December 1 - December 31

December 31st, 2005

Northeast Preview

By Ron Chambers

Long Island

NAME POS H S FG FT 3P R P B S F V A O T AGE INT/HAR OFF AB

Starters

Oliver Doherty 1---- B+ B A+/ B+ A+/ C A+/ C- B- B- F C+ B- D- D A+ A- 25 -0.0091 -0.0106

Danny Hainge 12--- A+ A A / A C / B B-/ A- C- C F C B+ C A A A+ 27 0.0102 -0.0210

Wayne Taylor --34- C+ A+ A+/ A- A-/ B- B / A- A- E+ E- D B D D A+ A+ 26 -0.0052 -0.0239

Sheldon Gorman ---4- A+ B A-/ A- C-/ C- B-/ C A+ C B D B- C B A+ A- 22 -0.0062 0.0093

Pat Stephenson ----5 B+ B+ A-/ A- C-/ C- A+/ C- A- D- A+ E- A+ F A A A- 28 -0.0063 -0.0239

Key Reserves

Keyshawn Eosso ----5 A+ A- B / C+ B / F D-/ E A+ E- B- D+ C- C A B- B+ 28 0.0035 -0.0125

Anthony Curtis ---4- A+ B A-/ A- C+/ C- B-/ C- A- E C+ D- A+ D- B A A- 25 -0.0282 -0.0103

Long Island was the class of this division last season but that wasn't good enough for them. Despite finishing the season with 62 wins they decided to overhaul the entire team. Actually, this was no surprise. Owner Michael Esposito has long been considered the most trade happy owner in the league. His impatience is second only to Robert Williams of Alaska.

All that said this is still a very talented team. There isn't a player in the starting line-up who couldn't be a twenty point scorer. This is both a strength and a potential area of concern. The star power is clearly present on this team with Hainge, Taylor and Stephenson. The question is if this team has a balance of skills. Stephenson for example is a weak rebounding center. In fact, Gorman is the only excellent rebounder in the starting line-up. Doherty rebounds well for a point guard but I doubt that will make up for the lack of rebounding in other positions. Passing is another concern. There are no great passers on this team which may result in this team degenerating into a lot of one on one play. There is also concern about this team's defense with no players who have great fast hands and only Stephenson is an interior defensive presence. But, this team did get significantly younger and they have good control when it comes to committing fouls which puts them in stark contrast to teams like Brooklyn.

Rochester

NAME POS H S FG FT 3P R P B S F V A O T AGE INT/HAR OFF AB

Starters

Jimmy Whalen 1---- B+ B C+/ A- B+/ E A+/ C B- B+ D C D+ D- B A+ A- 28 -0.0069 -0.0232

Dave Williams -23-- B+ A- A+/ A+ B / C- B / B+ C+ C- D- D- C+ D- B A+ A+ 30 -0.0019 -0.0209

A.J. Schulz --34- A+ A B-/ A- B / E+ C+/ D+ A+ D- E D- B C- B A- A 32 -0.0071 -0.0529

Heiko Van Brandt --34- A- A- A+/ B- D+/ B+ E+/ F A+ B C E+ A+ C+ D A+ A+ 31 0.0013 -0.0204

Peter Langstraat ----5 A- C+ E / A- C-/ C B-/ D+ A+ D+ D+ D- D+ E+ B A+ B+ 31 -0.0024 -0.0246

Key Reserves

Javonte Bolk 1---- A B C+/ B C+/ C B / C D+ A- E+ D+ B D+ A A- B+ 24 -0.0070 -0.0149

T.J. McFarland ----5 A- B- C / C D / F D-/ F A+ E- A+ D- C D A B+ B 31 -0.0038 -0.0063

Ramon Phelan --34- A+ B+ A / B+ D-/ B B / D+ A+ F A- D- B B C A A- 26 -0.0162 -0.0176

This team may have the best 2-3-4 players in the league. Williams, Schulz and Van Brandt will put fear in their competitors. They also have tremendous rebounders both in the starting line-up and on the bench. Phelan is a player who would be a starter for most teams in the league and should have a shot at 6th-man of the year honors. The biggest question about this team is the center position. Peter Langstraat is a nice player but has never been considered a starting quality center. However, on this team he may fit well by just grabbing a bunch of boards and not getting in the way of the big name players. McFarland is also a solid bench type center but could end up getting the nod as the starter because this team has no inside defensive presence. Another area of concern with this team is their lack of defensive hands. This team should be very solid offensively using their talented veterans to run things seamlessly but they may struggle at keeping their defensive focus. Also, expect Rochester to continue shopping Jimmy Whalen in an attempt to find a serviceable center. They are very high on youngster Javonte Bolk and consider Jimmy Whalen to be expendable.

Brooklyn

NAME POS H S FG FT 3P R P B S F V A O T AGE INT/HAR OFF AB

Starters

Omar Jefferson 12--- A+ A+ A+/ B B / D+ A+/ B+ D A- E- C B- E- D A+ A+ 25 -0.0087 -0.0206

Mario Bailey -23-- A+ A A+/ A+ B+/ B C+/ C- B C+ A C+ B- E+ D A+ A+ 25 -0.0174 -0.0105

Shane Strom --3-- B+ B A+/ A- C / D- C-/ D A+ B F C D- C- B A+ A+ 31 -0.0015 -0.0192

Jarius Miles ---4- A+ C+ A-/ A- C+/ A- C-/ D A+ B- A+ B+ F F F A+ A 22 -0.0095 -0.0233

Al Herbert ----5 A+ B- D / B- B+/ C C+/ C A+ D A+ B+ A D+ A A+ A- 24 -0.0228 -0.0121

Key Reserves

Bernie Henderson 1---- B+ C+ C+/ A E+/ A- C+/ D+ B E+ E- B- C E- A B- B- 28 -0.0048 -0.0203

Bert Haug -23-- A C A+/ A- D+/ C- C+/ D C+ E D+ A+ C- D- A A- B 29 -0.0086 -0.0268

Yuriy Zakharov ---45 A+ D+ D / B+ D+/ B+ E-/ F A+ E- A- D+ C- F A B C+ 26 -0.0001 -0.0074

Paul Wilson ---4- A+ A+ E-/ A- F / F E / F A+ E- E- E C+ C- A B- A+ 30 -0.0119 0.0053

How much will this team miss Joe Siebert? Only time will tell. This will be the first season in franchise where the defensive minded Siebert has not anchored the team. Young Al Herbert is his replacement and is also a defensive minded player. While Herbert does not have quite the shot blocking timing of Siebert he is improving there and he also has much faster hands. He is also a player who commits very few fouls which is a huge issue on this young aggressive team. The other big man on this team is the controversial Jarius Miles. Management continues to claim he will evolve into the best power forward in the league and there is no doubt about his talent but there are a lot of questions about his choices. He tends to foul a lot and is prone to turnovers. But, the acquisition of rebounding force Paul Wilson makes it clear that The Rage do not yet true Miles' ability to stay in games. Wilson should be a great fit for this talented roster that will ask his to do just two things: rebound and not make mistakes. At small forward Strom is a perpetual all WBA player and he looks to keep it up though the development of Bailey and Jefferson will likely slow his scoring some. No player on this roster receives more attention from other GM's than Mario Bailey. Simply put he is a force both offensively and defensively. There are many who believe he is already the best shooting guard in the league. Off the bench behind Strom and Bailey Brooklyn will have swingman Bert Haug who can offer an offensive spark but was picked up because of his ability to make steals. Omar Jefferson is for the first time the clear starter for Brooklyn. There are no more questions about Daren Benson or Bernie Henderson taking his job and many say he is responding to the confidence that management is placing in him.

