Here is why you can have 2014 back

Last year, I wrote a column about my 12 favorite sports moments in 2013. This year, I just want 2014, as a sports fan, to be over.

Now. And why? Here is why, in no particular order.

1. Boston trades Rajon Rondo to Dallas
Now don't get me entirely wrong, as a Rondo fan, this is the best thing for him. Danny Ainge is clearly delusional in Boston and was never going to rebuild correctly around Rondo like he did Paul Pierce. There isn't another banner going up anytime soon, so if Rondo wants to sniff out another crown, somewhere else is best and LA or Houston wouldn't have been the place. But as a Boston fan, this signals the end of the 2008 team and the end of Boston's hope for a while. With Rondo, Pierce, Garnett (and OK, sure Ray Allen) gone, looks like more obscurity is coming Boston's way.

2. Michael Bisping gets trucked...twice
Again, let us look at the positive: he demolished Cung Le and his face. But in two more big matchups that could have gotten Mike into title contendership, he wilted. Tim Kennedy took him down with ease and Luke Rockhold decided to turn it up and then demolished 'The Count.' It was just sad to watch.

3. Duke loses to Mercer
Enough said. It was bad. Like Jabari Parker freshman year bad.

4. Jabari Parker tears ACL
OK, so I wasn't fond of his play most of the time in a Duke uniform, but he is still a Duke guy. Seeing him lose his rookie season to a debilitating knee injury sucks.

5. Red Sox go from first to worst
I don't even know. Putting in the most effort in the league every OTHER year, that just isn't good enough. It is like Boston rested on their laurels for the season then put in effort in the offseason to get better for 2015. But what about 2014?

Favorite NBA player, favorite NBA team, favorite college/team at all, favorite fighter. It just wasn't a year I liked even a little bit in the sports world.

But like the Red Sox, I'm just going to forget about 2014, it wasn't even worth the trouble.

Under the radar: The 8 best Fort Wayne boys basketball players that aren't being talked about enough

As basketball season is officially kicking off, the hype train is in full steam for a lot of area talents. Caleb Swanigan will have his choice of schools to attend, almost anywhere, while teammate Dana Batt is headed D1, as is Carroll’s Chandler White. Brachen Hazen of Columbia City, Jordan Geist of Homestead, Reggie Tharp of Concordia, and Keonte Jenkins of Horizon Christian are all can’t miss prospects.

And there are many more. But with that many more, there often is a wall. Fort Wayne is deep. There is a top, middle and a bottom. The top gets talked about, a lot. And I am just as guilty as anyone. But that middle group, maybe not the current elite, it is as deep as it has been in Fort Wayne for a long, long time. 8 of those players are my focus today.

The 8 guys that nobody is talking about, but surely should be.

Nick Thomas – South Side

Mostly because South Side has struggled in recent years, there isn’t much talk about Archer players. But there are a lot of really solid performers at South. One of them, probably not discussed because of the shadow of his older brother Nate, is Nick Thomas. Nate was the South Side leader last year, but he has headed off to college to leave younger brother Nick to hold his own. And can he ever. Nick is an unassuming guy, not in size or stature, but in demeanor. But, he can run the court like a wing and battle for position and rebounds with a lot of bigs. You can tell he prides himself on it even. While South has some talent and some young talent at that, Nick is going to be a key factor in any potential success this season.

Avery Fath

Fath is a name you probably don’t know at all actually if you are a casual fan. But if you pay attention to the local scene, you should know it. He’s easily a top 10, if not top five player in the area in the Class of 2016 (only clearly behind Hazen, Tharp, Surface, Kyle Mallers and Dylan Barrow IMO). The kid is the pure definition of composure. At 5’9” he isn’t the most physically imposing, but he reads the floor well and is a great point guard that doesn’t need to be “score first” or “pass first.” If you are open, he will find you. If he is open, he will find the basket. He wants the ball in his hand to make the majority of the decisions and unlike a lot of kids his age, he is capable of doing so on a strong level.

Richard Robertson and Jagger Surface - Northrop

I firmly believe Robertson could have competed full time on varsity a year ago as a freshman. He has razor sharp instincts on the court and has the ability to spread the game out. He and Surface are very different players, built very differently but do a lot of the same things (in their own unique ways). Northrop has a lot of ability all around, but these two are great at getting to the basket. That will help them both: A) create their own shots off the dribble and B) drive and kick the ball back out, possibly to each other because they are both knock down shooters. Surface has all the swag and confidence you need from a great floor general and Robertson has the work ethic to rival most in the SAC.

Terrell Crews – North Side

Last year, the squad was deep with seniors and this year, it is the transfers that get the attention at North. But I won’t forget about the younger Crews, who was a key role player in that unbelievable Redskins team a year ago. Let us not forget that the team didn’t dip when he came into the game. He is a hustler, who gets after the ball on defense. How his offense develops, we will see but he can be a finesse defender and one I don’t think will be hurt too bad in the long run by new hand check rules. He may not be North’s best overall player, but he has a lot of talent pumping through his blood.

Richard Bufkin-Scott – Wayne

There aren’t a lot of natural bruiser players left in the area. Chalk that up to what you want. Are kids babied? Is there too much crying? Too much fighting? Richard is just a hard nosed, ‘yes coach,’ go get it done type of a kid. He doesn’t have a ton of flash, but he doesn’t need it. If you don’t know where he is on the court, chances are, he’s probably about to block you out to grab a rebound. He’s tough to defend inside because he doesn’t care if he runs you over. Add in a decent mid-range jumper and he’ll be helpful in Wayne’s rebuild.

Dana Batt – Homestead

Yeah, yeah, I’m cheating a little bit here. But transfers and that potential McDonalds All-American on his team have sent Batt down the focus line a little bit. Too much? Well no, he’s still a 6’8’’ Division 1 prospect, so how much can you ignore him? Batt has developed a lot over the summer and is tough inside, making opponents fight for every last rebound. He’s a rare high school big in that he wants to post up naturally and then work on offensive post moves to get to the basket. He has a nasty post and spin and creates great space for him to do work and he’s a finisher: dunk, lay-up, put back, it doesn’t matter. Considering that a lot of team’s best attempt to slow Homestead is to double Swanigan in the post, Batt could get a lot of great looks this year.

Kyle Hartman – Bishop Dwenger

I am actually surprised how little you hear about this guy as the season begins. In my opinion, he was Dwenger’s best player last year. He’s allusive on the offensive end and can shoot the ball with a touch as good as any player in this area. Dwenger is always going to be a tough match up, always. Hartman will be a killer for them and could ruin a lot of nights for a lot of other guys. He’s a true fundamentalist player. He’s got talent around him. Ryan Christman is always good for some big shots and I will rave about a sophomore who may or may not see varsity action in Campbell Donovan, but Hartman is the glue, the model of consistency for a program that strives for consistency.

Four storylines to watch in Fort Wayne prep hoops

Over six months ago, I wrote about how the future year of prep basketball in Fort Wayne was going to be filled with a lot of intrigue. And while some of the faces and some of the places have changed, that intrigue has not.

Today, The News-Sentinel’s prep preview comes out and I urge you to read it. Not just because I designed it, but because it is chock full of great previews that give you plenty of information on all of the boys and girls teams in the SAC, NHC, ACAC and area.

The annual Fab 5 breaks down a terrific group of players including Caleb Swanigan, Jordan Geist and Karissa McLaughlin of Homestead, Snider’s Devlyn Williams and Deja Wimby, Concordia’s Reggie Tharp and DeJour Young, Carroll’s Chandler White, Leo’s Jenna Beer and Canterbury’s Darby Maggard. The 10 represent a lot of excitement this year and I for one am particularly interested in how dominant an athletic beast like Devlyn Williams will be and how Reggie Tharp incorporates his vastly improved game (it was never bad, but taken to the next level this summer) into the SAC season.

But when you only name 10 players, some get left out, simply because there isn’t room. So here are some more teams (outside of the obvious potential dominance of Homestead boys), storylines and players that I am most intrigued about this coming season:

—    Can anyone stop the Homestead girls either? Yes, Karissa McLaughlin is sensational, as good as any sophomore girl we’ve had in this area in years, perhaps back to Canterbury grad Megan King. But she has a pretty substantial lineup around her, led by senior Josie Fisher, who is absolutely one of the top 10 players in this area. As dominant as the boys team will be, this Spartan girls squad, under Rod Parker’s leadership, may be pretty close to unbeatable.

