Game 1 Draft - Worst Pick

[PcketknfNiels]

Yes perhaps. But I do put a high value on all around players for this exercise, hence why I favor him over Rashad (even though Rash has better size).

I'm also someone who was never really that enthused with Albert Mouring, so that might color the commentary of the two. Might be personal bias.

I'd much rather have my role players be specialists than have a slew of guys who are competent, yet not great, at multiple things

 

[Matrim55]

I'd much rather have my role players be specialists than have a slew of guys who are competent, yet not great, at multiple things

Well put.

 

[Robertelamin]

Tony blew both Mourning and Anderson out of the water athletically. Tony never quite put it all together though...Still I would take Tony over both unless you are just looking for a 3 point shooter and then I would take Anderson.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I'd much rather have my role players be specialists than have a slew of guys who are competent, yet not great, at multiple things

Ding ding ding ding ding.

Rashad is my 4th or 5th best starter, and isn't going to have the ball in his hands most of the time. He's someone who will make you pay when you have to commit extra defenders to stopping my stud ballhandlers or post players.

 

[tzznandrew]

Ding ding ding ding ding.

Rashad is my 4th or 5th best starter, and isn't going to have the ball in his hands most of the time. He's someone who will make you pay when you have to commit extra defenders to stopping my stud ballhandlers or post players.

I didn't mind the Anderson pick. But I'll say this--AJP, Doron Sheffer, and Rashad Anderson are going to be sieves on defense. Doron will pick some pockets, sure, but he's slow footed. But, you did make the right first pick in Okafor. He'll clean up some of those messes. But, I can certainly imagine foul trouble down low, or the danger of it, forcing you to bring in Kromah, who is a plus defensive player, but a weak offensive player (in the scheme of UConn's history).

 

[intlzncster]

I'd much rather have my role players be specialists than have a slew of guys who are competent, yet not great, at multiple things

And yet, I'd rather have TR start over Mouring or Anderson because I think he's a better basketball player and importantly a better defender. I think he would have been perfect for your particular team.

 

[intlzncster]

Ding ding ding ding ding.

Rashad is my 4th or 5th best starter, and isn't going to have the ball in his hands most of the time. He's someone who will make you pay when you have to commit extra defenders to stopping my stud ballhandlers or post players.

If anyone is starting Anderson, I'm sending a stud up against him and scoring 40 with impunity. On your team, I'd probably start Kromah over him. Not talent wise necessarily, but what the team needs.

 

[tzznandrew]

And yet, I'd rather have TR start over Mouring or Anderson because I think he's a better basketball player and importantly a better defender. I think he would have been perfect for your particular team.

This is the best argument. TRob brings more than offense.

But I'll say, I think it depends on the team. Some teams may already have enough defense where a clutch player like Anderson coming off the bench is just fine. Remember, we won a NC with that. You just better have solid defense at your other two guard positions, otherwise your center--I don't care whom it is--will be in foul trouble.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

And yet, I'd rather have TR start over Mouring or Anderson because I think he's a better basketball player and importantly a better defender. I think he would have been perfect for your particular team.

You would rather have him because you're massively overrating him. But tell me who's coming close to stopping my team offensively during the times I sit Tate and run Smith Mouring Ray Daniels together or run a small/fast Tate Smith Mouring Ray Daniels? The second lineup is something I could particularly do damage with in my first matchup.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

If anyone is starting Anderson, I'm sending a stud up against him and scoring 40 with impunity. On your team, I'd probably start Kromah over him. Not talent wise necessarily, but what the team needs.

So, you get to choose who matches up on who and the other guy doesn't?

Sh.it, I'll just wait for you to tell me how Moore would hold Ray 3-23 or something asinine.

 

[tzznandrew]

You would rather have him because you're massively overrating him. But tell me who's coming close to stopping my team offensively during the times I sit Tate and run Smith Mouring Ray Daniels together or run a small/fast Tate Smith Mouring Ray Daniels? The second lineup is something I could particularly do damage with in my first matchup.

Everyone, because who effectively runs the offense? Chris Smith is a 2G.

And who are you stopping with those teams?

 

[tzznandrew]

So, you get to choose who matches up on who and the other guy doesn't?

Sh.it, I'll just wait for you to tell me how Moore would hold Ray 3-23 or something asinine.

Ricky would slow him down. Certainly not that, though. When voting, you take the defense into consideration. If he's an average defender (Chris Smith) you give them their season averages, when he's a plus defender (Moore, Boat, Taliek--in that order) you minus a few points, when they're a negative defender (Marcus Williams, Rashad Anderson, Ray Allen), you add a few.

 

[intlzncster]

So, you get to choose who matches up on who and the other guy doesn't?

Sh.it, I'll just wait for you to tell me how Moore would hold Ray 3-23 or something asinine.