Toronto

NAME POS H S FG FT 3P R P B S F V A O T AGE INT/HAR OFF AB

Starters

Eric Saks 1---- A+ C+ C / B+ B / C D / E- E A- F C- B- C+ A B B 25 0.0026 -0.0067

Remi Jeay 12--- A+ A+ C / C+ B-/ B- A-/ C+ D+ B E- D+ B C D B A- 27 -0.0079 -0.0126

Walt Jackson --34- A+ B A+/ B+ B+/ D- A+/ A A+ B- B- D+ C+ C+ B A+ A+ 24 -0.0013 -0.0151

Isaac Rice ---4- E- A+ A+/ C A+/ D A+/ C A+ B A+ D E F D A+ A- 25 -0.0125 -0.0163

Simeon Hill ----5 A+ B B-/ B+ D+/ D- E-/ E+ A+ F A C- A C- B A A- 25 -0.0194 -0.0086

Key Reserves

Umberto DiTullio 1---- B A+ C+/ E D / B- C-/ E+ D+ A- F C B- E+ A C+ A- 27 0.0212 0.0090

Wu Dian-fan -23-- A- B B / B- B-/ C- B+/ B C+ D+ C- D B+ D+ A B B+ 24 -0.0081 -0.0142

Abdullah Chanda --34- A+ A- C+/ B E / A C+/ B A- D+ B D+ C D+ A B+ A- 31 0.0018 -0.0275

Harry Kramer ---45 A+ B+ B-/ C B / B- C-/ D+ B C B B- B C- A B+ B+ 26 -0.0091 -0.0073

Honestly, after Long Island, Rochester and Brooklyn there is a big drop off. Toronto has some nice pieces but does not have a complete team yet. Walt Jackson is developing nicely and will be the core of this team for a long time. He is a talented all around player and a true leader. Isaac Rice is one of the most talented players in the league but he is also one of the most injury prone. Toronto will be lucky if he can play in 50% of the games. Unfortunately, neither Chanda nor Kramer have his type of talent. What this team does have going for it is youth. They are young and fairly talented and if management has patience they could come together as a solid team.

New York

NAME POS H S FG FT 3P R P B S F V A O T AGE INT/HAR OFF AB

Starters

Keith Douglas 1---- A- B- D+/ C C+/ A+ B / D- C A+ F D- E F A A B+ 27 -0.0096 -0.0087

DaRond Lyons 12--- C+ B- B-/ C+ A / B+ B+/ C+ D+ C+ E+ C A E A B B 21 -0.0023 -0.0063

Jevon Carter --34- A+ B A-/ B A / C B / C- A+ E F D+ B- E+ A A B+ 28 -0.0041 -0.0084

Tom Kinsey ---45 A+ B+ A / B+ D+/ D C+/ D+ A E B- D+ B+ C A A A- 23 -0.0129 -0.0112

Cristobal Dasher ---45 A- B B-/ A+ C-/ E D / E+ A+ E+ C+ D D D- A A+ A- 30 -0.0013 -0.0242

Key Reserves

Marvin Lee 12--- A+ B- E+/ D+ B / D C-/ F C A- D D- C B- A B B 24 -0.0114 -0.0096

Damien Bohm -2--- B- B B / B- B+/ B B+/ A- D- C+ D+ C- E+ E A B B 21 -0.0006 -0.0002

Art Campbell --3-- A+ C B+/ B- E+/ E D / E+ A+ D+ F D- A B+ A B+ B- 26 -0.0070 -0.0141

Charles Cushman ----5 A+ B E+/ A- A-/ F D+/ F A+ E+ A+ D- E+ F A A A- 27 -0.0049 -0.0238

Marc Hameleers has his work cut out for him with this franchise and he knows it. He doesn't expect a quick turn around. But, in a short amount of time he has put together a respectable team. This team has no stars but they do have pieces that will likely fit together well. Dasher and Douglas will be the leaders and they both need to play well. Cushman will be an important piece off the bench but this teams future lies in the development of their youngsters. Kinsey, Lyons and Bohm are all developing into nice players.

Predictions:

Rochester 54-26

I'm really not very confident about my predictions for the top three teams in this division. They all have a ton of talent and some serious issues. For Rochester, they are missing a legitimate center. But, they have so much talent with their forwards and their shooting guard that I think a solid rebounding center is all they need. But, I also wouldn't put it past Dave Williams to move one of his centers along with Whalen for a good center.

Brooklyn 52-28

This is a very young team and they could explode either for the good or for the bad. They are clearly the most talented team but they are still raw. Haug and Wilson will be huge off the bench and offer some great insurance especially at the power forward positon. But, they also make poor decisions with the ball and tend to foul. The question here is if their talent can over shadow their flaws. They could either compete for the championship or they could struggle to be above .500.

Long Island 50- 30

With the talent they have this actually seems like a harsh prediction. And, certainly they have a ton of talent but they also do not have well balanced skill sets.

Toronto 35-45

If stays fairly healthy they could hit 40+ wins but if he misses 50-60 games they could struggle to get to 30 wins.

New York 30-50

We all have faith in this management group but they weren't given enough to work with when they took over this franchise so expect a slow turnaround.

December 30th, 2005

NEW DIVISIONS: EAST ATLANTIC

One of the problems of this new alignement is that for the first time in history, a team under 50% could end winning a division. We have Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Cincinnati and Miami figthing maybe for just a spot in the playoffs, the one reserved for the Division Champion.

The teams involved have a winning percentage of 0.404 in the lasf 5 seasons, really close to the 0.415 they had last season. This record should go up slightly, since teams like Charlotte are expected to improve in the next seasons, and Baltimore and Miami could really use the cap room they have.

The first idea is that Charlotte will manage somehow to win the division, with Boston a close second. Baltimore should increase his winning and the jury is still out on Miami. Cincinnati should consider to burn the team and start from the ashes.

THE TEAMS

CHARLOTTE: Like New York, the first step to make a winning team is giving full control to someone capable of turning a team around. Sam Plummer is this kind of a executive. They have some heck of players in Reed, Lamaitre, Spagnoli and McCree, and have used some money left to sign a Small forward in Johnny Brose. With this starting five, and some bench players they got in free agency like Maury Coleman, Ed Kane and Keyon Brown, with Jim Peyton, they could be the best team in this division. We have to remember that this team had a record 3 seasons ago on 0.225, Sam has improved it to 0.313 the next season and 0.45 the last one, and it's hard to wonder this team not being better in the next seasons. Depth will have a problem if they cant find some decent cheap players in free agency

PREVISION: 42-38

BOSTON: The time of that team that everyone memorized his lineup are gone. Now they have assembled a really young team with players like Hank Pynn, Tyriq LAng, Harry Applegate and Ajani Valantine. With the example of Brooklyn, some teams heva tried to build around very young players. Boston is a pair of steps behind Brooklyn, but a ton better than London. Free agency has come with some young point guards in Ed Summerall, and Al Rozier, with the hope to develop them backing Hank Pynn. Keanan Carrington was their selection for the draft, a center that will need to contribute right away, because this team has lost a lot of centers. With a starting five of Pynn - Pedro Otis - Valantine - Applegate - Dave Short, they are not going to conquer the promised land, but they will improve for years to come

PREVISION: 35-45

MIAMI: Miami has a good project of a team basis with Dave Troychack and Oman Fatafehi, who are close to be stars in the league, but is this enough?. If we take a look at the rest of the team, it is hard to find any starter in the rest of the team. Isaac Edmonson is a point guard who could really start, but he has no offensive game, and Miami really dont believe in him, given that they have selected two point guards more with their top two picks in this draft(players like Prochaska and Anthony Davis who arent really expected to contibute in some time). The worst news for Miami are that they dont have a reliable small Forward and Darryl Whittaker and Gus Rizzolo will have to share the minutes at that spot, unless they receive some help via trade. The center is an issue too with just Jose Nobis and promising rookie Andre Rawlings competing for the minutes, although they have signed Horace Colbert for a close to the maximum contract, a movement that could hurt in the long term. If they dont have at least two legit starters, you can talk about depth. The bright spot in Miami is that they are loaded of picks they could use as assets for trades, given that some of them are likely lottery picks.

