Now that the draft is over it’s time to look at the teams and see who’s looking good in these turbulent times, which I call the “portal era.” It’s very difficult, if not impossible to build roster continuity now from season to season, which puts an even greater emphasis on scouting and drafting. I am not going to rank the rosters from best to worst. I am going to by conference and division within that conference. I will rank the rosters from strongest to weakest within each division.
Wooden Conference
Haskins Division
In recent times the Haskins has been the toughest division in the NCAA and that should continue to be the case this year although the South Austin Horns are the frontrunners.
South Austin Horns: Guards are everything in our game and the Horns have not 2, not 3, not 4, but 5 real good-looking guards. They’re looking really horny…thorny too…
G-Lee
G-Haggerty
F-Reneau
F-Hamilton/Brown
C-Goldin
6th-DeVries
FR-Queen
Summary: Concerns? I think Reneau is going to step up and possibly be a stud (25+fppg) this year but he hasn’t done that yet. I think they may have a minor issue at center. At Michigan Wolf & Goldin can play together but how much? Wolf is the more talented, ergo, Goldin’s stats probably drop from last year. I like their freshman, Queen.
Post-draft Add(s): None.
The Ghosts of Pauley Pavilion: Only one player listed below in the starting lineup was on their roster prior to the draft. A tip of the cap to the greatful dead…Bill Walton R.I.P.
G-Harris
G-Mincey
F-Sandfort
F-Kuljuhovic
C-Kaufman-Renn
6th-McBride
FR-Haskins/Vokietaitis
Summary: Owusu-Anane injured and out for the year. They have 3 quality guards and two good looking centers if Kaufman-Renn is the player during the season that he has been during two exhibition games. Forward position now needs an impact player.
Post-draft Add(s): None.
Fore Sons & A Doctor: They need 3 good players (Grant-Foster, Karaban, Avila) to step up a little bit.
G-Grant-Foster
G-
F-Pierce
F-Karaban
C-Dickinson
6th-Avila
FR-Jakucionas
Summary: Arguably the best center in fantasy basketball. Pierce is a stud. Karaban’s numbers should bump up a little. Grant-Foster has upside. Jackucionas a prime candidate to get a triple-double, he’s a stat stuffer. But I don’t like any of their other guards and they need to get two who can put up 21+fppg.
Post-draft Add: Noah Williamson. Hopefully, this “center” discovers how to consistently grab 7-8 rebounds a game. Hold the Mayo please! I’ve never understood the rush to take a guy who has a good first game against a “compburger” team. George Kimble looks like a nice college player but that doesn’t mean he will make a nice fantasy player. Too quick on the trigger, methinks. Same thing with Braeden Lue. He is part of a top 35 recruiting class and he did start and I actually do think that he will have a good opp to impact. But really, one game vs. an overwhelmed (49-point win) Toccoa Falls team?
T-N-T Youngsters: Right now, they have some firepower but like Ukraine, not enough of it to sustain them through a long march.
G-Coward
G-Osobor
F-I. Nelson
F-
C-Raynaud
6th-
FR-Sorber
Summary: They need 3, however, they can get two forwards and a freshmen-and quality upgrades over what they have should be relatively easy to find another guard wouldn’t hurt.
Post-draft Add: Similar to Lue above, I like Cam Scott & Renars Sondors (I do like him though) but I would’ve waited on those two frosh. Looks a little too crowded at Ole’ Miss for Dre Davis to produce meaningful numbers. May have solved their freshman problem with Sorber…good add.
Knight Division
The Hogs went all guard buck wild, just getting piggy with it after the draft. They are Lancelot in the Knight.
Hog Wild: The duo of Batcho & Lendeborg is going to win the forward battle most every time.
G-Aranguren
G-Dunn
F-Batcho
F-Lendeborg
C-Freemantle
6th-Conwell/Bonham
FR-Pozzato
Summary: Bonham (around 21 fppg) is okay, but, if he’s possibly your top guard instead of 2nd or 3rd best, you need an upgrade because Milton has flashed but has been erratic. Crews likely to take a dip after transferring. I’m not sold on their freshman.
Post-draft Add(s): Hog Wild doesn’t mean they are hog crazy. Got Freemantle! They dumped Kyrick Davis already and added frosh Gabriel Pozzato. He doesn’t appear to do much besides shoot it but he does that often and well. Hog Wild then let 5 inferior guards get picks up and then swooped in and “stole” Tyson Dunn & Jean Aranguren, a Canadian & a Venezuelan, respectively. I haven’t even sent this in to the Commish to be posted. Is he reading my mind? Used their moves and have had the best post-draft success!
Leathernecks: It’s a beautiful thing when best player available (BPA) and position of need intersect while drafting.
G-Buchanan
G-
F-Noel
F-Martin
C-
6th-Reese
FR-Demin
Summary: There is always a question or two. Ajayi is currently coming off the bench-will that change? I think Aidoo will be serviceable-is that enough? I love Demin. Except for maybe f/c Obioha I have to question the quality of their depth beyond the starters.
Post-draft Add: A little quick on the freshman trigger with the Jeremiah Evans add-but he should be a good fantasy player going forward whether or not he makes a good freshman.
Yoder Dame Fighting Amish: Got 3 dudes. That’s all good but it ain’t nearly enough.
G-Sears
G-Davis
F-Brooks
F-D. Smith
C-
6th-Clark
FR-Hinton
Summary: Need a quality center. Hinton should be one of the better fantasy frosh. Both Smith & Clark need to bump up their fantasy averages by 2+-3 fppg.
Post-draft Add(s): None.
The Prodigal Son : A ton of question marks…too many…they’re in trouble.
