Fictional Draft Classes for the Playstation 4

[fnz21]

So before I upload the draft class (ETA 9 PM EST tonight), I'm going to do breakdowns by position, just you have an idea who is all in this draft class.

Each position will be broken down into 4 tiers

1 - The absolute best in each position. Could be franchise cornerstones or at least a top 2 player on his team eventually.

2 - Solid contributors from the get go. These guys project to be starters down the road (or sixth men).

3 - These guys will be filling out rosters, some will pan out, some won't.

4 - These are the players who most likely will go undrafted.

Now, with that said, these are not absolute/all-knowing predictions. There are still busts hidden in the draft, and undrafted guys that could be solid guys for your team. SO these are meant to be something you'd see on a website/magazine before a real draft.

Also,

All-Americans

FIRST TEAM
G Freddie Westermann - Xavier - Jr.
G Shaquille Thomas - Texas - Fr.
F Joe Sherrill - Central Florida - So.
F Jamal Jefferson - Louisville - So.
C Darrell Hamilton - Syracuse - Sr.

SECOND TEAM
G Cooper Olsen - Maryland - Sr.
G Jake Wade - Alabama - Sr.
F Devon Haley - North Carolina - Fr.
F Jerome Kimball - Kentucky - So.
C Melvin Hailey - Ohio State - Fr.

POINT GUARDS
None of the point guards are really thought of as Franchise-changers so the top 4 will be Tier 1(B)
TIER 1B
Freddie Westermann - Xavier - Junior - 6'2 / 181
Trent Garrison - Texas - Sophomore - 6'2 / 180
Malik Burton - Arizona - Freshman - 6'1 / 172
KC Johnson - Kentucky - Freshman - 6'3 / 192

Out of these four Garrison and Johnson have the best chance of becoming the best two PGs in this draft. Burton is similar to Melvin Marion of last year's draft, very defensive-minded

TIER 2
Pablo Valencia - Spain - 6'5 / 191
Leon Collins - Syracuse - Senior - 6'2 / 188
Franklin Pierce - George Washington - Junior - 6'1 / 179
Raul Morris - Penn State - Sophomore - 6'1 / 178
Reyshawn Abram - Alabama - Senior - 5'11 / 172

There's not many high quality international prospects in this draft. Valencia is probably the second best. He's a great floor general but can't really shoot the way Morris & Abram can.

TIER 3
Lester Cousins - Massachusetts - Sophomore - 6'2 / 180
Billy Everton - Duke - Senior - 6'2 / 196
Marlon Gibson - West Virginia - 6'1 / 180
Alando Cherry - Louisville - Senior - 5'11 / 185
Larry Flint - Ohio State - Senior - 6'2 / 180

Billy Everton is pretty high on some teams' draft boards, but there's not really one special skill that jumps out at you like, say, Cherry's three point shooting.

TIER 4
Cooper Olsen - Maryland - Senior - 6'2 / 186
Cedrick Carrington - St. John's - Senior - 6'1 / 210
Sydney Phillibert - France - 5'10 / 176
Quinton Kelly - Houston - Sophomore - 6'5 / 190
CC Abernathy - Pittsburgh - Senior - 5'11 / 170

In a draft with few quality international prospects, Sydney Phillibert's heights does him no favors. If he was a few inches taller he'd be higher on draft boards. Scouts like 2nd team All-American Copper Olsen, but feel he's already hit his peak.

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SHOOTING GUARDS
TIER 1
Shaquille Thomas – Texas – Freshman – 6’5 / 201

Far and away, the best 2 guards in the draft, also with the most potential. An All-American in his only year in Austin, he’s a dynamite scorer, but needs to improve on everything else.

TIER 2
Jake Wade – Alabama – Senior – 6’5 / 192
Donnell Slaughter – Kansas –Freshman – 6’5 / 190
Andrae Lavender – Kentucky – Freshman – 6’6 / 198
Noah Matthews – Louisville – Senior – 6’5 / 191
Jerome Thornton – Penn State – Junior - 6’4 / 193

Thornton and Matthews are great outside shooters. Lavender and Slaughter had similarly lackluster seasons in college, considering their preseason hype. Wade can be starter on a poor team.