PREVISION: 34-46

BALTIMORE: Here we have a team which seemed to have solved their problems a pair of seasons ago, but since then they have gone backwards. They have a good floor general in Anson Valente and a nice forward in Mike Ivey, but that's it. There is not a power forward, no center and no shooting guard. Trying to solve their problems they signed center Kent Croce, but he's more likely to be a backup. The power forward issue has not been addressed so far, and with the top pick, they selected GCBA star Arturo Fonzarelli. Fonzarelli will really help in the offensive areas to this depleted team, but he is not worth a top overall pick, not even this draft. He cant rebound and his lousy defense will allow his opponents to score more than him. Peska would have been a more adequated option. The jury will be still out on this team, but not having their own pick ext draft will hurt

PREVISION: 29-51

CINCINNATI: This is the story of a team that always looks promising but they dont play together at all.Looking at the roster this could be a playoff team, but they have failed to be a 50% team for years. Having a top 5 center in the league should be enough to be a decent team, even more when you have a good point guard in Brandon Sandler, your Shooting guards are decent at least, and your power forwards can create some very serious mismatches. A starting line up of BRandon Sandler - Dennis Evans - Tony Dimateo - Dontae Evans - Craig Bradshaw should be enough to win 30 games by themselves, but they always underperform. They have been very quiet in the free agency and drafted just Timy RAmbuka who is really far away to contribute. THe major holes for this team are the small forward position, and the bench which results to be one of the weakest in the league. A deffensive stopper would be welcomed too

PREVISION: 23-57

December 29th, 2005

Tony Henderson Story

By Mandon Borfeld

Tony Henderson made a bold choice 4 years ago when he selected Langepas University over Midwest State. Midwest recruited him very hard, but Tony said in the end Langepas just seemed like a team where he could get more immediate playing time and make a difference right away. He was hailed as one of the best recruits in the history of the GCBA. Many people said he should have gone straight to the WBA from high school where he had led his team to 3 straight state championships. But Tony and his family decided it would be best for him to go to college. The day he made the commitment to Langepas he also committed to himself that he wasn't going to leave college early. He was making a commitment for four years to get an education and to help this team. He fulfilled all his promises and in the end some will say that it cost him a lot of money. Had he entered early out of HS he may have been a top 5 pick, but he ended up being 13th this season. The Langepas training facilities didn't really help Tony the way he needed during his college career and a lot of coaches would say that he never reached his full potential in the GCBA. He did become a prolific scorer, but some of his other attributes just weren't brought out by his coaches. Nebraska hopes to change all of that.

After being drafted #13 by Long Island Tony knew he'd have a shot to play right away as they were looking for a solid SF. But before he could even fly out to New York he was traded in a blockbuster deal to the Nebraska Sun Warriors. To many he will be the forgotten player that was shipped in the Tom Perkins and Wayne Taylor trade, but to Nebraska he was the major reason for doing the trade. Coach Morfeld sees a potential in Henderson like very few players have. He can do everything offensively that they want him to do, plus he will play solid defense. Coach Morfeld stated earlier that once they can add some muscle to this kids frame he will be a force to be reckoned with. Nebraska is really excited to welcome #13 Tony Henderson to the roster and is even more excited to see what he can do for this team right away. They announced today that he will likely be their starting SF next season. A rookie replacing Wayne Taylor. Good luck kid!

December 29th, 2005

Nebraska Season Preview

Starting 5

PG-- Jervan Timmons; Timmons is one of the best young players in the entire league. He exploded onto the scene last year by routinely finding open teammates and racking up the assists. His offense will be a concern, but if he can corral that he will be a big time threat for a lot of years. Few players have ever had the passing ability that this youngster brings to the table.

SG-- Brandon Morfeld; Morfeld is a guy that has really matured well. He came out of college a little behind the curve with some potential. After really working hard on the mental aspects of the game he is now a regular contributor. His offense is now a strength, but perhaps the best surprise has been the great defense he has given the team.

SF-- Tony Henderson; Tony is the question mark of this team. He is a fast paced scorer who loves to have the ball in his hands. The big question will be how he can adjust to the pressure defenses of the WBA. Tony is actually a pretty solid defender also and is smart with the ball. His lack of size may make it hard for him to play down low with some of the leagues more elite SF's, but Nebraska is hoping he can gain some strength during this first season.

PF-- Roy Base; Base was a guy that many owners rejected as a bust when he first joined the WBA, but he is back in championship form as one of the best PF's in the league. Base does it all. He is Nebraska'a go-to guy for a clutch shot and he has really taken on a leadership role. He's also bulked up and is a force in the paint with both his rebounding ability as well as his defensive presence. Teams have to think twice about taking the ball anywhere near Roy Base.

C-- Tom Perkins; Perkins is the new guy on the team this year. He's a proven veteran, but he may have a hard time winning over the fans who liked Vance Clopp's toughness, plus they see him as Wayne Taylor's replacement which is some hard shoes to fill here. Perkins misses few shots down low which makes him a huge threat for Nebraska. To go along with that he is one of the best rebounders in the WBA and his defense along with that of Base will make it very difficult for teams to press into the paint against Nebraska.

BENCH:

PG-- Daren Benson; Part II of the best young duo in the league

SG-- Emillio Browne; Major outside threat playing slightly out of position

SF-- Camron Diaz; Aging one time superstar

PF-- Jalen Dampier; Tough undrafted rookie surprise

C-- Vance Clopp/Marc White; Young guns with major talent

December 26th, 2005

WBA Draft Review

by Mandon Borfeld

Northeast Division

Best Draft Pick: Kyle Hawkins, New York

New York-- New York has put together a very nice team since new owner Marc Hameleers took over. He's a winning coach/GM that brings a winning attitude to the table. They started off their draft by selecting Damien Bohm. Bohm was my 7th rated SG prospect and he will bring a lot to the table for this squad. His offense will be a much needed addition to the squad and his range will be a key factor in his ability to get open looks. He will struggle to be a productive rebounder on this team and his defense will be pretty suspect at times. That is something that will drive coach Hameleers mad. He will also need to work pretty hard on his foul problems and rounding out his game to minimize mistakes. Their next pick was my 8th ranked C prospect Ryan Rogers. The C's in this draft were very closely rated so he could easily pan out to be a better player than others I rated higher. His rebounding is what I feel will make it tough for him to be a dominating C. He is a solid defensive presence in the paint and he is a very smart player. I see big things in his future, but I do feel that a switch to PF may be in his best interest for a better career. He just isn't physical enough to play C effectively as a starter. To me, their next selection Kyle Hawkins was the best pick out of this division. My 4th rated PF, Hawkins is going to make teams really work to try and stop him from scoring from all areas of the floor. He is a great pure shooter as a big man with range. Hawkins is a strong rebounder that will really provide a spark for this team off the bench as a scorer and rebounder. The main problem with him will be focus on his fundamentals. He is a weak defender who prefers less contact, but commits a lot of fouls trying to slow down faster players on the perimeter. He'll be a star in the WBA if he can ever get those areas under control. Until then he can be a productive player coming off the bench. Their last selection was SG Matt Morris who is more of a project player. He may struggle at first to adjust to the defense of the WBA and will commit some TO's and take some poor shots. He may also commit some dumb fouls along the way. He has a lot of potential though and was a good late selection.

