Saw this on the UL board and had to chuckle:
[b]Bartow's Top 10 players by position for the upcoming 2004-05 ***Projections based more on how players will accel in the upcoming season and not simply on past achievements. Players are listed by the position they play in college, not by pro projection.Centers
Honorable Mention: Elton Brown, 6’9’’, Sr., Virginia; Torin Francis, 6’10’’, Jr., Notre Dame; Jason Fraser, 6’9’’, Jr., Villanova; Paul Davis, 6’11’’, Jr., Michigan State; Mike Wilkinson, 6’8’’, Sr., Wisconsin; LaMarcus Alridge, 7’0’’, Fr., Texas; Martin Iti, 7’0’’, Soph., UNC-Charlotte; Rob Little, 6’10’’, Sr., Stanford; Amit Tamir, 6’11’’, Sr., Cal; Glen “Big Baby” Davis, 6’8’’, Fr., LSU.
10. Luke Schenscher, 7’1’’, Sr., Georgia Tech - His development gives the perimeted-oriented Yellow Jackets some type of offensive balance. Should form a nice inside duo with incoming recuit, Ra’Shaun Dickey.
9. Eric Williams, 6’9’’, Jr., Wake Forest - Animal on the boards if he can keep weight down and out of foul trouble. Will be top post player on one of the nation’s elite teams.
8. Matt Nelson, 7’0’’, Sr., Colorado State - Will be a treat to watch late Monday nights.
7. Josh Boone, 6’10’’, Soph., UCONN - Energetic, skilled force on the boards. Will backbone the Huskies attempt to defend their title.
6. Channing Frye, 6’10’’, Sr., Arizona - Where did he go last year? Was a double-double machine as a soph. Needs to bounce back for Arizona to matter again.
5. Chris Taft, 6’10’’, Soph., Pitt - Pitt will again roll to an outstanding record, much in part to his progress!
4. Randolph Morris, 7’0’’, Fr., Kentucky - Could have the biggest - literally - impact of any freshman in the nation!
3. Sean May, 6’8’’, Jr., North Carolina - Has focused on improving his strength, conditioning and speed! Results have already shown as he averaged a double-double in leading the USA to a gold medal in the 21-and-under games.
2. Shelden Williams, 6’9’’, Jr., Dook - “She-Will” is a force on the blocks. Will get 17 ppg and 9 rbp game. The only thing holding him back is Dook’s launch-it style.
- Ronny Turiaf, 6’10’’, Sr., Gonzaga - Few in the country play with more passion or more efficiently. Will get even more touches and should put up some monster numbers!
Power Forwards
Honorable Mention: Jawad Williams, 6’8’’, Sr., North Carolina; Charlie Villanueva, 6’10’’, Soph., UCONN; Dennis Latimore, 6’8’’, Sr., Notre Dame; Roger Powell, 6’6’’, Sr., Illinois; Linas Kleinza, 6’8’’, Soph., Missouri; Brad Buckman, 6’8’’, Jr., Texas; Kevin Bookout, 6’8’’, Jr., Oklahoma; Jason Maxiell, 6’7’’, Sr., Cincinnati; Andrew Bogut, 6’10’’, Soph., Utah; Odartney Blankson, 6’7’’, Sr., UNLV; Leon Powe, 6’8’’, Soph., Cal; David Lee, 6’9’’, Sr., Florida.
10. Brandon Bass, 6’8’’, Soph., LSU - Made a wise decision not to leave early. Will be the backbone of one of the naiton’s elite frontcourts in Baton Rouge.
9. Vytas Danelius, 6’9’’, Sr., Wake Forest - My call for “comeback” player of the year after a dissapointing Jr. campaign filled with inconsistency, injury and fouls.
8. Craig Smith, 6’7’’, Jr., Boston College - A load that will have to carry his team’s scoring like Danya Abrams of yester-year.
7. Marvin Williams, 6’9’’, Fr., North Carolina - He is good. Actually he is really, really good. A solid-character kid that can score from all over.
6. Chuck Hayes, 6’6’’, Sr., Kentucky - The heart and soul of the Wildcats.
5. Ike Diogu, 6’8’’, Jr., Arizona State - Should return to the dominant flashes he showed as freshman!
4. Ryan Gomes, 6’7’’, Sr., Providence - Will be the focal point of every defense he faces! Can he possibly repeat the great year he had a year ago?
3. Hakim Warrick, 6’8’’, Sr., Syracuse - Few players get more touches throughout a game and few others make dunking look so effortless. His return puts the Orange back in the top 10.
2. Lawrence Roberts, 6’9’’, Sr., Mississippi State - SEC player of the year - again!?!?
- Wayne Simien, 6’9’’, Sr., Kansas - Absolute force on the mid-to-low blocks. Makes Self’s high-low system thrive.
Wing Forwards
Honorable Mention: Chevon Troutman, 6’7’’, Sr., Pitt; Curtis Sumpter, 6’7’’, Jr., Villanova; Alan Anderson, 6’6’’, Sr., Michigan State; Alando Tucker, 6’5’’, Soph., Wisconsin; Antoine Wright, 6’7’’, Jr., Texas A&M; Demario Eddins, 6’7’’, Jr., UAB; Dijon Thompson, 6’7’’, Sr., UCLA; Kelenna Azubuike, 6’5’’, Jr., Kentucky, Kennedy Winston, 6’6’’, Jr., Alabama.
