NOTE: This is the “post-draft” look, so I am only looking at who teams drafted. In other words, this is not an analysis of who has the best overall rosters…that will come at a later date…I am going to do it by round this time. By the way, “questionable” does not mean I think the pick sucked…. Not including the freshmen, to my way of thinking just 3 picks in this draft sucked. It really means that the value of that particular pick and/or when that player was selected make it of a questionable nature. Nothing more, nothing less. BTW, I am mentioning a few freshmen, but mostly just referring to them, whether negatively or positively…or, ignoring some of them completely.
1st Round
Hardwood Heroes (HH) select a freshman with the first pick of the draft, natch. However, since this is Cooper Flagg, and, even though you can never say for sure, I do think he is not only potentially the best freshman but he could easily turn out to be a stud freshman (25+fppg average). Hillbilly Maulers (HM) also selected a freshman, which for them…was not good. Gator Bait (GB) then followed with a freshman, ditto. When the Prozac Pups (PP) then selected another freshman, although a very, very good one who should impact fantasy-wise in Ace Bailey, I began to get excited because, as you know by now, I am never taking a freshman because not only is their fantasy production nearly impossible to figure, they are plentiful. I figured that the Virginia Gentlemen (VG) would probably take a freshman so only Maize and Blue Bloods (MBB) stood between me and the top free agent (FA) in the draft! However, like Wiley E. Coyote, my plans were foiled when MBB took Bryce Harris just as he was about to fall into my arms. In conference play, Harris averaged 29 fppg. VG then closed the first round by taking a freshman-one who I don’t think will do too much fantasy-wise as a freshman.
>Best pick of the round: Bryce Harris-MBB
Runner-ups: Flagg-HH
Picks to like: Bailey-PP
Questionable pick: Freshmen not named Flagg or Bailey
Question: Two, actually. First, outside of the annual “frosh frenzy” which means it’s pre-ordained that a freshman be the first pick, how is Bryce Harris not the 2nd pick in the draft. And, the 2nd question: Does MBB have a worm inside my computer?
2nd Round
The Deep Valley Grouchos (DVG’s) really wanted a guard, but also believe in taking the Best player available (BPA). When they intersect as they did in Bryce Harris you have found nirvana. When the guard who is also the BPA has been taken, it’s no time to panic and try to find another guard worth taking with the first pick. The BPA at this point was Nana Owusu-Anane. I’m normally not a big fan of Ivy League players, so, taking one this high would normally be a big no-no to me, but Owuse-Anane averaged 25+fppg in conference play. MBB was up next and took another good pick in Nate Martin (23+fppg). They are cleaning up! House of Sparky (HOS) then took Deivon Smith, whose role with St. John’s concerns me-so, I wouldn’t have picked him this high in the draft. KC Warthogs then took the “other” Rutgers freshman, Dylan Harper. Psychos grabbed frosh Khaman Maluach from Duke, who will rebound, block shots, and make most of the few fga’s that he gets. Kimani Hamilton to HM. His whole team returned. He was good at 21+fppg but he doesn’t appear to have much upside. HH finishes the round with Tyon Foster-Grant, one of my top two choices for guard after Harris. Rats, foiled again! Great pick by HH because I don’t think that Foster-Grant has hit his ceiling.
>Best pick of the round: Owusu-Anane-DVG’s
Runner-ups: Martin-MBB & Foster-Grant-HH
Picks to like: Hamilton-HM
Questionable pick: Smith-HOS
Question: It’s a pretty damn good round if Deivon Smith is a questionable pick. Is everybody warming up?
