I Knew He'd Make It!

Wow, who knew? CNNSI knows what's up. Best rankings I've seen yet on Free Agents.

Break Down: NBA Draft Edition

In this post, I've taken an in-depth look at this year's NBA Draft. Here's what you'll find...

> My Top 3 at each position

> Potential Sleeper ("What A Steal")

> A player I feel may be getting attention, but that GM's should avoid selecting ("Steer Clear From")

> A player who may not be in most "Mock Drafts" but could/should sneak into Draft Night ("Off The Beaten Trail")

Wally'z World Best Available Board

Point Guards

1) EVAN TURNER - 6'7, 217 - Ohio State

2) JOHN WALL - 6'4, 195 - Kentucky

3) ARMON JOHNSON - 6'3, 195 - Nevada

What A Steal: SHERRON COLLINS - 5'11, 215 - Kansas : After watching Collins closely for the last 4 seasons, there is no question in my mind he has what it takes to play at the next level. He truly became a leader and was a better decision maker on the floor this past year. He seems to always make the shots when they count and, despite his size, can finish in traffic. If he can step up his work ethic off the court and improve his defense, I believe he can be a steal in this draft (seeing as he's projected in the late 2nd round).

Steer Clear From: MATT BOULDIN - 6'5, 214 - Gonzaga : While Bouldin has a definite feel for the game and the leadership and intelligence to be a capable guard at the next level, he lacks the athleticism to compete with the world's elite. In the NBA, that's basically all that needs to be said to know the upside isn't as bright as some may think for Bouldin. See fellow Zags star Adam Morrison.

Off The Beaten Trail: MARQUEZ HAYNES - 6'3, 185 - UT Arlington : Aggressive and intense are two words you'll find when watching Haynes. He has a real knack for finding a way to the ball in the basket. He's still appears fairly raw, but with some talented NBA coaching, he could become a Rodney Stuckey type player. Just look at his performance against Michigan State.

Shooting Guards

1) JAMES ANDERSON - 6'6, 195 - Oklahoma State

2) XAVIER HENRY - 6'6, 220 - Kansas

3) DOMINIQUE JOHNSON - 6'4, 215 - South Florida

What A Steal: LANCE STEPHENSON - 6'5, 210 - Cincinnati : Had the rule that a player had to attend at least one year of college before entering the NBA Draft never existed, Stephenson would have likely been an overwhelming favorite as a lottery choice. So before his first, and only season, at Cincy, the question that needed to be answered was could he play a teammate role instead of a superstar. In my opinion, he showed he was able to be coached and be a wonderful compliment to more experienced players. He still has the talent and drive and believe it or not, I like his potential now with a year of college maturity under his belt than I did directly out of high school.

Steer Clear From: AVERY BRADLEY - 6'2, 180 - Texas : Unlike Stephenson, Bradley's one and only season may have hurt him more than help him. As a point guard, his indecisiveness was apparent and overshadowed his amazing scoring abilities at times. Because of that, we found he's much better at an off guard position. However at only 6'2, it will be hard convincing GM's that he will still be a scoring threat against the larger likes of say Kobe Bryant, Ray Allen, and Jason Richardson- to name Conference Finals representatives.

Off The Beaten Trail: PATRICK CHRISTOPHER - 6'5, 210 - California : The knock I seem to find with Christopher at the next level is that he tend to shy away from contact and avoids traffic. If given the chance to perform with a back-court teammate his opposite or a small forward willing to do the dirty work, Christopher can excel where he's strongest- with a good mid-range and outside shooting game. If that happens, I can see him developing nicely.

Small Forwards

1) AL-FAROUQ AMINU - 6'8, 220 - Wake Forest

2) WESLEY JOHNSON - 6'7, 205 - Syracuse

3) PAUL GEORGE - 6'8, 210 - Fresno State

What A Steal: LUKE BABBITT - 6'8, 220 - Nevada : As a night owl, I'm often one of the few people in middle America who find time to tune into those late Pacific match-ups. So over the course of the last few seasons, I've become accustomed to the Nevada Wolfpack, who's success has found them on television more often than not. That success is largely due to Babbitt's court presence. He could easily be the 2nd best small forward on my board had he not been blessed with the mindset and frame of a combo forward. Nevertheless, if he can guard with the elite at this position during workouts, he should slide up. He can handle, he rebounds, he shoots, he defends. The kid is an all around player and likely won't move all the way into the lottery (where he may belong). Because of this, he's a big time steal.

