garson is the best available small forward at this point and could help out Baltimore right away.
18-Gabon (via Boston)
Javonte Bolk, PG: Will they go for center Junior Jones here? Most seasons they draft a center with their first pick, but with Jim Wilson and John Devine, that is no longer a need. Point guard seems to be the weak spot and Javonte Bolk is the best point guard available.
19-London
Asher Ward, SF: Abdullah Chanda does not appear to be a favorite in London and Nick Adams is a free agent. Asher Ward is the best option for a small forward here and might be the best player available at this point, so it makes sense for London to draft him here.
20-London (via Capetown)
Liam McKee, PF: London's third first round pick here, they drafted a shooting guard and a small forward. Now they could go after a PF, someone like Liam McKee would do. He might be a steal if he falls that far.
21-Albacete
Junior Jones, C: Albacete doesn't seem to need one player at a particular position, so they will draft the best player available. At this point, Junior Jones is that player.
22-Colorado (via Budapest)
Sam Hickerson, C: They need a center in case Sean Ashman bolts after the season. Hickerson is a great pick at number 22 if he makes it there.
23-Colorado
Darius Burnes, PG: Two consecutive picks, and their starting point guard, Charlie Daidone, is a free agent. Darius Burnes is the best point man available, and could be Colorado's choice.
24-Oregon
Steve Miller, SF: Oregon has two natural power forwards playing the 3 spot, and id Miler is available at this point, Oregon will grab him. Miller was one of the favorites to win GCBA player of the year and will be steal if he falls that far.
25-Birmingham (via Nebraska)
Cory Brooks, SF/PF: The philosophy for the rest of the picks here might be to grab the best available player. Cory Brooks in our opinion is the best available.
26-Brooklyn
Kolby O'rourke, SF/PF: They might loose point guard Justin Krueger, but the point guard available at this point might not be first round material. So again, they might pick the best player available.
27-New York (via Washington)
Carlos Williams, C: Rookie Tyriq Lang was the starter in the middle, and he will need some help. Carlos Williams could be a great steal should he fall that far.
28-Cancun
Auston Monte, SF/PF: With rumours spreading that Brad Bangerter is going to SLC after the season, Cancun will have to look for someone to replace him. Auston Monte seems like the best candidate here.
Other who could get looks as first rounders:
SG Seth Finklestein, SG/SF Jeremy Aarons, PF Derrontay Simms, SF George Bissett, SF Jamie Darnall SF, Jim Koons C, Jim Young PF, Quinn Davis, C Jake Cone. PF/C Jack Berkley
August 2nd, 2004
Playoff Review… After Day Day 78
With 6 Days left, the WBA Playoff Race is heating up!
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1
|
CANCUN
|
59-15
|
-
|
2
|
NEBRASKA
|
55-19
|
4.0
|
3
|
OREGON
|
53-21
|
6.0
|
4
|
COLORADO
|
49-25
|
10
|
5
|
CAPETOWN
|
47-27
|
12
|
6
|
TEXAS
|
41-33
|
18
|
7
|
SALT LAKE
|
34-40
|
25
|
8
|
CINCY
|
30-45
|
29
|
9
|
OMAHA
|
29-45
|
29.5 / .5
|
10
|
CALI
|
27-47
|
