The Second Team

(Photo: lancasteronline.com)

I gave out my starting five last week and got some good responses, this week is my second team off the bench. This team will have some names that many feel should be on the first team but again, it’s my list so this is how it goes.

(Photo: SI.com)

Point Guard: Allen Iverson, 96’-10’, 76ers, Nuggets, Pistons, Grizzlies- Pound-for-pound one of the toughest players in NBA history. End to end one of the fastest players. Right hand to left hand and back again, one of the quickest. Allen Iverson could score and score a lot. Four seasons scoring over 30 points per game. In 2001, Iverson carried the Sixers on the shoulder of his 165lb body to the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. While the Sixers took game 1 with Iverson scoring 48 points, the Lakers won 4 straight to win the series but it was one of those things where you knew then Iverson was destined for greatness. A four-time scoring champ along with an MVP Award in 2000-01, Allen Iverson is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history and perhaps the best player 6-feet and under.

            Career: 26.7 ppg, 6.2 ast, 3.7 reb, 2.2 stl, 0.2 blk, 78% FT, 31% 3P, 42% FG

(Photo: fadeawayworld.com)

Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant, 96’-16’, Lakers- Bryant is one of two players on my second team that a majority of people will think should be on the first team. One of the best players in NBA history, Bryant played all 20 with the Lakers and retired as perhaps the greatest Laker in history. That’s another debate we can have. with the Lakers and retired as perhaps the greatest Laker in history. That’s another debate we can have. Like Iverson, Bryant is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history and ranks 3^rd on the all-time scoring list with 33,643 points. He was an assassin on the court and his attitude and mental capacity for the game of basketball was perhaps even more impressive than his actual play. Bryant captured three of his five NBA titles with Shaquille O’Neal but won his last two on his own which many believed cemented his legacy as one of the greats, but his career numbers and accolades speak for themselves.

            Career: 25.0 ppg, 5.2 reb, 4.7 ast, 1.4 stl, 0.5 blk, 83% FT, 32% 3P, 44% FG

Small Forward: Kevin Durant, 07’-present, Super Sonics, Thunder, Warriors- So far my second could outscore my first team as Durant adds to that. Perhaps the most unique scorer in league history, Durant is (still debatable) 7-feet and shoots the ball as well as teammates Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. His hands and shot release point allow him to shoot over every defender that tries to guard him. A four-time scoring champ, Durant has scored 25 points or more in 10 straight seasons. A recent Finals MVP for the second straight season, Durant will likely go down as one of the best scorers in NBA history. If you’re looking to defend him, all I can say is good luck.

            Career: 27.1 ppg, 7.1 reb, 3.9 ast, 1.2 stl, 1.1 blks, 88% FT, 38% 3P, 49% FG

Power Forward: Tim Duncan, 97’-16’, Spurs- I’m not sure how someone like Tim Duncan can be underrated but somehow he is. Arguably the best power forward of all-time, Duncan was the centerpiece for the Spurs dynasty that won 5 titles with Duncan leading the way. The definition of letting your play do the talking, Duncan was one of the quietest players the NBA has ever seen. Especially for someone of his status. Duncan was perhaps the best passing big man of all-time he never finished a season under 2.3 assists per game. You could always count on him to make the right play at the right time and could always count on him to use the glass.

(Photo: sportingnews.com)

            Career: 19.0 ppg, 10.8 ast, 3.0 ast, 0.7 stl, 2.2 blk, 69%, 17% 3P, 50% FG

Center: Ben Wallace, 96’-12’, Bullets/Wizards, Magic, Pistons, Bulls, Cavs- This might be the biggest surprise amongst my two starting fives. I have a lot of scoring on this second team so I’m going with rebounding and defense. Wallace might be the most undersized center the NBA has seen but that didn’t stop him from racking up the rebounds and blocks. A four-time defensive player of the year, Wallace held down the middle for the Pistons during their run of multiple Eastern Conference Finals and an NBA title. Whether he rocked the cornrows or the fro, Ben Wallace never backed down. If it’s an offensive center you want this isn’t your guy but if you want someone to stand his ground in the paint and fight for the boards then look no further than Wallace.

            Career: 5.7 ppg, 11.1 reb, 1.5 ast, 1.4 stl, 2.3 blks, 41% FT, 47% FG

Starting Five

If you’re a basketball fan then you have your ‘starting five’. No matter what era you grew up in you have the five players you think will run up and down the court against anyone and win.

(Photo: pinterest.com)

I’m no different.

With the NBA Finals looming I think it’s fitting to drop two line-ups. My era begins in 2000 just as a reference but I will name multiple players who played a good bit in the 90’s.

Let’s start with the 1^st team.