3rd Round
Tre Johnson can really score but I don’t like HH taking their 2nd freshman pick here-since they already have a great one and there’s no guarantee that Johnson will make a big splash as a freshman. GB rebounds with the pick of Degenhart. He finally rebounded the ball like he needs to over the last 11 games of his season-so, yes, he can bump his numbers up. Sam Jacobson Went To Class (SJ) takes frosh Will Riley whose role at Illinois will lead to…SJ probably dropping him. Not a good first pick for the “Sams.” The Hoop Guru (HG) also dipped their toe into the draft by taking a freshman with their first pick. PP gets a freshman who can impact. MBB!$#$@$#^%@^@%$!!! They took the 2nd best FA guard in the draft in Payton Sandfort-who would have been my 2nd pick as I figured to grab Harris, Owusu-Anane would be taken by someone before I was up again and then I would get Sandfort-who was what I wanted in the first place as my 2nd pick. Oh well. VG makes a very good pick (IMHO) in Taeshaud Jackson, who, for some reason I believe is underrated as a fantasy prospect. DVG’s are up and take who they had graded as the 4th best FA guard in Cedric Coward. I’m normally a little skittish about transfers who move up but going to the WCC is not a huge leap for him and only one team in the entire league plays defense. Hoosiers close out a very good round with the reliable (21 fppg pretty much every time out) Juslin Bobo.
>Best pick of the round: Sandfort-MBB
Runner-ups: Degenhart-GB
Picks to like: Jackson-VG & Coward-DVG’s
Questionable pick: Riley-SJ
Question: Does anybody know the year-to-year record of teams that didn’t have a pick until the 3rd round and then took a freshman? Well, to be honest, I don’t know the history, but I know the recent history and I would say expect to see these teams picking at or very near the top of the first round in 2025.
4th Round
Hoosiers start it off by taking one of the great underachievers in fantasy basketball: Coleman Hawkins. Due to MBB’s “pilfering” of all my top guard choices, the DVG’s have to take Quinton Mincey here. Both Coward & Mincey were on my list of picks to make, just that I planned on taking them later. But, getting Mincey (22+fppg in con) is a priority as the FA guard pool is now very thin and I can’t take the chance he will still be on the board if I pass him here, as he has some upside. PP takes Donovan Dent. You know, I like Dent but while he has to do much more this year for New Mexico with Toppin & Mashburn gone, I don’t know if he has enough fantasy upside to warrant taking him in the 4th. So, this pick is a hmm…Almost ditto for Trey Bonham who was taken by the Psychos. Bonham has no upside but did get 21 fppg last season. So, not a bad pick at all, but if expectations are for him to do better…I don’t think that’s happening. An “ouchie” for HG who took Rashaun Agee. He is coming off the bench and is not going to get many looks. Saluki YRD’s too the Kansas frosh. And if this were poker and I were dealing cards, after flipping this one to HM, my comment would be: “And, no help,” because I don’t think Chaz Lanier is going to turn out to be this year’s Dalton Knecht at Tennessee.
>Best pick of the round: Mincey-DVG’s
Runner-ups: None
Picks to like: Bonham-Psychos
Questionable pick: Hawkins-Hoosiers & Agee-HG, Lanier-HM
Question: Of all the promising fantasy prospects still on the board how can Agee get picked in the 4th round?
5th Round
Sort of a shocker to start the round as GB selects Noah Williamson. I started tracking him as a freshman. His dis-inclination to rebound is what disturbs me about him…translation>there are better center prospects still on the board. Potentially great freshman to SJ. Psychos get a steal in Jamar Brown. He should’ve been picked earlier because he produced and he has upside. Brooks Barnhizer to PP. In the 5th? Brooks “doesn’t burn the barnhizer down? Sort of a “meh” pick. 12th, 13th round, then he’s a good pick. DVG’s close out the round with Darrion Williams who averaged 20+fppg last season without getting a lot of jacks.
>Best pick of the round: Brown-Psychos
Runner-ups: Williams-DVG’s
Picks to like: None
Questionable pick: Williamson-GB
Question: How does everybody miss on Jamar Brown?