Long Island-- Mike Esposito used his only selection to draft C Shawn Jones. Jones is a quality player that should provide some spark off the bench. He has a nice touch close to the basket, but his range is limited. He can also grab a lot of boards and is one of the top rebounders in the draft. His defense is average for a rookie and he has a lot of potential there. One thing he will have to watch out for is his foul problems. Teams may take advantage of this if he ever has to play more minutes.

Toronto-- Toronto was looking for a nice big man to play back-up this season. Their first try was James Boone. Boone has a nice set of fundamentals and brings a good attitude on the floor. He does take some shots that are outside his range at times which can cause some frustration. He is a pretty good defender that can hold onto the ball. He can also grab boards with anyone which will help his adjustment. Their next pick was Manfred Fenstermacher. He is a very poor rebounder for a big man which i think will be his downfall in the WBA. He is a decent shooter that hangs onto the ball well and doesn't commit fouls. He may make a decent addition if he plays SFout of place, but even this will be hard for the rookie to pull off.

Rochester and Brooklyn had no selections.

Atlantic Division

Best Draft Pick: Arturo Fonzarelli

Baltimore-- Baltimore made a very surprising selection in my mind when they selected Arturo Fonzarelli with the top pick. He is a quality SG offensively for sure, but he is a reach as the best selection. His offense will carry him early on, but he is a pretty poor rebounder overall as a SG and his defense definitely leaves a lot to be desired. He is smart with the ball, but floats around a lot when he doesn't have it. To me, there were better players to be selected with this pick, even as SG's.

Boston-- Boston's first pick was undersized C Keanan Carrington. He is a brilliant offensive player, and may be the best pure shooter in the draft, but his rebounding will cause him problems throughout his WBA career. He is also a guy that will get fouls. Perhaps a rebounding camp would make him a viable threat in this league. Al Levy is going to be a nice player to have off the bench at some point in his career, but he is lacking the pure passing skills and killer instinct that teams look for in a true PG.

Cincinnati-- Timi Rambuka is a really risky selection because he hasn't played against the same level of competition as the other players. He's a solid looking player, but isn't great with the ball for a guard and his shooting touch will be a big time question mark in determining the amount of playing time he'll receive.

Miami-- If Andre Rawlings can cut back on his fouls and focus on his rebounding power then he has a chance to be a difference maker, but I foresee this as being a project that may take a few seasons to complete. Janecek Prochazka is another player that will hurt his team with bad fouls, but he is also a guy that can provide a huge spark for his team by knocking down clutch shots. Anthony Davis is his perfect compliment though as he plays very smart basketball and gets his teammates involved.

Charlotte had no selections.

December 24th, 2005

NEW DIVISIONS: EURO DIVISIÓN

With the new realignement, some Euro teams will have to spend less time travelling around the world to play games. Andorra, Paris, Frankfurt, London and Albacete will be included in this division, and only Budapest is out as an European team.

We have a historically strong conference, with a 0.547 winning percentage in the last 5 seasons, and it was better in the past, for instance, in season 7 they combined for 0.596, but that was when London was a good team, and a lot of time has passed since then. Last season, they combined for 0.525. and they should keep that percentage this season, although the rosters have changes a lot.

Paris looks like the top candidate to win the division and even the conference, but there are some doubters about his only significative movement this season. Albacete is the favourite to finish second, and the record should improve after an underachieving season. Andorra is in the middle and will play in the offseason. Frankfurt and London, could fight for a decent record, but they seem destined to be lottery teams.

THE TEAMS

PARIS: With a winning percentage in the last season of 0.863, it looks like its not time to a major trade like the one they did. Trading Heiko for Jim McCarty could pay, but it weakens their forward spots. Al Lee and Heiko played forward for this team most of the time. Now, they signed Shaun Busch and Jim Fox to play power forward, but they would be better playing jay Vasquez or Jim McCarty at the 4. With all the doubts, this is a very good team, but it is hard to wonder how they will manage to have another season like the last one. A slight drop would not be very bad received, but they will still have the edge to win the Division, and maybe even the Conference.

PROJECTION: 58-22

ALBACETE: This team has been very active since last season. In season 7 they won it all with one of the best records in the history of the league, but since then they have declined. In the last five seasons they combined for 0.673, but the last one tey underperformed for a 0.512 record and the risk of missing the playoffs for the first time. Albacete has not resigned any free agent, losing Leo Rice, Tre Freeman, and Fernando Edwards. Besides they traded Gordon Whitehouse away, letting the team without a legit power forward. The team will be under the direction of Tyler Kane, Harry Jarvis and Juwan Bixby, and the power forward issue have been tried to address with the signings of Matt Archer, a good team player, and two forwards in Misha Krisnetsov and Kolby O'Rourke. With four trades in a week, Albacete tried to stablist the team future getting 5 new first round picks and got a new guard they needed. Besides, the team is now two years younger. Even losing some quality at the PF, the team should improve and close the difference separating Paris and them.

PROJECTION: 49-31

ANDORRA: Andorra is a team that will have a step back this season. They left unprotected Mark Miller and his huge salary and he was picked by Las Vegas. They lost Zahariah Salera to Budapest's hands. As a result they went fishing to Albacete's bench, signing Tre Freeman and Fernando Edwards Besides, they traded Oshodi Bombata for Ellis Law, a movement that will really help their backcourt, but it makes you wonder who will play inside for this team. Moving Corrigan to power forward would be a good start, but they have not a starting caliber center, Ossie Gordon and Chuck O'Rourke cant match against the stronger centers in this division and the rest of the league. The loss of Salera will hurt too, since the SF will have to be covered for payers who never have started in this league. At least they have good pick for the very near future, and they could help themselves picking some big men

PROJECTION: 39-41

FRANKFURT: This team has declined constantly in the last three seasons. Frankfurt is one of those teams that have not find a identity. They have really good players, but they dont seem to play as a team. I mean Yuri Vislani is a great point guard, Branko Filipovic is one of the best shooters in the game and Scott Currie is a big shooting guard who plays avobe the rim; besides, Bob Delaney and Kelvin Boice are good complementary forwards who any team would love to have. But Vilasni needs a scorer inside to excell, and Frankfurt lacks of it. Currie, Delaney and Boice are role players wanting to have a star around to play for him, and Frankfurt has not solved that problem. They had no presence in draft, and free agency only brought small forward Lonnie GRaham and a role big man in Gary Agey. At least they own a probably top 5 pick in London's next season, and with it they could pick a decent center to have a presence inside. But one have to ask if they should trade Vilasni for a center now, because you need to build a team around some frontcourt, without it you are lost

PROJECTION: 25-55

LONDON: It looks like LOndon is in a permanent depresion right now. In season 9 they sitll made the playoffs, and they decided to build a young team since then, drafting high school players and underclassments. The movement have not paid, and i think its really far from doing, as London has decided to part ways with some of their youngest players like Gavin Wright and Al Rozier. To make it worse, they have not tried to retain Peter Parker and Bobby Cress, so they are the top candidate to the worst record in the league. The new faces will be Sheerman Mahara, a rookie who should be an impact player for this franchise and small forward Jerry Bolling, a player who wont solve any of Londons problems. The team will rely in the trio Mahara-Danilov-Faup, but this is a five men sport, so they will really struggle

PROJECTION 16-64

December 22nd, 2005

WBA Free Agency: “Where did my money go?”