Point Guard: Jason Kidd, 94’-13’, Nets/Mavericks/ Suns/Knicks- Jason Kidd is one of the premier point guards of all-time. Not only was he one of the best passing guards the game has seen but his defense was some of the best for a point guard. Kidd ranks second in NBA history in both assists (12,091) and steals (2,684) to go along with his 17,529 points. The term ‘floor general’ gets thrown around when it comes to point guards and their ability to control the game and be the leader of the team, Kidd was the definition of that. He was the leader of the Nets in the early 2000’s when they made trips to the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals and is probably one of the last true great point guards.

            Career: 12.6 ppg, 8.7 ast, 6.3 reb, 1.9 stl, 0.3 blk, 78% FT, 34% 3P, 40% FG

Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade, 03’-present, Heat/Bulls/Cavs- This one will likely confuse a lot of people but it’s my list and I’ll put Wade over Kobe if I want. Injuries might have caused his reputation to take a hit because his prime seems so long ago but during his prime he was one of the top players in the league. He came into the NBA at the same time as LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony so the hype surrounding him wasn’t as high as the other two but you can argue, and likely win that argument, that Wade has had the second best career from anyone in that draft class. Wade could score there’s no question about it, but his defense never gets talked about. Kobe Bryant gets all the love as the best 2-guard and rightfully so, but Wade’s defense by the numbers tells a different story. If you want to see for yourself check out basketball-reference.com. Sorry, Kobe. 

(Photo: pinterest.com)

            Career: 22.5 ppg, 5.5 ast, 4.7 reb, 1.6 stl, 0.9 blk, 76% FT, 28% 3P, 48% FG

Small Forward: LeBron James, 03’-present, Cavaliers/Heat- Unlike the Dwyane Wade pick, this one is easy. LeBron is without a doubt the best player of my generation and some would argue the best of all-time. That is a different story altogether. LeBron has dominated essentially since he came into the league. He had his coming out party in 2007 against the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals when he dropped 48 points points, scoring the final 25 points. I think everyone knew he was going to be something special when he was in high school but that game certainly cemented that and the legacy has only grown since. We could talk about all the accolades but that’s not why he’s in my starting five. He’s on here because he’s the best player on the planet. His passing is maybe as good as ability to score. He can guard all five positions and most importantly he makes his teammates better. The eight straight trips to the NBA Finals isn’t a bad stat either.

            Career: 27.2 ppg, 7.2 ast, 7.4 reb, 1.6 stl, 0.8 blk, 73% FT, 34% 3P, 50% FG

Power Forward: Kevin Garnett, 95’-16’, Timberwolves/Celtics/Nets- This might be another surprise but I think the argument can be made that Garnett at one point was the best big man in the NBA. His run in Minnesota didn’t come with any championships like some of the other big men during that time, but his numbers were just as good as the Duncan’s, Shaq’s, even Chris Webber. In his 12 seasons with the T-Wolves, Garnett put up 20.5 ppg, 11.4 reb, and 4.5 ast to go along with 1.4 stls and 1.7 blocks. The combination of playing in a market like Minnesota and having Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal dominating the West, it was almost like Garnett was overlooked. He finally got his time after joining the Celtics but for me I’ll always think of KG in Minnesota.

            Career: 17.8 ppg, 10.0 reb, 3.7 ast, 1.3 ast, 1.4 blk, 78% FT, 27% 3P, 49% FG

(Photo: ftw.usatoday.com)

Center: Shaquille O’Neal, 92’-11’, Lakers/Heat/Suns/Cavs/Celtics- The most dominant player to ever lace up a pair of basketball sneakers. Wilt Chamberlain probably ‘dominated’ more than Shaq, but in the era Shaq played (I know you can’t compare eras) there has never been a more dominant player. Yes, that includes Michael Jordan. At 7’1”, 325lbs, Shaq made every big man look small. His numbers speak for themselves but watching him play made you appreciate even more what he could do. For someone his size, to have the agility he did and the handles he did, it was simply amazing. Much like most of the greats; LeBron, Jordan, Magic, etc., you will never see another Shaq. He won three titles with the Lakers then his fourth with the Heat. I don’t think there is anyone that you could argue to replace him in this starting five. I don’t know if it’s entirely possible to think that Shaq was underrated but when you talk about the all-time greats and list off the 10 best players in NBA history O’Neal needs to be on the list. Plain and simple.

            Career: 23.7 ppg, 10.9 reb, 2.5 ast, 0.6 stl, 2.3 blk, 52% FT, 58% FG

(Stats: https://www.basketball-reference.com/)

NFL Mock Draft

This is one of my favorite times of the year, NFL Draft season. Watching the tape, breaking down the best college players, putting together mock draft after mock draft that will never be accurate. Making the bold predictions that I usually get so wrong I just forget I even mentioned them. That’s happened more times than I’ve been right.

