Daddymarsh's 2k21 Fictional Draft Classes (PS5)

[marshdaddy]

After watching and experiencing the greatness of JB and Jeffruel and their respective draft classes, I've decided to drop some of my own.



So, what to expect?



All of these draft classes will be created for the ATD roster on PS5. The first draft was already released in the ATD Fictional Draft Class thread but as I'm working on the second class, I figured it'd be good to be able to tell the stories independently here rather than cross with Celtic's classes on Xbox.



Each class will have 65 fully edited players to account for expansion leagues, and the rest of the class will be around 60-62 overalls. The reason being that in my experience, the G League becomes a hot mess as the 40 overall players begin to populate it, causing some of the higher-end G League players on two-ways to have unrealistic averages. These bottom-feeders won't become much, but they will at least make playable G-League games a little more playable.



I'll tip my cap to Jeffruel, who provided his research on draft classes from 1985-2020 to ensure that these classes are realistic to real life classes. And similarly to Jeffruel's ratings, these players will also be a little lower rated, like the ATD roster, though my description of the overall ranges is slightly different:



Deep Bench: Under 75 overall

Role: 75-79

High Level Starter: 80-82

All Star: 83-87

Hall of Fame: 88-92

All Time Great: 93+



And like both Jeffruel and JB, these classes will have busts, sleepers, stars, hall of famers and generational talent in line with real life NBA. So one draft might be top heavy with future HOFers like 2003, and another may be more like 2000, and others in-between, so having the top pick may net you the next LeBron James or it may net you the next Anthony Bennett.



In my personal MyLeague, players are able to go straight from high school into the NBA, so these classes will reflect that. In order to make that happen for you, you'll need to make minor edits in the classes to adjust their ages. When I make the post with every class I will identify the players in each class that will need to have their ages adjusted back to 17. Or you can wait until after their rookie year and just adjust their age back a year.



In order to allow sleepers to actually develop, you'll need to control all 30 teams after the draft to sign all of the second round picks that are drafted.



As someone who doesn't closely follow college basketball until around March Madness, the storylines will be similar here. So while you won't get an in-depth, month-by-month recap of things happening, come tournament time you'll get a season recap to set the tables for March.



Before March, you'll also get a recruiting update. Again, I don't really follow recruiting, so I don't want to give you an unrealistic experience. This will instead allow you to get an idea of the players who will be entering the following draft so you can decide if you want to go all-in for the current class and move up for a player you want, or instead trade out in an attempt to land a better piece the following year.



Scouting reports for the drafts will be available on the second post. The first scouting report will be different than the rest and include the season recap, awards, etc. Moving forward, much of that detail will be in the posts that follow.



Thanks for everyone within this community for supporting creators and making this game far better than anything 2K created out of the box. As always, comments and feedback are always welcome.

[marshdaddy]

Draft Classes

Class 1
Scouting Report
Username: daddymarsh22
File name: ATD DC-1
High schoolers: Davis Montgomery

[Jeffruel]

Lets goooo!! Love it. Can't wait to snag a PS5 and play with your classes next year.

[marshdaddy]

NCAA Tournament Preview

ACC
Virginia 75, Duke 62
Players to watch:
Virginia
Garrett Anderson, C, Fr.
6’10”, 220 pounds
Anderson entered Virginia as a highly-touted recruit, with his ability to seamlessly expand his game beyond the three-point line and through his impressive athleticism. He did little to disappoint in his one year at Virginia, guiding the Cavaliers to an ACC title and playing dominant basketball throughout. While he entered college as a potential top five pick, his play has cemented that.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
If Virginia is to win the NCAA title, Anderson will need to step up inside the paint. He’s shown a hesitancy to bang with fellow bigs on both ends of the court, though he fared well against Duke’s Isaiah Dedmon.


