I want to say upfront that as a whole, the work (add/drops) of the GM’s this season has been the most impressive I’ve ever seen. Not only was there a ton of talent in the free agent (FA) pool, but a huge number of talented FA’s also emerged over the last few weeks and the GM’s noticed, were active and engaged, and, made moves. Meaning that I see more elite rosters-or, highly competitive ones than I have ever seen since I came into the league. Please note that I am listing the teams within their division in the order of their record within the division-in other words, the same as it looks if you go on the standings page.
Big “O” Robertson Conference
Brief Note: The Driesell is far and away the most competitive division of the MML this year. It is apparently becoming more and more likely that any one of three teams from the Driesell could make it to the championship game with the ability to win it all!
Driesell Division
Virginia Gentlemen
Something to note: This is a team that has always “hoarded” centers, if you will. They appeared loaded at that position, pre-season-natch, but found Ballo to be disappointing and dropped him. Add Jonnivius Smith has not turned out to be who they thought he was off of what was a small sample. “The Clingan” got hurt (he will return) but was also underperforming, not looking like the second coming of Edey. So, they were amenable to a trade. They traded Kevin McCullar to the Deep Valley Grouchos for f/c Armando Bacot, thereby filling a serious need.
Best FA Find: Xavier Johnson, II. A high scoring/high volume (takes mucho shots!) guard who is pretty consistently at the high end of his game! He’s a legit stud (25 or more fppg).
2nd best FA find: Matt Cross-also currently a stud (25+fppg). He’s been really consistent and is a stat-stuffer type.
Questionable FA add: Robert Ford, g-Montana. I don’t think he consistently gets enough fga’s, has had some uneven rebounding games, and, I don’t like his conference. Big Sky players actually have a tougher time, not an easier one, producing good numbers in conference play.
Analysis: Their starting 6 can bring home the bacon in February. The albatross weighing their championship hopes down was the freshman position. They had 3 on the roster but none of them is the answer. Their most recent frosh add, Kwame Evans could well take care of that problem.
Vindaloos
Something to note: They do not have a senior on the roster, which means that looking at their current talent level, they are in effect, playing for next year.
Best FA Find: Forward Duncan Powell is just “finding himself.” He was a nationally rated player who suffered a serious injury as a high school senior and wound up at North Carolina A&T. He was just dipping his toe in the water as a 2nd year frosh last year and is now the man after transferring to Sacramento State. Not quite there yet, but, is establishing himself as a fantasy player to watch come 2024.
2nd best FA find: G/f Great Osobar emerged this year and could return next year giving the Vins’ two anchor pieces.
Potentially Great (at the time) add: Frosh center Yves Missi from Baylor. If he doesn’t turn pro, Missi could easily bump his fppg average up anywhere from 4-6 points next year.
Analysis: Graham Ike has certainly been good, but, not great while Lassina Traore has been erratic, as has Trey Townsend. They are not going to scare anybody in the playoffs with the current roster but should be more formidable next year.
Hoosiers
Something to note: The Hoosiers have players capable of putting up really high numbers fairly consistently. If injured frosh Mack is able to come back and play the way he did prior to his injury (top fantasy freshman), there could be no stopping them.
Best FA find: Jonathan Mogbo-a stud (25+fppg), because he’s a stud rebounder. Sometimes doesn’t seem to get as many fga’s as he should, but, he’s a high percentage finisher. His lows are not all that low.
2nd Best FA Find: Malik Mack. He wasn’t even the most highly touted of Harvard’s highly touted frosh class when the season began. Hoosiers found him early and he’s an actual impact fantasy freshman.
Sleeper FA (at the time) add: Keyshawn Hall. The former “fat boy” g/f transfer is very good right now, although a bit up and down, but his fantasy upside is off the charts. He should be one of the elite fantasy players returning next year.
Analysis: Aimaq could be the most underrated center in all of fantasy basketball. Can get the most out of nothing on those occasions when Cal doesn’t seem to understand what they have in him. Ware is another strong center. They have two good starting forwards. Guard position is not a concern but a question mark. Darlinstone (best first name in all of college basketball even if it should have a “g” between the n and the s) Dubar has finally arrived. But can he and Hall be consistently around 22, 22+ or, will their dips be too dippy? Regardless, this team has perhaps the best depth (something to talk about later) in the MML and has the best roster.