He'll have to matchup against somebody. And most lineups are stacked. That's why it's best to have defenders at every position imo. UCONN won every one of it's Championships on the strength of world class D.

Ricky would slow down a lot of our great players. Not stop them. Kemba and Shabazz never had to play a defender like Ricky. They'd get their 20+ but inefficiently.

 

[intlzncster]

You would rather have him because you're massively overrating him. But tell me who's coming close to stopping my team offensively during the times I sit Tate and run Smith Mouring Ray Daniels together or run a small/fast Tate Smith Mouring Ray Daniels? The second lineup is something I could particularly do damage with in my first matchup.

Again, D is more important than O imo. It's what won UCONN it's championships first and foremost. Yeah, we had great offensive players too, but UCONN's D has been it's hallmark. Hence, why I favor two way players.

Two of the keys to the whole draft were Ricky and Boatright imo because of this.

 

[tzznandrew]

He'll have to matchup against somebody. And most lineups are stacked. That's why it's best to have defenders at every position imo. UCONN won every one of it's Championships on the strength of world class D.

Ricky would slow down a lot of our great players. Not stop them. Kemba and Shabazz never had to play a defender like Ricky. They'd get their 20+ but inefficiently.

That really had to be a consideration. I figured a plus defender in each spot (even if that had to be the bench) would be important. Where I have a potentially weak defender in the lineup, I have a plus defender on the bench I could play instead.

Defense--tough, man to man, half court defense--won titles at UConn. The press, while fun, maxed out at the E8.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

Everyone, because who effectively runs the offense? Chris Smith is a 2G.

And who are you stopping with those teams?

Smith led the team in assists 2 years he was at UConn, Smith can clearly run that offense for periods during the game.

Boone averaged 4 blocks and 11.3 rebounds per 40 during his sophomore year, Oriakhi 2 blocks and 12 boards per 40, with 7 man teams these guys are going to be playing closer to that 40 minute mark than they did at most times. Smith was also a plus perimeter defender.

High time I go over and kick your ass in that other thread though. Your team is a joke.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

Ricky would slow him down. Certainly not that, though. When voting, you take the defense into consideration. If he's an average defender (Chris Smith) you give them their season averages, when he's a plus defender (Moore, Boat, Taliek--in that order) you minus a few points, when they're a negative defender (Marcus Williams, Rashad Anderson, Ray Allen), you add a few.

Sorry, but no. Ray was basically Lebron in college.

 

[tzznandrew]

Smith led the team in assists 2 years he was at UConn, Smith can clearly run that offense for periods during the game.

Boone averaged 4 blocks and 11.3 rebounds per 40 during his sophomore year, Oriakhi 2 blocks and 12 boards per 40, with 7 man teams these guys are going to be playing closer to that 40 minute mark than they did at most times. Smith was also a plus perimeter defender.

High time I go over and kick your ass in that other thread though. Your team is a joke.

Per 40...not necessarily the best stat because there are reasons most players don't play 40. Perhaps that stat's the reason Pat Lenehan was drafted though.

Sorry. When my team is the only team that starts a Consensus First Team AA and Second Team AA (Kemba and Rudy), when I have two of the best 4 statistical seasons on my team (Wes, Tony Hanson, Donyell, Kemba in some order), when I start the 3rd, 6th, and 8th leading scorers in UConn history, when every member of the starting line up was at least third team all conference, and all but Sellers were first team all conference, when I have a plus defender at every position (Kemba-Taliek-Rudy-Niels-Sellers), when my starting back-court each won a title as the lead guard, and played significant minutes on a Final Four team and an E8 team, when my 1-4 were all drafted into the NBA...I think I got this.

 

[tzznandrew]

Sorry, but no. Ray was basically Lebron in college.

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1996-03-23/sports/1996083084_1_allen-mississippi-state-bulldogs

For all your "Ricky couldn't do anything to Ray" (and I don't have Ricky, but I do have plus defenders at 1 and 2), Ray played terrible here.

So much for LeBron.

I love Ray, but don't sound silly...LeBron would have made one Final Four in 3 years.

 

[tzznandrew]

Smith led the team in assists 2 years he was at UConn, Smith can clearly run that offense for periods during the game.

Smith's best season he averaged 3.7 apg. On a team that played at a torrid pace. To put that into perspective, the much slower 2004 team had two players average more assists than that: Taliek and Ben Gordon. And Ben averaged more than that despite playing next to Taliek when Taliek put up more assists per game in a season than any UConn player not named Marcus Williams.

Good luck in the half court. There's a reason Tate and Smith never led a team beyond the E8--and only got there once.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

Per 40...not necessarily the best stat because there are reasons most players don't play 40. Perhaps that stat's the reason Pat Lenehan was drafted though.