32 / 2.5
|
11
|
MONTANA
|
26-48
|
33 / 3.5
|
1
|
WASHINGTON
|
58-16
|
-
|
2
|
BUDAPEST
|
47-27
|
11
|
3
|
BROOKLYN
|
52-22
|
6
|
4
|
ALBACETE
|
44-30
|
14 / 3
|
5
|
BOSTON
|
42-32
|
16
|
6
|
BALTIMORE
|
41-33
|
17
|
7
|
LONDON
|
40-34
|
18
|
8
|
GABON
|
33-41
|
25
|
9
|
ROCHESTER
|
33-42
|
25.5 / .5
|
10
|
SACRAMENTO
|
30-44
|
28 / 3.5
|
11
|
VIRGIN ISLANDS
|
30-44
|
28 / 3.5
|
The playoff seedings are not set as of yet… But a lot of teams have outside chances to make the playoffs… Teams like Rochester, Virgin Islands, Sacramento, California and Montana future rests on other teams…
Rochester is usually a fix for the number 8 seed in the East and Gabon is usually higher in the ranks. But this season has been filled with thrills, and the finish should be the same… Rochester needs to thrive to play better than average… VI could have lost there momentum yesterday with a devastating lost to Miami… But they still have an outside chance of making the playoffs… Lets take a quick look at the teams eyeing the #8 seeds in the playoffs, and weekly predictions…
DAY 79
1040. Virgin Isl. at Baltimore - VI by 5
1041. London at Montana - London by 11
1045. Omaha at Capetown - Capetown by 15
1046. California at Albacete - Albacete by 15
1048. Sacramento at Washington - Washington by 15
1050. Carolina at Gabon - Upset… Carolina by 3
So after Day 79, we will see… VI actually move with in 2 games! Thanks to Carolina, and Cincy will actually game a 1 game advantage over Omaha! And Montana and Cali will be ELIMINATED!
DAY 80
1054. Gabon at Omaha - Omaha by 3; just because they are hungry… this is a must win game…
1060. Virgin Isl. at Washington - VI is hungry but Washington is good… VI usually gives Washington some hell, but unless all engines are firing away… Washington by 11
1062. Carolina at Sacramento - Nothing to lose or Win… Carolina playing spoiler… Nah, not twice in one week.. Sac by 23
1063. Cancun at Rochester - Rochester has to hate having to play Cancun… Nevertheless, Cancun by 5
1064. Cincinnati at Albacete - Hey Cincy, you not there yet.. Albacete stands in your way… Better bring the globetrotters… Albacete by 15!
So after Day 80; If Omaha actually upsets Gabon… Rochester will still be out by 1 game… VI out by 2 games, Sac out by 2.5 games… The Wild will take over the 8 seed in the West…
DAY 81
1068. Budapest at Rochester; Rochester again will slip… Budapest by 5… Rochester is a solid team, but I don't see them overtaking Budapest in this battle…
1069. Salt Lake at Gabon; Gabon will shake the funk and win this game… Gabon by 11
1073. Sacramento at Albacete seems to be a thorn in the foot of everyone… Sacramento will be eliminated with this lost… Albacete by 15
1074. Cincinnati at Birmingham; Cincy… will open the door for Omaha to take a game and a half lead for the #8 seed in the West… Birmingham by 2
1077. Virgin Isl. at Omaha; Probably the most important game for both teams this season… Expect a battle… VI won the first match… and will win the 2nd match too… VI by 3
After Day 81, Omaha and Cincy will still be separated by a half game… Gabon will have have a two game lead of Rochester and Virgin Islands…