6th Round
Hoosiers take a Hoosier! Oumar Ballo is an underrated fantasy center. Yes, he has trouble making ft’s but he basically finishes everything else and is a rebounding beast. DVG’s decide to gamble on Dion Brown. Brown would’ve been their top-rated FA if he had not transferred to Boston College from UMBC. At this point in the draft, they can afford to take a gamble. He does not figure to do what he did at UMBC but he has to be the man for BC…maybe. MBB is killing this draft! They take sleeper Max Brooks from UMass-Lowell. Brooks averaged 25+fppg last season in con. Wow! MBB is loaded! HOS takes highly touted Amar Augillard, a juco transfer. I don’t know how he’s going to do I just know that an awful lot of JUCO transfers need a year to adjust. KC takes another Duke freshman-probably the 4th best…and that ain’t good. Treysen Eaglestaff. Do you hear me? Treysen Eaglestaff. Had a negative spread last year. So, of course, who else but SJ would take him? He should be one of the early drops this year. Collin Murray-Boyles to GB. He was a good freshman and he will be the top player for South Carolina this year but I truly don’t know if that will translate into good fantasy stats. On the fence about this one. YRD’S take Jonas Aidoo. I also don’t have a strong opinion about this one either, but I do think that Aidoo may have a slightly easier path to meaningful fantasy stats
>Best pick of the round: Brooks-MBB
Runner-up pick: None
Picks to like: Ballo-Hoosiers
Questionable pick: Eaglestaff-SJ
Question: How does anybody decide to take Eaglestaff?
7th Round
Only 4 picks in this round. Basheer Jihad (I will pass on the temptation to make some jokes that would be in bad taste) has transferred to Arizona State where they need him to be a highly productive player. Can he? Yes. But, remember it’s ASU. ASU has been and is a dysfunctional program under Bobby Hurley. So, at best expect his performance to be erratic. At the opposite end from erratic is solid, steady, consistent. That describes Julian Reese, another underrated fantasy player. Good pick by the Psychos. JUCO transfer Raysean Seamster (UT Arlington) to HOS. That makes back-to-back picks of juco transfers. They are going against the odds and I would say they are “reaching.” Hoosiers take a freshman.
>Best pick of the round: Reese-Psychos
Runner-up pick: None
Picks to like: None
Questionable pick: Seamster-HOS
Question: Have my fellow drafters run out of names?
8th Round
I am sure that some gm’s were thinking “Who’s this guy from North Dakota the DVG’s took?” Well, his name is Amar Kuljuhovic and he’s good enough that I broke one of my own rules on drafting/adding players: Never take a player whose name I can’t pronounce. But, since he averaged 22+fppg in con play and finished strong, I will endeavor to learn it. I don’t think that Duquesne is too high a level for transfer Jahsean Corbett but I’m just not certain that he performs at the same level there for VG. Psychos get another steal in Nique Clifford, who I believe has upside to bump his numbers up. YRD’s take a freshman. Sleeper Garry Clark to HH. I think he has a chance to bump his numbers up because he spells his first name with 2 r’s. You don’t see that very often…
>Best pick of the round: Kuljuhovic-DVG’s
Runner-up pick: Clifford-Psychos
Picks to like: Clark-HH
Questionable pick: Corbett-VG
Question: Why is it that the same teams seem to be picking up the good crumbs that are left?
9th Round
HH (again) with another good pick. Izaiyah Nelson is another guy that shouldn’t still be on the board. HM & North Pole Fightin’ Reindeer (NPFR) then both take freshmen. Both should have an opportunity to impact. Underrated O’Mar Stanley to the Psychos. I mean, yeah, his rebounding concerns me, but, being a big man, they take longer to develop. Maybe he can get another 1.5 rebounds this year. It’s not a lot to ask for. Kyle Filewich does not figure to help HOS. MBB grabs one of the potentially higher performing fantasy frosh in Asa Newell. VG take the frosh center prospect from Georgetown.
>Best pick of the round: Nelson-HH
Runner-up pick:
Picks to like: Stanley-Psychos
Questionable pick: Filewich-HOS
Question: Teams making a comeback? Picks are getting better.