—    Sean McGee. The North Side senior is the key to the whole thing for a program coming off back to back Summit Athletic Conference titles. The Redskins lost a lot. And I mean, a lot from last year’s 2-loss team. But they also have a lot new. Jajuan Starks (Northrop) and Jaylen Butz (Bishop Luers) as move ins and the return of a tenacious defender in Terrell Crews are all fantastic for a team who could have been stuck in rebuilding mode. But, McGee is a legitimate scorer who could absolutely be the best guard in this area. What he does on the court, and off the court, could hamper the Redskins or make them a threat to challenge Snider and Concordia for a third straight title.

—    Let me talk about Horizon Christian. In today’s News-Sentinel, yours truly has a feature story on a kid named Keonte Jenkins. What I learned talking to Keonte and his coach is that he is a remarkable kid. You can check out the N-S for more on that. What I can tell you here is that I am absolutely intrigued to see this squad play this season. They aren’t IHSAA sanctioned, they aren’t going head to head with the best of the best all of the time, but games locally against Wayne, Bishop Luers and Canterbury are going to be something interesting to watch. Jenkins is a primetime, get to the basket scorer. And now, Marco Lee, who played sparingly at North Side last year, is alongside him and showing what he can. Lee is a score first point guard who is quick and scored 23 in his Horizon debut over the weekend. Yes, he sat the bench more often than not as a junior, but he wasn’t on the bench for just anyone, it was for one of the best teams in the entire state in any class of the IHSAA. A Lee/Jenkins combo helps make the Jaguars some threat to knock off a pair of SAC schools this year.

—    What makes South Side’s girls team so good? When you look at the city schools, there is quite the disparity between the top (South Side) and the bottom (North Side). And it isn’t just this year, it is every year. North Side has swapped in and out coaches over the last ten years and never been able to crawl up the order, even with some talented players. But South Side, a pretty identical school in theory, is always at the top, even with coaching swaps. The answer: Goodwell. Basketball isn’t in the Goodwell’s blood; their blood literally is bad up of liquefied basketballs. South’s head coach Juanita and her husband David (an assistant at South and leader for Always 100) are two of the more intense, knowledgeable and hard working coaches in this area on any level. There is a lot of talent at South, don’t get me wrong, but any school would be lucky to have this pair.

Fandom isn’t easy after 29 years of failure

Always looking for more I guess.

A couple of days ago when I posted my last blog, my best friend Danny Cruff commented on Facebook that he couldn’t wait to read the blog when the Kansas City Royals win the World Series.

And then game one happened and I cringed. I cringed for many reasons, but among them was the thought that there may not be a Royals blog anytime in the near future. And then game two happened and everything was even again. But this morning I thought about it and realized that it didn’t matter, it doesn’t matter, if the Kansas City Royals win the World Series — at least, not where writing a blog comes in.

Because a blog about the 2014 Kansas City Royals is not rooted in wins, or even losses for that matter.

See my friend Danny is a rare breed. Danny is a Kansas City Royals fan.

No, not some pop up out of the woodwork Royals fan; there are enough of those lately. Fair weather and all, you know.

No, not some guy just cheering for the Royals to win because his team is out or didn’t even make the playoffs. That is my role by the way.

Danny is a life-long, as I live and breath, hardcore, until death do us part Kansas City Royals fan. He about has more different Royals hats than I have fingers and toes. He doesn’t just worship the church of George Brett; he actually remembers that Johnny Damon was once a Royal. If you play a video game against him, he is the Royals. Both of his kids played t-ball on teams named the Royals. Really, with all due respect, who bleeds Kansas City Royals? Danny Cruff does.

See we all have our days or months or years with our favorite sports teams. But we are all also spoiled. I hated when my Boston Red Sox failed to make the postseason this year, but they were also just champions a year ago. I became a Red Sox fan in 2001 after visiting the city in high school. And while 2001 was in the midst of that great curse, I sure didn’t have to wait long for them to break it during my fandom. Also, in a not-so shocking turn of events (if you ever read this blog), I am a die-hard Duke Blue Devils fan. Being a Duke fan bring an inherent sadness even if we aren’t losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to a school you have never heard of before. The point is, at Duke, letdown is not winning the whole damn thing. In 22 years as a Duke fan, we have won 3 titles, a fourth was won just the year before that. I hate when Duke loses, but I am a fan through thick and thin. But again let’s face the facts: we are all spoiled. Duke’s “thin” is a lot of teams’ “success.” That isn’t bragging, it is just highlighting what makes this World Series, this Royals team so great to me.

Yes, they are awesome to watch. Their bullpen is strong, they are crushing the ball and their outfielders have made some insane highlight reel catches.

But this Royals team is great to me, cheer worthy to be because Danny Cruff is a fan. A real fan.

I can stand up and say “yes, I would support my team no matter what,” and I truly believe that. I am sure many of you believe that too, but would you?

Who, as die-hard sports fans, can say that you would watch your team fail…and sometimes fail badly for 29 straight years? So you are a Chicago Cubs fan and you can claim not winning a World Series in nearly a century? Well at least you’ve been to the playoffs in that time. I couldn’t even fathom a world where Duke would miss the NCAA Tournament, where the Red Sox would be held out of the playoffs for 29 years.

That is Danny Cruff’s life. Or it was.

This World Series may or may not end with a Royals title. Sometimes, that glass slipper just doesn’t fit Cinderella’s foot.

But there is meaning in this run that they have made. There is meaning in the fact that true, completely loyal fandom is fleeting. I have never seen someone as loyal to their team as Danny is to Kansas City. Fandom is easy amongst success. It is also easy amongst mediocrity. Fandom isn’t easy after 29 years of failure.

If you see me on game day during any of these playoffs, really almost any day that I have a hat on my head, you will notice it is royal blue with a KC emblazoned on the front of it. That isn’t because I am a Royals fan. That isn’t because I am a fair weather fan. I wear that hat proudly because I am a Danny Cruff fan; a fan of everything he represents.

Success is fleeting. Pride and optimism in its truest form is rare.

These Kansas City Royals, because of their on field play, have been an absolute blast to watch. But what has been better is watching the joy of my friend. He, above anyone else, deserves this.

The friendly confines of the best rivalry

It all comes around.

Ask Laettner, or Mashburn. Ask Pitino or Krzyzewski.

I became a Duke basketball fan in 1992. And all that mattered in 1992 in basketball was Duke versus Kentucky. Anyone who knows anything at least knows of the tale of their 1992 Elite Eight battle. The game itself is arguably one of the best ever to be played on any basketball court. The shot that ended the overtime affair — you know…THE SHOT — well its merits as the best aren’t debatable. Not with me anyway.

That was — swallow — 22 and a half years ago. But what any true Duke fan, or any true Kentucky fan can tell you is that no moment is more defining of their program.

For Duke, how do you ever live up to the merits of that game? Of that shot? They went on to win another national title that year, have won two more since that (2001, 2010) and were the national runner up on two other occasions. But when you are a Duke fan and you think about your program, it all comes back to “The Shot.”

For Kentucky, how do you ever get past that moment, perhaps the most soul-crushing moment in the history of sports? Yes, they to have won three national titles since (1996, 1998 and 2012). They too have been the national runner-up on two occasions since. But when you are a Kentucky fan and you think about your program, it all comes back to “The Shot.”

In Durham, the name Christian Laettner is laid among the Gods. In Lexington, the name Christian Laettner is laid among loogies and mass vulgarity.

One thing I have learned as a Duke fan is that Kentucky people will never side with me. Why would they? It is after all, sour grapes. They lost, we won. But I also know how quickly that could be different. Hindsight, being 20/20, points out that one change in coaching technique could have sent that Wildcat squad to the Final Four. And then, in Duke circles, the name Jamal Mashburn would be whispered in hushed tones. And then we’d have all of the sour grapes. Tides and fortunes turn. The three national titles and a pair of 2^nd place finishes aren’t all we have in common. After all, our first round NCAA Tournament losses to Lehigh and Mercer are their first round NIT loss to Robert Morris. For their celebrations of Anthony Davis and Julius Randle, we’ve had the heroics of Shane Battier and Kyle Singler. For their massive downtrodden times of Nerlens Noel, we’ve had injury-killing anti-success of Kyrie Irving.

Ever since that shot, the existences of the Duke and Kentucky basketball programs have had intriguing shades of parallel.

The last year in my house has added a new element to my viewpoint. Both of my stepsons are bred from Kentucky lore. One was born in Kentucky, their father and his family are all Kentucky through and through. To them, U and K have been the only initials that matter when it comes to college basketball.

And then, there I was as a Duke fan. And by hook or crook, intrigue or irony, they (especially the youngest of the two), added some level of Duke fandom to their minds. It is never anything that I asked of them, but I am sure something engrained quickly into their subconscious because of how big of a Duke fan that I am, just as being UK fans was engrained for all of the other years of Wildcat basketball they saw or heard about.