Duke:
Isaiah Dedmon, C, Jr.
6’11”, 245 pounds
Dedmon took a few years to develop, but came onto the scene with a bang as a junior. Like Anderson, Dedmon is gifted three-point shooter and showed flashes at Duke of being a competent inside scoring threat. His three years at Duke has some questioning how much more he can add to his game, but he’ll enter the NBA with a more developed body, allowing him to potentially see the court sooner than some of his younger counterparts.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
Dedmon looked uninspiring in Duke’s loss to Virginia, failing to make Anderson pay inside. He deferred to Wesley George too often, so I’d like to see him look to take the game over, as I personally believe he’s Duke’’s best path to a title.


Wesley George, PG, So.
6’3”, 195 pounds
George was the No. 1 point guard recruit a year ago, but an uninspiring freshman year tanked his draft stock and brought him back to the Blue Devils for his sophomore season. That extra season allowed him to become a potent, high-volume scorer inside the arc, arguably the best in the draft. Despite not having elite athleticism, his high basketball IQ allows him to manipulate the defenses and score effectively.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
George doesn’t lack confidence, but his jumper hasn’t quite caught up. If the Blue Devils win the title, it’ll be because George sticks to what he’s great at: attacking the rim and getting Dedmon involved.


American Athletic Conference
Temple 63, Memphis 60
Players to watch:
Temple:
Jackson White, PG, So.
6’3”, 190 pounds
After flying under the radar for much of the season, White erupted in the AAC tournament, scoring 24.3 points and dishing out 5.5 assists. Despite not being a highly-touted recruit out of high school in Philadelphia, White is, in my opinion, the best athlete in the draft class. He easily dominated lesser athletic guards in the AAC and was the runaway winner of the AAC Player of the Year.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
White plays with a chip on his shoulder, and I’d like to see that continue. The big question mark is now that he’s playing against better competition, will his athleticism still stand out? In Temple’s out of conference games against Kentucky and Florida, White scored just 10.5 points on 35% shooting.


Memphis:
Ricky Cunningham, SG, Sr.
6’6”, 208 pountds
Cunningham was a reliable shooter at Memphis, continuing Penny Hardaway’s run of potent basketball and guiding the Tigers to the AAC title game. A four-year starter, Cunningham finally showed what he’s truly capable of as a shooter, though the rest of his game didn’t quite catch up as his playmaking feel and athleticism should be a concern for NBA teams.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
Memphis is deep, but Cunningham is their best player. If the Tigers advance in March it will be because Cunningham gets hot from deep. If he has even one bad game, the Tigers could be going home.


Atlantic-10 Conference
VCU 70, Richmond 52
Players to watch:
VCU:
Maciej N’Doye, PG, Jr.
6’3”, 200 pounds
N’Doye had an exceptional junior year, leading the A-10 in assists and steals. He’s a consistent playmaker on both ends of the floor, able to seamlessly navigate opposing defenses with the ball and disrupt opposing offenses without it. It shouldn’t be a surprise for a junior at a mid-major to finally make the jump, but the time it took him to get to where he is now is a question mark.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
N’Doye has the potential to be the fuel behind the little engine that could. VCU didn’t enter the season as favorites in the A-10 but quickly became one thanks to N’Doye. Their chances of making a run in March will fall squarely on his shoulders.


Conference USA
FAU 65, Rice 61


Big East
Georgetown 80, Xavier 72
Players to watch:
Georgetown:
Kris Anthony, SF, Fr.
The second-rated small forward out of high school, Anthony continues to be productive, keeping the Hoyas resurrection alive in D.C. A lengthy defender, Anthony showed a consistent jump shot throughout the season, leading the Hoyas in shooting from the floor. He showed glimpses of being a decent playmaker, posting a pair of double-doubles in the Big East Tournament, but it’s too small a sample size to say he can lead an offense.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
Anthony and big man Kofi Udoka developed a reliable two-man game which reached its peak in the conference tournament. If they can continue that action the Hoyas have a chance at repeating.

Kofi Udoka, C, So.
7’1”, 280 pounds
Udoka is an overpowering force, especially in college. The Haitian-born big man improved after a rocky freshman campaign to be a dominant interior threat on both ends. His incredible strength was on display throughout the year, but in no bigger moment than the Big East title game, when he pulled in 20 rebounds to go with 18 points.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
Udoka’s game starts and stops in the paint, and because of his overpowering strength he’s often in foul trouble. The big question mark for the Hoyas will be if he can stay out of foul trouble and make his mark in the paint. Against zone defenses, Udoka’s production dropped considerably, as he faced double teams in the paint and he lacks the playmaking ability to move the ball. If teams break out a zone, the attention will turn fully to Anthony to make things happen.


