SB Nation - Noel Felix

Last Night in the D-League; Big Men Run This League

Jon L — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:00:22 -0000

Rod Benson is just one of the many big men playing well so far this season.

Watching and/or reading the boxscores from last night's games solidified a theory I've been developing - centers and power forward are owning this league so far this season. That's not to say that there haven't been guards and swingmen also performing well, it's just that around the league, there are a lot of big guys doing solid-to-excellent work. A lot of shooters and slashers are playing overseas rather than the D-League this year, and the guys in the middle are taking advantage.

Update - the play by play data isn't available, but you can now find a PDF of the LA/Reno boxscore here. I go through it at the bottom of this post.

Erie BayHawks 109, Sioux Falls Skyforce 107 (OT)

Here's a good example of what I was talking about up top - John Bryant. The guy is killing it for Erie. He has double-doubles in all four games he's played so far, and in those four games he's shooting 60.8 percent from the field. Last night was probably his best performance yet - 26 points on 12-17 shooting, 16 rebounds (eight of which came on the offensive end) and a team-high four assists. If there's one thing he could improve on, it's getting to and converting from the free throw line. This was his first game with more than four foul shots and he went just 5-9 (he's shooting 53 percent on the season). If he ever figures that part out, he'll be a monster.

It wasn't just Bryant for the BayHawks. Donell Taylor made 14 of his 22 field goals on the way to 28 points (and had eight rebounds), Cedric Jackson finished with 19 points and eight rebounds off the bench and Jackie Manuel grabbed seven boards of his own. Still, Bryant has been this team's driving force so far. Sioux Falls got a solid performance from their own big man, Greg Stiemsma, who had 15 points on nine shots, 11 rebounds and seven blocks. Stiemsma hasn't shot the ball all that well, but his rebounding has been solid so far and he's now averaging a little over five blocks a game. Reggie Williams with 33 points, David Bailey with 10 assists and only one turnover, Joe Krabbenhoft with 10 boards - this team fought back from an 18-point halftime deficit to tie it at the end of regulation, but Leemire Goldwire missed the potential game-winning three at the end of overtime. Fun game.

The rest of last night's action is recapped for your convenience after the jump.

Rio Grande Valley Vipers 94, Tulsa 66ers 89

Garrett Temple had his best all-around game of the season thus far with 24 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals. He shot only 1-4 on threes, but given the rest of it, I'm willing to say whatever (which is different than the will to whatevs). The guys up front also played well, with Joey Dorsey collecting 12 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks and Mike Harris scoring 22 points. Ernest Scott was key off the bench for the Vipers with 13 points on 5-8 shooting, including making three of six three-point attempts.

This is hyperbole, but DeVon Hardin is killing this Tulsa team. The overall rebounding numbers are there, true, and he had seven last night, but he gets lost on defense and overeager to block shots and allows his man to score too easily (did you see Dorsey's and Harris's numbers in the preceding paragraph?). He also doesn't have the burgeoning offensive repertoire that Byron Mullens does; all Hardin can make at this point are dunks and layups, and even then he blew several layups in this game. I haven't really seen anything from him to justify his starting spot or the 28 minutes-per-game that he's averaging. I've said before that he's talented, but the 66ers have two other talented power forwards, Keith Clark and Latavious Williams, who deserve playing time as well. Williams played just under eight minutes last night, all in the first half, and finished with six points, two rebounds and a steal. He also made both of his free throws, whereas Hardin went 1-4. Even giving Hardin somewhere around 20 minutes a night, upping Williams to 10-12 minutes (consistently, no more of this DNP stuff) and keeping Clark at his 15-17 average (rather than the six minutes he played last night) would help improve all of those players' games in the long run and maybe even send a message to Hardin that he needs to focus.

But enough of my DeVon Hardin rant. Mullens played fairly well, with 21 points and nine rebounds, and Larry Owens had nine rebounds, five assists and four stealas. Mustafa Shakur struggled in this one, though, with 15 points on 12 shots and eight turnovers, and overall the 66ers shot just 2-12 from behind the arc and got just 14 points from their bench (six of which came from Williams, remember). They've played six games in the last 10 days, so maybe they just need some rest.

Austin Toros 104, Albuquerque Thunderbirds 103

This one was close all the way through. Malik Hairston had 20 points at halftime for the Toros, but scored only seven more in the second half and fouled out in 35 minutes of playing time. Alonzo Gee also had a better first half than a second, but he finished with 19 points and nine rebounds. Dwayne Jones had 13 points and 10 rebounds, but he was also limited by some foul trouble. Justin Bowen played well, 14 points on 6-9 shooting, and Curtis Jerrells picked up seven assists, but this team still has a three-point shooting problem, and they finished just 1-7 as a team (the one make being Hairston's) from behind the arc.

Kevin Pittsnogle got sent to the bench for this game (he still played, he just didn't start), which was a good move not just because he missed all of his field goals (again, which is kind of remarkable to write), but because his replacement in the starting lineup Cory Underwood played relatively well and finished with 10 points and eight rebounds. Yaroslav Korolev chipped in on the boards, grabbing 13 (five offensive) to go along with 11 points. The Thunderbirds were really led by Carlos Powell, though, who had 28 points, including 8-11 shooting from the free throw line, four rebounds and a pair of assists.

Utah Flash 104, Bakersfield Jam 99

This game was a little closer than I expected, but then Bakersfield getting 34 points and eight rebounds from Jared Newson will make that happen. Of course, Newson fouled out after 37 minutes of playing time, so it wasn't all positive for him. The Jam also got nice contributions from John Williams (16 points on nine shots, five assists) and Reece Gaines (18 points), but the talent gap was just too great, especially on the boards. Backup center Terrance Gamble had six rebounds, but otherwise no one other than the aforementioned Newson finished with more than three. Utah didn't have that many more rebounds as a team (31-28), but they got solid contributions in that area up and down the roster.

Andre Ingram shot the ball pretty well for the Flash, with 24 points on 8-12 shooting (including 4-7 on threes), and he added five rebounds and three assists. Dontell Jefferson missed all three of his three-point attempts but otherwise played well, finishing with 18 points, eight assists, five rebounds and three steals. Orien Greene also had 18 points, but he turned the ball over seven times. Jason Richards was again nice off the bench, with four assists in a little over 20 minutes, and Carlos Wheeler had 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

Idaho Stampede 131, Dakota Wizards 99

What makes the Stampede's total even crazier is that it came on 98 possessions. Anthony Tolliver didn't have a great outside shooting night but got to the line and was able to finish with 19 points on 10 shots and 10 rebounds. Idaho owned the boards, in fact, outrebounding Dakota 49-32, and the disparity matches up with the Stampede's 17 offensive rebounds. Mildon Ambres had nine boards, Cedric Simmons and Emmanuel Jones each had seven and Sundiata Gaines added six to go with his 27 points and seven assists. Tolliver aside the team shot the ball well, with Lanny Smith making all three of his outside attempts, Gaines going 3-6, Ambres 4-9, Roberto Bergersen 2-4 and Mike Gansey making three of his four three-point shots. That's hard for any team to beat.

Romel Beck missed all of this threes but still managed to score 14 points on 22 shots, and David Bell had 24 points despite missing five of his eight three-point attempts. Jason Straight played well off the bench with 20 points on 6-10 shooting, though he also had three turnovers and didn't contribute much else. Connor Atchley played in his first game for the Wizards, getting 12 minutes off the bench, shooting 1-3 and picking up three fouls. You know what? Latavious Williams should get some of his minutes, too.