Kids are fickle when they cheer for sports teams. For all the home team cheering there is, there are always just as many kids who pick up teams not so near. In my youth, other than becoming a Duke fan, I cheered from my Indiana home for the Atlanta Braves, another team not within 10 hours from where I lived. My youngest, Ayden — as another example — has an insane array of favorites that span from California (San Francisco 49ers) to Canada (Toronto Raptors).

But is there anything more fickle than being a fan of both Kentucky and Duke?

Bobby Hurley’s face would probably contort grossly at the question. Richie Farmer might puke.

My stepsons, again especially the youngest, have added a new space in my mind. A space where this makes sense, a space where I can actually be ok with it. In 1992, a battle like the two programs put forth brought with it a certain amount of despise and hatred. That is what 1992 was about, that was old school. But in 2014, in a world where UFC fighters bash each others heads in for 15 minutes and then hug and smile, why can’t Duke and Kentucky co-exist? Why can’t we just say good job and be happy with the magic we made together?

Last season, Ayden and I sat on the couch for many a basketball game, always cheering for the blue and white no matter what word actually appeared on the front of the jersey. He developed a favorite Duke player in Jabari Parker (he’s not happy he has to pick a new favorite already) and I took a liking to the Wildcats’ Willie Cauley-Stein. As he learned all of the names of the players on both teams, I too learned about UK. He became a true Duke fan, wore Duke clothes and cheered them on. I cheered too. No, I haven’t brought myself to slide into a Kentucky Wildcat t-shirt or anything like that, but when Kentucky played, I found myself cheering them on, especially in their close bid to become the National Champions. That alone is something that I never thought I would find myself doing.

It must be how my dad felt. He may have never hated Duke, but when I was a kid he was a Purdue fan. Now, I don’t think my dad would want any college basketball team to win more than he would want Duke too. Kids do that. They open yours eyes up just enough.

It is a rivalry that has lasted 22 years, but Ayden’s love of both teams has transcended that rivalry. Is he the first kid to think to their self “why can’t I just like them both?” Probably not. But it clicks. After all, Duke and Kentucky are forever intertwined. Nothing will ever change that. So why does everyone have to choose?

It is also what will make this upcoming college basketball season so much fun and possibly pretty interesting. The fact is, in my humble and moderately professional opinion, there are no better teams in college basketball this year than Kentucky and Duke. Always intertwined, we find ourselves at the top of the food chain once more.

Kentucky returned the vast majority of their near-championship core. The Harrison twins, Cauley-Stein, all back to team up with the second best recruiting class in the country that includes freshmen Karl Towns, Tyler Ulis, Devin Booker and Trey Lyles. Duke has a lot of veteran experience in tow too, even if they did underachieve last year. They also add the number one recruiting class in the country with soon-to-be NBA players Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow.

It will be another layer on one of the best rivalries in sports. There is a very good chance that the paths of the Blue Devils and Wildcats could cross in Indianapolis come April with the best trophy on the line. Sure would make for an interesting evening in my house.

I spent more than 20 years on one side of this rivalry. Duke was always greater than Kentucky. Do I still believe that to be true? Of course I do. Should they meet up in Indianapolis this Spring, or ever before, I will have one of my Duke jerseys on while Ayden sits down the couch with a UK hoodie. His brother and his mom will probably do the same as him. I know this to be true.

But I also know that win or lose; I will be content with being a fan of the greatest rivalry in sports. Content knowing that without Kentucky, there is no Duke and without Duke, there is no Kentucky. Our teams did this together. So whenever they meet again, I will be there.

I will be there, praying for the ghost of the not-dead Christian Laettner and Kentucky fans will be there, spitting and cursing his name.

But now, thanks to that space in my mind where Duke and Kentucky co-existing finally makes sense, I will be smiling the whole time.

Matching up the UFC versus Bellator

Earlier this week, Bleacher Report put out a story of “dream” match ups between Bellator and the UFC. Let me say two things. First of all, it was not a really deep story at all. Two, can you really have a dream match up at all with a company (Bellator) where Joey Beltran is challenging for the company’s Light Heavyweight title and there will soon be a show headlined by a Tito Ortiz/Stephan Bonnar fight?

And the biggest “dream” with Bellator fighters is seeing Eddie Alvarez against UFC lightweights and that is already coming to fruition.

But it did enough to prompt me to think, if I could make any fights with Bellator guys against UFC guys, what would they be? They many not be super fights or dream fights, but fights I would like to see none-the-less. And I will point out, with the exception of one; you will not see UFC champions on this fake card despite almost every Bellator champion being listed. Why? Because Bellator champions can’t hang with UFC Champions. Period.

THE UNDERCARD

Middleweight

Thales Leites versus Kendall Grove

I will admit, this one is a little personal due to my fandom of Kendall Grove and firm belief that he should have another shot in the UFC. Since he left the UFC, he’s been up and down just like he was in the UFC, but has also beaten a few guys currently under UFC contract (i.e. Derek Brunson and Joe Riggs). Leites is a rising fighter again in the UFC and as I see Grove as an 11-15 ranked UFC fighter if he was there (probably never better and never worse), it would be a good match up for them both.

Winner: Kendall Grove by Unanimous Decision

Welterweight

Kelvin Gastelum versus Na Shon Burrell

Burrell is coming off a nasty loss, but this is a match up that would be interesting for him. Gastelum is the Burrell opposite. He is the clean cut, quiet predator and Burrell is the loud, anti-authority type. But they would wage an epic war no matter where the fight took place.

Winner: Kelvin Gastelum by 2^nd Round Submission

Featherweight

Conor McGregor versus Bubba Jenkins

What we have yet to see is how a wrestler could slow down the unorthodox style of McGregor. If anyone could throw a wrench into McGregor’s hype train, it is a talent like Jenkins. This could possibly be the fight of the night if this card was real. Striker versus wrestler, yes. But they can both do each thing well too.

Winner: Conor McGregor by Split Decision

Featherweight

Cub Swanson versus Daniel Strauss

Bleacher Report matched Swanson up with Curran for brawl purposes, but I think that Strauss brought out the best in Curran when it comes to going wild. This is an all out slugfest…while it lasts…which won’t be long.

Winner: Daniel Strauss by 1^st Round TKO

Heavyweight

Alistair Overeem versus Bobby Lashley

Look, I get trying to build Lashley up when it comes to promotional purposes. But really, the guy isn’t that good. Throw him in there with another hulking heavyweight and see where he falls. My guess is, if it is anyone any good on the other side, he falls right in the center of the cage very early. Lashley’s best bet would come against a clearly aging and diminishing Overeem. But still, Alistair has a highly sophisticated skill set compared to the pro wrestler and would finish him brutally, even if Lashley’s wrestling prowess can help him survive the opening frame.

Winner: Alistair Overeem by 2^nd Round KO

Featherweight

Frankie Edgar versus Patricio Pitbull

Bellator’s top division is clearly with the featherweights. Sadly for them I don’t think that their champion is the best in the division. I don’t want power on power here, I want mad scrambles. Edgar and Patricio are both highly skilled at getting out of the way. Edgar is so quick on his feet and light and hard to catch up to. He also has lightning fast take downs, but Patricio is so fast, could Edgar catch him?

Winner: Frankie Edgar by Split Decision (but, we all know his luck with these, don’t we?)

THE MAIN CARD

Featherweight

Chad Mendes versus Pat Curran

Pure wrestler versus striker here. Curran is as dangerous as any featherweight that Bellator has but Mendes has only gotten better with time. This would be an intense scramble of a fight.

Winner: Chad Mendes by Unanimous Decision

Lightweight

Khabib Nurmagomedov versus Michael Chandler

Chandler is one of my favorite Bellator fighters to watch because he fights like he is Tom Hardy’s character from Warrior. He is a beast who I would never want to stand and trade with. Khabib has done so, so well but is still such a wild card on how he will match up with the true elite. Chandler, like Alvarez, would be a top 5 lightweight in the UFC, but wouldn’t be able to beat the top few guys. Question is, is Khabib really as high quality of a guy overall as his current UFC ranking suggests?

Winner: Michael Chandler by 3^rd round TKO

Welterweight

Hector Lombard versus Paul Daley

Daley is another guy who deserves another UFC shot (sorry Dana). Yeah, he made a bad decision, but you brought Tito Ortiz, Thiago Silva, etc., etc. Daley would be a heavy hitter throw right into the fire that is the welterweight division. And this showdown would be a slugfest the likes of Daley-Diaz.

Winner: Paul Daley by 2^nd Round TKO

Light Heavyweight

Rashad Evans versus Emanual Newton

This is virtually the same guy fighting himself. A few years back, this is a no-brainer for Evans. He was the better wrestler and the better heavy handed striker, but he has fallen off to the point of almost being Newton’s equal. Then again, Newton may think that wins over King Mo are worth more than they really are and not realize that Evans isn’t just another by the book overhyped Bellator guy.

