here we go again ...
i put together two teams again, using only players that were on my roster last year, AND only adding players that could reasonably be assembled by an actual coaching staff. i’ve purposefully avoided trying to compile an all-star-type roster in order to show (i hope!) that there are plenty of White athletes that could play on/for competitive teams. additionally, i’ve intentionally balanced my roster with freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, just like actual teams have to do, and you will see that my rosters turn over as players graduate, go pro, or “transfer out.”
as a preliminary pat on the back to myself, i will point out that my evaluation of players is AT LEAST as good as any collegiate staff and/or NBA scout, as many of the players i selected last year (and the year before) are playing for money this year.
finally, i’ve declined to copy/paste their current stats, because laziness.
i prioritize versatility and length on defense and good decision making and shooting on offense. my rosters will reflect this philosophy.
here we go!
Team 1:
i’ve imagined this team to come from a Power 5 conference, with all the consequent resources for recruiting, and the chance to occasionally snag a higher profile recruit/transfer.
Starters:
stretch 4 - Kyle Filipowski (sophomore, 7’0” 230; Duke)
stretch 4 - Ben Gregg (junior; 6’10” 230; Gonzaga)
wing - Tyler Wahl (super senior; 6’9” 221; Wisconsin)
two guard - Connor Essegian (sophomore; 6’4” 195; Wisconsin)
point guard - Tyler Kolek (junior; 6’3” 195; Marquette)
two of my athletes (Walker Kessler and Christian Braun) were early-entrant draft picks in the 2022 NBA, so my team’s reputation for developing players went through the roof. as such, i was able to convince Filipowski, a likely lottery pick and all-American candidate, to stick around for another year and a run for a National Championship. (i missed on some potential post players as a result of him sticking around, however). our transition to a faster tempo a season ago fared well, and our lead guard returns (and he’s poised to become a household name and all-American, as well). we lost two long, versatile, excellent defending seniors in Nunge and Mayer who will be difficult to replace (and we lost Stefanovich to transfer), but we may get even faster with our incoming players.
Filipowski is a long, bouncy athlete with skill, a beautiful jump shot, and a mean streak. i'll enjoy him while he’s on the team, because with his tremendous work ethic he’ll be going pro VERY soon. in fact, i’m SUPER surprised he didn’t chase the big money in the last Draft.
Gregg is a highly skilled stretch 4 with bigtime potential. instant energy and offense off the bench, the fact that he tends to pick up fouls in bunches is the only thing hindering his numbers. if he can play without fouling, he’ll get the starting nod; if not, we’ve got other guys chomping at the bit.
Wahl is an elite defender and athletic playmaker who plays much bigger than his size. he can guard multiple positions, is a plus rebounder, and is a high percentage scorer/low volume shooter at all three levels. and dude will dunk on your head. he could’ve gone pro last year, but i’m happy he felt like he had unfinished business left to do.
Essegian is a nasty little ball of hate on the hardwood. he plays with a killer instinct and will score without mercy. he’s also unafraid to mix it up on the defensive end. players like him win you lots of college games, and we’re especially happy that he’s now a sophomore. Lol. fewer freshman mistakes means nightmares for the opposition.
Kolek is a pure point guard with tremendous vision and passing ability and quick feet. after two years packing on muscle and fixing the broken jump shot that kept him coming off the bench early in his career, Kolek is likely the best point guard in the country. my little general is strong enough to not get posted up, deadly enough from deep that defenses can’t sag off him, and the undoubted leader of this team.
Bench:
post - Harry Wessels (redshirt freshman; 7’1” 255; St. Mary’s)
forward - Braden Huff (redshirt freshman; 6’10” 242; Gonzaga)
wing - Dusty Stromer (freshman; 6’6” 192; Gonzaga)
wing - Payton Sandfort (redshirt sophomore; 6’7” 215; Iowa)
point guard - Braden Smith (sophomore; 6’0” 180; Purdue)
wing - Andrej Stojakovic (freshman; 6’7” 190; Stanford)
Wessels is a project with tremendous size and a good feel for the game. we redshirted him last year as his skills needed refinement. now, although he’s still very raw, we’re hoping to see a big leap. he is a good defender and has a nasty streak. the jury is still out on him, but we’ll take a flyer and see how he develops.
Huff has quietly worked his butt off behind some talented veterans and in the weight room. now, he’s ready to blow up. a threat to score from all three levels and adept at playing in space or with his back to the basket, he’s gonna be a handful if/when he gets his minutes.
Stromer is a long, bouncy, skilled, elite scoring talent … but he’s super skinny. he’ll get a shot at playing time, but we’ll redshirt him if he can’t earn significant quality minutes. dude has a sky-high future, and we don’t want to waste one single minute of it.
Stojakovic is almost a carbon copy of Stromer, so see the above report.
Sandfort is a long, sharp shooting assassin who can play and guard multiple positions, after a redshirt year, he is instant offense off the bench, and with his swagger and aggression, i expect him to become a legend in the program before his career wraps up. it’ll be tough to keep him off the floor.