DAY 82
1080. London at Gabon; VI and Rochester will be smiling after this game… Gabon will bring a battle, but London by 4!
1082. Washington at Rochester; Rochester will smile, but not for long… Washington will not miss a step and Washington wins by 5
1086. Omaha at Salt Lake; Omaha hasn't won against Salt Lake all season… Now would be a great time, but history repeats it self and Salt Lake wins by 10
1089. Cincinnati at Texas; Great opportunity for Cincy to take advantage, but it will not happen, or will it… This is a toss up game… The series leads toward Texas… So I do too.. Texas by 5
1090. Brooklyn at Virgin Isl.; A Gabon lost… An opportunity, an old foe… An old fashion butt kicking… Sorry VI… But take it like a man… You still have a chance… Brooklyn by 10
So after Day 82… We still have a heated race… VI and Rochester out by two... Omaha holding on to the half game lead…
DAY 83
1100. Cincinnati at Brooklyn - Brooklyn, just broke one heart… Why not two hearts… Brooklyn by 15
1102. California at Omaha; Cali is out… Nothing to win or lose… Cali by 10…
1103. Rochester at Virgin Isl.; hum.. Both know this is the day to catch up a game… One will be eliminated… VI holds the series lead for this season… I am basis. Sorry.. VI eliminates Rochester by 1
1105. Gabon at Nebraska; Need I say anything! Nebraska by 18
So going into the last day of the season… We have VI out by 1 and Cincy out by a half game… Only 4 games matter…
DAY 84
1108. Gabon at Budapest; VI is looking at this game in the locker room… Budapest is falling… Um… In this epic battle, Budapest defeats Gabon in OT by 5…
1110. Virgin Isl. at Colorado; So VI needs a win… VI needs an offensive effort to beat this Colorado team… This will be a high scoring affair, VI will prevail by 3 in Doulble OT.
1117. Albacete at Omaha, Albacete again… The can't win them all… Bye Bye Cincy… Omaha wins by 5
1120. Montana at Cincinnati; this game doesn't matter.. Cincy wins by 5, but the damage is done
SO WE HAVE A TIE IN THE WEST… GABON AND VI SPLIT THE REGUAL SEASON SERIES… A PLAY IN GAME WILL GIVE GABON THE NUMBER 8 SEED…
THESE ARE MY OPINIONS… A LOT OF YOU WILL SAY THAT VI WILL LOSE OUT ON MONDAY, BUT I DON'T THINK SO… IF WE DO LOSE OUT… A HECK OF A SEASON…
July 31st, 2004
ANNUAL MOCK DRAFT (SESSION 9)
1.-CAROLINA. Walt Jackson(SF/PF). The Storm is in big troubles with or without Kevon Duke. While the backcourt seems some kind of “decent”, the frontcourt is infamous. Only Eosso is a player in this league, and Carolina needs to add some bulk to the zone. Walt Jackson is a good cornerstone to start with. Sure he can score from every spot on the court. Besides, he knows how to get to the line. Rebounding has no secrets for him, and he will contribute from the beginning. Throw in that he ca pass the ball and a decent (but he must improve) defensive ability, and you have a number 1 pick
WALT JACKSON 17.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.4 bpg
2.-ANDORRA (from Miami). Evelio Jackson(PG/SG). Once upon a time, there was a team with Devonta Corrigan, Mark Miller and John Van Horne playing together, but there was no one left to throw the ball to this trio. Conclusion? You need a PG the worst possible way. The best guard, though a combo guard can play the PG without hesitation. Evelio Jackson is a great passer and knows how to play in control. While he can score when needed, he will never be a shoot first player. His defense is amazing and he puts up a lot of intangibles to the game
EVELIO JACKSON 15 ppg, 7.0 apg, 2.5 spg
3.-ROSWELL. Pete Nelson(PG).If your playmaker is Wesley Phillips, you are a lottery bound team. Roswell has a lot of issues to solve, but maybe the PG is the greatest.. Nelson will add some passing to this team, some good defense and he wont be shy if he has to shoot the ball
PETE NELSON: 15.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 4.7 rpg