Winner: Evans by Unanimous Decision

Welterweight

Carlos Condit versus Douglas Lima

The one fight I agree with Bellator on. Lima is a hard nose striker, I would love to see him face Nick or Nate Diaz as well. But with the flux in their weight classes and careers, Condit is the next best thing. The two would wage war and throw enough crazy stuff at each other that it would keep the two of them and all of us guessing along the way. The problem, as Bleacher Report pointed out, is that Lima just isn’t long enough (though I will point out that he has had no problem with long reach from someone like Ben Saunders, which is 6.5 inches longer than Lima).

Winner: Carlos Condit by 2^nd Round KO

THE MAIN EVENT

Bantamweight

TJ Dillashaw versus Joe Warren

That is right, a UFC champion. Why? Because this is the only match up where a Bellator guy has any relevant skill set that could counter the UFC champion in that weight class. Warren is a world class grappler and his wrestling is miles ahead of Dillashaw’s no matter how good Dillashaw’s wrestling is. But what Dillashaw has shown lately, especially against Mike Easton, Renan Barao and Joe Soto, he doesn’t need to lean on his wrestling skills. Warren would take Dillashaw down early and often. But TJ weathers storms and then knocks out the storm maker. It is what he does.

Winner: TJ Dillashaw by 5^th round TKO

The 2014 NBA Mock Draft

What an interesting last couple of weeks to lead into the 2014 NBA Draft. Contract opt outs, prospects injured, prospects retiring, prospects signing with European teams. All of these things have added interesting components to a draft that is honestly just as wide open as last year's, when a seemingly unknown Anthony Bennett was the top overall pick.

Biggest difference? This year is more talented and talented deep.

But those changes have made the draft different. Joel Embiid's injury changed the top 3 and quite possibly the first overall pick. Dario Saric's new European contract changed the top 10. Isaiah Austin's retirement changed the first round. The contract opt outs of Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James will have effects on the league, and therefore the draft, that remain unknown. But what we do know is that they will have an impact on this draft.

So without further pause, after weeks of redrafts, here is the official In All Directions 2014 NBA Mock Draft:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Jabari Parker - Duke
Why?: I think the exit of Embiid makes this one a no brainer. Parker fills far more of a need for Cleveland* (yes, that is an asterik) than Andrew Wiggins does. Should the Cavs keep this pick, Parker will slide nicely into the starting rotation. With Tristan Thompson in the middle and Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters at the guard sports, the implementation of Parker as a power forward allows Luol Deng to move down the the 3-spot and give Cleveland a dangerous starting five.

*And here is the asterik: Absolutely the best trade package I have seen rumored so far would be Cleveland sending this pick and Jarrett Jack to Utah for No. 5, Derrick Favors, Alec Burks and possibly the 23rd pick. If this trade is on the table, I absolutely see it being made. My choice for #1 overall stays, but I believe that this is Utah's pick or at least being made for Utah. Parker, a mormon, would be an amazing poster child with the Jazz where he and Trey Burke could be this era's answer to Stockton and Malone for the Jazz.

2. Milwaukee Bucks: Joel Embiid - Kansas
Why?: I do not think a team takes long to gamble. Wiggins is basically another OJ Mayo and Exum is not needed when you have Brandon Knight and Ramon Sessions at the point. In fact, while I have seen a lot of draft boards with Exum here, it would be a downright stupid choice unless they move one of the other two point guards, specifically Brandon Knight. They have talent inside, but it is still one of the areas with less talent overall, so they will take the gamble on Embiid and hope that he heals quickly and well. I think its a bad move for anyone to make this pick in the top 10 and potentially in the lottery. I, if I were a GM, wouldn't take him in the first round. Yes, he has talent. But we've seen this story end before (Greg Oden?) and I don't see it worth the pick. However, I think the Bucks will see it or at least try to.

3. Philadelphia 76ers: Andrew Wiggins - Kansas
Why?: Philly has coveted Wiggins all along and I absolutely think he falls to them here no matter who goes #2 overall (unless there are trades in the top 2). Philadelphia needs all of the help they can get and plenty of draft picks to make that happen. Taking Wiggins is the best option, even if they weren't in love with him. He can be a dynamic scorer and will play well off of Michael Carter-Williams.

4. Orlando Magic: Dante Exum - Australia
Why?: When Embiid went down, Orlando cried. All of them. But I still think they also get their guy here in Exum. Jameer Nelson's time has ended and Exum completes a solid starting lineup and will create insane mismatches because of his length. It also frees Victor Oladipo up to stay strong at a natural 2-guard spot.

5. Utah Jazz: Julius Randle - Kentucky*
Why?: Whether this pick is for Utah (or as I suspect for Cleveland) they both covet a small forward. Unfortunately there is a bit of a drop off between the top guys who can play that spot (Parker and Wiggins) and the next highest rated one (probably Doug McDermott). So instead, you have to take the next best option, which is Randle, who is also a guy who can play a little swing forward or play natural power forward to free up Luol Deng (Cleveland) or Marvin Williams (Utah) to play their natural small forward position.

6: Boston Celtics: Aaron Gordon - Arizona
Why?: I'd love for Boston to get Randle, but even if he is available, they seem to have a love affair with Gordon. They see him as a Kevin Garnett-like big man who can move and scorer off the dribble. They better hope they are right.

7. Los Angeles Lakers: Marcus Smart - Oklahoma State
Why?: The Lakers need to pull the trigger on rumored trade to sent Steve Nash to the 76ers for draft picks. It gets them options and prospects and frees up the point guard position where change is needed. Smart can feed the ball to Kobe when he's healthy and be a score-first guy when Kobe isn't.

8. Sacramento Kings: Noah Vonleh - Indiana
Why?: About the only hole in the Kings lineup is at power forward. If they get Vonleh and he pans out, they should be a playoff team out west with a bevvy of young talent. If they aren't, this pick will be the one that everyone comes back and looks at. After all, Vonleh couldn't help his college team even make the NCAA Tournament, so why wouldn't he be the one to blame?

9. Charlotte Hornets: Adreian Payne - Michigan State
Why?: Especially if Josh McRoberts blots, Charlotte should covet another big man more than anything in this draft and that could help Payne jump a lot because of Dario Saric's new contract which will keep him away from the NBA for at least two years, even if drafted. That loss to the draft could be Payne's gain with the new look Charlotte organization.

10. Philadelphia 76ers: Zach LaVine - UCLA

11. Denver Nuggets: Dario Saric - Croatia
Why?: This is the first team that probably can gamble on Saric. He fills a need when (and if) he comes, but they have a lot of talent still without him. They may not make the gamble, but honestly they are the first team to come up with a pick that could have that option.

12. Orlando Magic: Tyler Ennis - Syracuse

13. Minnesota Timberwolves: Rodney Hood - Duke
Why?: With the likelihood of Love's loss, you really need to fill his shoes as best possible with this pick, even if you get a good return for him. Hood can't fill Love's shoes, but he can put on his socks. He is a long swing forward who can rebound well and shoot the ball with good consistency.

14: Phoenix Suns: Doug McDermott - Creighton

15. Atlanta Hawks: Gary Harris - Michigan State

16. Chicago Bulls: Jusuf Nurkic - Bosnia

17. Boston Celtics: James Young - Kentucky

18. Phoenix Suns: Nik Stauskas - Michigan

19. Chicago Bulls: Glenn Robinson III - Michigan

20. Toronto Raptors: Shabazz Napier - UCONN

21. Oklahoma City Thunder: TJ Warren - North Carolina State

22. Memphis Grizzlies: Kyle Anderson - UCLA

23. Utah Jazz: Bogdan Bogdanovic - Serbia

24. Charlotte Hornets: Elfrid Payton - UL-Lafayette

25. Houston Rockets: KJ McDaniels - Clemson

26. Miami Heat: PJ Hairston - Texas Legends (D-League)

27. Phoenix Suns: Jordan Adams - UCLA

28. Los Angeles Clippers: Jerami Grant - Syracuse

29. Oklahoma City Thunder: Cleanthony Early - Witchita State

30. San Antonio Spurs: Mitch McGary - Michigan

Redrafting the 2013 NBA Draft

Pick 1: Cleveland Cavaliers

Who they took: Anthony Bennett

Who they should have took: Michael Carter-Williams (11th pick)

Pick 2: Orlando Magic

Who they took: Victor Oladipo

Who they should have took: Victor Oladipo

Pick 3: Washington Wizards

Who they took: Otto Porter

Who they should have took: Tim Hardaway Jr. (24th pick)

Pick 4: Charlotte Bobcats

Who they took: Cody Zeller

Who they should have took: Trey Burke (9th pick)