North Pole Fightin’ Reindeer
Something to note: If you look at their roster you wonder how their record (even though we are all chasing points and playing the players who have the most games) can be so bad. But you should know that they have only recently added some players and weeks 9-11 should go towards seeing them establish their bonafidas as a team to be taken seriously.
Best FA Find: Baye Ndongo. A freshman on the rise, this solves their frosh issue, and, they should see him become a stud or near stud next year.
2nd best FA find(s): Tamin Lipsey-a stud (25+fppg), who is a stat-stuffer. Of course, he’s been stuffing the stat sheet vs. poor competition. However, because he’s a stat-stuffer he should tend to be fairly stable in terms of production although I do not see him continuing to average 25+ in Big 12 play. Drew Cisse is such a prolific rebounder that he is actually a better/surer add than Lipsey. He always has a very high spread due to that and always put up decent to great numbers despite not scoring a lot.
Solid FA add: Batcho provides good depth.
Analysis: They are serious contenders because they have one of only two players in the entire MML that can account for another teammate’s bad performance in Hunter Dickinson. And, after three years of mediocrity Kevin Cross has been a non-conference stud. I did say NON because I still have concerns about his interest and/or ability in rebounding the ball and I expect to see a dip in conference play. How much of a dip and/or how wild the swings are is the question They had a serious issue at guard & the addition of Lipsey could ease that. The addition of Milicic helps but they really need Zeke Mayo to be more like the fabulous garlic aioli he was last year and not just plain old Best Foods, and, with conference play now upon us, hopefully, for NPFR-that’s about to happen. Regardless, they can put out a strong lineup. As loaded as both the VG’s & Hoosiers are, merely because of Dickinson, NPFR can compete.
Big “O” Robertson Conference
Crum Division
Brief Note: I’m not going to make any “crummy” jokes, because the Crum isn’t crummy, but with the Psychos underachieving (based on their roster) and Gator Bait not having the firepower they’ve had in recent years, there is no doubt that the Crum has taken a dip.
Maize and Blue Bloods
Something to note: The sum of their parts is greater than the individuals as in looking at their roster they are definitely a player short and sometimes a player “shy” of being a championship contender.
Best FA Find: He broke my heart when he added Jamir Chaplin. He’s a stud, and, again, while he sometimes has to work hard to overcome an occasional lack of fga’s, he gets stats across the board and is a mini stat stuffer.
2nd best FA find: F/c Vladislav Goldin adds to their center depth.
Analysis: Resident stud Omier just keeps on ticking and may be the most reliable stud of all the fantasy studs outside of anybody not named Edey or Dickinson. Ditto for Scheierman, who falls a little short of the stud requirement (he’s under 25 fppg) but remains an “honorary stud” on my list. Kalkbrenner is solid and Isaac Jones’ game is coming into focus. Guard is always the position that can bring you down in the playoffs but they have one of the best guard duos in the league and good depth. Certainly, in the mix for the Final Four, MBB is the team you do not want to face until the final.
Psychos
Something to note: I believe that their GM now knows that playing Calvin & Johnson (their guards, not an R&B duo) less and certainly not together, is in their best interest and if so, the team’s best basketball is ahead of them.
Best FA Find: That’s easy! Their first one, Jaedon Ledee. San Diego State has had players, but not good fantasy players due to their emphasis on defense & lack of concern regarding offense. But, Ledee, who showed good potential (albeit, unrealized) at his previous school, is a stud.
2nd best FA find: F/c Viktor Lakhin adds quality, giving them three f/c’s who can play.
Analysis: They can lineup three studs (Cozart, Ledee, and Hall), and Newton-while a little volatile, is usually on the plus side. Newton & Stevens should supplant Calvin & Johnson, improving their guard production. Johnson is like the game of craps. He will hit big on occasion, and, then just crap out-you just don’t know when he’s going to do either. They snagged Dillingham early from the FA pile and he’s one of the better fantasy frosh-although his own play has dipped a little as Sheppard-the lowest rated of Kentucky’s four frosh has seen his minutes rise due to his strong production. At their best they could pull an upset in the playoffs.
Hillbilly Maulers
Something to note: They are betwixt and between as the old saying goes. They cannot contend for a title this year and don’t have enough young product on the shelf to be a contender next year. It’s a 2-3 year rebuild.
Best FA Find: G/f Riley Minix, an NAIA transfer is a stud. Too bad he’s a senior.
2nd best FA find: F/c Lynn Kidd has stabilized the center position but is also a senior.