4.-WASHINGTON(from New York). Samson Erickson (PF). Washington could be the team that doesn't need a lottery pick, but who cares? You always can invest in a good player. The weakest spot here is the PF, and the best player is Samson Erickson. He is a very aggressive rebounder, and has a lot of great moves around the basket. Besides his aggressiveness, he is a very smart player who doesn't commit easy fouls
SAMSON ERICKSON: 17.3 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.7 bpg
5.-BIRMINGHAM. Ahmed Dougherty(SG). With Vilasny distributing and Kutak playing combo guard, the Fury needs a SG to have a good rotation in the perimeter. Maybe Dougherty is the ideal choice here. Good perimeter shooting, nice passing, nice defense, he will be an important player for the team selecting him
AHMED DOUGHERTY: 16.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.6 apg
6.- MIAMI (from Andorra). Wu-Dian-Fan(SF). Here comes the best scorer this draft. He is capable of scoring at will. He will need to improve a little bit his rebounding and passing to be in the elite in the WBA, but in 2 seasons could be an all star
WU-DIAN-FAN: 20.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.0 apg
7.- ROCHESTER(from Montana). Seth Finklestein(SG). Losing Reynoso was a blow, but he is easily replazable with Berger and Axelrod. McCarty owns the zone, the a guard is needed here. Finklestein is a capable scorer with a nice, but developing al around game. He could unload McCarty of some double teams with his dangerous perimeter shot
SETH FLINKLESTEIN: 18ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.3 apg
8.- VIRGIN ISLANDS (from California).Johnny Blaylock(PG/SG) Can you believe it? Robert with a chance to be in the playoffs and 2 lottery picks. What are the needs? A shooting guard is very urgent, and while blaylock can play PG too, he is a good shooter to play in the wing. He will be capable of giving DiTullio some rest playing the point when needed. HE will get some needed rebounding too
JOHNNY BLAYLOCK: 14.0 ppg, 6.4 apg, 6.5 rpg, 2.5 spg
9.-LONDON(from Omaha). Evan Kerr(SG). Its well known that Peter Parker and Jesus Diened cant be starters in this league if you want to go deep in the playoffs. Evan Kerr is a very good shooter who becomes great from the 3-point line. Throw in a great court vision to put the ball when and where needed and you have a great young player
EVAN KERR: 16.9ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.2 apg
10.-VIRGIN ISLANDS. Junior Jones (C). Now with a SG, Robert needs to start thinking about replacing Al Zarra at center. This draft isn't the best with centers, but Junior Jones is a good addition. With a good shooting touch, and a knack for rebounding and blocking shots, he will be an immediate contributor for VI. His ability to not commit fouls should be considered too.
JUNIOR JONES: 13.9 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.3 bpg
11.-SACRAMENTO. Raphael Park(PF). With some depth needed in their frontcourt, the Fighting Cocks should use this pick in a C or a PF. Given the lack of good C in this season draft, a PF will be enough. Raphael park is a very good scorer around the basket and he visits the line a lot. His rebounding is good enough to play with the pros, and you can't forget some ability to pass the ball.
RAPHAEL PARK: 20.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 3.0 apg
12.-ROCHESTER. Javonte Bolk(PG). Now they got a SG, maybe some kind of a backup for Jimmy Whalen would be welcome. Bolk is a scoring PG who can change the pace of the game. He's not the best passer, but he can held his own distributing the ball.
JAVONTE BOLK: 16.5 ppg, 5.8 apg, 3.4 rpg, 2.0 apg
13.-SALT LAKE CITY (from Gabon). Cory Brooks(SF/PF). Brooks is a scoring forward who could be immediate help for the Fanatics. Brad has great players around but he lacks a starting PF. Brooks has great range with his shot and he is really not shy to ask for the ball. He will need to improve his rebounding to play PF with the pros.