Steer Clear From: GORDON HAYWARD - 6'8, 210 - Butler : Another year would have fit Hayward's game better, but you have to go when the money calls and right now the Bulldog's demand is at an all-time high. However, this may be a case of television hype more than anything else. Maybe I'm crazy but Hayward's game is a collegiate gold mine... and an NBA coal shoot. I just can't see him transitioning past a defensive substitution on a team's bench.

Off The Beaten Trail: TYREN JOHNSON - 6'8, 204 - Louisiana Lafayette : He's a natural scorer and isn't afraid to bang on the inside. I like the fact that when he was counted upon to be the go-to player for the Cajuns this last season, he embraced it and improved all his numbers drastically. He's a high percentage player who will fill stat cards across the line. Versatility is his strong point.

Power Forwards

1) DERRICK FAVORS - 6'9, 246 - Georgia Tech

2) ED DAVIS - 6'9, 225 - North Carolina

3) GREG MONROE - 6'10, 247 - Georgetown

What A Steal: CRAIG BRACKINS - 6'10, 230 - Iowa State : Okay, let's get one thing straight right off the bat- Brackins will never be a "Power" Forward. Any team drafting him with the idea of bulking him up and getting him with more of a paint mentality will not get the full potential Brackins has to offer. If team's decide to stick to his game and allow him to work from the outside-in, he could be the biggest steal in the entire draft (considering I've had trouble finding him on any mocks). I admire his leadership and intelligence on the court. He has a unique way of finding openings in defenses and creates for himself extremely well. If he can improve his defense and hit the boards a little more often, I see the possibility of a more physical Rashard Lewis.

Steer Clear From: TINY GALLON/LUKE HARANGODY - Oklahoma/Notre Dame : This may be the position with most rotten eggs in the basket. There are a lot of risks and none are bigger (in more ways than one) than these two. To save time on knocking what both do poorly, just know: steer clear.

Off The Beaten Trail: TREVOR BOOKER - 6'7, 245 - Clemson : I fell in love with Booker's game when I watched an up and coming Clemson squad show promise in the 2008 season. He's a workhorse and will battle down low. As a center at times in college, he often found himself against bigger competition and still found ways to score, but more importantly, grab rebounds. That is exactly what he'll be looked upon in the NBA. Imagine DeJuan Blair without quite a scoring touch. Either way, he could be an asset off the bench for a team lacking a "hustle big man".

Centers

1) HASSAN WHITESIDE - 7'0, 235 - Marshall

2) LARRY SANDERS - 6'10, 235 - VCU

3) COLE ALDRICH - 6'11, 245 - Kansas

What A Steal: HAMADY NDIAYE - 7'0, 240 - Rutgers : I was only able to see Rutgers a few times on television this last season but each time I was more impressed with Ndiaye than superstar teammates Mike Rosario and former Knight Greg Echenique. This kid is an absolute freak. If he had a more consistent offensive game to speak of, he might be up on my board along side fellow athletic big man Larry Sanders. The upside is through the roof, in my opinion, with Ndiaye. He's a defensive beast around the rim and flies up and down the court for being 7-feet. I still don't know if a team will take a chance on him in the 2nd round, but honestly, watch the UNC game and tell me why not.

Steer Clear From: DeMARCUS COUSINS - 6'11, 280 - Kentucky : He's a head case with poor work ethic off the court. I see him quickly becoming frustrated by the more talented big men around him in the NBA. His defense is beyond poor but people haven't seen it yet because he's gotten away with so much due to his sheer size. He has nearly no offensive game outside of 2 feet. A ticking time bomb waiting to explode on the team that drafts him. Good luck.

Off The Beaten Trail: JEFF FOOTE - 7'0, 265 - Cornell : While not outrageously athletic or superior at any particular part of his game, Foote showed he can get it done when turned to in the NCAA Tournament. He's had success against the likes of Cole Aldrich, Arinze Onuwaku, Jon Leuer, and (to an extent) DeMarcus Cousins. He's a big body who can spell another center for however long a coach needs because of his instincts and intelligence. In the NBA, that can be utilized more than one might think.

