Tough, Tough Task. Of Cal's 33 Recruits, Build Your Best 6 Teams

[Darryl]

I am going to include this year's recruits and place them where I THINK they would rank. Check out some
of these teams and it is an amazing run. I also moved some players around because Cal's guys are so versatile:

1st Team
Center Cousins
PF Anthony Davis
SF MKG
PG Wall
SG Aaron Harrison

2nd Team
Center Karl Towns
PF Randle
SF Young
PG Knight
SG Lamb

3rd Team
Center Noel
PF Trey Lyles
SF Terrence Jones
PG Bledsoe
SG Devin Booker

4th Team
Center Dakari Johnson
PF WCS
SF Poythress
PG Andrew Harrison
SG Archie Goodwin

5th Team
Center Orton
PF Kanter
SF Hood
PG Teague
SG Dodson

6th Team
Center Marcus Lee
PF Wiltjer
SF Willis
PG Ulis
SG Harrow

Stand by: Vargas, Poole, Dom Hawkins

Not too bad: 17 x top 10 recruits, 24 x 5*, 20 McDonald's AA....in 6 recruiting classes.

Darryl

[KeithKSR]

I'd like to see the '14 class in action a few games as collegians before placing them on teams.

[UKFlounder]

Right now, I'd put Bledsoe and/or Lamb ahead of Aaron Harrsion, I think.

[ukpumacat]

As of now, I would put Knight in at SG ahead of Aaron H. And Lamb would be right there as well. Noel would for sure be on my 2nd team ahead of Towns. It is freaking amazing how many great bigs Cal has had.

[UKHistory]

Doron is my first team addition in replace of Aaron. Doron was money. He was not in a position to hit game winners--but he would have.

From an individual talent standpoint I am not sure Cal will ever have more talent than his first team. That 2010 group will always be special to me.

What a great holiday discussion.

[uklandrn]

Have to agree with you guys who put Doron ahead of Aaron. He was money from outside and to me was just a more complete player. Not saying Aaron won't become that guy - but at this stage he isn't yet.

[GhettoBird]

I think I would put Doron on the first team as well. I think he was very underated as a defensive player.

[Darryl]

Guys, we saw Doron for 2 seasons. Just watch Aaron this season. He will be the best 2 guard in college basketball.

Darryl

[Darrell KSR]

Guys, we saw Doron for 2 seasons. Just watch Aaron this season. He will be the best 2 guard in college basketball.

Darryl

Aaron deserves that consideration. Doron hitting nearly 50% both seasons from 3 point area, however, will be tough to surpass. Aaron and his tourney heroics have him off to a good start.

[Krank]

I'll play. Just for kicks (and SOME clarity), I chose to bolden in purple where the teams I picked vary from those Darryl picked, regardless of positioning.

I say it goes a little something like this...

and altered by the evil Krank...

1st Team
C Cousins
PF Anthony Davis
SF MKG
PG Wall
SG Bledsoe

2nd Team
C Noel
PF Randle
SF Jones
PG Knight
SG Aaron H.

3rd Team
C Dakari J.
PF Towns
SF Young
PG Andrew H.
SG Lamb

4th Team
C Cauley-Stein
PF Kanter
SF Lyles
PG Teague
SG Goodwin

5th Team
C Lee
PF Wiltjer
SF Poythress
PG Ulis
SG Booker

6th Team
C Orton
PF Willis
SF Dodson
PG Harrow
SG Hawkins

Stand by: Hood, Vargas, Poole

On the one hand, it's not fair to the kids who haven't played, but more fun to guess where they will be. On the other hand, I still can't get COMPLETELY past knowing less about them and more about the vets, thus my guesses are mostly conservative when it comes to the Freshmen. Also, I am going somewhat by how some players have matured, while at UK or in the league, and just thinking of HOW good some of these guys will get. In other words, if I could pick a team with the caveat that ALL of them are at the peaks of their games, the above is what I would come up with.

Although I understand the arguments for Lamb being higher, I think he benefits a bit from being with the most cohesive team possibly in UK history, i.e., his stats would not have been quite as good had he been, say, in Goodwin's position, coming in with THAT group, instead of getting to play with Davis and MKG. Either way, I have little problem with Lamb even being on the first team due to all he accomplished. To me, Bledsoe is STILL the best "2-guard" we have had. It's just that we didn't see the WHOLE Bledsoe he would eventually become.

Noel has to get the nod at C on the 2nd team. Not sure I have ever seen ONE player more important to the success of ONE team more than Noel was. I love Towns, but it's harder for me to "see" what he will become. Can't wait to find out though. I also prefer him at PF, but a minor point. I also could not place Young ahead of Jones at this point. Terrence always seems a year behind where we think he will be. Happened in college and now in the league. Kid had a terrific year for the Rockets. Young is good and could be VERY good, but I think he lags behind TJ, strictly based on fundamentals. Once Young improves on those, it could be different.

I like Darryl's optimism on Booker and everything I read about him sounds great, but in a relative sense, I know "less" about him than the other three Freshmen, so I couldn't put him above guards like Andrew H., Goodwin, and Teague. If he rates better than them in a few years, I will be VERY happy with him. I also put Hawkins on the last team. Just a feeling as to how much and how important his contributions will one day be vs. those of Hood, whom I love.

Tough choices in any event, but a fun thread. Thanks Darryl!