Pick 5: Phoenix Suns

Who they took: Alex Len

Who they should have took: Mason Plumlee (22nd pick)

Pick 6: New Orleans Pelicans

Who they took: Nerlens Noel (traded to 76ers)

Who they should have took: Giannis Antetokounmpo (15th pick and keep the pick)

Pick 7: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Ben McLemore

Who they should have took: Ben McLemore

Pick 8: Detroit Pistons

Who they took: Kentavius Caldwell-Pope

Who they should have took: Cody Zeller (4th pick)

Pick 9: Minnesota Timberwolves

Who they took: Trey Burke (traded to Jazz)

Who they should have took: Kelly Olynyk (13th pick and keep the pick)

Pick 10: Portland Trail Blazers

Who they took: CJ McCollum

Who they should have took: Steven Adams (12th pick)

Pick 11: Philadelphia 76ers

Who they took: Michael Carter-Williams

Who they should have took: Nerlens Noel (6th pick)

Pick 12: Oklahoma City Thunder

Who they took: Steven Adams

Who they should have took: CJ McCollum (10th pick)

Pick 13: Dallas Mavericks

Who they took: Kelly Olynyk (traded to Celtics)

Who they should have took: Ryan Kelly (48th pick and trade the pick)

Pick 14: Utah Jazz

Who they took: Shabazz Muhammed (traded to T-Wolves)

Who they should have took: Gorgui Dieng (21st pick and trade the pick)

Pick 15: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Who they should have took: Dennis Schroder (17th pick)

Redrafting the 2012 NBA Draft

The final two redraft blogs will be quick picks. Because I'm running out time? Kind of. But more than anything because we all know these guys well and these last two especially are based more on opinion than numbers. It is hard to quantify a "WHY" field for each of these picks. So enjoy as we redraft the Kentucky exile of 2012, a draft loaded with guys who already look like they could be superstars of tomorrow.

Pick 1: New Orleans Hornets

Who they took: Anthony Davis

Who they should have took: Damian Lillard (4th pick)

Pick 2: Charlotte Bobcats

Who they took: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Who they should have took: Anthony Davis (1st pick)

Pick 3: Washington Wizards

Who they took: Bradley Beal

Who they should have took: Bradley Beal

Pick 4: Cleveland Cavaliers

Who they took: Dion Waiters

Who they should have took: Harrison Barnes (7th pick)

Pick 5: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Thomas Robinson

Who they should have took: Dion Waiters (4th pick)

Pick 6: Portland Trail Blazers

Who they took: Damian Lillard

Who they should have took: Andre Drummond (9th pick)

Pick 7: Golden State Warriors

Who they took: Harrison Barnes

Who they should have took: Jared Sullinger (21st pick)

Pick 8: Toronto Raptors

Who they took: Terrance Ross

Who they should have took: John Henson (14th pick)

Pick 9: Detroit Pistons

Who they took: Andre Drummond

Who they should have took: Kendall Marshall (13th pick)

Pick 10: New Orleans Hornets

Who they took: Austin Rivers

Who they should have took: Terrance Ross (8th pick)

Pick 11: Portland Trail Blazers

Who they took: Meyers Leonard

Who they should have took: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2nd pick)

Pick 12: Houston Rockets

Who they took: Jeremy Lamb

Who they should have took: Miles Plumlee (26th pick)

Pick 13: Phoenix Suns

Who they took: Kendall Marshall

Who they should have took: Jeremy Lamb (12th pick)

Pick 14: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: John Henson

Who they should have took: Tyler Zeller (17th pick)

Pick 15: Philadelphia 76ers

Who they took: Mo Harkless

Who they should have took: Mo Harkless

Redrafting the 2011 NBA Draft

The Cavaliers had the chance to make out like bandits, and although they didn't end up maximizing having the first and fourth picks, they still did alright with a blockbuster first pick and a reliable role player at four. They snuck into the top pick in a trade for Baron Davis. Needless to say, they won that trade.

Their top pick, Kyrie Irving, was a whole other tale when it came to the one-and-done trend. He, due to injury, barely played any games while attending Duke University. It was a dice role, however calculated for the now LeBron-less Cavs.

A lot of these picks are based far more on expectation and what we know about their NBA talent so far than on stats, where as previous drafts I looked at more objectively when it comes to stats. While they do play some role here, it is just as important to take into consideration what they could and can do based on what we know so far about their professional career.

Pick 1: Cleveland Cavaliers

Who they took: Kyrie Irving

Who they should have took: Kyrie Irving

Why: Irving today stands as still the most clearly explosive player in this draft and has proven any doubters wrong since he was all but straight out of high school due to injuries at Duke. He's been an All-Star already and as Cleveland continues to add prospects around him, including the top pick in this year's draft, he may be the guy to lead Cleveland back to title contention in the coming years and he is more than capable of handling that weight on his back if he says healthy.

Pick 2: Minnesota Timberwolves

Who they took: Derrick Williams

Who they should have took: Kawhi Leonard (15th pick)

Why: A NBA title and Finals MVP to cap off the 2014 season more than justifies Leonard's jump here. He can get to the basket, score in traffic, shoot the ball well and rebound with ferocity. I bet Indiana is really wishing they hadn't given him up in 2011 essentially for George Hill.

Pick 3: Utah Jazz

Who they took: Enes Kanter

Who they should have took: Kemba Walker (9th pick)

Why: Questions surrounded Walker a lot in 2011 like they surround fellow ex-UCONNer Shabazz Napier in this year's draft. Is he a NBA player? Walker has more than answered that by becoming the go-to guy on a Bobcats team that went to the playoffs (yes, the Bobcats actually made they playoffs). He will continue to be the face of the organization as they flip back to the Hornets, a face that Utah sure wishes they had these days as they hang out in limbo.

Pick 4: Cleveland Cavaliers

Who they took: Tristan Thompson

Who they should have took: Isaiah Thomas (60th pick)

Why: 59 picks before Thomas went. Was he undersized? Not in what we've seen. And I know what you are thinking, I recently blasted the Timberwolves for taking two point guards in the first five picks of a draft, but this is a little different. Why? Partially because Kyrie can have questionable health and Thomas is coming off a 20.3 ppg, 6.3 apg season that probably landed him the honor of the best last pick in draft history. The other reason, if Kyrie stays healthy, then Thomas is one hell of a trade piece.

Pick 5: Toronto Raptors

Who they took: Jonas Valanciunas

Who they should have took: Kenneth Faried (22nd pick)

Why: Faried is a beast who will be the catalyst in any run that Denver can make in coming years. While Jonas is developing in Toronto, one of the things they haven't been able to do is match up inside. Faried would have been a great pick here and is bordering on being a double-double player 12.1 ppg and 8.6 rpg for his career.

Pick 6: Washington Wizards

Who they took: Jan Vesely

Who they should have took: Klay Thompson (11th pick)

Why: Thompson has proven his worth by becoming virtually untouchable this off season. After an 18.4 ppg year, Thompson's potential involvement seems like it has all but vetoed a trade that would bring Kevin Love to Golden State. Yes, the Warriors may be passing on KEVIN LOVE because they don't want to lose Thompson. That is high praise. He would be an excellent piece next to John Wall and far better of an asset than the essentially useless Vesely.

Pick 7: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Bismack Biyombo (traded to Bobcats)

Who they should have took: Chandler Parsons (38th pick)

Why: Parsons is one of the best trade pieces possible for this summer. He is averaging 14.1 ppg for his career and has shown he is more than just a one dimensional shooter in the professional game.

Pick 8: Detroit Pistons

Who they took: Brandon Knight

Who they should have took: Nikola Vucevic (16th pick)

Why: It seemed like a questionable pick at the time, but Vucevic has hit a high mark for his young career but becoming a double-double machine (14.2 ppg, 11 rpg) this last season and believe it or not, is probably the best piece to build around in Orlando.

Pick 9: Charlotte Bobcats

Who they took: Kemba Walker

Who they should have took: Brandon Knight (8th pick)

Why: Knight's drop is more of a testament to how well lower picks have performed so far. He can score in bunches and has shown that he can perform well when he has higher expectations. With not adding Kemba in the redraft, Knight would be a more than adequate replacement to help the Bobcats to Playoff land.

Pick 10: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Jimmer Fredette (traded to Kings)

Who they should have took: Jonas Valanciunas (5th pick and keep the pick)

Why: In the coming years, Jonas may be higher than this, but he has had a slower progression and didn't play in the league the year after his drafting. He is already a 10 and 7 guy, but has shown a progressive toughness inside, which is something that Milwaukee could use. Jonas would be a great piece right next to Larry Sanders.

