The perfect 10 man MU roster for 2021?

[MuggsyB]

brew isn't saying he sucks.  brew is saying he would take Cunningham first - as would I.  Of course he would be a high draft pick if he came out today.  I don't believe anyone is suggesting otherwise.

CC looks like an excellent prospect, and he has great size like Doncic.  I'm going to assume if you would take CC over Shaq you would also take a  Doncic and Tatum over Shaq.  Would you take (as a 20-22 yr old) Kris Middleton  too?  Or Lillard?  Donavan Mitchell?   Porzingas? 

Let's just discuss Kris Middleton as an example who's an all-star and has a game ideal for this era at the 2G position.  He's not the playmaker that CC may be or Doncic but I want to ask you and brewcity point blank:  if you knew what Middleton would become as a 21 yr old would you take him over Shaq? 

[The Sultan]

CC looks like an excellent prospect, and he has great size like Doncic.  I'm going to assume if you would take CC over Shaq you would also take a  Doncic and Tatum over Shaq.  Would you take (as a 20-22 yr old) Kris Middleton  too?  Or Lillard?  Donavan Mitchell?   Porzingas? 

Let's just discuss Kris Middleton as an example who's an all-star and has a game ideal for this era at the 2G position.  He's not the playmaker that CC may be or Doncic but I want to ask you and brewcity point blank:  if you knew what Middleton would become as a 21 yr old would you take him over Shaq? 

No. 

[MuggsyB]

No.

But I would imagine you would take Mitchell, Lillard, and Doncic or all of the current top 15 players in the league.  Jimmy Buckets?

[MU82]

To answer the OP:

Carton, Garcia, Lewis, Mitchell, Aidoo, Elliott, two athletic and tallish D-and-3 wing transfers, Oso, Akanno and/or role-player transfer and/or Jones and/or Perez.

It's not the "perfect" 10-man roster for 2021, because we can't get NBA players or top guys from Gonzaga, Baylor, Kansas, etc. But it is an example of the most perfect 10-man roster Wojo actually might be able to assemble.

[MuggsyB]

To answer the OP:

Carton, Garcia, Lewis, Mitchell, Aidoo, Elliott, two athletic and tallish D-and-3 wing transfers, Oso, Akanno and/or role-player transfer and/or Jones and/or Perez.

It's not the "perfect" 10-man roster for 2021, because we can't get NBA players or top guys from Gonzaga, Baylor, Kansas, etc. But it is an example of the most perfect 10-man roster Wojo actually might be able to assemble.

The level of overall athleticism between us and say.....the top seven teams of the B12 is absolutely staggering MU82.  And at every position minus DJ at the 1. 

There are about 100 things on my wish list for MU....that's how low we have sunk. 

[MuggsyB]

How ridiculous was Iversom in college?  Unguardable?

[bilsu]

A center who can't take threes hasn't been drafted #1 overall since when? KAT (2015), Anthony Davis (2012), and Blake Griffin (2009) were terrible 3P shooters in college but they showed promise and were able to add that to their games after a few years in the NBA. I think the last one with no ability to hit the 3 that was drafted #1 overall was Greg Oden in 2007.

Anthony Davis shoots a lot of threes now.

Did Embid shoot threes in college?

Talent is talent. They can learn to shoot threes.

[The Sultan]

How ridiculous was Iversom in college?  Unguardable?

Yes. And when I saw him live as a rookie I thought he was the quickest player I ever saw.

[brewcity77]

If you knew Giannis would become what he is wouid you take him over Suggs and CC?  Because Giannis still can't shoot and I wouldn't say his  game is suited for this era. 

I understand your overall point but I don't think you're taking into account how a guy as dominant as Shaq would change the geometry of an offense.  He would open up wide open space.  Davis and Embiid, when they own the paint, create all sorts of opportunities.   And they're very good post players, but not utterly unstoppable like Shaq was in his prime.  Remember Shaq obliterated much bigger guys than we see in this era..

If he was fed down low he would easily be able to score one one one.  If teams didn't double, or perhaps triple, we're talking bucket, after bucket, after bucket, after bucket, or hack a Shaq.   You are underestimating his physical prowess.  They could not stop the guy at all.

Holy effing Christ, you need to open up a moving company for all the goalposts you're dragging from coast to coast in this thread.

[MU82]

The level of overall athleticism between us and say.....the top seven teams of the B12 is absolutely staggering MU82.  And at every position minus DJ at the 1. 

There are about 100 things on my wish list for MU....that's how low we have sunk.

OK. Woe is us.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Anthony Davis shoots a lot of threes now.

Did Embid shoot threes in college?

Talent is talent. They can learn to shoot threes.

Not every player can learn to shoot threes effectively. And Embiid wasn't taken #1 overall and the two players taken above him could shoot the three better than he could....supporting my point that GMs haven't been drafting centers who can't shoot threes #1 overall in the draft.

[MuggsyB]

Not every player can learn to shoot threes effectively. And Embiid wasn't taken #1 overall and the two players taken above him could shoot the three better than he could....supporting my point that GMs haven't been drafting centers who can't shoot threes #1 overall in the draft.

Nor have there been centers in the draft that can dominate on the block for quite some time. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Nor have there been centers in the draft that can dominate on the block for quite some time.

Oh there have been. It's just the game has changed. You can dominate the block all you want, you'll lose to all the teams hitting threes over you. Guys like Udoza Azubuike would have been lottery picks 15 years ago. Now, they are benchwarmers.