By Misstra Knowitall

What happens when you get a poor free agent class and combine it with 30 teams with a lot of money to spend? In a no holds barred, no beating around the bush, no punches pulled analysis, the following is an explanation of what happens…

*Only significant signings of over $1 million addressed

Eastern Conference

Northeast Division:

Toronto

Signings:

Harry Kramer - 4.75 Mil, 4 Yrs.

Erik Saks - 4.5 Mil, 4 Yrs.

Comments:

It seems Kramer is still profiting from his former lottery pick status. But the truth is he will likely remain a bust. He has not shown improvement in his rebounding or his scoring abilities and there are no signs that he will. Oh how youth and potential can make up for a lack of skills. Saks has accomplished virtually nothing in his career but still managed to pick up quite a contract. The agent for these players is highly recommended…

Rochester

Signings:

T.J. McFarland - 3.2 Mil, 1 Yr.

Comments:

Well can't say much about this deal, they were looking for a solid backup center and they got him. It's only a one-year deal but deals like this proved to be the exception rather than the rule during this free agency period.

New York

Signings:

No Significant Signings

Comments:

Could it be that the legendary owner is legendarily cheap? Haha possibly, but the better explanation would have him holding on to his money due to the lack of worthwhile investments available.

Long Island

Signings:

No Significant Signings

Comments:

It is possible that Long Island's owner was too busy trying to make trades and did not even know free agency was going on, but the fact that he did not have much money to spend probably was the big reason no major signings occurred.

Brooklyn

Signings:

Bert Haug - 5 Mil, 1 Yr.

Comments:

A serviceable role player for a high priced one year deal, not a bad move. It provides the team some help for the upcoming season and cap space for the next.

Atlantic Division:

Baltimore

Signings:

Kent Croce - 3.5 Mil, 4 Yrs.

Keven Rollin - 2.75 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Comments:

Young but unimpressive, a high price to pay for two unproven players. A perfect case of too much cash and too little talent. If they pan out it will give renowned hope to the value of second round picks but it isn't likely…

Charlotte

Signings:

Johnny Brose - 3.1 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Maury Coleman - 1.5 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Ed Kane - 1.1 Mil, 2 Yrs.

Comments:

Brose has game, but not for three more years. Coleman and Kane are lucky to be earning a million. Decent pickups but again the inflated market influenced these signings.

Miami

Signings:

Bill Yeager - 13 Mil, 4 Yrs.

Comments:

Holy Cow! Talking about inflation… Yes, Yeager can still play but he is not on the level he used to be and the man is 31 years old, he is certainly not getting any better. It is likely he will be cut before his contract expires or maybe Miami might get lucky and persuade him to retire.

Boston

Signings:

Al Rozier - 1.55 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Ed Summerall - 1.55 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Comments:

Interesting these signings are. This pair of guards won't get to play anytime soon but they could payoff for the future. Boston had a lot more cash to spend and decided to hold on to it, this decision should also pay off for the future although the team will suffer in the short term.

Cincinnati

Signings:

No Significant Signings.

Comments:

It was rumored that the owner might have been off surfing somewhere. But it was probably a good thing no major signings were made in this weak market.

Euro Division:

London

Signings:

Jerry Bolling - 2.75 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Comments:

It was clear that London wanted to hold on to its money but they probably overestimated the worth of Jerry Bolling. After four years in the league this player has left virtually no mark and now out of nowhere he earns a solid contract. He will continue to leave the same mark he's left only this time with a nice contract…

Frankfurt

Signings:

Lonnie Graham - 3.5 Mil, 4 Yrs.

Nike Johnson - 1 Mil, 2 Yrs.

Gary Agey - 3 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Comments:

Graham is a player who does not do anything extraordinarily well, except for turning the ball over. Agey at the very least blocks some shots before he turns the ball over. 3 million-dollar contracts for these guys? Yeah inflation is the culprit.. The veteran Johnson at least has his reputation to help him earn his contract.

Paris

Signings:

Shaun Busch - 3.5 Mil, 4 Yrs.

Comments:

A player that gets paid 3.5 mil for not shooting the ball. He doesn't hurt you, and that may be his greatest merit.

Andorra

Signings:

Ray Estrada - 5.6 Mil, 5 Years

Fernando Edwards - 4 Mil, 4 Yrs.

Tre Freeman - 3.6 Mil, 4 Yrs.

Comments:

A busy team this off-season. The signing of Estrada may actually prove to be one of the few good signings this free agency period. He needs to refine some areas of his game but he has some skills and has the time to improve as he is only 24. Edwards and Freeman are solid role players but at their prices, yes u can guess it, inflation…

Albacete

Signings:

Leo Rice - 5.5 Mil, 5 Yrs.

Matt Archer - 2.5 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Comments:

Rumors had Leo Rice going at 70 million, now that would have been something. The contract he landed was reasonable even if a bit high but he was eventually dealt to Budapest anyway. On the other hand Archer got paid solely for his birth certificate.

Western Conference

Midwest Division:

Colorado

Signings:

No Significant Signings.

Comments:

If you have no money, then you can't waste any money. That's what happened here.

Omaha

Signings:

Roy Houle - 1 Mil, 2 Yrs.

Joe Watts - 1.5 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Comments:

Roy can sure put up a lot of shots it is too bad he misses the vast majority of them. To his credit he grabs a large portion of his misses and for this he earned a contract. Watts may be the opposite of Houle. He can make shots but wouldn't grab a rebound if it landed on him. Maybe Omaha knows of a way to combine players into one? If not, then these players will likely amount to the equivalent of a Roy Houle field goal attempt.

Nebraska

Signings:

Daren Benson - 3 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Jalen Dampier - 1.5 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Comments:

Benson has some talent and that's why teams keep taking a chance on him. However, this last one by Nebraska comes at a solid price. It will be interesting to see if this gamble pays off and if Benson shapes into a consistent contributor. My guess is that this is the biggest contract he will be getting in his career. Dampier is another risk, which may or may not pay off, but he will not be playing any kind of role in the immediate future.

Salt Lake City

Signings:

No Significant Signings.

Comments:

For a team that has seven roster spots to fill, you would think they would be active in free agency. But no, it is rumored that the owner was busy trying to open up a candy shop. The only thing left for this team is to pick from the scraps left by the rest of the league. At least their will be no competition.

Arkansas

Signings:

No Significant Signings.

Comments:

No tengo dinero.

Pacific Division:

Alaska

Signings:

Peter Parker - 5.7 Mil, 5 Yrs.

