This is one writer's opinion on which players he would choose in a real NBA fantasy draft.
Say you were a GM and David Stern had every team draft a whole new roster (fantasy-style), who would you take first, second, third, etc.? It’s a topic that will undoubtedly spring a ton of debate and one that I can’t wait to share with each of you. So without further delay, here are the picks (in descending order) of my real life 2006 NBA Fantasy Draft.
(Keep in mind that age does play a huge factor. While Shaq is still a valuable asset in this league, there’s no way I’m taking an injury-riddled 34 year-old over a young kid with tons of promise. On the other hand, I’m not factoring contracts at all. Think of all of these players’ values as equal. Thus, only age, talent, and the ability to handle being the centerpiece of a franchise are the only factors I’m considering)
30. Andrew Bogut (F/C, 21 years old, 7-0, 245 lbs.)
This Aussie went #1 overall for a reason. It’s not every day that 7-footer comes along with three years of college experience, scoring touch inside and out, and a ton of room to improve. He’s not as raw as Marvin Williams, nor as polished as Chris Paul, but I think when he career is over and done with he’ll still be recognized as a solid #1 pick.
Look at Bogut’s junior season at Utah: 20.4 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 62.0 FG%, 36.0 3-pt FG%, and 1.9 BPG. Imagine if his numbers came even remotely close to these in the pros? A player with that type of potential, who can drastically stretch a defense, and can rebound with the best of the best, certainly deserves a first round nod.
29. Michael Redd (G/F, 26 years old, 6-6, 215 lbs.)
I know one of you wise asses is going to chime in with, “Ant you’re such a MORON! Redd wasn’t even a 1st rounder in the ’00 Draft, why should he be here?” Well, that would be a very fair argument.
The thing is, how many shooters in this league have steadily improved in each of their first six seasons? Redd is one of the few—check out the progression in his scoring (beginning in ‘00-01 through today): 2.2 PPG, 11.5, 15.1, 21.7, 23.0, and 25.1.
And on top of that, the OSU product just got his max deal this summer and yet the majority of his numbers are still up from a year ago. This shows that Redd’s interest runs a lot deeper than his paycheck.
28. Steve Nash (PG, 32 years old, 6-3, 195 lbs.)
It was rather difficult to delve through all of these 30+ year olds and determine who belongs and who doesn’t. Ultimately what it came down to for me was that Nash is the reigning MVP of the league, remains in the thick of the running this year, and is still carrying his team like a 20 year-old rookie. I think any team selecting him in this Draft would certainly have to cross their fingers, but if they also got their hands on a raw, young PG later on, I’m sure Nash would serve as the perfect mentor. In my opinion, shaping any offense around the speed and savvy of Steve Nash is worth a first round pick any day of the week.
27. Ron Artest (SF, 26 years old, 6-7, 260 lbs.)
Ah yes, the most controversial selection of all. Half of me said no way, he’s too crazy to be the centerpiece of any team, and this will end up being a wasted pick. But the other part of me thought, “Well, what if a GM made him the focal point of the team and there wasn’t a Jermaine O’Neal or Reggie Miller in his way? And what if that team gave him 17-18 shots per night and allowed him to run wild on defense alongside a couple other nut jobs? Isn’t there some chance that it could work?” In the end, I decided that it was certainly worth the chance, especially seeing that Artest is still only 26 years young.
26. Allen Iverson (G, 30 years old, 6-0, 165 lbs.)
Yet another player creeping over the hill that was just impossible to leave off. Let me tell you, if I were Billy King right now, I’d go out and get a serviceable PG to help shoulder the load and let Iverson go off and exclusively play the wing. Relying on A.I. to get 8+ assists every night and score 30+ points is just asking too much of a 30 year-old with the body of Minkus on Boy Meets World. Thus, in drafting A.I. here with the intent of grabbing a playmaking PG with a second or third pick, one would still be able to get 5-6 more highly productive years from the G’Town product.