Good trade: They acquired freshman forward Eric Dailey, Jr., from the Deep Valley Grouchos. In today’s world it’s 50-50 whether or not Dailey stays or opts for the draft but he would better served by staying and my guess is that he will. He’s having a good, if uneven year like most freshman.
Analysis: I would add seniors that they can turn into high draft picks. Time to get this show on the road.
Gator Bait
Something to note: While the GB GM is probably mired in a deep depression (having not made a move since 11-24-23), things are really not that bad for the worst shooting team in the MML. It’s true that they cannot win the championship this season but their roster is not horrible in the least and his top 3 scorers are all likely returning.
Best FA Find: Forward Sam Alexis only gets the 4th highest number of fga’s on his college team but he’s going to be a stud going forward. He’s a double-double machine.
2nd best FA find: Tie between f/c Touko Tainamo & frosh Garrett Johnson.
Analysis: They have been scoring more and are currently competitive, as built-making them better than their current record, but I would be looking for frosh & soph fa’s who not only figure to return next season but return to their current schools-I know, that’s tougher-but you can look at each player and make a determination due to several factors. This roster is built for 2024-2025 more than for this year.
McGuire Conference
Olson Division
Brief Note: The Olson appears to be a little down, but the Warthogs (remember the “Edey factor”) should be on the rise shortly due to some roster additions.
Deep Valley Grouchos
Something to note: The DVG’s are a mass of contradictions-statistically. While they lead the league in scoring the percentage, the number of players in the lineup who get 20 fantasy points or more per game is at a historic low for them-although it has been consistently on the rise of late. Of course, continuing with the opening theme, they are at the top in positive spread. They’ve also had issues getting consistent guard play (what else is new?) but hope they’ve found a way to deal with that.
Best FA Find: G-Shahada Wells. Looked upon as more of a hit big or miss kind of fantasy player, Wells has been steady because he turned out to be a stat-stuffer and is their best guard.
Good FA find(s): G/f Jacob Crews, frosh Seydou Traore.
Good trades: They traded with the Hillbilly Maulers for g/f Jaylon Tyson & with the Virginia Gentlemen for guard Kevin McCullar.
Analysis: Soriano, McCullar, and Pember give them three studs+Wells & Tyson. They’ve got 3 good frosh and quality depth. On paper, they don’t want for anything. It will just be a matter of managing the highs and lows going forward.
Saluki YRD’s
Something to note: I propose that they should be forced to change the name of their franchise. After all, if they don’t add one of the top fantasy players in Xavier Johnson-who just happens to play for the REAL Salukis…well, they don’t deserve to use the name & the logo on their team page. How in the heck did that happen?!$@%$@!&*(@(@(@*^$!!!
Best FA Find: Saint Thomas, who is a stud, but I don’t know if he can perform a miracle in lifting the YRD’s up.
Good/really good FA find(s): Jamal West, John Ojiako, Michael Ajayi.
Analysis: So, you may ask, if they made all these good adds, how come they are struggling to score? You may ask. Their roster was poor, they passed up on some impact (studs) fa’s and, they have used all of their moves. Plus, a bad draft can and will, kill you. They can’t do any more this year but have a nice foundation and if they do their draft due diligence, can make a nice jump up next season.
Hardwood Heroes
Something to note: The Heroes have been making late, very late season adds for the past few years and making out like gangbusters, as the old saw goes. However, I would say that the fat lady has sung, the party is over and the lights are out. They can’t squeeze out any more from what they have and the FA pool has been gone through like a bunch of whales at a krill rave.
Best FA Find: David Jones was just added and, at 23+ will impact their lineup. Next Best FA Find: Keion Brooks, who also is a 23+.
Analysis: They have been the surprise team come playoffs for the past few years, but I think that run is done cause Fred is dead and they’re standin’ on the corner now; if you wanna’ be a gm wow…apologies to Curtis Mayfield.
KC Warthogs
Something to note: KC was going nowhere fast despite the “Edey factor,” but, a flurry of pre-Xmas moves plus the re-awakening of Trey Alexander mean that they are better than the YRD’s & HH and when you factor in the return from injury of B.J. Freeman, they are capable of being a “tough out.”.
Best FA Find: K.J. Simpson. I don’t know if Simpson, who has come out of nowhere, in a fantasy-way, can maintain anything close to his current stud-level production once the Pac 12 really gets it going but he’s been a difference-maker for KC.
