Author: Arthur Riley
With the WSBA seaosn already underway, we here at the National Basketball Report wanted to look at all 32 teams and where they stand and look to be at the end of the season with a month of basketball played.
1.Denver Peaks
PF Thurman Ilver- Illinois
The Denver Peaks will need a lot of talent to even look to start a competitive roster, but luckily this draft class is chalked full of it. Thurman Ilver is a 6-11 Junior out of Illinois who has started his college career dominating with 31.0 PPG and 14.2 RPG. Don’t overthink this pick and grab the best player currently available.
2.Charlotte Wasps
SG Henry Webb-Tennessee State
The Wasps need a lot of talent to even compete in the WSBA and find themselves in a similar situation to the Denver Peaks as some of the worse rosters in the league. Webb has shown to be a capable scorer and would keep the Wasps in games as scorer game to game. He could be a franchise cornerstone at Shooting Guard.
3.Los Angeles Waves
C Denny Bennem- Fresno State
Similar to the Peaks and Wasps, the Los Angeles Waves are the worse team in the state of California and the 2nd team in LA. Bennem would be making a homecoming if brought to LA and he projects as one of the elite big men in college ball right now. He hasn’t been able to outperform Ilver, but 22.6 PPG and 13.7 RPG is nothing to pass over.
4.Indiana Racers
SG Ron Lofton- Texas A&M
Lofton has been a elite scorer for Texas A&M and projects as the 2nd best Shooting guard in the draft. Indiana has been dissapointing to start the season and Brent Delea has been the main scorer for the team. Having a secondary scoring option could help take pressure off Delea every night and give Indiana more points.
5.Sacramento Royals
PG Erwin Murray- Illinois
Murray is the secondary part of the star duo for Illinois college basketball and projects as one of the better all around playmakers in this draft. He can run the offense, score and battle for rebounds at 6-4. Sacramento could help kick start their offense with this pick and make their splash.
6.San Antonio Outlaws
C Todd Anderson- Fordham
Todd Anderson has quietly been moving up the big boards of many out of a traditionally not focused on basketball school in Fordham who have been doing quite well in the early season. Fordham is a experienced Center who could step into any team in the WSBA and contribute. He may not be the nationally known guy, but he understands hard work and Fordham raves about his ethic as he averages 17.8 PPG and 9.8 RPG.
7.Milwaukee Moose
SG Bobby Williams- North Carolina State
Milwaukee has looked bad to start the season even with the MVP type numbers from number 1 man, Sean Foreman. Bobby Williams out of NC State has both proven he can score and rebound in College and he could help Foreman and the Moose score and out rebound opponents.
8.New York Metros
PF Christรณfol Ballestro- Spain
New York has one future piece in John Watkins and this draft can only add to that future. Ballestro will only add to a front court that could dominate out East in the future and Ballestro could be a key contributor in the future.
9.Dallas Rangers
PF Damond Wesbey-Kansas
Wesbey could help the frontcourt of Dallas that faces some issues when it comes to defense that Wesbey will help shore up. The Senior is currently averaging 15.3 PPG and 12.0 RPG for Kansas and can be a strong contributor to any team in the WSBA with need.
10.Orlando Mystics
SF Michele Taricco-Italy
Taricco has been fantastic in the Euro League averaging 20.0 PPG and making an early case for MVP over in Europe. While he would be a small reach here at 10, Taricco has potential to become an elite scorer for the SF position and one the Mystics could use in order to provide a push for a later seed in the playoffs.
11.Cleveland Knights
C Dwayne Hayes-Massachusetts
Cleveland has the chance to help budding superstar, Marvin McDonald by drafting a Center here who they can pair alongside him for their frontcourt. McDonald will of course be the focus on offense, but Hayes can be a tremendous defender if given time to adapt and alongside McDonald, the pressure won’t be all on him.
12.Detroit Gears
SF Jeremy Smith-Maryland
Maryland’s Smith is underrated to say the truth in this draft class even if he is projected to be the second SF taken in this draft. He has strong scoring ability with an appetite for grabbing rebounds, so Detroit could benefit from his talents right off the gate and has the chance to be a good WSBA player.
13.Miami Burn
C Kenny Williams-BYU
Williams isn’t a elite offensive big man that we may see out of others, but he may just be the best on the defensive side and one that could help turn the fortunes of the Burn around alongside their young Power Forward, Larry Logan.
14.Portland Pioneers
SF Tyron Myer-Auburn
Hard to see such a talented team like Portland staying in this position, but if their current situation persists, it is a team that could stay for a project instead of throwing a rookie into the fire and that project is Tyron Myer. Myer hasn’t been lights out at Auburn this season so far, but he has the tools and the build to play a stretch four or a tall three. Could become a superstar if handled correctly.