Pick 11: Golden State Warriors

Who they took: Klay Thompson

Who they should have took: Tristan Thompson (4th pick)

Why: Thompson wasn't quite the 4th pick, but he has been solid as a role player in Cleveland. His role could be even bigger in Golden State where his career 10.8 ppg and 8.6 rpg numbers would easily inflate with Steph Curry drawing defenders away from the posts.

Pick 12: Utah Jazz

Who they took: Alec Burks

Who they should have took: Jimmy Butler (30th pick)

Why: Butler could very well be the NBA's 6th Man next year in Chicago. He was a major diamond in the rough, often overlooked and has slowly improved his game. He is a great defender and would be one of the very best players on Utah's roster today.

Pick 13: Phoenix Suns

Who they took: Markieff Morris

Who they should have took: Reggie Jackson (24th pick)

Why: Oklahoma City snagged a good pick late in Jackson, who would thrive from the move and score quick environment in Phoenix.

Pick 14: Houston Rockets

Who they took: Marcus Morris

Who they should have took: Norris Cole (28th pick)

Why: Cole is a good point guard, who could be great. He has benefited from playing with great players in Miami and his real value will be tested in the coming years IF the big three leave and he has to become a big scorer and not just big helper. Never the less, he is a strong point guard who can distribute as good as almost anyone.

Pick 15: Indiana Pacers

Who they took: Kawhi Leonard (traded to Spurs)

Who they should have took: Iman Shumpert (17th pick and trade the pick)

Why: Iman's production has dropped off since his surprising rookie year, but I am calling that more environmental than anything. In Indiana, he would be a good guy to take the ball out of Lance Stephenson's hands some (when needed) and would be a terrific role player. Unfortunately, in New York and based on his rookie year, his expectations were too high too quick.

Redrafting the 2010 NBA Draft

Bleeding blue. That is what the 2010 NBA Draft was all about. Five players from the University of Kentucky set a record by all being drafted in the first round, including top pick John Wall. What made it so important, other than that fact, is that four of the five all came out after just one year of college. If the one-and-done trend had hit two years earlier with Derrick Rose leading the way, it had officially arrived as THE THING during this draft. Never before had essentially an entire team departed together. It has happened a couple of times since, with UK doing it once again since 2010 and the school likely would have seen it happen again in 2014 had they not lost the National Title game.

Outside of that, there are a lot of great prospects who are in line for big paydays in the league soon, including little Indiana boy Gordon Hayward, the once darling of the NCAA Tournament, who should be one of the most sought after free agents this summer.

Pick 1: Washington Wizards

Who they took: John Wall

Who they should have took: John Wall

Why: Wall was the perfect choice for a team without a star that was just going through the rotation of over hyped players. He has been the model for consistency while being a very mature player immediately in the NBA. 0.5 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.5 spg and 3 ppg are the only fluctuations in his career season highs and lows. He may not be the best point guard in the league, but for sure one I would want on my team.

Pick 2: Philadelphia 76ers

Who they took: Evan Turner

Who they should have took: Paul George (10th pick)

Why: I really wanted to put George at number one, but I guess I just am not sold on him yet. He has the potential to be a top 10 player in the NBA, but I don't know that he has the heart and enthusiasm to do so. Never the less, he is a super talented get to the basket scorer who can slash through practically any defense, if not all of them. Philly thought they were getting that in Turner (see pick #5). To see his scoring average go up 14 ppg in three years shows just what George is capable of on the offensive end.

Pick 3: New Jersey Nets

Who they took: Derrick Favors

Who they should have took: Demarcus Cousins (5th pick)

Why: New Jersey needed their new Kenyon Martin, a raw and vicious post who would help them to the promised land by just being a wrecking ball. Favors was surprisingly soft and Cousins has just never cared about who he runs over. He has always been a huge presence inside and just had career best numbers in EVERY statistical category as a fourth year player last year. Imagine adding him to today's Brooklyn Nets lineup with Joe Johnson, Deron Williams, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and a healthy Brook Lopez.

Pick 4: Minnesota Timberwolves

Who they took: Wesley Johnson

Who they should have took: Gordon Hayward (9th pick)

Why: I didn't know if Hayward could make it as a pro. Yes, he was great in high school. Yes, he was great on a team like Butler (coming literally an inch of a roll in the other direction from a national title for the relatively small school). But, did he have the size or the versatility? Was he JJ Redick or was he Adam Morrison? Reality shows he was probably neither, but better than both. With such recent draft picks, we can afford to play the what if game (as you have seen and will continue to see), so what if you put Hayward with Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love? Think the Timberwolves would still be looking at another down slide?

Pick 5: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Demarcus Cousins

Who they should have took: Evan Turner (2nd pick)

Why: While Turner did well early in his career in Philly, he never was the player he was in college before his back injury. He still is a pretty strong offensive player, but has shown he can't succeed as a role player at this point, as seen by his production dropping significantly in his move to Indiana last season. At least with the Kings, he would have been able to be THE significant contributor.

Pick 6: Golden State Warriors

Who they took: Ekpe Udoh

Who they should have took: Greg Monroe (7th pick)

Why: Monroe has quietly been an old-school beast of a center in Detroit. He is quiet, unassuming and still physical without being overly aggressive. Though he hasn't done it yet in a single season, he has all of the potential to be a career double-double guy and would be the missing link inside that Golden State needs and have been trying to add with potential trades for Kevin Love in this 2014 off season.

Pick 7: Detroit Pistons

Who they took: Greg Monroe

Who they should have took: Lance Stephenson (40th pick)

Why: There is no bigger spark plug in this draft than Lance Stephenson and if you watched the 2014 NBA Finals, you can't possibly disagree with that. Unfortunately, he can also be a challenge in some degrees. But to me, the juice is worth the squeeze and you can't replicate Stephenson's desire and passion. If you have read past blogs of mine, you will know that I would restructure the current Pacers as more of a 1980's Detroit Bad Boys teams, so what better fit would there be for Lance than Detroit?

Pick 8: Los Angeles Clippers

Who they took: Al-Farouq Aminu

Who they should have took: Eric Bledsoe (18th pick)

Why: I felt at the time like Bledsoe was the most raw of the five Kentucky players coming out, but didn't end up being so. I am sure the Clippers, who ended up with him via draft day trade, would have liked to get him anyway without giving anything up. While he never was the production guy in LA he has become, you take the chance that you can keep him in the long term and pick him over Aminu, who has never been much of anything and probably never will be.

Pick 9: Utah Jazz

Who they took: Gordon Hayward

Who they should have took: Derrick Favors (3rd pick)

Why: Favors will never live up to his hype because quite frankly, when the opponents were as big as him, he wilted. He is still a very strong and muscular force as a swing forward, but he will never be a dominant rebounder or post production guy. With that, he has learned to work great in a pick and roll position and has thrived moving like that in Utah anyway in recent years.

Pick 10: Indiana Pacers

Who they took: Paul George

Who they should have took: Avery Bradley (19th pick)

Why: Bradley is a solid score-first point who can rise to the occasion. As Boston's need for his production has risen, so has his game. He would be a valuable piece for the building Pacers and a true point guard, who even though he is a score-first guy, can and will pass the ball.

Pick 11: New Orleans Hornets

Who they took: Cole Aldrich (traded to Thunder)

Who they should have took: Jeremy Lin (undrafted and trade the pick)

Why: Then, there wasn't going to be a trade partner and today, there is still a smaller and shrinking aura of intrigue around Lin. Can he catch lightning in a bottle twice. Make the pick and use it as an asset when the time is right because Lin is an "OK" basketball player and has some trade value to help build up the now Pelicans.

Pick 12: Memphis Grizzlies

Who they took: Xavier Henry

Who they should have took: Larry Sanders (15th pick)

Why: Sanders won't knock your socks off, but one of Memphis' downfalls is the lack of a quality post behind Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. Sanders could be that guy as he is more suited for that role than that of leading man, which they are trying to make him be in Milwaukee.

Pick 13: Toronto Raptors

Who they took: Ed Davis

Who they should have took: Greivis Vasquez (28th pick)

Why: Consistency is a key for draft picks after 10 and after his rookie year, Vasquez has been that. Toronto has him now, but would have loved to have his consistency while they built the playoff team they have today.

Pick 14: Houston Rockets

Who they took: Patrick Patterson

Who they should have took: Landry Fields (39th pick)

Why: Fields is terrible. BUT, he wasn't early. Fields appeared to be THE STEAL of this draft and really was his first two years in the league. This is another draft and dump guy. If the Rockets could have taken Fields and dumped him off during the second year of his contract before he bounced in free agency (like he did to the Knicks), then they could have gotten another good piece for the Dwight Howard/James Harden duo. That is your end game with this pick, even if you don't know it yet.