G-J. White
G-
F-
F-
C-
6th-
FR-Bethea/Riley
Summary: They have candidates to fill in those lineup holes but I am not sold on any of them which is why they are blank. They have a bunch of “free” moves they can make and they should endeavor to use them all because they are certainly not anybody’s prodigal son.
Post-draft Add: Frosh Will Riley can score. Can he get consistent minutes? Ah, an impulse buy. Geronimo! Rubio de la Rosa had a big game (which he’s capable of from time to time looking at his history) vs. Villanova so TPS just had to have him. Maybe…Guard Jacari White looks like a better bet than Ruby Rose.
Valvano Conference
Rupp Division
This is one division where it appears that every team has a good freshman.
Albuquerque Chickenhawks: Questionable (IMHO) draft strategy keeps them from being considered elite in the NCAA-but they are definitely the team to beat in the Rupp.
G-Timberlake
G-Barnhizer
F-Broome
F-Schieffelin
C-Bodo
6th-Ndongo
FR-Catchings
Summary: In that program, with how they play I don’t see any room for Barnhizer to improve on his 20.4 fppg con avg-which is why I think taking him so high was not good draft strategy. I loved Ndongo as a freshman and I still like him but I would also rather have another option for the 6th man slot. Drafting Bodo first when they had Broome to play center hurt them as they did not get a quality guard…yes, Barnhizer is not an impact guard. He is serviceable. I guess that will be a wing bone of contention if we ever play a game of wishbone.
Post-draft Add(s): Dropped Henry Coleman…good. Dropped Jyare Davis…maybe not so good. Added Kelton Talford…meh. Added Ryan Nembhard…meh. Added sleeper/riser Hosana Kitenge…I like it!
Cal Bears: I’m sure their GM disagrees with me, but they have zero guards who can play-right now. Hopefully, Hopkins gives them one when he returns. Why did they take 4 freshmen? Did they go to the same GM school with Sam Jacobson Went To Class?
G-
G-
F-Degenhart
F-Garcia
C-Kalkbrenner
6th-Brown
FR-Newell
Summary: Just having “Stalker Kalkbrenner” puts you in the hunt. I like their four frontline guys although we have to wait and see if the talented Javonte Brown can also be a consistently good Brown. I think Newell is the better freshman and could be a “fab” frosh. They’ve got a lot of garbage on the roster to throw out.
Post-draft Add(s): None.
Independent George: Underrated guard duo. Hopefully, Texas Tech Toppin is as effective as pre-Texas Tech Toppin and not just a muffin toppin’.
G-Love
G-Clifford
F-Toppin
F-Murray-Boyles
C-
6th-
FR-Harper
Summary: They took Filewich. For what, I don’t know. If he’s your starter just mail the season in right now. Different sport, but they can’t afford to “Jerry Jones” it. Center should be on the shopping list. Clifford could be a stud (25+fppg).
Post-draft Add(s): None.
Boeheim’s Army: At least Boeheim’s Army found a good Orangeman.
G-E. Taylor
G-B. Smith
F-
F-
C-Joseph
6th-Sallis
FR-Freeman
Summary: Similar to Independent George at the guard position. They have some “names” in Mullen, Porter, and, Hall who could produce but I am not optimistic about Hall and have been waiting on Mullen & Porter to fulfill their potential. The good news? Forward in the easiest position to fill from the FA pool.
Post-draft Add: Really needed Nelly Joseph. That’s a great get. Dropped Wicks for Ethan Taylor-Air Force.
Smith Division
The Smith is not the best division, but, IMHO, it looks like the most competitive among their own four teams. None are weak. All have some talent. All have multiple holes and also serious concerns. Tribe & Walk Ons battling for Smith supremacy.
Tribe: Things are not as bad as they look, but their name always makes me think of the movie “Major League.”
G-Richmond
G-
F-Shumate
F-
C-Ike
6th-
FR-Bailey
Summary: The four guys they have in the lineup are pretty good. Can Tyrel Morgan be who they think he is?
Post-draft Add(s): None.
The Walk Ons : Living and dying with the freshmen…not a good thing.
G-Felton
G-D. Williams
F-Omier
F-
C-Wolf
6th-Maluach
FR-Ivisic
Summary: They have a stud (Omier). They have a “mini-stud” (Wolf). They have a rising talent at one guard (Williams) and the other guard gets his 21+fppg. So, the good news is they need forwards-again, easier to find than guards, post-draft. If they can get two, they could earn a scholarship.
Post-draft Add(s): None.
Gators: They almost had to take Flagg, who will certainly be very productive, as productive as Bailey, or, Newell, or, Tre Johnson, or, even Egor Demin…you get my drift?
G-T. Johnson
G-K. Jones
F-Freeman
F-Murauskas
C-Ballo
6th-Condon
FR-Flagg
Summary: Freeman is a rising stud and Flagg should be a stud. But to be certain, they need 3 guys who can all get 22+fppg…minimum…otherwise, gator tastes just like chicken.
Post-draft Add: I get it. I really do. Kam Jones is what one of those guys who is hard to resist. He’s a baller but has not yet proven himself to be a fantasy baller as he has not done more than score. Sort of a poor man’s Caleb Love. If he can just get 3-4 rebs and 3-4 a’s…I like Alex Condon. He just needs to get more touches. Added a gunner (negative spread player( in Ty Johnson from UC Davis-but he will have some very good games. They rejected the Spinoso philosophy and picked up Murauskas from St. Mary’s-a good get.
Pirate’s Raiders: Right now, this lineup’s walking the plank.
G-Watkins
G-
F-Saint Thomas
F-Dixon
C-Stanley
6th-Pryor
FR-Tre Johnson
Summary: No sure-fire studs although I think Thomas will do well and Dixon will have his best fantasy season so far & could reach studdom. Watkins is rising.
Post-draft Add(s): Added Pryor, a maybe who could emerge if he gets the minutes.