Why does that even matter?

I didnt want Stock...even though Stock had one of the best (most consistent) careers for any PG...this doesnt automatically put the Paul pick as a reach imo.

All of these players will be starting their careers all over, and I strongly believe CP3 was the most talented PG available.

Yea - Stock put up great numbers...but I think Paul is the better guy to start a franchise with....and its not just because Paul can use both his left and right hand when laying up. I dont know why I have to keep justifying this pick, check my initial explanation...but Paul is a one of a kind player...he creates plays like only a handful of players have been able to do (for himself and his teammates)...he is rediculously dangerous offensively and defensively.

Now - if the argument is whether we should opt for career stats over a young player who has yet to have over 4 years of service in the NBA...then I ask for why? (if anything - Paul should be an exception to this train of thought)

Ive seen people make the arguement that theres a good chance he will fall off the face of the planet like DWade has (btw - one off year doesnt equate to DWade being done)...but ask yourself this....how many players have had a season like Chris Pauls and totally vanished???...or even suffered a severe decline???? I guarantee there are (at least) 10 times as many players who have had this kindve season and have continued to have great careers then have actually vanish from super stardom. Basketball-reference all you want - I know you guys cant find it. And if your arguments are really about Chris Paul possibly playing the rest of his career at an avaerage or below avaerage level - than youre just trying to find an argument where there is none.

one of the crazy things about basketball is that it's players are probably the most consistent professional athletes statistically speaking. Yeah there are quite a few cases of guys who peak young and crash, but the ones that don't overwhelm the #s that do.

Deron is a great pick.

Not being able to name players here is hard, but just remember that for every Isiah and every Kobe there's always a few who make a couple all-star teams/have a good playoff run and then lose their drive, get into drugs/alcohol, freak out about life, etc. I mean, LeBron seems to be a sure thing, but so was Grant Hill...

Um, were not pointing fingers at you, I'm just suprised Deron fell that far when he isn't that much worse than CP3.

Round #2, Pick #50, Ben Wallace



With my second pick, I lock up the best defensive center of the decade. And perhaps not just C, maybe the best defender period of the 2000s. Ben Wallace was a cornerstone of the Pistons championship team & other great recent teams. He's a master of defending the post, blocking shots without fouling, and of course rebounding. He averaged over 11.3 boards & 2.2 blocks, leading the league once, and led the league in rebounds twice during a 6 season peak. Wallace managed all this despite being just 6' 9". He has incredible strength, toughness and intelligence in order to dominate in such a fashion.

Certainly not known for his scoring, a career avg of 6.5 ppg, its not really necessary when you lead the NBA in defensive rating for 3 straight years and defensive win shares for 5 straight. I think he makes a great complement to Iverson, as AI can gamble for steals all day knowing that Big Ben is clogging the lane.

Here are some of his many accomplished stats and awards:
Career averages of -
10.5 Rebounds
2.2 Blocks
1.3 Steals
94.2 defensive rating (3rd in NBA history)
19.3 rebound % (5th in NBA history)
91.5 win shares above avg
185.7 defensive win shares

4 time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (02,03,05,06)
4 time All-Star, lol not in 02, despite Def POTY
5 time All-Defensive 1st team
1 time All-Defensive 2nd team
3 time All NBA 2nd team
2 time All NBA 3rd team

Team fanmail so far: Allen Iverson, PG. Ben Wallace, C.

Interesting team with Ben Wallace and AI, both pretty inefficient scorers.

But Wallace is a defensive beast and AI is one of the better PG defenders.

Ben WALLACE? are you ****ing serious? Wow. Iverson and Wallace...who's next Bonzi Wells?

I think you would find more if you looked hard enough...

ive looked pretty, pretty, pretty hard. and deron isthe best.

I'm meh on the Wallace pick. Obvious plus, his 27-31 peak defensively is absolutely sick. Cons: short peak and at an odd time period, got owned at times by the top Centers in the league aka Shaq, absolutely zero offensive game

only because you obv overrate deron

Wait did he say "why would Jerrybring anything" or did he say "why would Jerry bringanything"? Do you see what I'm saying here? Did he emphasize the Jerry or the bring?

don't like it. Absolutely hate offensive zeros.

i hate to agree with HSP but god is wallace an awful pick

Surrounding AI with defensive specialists might be the way to go. At the very least, Ben Wallace was a very good player who couldn't play offense.

You WILL need to pick a couple of good defending 3 point shooters and perhaps a mobile PF. You can sacrifice some low post D at PF since Wallace is so good. however, here's some word of advice: try to get someone who can get to offensive boards, you're going to need all the second chances you can get with AI.

love deron/marion. dislike strongly ben wallace this early, although i agree he is a good pick for ai who is going to shoot a lot of floaters/layups that wallace can at least put back, and can also feed wallace the ball in the air.

Iverson has spent a bulk of his career carrying mediocre teams, but was at his best with a great defensive center (Motumbo). I think Wallace plays to AI's strengths. Just because Ben doesn't score much, won't really hurt me.

not a fan of big ben.

man i just thought of one player who would really be a sick, sick, sick pick there with ai.

depends what else you do. iverson and ben wallace could definitely work with the right pieces. definitely need a lights out 3-pt shooter to complement those two.

Eric Snow obv

kevin ollie

Well I get 8 more picks, don't I?

I mean, offense is aplenty, imo, defense is not. Especially elite post defense. There ain't a lot of that to go around.

lol niiice

There are so many scorers available in this type of league that it could be tough to win with a 0, but then again if you have AI and another big time scorer or 2, you might not have shots for Ben Wallace anyway.