2015 NBA Draft - Top 50 Prospects

Here's my final board for the 2015 NBA Draft.

1.     KA Towns C UK

2.     D. Russell PG Oh St.

3.     J. Okafor C Duke

4.     K.Porzingis PF Latvia

5.     E.Mudiay PG China

6.     F.Kaminsky C Wisc

7.     D.Wright PG Utah

8.     M.Turner PF Tex

9.     J.Winslow SF Duke

10.  C.Payne PG Murray

11.  M.Hezonja SG Croatia

12.  T.Jones PG Duke

13.  B.Portis PF Ark

14.  S.Johnson SF Ariz

15.  S.Dekker SF Wisc

16.  W.Cauley Stein C UK

17.  D.Booker SG UK

18.  RJ Hunter SG Geo St.

19.  K.Oubre SF Kan

20.  K.Looney SF UCLA

21.  C.Wood PF UNLV

22.  R.Holmes PF BGSU

23.  S.Tuttle PF UNI

24.  T.Lyles PF UK

25.  A.Williams PF UCSB

26.  R.Upshaw C Wash

27.  C.Osman SG Turkey

28.  A.White PF Iowa

29.  G.Hernangomez C Spain

30.  D.Johnson C UK

31.  R.Hollis-Jefferson SF Ari

32.  J.Anderson SF UVA

33.  M.Harrell PF Louis

34.  J.Grant PG ND

35.  T.Rozier PG Louis

36.  R.Vaughn SF UNLV

37.  C.Alexander PF Kan

38.  M.Frazier SG UF

39.  C.McCullough PF Syr

40.  B.Weber PG VCU

41.  M.Garcia SG Spain

42.  P.Connaughton SF ND

43.  J.Martin PF LSU

44.  Q.Cook PG Duke

45.  O.Hanlan SG BC

46.  V.Hunter SF UTEP

47.  B.Dawson SF Mich St.

48.  T.Harvey SG EWash

49.  T.Haws SG BYU

50.  T.Graham SG VCU

This is (Not) a 2015 NBA Mock Draft (or please, please please don't draft...ah hell, do whatever you want, we won the Title!)

As I do each year, here would be my Round One of the NBA Draft were I selecting for each team.

It's not prognostication.

Normally, I'd include something about who I want the Warriors to avoid.  That seems less important this year for some reason.

1. Minnesota KA Towns C UK
2. LA Lakers D.Russell PG Ohio St.

-Russell's my top guy on the board, not by a lot, not enough that Minnesota shouldn't take Towns, but I like him enough over Okafor that the Lakers, who really should be acquiring assets, should take him.

3. Philadelphia E.Mudiay PG China
4. New York J.Okafor C Duke
5. Orlando K.Porzingis PF Latvia

-The real draft goes smoother than this when the Lakers take Okafor.  Here, the Sixers who can't use him instead take the second best PG.  The Knicks are good with any of the available options; I don't know about fit with Porzingis and the Magic, but these are the top 5 players on the board. in some 2-5 order they go.

6. Sacramento D.Wright PG Utah

7. Denver F.Kaminsky C Wisc
-These guys aren't going this high; once we get by the first five, then my valuation starts to diverge from what you're likely to see.

8. Detroit M. Turner PF Texas

9. Charlotte M.Hezonja SG Croatia

10. Miami S.Dekker SF Wisc

11. Indiana B. Portis PF Ark

12. Utah C.Payne PG Murray St.

13. Phoenix D.Booker SG UK

14. OKC J.Winslow SF Duke

15. Atlanta W.Cauley-Stein C UK

16. Boston S.Johnson SF Ariz

17. Milwaukee RJ Hunter SG Geo St.

18. Houston T. Jones PG Duke

19. Washington C.Wood PF UNLV

20. Toronto G. Hernangomez C Spain

21. Dallas K.Oubre SF Kansas

22. Chicago C.Osman PG Turkey

23. Portland R.Holmes PF BGSU

24. Cleveland A.Williams SF UCSB

25. Memphis M.Frazier SG UF

26. San Antonio S.Tuttle PF UNI

27. LA Lakers T.Lyles PF UK

28. Boston D.Johnson C UK

29. Brooklyn J.Anderson SF UVA

30. Golden St. R.Upshaw C Wash

June, 2015 Athlete of the Month

May is here.