10th Round
VG leads off the round with a “no help” in Nick Spinoso. HOS takes a non-descript freshman. Psychos continue to kill in the later rounds with their selection of Jamir Watkins, who could possibly bump up significantly. Although it’s the 10th round I wouldn’t have picked Bryce Hopkins here-but I get why HG did it and I don’t think it’s a bad move at all. In fact, it could turn out to be one of the best moves of the draft. But I would want to hear an expected date for his return from a serious injury and I would probably want to see him play a couple of games. Still, an interesting and potentially great pick by HG. Freshman to NPFR. YRD’s get Travon Spillers…probably a year too late. I don’t think his stats as a “hustle player/garbage man” will transfer that well.
>Best pick of the round: Watkins-Psychos
Runner-up pick: None
Picks to like: Hopkins-HG
Questionable pick: Spinoso-VG
Question: Why does it feel like we are in the “dead zone” of the draft when to me, the last few rounds are the most exciting?
11th Round
HM swings for the fences. And, why not? It is the 11th round. They take Tyrel Morgan, who could be a stud, good, fair, or, a bust…it’s all on the table. YRD’s decide to gift everyone who picks after them by taking UCLA transfer William Kyle who cannot possibly help them. SJ sat down with a tarot reader and came up with another juco sensation in Malique Ewen-and, I have to say, in all honest, who knows? I like Steven Crowl, and he will be the primary big for Wisconsin, and, Wisconsin does have a history of feeding their bigs and they have a history for developing their bigs. So, not a pick that makes me jump up and down but, in the 11th, a good pick by the Psychos. Oof! KC takes a 6’0 soph guard from Manhattan, Jaden Winston who they will be cutting sooner than later. PP takes Payton Sparks. Sparks was very good at Ball State then he transferred and did nothing. He’s now transferred back to Ball State and they are counting on him for production. Another nondescript frosh ends the round and possibly the Hoosiers.
>Best pick of the round: None
Runner-up pick: None
Picks to like: Morgan-HM, Crowl-Psychos, Sparks-PP
Questionable pick: Kyle-YRD’s & Winston-KC
12th Round
Hoosiers may have gotten the 2nd best of the Duke freshmen. MBB’s first “miss” of the draft with the Ole’ Miss freshman. PP sees that they took a kid from Ole’ Miss and they decide to take Matthew Murrell from Ole’ Miss-who will be cut sooner than later. HOS takes Joe Charles…I don’t see this working out. Charles has transferred to a loaded McNeese State roster and they already have Shumate. I don’t see an opp for Charles to impact fantasy-wise. Dishon Jackson may or may not be decent for HG-I don’t know, but I’d say it’s doubtful. SJ takes a freshman. With their first and only pick of the draft the Vindaloos take a freshman from Buffalo…interesting…HH gets some decent center depth in Efton Reid.
>Best pick of the round: None
Runner-up pick: None
Picks to like: Reid
Questionable pick: Murrell-PP
Question: Am I a fantasy college basketball fanatic?
13th Round
HH takes a freshman. YRD’s get a great 13th round pick in Hunter Sallis, who could improve on last year’s numbers. GB gets a potentially high impact player in St. John’s Zuby Ejiofor. Both of these guys shouldn’t have been available. NPFR opts for center depth with Steven Jamerson. Psychos take a freshman. VG gets the guy who should be the leading scorer for Kentucky this year in Jaxon Robinson. Of course, he was a negative spread guy last year…Last pick of the draft is another guy that should’ve been off the board in Rasheed Fleming. He has upside for the Hoosiers.
>Best pick of the round: None
Runner-up pick: None
Picks to like: Sallis-YRD’s, Ejiofor-GB, Fleming-Hoosiers
Questionable pick: Corbett-VG
Question: How are teams making some great picks in the 13th instead of earlier?
Winners?
Maize and Blue Bloods had the best draft by far. Close behind were the Hardwood Heroes and Deep Valley Grouchos. Psychos rebounded from what I thought was a questionable start and finished strong to have a good draft. There was a very, very wide gap, in fact, one could call it a chasm between the Psychos and the next best draft by a team. So, with 4 teams taking pretty much 16 of the top 20 best players (IMHO), you could say it was top-heavy.