CORY BROOKS: 17.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.5 bpg
14.-CINCINATTI. Ajani Valantine(SF). The cyclones have good players in every position, but they aren't very deep. The best available player IMO is Valantine. Sure his stats aren't great, but you have to love his possibilities. He can score for sure, he in a rebounding machine and a good defender…talk about Williams U not taking profit of a good player
AJANI VALANTINE: 10.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg
15.- SALT LAKE CITY. Al Herbert(C). Once we have a PF, Brad could think about solidifying his frontcourt with a tough center. Herbert wont command shot, but he knows how to get to the line. His best characteristics are the rebounding and the defense
AL HERBERT: 14.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.7 bpg
16.- LONDON. Derrontay Simms(PF). Abdullah Chanda isn't getting any younger, and David is trying to trade him while he still has some value. Simms can rebound with anyone in college league, but he is sure he will translate it to the pros. He will need some training to improve his FG%, but he's a good player
DERRONTAY SIMMS: 13.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.7 bpg
17.- BOSTON. Brenton Daniels. Boston doesn't have a decent passer and they would be a lot better with a good playmaker. Daniels is a specialist penetrating through defenses and drawing a lot of fouls. He really needs to work his defense, given that he makes a lot of fouls too
BRENTON DANIELS: 13.5 ppg, 5.0 apg
18.- CAPETOWN (form Texas). Carlos Williams. The bandits are one of the worst teams when you look at big men, and it's a pity that there's no great centers this year, but Carlos Williams could really help Capetown. While he's not a scorer, he can contribute in the offensive end, and he is a good rebounder. He needs to adjust his defense to stay on the court, but he would have minutes to play with Capetown
CARLOS WILLIAMS: 13.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.7 bpg
19.-BALRIMORE. Roger Garson (SF). Here we have a player that is not great at anything but does everything very good. Garson isn't the best scorer but he is really over average. He isn't the best rebounder, but can rebound against any player at his position. He is a very good passer and not a bad defender at all. In my opinion, Garson will never be a star, but he will be the kind of player who helps to win championships
ROGER GARSON: 13.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 6.6 apg
20.- ALBACETE. Steve Miller (SF). Albacete is looking for long time a scoring forward, and they don't mind to wait until the draft to get one. Miller is a one-dimensional player…he only scores, he has a great shot for long range, and that's just what Albacete needs
STEVE MILLER: 18.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.4 apg
21.- COLORADO (from Budapest). Darius Burns (PG). Colorado can really allow to pick a player and wait on him to develop. Burns has great stats but I have doubts that he can translate them to the next level
DARIUS BURNS: 9.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 8.2 apg
22.- LONDON (from Capetown). Asher Ward(SF). David could have covered the PF and the SG with his previous picks, and to cover probable Chanda's departure,only a SF is needed. It's a luck that there's a lot of good SFs this year. Ward is a very capable scorer and rebounder. He will never make forget Chanda, but he can cover the SF with Nick Adams
ASHER WARD: 14.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.3 bpg
23.- COLORADO. George Bissett (SF). Once it's clear that Edgar Kamara will need time to develop, maybe one other SF is a good idea. Like Kamara, Bisset is a great passer, but he is a better scorer than Kamara will never be. Defense is not one of his better attributes, but this late in draft, hes a hell of a pick
GEORGE BISSETT: 14.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 5.2 apg
24.- BIRMINGHAM(from Brooklyn). Joe Brennan(SF/PF). Once they feel that all the positions are well covered, maybe it's a good idea to add some bulk to the frontcourt. Not that they are bad, but id Watts is starting at C, Coles could backup him, and if Delany plays PF, who plays after him?. Birmingham players haven't been blessed with lots of stamina, and Brennan could make sense with his rebounding ability
JOE BRENNAN 14.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.6 spg
25.- OREGON. Kolby O'rourke (SF/PF). Like Brennan, O'rourke could be a steal this late in draft. The things he is asked to do, he excels. He's a little better scorer than Brooks, and a good rebounder too, but he needs to improve his passing to play SF or his blocking ability to play PF
KOLBY O'ROURKE: 14.7 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 2.3 spg
26.- NEBRASKA. Jamie Darnall(SF). Given recent problems of Wayne Taylor with staying healthly, a SF is the real need of Brandon, but given the amount of good SFs this year, I wouldn't be surprised to see him trading up to get Midwest's Steve miller or even Wu-Dian-Fan. Darnall is the best SF available, and he is a nice scorer with some all around game and a history of winning with Paris
JAMIE DARNALL: 15.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg
27.- CANCUN. Auston Monte(SF/PF). Cancun really doesn't need more players, but we all know that Bangerter will end in Salt lake City. Monte will cover his lose
AUSTON MONTE: 14.8 ppg, 8.9rpg, 1.9 spg
28.- NEW YORK (from Washington). Liam McKie (PF). New York, trying to solve the impossible could select a point forward. Mckie loves to distribute the ball a will do everything out of scoring for his team
LIAM MCKIE: 11.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.8 apg
July 31st, 2004
Draft Preview
Every year there are several draft predictions done trying to narrow down who each team will select. I am going to try a new approach and instead list out position ratings. It shouldn't influence my draft very much since I own no picks. So here are my top 3 players at each position.