American Pharoah.

Runners-up: LeBron James, Duncan Keith, Andre Iguodala

The year's half over.  Here's where we stand in the race for 2015 Athlete of the Year.

January - Marshawn Lynch
February - Malcolm Butler
March - Breanna Stewart
April - Steph Curry
May - Floyd Mayweather
June - American Pharoah

Who will be Athlete of the Year?

Tendown June 21, 2015

179 is here. This is 180.

1. Hopefully you took my investment advice.  There has never been, listen to me here, in NBA history, a team as good as the Warriors has never lost an NBA Finals to a team like the Cavaliers.  Never, never ever ever.  This wasn't about Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love - this is 70 years of history.  This series was never in doubt.

This is the greatest Warrior team of all time.

It's the 6th greatest NBA Champion of All Time.

2..But this is probably not as important as steroids.

3. Christian privilege in a Texas nutshell.

4. 

5. You don't need an appendectomy.

6. Every Week Until He Stops - Vote For Bernie Sanders

7. The 100 greatest basketball players of all time.

8. Another lone gunman.  But there really aren't any right wing terrorists.

9. The shooting seems less likely part of the War on Christmas and more likely something else.  But what do I know?

Two quotes from this week.  "You rape our women and are taking over our country and you have to go."

They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists.

The first was the gunman about blacks.  The second was Trump about Mexican immigrants.

10. Every last one of them.

And one more...

That's all for this time.  I'll be back next time.  If there is a next time...

Your pal.

Jim

The 100 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time

Here's this list (through 2018-19)

Player

Wins (Win Shares, regular and Post season, WARP, regular and post season, adjustments and estimates made for ABA and pre-1973 seasons)

Position (5 seasons min)

Games Played (regular and post season)

Wins/Games Played

Years played

Teams (5 seasons min)

To be included here, a player needs 100 career wins (106 players qualify) and .080 Wins/Games played (and that drops off the last 6 to even us out at 100). Active players in bold.

The Active 90 Win Players (they're comin')

LaMarcus Aldridge (95)

Kawhi Leonard (93)

The 99 Win Club (not quite enough total wins to qualify)

Lenny Wilkens

Sidney Moncrief

Rashard Lewis

Andre Kirilenko

Dan Majerle

100 Wins/.060 Wins/Game (not quite enough per game to qualify)

Jason Terry

Tony Parker

100 Wins/.070 Wins/Game (not quite enough per game to qualify, unless someone who currently qualified drops, in which case this whole group moves in, the groups move together)

Otis Thorpe

Sam Perkins

Charles Oakley

Robert Horry

And here's the list - The 100 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time