10. Steve Novak, 6’10’’, Jr., Marquette - Quite possibly the 3-point shooting frontcourt player in the nation!
9. Adam Morrison, 6’8’’, Soph., Gonzaga - His scoring numbers should blow through the roof now that he is option #2.
8. Matt Walsh, 6’6’’, Jr., Florida - Great passer and slick ball handler. Now just if he can guard anyone?
7. Rudy Gay, 6’8’’, Fr., UCONN - Will be UCONN’s “next star.” Should start and make a giant impact from day one!
6. Sean Banks, 6’8’’, Soph., Memphis - Chalk down 20 ppg minimum.
5. Keith Langford, 6’4’’, Sr., Kansas - Great slasher who plays with high energy. Was kind of dissapointing a year ago going from a fast-break offense to more of a slow-down approach. Could be playing for the nation’s #1 ball club!?!
4. Nik Caner-Medley, 6’8’’, Jr., Maryland - An absolute warrior! Tough on the boards and makes clutch shots! The Terps will bounce back into the nation’s top 10 this year while playing in easily the country’s best conference again.
3. Joey Graham, 6’7’’, Sr., Oklahoma State - Stud. His stock is going up and up baby.
2. Hassan Adams, 6’4’’, Jr., Arizona - Won’t have to play out of position at the 4 this year, so his game should thrive. Maybe the most explosive finisher in the country - wait, he probably is.
- Francisco Garcia, 6’7’’, Jr., Louisville - Ultra smooth and so versatile. Will be the emotion backbone of the Cards return to the top dozen teams in the land.
Shooting Guards
Honorable Mention: Rashad Anderson, 6’5’’, Soph., UCONN; Chris Hill, 6’3’’, Sr., Michigan State; Shannon Brown, 6’3’’, Soph., Michigan State; Joe Crawford, 6’3’’, Fr., Kentucky.
10. Bracey Wright, 6’3’’, Jr., Indiana - If Indiana gets back to the dance it will be because of him raising the level of not only his game, but everyone’s performance around him.
9. Dee Brown, 6’0’’, Jr., Illinois - Gunner. Part of one of the top 5 best backcourts in the nation. The Illini will be the Big 10 title hunt all year long without a doubt.
8. Salim Stoudamire, 6’1’’, Sr., Arizona - Loves - and hits - the big shot. But just like the rest of the Arizona program, he dissappeared last year. Needs a big bounce-back year and should get it with the addition of much-needed depth and size of the ‘Cats roster.
7. B.J. Elder, 6’4’’, Sr., Georgia Tech - One of the nation’s best outside shooters in a system that allows him to jack it up. Will be the third guard (along with Jack and Will Bynum) as Jackets will be playing with expectations for the first time in recent memory.
6. J.J. Redick, 6’4’’, Jr., Dook - One dimensional 3-point shooter. Nothing more, nothing less.
5. Daniel Ewing, 6’3’’, Sr., Dook - The do-it-all force for the Blue Devils this year and the playmaker that will make things go for them.
4. Gerry McNamara, 6’2’’, Jr., Syracuse - Very streaky gunner who should thrive with less ball-handling duties and the maturation of ‘Cuse depth.
3. J.R. Giddens, 6’5’’, Soph., Kansas - Explosive! Replaced Langford and the Jayhawks go-to threat on the perimeter.
2. Rashad McCants, 6’4’’, Jr., North Carolina - Led the ACC in first-team all-league votes. Could finally be able to play his natural position.
- Julius Hodge, 6’6’’, Sr., North Carolina State - Proven playmaker that will need to carry even more of a burden for his team to have a shot at cracking the top 5 - in the ACC.
Point Guards
Honorable Mention: Chris Thomas, 6’1’’, Sr., Notre Dame; Deron Williams, 6’3’’, Jr., Illinois; Daniel Horton, 6’3’’, Jr., Michigan; Daniel Gibson, 6’3’’, Fr., Texas; Taquan Dean, 6’3’’, Jr., Louisville; Darius Washington, 6’0’’, Fr., Memphis; Aaron Brooks, 5’11’’, Soph., Oregon; Anthony Roberson, 6’1’’, Jr., Florida; C.J. Watson, 6’2’’, Jr., Tennessee.
10. Aaron Miles, 6’1’’, Sr., Kansas - Few people have as many weapons to go-to than him. Will be the heart beat for one of the nation’s top 3 teams.
9. Carl Krauser, 6’2’’, Jr., Pitt - The rock on both ends for again one of the nation’s top defensive ball clubs.
8. Nate Robinson, 5’8’’, Jr., Washington - Ok, he is the most explosive player in the country. Will lead the Huskies to the big dance and give them their best of winning the PAC-10 in ages.
7. John Lucas III, 5’11’’, Sr., Oklahoma State - Clutch. A gamer.
6. Mustafa Shakur, 6’3’’, Soph., Arizona - His stock will soar as Arizona’s bounces back.
5. John Gilchrist, 6’3’’, Jr., Maryland - Same as Shakur.
4. Travis Diener, 6’1’’, Sr., Marquette - Plays for the worst team of any of the top 10 point guards. Great leader, shooter. Imagine if he had any help down low!?!
3. Jarret Jack, 6’3’’, Jr., Georgia Tech - Solid as they great. The buzz should be back among the nation’s top 10 and he will the reason why as the team’s top player.
2. Chris Paul, 6’0’’, Soph., Wake Forest - Same can be said for Paul, too.
- Raymond Felton, 6’1’’, Jr., North Carolina - Unselfish burner. His scoring will increase this year as he commands the nation’s top scoring offense in their quest to win the national championship and complete his destiny.[/b]
Hmmm… an Iti mention, but no Curtis Withers? And who the heck is UNC-Charlotte?
This hack might want to brush up on some job-related reading. I suggest:
