Pre-Season/Post-Draft Power Rankings

Well as you have all, no doubt, noticed, the draft took place Friday night. If you dont like your team and you were at the draft it's your fault, stop whining. If you don't like your team and didn't show up, then show up next year and stop whining.

Instead of reviewing everyone's draft I will only do the 4 who were at the draft to save time cause theres no use in reviewing something the computer did.

Anyway, here are my draft rankings and thoughts:

4. The Zou (Erik Johnson)

First Pick: Amare Stoudemire PF/C PHX
Amare is a stud, hands down. He has 6 years of NBA experience under his belt and is only 25. Last year he averaged a ner double double with 25 pts and 9 reboun per game. Look for him to only build on these numbers.

Best Pick: Brandon Roy SG POR 6th round
If I could pick any team right now to be a fan of based on talent and their future outlook, Portland would be that team. They are the Rays of the NBA. Tons of young talent (Oden, Aldridge, Bayless, Fernandez) and who do they go to when the games on the line? Who does the offense run through? Brandon Roy. He will average 20pts or more and will see his assists improve drastically. Although hes not the PG, Portland will blaze their trail to the playoffs with Roy leading the way.

Worst Pick: Mike Miller SG/SF MIN 5th round
Good player...not great...playing for very bad team. I like him, but not as a 5th round pick.

Sleeper Pick: Devin Harris PG NJ
Harris is a stud out of Wisconsin and was the key in the Jason Kidd to Dallas deal. Look for Mark Cuban to realize that he may have gotten Hall of Famer in Kidd to win now, but he traded away one of the best young PG talents that will allow the Nets to win for years to come.

Overall Evaluation: In typical Erik fashion he drafted like he is a real NBA GM and is building a franchise with good young players. Unfortuately this is fantasy NBA. Unless he makes some good deals (which he will...he'll cherry pick Tony and Joel's best players, no doubt.), he may be on the outside looking in come playoff time.


3. Team Gassman (Luke Gassman)

First pick: Kobe Bryant SG LAL
The Black Mamba is back and wants his elusive 4th title that he came so close to tasting last year. Kobe is a game changer and in obviously the go to guy in LA. However, with a healthy Andrew Bynum, and Pau Gasol in LA for a full season, look for the Lakers to be the team to beat in the NBA but that wont translate into Kobe being the fantasy gold of old. Im not saying he'll suck Im just saying he's not the number 1 or 2 pick he used to be. Luckily though Luke took him third...right where he belonged.

Best Pick: Gerald Wallace F CHA 6th round
Gerald Wallace, because of playing in relative obscurity in Charlotte, is often overlooked. Wallace is just simply a beast. Expect 20 points, 8 rebounds, and good numbers in assists, blocks, and steals especialy for a forward.

Worst Pick: Baron Davis PG LAC
Now, this is just a personal thought to dont take it as gospel. Davis did play his first full season in a long time last year and was the man in Golden St. My concern is the move to the Clippers and injuries returning. I think he couldve found PGs (i.e. Andre Miller, Devin Harris, etc.) later in the draft and addressed another position here.

Sleeper Pick: Ron Artest SF HOU
Artest is often criticized for his off/on court behavior and looked at as a defensive presence only. What people often dont realize is he is an offensive force as well. Last year he averaged 2opts a game, almost 6 rebounds, and more than 3 assists per game. Hes an all around player that will go a long way in stabilizing Team Gassman.

Overall Evaluation: Team Gassman is probably on its way to being the most consistent team in the league. He wont put up ridiculous numbers but wont have weeks that he scores nothing. He will be a tough team to beat over the course of a season because of his consistency, but players like TMac and Andrew Bynum could make or break him this season.


2. Blue Springs Inoculators (Ben Nielsen)

Fist pick: Lebron James SF CLE
no explanation needed...hes a freak.

Best pick: Yao Ming C HOU 7th round
This is obviously based on Yao staying healthy which he has struggled with his entire career. He has the ability and now the experience to be one of the most dominant forces in the league and for a 7th round pick was a steal for Ben if his health cooperates.

Worst pick: Yao Ming C HOU 7th round
Yeah I know I just said he was the best pick, but like I said, it depends on his health. Hes coming off big injuries that ended each of the last three seasons, plus he played in the olympics (albeit not for very long) so he put more mileage than usual on his frail form. This pick will make or break Ben's season.

Best Sleeper Pick: I would say Josh Smith in ATL but its hard for a 3rd round pick to be a sleeper. So I think we'll go with Agent Zero or Hibachi if you prefer. Gilbert Arenas PG WAS as a 10th round pick is a high reward/low risk pick for Ben. We all know Arenas can straight up ball, but his inuries have taken out of being a top 10 pick. Look for Gilbert to break the injury streak and alongside upstart Caron Butler put up big numbers and lead the Wizards to another playoff loss to LBJ and the Cavs.

Overall evaluation: Ben has arguably the best 1-2 punch in King James and D-Wade. Both are undoubtedly the man in their respective cities and will put up ridiculous numbers all year long. With a good amount of solid consistent performers (Tony Parker, Chris Bosh, David West) Ben can absorb some of the risk taken on by Yao Ming and be competitive even if Ming doesnt pan out........however if Yao Ming remains healthy all year and Arenas stays healthy as well, Ben is looking at a for sure playoff team and maybe be the team to beat.

And in honor of Ben who is the commish of the other leagues, I will put myself number 1

1. Kobe How My Ass Taste (Andrew Wessley)

First Pick: Chris Paul PG NOR
CP3 was last years breakout superstar. His points an assist numbers are unreal and with another year of experience and more weapons to play with (James Posey) along with the old stanbys (Tyson Chandler, David West, Peja Stojakovic), look for CP3 to eye his first MVP and the top seed in the west.

Best Pick: Dwight Howard C ORL
How the hell did he fall to me in the second round? He is a *insert term here that man cannot understand because it is so great*.

Worst Pick: Joe Johnson SG/SF ATL
Only because with Josh Smith (J-Smoove), Mike Bibby, and Al Horford on the team Johnson may find himself on the outside looking in, however his numbers went up when Bibby was brought in via trade. I look for Horford's emergenc last year to get him more touches and those will be taken from Johnson. Which brings me to my sleeper pick.....

Best Sleeper Pick: Al Horford PF/C ATL 8th round
As mentioned above Horford is well on his way to becoming the man in Atlanta. He averaged nearly a double double in his rookie season (10pts, 9.7 rebs) and it will no doubt get better in his sophomore campaign with the likes of J-Smoove, Joe Johnson, and Bibby garnering attention on the wings.

Overall Evaluation: CP3 and Dwight Howard(that guy really needs a nickname) will anchor a very stout team. Besides the players already named, PG Andre Miller will also be a big part in Kobe How My Ass Taste making a post season run. But this is based on Mo Williams fitting in in Cleveland and LaMarcus Aldridge not getting pushed out by the oldest rookie ever....Greg Oden. Look for Ben and Andrew to be battling all year long to be the best team in the league, and we'll see them battle a lot early and all year as theyre in the same division.


Overall League Power Rankings:
1. Kobe How My Ass Taste
2. Blue Springs Inoculators
3. Team Gassman
4. von Schilbstein
5. The Zou
6. Boerne Knicks
7. Team Wessley
8. Boston Three Party


Let me know what you think....rip up the rankings....leave notes and credit card numbers telling me you loved the rankings and they were perfect.

No matter where youre ranked just remember...the season is new, everyone's 0-0, and none of us really know what we're doing in fantasy basketball anyway!