Point Guard
1) 4SR Evelio Jackson 12--- B+ B- B-/ B+ B / B B-/ D D A+ E+ A+ B A+ A A+ A- -0.0173 -0.0125
Jackson brings a lot of things to the table at the PG position. He's a solid shooter who does well from the line. Jackson is also a premier passer and he plays excellent defense. He gets a lot of steals and is great with ball control committing very few turnovers. Jackson also has great intangibles for a basketball player and always seems to be in the right position. He's a very smart player.
2) 4SR Reid Dall 1---- B+ B+ D+/ B- B+/ B+ C / B- C+ A- D A+ B- A+ A A+ A- -0.0062 0.0099
Dall could just as easily be the top PG, but he is a weaker offensive threat and he doesn't move the ball around the floor quite as well. Dall does hit the boards pretty well for a PG and he is also a very strong defensive threat. Dall is also a pretty smart player in his positioning.
3) 4SR Pete Nelson 1---- B+ B- B+/ B+ B / C A+/ B C+ A E- A- C A+ A A+ A- -0.0046 0.0081
Nelson brings a superb offensive game to the table for a PG. He can hit shots from all over the floor and he has great court vision to get the ball to open teammates. He commits very few turnovers and is strong defensively.
Shooting Guards
1) 4SR Ahmed Dougherty -2--- B+ B+ B+/ B A-/ C A+/ B+ B- B+ D- B+ B+ A+ A A+ A -0.0129 -0.0103
Dougherty brings the complete package to the WBA as a SG. Not very many players can compete with his all around ability. Ahmed can hit shots from anywhere and he rebounds pretty well for a SG too. He gets the ball to open teammates and knows how to not turn it over in the process. Ahmed is also a very strong defensive player. He is also a smart player and gets to where he needs to be to make the team flow.
2) 4SR Ryan Lowe 12--- B B B+/ A- B / C B / C- C- B+ D+ B C B+ A A+ A- 0.0145 0.0139
This is my first real surprise in the rankings. I really like the offensive ability of Lowe, both as a shooter and as a passer. He is also good with the ball and doesn't commit turnovers while playing strong defensively.
3) 3JR Jeremy Aarons -23-- A- B- B / B A-/ C- B / D+ B A- D- B D A+ A A+ A- -0.0038 0.0078
Aarons is a premier SG prospect and could easily be the #2 prospect at the position. He is a great offensive weapon and he hit's the boards well for a SG. He is also a great passer and is smart with the ball. He is only an average defender, but he will make someone a great SG in the WBA.
Small Forwards
1) 4SR Wu Dian-fan --3-- B+ B+ A-/ B+ A-/ A- A-/ A- B+ C+ C+ B B+ A A A+ A+ -0.0092 -0.0108
Depending on team needs I think this guy deserves a look as a top 5 pick. Wu is an amazing offensive talent. In fact, he may very well be the best in the draft. He rebounds the ball decently and moves the ball when he has to. He is only an average defensive player, but he plays controlled basketball by limiting his fouls and turnovers. He will be an impact offensive player in the WBA as a rookie.