Smith is tiny ... like a lethal dose of poison. he feeds off the hate of opposing fans, and he inspires that hate with how hard (and effectively) he plays. dude will dunk on your head, slice up your defense off the dribble or with the pass, and will get in your space all day on defense. and he has a surprising knack for rebounding, especially considering his small stature. he’s the acknowledged leader-in-waiting of this team.
Team 2:
i’ve imagined this team to play in a “mid-major” conference and unlikely to be able to lure highly rated players. instead, we’d have to find hidden gems and have a VERY good skill/strength development program. as such, redshirting would be a key cog in the machine. additionally, since we’d probably have a difficult time getting talented big men, i’d target sharp shooting, albeit undersized, post players rather than oversized stiffs. conversely, we’d target long wing players to make it possible to have a high-pressure defensive style with lots of switching and an up-tempo offense.
Starters:
forward - Grant Nelson (senior; 6’11” 235; North Dakota St)
wing - Tyson Degenhart (junior; 6’7” 235; Boise St)
wing - Patrick McCaffrey (redshirt junior; 6’9” 212; Iowa)
point guard - Aidan Mahaney (sophomore; 6’3” 180; St. Mary’s)
two guard - Elijah Pepper (senior; 6’4” 200, UC Davis)
we lost one starter to graduation (McCaffrey) another early to the NBA draft (Podziemski), the second year in a row that’s happened, and also lost an Aussie (Armstrong) to big money in their pro league (the NBL). so our reputation for player development is gaining notice. still, we had to recruit really hard while looking for the right candidate(s) in the transfer portal. we may take our lumps, as we don’t have a lot of beef inside. but then again, we should be able to run like deer and score with anyone. hopefully, our length, versatility, and athleticism will allow us to offset our lack of girth.
Nelson is a poor man’s Chet Holmgren. a super long and lean wing/forward, he can block a shot on one end, then cross you over and hit the three on the other. after exploding last season, the NBA scouts were all over him. he’s a candidate for all-American honors, and we’re SUPER excited he returned for his senior year.
Degenhart is a bouncy wing who has a knack for knocking down clutch shots. he is a threat to score at all three levels, though he prefers to post up opposing guards. he’s nasty and strong enough to guard multiple positions. he’s a handful.
P. McCaffrey (Connor’s brother) is a super long point forward who can jump out of the gym, run for days, and guard all over the court. the sky is the limit for this athlete, but weakness has been his biggest weakness (he overcame cancer as a teen and has struggled with anxiety). after redshirting him to let his body and mind catch up to the demands of playing ball at this level, he’s poised to make a major impact.
Mahaney is a still-skinny assassin. i wanted to redshirt him last year, but he simply was just too good. he’s got a silky smooth midrange game, and he will cut your heart out with his playmaking in crunch time. despite his unassuming appearance, he has the stuff legends are made of, sort of like the college basketball version of Clark Kent and Superman.
Pepper is a walking bucket. dude is instant offense from anywhere on the floor, and he wanted to prove it at a higher level which is why we got him in the transfer portal a season ago. he’s not just a shooter, however, which is essential in our program. he’s a solid physical, if not elite, defender, and he’s a willing passer. this year, he’ll be expected to shoulder more responsibilities.
Bench:
wing - Mason Miller (redshirt freshman; 6’9” 190; Creighton)
forward - Jensen Bradtke (freshman; 6’10” 220; Saint Mary’s)
wing - Joseph Pinion (redshirt sophomore ; 6’5” 195; Arkansas)
forward - Caleb Lohner (senior; 6’8” 235; Baylor)
center - Ryan Young (super senior; 6’10” 238; Northwestern)
point guard - Luka Krajnovic (freshman; 6’5” 185; Gonzaga)
Miller is long, bouncy, and skilled, and he’s no longer razor thin after a redshirt year. his upside is enormous. he can score at all three levels, has a tremendous feel for the game, can guard multiple positions, and can jump out of the gym. if he remains serious about the weight room and nutrition, he’ll become an all-American candidate before his days are done.
Bradtke is a long, sharp-shooting big man with a real nose for the glass. we feel he has tremendous athleticism (both his parents were Olympic athletes) and potential (if he weren’t from way “Down Under” he’d likely have been a high major prospect) and think we found a real diamond that just needs some polish. as such, we’ll hopefully put him in our strength and conditioning program and see what happens.
Pinion is a superb long range shooter who is “surprisingly” bouncy. he’s struggled with injuries (knee) and playing-while-White for Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman, so we snagged him from his home-state team in the transfer portal and hope to see him rejuvenate his career.
“Old Man” Young would be the big man off the bench. a highly skilled, active post scorer who can pass the ball. he has transformed his body with this team’s strength and conditioning program and is now a high energy contributor with size who is also a leader in the locker room.
Lohner is a versatile forward who can guard multiple positions and stretch the floor. a high energy athlete, he brings offensive firepower without struggling to fit in with the ghetto culture (like he does at Baylor).
Krajnovic is a super long lead guard, who can create for himself or others. despite his super thin frame, he’s tough as nails. he plays with a poise beyond his years, and despite our desire to redshirt him he may earn starter minutes.