Next Best FA Find: Darren Buchanan. Another guy “stolen” before I could get my mitts on him. One of the top, top fantasy frosh. How he lasted so long is beyond me.
Analysis: With Edey usually accounting for two performances (his own plus lifting that of the worst scoring game in the lineup) this is once again a dangerous roster. Quality depth is very questionable, but, the starting lineup is good, albeit not great.
Tark Division
Brief Note: The “Tarksters,” appear to be somewhat of a bland, nondescript bunch of teams this year. I think they are more than that. Note that they are all bunched tightly together, so, they are all competitive with one another, but only one team has really shown any ability to score, House of Pain, er, House of Sparky-which has the best overall record but resides in last place having eaten the bagel in division play.
The Hoop Guru
Something to note: They are getting much better performances from 4 of their players than I thought. That’s right, I was off. I know we are just getting into conference play and for these 4 players in particular (all at high major schools) things could change, but if it does, it shouldn’t be all that dramatic a change.
Best FA Find: Frosh Mason Falslev.
Good FA find(s): Dawson Garcia & R.J. Felton
Analysis: One stud in Quentin Post. Mark Sears (1 of the 4 I alluded to above but not one of the 4 I think will go down) are having their best seasons, by far. Rienk Mast is pretty steady. R.J. Davis is having his best year, both real & fantasy but his +1.0 spread is cause for concern when they have to play Clemson, Virginia, Miami-FL, etc., etc., conference schools that play defense. I wish he rebounded better but Garcia has had a good non-con season. Felton is dangerous but highly erratic. They have a good, not great lineup that is just short in firepower compared to the higher scoring units on other teams with decent depth. They can be a spoiler come playoff time.
Sam Jacobson Went To Class
Something to note: The Sammies do it a little different. I get it that he went to class, but, at what school? It’s like they have gone to a tarot card reader to decide who they should and shouldn’t take, roster-wise. Some things work-for no good reason, and, other things don’t work. It’s a real stew.
Best FA Find(s): He’s an Ivy man but Caden Pierce is fierce-as a rebounder, and, for real. Not really quite as good an add since he’s a freshman but Reed Sheppard is a better fantasy player than his dad.
Good FA find: Robbie Avila, the best non-rebounding (less than 7 boards per game qualifies) center in fantasy basketball who compensates for it by averaging 4 assists per game.
Analysis: It’s not a bad roster, it is an interesting one. It looks really patchwork but he has some bodies. They don’t have a stud, in fact, nobody who’s even averaging 24 fppg. So, since they don’t have 7 guys averaging about 23 fppg, they have no shot at a title, but, if their players max out, they are competitive. And, remember that Pierce, Sheppard, and, Avila are all young and will likely (90% certain) return to their schools next year…
Prozac Pups
Something to note: The 3rd leading rebounder in NCAA division one is a guard and Prozac has him. I didn’t think he could rebound enough to overcome a lot of poor shooting nights to enable him to jump his 20.9 fppg average up from last year but I was dead wrong about Vonterius Woolbright (2nd best first name best first & last name in all of fantasy basketball), who I wanted but I didn’t want him as my first guard pick in the draft…doh!
Best FA Find: Jadyn Toppin, freshman. For my money the best fantasy freshman.
Problem: They have 4 freshmen on the roster. If 3 of them can play, all right. If 3 of them are the 3 lowest scorers, you’re not all right. Guess which is the case.
Analysis: They qualify as a serious dark horse+ team. Losing N’Faly Dante was huge, I’ll give ’em that-but he will be back. Woolbright is a stud and DaRon Holmes has begun his “I wanna’ be a first round draft choice” run making him at least a pseudo-stud. They have Toppin. That’s not enough. They have been sitting on 5 moves. They needed to use them.
House of Sparky
Something to note: There is a lot, a lot, of unrealized potential on this roster. Will some of that potential work for them?
Best FA Find: Don’t know if there’s a “best” yet.
Good FA find(s): Guard J.P Pegues, guard Tyler Thomas, f/c Tre Mitchell.
Analysis: They need to see a rise from Sharp in conference play so he can take over one of the two starting guard slots. Lendeborg is rising from the dead as you read this and if he can continue could make the starting lineup much more formidable. This is one team I look at and the first word that comes to mind is “dark horse.” They have a super stud in Enrique Freedman, who may be even more consistent than Omier. The best they can hope for is 5 other non-freshmen to get their 22 fppg. This is an interesting team with a lineup that can be dangerous but they have little to no margin for error.