Maine Red Claws 115, Springfield Armor 89

Hey, so uh...these NBA guys are pretty good. They should, like, play in the NBA, or something. Trey Gilder has been coming off the bench for Maine, something he's not unfamiliar with, but he scored 20 points in 17 and a half minutes last night. 12 of those points came in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter, and a lot of them came from the free throw line. Maurice Maxwell just couldn't guard him, and picked up a lot of fouls (he eventually fouled out later in the game). Noel Felix was almost as good, scoring 13 points in 16 and a half minutes. Bill Walker had 17 points and five rebounds, Darnell Lazare also had 17 points, Billy Thomas had 12 points on five shots, and the last time the Armor had the lead was when the score was 5-4.

JamesOn Curry had another nice scoring night, with 20 points on 7-15 shooting, and he added eight rebounds. Of course, he had just three assists (and four turnovers), which helped contribute to a team-wide ball distribution problem; Springfield finished with just eight assists on the night. Major Wingate helped out on his end with 17 points and nine rebounds, although I'm not sure it can be called "help" when no one else was really doing anything. Kentrell Gransberry was limited to playing a little over 17 minutes because of foul trouble, and the other backup center James Cripe had more turnovers (four) than rebounds (three). The Armor fell to 0-4, and I really don't know what the answer is for them, other than maybe "acquire a real point guard." But hey, professional basketball is back in Springfield, MA, am I right?

LA D-Fenders 117, Reno Bighorns 111 (2OT)

This looks like a tough loss for Reno, because several things went right for them. Foremost among them was Desmon Farmer's game. Not just the 37 points and six assists, but also the three turnovers, which is a drastic reduction from what he's done so far this season. The team got double-doubles from Rod Benson (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Marcus Hubbard (11 and 10), Cezary Trybanski had four blocks in 20 minutes, and Doug Thomas gave some solid contributions with 6-7 shooting and six rebounds off the bench.

LA got some nice contributions of their own, obviously. Diamon Simpson played well again with 17 points and 14 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass. Michael Fey had 20 points and eight boards while coming off the bench, and Dar Tucker had a good shooting night (for him), 15 points on 10 shots, including going 3-5 from outside.

A lot of guys were in foul trouble, though, and while I didn't see this game and don't know whether that was a function of all the minutes or because the refs were calling it close, I'm inclined to believe the latter. Benson fouled out in less than 38 minutes, Thomas fouled out in less than 25 and Deron Washington fouled out in 32. Trybanski, Hubbard, Russell Robinson and Horace Wormely all finished with at least four fouls, and they played 20, 33 and a half, 34 and 33 minutes, respectively. Plus, James Jackson, Mo Charlo, Farmer and Reno coach Jay Humphries all got T'd up (and the three players got them at the same time), so there were either some jumpy whistles last night or this game was real chippy.

Previewing Tonight's Games; Featuring the NBA Players of Both Tomorrow and Yesterday

Jon L — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:00:18 -0000

by Mark J. Terrill - AP

Bobcats assignee Alexis Ajinca joins a loaded Red Claws team in time for tonight's home opener. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

View full size photo »

Now this is more like it; five games, some nice matchups.

Reno Bighorns at Los Angeles D-Fenders

Reno is still looking for their first win, and it may just come tonight. Reno's first pair of games came against Idaho, who force teams to run with them, but the Bighorns should be able to play closer to their preferred style here. Michael Fey has had a nice start for the D-Fenders, but Rod Benson should be able to defend him pretty well. They've also acquired Doug Thomas, who I like a little better than Brian Laing (who was waived) coming off the bench. If Desmon Farmer can keep the turnovers down, I like Reno's chances. After the last game, though, that's a big if. The D-Fenders have point guard Gabe Pruitt back, and they also have several guys tall enough and athletic enough to guard Marcus Hubbard wherever he goes on the floor. They have talent, but the fact that Pruitt is still getting acclimated means their offense could struggle.

Erie BayHawks at Sioux Falls Skyforce

There should be some good individual matchups in this one, with Greg Stiemsma having to guard Erie's talented new center John Bryant, and the BayHawks' Donell Taylor likely spending some time checking Reggie Williams (at least he should be). Keith Brumbaugh and Pete Campbell have each shot the ball pretty poorly so far this year for Sioux Falls, but if they can contribute in other areas the team should be okay. Outside of Jackie Manuel's first game, the BayHawks haven't gotten much help for Taylor and Bryant. They'll need someone to pick up the slack (ideally Ivan Harris, who hasn't hit a three yet) to stay in this game, given how many guys can score for the Skyforce.

Springfield Armor at Maine Red Claws

This is already being called a rivalry game, which I guess it is for regional purposes, but let's see how they play against each other first. Maine has a stacked roster now, with ~~five~~ ~~six~~ seven players with some NBA experience (assignees Bill Walker and Alexis Ajinca plus Billy Thomas, Mario West, Will Blalock, Noel Felix and Trey Gilder). It's true that said experience only amounted to about a dozen games for a few of those players, and that Mario West was awful as a pro, and that Blalock has been less than impressive so far this season, but that's still a lot of talent. As for the Armor, well, they've reportedly signed Major Wingate, a talented center who never showed up to Maine's training camp. Plus they have an NBA guy of their own in JamesOn Curry, never mind the fact that he's shooting 31.8 percent from the field and 21.4 percent on threes so far. Actually, you probably should mind that. Even more importantly, Curry has just one more assist (nine) than turnovers (eight) this season. Perrin Johnson and Maurice Maxwell have switched off having good and bad games for Springfield, but who are we kidding; this one could get ugly.

Tulsa 66ers at Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Tulsa won a few days ago, but if you didn't read my write-up of the game (and it's understandable if you didn't; it's really long), there weren't a whole lot of players I was all that impressed with. Mustafa Shakur is good, certainly, but the Vipers have some defenders (like Antonio Anderson) who could keep him in check. Joey Dorsey and Mike Harris also should kill Byron Mullens and DeVon Hardin. Moiderize them. Either Dorsey or Harris could end up with 30 rebounds and 10 blocks. Heck, both of them could. The Vipers have had some players with turnover problems and they haven't been hitting their threes, and the 66ers have some shooters who could get hot, but the skill gap in the middle is just too large.

Austin Toros at Albuquerque Thunderbirds

I was made a fool of the last time I said this, but I'm going ahead with it anyway - Kevin Pittsnogle could be a key player in this game. The Toros just don't really have anyone who can guard him on the perimeter (caveat coming) if he's shooting the ball well. Dwayne Jones is rooted to the paint, Justin Bowen is really more of a small forward (though he can get up to block Pittsnogle's shots) and David McClure is too spazzy. The Toros also don't really have anyone who can adequately guard Carlos Powell. For Austin, they need to get Alonzo Gee involved early and keep looking for him even if he's not hitting shots immediately. More specifically they need to keep running him off of screens, where he does his best shooting. He's the best player on the team, and there were multiple possession stretches against Tulsa the other night when he was flat out ignored on offense. This could be a fun game.