Sorry. When my team is the only team that starts a Consensus First Team AA and Second Team AA (Kemba and Rudy), when I have two of the best 4 statistical seasons on my team (Wes, Tony Hanson, Donyell, Kemba in some order), when I start the 3rd, 6th, and 8th leading scorers in UConn history, when every member of the starting line up was at least third team all conference, and all but Sellers were first team all conference, when I have a plus defender at every position (Kemba-Taliek-Rudy-Niels-Sellers), when my starting back-court each won a title as the lead guard, and played significant minutes on a Final Four team and an E8 team, when my 1-4 were all drafted into the NBA...I think I got this.

With 7 man rosters it's a pretty useful stat. Ray's per 40 are the following:

29.8 PPG 8.3 RPG 4.3 APG 2.2 SPG

Ray played at least 38 MPG 7 times in his NBA career, including 40.1 MPG in just his 2nd NBA season. I'll just leave this here and let you choke on it like a stale fart.

Sorry, when you continue to post stats from players who played pre-Big East, pre 3p era, pre 64 team tourney, I kind of just look at it and do this:

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1996-03-23/sports/1996083084_1_allen-mississippi-state-bulldogs

For all your "Ricky couldn't do anything to Ray" (and I don't have Ricky, but I do have plus defenders at 1 and 2), Ray played terrible here.

So much for LeBron.

I love Ray, but don't sound silly...LeBron would have made one Final Four in 3 years.

Like I said in the other thread, if you have to cover the best shooter IN THE HISTORY OF BASKETBALL with a couple of guys who are generously listed at 6'1, you know you're .cked.

Ray played "terrible" and still scored 22 points though, just think what he'll be able to do shooting over the top or driving (yes, he could do that in college) into guys that don't have the size or strength to handle contact. Then he gets inside and finds "not the strongest, or fastest, or best athlete, but gosh darn was he a whip of a player!" Corny "hey my best season came the 1 year I didn't play in the Big East" Thompson or Rod "I can be as mean and tough as Stalin but it doesn't matter if I'm not fast enough to rotate on a drive or athletic enough to block anybody" Sellers? Hahaha, okay.

Also, fwiw, Lebron proved in his Cleveland days that you can be the best player in the world and still not win if you don't have the team around you. That's why I'm here to get Ray (and Smith) the title they missed out on.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

Smith's best season he averaged 3.7 apg. On a team that played at a torrid pace. To put that into perspective, the much slower 2004 team had two players average more assists than that: Taliek and Ben Gordon. And Ben averaged more than that despite playing next to Taliek when Taliek put up more assists per game in a season than any UConn player not named Marcus Williams.

Good luck in the half court. There's a reason Tate and Smith never led a team beyond the E8--and only got there once.

Hey, guess what, I have the 2 primary ball handlers from those "torrid" teams, and I've surrounded them with a bunch of agile, athletic, scorers! Guess how my team's gonna play!

Good luck with your 2 dead weights. So sorry I don't have a Cliff or Donyell type player for Rod's defense to matter, also sorry that 1 of your 5 remaining, able to actually see a court at a D1 school in this era is an absolute 0 offensively (sorry Taliek!).

When your strongest criticism against Smith/Tate as ball handlers is somehow trying to disparage them for Laettner hitting a last second shot (or disparage their credentials in general since their success as a team was far and away the best the school had ever had) and you're sitting here trying to tell me with a straight face that Tony/Corny (wow bet Tate/Smith's success looks good now!) or even Sellers (on those same teams you dope) are going to be major contributors to your team, you know you're .cked.

 

[tzznandrew]

As for Tony Hanson--dude was a 6'5" SG. He didn't play in an era like the 60s. Perhaps then you'd have a point. Hanson played in an era with players like Bird and Magic and a number of other stars. Hell, he played in a conference Dr. J just came out of...and had a very good international career. To disparage him because he played a while back is crazy and ignorant. Especially because you trash him for not sticking on a roster while conveniently forgetting that Chris Smith didn't either.

As for Corny Thompson, dude could ball, and he played in the Big East. That you need him to suck because you want to win is fine. But that doesn't make you any less wrong. He was a 2x Big East first team player. And he's going to make your interior defense work...and his key weakness is defense...and your interior doesn't scare me.

I have Kemba...led a team to a title.
I have Taliek...led a team to a title.
I have Niels, who played and defended significantly on a title team.

Your one PG did get his team to an E8. And that's significant and all. But it ain't the same. Your 2 other key players couldn't get over the hump.

And you don't play defense, except a press, I guess. And I'm just not worried about that. Press me, and I have two primary guards who will make you pay.

What were Calhoun's teams up through 1999 killed for? The inability to play in the half court. When I play Taliek and Giffey, I have 5 solid, on the ball defenders that are going to harrass your players into mistakes. You key mistake was valuing offense over defense. Kemba--who led the NCAA in FT attempts in 2011--is going to get your bigs into foul trouble. And I can play fast or slow. I can score inside or outside. Your team can score from the outside if you play fast. And that's about it. Your best offense in the half-court is going to be isos.