100 Wins/.080 Wins/Game (there will be a day when it will take .090 wins/game to make it, today is not that day)

100. Alex English         104.95 SF       1261  .083     1976-91 Nuggets

99. Detlef Schrempf   108.05 SF/PF  1250  .086     1985-01 Sonics/Pacers

98. Buck Williams      114.41 PF        1415  .081    1981-98 Nets/Blazers

97. Terry Porter           115.81 PG       1398  .083    1985-02 Blazers

96. Steve Nash            119.4   PG       1337  .089    1996-2014 Suns/Mavs

95. Robert Parish        144.21 C          1795  .080    1977-97 Celtics

100 Wins/.090 Wins/Game (seems unlikely this group drops out any time in the near future)

94. Paul Millsap        101.48 PF        1046  .097     2006-  Jazz

93. Hersey Hawkins   102.61 SG        1057  .097    1988-01 Sixers

92. Chris Mullin         102.4 SF           1057  .097    1985-01 Warriors

91. Bill Laimbeer       110.4 C             1181  .093    1980-94 Pistons

90. Maurice Cheeks   112.44 PG         1234  .091    1978-93 76ers

89. Dennis Rodman   106.91 PF          1080  .099    1986-00 Pistons

88. George Gervin     110 SG/SF         1144  .096    1972-86 Spurs   

87. Rasheed Wallace  120.14 PF/C      1286  .093   1995-13 Blazers/Pistons

86. Dikembe Mutombo 120.02 C        1297  .093    1991-09 Nuggets/Hawks/Rockets

85. Vlade Divac         120.41 C           1255  .096    1989-05 Lakers/Kings

84. Jack Sikma           120.14 C          1209   .099   1977-91 Sonics/Bucks

83. Hal Greer             120 SG             1214   .099   1958-73 Sixers

82. Elvin Hayes          128 PF             1399   .092   1968-84 Bullets/Rockets 

81. Andre Iguodala   124.09 SF        1253   .099   2004- Sixers/Warriors

80. Dan Issel               130 C               1351   .096   1970-85 Nuggets/Colonels  

79. Vince Carter        146.24 G          1569   .093    1998- Raptors/Nets

100 Wins/.100 Wins/Game (they'll always be on the list)

78. Zelmo Beaty         100  C             1004    .100     1962-75 Hawks

77. Sam Jones             102 SG            1025   .100     1957-69 Celtics 

76. Bob Cousy            103 PG            1033   .100     1950-70 Celtics

75. Jerry Lucas           100 PF             901     .111     1963-74 Royals

74. Bobby Jones         112 PF            1092    .103     1974-86  Sixers

73. Isiah Thomas       109.38 PG       1090    .100     1981-94 Pistons

72. Marc Gasol         100.34 C          878     .114      2009- Grizzlies   

71.   Al Horford         102.28 C           906     .113     2007- Hawks                           

70. Kyle Lowry         104.65 PG        942     .111     2006- Raptors

69. Grant Hill            111.19 SF        1065    .104     1994-13 Pistons/Suns/Magic

68.   Bailey Howell         110 PF         1036    .106     1959-71  Pistons

67. Dave Cowens          102 C           855     .120      1970-83 Celtics  

66.   Dominique Wilkins  118.96 SF   1130    .105     1982-99  Hawks

65. Elton Brand           120.35 PF      1098    .110     1999-16 Clippers

64. Kevin McHale       123.01 PF     1140     .108     1980-93 Celtics

63. Patrick Ewing       132.76 C       1322     .100     1985-02 Knicks

62. Chris Webber        111.93 PF      911      .123     1993-08   Kings

61. Eddie Jones          119.75 SG     1035     .116     1994-08 Heat/Lakers

60. Jeff Hornacek       129.56 SG    1217     .106     1986-00 Jazz/Suns

59. Ben Wallace        129.92 C        1218     .107    1996-12 Pistons

58. Allen Iverson      118.36 PG/SG  985     .120    1996-10 76ers

57. Horace Grant      138.2 PF         1335     .104    1987-04 Bulls/Magic

56. Chauncey Billups  132.8 PG/SG   1189  .112    1997-2014 Pistons/Nuggets

55. Ed Macauley         100 C           688        .145     1949-59 Celtics

54. Dwight Howard     130.95 C      1139     .115    2006- Magic

53. Tracy McGrady     123.94 SG/SF  988    .125     1997-12 Rockets

52. Chet Walker          132 SF            1137    .116     1962-75 Bulls   

51. Walt Bellamy        130 C             1089     .119    1961-75 Hawks/Bullets

50. Manu Ginobli       142.04 SG      1275     .111    2002-18 Spurs

49. Shawn Marion      143.50 SF      1272     .113    1999- 15  Suns/Mavs