The Lobster Roll: Issue 2

indeedproceed — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:33:19 -0000

Well the first week of D-League play is over, and the Red Claws made it out a solid .500, going 1 and 1. They're still obviously ironing out the kinks within the rotation, and trying to work Bill Walker into a starting spot of the rotation. Their roster seems to be coming along though, and DraftExpress has them ranked 8 out of 16 in their inaugeral D-League Power Rankings. For a full recap of the Red Claws' week, check out this fanpost by Celticsblog user JFoss.

Now that they've got some games under their belt, it's time we took a real deep look at what the Red Claws are working with. Prepare to embark on the promised FULL ON ROSTER PREVIEW EXTRAVAGANZA!!!

The Red Claws' roster, like most basketball teams, should be separated into tiers to be evaluated honestly. There is the 'Top Tier', usually consisting of two or three players. These would be the 'stars', and the guys who play the majority of the minutes and do most of the heavy lifting. Then, there are the remainder of the starters and the first guys off the bench. Finally there is the bottom layer, the guys who get sporadic playing time and are usually called on for specific roles (3pt shooting situations for instance).

A D-league team is like that, except with one very important difference. D-League teams need to play the guys who are assigned by their pro affiliates, regardless of chemistry or even sometimes how it affects wins. Usually the pro players do pretty well, but it is assumed that even if they do no, they will still receive playing time.

Note: This is not like the NBA where players have contracts with specific teams. In the D-League your contract is with the league. There are five ways a guy can get on the Red Claws.

One, he can be allocated by the league to a team that plays in an area where he has a vested interest, like Will Blalock, a Boston native.

Two, he could tryout like Mike Williams from Bryant College.

Three, he could've been drafted by the Red Claws in the yearly D-League draft, like Syracuse Junior Paul Harris was in this years' draft first round.

Four, he could be drafted in this past years' Expansion Draft only for new expansion teams like the Red Claws, like Billy Thomas was.

Finally, but most importantly, a player can be assigned to the D-League by the teams' affiliate team, as was Boston's Bill Walker. The Red Claws' other affiliate is the Charlotte Bobcats.

With that in mind, your Maine Red Claws!

Tier 1: The Big Dogs: Billy Thomas, Will Blalock, Darnell Lazare, Paul Harris

Tier 2: Heavy Rotation: Noel Felix, Tony Bobbitt, Anthony Terrell, Stanley Thomas, Abdulai Jalloh

Tier 3: The Rest of the Roster: Gary Ervin, Mike Williams

Tier ?: The Assigned Players, Future and Present: Bill Walker, Lester Hudson and JR Giddens

Tier 1: The Top Dogs

Billy Thomas

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
33	6'5	220	SG	EXPANSION SELECTION**	16.1*	3.4*	3.7*

* D-League Stats

50-Word-Bio

Attended Kansas and played under Roy Williams. Set school record for made 3’s. Went undrafted in 1998. Has played for fourteen teams in ten different league on four different continents. Has played sporadically in NBA. Couldn't play overseas in 2009 because of dispute with FIBA, alleges Serbian team stopped paying him.

Anticipated Role:

Thomas has a rep for having a very well rounded game, being a great locker room guy and being a professional. He's not a sharp shooter but he's got range. He's not a top tier play maker but he makes smart passes. He's not a defensive ace but he plays solid mostly mistake free defense. He's an all around good player in any league, and in the D-League he's an All-Star. The downside is he's 33 (soon to be 34 by the end of December), and he takes a lot of pride in being a professional. Think 'Crash' Davis in Bull Durham. He ought to be the leader from day one.

Will Blalock

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
26	205	6'1	PG	ALLOCATION	12.5*	2.8*	5.3

*stats are from 2007/2008 in NBA D-League, Blalock played 08/09 for Hapoel Jerusalem, but managed only 10 games.

50-Word-Bio:

Boston, MA native, played for Iowa. Drafted second round by Detroit Pistons and managed 14 games in 2006/2007 before being waived for lack of roster spot. Considered to have potential to be NBA player, but not the current skill. Regularly invited to summer teams and NBA camps, but can't seem to stick.

Anticipated Role:

He'll get the majority of the point guard minutes unless Lester Hudson or another NBA player gets assigned to the team, as his only competition is Abdulai Jalloh, a D-League rookie. Blalock still has enough people excited about him to keep getting invites to camps, but as far as prototypical point guards go, he's lacking a lot of the skillset. Defensively he's got the body to contribute in the NBA but his passing and long range shot have both been knocks on him since his days at Iowa, and he's done little in the last two years to rectify that. (Austin) Ainge has said however that this team will play defense first, so while Blalock probably won't dominate the boxscore very much, he will probably see a lot of time. One of the knocks on Blalock during his last stint in the D-League were that he needed to be a better on the court leader and be more assertive. If he can mange to improve there he should look to join Billy Thomas as a veteran presence in the locker room.

Darnell Lazare

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITIONS	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
24	6'8	240	PF/SF	Rd 2 Pk 9	13.9*	5.8*	1.2*

*stats from Ukrainian Super League

50-Word-Bio:

Played on the LSU team BBD and Tyrus Thomas took to the final four in 2006. Played all four years of college career, graduating in 2007. Undrafted in NBA, spent 07/08 with Gothia Basketball, Sweden, then 08/09 with Dnipro Dnepropetrovsk, Ukrainian Superleague, playing a significant role on both teams.

Anticipated Role:

Unknown. This is a player that Austin Ainge or Jon Jennings must have really liked, and it was not because of his college career. Whatever secrets they know, he played well in the preseason game scoring 19 points and grabbing 8 boards in about 35 minutes in a starting effort from power forward. The rest of his season won't be so cozy however, because with Billy Walker needing minutes, and 1st round (in the D-League Draft) pick Paul Harris soon coming back from injury, it will probably be Lazare who misses out, as neither Walker or Harris will likely steal minutes from Blaylock or Thomas, so Walker will probably be bumped down to the power forward position. Regardless though Lazare has proven he's a valuable scorer and active overall player.

Paul Harris

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITIONS	D-League Draft	PPG	RPG	APG
23	6'5	225	SG,SF,PF	Rd 1 Pk 9	12.0*	8.1*	2.2*

*College stats

50-Word-Bio:

Buffalo native, played until Junior season for SU. Surprisingly went undrafted this spring despite what was by many accounts a very strong series of workouts, an exceptional Junior season, and an NBA ready body. Possesses a 6'10 wingspan. Played Summer League for T-Wolves and invited to camp with Utah Jazz.

Anticipated Role:

Hard to gauge. He's still recovering from a knee injury right now, but when healthy he should see significant playing time off the bat. Because of his tweener size, he's the type of guy that is kind of built for the D-League, but will have to prove he has a bigger skillset to get a more permanent invite to the NBA. He's listed at 6'6 but that's wishful thinking. He's 6'5, or more likely 6'4. The knock on Harris since his freshmen year is that he can't shoot, and when he gets to dribbling he tries to do too much with the basketball. This isn't a professional diagnoses, but you might call it "Ron Artest Syndrome". From the beginning though he has all the tools right now to be a heck of a stopper and a finisher. He may suffer from turnover-itis at first, but he should be a stat filler right away, posting high marks in rebounding, steals, blocks, and with his literally freak athleticism he should be able to grab 12-15 ppg.