TIER 3
Dominique Kou – Louisiana Tech – Senior – 6’3 / 198
Christian Ellis – West Virginia – Senior – 6’3 / 190
Tajuan Wiggins – St. John’s – Senior – 6’5 / 191
Andre Jordan – Hofstra – Senior – 6’5 / 200

Kou is a great defender, but, until his senior season couldn’t shoot. Jordan is a good player, but is pretty old after bouncing around between two NCAA colleges and a junior college.

TIER 4
Demarcus Keith – Pittsburgh – Senior – 6’5 / 200
Andre Long – Florida – Senior – 6’4 / 194
Corey Carroll – Notre Dame – Senior – 6’5 / 193
Chris Oliver – Iowa – Junior – 6’5 / 194
Antonio Diaz – Spain – 6’5 / 193

Oliver left college prematurely after being kicked off of the Hawkeyes. Diaz is a pesky defender with good speed.

SMALL FORWARDS
TIER 1
Devon Haley – North Carolina – Freshman – 6’9 / 214
Jerome Kimball – Kentucky – Sophomore – 6’6 / 217

Haley is a pretty good shooter and explosive wing. Kimball used his sophomore season to remind us that he can’t shoot, but can do just about everything else as a strong, bullish wing.

TIER 2
Clemente Castillo – Puerto Rico – 6’8 / 226
Cato Sherman – Ohio State – Senior - 6’7 / 220
Tyson Hunt – Louisiana Tech – Junior – 6’9 / 242

Castillo was named after Roberto Clemente and wears his number. He played baseball until age 17 (he turned down a contract from Clemente’s former team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, to pursue basketball). Sherman and Hunt are both big bodies that bully defenders.

TIER 3
Quincy Livingston – UAB – Junior – 6’10 / 202
Clayton McCallister – Michigan State – Senior – 6’7 / 202
Stephan Silvestre – France – 6’7 / 218
Dedrick Ingram – Louisville – Senior – 6’6 / 216
Christ Wright – St. John’s – Senior – 6’7 / 214
Orlando Boggan – Xavier – Senior – 6’6 / 212

Livingston will need to add bulk to last in the league. Silvestre is a great leaper who was a teammate of Phillibert in France. Wright could add 25 pounds and become a post player with his excellent shot-blocking ability.

TIER 4
Mario Sims – Alabama – Senior – 6’6 / 197
Troy Campbell – Canada – 6’6 / 194
Jaivon Gibbons – Cincinnati – Senior – 6’7 / 208
Walt Williams – Ole Miss – Senior – 6’8 / 224
Joe Goodman – Arizona – Senior - 6’8 / 227

Williams and Goodman could be solid role players if given the opportunity. Campbell is a big unknown after turning down an opportunity to play collegiate ball in the US.

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POWER FORWARDS
TIER 1
Jamal Jefferson – Louisville – Sophomore – 6’10 / 229
D’ion Hawkins – Pittsburgh – Freshman – 6’9 / 245
Anthony Hamilton – West Virginia – Junior - 6’10 / 260

Jefferson would be 1A here if asked. His skillset is broader than the other two listed.

TIER 2
Anthony Douglas – Ohio State – Senior – 6’9 / 243
Maurice Adams – Duke –Senior – 6’8 / 230
Harper McDowell – Indiana – Freshman – 6’9 / 231
Lyle Roller – Michigan State – Senior – 6’9 / 245

Adams is the most athletic out of the four. Douglas is the strongest. McDowell has the best shot/range. Roller is the best inside presence. Combine them and they’re the top pick!

TIER 3
Shamell Oakley – North Carolina – Senior – 6’8 / 238

The first in a decent line of cookie cutter PF’s at UNC. He has a great motor. Will get drafted.

TIER 4
Nick Johnson – Louisiana Tech – Senior – 6’10 / 205
Daron Drayton Long – Xavier – Senior – 6’9 / 235
Jermaine Slay – Arizona State - Junior – 6’9 / 227
Tyrone Rollins – Xavier – Senior – 6’8 / 225
Oliver Reeves – Cincinnati – Senior – 6’8 / 243
Cole Phelps – BYU – Senior – 6’10 / 243
Randy Wilcox – Notre Dame - Senior – 6’9 / 242

Johnson started two games in his NCAA career after coming to LaTech as a JUCO forward. He’s a tremendous leaper and rebounder and backed up Pearson Dilligard and Lebron Brooks (future draftee). Drayton and Rollins both played in the post at Xavier, with Drayton (more of a shooter) logging the minutes at center. Jermaine Slay has similar skills as Nick Johnson, but has about 20 pounds on him.