25. Chauncey Billups (PG, 29 years old, 6-3, 202 lbs.)
Despite nearing the big 3-0, I absolutely had to grant a first round pick to the most clutch player in the game. C’mon now, Billups throws up more daggers in big spots than Rafael in the Shredder’s lair level of TMNT 2. Whether he’s at the charity stripe (88.2% career) or beyond the arc (42.8% in ‘05-06), Chauncey knows how to finish opponents off in crunch time. In addition, what team wouldn’t want a guy who has lead his team to back-to-back Finals and now has them on pace for 70 wins? I bet the Celtics sleep well at night knowing they got Kenny Anderson for him. I sure would.
24. Baron Davis (PG, 26 years old, 6-3, 215 lbs.)
With that “I just got back from a 3-week plane crash expedition in the Andes Mountains” beard going, Davis looks a lot more like 36 than 26, doesn’t he? But fortunately for him, his game reflects that of an elite 26 year-old who can beat you with offense, superior passing, and lightning quick defense. What more could you ask from your point guard, right? So why do I have him going so low? Well something tells me that those creaky knees and Lee Trevino back of his could cause some problems down the road. Let’s hope not…
23. Gilbert Arenas (PG, 24 years old, 6-4, 210 lbs.)
I went back and forth between Arenas and Baron for about 20 minutes. On the one hand, I think Baron is a much better team-first guy—he’d enjoy getting the crunch time assist just as much as the game-winning jumper. Arenas on the other hand, would probably keep shooting even after he switched right arms with Jim Abbott. Seriously, besides Kobe and Iverson, who’s a bigger gunner? However, I ultimately decided that Arenas is still a tad more valuable because, A) he’s got two years on Baron, and B) if need be, a team could conceivably move him over to the 2. That type of versatility is invaluable.
22. Tony Parker (PG, 23 years old, 6-2, 177 lbs.)
I feel like I might get some hell for this placement, but hear me out before you fire up the comments box. Give it some thought…Parker has played with the NBA’s elite team for the first four and a half years of his young career. He’s been coached by the best, played with the best, and taught to make each of his teammates that much better. Sure, maybe Baron and Arenas might be the sexier picks with their gaudier numbers, but the digits in the win column are always superior to those in the boxscore. Plus, how can you doubt a dude who’s cool enough to land perhaps the hottest woman on television (who just so happens to be 7 years older)? He can play for my team any day…(you know what I mean)
21. Pau Gasol (F/C, 25 years old, 7-0, 240 lbs.)
Don’t think Gasol is good enough for #21? Take a look at his team: they’re currently 26-21, 6th in the West, and own no big name players besides Pau. Eddie Jones played on Temple when Jon Chaney didn’t need Viagra. Shane Battier is the most over-hyped defensive player in the league. Bobby Jackson hasn’t played more than 49 games in almost five years. Mike Miller is hideous. And Lorenzen Wright hasn’t grabbed a rebound since Mark Blount did. Still don’t believe me? Of all people, Chucky Atkins led this team in shot attempts on Tuesday night. So how are the Grizzlies still a top-10 team in the NBA right now? Whoever nabs this guy at 21 will quickly find out.
20. Shawn Marion (F, 27 years old, 6-7, 228 lbs.)
It seems crazy to throw a guy on this list that uses my mom’s jumper, but there’s no denying The Matrix’s all-around talent. Overshadowed much of the time by his teammates, Marion does much of the dirty work that helps make Nash and Stoudemire the superstars that they are. His prowess on the defensive end, 11.9 RPG (3rd in NBA), 2.0 SPG (3rd), and 1.9 BPG (14th), clearly reflect why he’s a perennial All-Defensive Team member. Thus, who better to build your squad around than a defensive-first forward who can play both the 3 and the 4 and fill up the basket with the best of them? There are only 19 players more worthy…
The next 19 at http://www.nbasource.com
I didnt agree with Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Redd, Artest & Bogut being first round picks. Thoughts?
but probably the flash 