Magic Toby - 3.9 Mil, 2 Yrs.

Comments:

Parker would have been a good signing if he still had his Spiderman powers. However, he chose a life as a WBA basketball player. As it stands Parker is overpriced and will not help Alaska much, at least Alaska can zoom in to shots of Mary Jane during their telecasts. As for Magic, he still has some tricks up his sleeves but like some of his teammates is only a shadow of his former self. I hear they have great retirement homes in Alaska..

Oregon

Signings:

Boom Boom Casey - 7 Mil, 2 yrs.

Comments:

The greatest player in WBA history now regulated to backup the greatest current player in the WBA, Lou Gonzalez. Casey has been trampled with late in his career and it will be interesting to see him try to regain his dignity with this championship club. My guess is he will.

Sacramento

Signings:

Shaun Busch - 4.5 Mil, 4 Yrs. + Waived

Comments:

Confirmed and waved? Don't ask me what happened.. All I can tell you is that Busch is a rich man and Sacramento will by paying for years to come.

Las Vegas

Signings:

Wes Taylor - 1.5 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Comments:

This is actually a solid pickup. Its not too much money and the player looks like he has some potential. The equivalent of a free draft pick if you ask me.

Seoul

Signings:

Michael Huryta - 1 Mil, 2 Yrs.

Comments:

Not a bad player and not a bad contract, one of the few instances in this free agency where you get what you pay for.

World Division:

Cancun

Signings:

Al Zarra - 1.5 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Comments:

Fits in nicely as a role player in Cancun and what a surprise was signed for a reasonable contract.

Gabon

Signings:

Ray Tango - 5 Mil, 1 Yr.

Comments:

A solid backup point guard for a season, and you get your money back after. Sounds like a good deal to me.

Budapest

Signings:

Bobby Cress - 13 Mil, 7 Yrs.

Tyson Cooper - 5.5 Mil, 5 Yrs.

Zachariah Salera - 5.5 Mil, 5 Yrs.

Comments:

Some teams decided to spend nothing this free agency and others decided to spend everything. Budapest is an example of the latter, and due to the circumstances this free agency, they overpaid. Bobby Cress is undoubtedly a great player and a difference maker but the contract clearly exceeds his ability and playing longevity. Similar arguments can be made for Cooper and Salera. But in the end Budapest got the players they wanted and will most likely have a great year. But at what price?

Capetown

Signings:

Dexter Kodak - 6 Mil, 5 Yrs.

Zane Rivers - 3.75 Mil, 4 Yrs.

Jim Donnelly - 2.5 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Comments:

Another busy team but to a lesser extent. Kodak's contract is a little too high and a little too long for his age. It will be interesting to see if Kodak and/or Capetown are willing to stick to the contract for the entire length. The other signings are pretty reasonable considering the circumstances this free agency.

Mexico City

Signings:

Oryn Dasing - 7.5 Mil, 4 Yrs.

George Foster - 4.25 Mil, 2 Yrs.

Bruce Banks - 1.5 Mil, 3 Yrs.

Comments:

Although his contract would make it seem so, Dasing is no replacement for the loss of Sean Ashman. This is a perfect example of the money being there for a suitable replacement but not the caliber player. As a result a compromise had to be made and Dasing is that compromise. Foster has always had talent but for some reason this talent does not usually lead to team success. I foresee more of the same for this franchise…

The Last Word

This free agency period was a test of patience for many owners in the league. There was not much to be had and what was available came at a considerable cost. It might well be discovered that those who paid will often not get what they paid and/or planned for. It was probably a good move to hold on to your money but doing this would have possibly meant sacrificing a season. Some managed to balance this predicament in one way or another and others went to the extreme on both ends. Only time will tell who won or lost in the long run…

This is Misstra Knowitall reminding you that I may be wrong, but I doubt it…

December 22nd, 2005

Changes in Andorra for the Upcoming Season

By: Joe Spencer

This off-season has been busier than normal for the Andorra franchise, as was expected from the team's fans after the team experienced a few setbacks during the previous season. First of all a deal was worked out with expansion team Las Vegas in which they would select Mark Miller in the expansion draft in exchange for a first round pick. Mark Miller hadn't played up to the terms of his superstar contract worth $11 million a year, and by eliminating his salary from the payroll, the team hoped to be able to get a prized free agent during the off-season to replace Miller. However, with a plethora of extensions to most of the league’s top players under contract years, not many key players ended up being available. So Andorra quietly went and re-signed Ray Estrada to a 5-year contract, giving him a vote of confidence that he will be the team's starting PG for the next several years after experimenting with Daren Benson the year before hadn't worked out. At the same time, a new backup PG was acquired in veteran Kelvin Davidson for a second round pick. With Pete Nelson and Nikos Atirides under contract years, and neither being the most impressive players, it was hoped the Kelvin Davidson will continue to be a solid player in the WBA as a backup, at least until the team is able to find another PG, or if their second round draft pick in PG Curtis Young can develop into a solid player. With the few bigger free agents going for a higher value than expected (especially PF/C, Leo Rice, who Andorra was involved, but unsuccessful, in trying to acquire), Andorra decided to try out with a less-demanded player in SF Fernando Edwards, whose scouting report shows a player is who good at rebounds, and who is able to get to the free throw line, but has not had much experience as a starter. Backup SG Zachariah Salera was unable to be re-signed, so a replacement in a similar offense-oriented player, Tre Freeman, was signed. So now the goal was to have Edwards start at SF, with Devonta Corrigan moving to PF, with the other positions being similar to previous seasons, with Ray Estrada at PG, Tristen Collins at SG, and Oshodi Bombata at C. However, at this time, another big move was made. Out of the blue, Oshodi Bombata was traded to Capetown for Ellis Law and a first round pick. Andorra was thinking about improving their team’s ability to draw fouls, and although Bombata is a top center in the league at only 24 years ago, they believed that Ellis Law could help out the team in that the fact that he, like Bombata, is able to score points, but also that he averages significantly more free throws throughout the course of a season.

Now with these moves made, it appears as if this will be the lineup for the Highlanders this upcoming season:

PG: Ray Estrada

Backup: Kelvin Davidson

SG: Tristen Collins

Backup: Tre Freeman

SF: Ellis Law

Backup: Fernando Edwards

PF: Devonta Corrigan

C: Chuck O'Rourle

Backup: Ossie Gordon

All in all, Andorra should still have a solid team, being anchored by Devonta Corrigan again, although he'll be playing at PF instead of SF, as he has for most of his career. Also, the starting guards in Ray Estrada and Tristen Collins are returning players. It will be interesting to see how Ellis Law and Fernando Edwards perform at the SF position, but all in all, the biggest question marks for this team will be at the center position, where two journeyman backups in Chuck O'Rourke and Ossie Gordon will now be splitting time. Both players are sharpshooters, and decent rebounders, but they're not strong at playing defense and being able to play aggressively to get to the free throw line. With three first round picks for Season 13, Andorra will plan on getting a new center for their team then, but in the mean time, they hope they will at least pull together another winning season and get to the playoffs, before hopefully putting off an even bigger post-season run in future seasons.