Big 12
Texas Tech 55, Baylor 54


Big Ten
Michigan 88, Michigan State 80


Pac-12
UCLA 93, Oregon 90 (2OT)
Players to watch:
Glenn Nicolas, PF, Jr.
6’10”, 245 pounds
The junior forward was dominant in the double overtime thriller, scoring a game-high 32 points and pulling in 15 rebounds. Much of that production was done inside the paint as Nicolas still hasn’t developed a reliable jump shot. He also had arguably his best defensive game of the year, turning away four shots and collecting three steals. That was certainly an outlier of a game in terms of the rest of his production.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
What Nicolas is going to show up? The elite 32-point night, or the player who went two weeks without scoring more than 10 points? If it’s the former, the Bruins could be making a run. If it’s the latter, UCLA might be in trouble.


SEC
Florida 77, Tennessee 71
Players to watch:
Florida:
Chris Redmon, PF, Fr.
6’10”, 235 pounds
Redmon entered the college season as a potential lottery pick but he quickly morphed into the best player on my board. He’s already a three-level scorer and showed some flashes of being a consistent player on the ball making decisions. His fluidity was lacking at times, but nothing that would prohibit him from staying in the NBA. His ability to hit jumpers and defend across the interior and perimeter should be exciting.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
Redmon came and went at times in Florida during the regular season, something you can’t do when it becomes single elimination. For the Gators to win, Redmon will need to keep his attention within the game.


Barry Udom, PG, Fr.
6’4”, 215 pounds
Udom was the top overall recruit out of high school though he failed to fully live up to that billing in college. He is an incredible athlete and a talented scorer, but for whatever reason just failed to make it all click with the Gators, despite playing alongside Redmon. Too often, Udom seem disinterested in the game, especially if Redmon was getting going. He didn’t always want to lock in if the spotlight wasn’t shining, a spotlight that will most certainly be on in March.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
Where is Udom’s interest level on a game-to-game basis? If Udom is locked in and aggressive, he can be a disruptor for Florida. If not, the Gators could be looking at an early exit.

Tennessee:
Isaia Tucker, PG, Fr.
6’8”, 220 pounds
Tucker guided the Vols to a surprising season, one in which they almost upset Florida for the SEC crown. Tucker wasn’t a volume scorer, but he was a volume playmaker. Despite being unable to stretch the floor as a shooter, Tucker has incredible court vision, leading the SEC in assists, while also showing the ability to score consistently inside thanks to his size. He’s a disruptor on the defensive end as well, even taking on the assignment of defending Redmon in the SEC title game.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
Tucker is a one-man show at Tennessee, playing without a single other player I’d expect to get drafted this summer, so the Vols success will ride with Tucker. That shouldn’t be a concern. He has not only thrived in situations in which he’s the only option, but he genuinely cherishes them. He was electric against Florida, scoring a season-high 28 points and forcing four Redmon turnovers. If that version of Tucker continues, the Vols could make noise.


West Coast Conference
St. Mary’s 61, Gonzaga 59
Players to watch:
St. Mary’s:
Zach Whitehead, C, Sr.
7’0”, 225 pounds
Whitehead might not have major NBA upside, but the upset of Gonzaga in the WCC title game was inspiring. Whitehead went 7-for-10 from beyond the arc, continuing a year in which he led all centers in the NCAA in three-point shooting. That ability to stretch the floor gave Gonzaga fits, and they couldn’t find anyway to slow him down, as the senior scored 37 points in the win.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
Whitehead has established he can score from wherever, and he did it consistently. For St. Mary’s to continue to make noise, he’ll need to keep that trend going.