The problem of course for Mr. Harris is the unstoppable Mr. Walker. Bill Walker is 6'6, Paul Harris is 6'5 (ish). They would both be amazing 6'9 power forwards. They're both skill deficient small forwards, and Paul Harris is in an especially tight spot, because in socks he looks like a great point guard with big arms. He'll be competing directly with Bill Walker for minutes for as long as Bill Walker or JR Giddens for that matter are on the Red Claws. That's a losing battle for the hungry Harris.

Tier 2: Heavy Rotation

Noel Felix

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
28	6'9	245	PF/C	EXPANSION	13.2*	6.6*	1.2*

*D-League

25-Word-Bio:

Fresno State alum. Undrafted. Been to the big leagues, but has also played in Europe. Usually gets invited to a camp, but usually doesn't stay.

Anticipated Role:

Felix's strengths on this team are his size (there is 1 other guy taller than 6'8 on the team, and he got 11 mins in the 1st preseason game), and his athleticism. The problem is that he only has those things working for him as a player. He's shown littler improvement over the last few years and the biggest thing pro scouts are looking for from him is the ability to hang in the post. In the D-League a guy of his size and raw athletic talent should be getting more than 6 rebounds per game. Felix was a DNP the first game and I don't anticipate him starting, but this team is thin on height and thin on actual NBA experience so he'll find a significant role.

Tony Bobbitt

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITIONS	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
30	6'4	205	SG	Rd 7 Pk 8	13.1*	2.3*	2.4*

*Career NBDL stats

25-Word-Bio:

Graduated Cincinnati University after playing 2 years for Southern Idaho. Played brief stint with the Lakers, then with the Lakers minor league team. Played overseas.

Anticipated Role:

He's principally a scorer off the bench, and Billy Thomas's main sub. He's also probably going to play the main role of sniper for the squad, and just as an example out of 11 total 3pt shot attempts for the Red Claws in their preseason game, Bobbitt took 6. Expect that kind of aggressive attitude whenever his hands touch the ball.

Anthony Terrell

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
28	6'6	230	PF	Rd 6 Pk 9	.6.0*	3.9*	.6*

*06/07 stats

25-Word-Bio:

Went to school at UNC Wilmington. 80 games w/60+ starts. Never averaged above 9ppg after high school. Played in USBL, ABA, NBDL. No NBA experience.

Anticipated Role:

A bruiser down low. Obviously not going to log much time at any position outside of 4/5. Should have significant role however, because there aren't many physical guys on the roster. Height would be a problem in the NBA but as long as he's working hard, shouldn't be a problem here. Not going to wow much with stats but he'll throw his body around.

Stanley Thomas

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG	RPG	APG
29	6'5	205	SF,PF	TRYOUTS	20.6*	5.8*	1.8*

*ABA stats

25-Word-Bio:

2 years at Texas Tech, then 2 years at Robert Morris. Former ABA team, "Chicago Throwbacks," played in Attack Athletics building, same building managed by MRC's AC Mike Procopio.

Anticipated Role:

Will see nights where he gets 9 mins per game and nights where he gets 25 mins per game. If Bill Walker sticks around the D-League, won't see a huge uptick in mins, but if Walker is called up and JR Giddens does not get demoted to take his place, Thomas could even be a starter at the SF. Natural scorer, but with bulk should be taking it to the hoop more than he does. Won't be asked to take many 3's but has the range. Played for the Chicago Throwbacks last season the in ABA, where he had to do everything for the team. This season will be asked to do more but if he wants to see his minutes increase needs to really up his consistency.

Abdulai Jalloh

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG*	RPG*	APG*
23	6'2	190	PG/SG	TRYOUT	15.5	5.5	2.9

*Junior season at James Madison University

25-Word-Bio:

Made the team on a tryout basis despite missing almost all of senior season at JMU with torn rotator cuff. Spent first 2 yrs of college at St. Joe's

Anticipated Role:

Both Billy Thomas and Tony Bobbitt CAN play the point, but that does not mean either SHOULD. Abdulai Jalloh looks to be the guy to fill the void at the backup point, but he's not exactly traditional either. In college he was one of those "SG's in a PG's body". He's a scorer, a defender, and a rebounder, but I don't think he's that much of a distributor. For now he's got the support of the coaching staff, logging 23 minutes per game over the first 2 regular season games, and unless Lester Hudson gets reassigned (which he has said he is not ready to do), Jalloh should keep logging those high rotation minutes.

The Rest of the Roster:

Gary Ervin

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG*	RPG*	APG*
26	5'10	183	PG	Rd 4 Pk 9	8.2	2.3	2.7

*D-League last season

10-Word-Bio:

Graduated from Arkansas 2008. Previoulsy played at Miss State University.

Anticipated Role:

Looks like he's the low man on the totem poll for the backup point minutes, and another case of buyer's remorse for the Maine Red Claws. Of the 8 players selected in the D-League Draft, the Red Claws have kept only 5, cutting their 3rd, 5th, and 8th round picks. Ervin was selected in the 4th round, but appears already behind Abdulai Jalloh on the depth chart, and he was only a tryout. He's not a great passer, and he's undersized as a defender. He can score proficiently and he can probably manage the ball in the D-League without too many turnover, but he's far from a traditional point. His minutes should probably hover around 5-10 per game, no matter who is brought on. He's not a realistic NBA player at this point, and with his size (listed optimistically at 5'10) he'll need to really revolutionize his game to get a look at for a call up.

Mike Williams

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	POSITION	D-LEAGUE DRAFT	PPG*	RPG*	APG*
27	6'11	245	C	TRYOUT	5.2	9.1	UK

*ABA Stats

10-Word-Bio:

Bryant College, played overseas and in ABA. Holds record for blocks at Bryant.

Anticipated Role:

He's the tallest guy on the team at 6'11, but if the early season has been any indication, that will only get you so far with Austin Ainge. Ainge cut Tyrell Blair, a 6'11 center the team also had, and this is a team that is severely short on height. Williams should get around 10 mins per game if only by sheer lack of competition on the depth chart, but he'll offer a solid weakside shotblocker in the paint and he also should be getting his share of boards while on the floor.

Tier "?": The Assigned Players, Future and Present

Ah, the ringers. The pros. The guys who are actually getting paid. As I've said before, the D-League is a different game. It's not always so much about team, as it is about developing yourself as a player. In that vein, the guys the Celtics and Bobcats choose to assign down to the D-League are always going to play ahead of the actual D-Leaguers, regardless of who is the better actual player.

There are 7 players between the Celtics and the Bobcats that could theoretically be assigned to the D-League. Those players are Bill Walker (already there), JR Giddens, Lester Hudson, for the Celtics, and Gerald Henderson, Derrick Brown, DJ Augustine, and Alexis Ajinca for the Bobcats.

Of those 7 guys, Gerald Henderson and DJ Augustine are probably scratches on D-League time, as they both have established roles with significant playing time on the Bobcats.

The Red Claws are currently carrying 11 contracted players, plus Bill Walker. The team saves 2 roster spots per pro team affiliate, so the Celtics can assign one more player and the Bobcats can assign 2.

If you've made it this far, you've read about 2000 words about guys you don't know, so I won't waste your time telling you about the guys you do. Click for breakdowns of the games of Bill Walker (ESPN), JR Giddens (ESPN), Lester Hudson (Draft Express), Alexis Ajinca (ESPN), and Derrick Brown (Draft Express)

The remaining players most likely to be assigned (in your humble bloggers opinion) are JR Giddens for the Celtics and Ajinca and Brown for the Bobcats. Once a player is assigned, they are thrown right into the fire. Bill Walker was assigned on a Sunday and was starting on a Monday, and has started every game since. He's currently averaging 22 points and almost 10 rebounds per game.

Giddens has already proved himself a D-League All-Star, starting 23 games last season for the Utah Flash, and just absolutely filling the stat sheet. If Walker is still on the team when he is assigned, he'll take minutes from Billy Thomas and Tony Bobbitt.

Ajinca, who is by most accounts can be considered a real NBA player in much the same way that Kool-Aid can be considered a 'juice drink', has also shown some promise in the D-League, getting about 12 pts, 7 boards, and 2 blocks per game in 11 games played last season. He'll take all of Mike Williams's minutes and eat into Anthony Terrell's time as well.

If Derrick Brown is assigned to the Red Claws, he'll send Darnell Lazare to the bench. He actually duplicates a lot of Lazare's skill, and he's one guy I could see really flourishing in the D-League.

So when I watch, what do I watch for?

Well, as Celtics fans, first and foremost watch Bill Walker. He's quickly becoming one of the more polarizing Celtics players, but you'll see why he has such a devoted amount of groupies (yours included) on the site very quickly. Beyond that though, there are still plently of things about the D-League that should endear it to the common but discerning basketball fan.

D-League games are messy, and it's not just because of the quality of play. Also, the players (not assigned by a NBA team) in the D-League are signed to yearly contracts, so each season they log they're only getting paid between $15,000 and $25,000 (2007 numbers, probably slightly higher now). They're not playing for the big bucks, they're playing because they want if not a call up from a NBA team, at least a camp invite next summer. Becaue of that when a guy is on the floor, he's trying to make stuff happen. You can't be satisfied being Bruce Bowen or James Posey in the D-League. You have to prove you have a skill a better (and better paying) team will value.

So watch to see what guys like Darnell Lazare and Will Blalock are doing with the time they spend on the floor. They're younger guys who still have to improve their games to get on with a pro club. Watch other guys like Stanley Thomas or Anthony Terrell, who are trying to prove maybe not to NBA teams but to overseas teams that they are worth a lucarative contract. Watch seasoned vets like Tony Bobbitt and Billy Thomas. They're not trying to prove they have the skills, they're trying to prove they STILL have the skills, and that at a moment's notice they're ready for a 10 day contract to be the 9th or 10th guy in a rotation, with no rust. There is drama to be had, you just have to know what you're looking at.

References:

Stats provided from NBA.com, and CREZ Basketball

Images obtained from Maine Red Claws team page

Expansion Draft Results & Analysis

Jon L — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:00:17 -0000

After cutting down the nets in Colorado, Billy Thomas will be playing for the Maine Red Claws this season.

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While RU had its mock draft on Tuesday, yesterday was the actual expansion draft with the Springfield Armor and Maine Red Claws picking from among the guys who finished last season with either Colorado or Anaheim, both of which are now no more (though Springfield is kinda-sorta the new Anaheim). The teams were actually drafting the D-League rights to these players, not the players themselves, so in some cases the teams were drafting guys who have already signed elsewhere, in the hopes that they're either cut by the NBA or come back from overseas during the season, in which cases the players would join whoever drafted them. A round-by-round list of the picks can be found here, but since there were only two teams drafting I'll just list the final "rosters":

Springfield	Maine
Marcus Campbell	James White
James Mays	Trey Gilder
Eddie Gill	Billy Thomas
Kentrell Gransberry	Noel Felix
Cedric Bozeman	John Lucas III
Jamar Brown	Kedrick Brown
Malick Badiane	Dominique Coleman
Marcus Taylor	Joe Dabbert
Cameron Bennerman	Josh Davis
Kirk Walters	Andre Patterson

Overall, the Red Claws bet heavily on the players I was talking about above, taking James White and Trey Gilder (who both have at least partially-guaranteed NBA contracts) with their first two picks, then followed up later in the draft by taking Dominique Coleman, who's going to play in Belgium, and Joe Dabbert, who's going to be in Korea. If these work out it was a good draft for them, but if not then they'd better hope to get some NBA assignees this season. The Red Claws also were able to pick up Josh Davis in the ninth round, though, which is crazily low, so that was definitely a good pickup.

I really like what Springfield did in the draft, taking up the best center in the draft with the first pick (Campbell*) then surrounding him guys who can score like Bozeman and Mays. They also seemed to have cornered the market on available big men. Felix and Davis are the only two players Maine has right now who can play in the middle. There really were two different philosophies at work here, with the Armor taking guys who can contribute immediately and maybe keep fans coming to games once the novelty of having a new team wears off. Both teams will be filling out their rosters with players from local tryouts, of course, but at this point Springfield seems more ready to start the season.

* Thanks to an alert reader for reminding me that it was Marcus Campbell who was drafted, not Hubbard.

But that's just one man's opinion. What do you, the viewers at home, think?

D-League Expansion Draft Tomorrow; RU Mock Draft Today

Jon L — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:00:15 -0000

The D-League rights of John Lucas III are available in tomorrow's expansion draft.

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In case you haven't heard, the D-League's Expansion Draft will be held tomorrow, September 2, at 2 p.m. ET. There are only two teams participating, the Maine Red Claws and the Springfield Armor (even though I didn't think the Armor were an expansion team, since they're just the new Anaheim Arsenal), and the list of players available can be found here. It's basically just the players from last year's Anaheim and Colorado rosters. The draft will be done snake-style, where the team with the first pick in the first round has the last pick in the second round, etc., which seems a bit silly with just two teams, but I'm not the one in charge here. The draft will last ten rounds, and Springfield won the coin toss so they're going first.

We thought it would be fun to run a mock draft, so Aisander and I drafted players we thought would be good for the D-League's two newest teams. He had Springfield, I had Maine. At least, he had Springfield until he stopped e-mailing me his picks. We limited our player list to only those who haven't already signed contracts in Europe or the NBA (except in a few instances I'll mention when we get to them) - even though the D-League teams are drafting a player's D-League rights, so for instance if Maine drafts Joe Dabbert he could join the team once the South Korean season ends or he doesn't feel like playing over there anymore. But, we thought this would be a little more interesting, and it also gives us a chance to comment in players who don't get a lot of mentions around here.

Check out the RU Expansion Mock Draft after the jump. All the player comments are mine except where noted.

Round 1

1. Springfield - James Mays, 6'8" F

If I'm Springfield (or any franchise for that matter), I want to make sure I'm getting a quality big man who scores efficiently and can rebound. Mays fits that bill perfectly. He was an absolute beast for the 14ers last year, averaging 19.0 points and just shy of 9.0 rebounds a game. He was one of the more dominant players in the D-League up until he was injured mid-season. And really, his ACL is the only thing that gives me pause. But if James Mays is healthy, then I'm taking him first. -- AD

2. Maine - Cedric Bozeman, 6'6" G/F

I had planned on drafting Mays, who went to Clemson, to try and get Maine's affiliate the Charlotte Bobcats to pay attention to the team even though we're so closely tied with the Celtics. But Bozeman's a good consolation prize. He's a versatile swingman who rebounds well for his position and can distribute the ball a little bit as well, so he's the Maine Red Claws' first pick.