15.Minnesota Coyotes
SF Quincy Parker-West Virgina
A similar project to Myer, Parker projects to be a better defender and rebounder, but less talented at the offensive side of the ball. Minnesota happens to also have a steady hand of veterans to help integrate Parker into the WSBA game and make this a smoother transition.
16.Atlanta Eagles
PF Eric Watkins-Seton Hall
The senior out of Seton Hall has been making waves in college and to WSBA scouts as he performs pretty well on the offensive side of the ball. He could go to a team like Atlanta and provide offense for them off the bat at the PF position.
17.Phoenix Beams
C Cameron Howard-North Carolina
Freshmen Center, Cameron Howard is a project playing for North Carolina who depending on the development could become a top 5 center or fizzle out. He has shown promise for the early parts of the season, but it looks to be a long way before he becomes that potential player he should be.
18.New Orleans Condors
PF Jermaine Abrams-Boise State
Abrams originally was gonna go a lot higher, but the play of other PFs and his own failure to secure his spot in the top 15 spots put him here. There remains time to see if he could gain back his spot, but he should slot comfortably into any bench.
19.Houston Blast
C Brad Willis-UT-Chattanooga
Willis has provided excellent defense for a dark horse UT-Chattanooga team and has looked to secure his spot as one of the best Centers in college ball. He will have a way to go to prove that, but has become a fast riser for pro scouts and mock boards elsehwere.
20.Denver Peaks(Via Los Angeles Commodores 1st Round Pick)
SF Tom Watkins-Weber State
A young SF who has been impressive at such a small school and so young, Watkins could slot into the Denver rebuild quite easily and has begun a impressive rise up the boards of many scouts that see him as a potential WSBA starter
21.Utah Blues
PF Scott DeWitt-VA Commonwealth
DeWitt would be higher on draft boards, but questions on his attitude and effort this season has dropped him a bit, but that doesn’t take from the talent he has shown on the defensive side of the ball especially when it comes to the paint. Utah would be foolish not to try and help a young man mature into a great player.
22.Brooklyn Hoops
PF Vincent Perry-Florida
Brooklyn will look to grab talent that could help them in the playoffs come next season and Perry has been the leader on a Florida team that has found itself off to a great start. If nothing else, this kid has proven to have the intangibles to make it in the WSBA.
23.Philadelphia Freedom
SG James Moore-Indiana
Moore will be a project for Philadelphia, but one that could help them down the line and help Warren mentor a young guard who oftentimes gets distracted by the bright lights and need to do more than he is asked for. Moore has been inconsistent for Indiana so far, but expect him to pick it up as he settles into a grove.
24.Denver Peaks(Via Washington Americans 1st Round Pick)
PG Jerome Ford-Providence
While a reach of sorts, Ford has been instrumental in the success of Providence so far and has shown he has the ability and skillset to lead a Princeton offense, but more importantly the maturity to be a leader in his community and also adjust on the fly. Picking up thus floor general could massively fill gaps for a Peaks team that will have many this off season.
25.Boston Irish
PF Charles Johnson-Boston College
Johnson comes home to the Irish, but more importantly he can be a defensive anchor off the bench and dominate inside on certain games. The sophomore has shown signs of greatness at Boston College despite a rocky start and expect his stock to rise for WSBA teams.
26.Golden State Spartans
SF Rob King-Arizona State
In another draft, you would have King as a top 3 SF, but this is loaded with SF talent and you have to look at the margins for these things. King hasn’t been spectacular on defense and looks to be a liability from beyond the three point line in college, but inside it is almost automatic with his ability to get to the free throw line and draw contact on almost every play.
27.Memphis Roar
SF Michael Gandy-UCONN
Gandy has been solid so far in his college season, but hasn’t done much to separate himself from the other SFs in this draft. A once in a generation athlete, Gandy will need guidance to make sure he can translate this athletic ability into a regular starting position.
28.Toronto Dinos
SF Peter Simpson-Iowa State
A draft with so many raw SFs can only be as good as they make themselves out to be ad Simpson out of Iowa State can be that if given the time. If Toronto grabs him, they will have a future stud on their hands if he is handled correctly.
29.Oklahoma City Twisters
SG Jeff McDonald-Weber State
A streaky scorer who can translate his game into a bench microwave for any team that makes that leap. McDonald is expected to be a WSBA key bench player in the future with his terrific scoring ability.
30.Chicago Bison
SG Brad Thomas-Wichita State
Thomas can be better than what he has shown in college so far. There is a bit of him that looks like he could takeover the league, but it seems he will stand in his own way with off the court issues. A team like Chicago could help him work through that, then they will have a steal of a player on their hands.