My Super Six : Realigning Collegiate Conferences

With all this talk of movement among universities to respective sports conferences, it's finally time to make the inevitable happen: creating super conferences.
Like it or not, the stress and worries will only continue until massive conferences are created, crushing rivalries and affiliations every decade or so.
With this assumption, it was time for me to evaluate some universities and based on geographic location, potential revenue, and the opportunity of insightful rivalries, I've concocted what I'm calling "The Super Six".
Take a look for yourself and feel free to voice your opinion.

Pacific Conference

North Division
- Boise State
- Fresno State
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Oregon State
- UNLV
- Washington
- Washington State
South Division
- Arizona
- Arizona State

- BYU
- California
- Stanford
- UCLA
- USC

- Utah

Great Plains Conference

North Division

- Colorado

- Iowa

- Iowa State

- Kansas

- Kansas State

- Minnesota

- Missouri

- Nebraska

South Division

- Arkansas

- Baylor

- Oklahoma

- Oklahoma State

- TCU

- Texas

- Texas A&M

- Texas Tech

Great Lakes Conference

East Division
- Cincinnati
- Marshall
- Michigan
- Michigan State
- Ohio State
- Penn State
- Pittsburgh
- West Virginia
West Division
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Louisville
- Northwestern
- Notre Dame
- Purdue
- Wisconsin

Atlantic Conference

North Division

- Boston College

- Maryland

- Rutgers

- Syracuse

- Temple

- UCONN

- UMass

- Villanova

South Division

- Clemson
- Duke
- North Carolina
- North Carolina State

- South Carolina

- Virginia

- Virginia Tech

- Wake Forest

Gulf Coast Conference

East Division
- East Carolina
- Florida
- Florida State
- Georgia
- Georgia Tech
- Miami
- South Florida

- UCF
West Division
- Alabama
- Auburn
- LSU
- Memphis
- Mississippi
- Mississippi State
- Tennessee
- Vanderbilt

** Basketball Only Conference **

Big East League

- Butler

- Charlotte

- Dayton

- Depaul

- Georgetown

- Marquette

- Providence

- Rhode Island

- Richmond

- Seton Hall

- St. Johns

- Xavier

Noteworthy Teams Left Without Major Conference Affiliation

- Colorado State

- Houston

- San Diego State

- Tulsa

- UTEP

Big XII vs. Big East

Big East- 12 of 16 teams have been ranked or have received votes for AP Top 25 from Week 1

Big XII- 9 of 12 teams have been ranked or have received votes for AP Top 25 from Week 1

Big East- 8 teams average over 75 points per game (11 average 70+)

Big XII- 9 teams average over 75 points per game (11 average 70+)

Big East- 1o teams hold opponents under 65 points per game

Big XII- 7 teams hold opponents under 65 points per game

Big East- 20 players average more than 15 points per game

Big XII- 13 players average more than 15 points per game

Big East- Average strength of schedule: 5.643 from RealTimeRPI (#1 conference)

Big XII- Average strength of schedule: 5.192 from RealTimeRPI (#9 conference)

Big East- 14 teams with Top100 RPI (3 Lowest- 135: Depaul, 131: Rutgers, 89: Seton Hall)

Big XII- 9 teams with Top100 RPI (3 Lowest- 190: Colorado, 144: ISU, 114: OU)

Big East- 8 teams in KenPom's Top50 / 4 teams are 80th or below

Big XII- 7 teams in KenPom's Top50 / 4 teams are 80th or below

Big 12 North's Top Prospects

While signings aren't completely finished... actually they're probably not even close to being finished, I still thought it would be fun to look at some of the best players at each position in an attempt to forecast the 2010 season. 

Since I live on Rivals (and work for them) I feel somewhat qualified to make these selections. It will be interesting to see how these recruits, along with a number of others not mentioned, turn out once they hit the D-1 gridiron this summer. 

Here's my look at the top players coming into the Big 12 North.

QB: James Franklin (Missouri) > I'm with Jeremy Crabtree of Rivals.com on this one. Franklin is a true talent at this position and has all the tools to be a threat on the ground and through the air at the next level. His collected presence in an often times shrinking pocket particularly stands out to me on film. Too bad for James he'll have to fight with the Gabbert brothers for playing time.

RB: DeMarcus Robinson (Kansas State) > While Nebraska fans might be upset at this selection do to the fact that they just picked up a monster com

mitment in Braylon Heard from Ohio, Robinson is the man here. His vision and cutting ability alone have left K-Staters drooling since April. His speed would compliment nicely with Daniel Thomas in next year's backfield had the Wildcats not brought in some talent at this position in the '09 class. Look for Robinson to red-shirt and make his impact in the '11 season.