Round 2

3. Maine - Josh Davis, 6'8" F

The versatility theme continues, plus Scott would have a fit if Davis fell any lower than this. Davis is a really solid frontcourt player who can shoot threes, defend, pass and rebound, and he even played some center in Colorado's fast-paced offense last year. With Bozeman and Davis on board, I'm liking the roster already.

4. Springfield - Kedrick Brown, 6'6" G/F

Well I was dying to pick Josh Davis, aka Scott Schroeder's man crush, but lo and behold you've snapped him up. So instead I'm going with a solid NBA-caliber swingman. Brown was originally drafted by the Boston Celtics, but has played the last two seasons with the Arsenal. He's been a solid player, averaging around 15 points and 6 boards a game. Brown is capable of scoring big numbers when he's hot, blowing up for over 30 a few times last season. He's a seasoned vet at this point in his career, which is something any new franchise/coach could use. -- AD

*It should be noted that Brown has signed a contract to play overseas this season, which I didn't realize until I was putting this post together. I'll leave him on Ais's roster as a penalty for his not finishing this thing. I also should tell you that Aisander was responsible for cutting out all of the players who had already signed elsewhere, so it's possible that he was trying to pull a fast one on me.

Round 3

5. Springfield - John Lucas III, 5'11" G

I was going to go with Eddie Gill here, but John Lucas really was solid off the bench for the 14ers last season, stepping it up when Gill was struggling. I like Lucas primarily because he's younger and a little bit quicker. As a point guard, he is a good, not great floor leader, who runs the offense smoothly and shot a blistering 45% from three last year. He's solid as a scoring and passing PG, averaging about 15 points and 4.5 assists last season. I also like Lucas because his assist-to-turnover ratio was 4:1, because hanging onto the ball is an important part of the game, no matter what Will Conroy might tell you. -- AD

6. Maine - Eddie Gill, 6'1" G

Lucas may be younger and quicker, but I like Gill to run the point for my team. It's true that he's had some stints with the New Jersey Nets, who the Armor are affiliated with this year, but I think first-year head coach Austin Ainge will appreciate having a savvy veteran running his offense and getting everyone in the right place. Gill sometimes settles for three-pointers a little too often, but he finished third in the D-League in assists last season both on a per-game and per-season basis, and there's the added bonus of him being a decent midseason call-up option for the Celtics should their search for a backup point guard prove fruitless.

Round 4

7. Maine - Marcus Campbell, 7'0" C

Marcus Campbell, 7'0" C - I guess someone has to draft a center, and Campbell's the best available. He was third in the D-League last year in rebounds per minute (just ahead of Kentrell Gransberry) and he's a decent shotblocker as well. He's 27, so this is probably as good as it gets for Campbell, and he doesn't get to the line quite as often as you'd like your big man to, but he'd give the Red Claws a solid inside game to go with their skilled perimeter players.

8. Springfield - Kentrell Gransberry, 6'9" F/C

Well it's official, the pickings are getting slightly slim. But I'll go ahead and take Gransberry, who is your typically undersized center with some weight issues. But there is some upside with Gransberry. If he can shed some weight and work on his footwork I think he's got a shot at being a decent bench rebounder/garbage scorer. He did not exactly light up the D-League last year, but he's a solid rotation player at this point. -- AD

Round 5

9. Springfield - Billy Thomas, 6'5" G

Thomas is a vet, and will give you some solid play as either a starter or off the bench. And it can never hurt to have a guy with NBA experience and a nice shooting touch. Thomas is not always a consistent scoring threat, but when he's on he can be a great asset to any team. I think he's a nice catch at this point in the draft. -- AD

10. Maine - Marcus Taylor, 6'3" G

Taylor was a high school All-American; that's how far back we have to go with some of the players left in the draft. Taylor played only three games with the Arsenal after signing with them in February, but he scored 28 points in those three games and had some decent per-minute numbers. Hopefully with some more playing time he can serve as a solid 2-guard.

Round 6

11. Maine - Ray Reed, 5'11" G

Reed was a combo guard at Cal State-Fullerton, and while he's been transitioning to more of a straight point guard that versatility may come in handy. He was also supposedly the Titans' best backcourt defender (according to the team's website, which is why I say "supposedly"), which is nice, though with his size I don't expect a ton of that in the D-League. Reed led the Arsenal in assists on a per-minute basis and doesn't turn the ball over too much, so I think he'll be a nice bench player for my Red Claws team. I have to say, I'm really starting to like this team I'm putting together.

12. Springfield - Malick Badiane, 6'10 C

This is where Ais dropped out. Badiane still has a lot of work to do on his game, but I'm not sold on Gransberry as a player who can give a lot of minutes at this point so Springfield needs another center to share time. Hopefully Badiane can continue to develop his athleticism (he'll occasionally spring for double-digit rebounds) into consistent production.

Round 7

13. Springfield - Noel Felix, 6'8" F

In case Badiane doesn't work out or Gransberry can't stay out of foul trouble, Noel Felix should step in as a solid interior defender. He's not a great rebounder, but he can block some shots and his scoring has improved over the last two seasons.

14. Maine - Jamar Brown, 6'9" F

Jamar Brown was the third-string center for the 14ers last season (or maybe fourth-string, depending on whether you call Josh Davis the backup), and he has as much propensity for foul trouble as Gransberry does, but Brown also grabbed more rebounds per-minute last season than guys like Erik Daniels or Jasper Johnson, and the fact that I can draft that kind of rebounding ability this late in the draft shows how much I'm dominating this thing.

Round 8

15. Maine - Andre Patterson, 6'8" F

I was trying to decide between Patterson and Ronald Allen, since the Red Claws as I've drafted them could use someone to fill in at small forward, and their stats are pretty similar. Eerily similar, in fact, at least on a per-minute basis. Patterson has a better field goal shooting percentage, though, so I'll take him. It looks like I win this round as well.

16. Springfield - Geno Carlisle, 6'3" G

Springfield needs a bench scorer and a backup shooting guard, so this is an easy pick. Carlisle doesn't do much besides shoot, and while his .375 three-point shooting percentage is good but not great, it's still pretty decent for the eighth round of an expansion draft.

Round 9

17. Springfield - Ronald Allen, 6'9" F

While I made it seem like taking Patterson over Allen is a big victory, I should reiterate that they're very similar numbers-wise, and Allen got more starts last year. He's inconsistent, but still solid enough to be a contributor for this Springfield team.

18. Maine - Dabo Kabov, 6'5" F

I have no idea what kind of player Kabov is. He played in 10 games for the Arsenal last year and never made more than one field goal, and shot only five total free throws. If there's an upside he also never turned the ball over more than once in a game. But, it was around this time that I realized there weren't enough players to fill out ten rounds, so while Kabov doesn't look like a contributor at this point, I'm sure that Austin Ainge's legendary teaching skills can mold him into a useful player.

Round 10

19. Maine - Dominique Coleman, 6'3" G

Yep, I went ahead and did it. Like I said, I needed to find a few more players, and Ais drafted a guy headed overseas a lot earlier. So the Red Claws will draft Coleman's rights as a longshot in hopes that he doesn't take a liking to Belgium and comes on back to the US. My crush on Coleman's game is well-documented at this point, but in short he can rebound, shoot threes, distribute the ball as needed, pick up some steals, and he made RU's All-Defensive team last year to boot.