2) 4SR Ajani Valentine --3-- B+ B+ A-/ B+ C+/ A+ B-/ A A+ C C+ A+ D A+ A A+ A+ -0.0015 0.0010
Ajani is the second Williams player to make the top 3 lists. He brings a complete package to the table at the SF position. Depending what type of player you are looking for he could be the top SF. Ajani is an amazing rebounded and he plays great defense. All that is done while also providing a good offensive threat from every range. He doesn't cost his team with turnovers, but you will have to watch his foul situation closely.
3) 4SR Rodger Garson --3-- B B A-/ B B / B B-/ B+ A- A- D B- B- B+ A A+ A -0.0044 -0.0057
Garson is another great offensive minded SF. He is pretty balanced across the board with a nice rebounding average and a good eye to move the ball to open teammates. He is a bit weak at defense though and may have foul issues in the WBA. He'll go through an adjustment phase, but he will be a WBA impact player.
Power Forwards
1) 3JR Sheldon Gorman ---4- B+ B A+/ A C+/ B- B-/ B- A+ C+ A- C B- A+ A A+ A+ -0.0062 0.0130
Gorman is a can't miss prospect in my eyes. He is an amazing rebounder and he plays a solid game defensively. He may have to watch his fouls for a couple season, but it shouldn't be a big issue. He doesn't turn the ball over and he looks to get his teammates involved most of the time. His one knock may be his positioning offensively.
2) 4SR Walt Jackson --34- B+ B A+/ B+ A+/ C- A+/ A- A+ B B B- C- A+ A A+ A+ 0.0014 -0.0012
Walt Jackson may be the top overall pick in the draft. He can hit a shot from anywhere on the floor and is comfortable playing SF or PF. He is an amazing rebounder and he gets the ball around well. He may be a bit weak defensively and he has foul issues which will hold him back a bit to start with. Jackson will be an impact player offensively, but will need time to develop his defensive game.
3) 4SR Samson Erickson ---4- A- B+ A-/ B+ B-/ B+ C+/ C- A+ C+ B C+ A B+ A A+ A+ -0.0034 -0.0098
Erickson could just as easily be a top pick as anyone else. He plays solid on offense and is a good shooter. Not to mention the fact that he might be the best rebounder in the entire draft! Like the others he is a bit weak at defense and he will need to work on that, but he doesn't foul which will help a lot. He will see action as a rookie I think.
Centers
1) 4SR Al Herbert ----5 B+ B D+/ A- A+/ B B-/ B- A+ C+ A B- A A+ A A+ A+ -0.0079 -0.0087
Herbert is a guy that managed to play under the radar all season long and then got noticed as the season drew to a close. He helped guide Paris to yet another GCBA Title. he is a great shooter and he knows how to get to the line. He rebounds the ball very well and is a great defender in every aspect. He is even better because he doesn't commit fouls and he doesn't turn the ball over.
2) 4SR Chad O'Donnell ----5 A- B B / A- A-/ B- A-/ A- A- C A A+ B- A+ A A+ A- -0.0176 -0.0083
Chad was the defensive player of the year and for good reason. He is able to shut down opponents completely. Just when you think he is a one dimensional player you find out he is a loaded weapon just waiting to explode also. He has a great pure shot from every area of the floor. His weaknesses would be his lack of rebounding ability for a Center and the fact that he may have a small fouling problem.
3) 2SO Sam Hickerson ----5 B+ B+ B-/ A B+/ C- E / F A C B+ C- C- B+ E A+ A- -0.0001 -0.0096
Sam declared himself early and has helped make the draft a bit deeper at the Center spot. He is a great shooter in the paint, but lacks the range some others have. He is a strong rebounder and he plays above himself defensively. His main asset will be his youth. He may slip a bit in the draft, but in the end he will be a solid choice for a team that can be patient while he catches up.
July 31st, 2004
Playoffs Just Around the Corner
The WBA Playoffs are just around the corner and, while some of the match-ups are not set in stone yet, I thought it would be interesting to break down the possible match-ups we will have in Round 1.