Pick 15: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Larry Sanders

Who they should have took: Jordan Crawford (27th pick)

Why: Of course, you want the early career Jordan Crawford who looked like he was going to be one of those draft day steals. You don't however want the current day Jordan Crawford who plays like the 27th pick. Business boomed for him in Washington and he did OK in Boston before becoming a trade chip. He would have been more featured in Milwaukee and they could have gotten the most out of his early career peak.

Redrafting the 2009 NBA Draft

The draft where David Kahn went crazy. We can look at the super freak athlete that Blake Griffin is or the monumental flop pick of Hasheem Thabeet. We can be in awe of Stephen Curry's shooting or James Harden's beard. But for me, 2009 will always be about the draft where Minnesota Timberwolves president David Kahn actually drafted four point guards in the first round including two with back-to-back picks at #5 and #6.

The decisions that Kahn made (or didn't make) in 2009 still haunt Minnesota today and are part of a string of events that would be the catalyst for the clearly pending Kevin Love exit which will mirror Kevin Garnett's 2007 exit and lead to the once-again downfall of the organization.

As no matter how good this class was and is today, I will always look at 2009 as the year that the Minnesota Timberwolves' prospect laden rise started to decline...again.

Pick 1: Los Angeles Clippers

Who they took: Blake Griffin

Who they should have took: Blake Griffin

Why: As smaller as the answers to this question get the more recent we get we these drafts, this is one I really feel like I should leave blank. It may be the biggest no brainer in the modern era of the NBA draft because I feel I have no reason to have to justify this. But in case I do, 18 points and 8.3 rebounds. Those are the lowest single season marks for Griffin in his short, yet successful NBA career. Lows.

Pick 2: Memphis Grizzlies

Who they took: Hasheem Thabeet

Who they should have took: James Harden (3rd pick)

Why: Harden is what we thought he was. Unfortunately, Oklahoma City had too may other (two to be exact) stars to notice. He is not a sixth man, he is a prolific scoring first option that you build an entire organization around. Would Memphis be able to see that, already loaded down with Rudy Gay and Mike Conley? Maybe not, but you still don't pass on a guy like Harden here who people follow like his game is the gospel.

Pick 3: Oklahoma City Thunder

Who they took: James Harden

Who they should have took: Stephen Curry (7th pick)

Why: People kind of cringed as Curry dropped down the draft board. But none of those people seemed to be executives with early picks. While Harden was built, in the eyes of OKC, as too much like Russell Westbrook to play alongside him all of the time, Curry was basically built for a role as a 2-guard in OKC. Imagine the defense worrying about how Kevin Durant will abuse them in the post, forcing them to halfway double him always, then collapse on a driving Westbrook, only for him to kick it out to WIDE open Steph Curry. Ouch.

Pick 4: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Tyreke Evans

Who they should have took: Ricky Rubio (5th pick)

Why: In the downfall they were in at that point that they could have afforded to wait a couple years for a player of Rubio's ability. He is absolutely a guy you could build around and would be great in a modern Sacramento where he, Demarcus Cousins and Ben McLemore could all work off of each other.

Pick 5: Minnesota Timberwolves

Who they took: Ricky Rubio

Who they should have took: DeMar DeRozan (9th pick)

Why: DeRozan can fly. In my opinion, if you can nail down a good point, a true wing and solid big man, you can fill in those last two spots around them. Knowing that you can still get a point guard with the next pick (so I guess these two are interchangeable), you need to take that wing as you already have Kevin Love inside. DeRozan is the most long term scoring option at this point and has a natural athletic ability (I say that a lot, don't I?). His scoring prowess has steadily rose to over 22 ppg and is currently a go-to guy for the surging Raptors. In Minnesota, he would have taken a lot of heat off Love and vice-versa.

Pick 6: Minnesota Timberwolves

Who they took: Jonny Flynn

Who they should have took: Ty Lawson (18th pick)

Why: They actually picked him anyway at 18 before trading him away (might have had something to do with the other two point guards they had already drafted that night). Lawson has become easily the second best point guard from this draft by being able to adapt from being a score first guard to a pass first guard on any given night depending on what is need of him. Proof in the pudding? Last season, he put up career best 17.6 ppg and 8.8 apg numbers.

Pick 7: Golden State Warriors

Who they took: Stephen Curry

Who they should have took: Brandon Jennings (10th pick)

Why: The question on Jennings was how does one adapt from the high school game to the European game and back to the pro game. Even scarier, he averaged only 5.5 ppg in Europe and proved why the two games were so different. Good news? He's never averaged lower than 15.5 ppg in the NBA. He wouldn't have been the same player Curry was, but he would still have helped a Golden State revival. This is one of those ones where I don't trade him on draft night, but I still pick him with every intention of trading him down the line, be it a year or two away.

Pick 8: New York Knicks

Who they took: Jordan Hill

Who they should have took: Taj Gibson (26th pick)

Why: Gibson was one of those guys who you thought you wanted, but maybe thought was too raw, but he was so strong...probably close to every team in this draft had a love/hate relationship with the idea of drafting Taj Gibson. The Knicks really could have used him here, because he has been the defensive power that they wanted from Hill, who never lived up to anywhere close to his hype. Gibson will never been a big scoring or rebounding guy, but he does enough to be a game changer on defense and that is what New York desperately needed when they took Hill. That and a prime time scorer that they missed out on by ONE SPOT when Golden State took Steph Curry.

Pick 9: Toronto Raptors

Who they took: DeMar DeRozan

Who they should have took: Tyreke Evans (4th pick)

Why: Evans is a prolific ball handler and assuming the Raptors still built up the same way they have, they could have used someone with his court sense. His drop is attributed to the fact that he isn't a prime time scorer in the league as expected, but his quickness, court vision and ball handling are all still major assets.

Pick 10: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Brandon Jennings

Who they should have took: Jrue Holiday (17th pick)

Why: Holiday needed another year at UCLA to develop. Let's get that out of the way first. And while that is the case with a lot of these guys, it really is with Jrue. He proved over time in Philadelphia that he can be a number one or two scorer and can rebound when needed. Hopefully he can find his role in New Orleans, but should he have gone here, he would have immediately been the top dog in Milwaukee in pretty much the exact same way Jennings was.

Pick 11: New Jersey Nets

Who they took: Terrence Williams

Who they should have took: Jeff Teague (19th pick)

Why: New Jersey wanted an interior defender here but you can't pass on Teague, who has quietly become one of the more intriguing wings in the last couple of years. He shoots the ball well (.447 for his career) has really developed a great get-to-the-basket game which has helped him become the primary guard scoring option in Atlanta and has him lined up for a big free agent contract soon.

Pick 12: Charlotte Bobcats

Who they took: Gerald Henderson

Who they should have took: Wesley Matthews (undrafted)

Why: In recent years, has there been a better UNDRAFTED prospect than Matthews? He was a very solid player for four years at Marquette, which made his draft status questionable. He made sure people understood why by averaging 9+ ppg as a rookie and has seen his scoring and rebounding improve almost every year since. Like with pretty much always, Charlotte was looking to stockpile guys who could be of any help and Matthews could have been much more so than Henderson.

Pick 13: Indiana Pacers

Who they took: Tyler Hansbrough

Who they should have took: Danny Green (46th pick)

Why: There are a lot of very naturally gifted, athletic scorers in this draft and that is the only reason I have Green as far down as 13. He's today's Robert Horry, minus a few pounds (though still about the size of Horry during the Houston Rockets' mid-90s title runs). He can contribute, is unassuming and a crafty clutch three point shooter, all of which Indiana could use right now and in the past several years while they were looking for those intangible pieces to help topple Miami.

Pick 14: Phoenix Suns

Who they took: Earl Clark

Who they should have took: Darren Collison (21st pick)

Why: I don't have a great answer here. Collison is the best player today left on the hypothetical draft board at this point.

Pick 15: Detroit Pistons

Who they took: Austin Daye

Who they should have took: Demare Carroll (27th pick)

Why: Carroll has always been a really strong guy, which fits into the Pistons style. Last year in Atlanta, he proved he could score often in the NBA, which is something the Pistons are lacking, despite a constant rotation of those "physical" players over the last several years.

Redrafting the 2008 NBA Draft

Welcome to the official rollout of the world of one-and-dones. No longer will kids be coming straight from high school, but instead going to campus for a school year, attending classes for four months (or just long enough to stay eligible) and then going to make a pay day.

That was the story of this draft. No more high school run wild and the foreign picks have tapered off. Four of the first five and five of the first seven picks were college freshmen, making this the start of a new trend that has taken over (note that three of the biggest prospects in the 2014 Draft are all freshmen).