20. Springfield - Kirk Walters, 6'11" C

Walters is a center who doesn't rebound particularly well, but Springfield needed another backup big and this is the last pick. Walters has decent size for a center, so despite the fact that he wasn't much of a rebounder at the University of Arizona either, perhaps there's some potential in there that just needs to be tapped into.

Let's review the draft:

Aisander Arsenal	Jon Red Claws
James Mays	Cedric Bozeman
Kedrick Brown	Josh Davis
John Lucas III	Eddie Gill
Kentrell Gransberry	Marcus Campbell
Billy Thomas	Marcus Taylor
Malick Badiane	Ray Reed
Noel Felix	Jamar Brown
Geno Carlisle	Andre Patterson
Ronald Allen	Dabo Kabov
Kirk Walters	Dominique Coleman

I think it's pretty clear who "won" this draft (hint: me). The Arsenal ended up with some talented players like Mays and Lucas and Badiane, but even without Dominique Coleman, I think the Red Claws ended up with a really solid roster, one that would have a chance at seriously competing in the Eastern conference. But we'll see how the real teams do tomorrow.

The D-League Draft in Review

DakotaWiz — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:21:04 -0000

So, we're about 18 days, 22 hours, 34 minutes, and 47 seconds until the D-League season starts (Thanks, D-League.com!) Anyway, let's look at each teams roster post-draft to better evaluate how each team drafted. I should really wait to do this tomorrow in case some trades went down that we didn't catch, but I'll update this to reflect that if they happen. Also, quick note, every center able to be drafted, was drafted. Dear Mr. Alpert, I think we need to sign more 5's for next year!

This might be something you print out and read when you have about two hours to kill... Went a little longer than planned, but all good stuff, I guarantee it. If you don't think so, E-Mail me (Check my profile) and I will promptly get you a refund.

Tulsa, with the number one overall pick, picked Chris Richard. Like many teams, it looks like they aren't too concerned with having a center, preferring to go with two big forwards in Richard and Ryan Humphrey, a first round pick of the Jazz in 2002. From there, it looks like returning guard Russell Carter will play at the point, Jeremy Kelly at the 2, and Terrell Everett at the 3. I expect Chris Ellis (returning) and Mikheil Berishvili to also be guaranteed spots, with the rest up in the air. With whoever comes back in the trade of Keith Closs, that player could leave just one spot open for the rest of the players, depending on what the 66ers are getting in return.

Colorado, where is Elton Brown? Where is Eddie Gill? I assume at least Eddie will join them soon. If not, it looks like they'll be led by the tandem of James Mays (Great pick considering he was one of the last cuts of neighboring Denver!) and Josh Davis at the 3 and 4, with random fillers in between. If both Elton and Eddie come back, WATCH OUT! The 14ers drafted two of the better point guards in the draft in Marlon Parmer and John Gilchrist, along with rookie Trey Gilder, a skinny 6'9 post, these are my picks to most likely make the team. It looks like Joe Dabbert, who I'm fairly sure his middle name is Barry, as it rings so well, will play the center for them. I'm not sure why he was allocated to them, as he didn't go to school in Colorado, nor has he ever played for them, but being allocated a decent 5 is always good! I'm also fairly certain Eric Osmundson makes the team, as he's my favorite player ever out of UPenn and has played with them the past two seasons. Jamar Brown, a local guy out of Colorado State also will more than likely make it, being a big in this league not so full of bigs.

Idaho looks strong, as they have been since entering the D-League. Coach Gates always seems to put together a good team, and this year shouldn't be any different. They brought Randy Livingston off the court and onto the coaching staff, though his replacement is the very capable, and more than likely redshirt-rookie, Jamaal Tatum, their first round pick last year. They also return Air Georgia Brent Petway and were allocated former BSU Broncos Coby Karl and Reggie Larry. With first round pick and former Bobcat Jermareo Davidson, this team has a chance of repeating. Add in Ernest Scott, who played 40 games with the Stampede last season, big-man Anthony Coleman, and rookie guard Lanny Smith, and this is one of the top teams in the D-League.

Sioux Falls is VERY VERY VERY strong. Wow. Veteran leadership? Check. Point guard Frank Williams played parts of 3 seasons in the NBA and averaged 16 points with the Skyforce two seasons ago. NBA talent? Check! Bobby Jones has played for approximately 47 teams over the last two seasons. Size? You betcha! 7-1 Frankenstein-like Chris Alexander was the last cut of the Thunder in October and averaged 12 and 12 last season for the Skyforce. Good wings? Two of them! First round pick Gary Forbes and returning Carl Elliott are both all around players that will fill in and do everything that the aforementioned players don't. Add in draft picks Michael Adams (who isn't good, but is big!), Keith Brumbaugh (averaged 35 points, 8 boards, 6 assists last season in college), Ty Morrison, a 6'8 rookie combo forward, and either rookie Gary Ervin (Arkansas) or the vet Brock Gillespie, and this will be a team to reckon with.

Bakersfield, do I think even you guys have a strong team? Yes, I sure do! Wait, even when your top 3 players are returning from a season where you finished 11-39?!? Scary, but yes, and not just because Gates Roth and Deane Martin are running the show. Mateen "I'm Not Cryin" Cleaves at the point, Jeff Trepagnier at the 2, Derrick Byars at the 3, Richard Hendrix at the 4, and Nick Lewis at the 5, and this team is scary. Factor in Justin Reed returning in about a month and Trey Lewis coming off the bench, and this team will be 7-deep solid! Terrance Thomas, who played with Fort Worth a couple seasons ago, and David Berghoefer, a soft big man who averaged 11 and 11 over in Germany last year should also make the rotation.

Fort Wayne, I really hope you do well. Bringing back Ron Howard, fresh off a preseason campaign with the Bucks, along with Walker Russell, a strong backcourt is imminent. The front court, however, is suspect. If first round pick Coleman Collins is as careless on the court as he is when driving, you're in trouble (Just kidding Mad Ants! Hopefully we're still friends!). If I learned I was going to be a Mad Ant, I'd be excited too. I like Torree Morris too, mostly because he's 6-10 in a division that includes Courtney Sims, Chris Alexander, and hopefully, for Erie's sake, a big man from the Cavs. Anthony Kyle is fun to watch and should make the team as the backup point guard he's destined to be. Shawn Hawkins should also be a good player for the Ants. Eric Smith, who I believe was referred to exclusively as "Spider" on all of your radio broadcasts last season (New radio guy for the Mad Ants this year for anyone that wasn't a fan of them last year!), should also be consistent off the bench.

Erie, I'm sorry, but I'm just not a fan of your drafts. First, you inexplicably drafted Idaho assistant coach Randy Livingston in the expansion draft, among about 7 other guys that had no plans to play in the D-League this season and Jeff Hagen. Then, in this draft, you take the enigmatic Erik Daniels a combo forward, when it was fairly clear that a big man was in your NEEDS column after the only guy you picked up in the expansion draft, Jackie Manuel, plays the same position. In the second round, you took Taj McCullough, a Winthrop grad and combo forward. You also bring in Manuel. By my count, that's three guys who are best suited to play the 3, and are also your three top players. You never did draft anyone taller than 6'8. Hopefully Cleveland really likes your pick up of Vernon Hamilton, who was in Cavs camp this preseason, and sends JJ Hickson or Darnell Jackson down to help. Jawad Williams is also a possibility, but I'd assume they'd rather cut him then assign him to the D-League, as he's nothing special to develop. They did draft two of the greater names in the draft though in Cliff Clinkscales and Xavier Whipple, so hats off to you, Erie Bayhawks.

Anaheim, I like your team. Good first three picks in NBA vet Tierre Brown, Flight White, and rookie Roy Bright (Another Delaware State guy, just former D-League stud Jeremy Richardson). Good returnees in Mario Boggan and Mike Efevberha. Good allocated guys in Cedric Bozeman, Noel Felix, and T.J. Cummings, son of Terry (Be careful googling him.. NSFW!). Also, good job drafting four bigs! I hope that was due in part to the genius of new assistant Paul Mokeski, as pictured here in his younger days (Courtesy of The Sports Hernia Blog):

Utah had a decent draft. Bringing in Dontell Jefferson, bring back Brian Jackson, and drafting a couple legit rookies in Gavin Grant and Bennet Davis will help. If Kevin Kruger decides to come back to the D-League, this team is solid. If not, hopefully Utah and Boston help out, as your bench looks weak. Marcus Malone, how did you drop to the tenth round? Please prove me wrong in camp, as I thought you looked good down in Vegas.

Reno, big ups. Like what you did in the expansion draft. Damone Brown, Tony Gipson, Andre Patterson, Jesse Smith, and Jamaal Smith are all solid players that can contribute. In the regular draft, not so much. Antonio Meeking, who, as Matt pointed out, apparently added an inch and dropped 30 pounds, though I highly doubt this. Russell Robinson will be able to run your offense, but don't expect points out of him, as I would assume another Kansas alum, Dakota Wizards GM Tom Wagganer, could beat him at a game of PIG. Sung-Yoon BANG! should be solid, but unspectacular, as seasoning in Korea couldn't have helped him much since averaging 12 points with the Roanoke DAZZLE a few years ago.

Dakota Wizards, you're good, but guard heavy. With Mo Baker and Blake Ahearn, they've got to have one of the best backcourts in the league, if not the best. Renaldo Major will be returning from heart surgery and if he can return to his Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All D-League, he'll more than likely earn another call-up. The trade for Denham Brown will be excellent insurance if Renaldo isn't completely ready, and if he is ready, Brown will be one of the top guys coming off the bench in the league. That's four guys with NBA experience. Add Will Frisby, who was a beast last year when he got the minutes, and if he can stay out of foul trouble, he'll get the minutes, and Quemont Greer, who was with the Wizards two years ago when he averaged 17 points and 6 boards during the championship season, and the returnees are good. Then we get to Marcus Hubbard, the last cut of the Hawks this season (Peachtree Hoops wasn't big on him), will more than likely be one of the top athletes in the league and hopefully improves his basketball IQ. The Wizards are lacking on a center, but between Aaron Spears or Brad Stricker and possible NBA assignee Hamed Haddadi, they'll have the size to compete. Don't rule out a return of Too Much Rod Benson, either, who is averaging just 10 minutes and 2 points per game overseas while I assume he is getting paid a bit more than his production warrants.

RGV, not so sure about you guys. First, I really wish you would have dropped the E in Grande, or decided to pronounce it GronDay. Your best returner is Trent Strickland, and though he averaged 13 points last season, they weren't memorable. Allocated guys Kendall Dartez, who has averaged 6 points and 4 boards in 40 D-League games, and Alton Ford, a guy with forgettable NBA experiences who is a lot like Antonio Meeking, are nothing special. Your draftees are better, and include Smush Parker, who fell to the twelfth pick, and Delonte Holland, who I think should be a good D-League player. I'm also looking forward to seeing what Alpha Bangura (Two guys were drafted with bang in their last name) can do in the D-League, as he's been stateside in the minors for awhile.

LA, you surprised me with your first round pick of Jasper Johnson. I can't give a review of him, because I know NOTHING about him, though hear he was a good pick. Keith Butler is really big, which goes a long way in this draft, and therefore a solid 2nd round pick. The rest of your draft, not too much stands out. Your returning player, Darren Cooper, not exciting. Your allocated guys, however, are quite good. Joe Crawford, Lakers last cut, stud. Brandon Heath, another Lakers cut, should be good. Patrick Sanders, the rookie, should play well. Your local tryout guys are all D-League caliber, which is amazing, as I would have thought they would be in the player pool, rather than needing to go the way of the local tryout, especially since two have been drafted before -- Rashid Byrd, AKA Rashid Hartwick, AKA Seven and Sum Change and Ryan Forehan-Kelly.

Albuquerque, led by Coach Coffino, got the steal of the draft when David Noel dropped to the 12 spot. They're also in contention for best backcourt in the draft, returning Will Conroy and Cheyne Gadson, as they both have NBA talent. Cory Underwood, a former street baller, also returns after joining the Sixers preseason roster for a bit. They drafted quite solid as well, bringing in David Monds, Waki Williams (Never seen him play, but with a name like Waki...), another long 4, and Kris Clack, who played with Austin a couple seasons ago. They also brought in Eddie Robinson, who made 10 million dollars for NOT playing with the Bulls, as they bought out his contract, presumably because he was more focused on his acting career, being the lead in Juwanna Mann.

Iowa should be solid. They return Dwayne Mitchell, who left to go overseas mid-season last year and was with the Lakers this preseason, and Courtney Sims, one of the top big men in the league. Aristide "The Ostrich Riding Dawg" Sawadago was also apparently a big returner for them, as one team (I'll leave them anonymous) tried to draft him. Curtis Stinson, a journeyman D-Leaguer who has played 50 games for five teams over the past two years, also returns. In the first round, they drafted Cartier Martin, who sounds more like an alcoholic beverage than a D-League player, and followed that up with Larry AKA "Elias" or "Old Man" Ayuso, and then Othyus Jeffers, who will turn heads in the D-League. They also drafted Oregon State rookie Marcel Jones, who is also apparently pretty good, as another team tried drafting him later.

Austin, I'm glad you got the last pick, otherwise, you'd be a lot scarier than you already are. Returning Marcus Williams (Legitimate NBA player, not computer-steling-already-NBA-player-with-Golde-State-Marcus-Williams), and bringing in Charles Gaines and Malik Hairston, this teams 2,3,4 spots are probably the best in the D-League. Add Squeaky Johnson and first round pick and this team is solid everywhere but the 5 spot, which is probably why they grabbed 6'10 Mohammed Abukar in the 2nd round. They also got "Better Than" Ezra Williams and Michael Sturns, who were both good pickups in the 3rd and 5th rounds. Add in the possible allocation of Ian Mahinmi, and wow.

I'll let Matt rebuttal, as I'm sure we differ, but I'm ranking the great 8 heading into camp:

1. Dakota -- Six returners, 4 guys with NBA experience, going to be great.

2. Austin -- If they get Mahinmi again, pencil them in for the championship.

3. Albuquerque -- Great backcourt, great front court, great team.

4. Idaho -- Won't fall off much from championship season.

5. Sioux Falls -- Scary back court, scary (and scary looking) front court.

6. Anaheim -- LOTS of NBA talent here.

7. Bakersfield -- Legit starting 5.

8. LA/Reno -- LA built from nothing getting lucky with allocations, Reno built from nothing using the expansion draft.