48. Larry Nance         128.03 PF        988     .130    1981-94 Suns/Cavs

47. Paul Arizin           112 SF             762     .147    1950-62 Warriors

46. Dolph Schayes     135 PF            1093    .124     1949-64 Nationals

45.   Wes Unseld          136 C              1103    .123     1968-81 Bullets 

44. Walt Frazier          124 PG            918     .135     1967-80 Knicks 

43. Rick Barry           137  SF            1125    .122    1965-80  Warriors 

42. Elgin Baylor        128 SF             980     .131     1958-72 Lakers

41.  Adrian Dantley     135.32 SF       1028   .132      1976-91 Jazz

40. Bob Lanier           142 C              1026   .138     1970-84 Pistons/Bucks  

100 Wins/.150 Wins/Game (the Bob Pettit group)

39. Bob Pettit            135 PF             880       .153    1954-65 Hawks

38. Russell Westbrook  147.98 PG  919       .161    2008-19 OKC

37. Steph Curry              141.95 PG  806       .176    2009- Warriors

100 Wins/.200 Wins/Game (the George Mikan group)

36. George Mikan       115 C               509       .226    1948-56 Lakers

150 Wins/.100 Wins/Game

35. John Havlicek       150 SF           1442     .104    1962-78 Celtics  

34. Moses Malone       160 C            1555     .103    1974-95  Rockets/Sixers  

33. Gary Payton          171.05 PG     1489     .115    1990-07 Sonics

32. Ray Allen              171.46 SG     1471     .117    1996-14 Bucks/Celtics/Sonics

31. Pau Gasol            166.96 C        1362      .123   2001-  Grizzlies/Lakers

30. Paul Pierce           177.38 SF       1513      .117   1998-17 Celtics

29. Dwyane Wade      165.52 SG      1231      .134   2003-19 Heat

28. Artis Gilmore       180       C       1429      .126   1971-88  Bulls/Spurs/Colonels  

27. Reggie Miller      193.81 SG      1533      .126    1987-05 Pacers

26. Jason Kidd          196.84 PG      1549      .127    1994-13 Mavericks/Nets/Suns

25. Scottie Pippen     190.05 SF      1386       .137   1987-04 Bulls

150 Wins/.150 Wins/Game (the Clyde Drexler group)

24. James Harden    160.76 SG       881      .182     2010-  Rockets

23. Kevin Durant     171.64  SF      988       .174     2007 - OKC

22. Clyde Drexler      192.47 SG      1231     .156     1983-98 Blazers

200 Wins/.100 Wins/Game

21. John Stockton      216.88 PG     1686       .129    1984-03 Jazz

20. Dirk Nowitzki     216.4 PF        1667       .130    1998-2019 Mavericks

19. Kobe Bryant       216.74 SG      1566       .138    1996-2016 Lakers

200 Wins/.150 Wins/Game

18. Julius Erving            215  SF     1432       .150    1971-87 76ers  

17. Hakeem Olajuwon   214.61 C   1383       .155    1984-02 Rockets

16. Oscar Robertson      200 PG      1126       .178    1960-1974 Royals

15. Jerry West                200 G        1085       .184    1960-74 Lakers

14. Shaquille O'Neal     226.55 C   1423        .159    1992-11 Lakers

13. Kevin Garnett         242.23 PF   1605       .151    1995-  TWolves/Celtics

12. Bill Russell             210 C         1128        .186    1956-69 Celtics

11. David Robinson      219.20 C    1110       .197     1989-03 Spurs

250 Wins/.150 Wins/Game (we've hit the top 10)

10. Tim Duncan           267.82 C/PF   1643    .163    1997-16 Spurs

9. Karl Malone           282.25  PF     1669     .169    1985-04 Jazz

200 Wins/.200 Wins/Game (the Chris Paul should retire now group)

8. Chris Paul             212.05 PG      1052     .202     2006-    Hornets/Clippers

7. Larry Bird              213.69 SF       1061     .201    1980-92 Celtics

6. Magic Johnson       227.72 PG      1096     .203    1979-96 Lakers

5. Charles Barkley     239.83 PF       1196     .201    1984-99  76ers

300 Wins/.150 Wins/Game (the Kareem group)

4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 345 C        1797      .191   1969-89 Lakers/Bucks  

250 Wins/.200 Wins/Game

3.    Wilt Chamberlain        290 C         1205     .241   1959-73 Warriors/Lakers

2.    Michael Jordan            298.62 SG    1251  .239   1984-03 Bulls

The Greatest Basketball Player of All Time

1. LeBron James               358.71 SF         1437           .250                    2003- Cavaliers