December 21st, 2005

SEOUL SEARCHING

With a close to free agency, the Seoul Dragons have not only performed

major shifts to their lineup, but also pared down their opening day salary

below the cap for the first time since the expansion draft. This did not

come cheaply for the team, as Evilio Nunez, Webster Hewlett, Jeff Sandbeck,

and rookie pick Joe Cornell have been moved to different teams in two

separate deal that gave the team more cap flexibility and a pair of veterans

who will become advisors and mentors to the youthful Dragons lineup. Odibe

King, acquired from London along with a future first round draft pick and

sizable amount of cash, is expected to be the starting small forward on

opening day, with Bill Blackstone sliding into the power forward slot.

King, who shot 51% from the floor last season as a key player for London,

is excited about being part of the history of a new franchise. "When I was

protected in the expansion draft, I knew that the people who were selected

were going to play a major role in the way these cities got into the WBA

mindset. I envied them because no matter what came next, they were going to

have the crowd behind them. And for a pro athlete, having the crowd behind

you means you push yourself harder, take the risks you gotta take, and make

sure they stay behind you when you come back next season. London's crowds

got behind me like no other, so I bounced back. I can't wait to see what

happens out here."

When asked about the opportunity to work with Bill Blackstone and Joe

Siebert, King just smiled and said "I think we're going to turn some heads

this year."

Jeff Sandbeck, in turn, seemed to be just as happy to get out.

"Moment they drafted Brian Armstrong, I was thinking, 'F*** you, Sandman,

you're down to number three for them. I see they signed Mike Huryta there to

be their low man, and really, I got to wish them the best, but I'm psyched

to be going somewhere that I got a shot at getting some playing time. Who

knows? Come the end of training camp, I could be starting out there with Dr.

Evil and Sergei Danilov in the number four slot. Optimism, right?"

Right.

In turn, the hole vacated by Nunez will ostensibly be filled by Bohuslav

Hruska or Jarion Harris, with sharpshooting Scott Jacoby, acquired from

Charlotte along with a 2nd round draft pick for next season for Webster

Hewlett, a future second rounder, and cash, coming off the bench. Hewlett is

expected to step into a prominent swingman role with Charlotte, but his

departure enables both Hruska and Harris to step into more prominent roles

with Jacoby the first option for substitution. Despite being selected first

by the team, Hruska is considered to be on "equal footing" with Harris for

the starting shooting guard position.

"We're sorry to lose the four players we did," Head Coach Bill Cash said,

"But Arron (Black, the Dragons' offensive coach) is glad to be working at

fitting the new people into the system we've been putting together. We want

our fans to know that we're working to put our best feet forward at all

times."

NOTES:

-Free agency did not provide any major surprises for Seoul, as they added

only Michael Huryta and Charlie Jones out of the entire class. The team had

been close to adding Odell Bell, who is believed to be trying out with Miami

after a successful year in Salt Lake last year, and Mike Sewell, who acted

as the backup small forward in Miami last season and is believed to be close

to a minimum contract with Alaska.

- A young team barely avoided getting younger as Seoul withdrew their bid on

Polykarp Dragunas and lost out on the services of Dirk Kuefer to a minimum

offer from Oregon. The offer made to Kuefer was for over twice as much, and

longer term, but the lure of playing for the world champions far outweighed

the potential of developing as part of Seoul's roster. "It's a shame," GM

T.D. Swagger said. "But there's no way you can fault a young player for

wanting to be part of something bigger when the team that drafts him doesn't

sign him. We wish Dirk nothing but the best with Oregon."

-Ethan Hunt, who was not signed by Las Vegas after he was released, is

expected to try out for Paris and Cincinnati this week.. Hunt has been

offered a scouting position within the Seoul franchise, but he is more

interested in continuing his playing career at least one more season, and

has turned the opportunity down for now.

December 21st, 2005

WBA: Western Conference Pacific Division Preview…

Well the teams are almost set for another exciting WBA season… With the realignment and two new expansion teams, the WBA remains one of the best leagues ever! So with that said, let's discuss the Pacific Division… The teams that are in the Pacific division are Oregon, Seoul, Alaska, Sacramento, and Las Vegas… So let's project the standing for the Division and analysis every team… Starting with the WBA Champs…

OREGON - What is to be said about Kevin Harper's crew, they just get better, better, and better… With the addition of Boom Boom Casey, this team only got better… Cole Bayo, Bishop Stein, Marquez Houston, Donavan Jones, and Lou Gonzales return to lead this team to possibly another Championship. There is clearly not a team in this division that is going to stand this team up and smack them over the court. I am not sure of the ideal of signing Boom Boom Casey, but if he starts or come off the bench, he is HUGE for them. Maybe Kevin is beefing up his bench which includes Buck Jones and Quentin Pitt… Who needs draft picks with this squad? Oregon has a chance to repeat and that will strike fear in the eyes of the owners in his division, but remember last season opener's spoiler against Alaska? Maybe that will get some teams thinking upset. I predict Oregon will finish 1st in this Division without a serious threat.

SACRAMENTO - The Fighting Cocks isn't that name a bit inappropriate, but never the less. Mr. Lawrence is trying to build a contender down in Sunny California. And he may have just done that… Only time will tell. His key additions to the team were Samir Sheth and Horace Colbert. Sure in the process they lost Jaxon McCall, but Sheth is a true SG and he doesn't the attitude that Harold Gil had. Meaning that is at least 1 point less they will be giving up to opponents per game. Picking up Colbert for just a draft pick is defined as a steal. Another team without a draft pick in this draft and the fared pretty well. So I think we are looking at a starting five of Jimmy Foster, Samir Sheth, Edgar Kamara, John Van Horne and Horace Colbert. This team is strong at the Center position, and it would be nice to see them take 2nd in this division but I still think they are vulnerable and could fall to the 3rd spot.

ALASKA - This is almost a giving… But with Robert Williams we NEVER know. Not that we mean to pick on the other expansion teams in this division, but I think this team is loaded with enough talent to shake up the division a little. Some are even thinking, they can take second, but the kind of remind me of this season's Lakers. If this, if this, and if that… Alaska key additions included Jermaine Lee, Scott Nicholson, and Peter Parker. Being able to resign Mosley helps this team out also. So the starting five looks like this: Jermaine Lee, Peter Parker, Magic Toby, Corey Mosley, and Scott Nicholson. This starting five is asking a lot of Lee, but along with Toby's passing abilities, this team should be ok… Depending on the health of the elders and some key bench players, I really expect this team to take the 2nd position, but how many talented teams has this management had… Alaska 3rd.

SEOUL - This is a tough one. Seoul outright was the better team in the Expansion Draft… Getting the rights to Joe Sibert and Bill Blackstone… They have surrounded these two players with a nice supporting cast that includes John Gaiser, Bohuslav Hruska, and Brian Armstrong… The starting five for these teams seems to be favoring: John Gaiser, Bohuslav Hruska, Odibe King, Bill Blackstone, and Joe Sibert. This team has some talent and good mixture of youth and veterans. Don't expect them to be a push over. This team will be exciting to watch and could play a sleeper in the league. Management has been a solid contributor even before being awarded a franchise. 4th place finish fits, but if Alaska isn't careful, the will rejoin Steve at the bottom.

LAS VEGAS - Lights, Camera, and Action… or NO ACTION… This team seems to have a true expansion team twist. Mark Miller was in need of being the Center of attention, and he will get it here. Miller will have the chance to shine and ACT as an all-star on a team that will struggle all season… Reminds me of the Jordan days in Chi Town, but Miller has no sidekick… It's like Batman without Robin. With that said, this team strikes NO fear. Now they do have a veteran owner in Steve, but knowing Steve and his historic Fire Sales, this team could get WORST. Not that I am tired at this point, but I just don't see anything exciting. Oh Marty Williams may revamp his career and breakout. Team will finish in the cellar.