This year is one of those years where I honestly have no idea what is going to happen, and it’s mainly within the first five picks. The Cleveland Browns have two picks in the top five (1 and 4). The New York Jets traded up to get the third pick overall. The Denver Broncos are lurking at number five but do they move up? There are so many questions that no one has the answers to, and likely the teams at the top don’t even have those answers right now.

The draft is where you build your team with players who you have no idea what you’re going to get because the transition from the college level to the pro ranks is so intense that some players fade out before they even get started.

The top five picks in the draft could see 3, maybe 4 quarterbacks chosen. That’s 3 or 4 quarterbacks that in my mind aren’t worthy of going that high, let alone in the top 10.

(Photo from chatsports.com)

The object of the draft is to get the best players available, not the player who is a ‘good fit’ or a logical pick. For example, with the Browns holding the top pick many are wondering what direction they’ll go; do they take a shot at their next franchise quarterback? Or do they take the best player in the draft, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley? That franchise quarterback might not even be in the top 10 of best players in the draft but again, it’s the logical thing to do. Taking a running back number one is almost unheard of and coincidentally the last running back to be selected number one overall was another Penn State running back, Ki-Jana Carter in 1995.

The top question is, what do the Browns do with their first two picks? Many believe they will select USC quarterback Sam Darnold number one. Darnold has been the top quarterback on many draft boards since before the 2017 college season even started. With the fourth pick it’s very likely that Barkley won’t be around so where do they go? The Jets are bound to take a quarterback. That leaves two intriguing players, North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb and Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson. Either pick would help solidify both the offensive and defensive line.

 The New York Giants are next and it seems inevitable that they’d take Barkley if the Browns don’t, right? You wouldn’t dare skip a generational type of player, right? Even if it’s a running back? If you’re going to draft a running back that high, it almost seems like the Giants are the best landing spot. You have a Hall of Fame quarterback in Eli Manning and a potential Hall of Fame wide receiver in Odell Beckham Jr on the offensive side of the ball who will just naturally command the spotlight and would take some of it away from Barkley. That’s not to say he wouldn’t get some of that spotlight should he be their guy, but it won’t be nearly as bright of a light as it would be in Cleveland where he would be immediately become the face of the franchise for a team that desperately needs it. They drafted defensive end Myles Garrett last year with the number one pick, but Barkley would come in and be able to play all four downs and ignite the offense.

Regardless of how the first five picks shape out, the NFL Draft always provides drama and excitement. I’ve taken the liberty of putting together the 346^th mock draft you’ll see before the draft next week with about 100 more to come.

Note: these picks are what I believe the teams SHOULD do, not what I think they WILL do. Big difference. Also note, I did not factor in any trades that might occur.

1.     Cleveland Browns: RB, Saquon Barkley, Penn State

2.     New York Giants: DE, Bradley Chubb, NC State  

3.     New York Jets: Quarterback, Sam Darnold, USC

4.     Cleveland Browns: Offensive guard, Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame

5.     Denver Broncos: S, Derwin James, Florida State

6.     Indianapolis Colts: CB, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama

7.     Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB, Denzel Ward, Ohio State

8.     Chicago Bears: DT, Vita Vea, Washington

9.     San Francisco 49ers: OLB, Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech

10.  Oakland Raiders: WR, Calvin Ridley, Alabama

11.  Miami Dolphins: ILB, Roquan Smith, Georgia

12.  Buffalo Bills: QB, Josh Rosen, UCLA

13.  Washington Redskins: OT, Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame

14.  Green Bay Packers: DE, Harold Landry, Boston College

15.  Arizona Cardinals: QB, Josh Allen, Wyoming

16.  Baltimore Ravens: ILB, Rashaan Evans, Alabama

17.  LA Chargers: WR, D.J. Moore, Maryland

18.  Seattle Seahawks: OT, Connor Williams, Texas

19.  Dallas Cowboys: WR, Christian Kirk, Texas A&M

20.  Detroit Lions: DT, Da’Ron Payne, Alabama

21.  Cincinnati Bengals: DE, Sam Hubbard, Ohio State

22.  Buffalo Bills: OT, Kolton Miller, UCLA

23.  New England Patriots: CB, Josh Jackson, Iowa

24.  Carolina Panthers: WR, Courtland Sutton, SMU

25.  Tennessee Titans: OLB, Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State

26.  Atlanta Falcons: CB, Jaire Alexander, Louisville

27.  New Orleans Saints: TE, Mike Gesicki, Penn State

28.  Pittsburgh Steelers: QB, Lamar Jackson, Louisville

29.  Jacksonville Jaguars: WR, James Washington, Oklahoma State

30.  Minnesota Vikings: RB, Derrius Guice, LSU

31.  New England Patriots: OLB, Malik Jefferson, Texas

32.  Philadelphia Eagles: DE, Marcus Davenport, UTSA