Gonzaga:
Jack Becker, C, Jr.
6’10”, 235
Becker was picked apart by Whitehead because of his inability to defend in space. Gonzaga didn’t do a great job of getting Becker going inside, where he is a very capable offensive weapon, and despite being a good three-point shooter during the regular season, Becker just couldn’t get things going from deep, going 1-for-6 on three-point attempts. But it’s the willingness to shoot that should be worth monitoring, as Becker does have the pieces to become a good rotational big at the next level.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
Becker and guard Corey Armstrong led a veteran Gonzaga group and will need to break out of what looked like a one-game funk against St. Mary’s. One-game funks can eliminate you in March though, but Becker should bounce back.

Corey Armstrong, SG, Sr.
6’7”, 215 pounds
Like Becker, Armstrong had an off-night against St. Mary’s and it showed. The best three-point shooter in the WCC, Armstrong went 2-for-11 as Gonzaga struggled to score throughout the night. But for a shooter like Armstrong, the expectation is that should be a one-game blip. The senior is a marksman from deep, and had been a decent perimeter defender as well.

What to watch for in the NCAA Tournament:
Can Armstrong get back to shooting as well as he did during the regular season (44.5%)? If so, Gonzaga has a shot at a title. He looked out of sorts against St. Mary’s and started to press as the game reached its final minutes, so as long as he can stay poised Gonzaga should be a contender.

Pre-NCAA Tournament Lottery Big Board

1. Chris Redmon, PF, Florida, Fr.

2. Nikola Orelik, SG, Serbia, 19 years old

3. Garrett Anderson, C, Virginia, Fr.

4. Paul Rodman, SF, Kentucky, Fr.

5. Barry Udom, PG, Florida, Fr.

6. Wesley Young, C, USC, Fr.

7. Kris Anthony, SF, Georgetown, Fr.

8. Trendon Harris Jr., PG, California, So.

9. Wesley George, PG, Duke, So.

10. Darius Johnston, SG, High School

11. Moses Rodgers, SG, High School

12. Jabari Barnes, C, Arizona St. So.

13. Isaiah Tucker, PG, Tennessee, So.

14. Isaiah Dedmon, C, Duke, Jr.

[SmooveMove]

Looks like I picked the wrong Dixon twin. I won’t say which in case it indicative of how others saves will go, but after almost identical rookie seasons the one i picked is at about 10ppg with similar stats as last year while the other twin is scoring almost 26ppg and is first in line for most improved player.

The one I picked still has a ton of potential to be great, but damn. I could have really used those 26 points on my team this year. That’s the fun of it though. Great work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[marshdaddy]

Quote: Originally Posted by SmooveMove

Looks like I picked the wrong Dixon twin. I won’t say which in case it indicative of how others saves will go, but after almost identical rookie seasons the one i picked is at about 10ppg with similar stats as last year while the other twin is scoring almost 26ppg and is first in line for most improved player. The one I picked still has a ton of potential to be great, but damn. I could have really used those 26 points on my team this year. That’s the fun of it though. Great work. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I know who you’re talking about. You could check his shooting tendencies and bump those up, his play style isn’t quite the same as his brother. I will say I don’t know that you took the wrong one because I really what he offers and can be very valuable.

[marshdaddy]

March Madness

Sweet Sixteen
South Region
(1) Florida 76, (4) St. Mary’s 55
Chris Redmon, the presumptive favorite for National Player of the Year, continued his impressive freshman year for the top-ranked Gators. Redmon dropped 22 first half points, enroute to 31 on the game, propelling Florida to a 54-31 edge heading to the break.

Barry Udom broke out of a slump that has plagued him throughout the year to score 25 points with eight assists.

Zach Whitehead led St. Mary’s with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

(6) Xavier 51, (7) San Diego State 45
Led by 19 points from William McDaniel, Xavier advances to the Elite Eight with a dominant defensive effort.


Midwest Region
(1) Gonzaga 70, (5) Duke 68
Corey Armstrong went 5-8 from deep, including a game-winning triple with 3.2 seconds left as the Zags upend the Blue Devils and make it back to the Elite Eight.

Duke’s Isaiah Dedmond didn’t disappoint, scoring 23 points with three triples, but was beaten up inside by Gonzaga’s Jack Becker, who had 18 rebounds to go along with 15 points.

(2) Georgetown 71, (6) Richmond 51
Richmond offered little resistance to the reigning NCAA champions. Kris Anthony had 24 points, Kofi Udoka scored 18 points and had three blocks, and the Hoyas rolled on to the Elite Eight.

Howard Lawson led the Spiders with 19 points.


West Region
(1) UCLA 81, (12) Loyola Chicago 65
The Cinderella run ends for Loyola at the hands of Glenn Nicolas. The Bruins’ forward had 26 points and nine rebounds, continuing his impressive run since the Pac-12 title game where he scored 32. Once considered a late-first round talent, Nicolas is playing his way up draft boards.

(3) Temple 61, (2) Kentucky 56
Jackson White continues to keep the Owls rolling. The favorite for AAC Player of the Year, the junior point guard was dominant against Kentucky, outdueling Kentucky’s Greg Nunn and scoring 21 points with five assists a pair of steals.

Nunn had 18 for the Wildcats, while Paul Rodman added 15.

It’s a surprising early exit for Kentucky, who has four players (Nunn, Rodman, Xavier Watson, and Jevon Adams) who could be first round picks.

East Region
(5) Oregon 60, (1) Virginia 53
Dominic Christopher, a talented freshman wing, led the Ducks with 17 points as they take down Garrett Anderson and the Cavaliers. Anderson had a great season at Virginia, but was held to just nine points in the loss.

(2) Tennessee 76, (3) VCU 61
Isaiah Tucker continues to impress after having a resurgent sophomore year. After flying under the radar entering the year behind the Gators’ top-flight players, Tucker showed out yet again, scoring 18 points with seven rebounds and eight assists. His defense was evident as well, holding Maciej N’Doye to just 11 points on 3-for-12 shooting.



Elite Eight

South Region
(1) Florida 77, (6) Xavier 71
After Chris Redmon carried the Gators in the Sweet Sixteen, Barry Udom took the reigns in the Elite Eight. The sophomore guard scored 27 points, 21 of which came in the second half, and dolled out nine assists as the Gators scored the game’s final 10 points to rally past Xavier.

William McDaniel had 20 points to lead Xavier.

Midwest Region
(1) Gonzaga 69, (2) Georgetown 65
There will be no repeat champion in the NCAA. Led by Corey Armstrong’s 22 points, the Zags held off Georgetown to advance to the Final Four. Gonzaga’s Jack Becker impressed against Kofi Udoka, scoring 17 points and pulling in 11 rebounds despite the 45 pound difference between the two bigs.

Kris Anthony had 19 for the Hoyas.

West Region
(1) UCLA 81, (3) Temple 70
Led by Glenn Nicolas’ game-high 23 points, the Bruins rolled through the Owls in a game that looks closer than it was. The Owls had no answer for the UCLA forward, who also collected 12 rebounds.

Jackson White had 15 points for Temple, going 5-for-20 from the floor.

East Region
(2) Tennessee 91, (5) Oregon 86 (OT)
The Hollywood script continues to be written for Isaiah Tucker. The 6’8” guard drained a go-ahead triple with six seconds left then stole the ensuing inbound pass before hammering home the clinching bucket to lead the Vols to the Final Four. It capped an impressive 17 point, 6 rebound, 9 assist night for Tucker, who is making a case to be the best point guard in the NCAA.

Missing in Action

Trendon Harris Jr., PG, California
The Bears failed to make the NCAA Tournament, so Harris Jr. missed his opportunity to shine on the brightest stage. Cal did make the NIT, but was bounced in the first round. I still think Harris is among the top point guards in college hoops, but will need to impress during the pre-draft process or else risk sliding down draft boards.

Nikola Orelik, SG, Serbia
Orelik has impressed in the Euro League, with averages of 19.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists. His work ethic continues to be a concern of mine as he’s dominated on pure talent at this time. He has the looks of a new-age Luka Doncic, but may fail to live up to those expectations if he doesn’t put in the necessary work.