December 19th, 2005

Zulus Initiate New Tribe Member

In a surprise move the Cape Tow Zulu's have dealt forward Ellis Law and a future draft pick to Andorra in return for center Oshodi Bombata. It had been a well established fact that the Zulu's have been interested in acquiring Bombata since he came into the league as the #10 overall pick with Miami. However, circumstances prevented this acquisition for three seasons but the franchise remained persistent. Capetown had consistently let Andorra know of their interest and a surprising feature of the deal is that for all these efforts the deal was rumored to have only taken a matter of minutes to finalize. Cape Town received the player they had long coveted while Andorra addressed a free throw shooting weakness for their team.

Cape Town management and the city as a whole is very excited about this acquisition on many levels. The first and foremost is what Bombata brings to the team as a player. Management feels he is already one of the top centers in the WBA and his young age only allows him room to improve. Specifically, he provides Cape Town with a top caliber defensive center of the likes the franchise has never had. Not only that but Bombata can also score in the paint when needed. In this respect he is the perfect complement to Obafemi Mabruke and Abdiel Gordon. We feel that this young trio will lead the franchise for years to come.

As if the fit could not get any better Bombata also happens to be a native son of Africa and a distant cousin of Mabruke. The two are said to be very good friends and that is all management needed to know about his character for as the African proverb goes, “if you know who his friend his you know who he is.” Mabruke himself has been busy in his off-season conditioning program in the African plains and has not been notified of the deal. It is rumored that Bombata will show up and surprise him. We know he will even more excited than the city of Cape Town which has already erupted in chants of `Oshi boma-ye' which is extremely reminiscent of the chants given to Muhammad Ali during the Rumble in the Jungle. Even president and season ticket holder Nelson Mandela has been rumored to have been inquiring about the acquisition of an Oshodi Bombata jersey.

The jubilee engulfing the city of Cape Town has not only been a result of the acquisition of Bombata but is also a result of the other moves made by the team so far this off-season The welcoming back parade was held only a couple of days ago for combo-guard Dexter Kodak and this move will certainly help solidify the teams back-court. Kodak has already proven his abilities during his stay in Cape Town and his high level of play for Nebraska has only further proven his abilities. In the spirit of re-acquisitions the team has also signed center Zane Rivers who spent a little less than a season in Cape Town but played well during his stint here as a starter. He will now be playing a back up role to Bombata. The team has also been in talks about acquiring the services of small forward Jim Donnelly to help replace the loss of Ellis Law.

With improvement as the continual goal of the Cape Town Zulu's it seems that they have managed accomplish this goal once again. It is looking like an extremely bright future for this franchise but it was one long in the making. One is reminded of another African proverb that goes, “no matter how long the night, the dawn always breaks.”

Stay tuned for further developments in the lovely city of Cape Town, South Africa…

December 13th, 2005

WBA Icon is Changing Cities

By Mandon Borfeld

Today a huge deal was struck in which the Nebraska Sun Warriors shipped off veteran SF Wayne Taylor to the Long Island Mayhem. The Warriors were given PF/C Tom Perkins and rookie SF Tony Henderson in the exchange. The rumors had been flying recently that Wayne Taylor was on the market, but it had also been rumored that Salt Lake City was the most likely suitor for him. "In the end, we made a move that we feel brings us a very talented young player (in Henderson), and sent Wayne to a city that has shown it wants to win a championship. SLC made us a nice offer, but Wayne wants to go somewhere that management has really shown a commitment to winning," said GM Brandon Morfeld. He went on to say, "Wayne will definitely be missed here in Nebraska, and we wish him the best of luck. We just felt it was time to make a change here because things hadn't been ending in our favor the past decade. Obviously the formula we were using was only good enough to get us to the second round of the playoffs every year, and when that happens it's time to get a new formula." Taylor himself was not at the Nebraska news conference, as he was on his way to Long Island, but his agent released this statement from him:

"It was my pleasure to play here at Nebraska for as long as I did. The management and I have discussed all trade possibilities as they came up so I'm not shocked by this and I think in fact that it will be a great fit for myself and a real opportunity for me. I wish the best of luck to my friends and teammates that I am leaving and I hope to meet them in the Finals."

Nebraska also took the opportunity to introduce its' two newest team members at the conference. First was veteran big man Tom Perkins who is one of the top players in the history of the WBA. Morfeld said he was very excited to bring a low post presence such as Perkins into the mix here at Nebraska. "We had made offers several times over the past few seasons to try and acquire Tom from Long Island. He's a difference maker and a real threat to score from down low every time," said Morfeld. Perkins said, "I am very glad to be at Nebraska. I look forward to the challenge placed before me and I think with the great players alongside me and a blend of youth we have a chance to go far. I am excited to impart some knowledge on young stars like Vance Clopp and Marc White." Next Nebraska introduced rookie Tony Henderson. Henderson was a phenom out of high school and many thought he wouldn't last in college for four years, but he did and many actually think it may have stunted his development a bit. He is a big time pure scorer with loads of talent and basketball smarts. He has a chance to really develop into a big time threat for this team. Henderson said, "This is going to be a lot of fun. I have watched Nebraska play since I was a kid and I love their wide open style of basketball. It's amazing to think that I am going to be taking over a role held by Wayne Taylor in an offense like this. The opportunity presented to me here is huge and I plan to take full advantage of it." GM Morfeld said, "Tony is a supreme talent that we feel fortunate to have acquired. He will have every opportunity to win the starting SF role on this team, but he will have tough competition from veteran Camron Diaz."

December 10th, 2005

Draft Grades and Analysis

Another draft has come and gone, and a number of surprise decisions were

made during the course of the draft. Not all of the players expected to be

taken, including lottery picks, walked away ready to negotiate a contract,

and a few who were expecting a trip to European or developmental leagues

received the call to the big show. Only time will tell for certain who made

the wise decisions and which moves should have seen a second thought before

being made, but since when do sportswriters have that kind of patience?

Examining each team's selections, complete with grades, it can be determined

who came out ahead, and who didn't do enough homework beforehand.

Teams:

Alaska: PG Jermaine Lee, SG Mike Lewis, PF Mark Arceneaux

-The departures for free agency of Harry Kramer, Hakim Samir, Pat McDaniel,

and Quinten Pitt leaves a few openings on their bench for this young talent.

Drafting Lee at #6 was a smart choice, but the best bargain my well have

been drafting Arceneaux deep into the second round. His ability to hold onto

the ball could easily be a great asset off the bench. Hill should see 10-15

minutes per game as well.

GRADE: B+

Albacete: PF Tyris Mayes, PG Pat London

-Mayes was arguably the best all around power forward available in the

draft, and several teams had an interest in him prior to his selection at

#19. The closest thing to a sure pick in the field of power forwards,

Albacete selected a player who should be part of their lineup for years to

come. Pat London is offensively skilled, but needs to learn more of the

general makeup of a pro offense before he can make an impact. He shoots

well, but his form, all in all, fits him better as bench offense than

starter.

GRADE: B

Andorra: PG Curtis Young

-One can't rationally establish Young as ready to start at point guard. Ed

Summerall, undrafted, or Janacek Prochazka, drafted immediately afterwards,