[GooooMarquette]

A thread about the perfect 10-man roster for MU turns into a debate about Shaq vs Cade Cunningham or Giannis.

Yep, we're on Scoop.

[MuggsyB]

Oh there have been. It's just the game has changed. You can dominate the block all you want, you'll lose to all the teams hitting threes over you. Guys like Udoza Azubuike would have been lottery picks 15 years ago. Now, they are benchwarmers.

You're comparing Azubuike to Shaq?  Interesting.

[JWags85]

How ridiculous was Iversom in college?  Unguardable?

He was absurd. Watching games from 25 years ago compared to today's game and he's still unbelievably fast and explosive.  He was also 2x BE DPOY as a freshman and a sophomore. That's crazy.  Ray Allen and Kerry Kittles were absolute stud upperclassmen, otherwise AI probably adds a BE POY in there too.

[MuggsyB]

He was absurd. Watching games from 25 years ago compared to today%u2019s game and he%u2019s still unbelievably fast and explosive.  He was also 2x BE DPOY as a freshman and a sophomore. That%u2019s crazy.  Ray Allen and Kerry Kittles were absolute stud upperclassmen, otherwise AI probably adds a BE POY in there too.

I vaguely remember that game against Ray Allen but I really wasn't aware when I was 11 how amazing he was at Gtown.  The two things I find most astounding about Iverson was his durability and the fact that he just looks like a normal guy.  If he walked into a gym, you were a decent baller, and you didn't know who he was, you'd probably think....sure....he can play next game.  Of course after about 30 secs that thought would change.  What an incredible athlete. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

You're comparing Azubuike to Shaq?  Interesting.

??? You said

Nor have there been centers in the draft that can dominate on the block for quite some time. 

You didn't say dominate on the block as well as Shaq.

[rocky_warrior]

A thread about the perfect 10-man roster for MU turns into a debate about Shaq vs Cade Cunningham or Giannis.

Yep, we're on Scoop.

Clearly, the only internet site worth visiting.  Everything else is shhhhhhhhhhhhh*t

[MU82]

Oh there have been. It's just the game has changed. You can dominate the block all you want, you'll lose to all the teams hitting threes over you. Guys like Udoza Azubuike would have been lottery picks 15 years ago. Now, they are benchwarmers.

There were question marks about the health of Embiid, who had to be shut down before the B12 tourney. He also had only been playing basketball for 3 or 4 years. Yet despite all that - and despite the fact that he wasn't considered a 3-point threat - he STILL went No. 3.

Shaq was a once-in-a-generation talent, ready to be a star immediately, twice the player that rookie Embiid was. He would have gone No. 1, no question.

Zion is a better comparison. Nobody in the NBA said, "Let's take him as a potential 3-point threat." He was mediocre from the college arc and is barely shooting 30%. Van Gundy probably covers his eyes every time Zion rises up behind the arc. Fortunately, Zion takes only one 3 every two games.

He's an at-the-hoop bull. He was drafted No. 1. And Shaq was a MUCH more dominant player as a kid. He'd have gone ahead of Zion and everybody else.

Y'all are fun!

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

But Zion can shoot the three. And he will continue to get better and shoot it more as he grows.

[MU82]

But Zion can shoot the three. And he will continue to get better and shoot it more as he grows.

So "can" Theo.

There's probably nobody on Scoop I respect more than you, TAMU, but I obviously think you're wrong about this. There would have been 0.00% chance that Zion or Embiid would have been drafted over a 20-year-old Shaq.

[MuggsyB]

Cockburn is impressive but doesn't shoot threes.  He's doing a great job on Garza.  I'd take him in an MU uni.  Do we have a Carribean or Jamaican scout?

[bilsu]

Totally agree.

But I don't think the following players would be out of place in today's game:

Meminger, Tatum, Chones, Lackey, Lucas, Wade, Diener, Butler, Crowder, Novak, Matthews, DJO, Lee, Lazar.

I think every one of them would excel today, and several of them would be just as dominant today as they were when they played. Probably a few others, too.

Comparing eras in any sport is tricky. But Mays, Gehrig, Aaron and Gibson would still be incredible ballplayers; Russell, West, Frazier and Julius would still be incredible basketball players; Jim Brown, Joe Greene, Warfield and Fouts would still be incredible football players, etc.

Some athletes were so great, they would have excelled in any era.

I mean, do folks really think that if Jordan played today, he wouldn't have dedicated himself to being a great 3-point shooter?

I do not thank a lot of Al's players would be out of place in today's game. This year we had John at center, who I think failed to average 10 points a game with the 3 point line to open the middle up. Trying to say he is even near the level of Lucas or Chones is ridiculous. They were much better scorers with the lane packed in, because there was no three point line. Image them on the floor when we had Howard to spread the defense.

Meminger and Butch Lee were great drivers. Imagine what they could of done if the floor was more spread out. I think you can see the difference between James's freshmen year and sophomore years. As a freshmen he had Novak on his team, which opened up the middle for James to drive. Without Novak the next year, James became less effective.

The three point shot is an important part of today's game, but that does not mean every player on the team needs to be able to shoot threes.

[GooooMarquette]

The three point shot is an important part of today's game, but that does not mean every player on the team needs to be able to shoot threes.

Agreed. If we had five great three-point shooters but none of them could drive and dish, teams would just press us out on the perimeter. Teams need at least a couple guys who dribble and penetrate, even if they are only so-so from outside the arc.