CENTERS
TIER 1
Melvin Hailey – Ohio State – Freshman – 6’11 / 249

Hailey was a second-team All-American and has the best chance of being a franchise center. Reminded scouts and college coaches of former Buckeye Greg Oden.

TIER 2
John Thompson – Cincinnati – Freshman – 6’11 / 251
Darrell Hamilton – Syracuse – Senior - 6’11 / 260
Rashad Cunningham – Louisiana Tech – Senior – 6’11 / 268

Hamilton and Cunningham are terrific rebounders. Thompson has great offensive post abilities.

TIER 3
Daniel Emerson – Miami (Ohio) – Senior – 6’10 / 237
Byron Wiley – Pittsburgh – Junior – 6’10 / 270
RJ Bailey – Arkansas – Senior – 7’0 / 230
Percy Armstrong – Providence – Senior – 6’10 / 287
Stefan Wheeler – Germany – 7’1 / 255

Armstrong and Wiley are the two widest bodies in the draft and good rebounders. Bailey is a good shot blocker.

TIER 4
Austen Cook – Alabama – Senior – 6’11 / 246
Julio Simon – UTEP – Sophomore – 6’11 / 225
Tim Marks – Florida – Junior – 7’1 / 246
Baron Earl, Jr. – St. John’s – Senior – 6’10 / 270
Immanuel Davidson – UAB – Senior – 7’2 / 275
Curtis Weiss – Boise State – Senior - 6’10 / 250

Cook was the most improved played player in college basketball this season. Davidson is the tallest player in the class and a terrific rebounder.

[fnz21]

Draft Class 2 is uploaded.

File Name : fnz21 Fictional Draft 2v1 (OS)

[fnz21]

SOme quick scouting hints to help you with Draft Class 2
PASSERS
Pablo Valencia
Larry Flint
KC Johnson
Freddie Westermann
Sydney Phillibert
Malik Burton
Trent Garrison
Leon Collins
Franklin Pierce
Alando Cherry

3 POINT SHOOTERS
Reyshawn Abram
Noah Matthews
Jerome Thornton
Andre Jordan
Tajuan Wiggins
Jake Wade
Corey Carroll
Christian Ellis
Andre Long
Quincy Livingston

REBOUNDERS
Dion Hawkins
Rashad Cunningham
Melvin Hailey
Anthony Hamilton
Jamal Jefferson
Anthony Douglas
John Thompson
Darrell Hamilton
Immanuel Davidson
Nick Johnson

DUNKERS
Demarcus Keith
Jermaine Slay
Chris Oliver
Andre Long
Dion Hawkins
Jamal Jefferson
Julio Simon
Devon Haley
Dominique Kou
Cato Sherman

STEALERS
Antonio Diaz
Reyshawn Abram
Franklin Pierce
Dominique Kou
Tim Marks
Shawuille Thomas
Chris Wright
Jerome Kimball
Marlon Gibson
Cato Sherman

SHOT BLOCKERS
Julio Simon
RJ Bailey
Tim Marks
Immanuel Davidson
Melvin Hailey
Jermaine Slay
Chris Wright
Nick Johnson
Stefan Wheeler
Dion Hawkins

[tarek]

Awesome. Thanks for the write up. Seems like Shaq Thomas is promising.

[Jujuwebe]

Once again, great work on all of this fnz21! I had two first round picks, and with the second one (Late first round) I took Argentino Balestrier. I wasn't expecting too much from him, but man he is fun to play with and works great as a big stretch four on my team. Has had a much bigger impact than my lottery pick. Now I just hope he develops nicely!

[sappy3]

yo fnz, love the classes, but are you aware of the play initiator glitch?

All the rookies in your first class are play initiators, was wondering if you changed that for class 2.

thanks