It was also a nice look at how poorly the Miami Heat were run for a long time. After missing out on the number one pick, which should have statistically belonged to them after the most horrendous of seasons, the team passed on at least two future Hall of Fame players to select Michael Beasley. Geez.

This was also a tough one as I legitimately saw 18 guys for these top 15 positions (sorry George Hill, JJ Hickson and Ryan Anderson.)

Also, it is the first class where my analysis doesn’t and doesn’t have to run as deep because, well, we all know about these guys and what they do. We see it every day during the NBA season and we don’t need to look back so deeply.

Pick 1: Chicago Bulls

Who they took: Derrick Rose

Who they should have took: Kevin Love (5^th pick)

Why: Love is perhaps the most purely dominant player from this draft class. His size and agility make him hard to guard no matter where he is on the floor. In a class that is pretty damn good today, Love shines because he is such a complete players. Teaming him with Joakim Noah and other complimentary players would have made the Bulls the team to beat in the East almost every year since this draft.

Pick 2: Miami Heat

Who they took: Michael Beasley

Who they should have took: Russell Westbrook (4^th pick)

Why: Westbrook is a standalone prospect that hasn’t been give the opportunity to stand alone. He and Durant are too much alike, outside of size, that they will succeed on talent, but there isn’t much room for co-existence in Oklahoma City. Still, he is the best overall point guard from this draft and combined with a more subtle talent like Dwayne Wade in Miami, he would be a MVP candidate today without Miami losing much of a step. However, the reality here too is that if you would have drafted and kept Westbrook, adding LeBron wouldn’t have worked out because of the same type of personality clashes. Still, a ‘big three’ of Russell, Dwayne and Chris Bosh would be pretty damn good.

Pick 3: Minnesota Timberwolves

Who they took: OJ Mayo (traded to Grizzlies)

Who they should have took: Derrick Rose (1^st pick and keep the pick)

Why: Ok, injuries do hurt Rose’s stock here, but he would still be a huge pick up for the Timberwolves and would have saved them from their forthcoming Ricky Rubio/Jonny Flynn/Wayne Ellington point guard pileup draft. I don’t believe that D.Rose would be longed to stay in Minnesota, so maybe you still take Rubio so he arrives from Europe as Rose leaves the first chance he gets in free agency, but picking Rose here allows you to play more with your future drafts than the crazy David Kahn and company had the luxury to do. And again, injuries aside, Rose is an amazing talent and the third of these top three guys who is likely bound for the Hall of Fame. He is truly one of the best score first point guards in the modern era, possibly ever, of the NBA.

Pick 4: Seattle Supersonics

Who they took: Russell Westbrook

Who they should have took: Brook Lopez (10^th pick)

Why: Look, Lopez hasn't been healthy for the majority of his career it feels like. But when he is, he certainly can lay claim to being a top 5 center in the league. It sure would have left Oklahoma City without a critical piece at point guard, but would have made them so strong on the interior that they could have taken later money used for the Serge Ibakas and Kendrick Perkins' of the world and still brought in a quality point, who maybe could get along better with Durant? Lopez can rebound with anyone in this league is strong on defense, the pick would be a no brainer to me as his value certainly soared from the 10th pick after he actually played in the league.

Pick 5: Memphis Grizzlies

Who they took: Kevin Love (traded to Minnesota)

Who they should have took: Eric Gordon (7^th pick and keep the pick)

Why: Gordon never has been the player he was in high school. It was a stretch, mostly due to his size, to believe that he could be. But he still proved a valuable scorer at Indiana and has become a reliable second option in the NBA. For Memphis, with Rudy Gay and Mike Conley in the fold, Gordon could have had more flexibility without so much reliability. As a true shooting guard, he could have flourished. A lineup today (had they kept the team intact) of Conley, Gordon, Gay, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph would be a tough squad to beat out West. Taking that pressure off Gordon in Memphis, which didn't happen in LA, would have done wonders for his career, which isn't too shabby at all anyway.

Pick 6: New York Knicks

Who they took: Danilio Gallinari

Who they should have took: OJ Mayo (3^rd pick)

Why: Mayo is a headcase, hence his drop off here. Nobody can deny his talent, but the problem is that as he gets more disciplined in his career, his production drops off. This past season, as the least ball hogging he's been. he scored a career low. But Mayo is still a prolific scorer and athlete that the Knicks coveted at a time where they had none before the Carmelo acquisition.

Pick 7: Los Angeles Clippers

Who they took: Eric Gordon

Who they should have took: DeAndre Jordan (35^th pick)

Why: I don't know who could have expected the meteoric rise of DeAndre, but I think too a lot can be credited to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. If you look at his numbers, you wouldn't think Jordan would be a top 10 pick, but the reality is that he is an absolute game changer. Physicality, mentality, leadership, explosiveness, defensively, if I was building a team he would probably be the fourth guy from this draft I would actually take behind Love, Westbrook and Rose. He finally averaged in double digits in scoring this past year, but his rebounding numbers exploded from 7.2 rpg to a league high 13.6, all while leading the league in shooting percentage for a second straight year. The Clippers ended up with their man anyway, but in a redraft, he certainly wouldn't be there at #35.

Pick 8: Milwaukee Bucks

Who they took: Joe Alexander

Who they should have took: Danilio Gallinari (6^th pick)

Why: Because he isn't Joe Alexander? Gallinari was a highly touted prospect who really isn't looked at as a success. Why? I am not sure. He didn't perform well as a rookie in New York but steadily improved his numbers to the point that he was a key centerpiece on the New York side in a trade that brought the Knicks Carmelo Anthony. If it had not been for him and his consistency, the Knicks may have not had the assets to bring in Melo. Since then, he has been a leader in a generally decent Nuggets organization and just had his best year as a scorer and one of his best as a rebounder and passer. 

Pick 9: Charlotte Bobcats

Who they took: DJ Augustin

Who they should have took: Nicholas Batum (25^th pick)

Why: Batum came into the league with a lot of hype from Europe. He has been a critical piece for the thriving Trail Blazers and the Bobcats were still searching for a personality. And DJ Augustin wasn't it. Batum would have come in and immediately been a young prime time scorer at a time when Charlotte was relying heavily on a seemingly ever changing rotation of veterans who were not reliable in the long term.

Pick 10: New Jersey Nets

Who they took: Brook Lopez

Who they should have took: Goran Dragic (45^th pick)

Why: His production in the last two years is why I would see Dragic soar to this spot. While Deron Williams has been great in New Jersey/Brooklyn, could you imagine a world where they didn't need him and could spend his money elsewhere (hello Carmelo?). Dragic's assist per game went down last year, but only to see his scoring clip surpass 20 ppg and his shooting percentage soar above .500.

Pick 11: Indiana Pacers

Who they took: Jerryd Bayless (traded to Blazers)

Who they should have took: Roy Hibbert (17^th pick and keep the pick)

Why: The Pacers ended up with Hibbert anyway, but you actually need to make this choice earlier. Yes, he faltered a lot this past postseason, but he is still over 7-feet with a huge upside. His inconsistency keeps him out of the top 10, but his size and ability (if he ever fully uses it) make him a guy you absolutely have to take here and Indiana is way better off with him than had they gone in any other direction in 2008 with this pick.

Pick 12: Sacramento Kings

Who they took: Jason Thompson

Who they should have took: Courtney Lee (22^nd pick)

Why: Lee is a steady scorer to come off a bench. He's already been with five teams and will probably always be a journeyman add-on in trade. But he still fills his role no matter where he goes and that is really all you can ask most of the time from anyone picked outside the top 10.

Pick 13: Portland Trail Blazers

Who they took: Brandon Rush (traded to Pacers)

Who they should have took: Michael Beasley (2^nd pick and trade the pick)

Why: Beasley isn't a bad player, he's just a role player in the league and not the star that Miami wanted or that he was at Kansas State. But let's face facts, there is a huge difference between Kansas State and the NBA. But his biggest detriment are six off the court issues, including being kicked out of the rookie camp shortly after the draft. On the court, he could fill a void in Portland and give them more of an edge, both then and now.

Pick 14: Golden State Warriors

Who they took: Anthony Randolph

Who they should have took: Serge Ibaka (24^th pick)

Why: Ibaka has ended up being what Golden State thought they were getting originally in Randolph. He's a shot blocking machine, already leading the NBA in blocks on two separate occasions and his rebound and scoring numbers are often on the increase.

Pick 15: Phoenix Suns

Who they took: Robin Lopez

Who they should have took: Mario Chalmers (34^th pick)

Why: Chalmers probably didn't need the 'big three' yelling at him for years in Miami while being relegated to the bench in favor of Norris Cole. Phoenix has been without a real point guard since Steve Nash and today they could really use a nice point guard. Meanwhile, the lesser Lopez has been nothing but trade fodder.