WR: Ricki Herod Jr. (Kansas) / Marcus Lucas (Missouri) > This was a particularly tough decision for me, so I decided to take the easy route and choose 2 players. Herod lacks the breakaway speed at the next level, but his hands stood out to me on film; very soft and like glue. He also uses his body very nicely to shield off defenders and make use of his leaping abilities. Lucas is a giant threat at the outside standing 6'5". He's a prototype Missouri wide receiver and has surprisingly good speed. If he can add some weight to his frame and show more of a physical threat along with his finesse, he could be yet another great Tiger player. However, if Lucas doesn't work out, Missouri is blessed to have a dark horse: Jimmie Hunt. He could be a special freshman as well.

TE: Ricky Howard (Iowa State) > The Cyclones finally made a return to respectability this season and don't think it hasn't made an impact with recruits. Howard is a solid mix of strength and consistency. He's not the fastest guy in the world, but you can send him out to make simple catches. He's not the biggest guy either, but he blocks surprisingly well and uses his feet aga

inst sometimes larger ends.

OL: Mike Moudy (Nebraska) / Jemarcus Hardrick (Nebraska) > Take your pick Husker fans because you've got some really good lineman headlining a talented '10 class. Hardrick is the clear cut choice and is a mammoth tackle. He's still a little raw and has gotten away with using his size alone at the JUCO level. Moudy is the sleeper here though. His hands and lower body strength caught my attention initially. Constantly makes sure he's in the right position against his defensive foes and I think he could be a productive guard or tackle at the next level. 

DE: Geneo Grissom (Kansas) > While Grissom isn't 100% on board with the Jayhawks since the firing of Mark Mangino, fans in Lawrence are praying he sticks around and for good reason. Grissom was a standout on the standout team in Kansas (Hutchinson). He has an amazing frame to work with at the next level and has a quickness off the edge that is fun to watch for a kid his size. The sky is the limit for Grissom. 

DT: Chase Rome (Nebraska) > Wildcat fans may not like me for this choice, but I like what Rome brings to the table. Don't get me wrong, Javonta Boyd could easily slide in here, but Rome gets the nod for more than just his strength. The Rock Bridge product shoots out of his stance like a cannon, making it difficult for offensive lineman to pick him up off the snap. When they do manage to get a hold of him, he drives them backwards with his

 lower body, nearly always disrupting the quarterback's rhythm in the process. 

LB: Jeremiah George (Iowa State) / Laton Dowling (Kansas State) > Yet another tough decision at linebacker. Both George and Dowling are two of the least talked about prospects, not only on their individual squads, but also in the North. George's vision gets him on the list. There are plenty of linebackers who appear impressive on film simply because they're always blitzing. However it was George who got my nod because of his ability to track down the ball in spy and coverage situations. He also shares a talent with the future Wildcat Dowling in that their closing speed is phenomenal. Dowling stands 6'4" and could easily be made into a defensive end. However it's what he does in the open field that makes him so appealing at linebacker. He could be the next Mark Simoneau if he puts his mind to it. 

CB: Dave Clark (Kansas) > No disrepsect to Clark, but this wasn't much of a unit for the North all around. There are a number of defensive back commitments, but none are really spectacular. Clark impressed me with his ability to disrupt his opponent. He may not intercept it or even get a piece of the ball while defending a receiver, but he does enough to make sure they don't come down with the catch. His size and arms are similar to another Jayhawk - Aqib Talib. Now if only Kansas can keep him locked in Lawrence. 

S: Harvey Jackson (Nebraska) > So far, there are no safeties committed to any North team. Yet when you watch Harvey Jackson on film, it's pretty clear the Huskers have plans to put on some weight and potential have him fill the void left by Larry Asante. Jackson patrols the last line of defense like a snake and seemingly always knows where the QB is throwing. He's definitely more of an interception threat than a hard nosed hitter, but with a little time in the weight room, things could change.

ATH: Donnie Duncan (Colorado) > Don't think I'm choosing Duncan only so every North team can be represented. No, no, no. This kid could be the surprise of the entire division come '10. The Buffs could use him either at wide receiver or corner and that's because of his distinctive athletic ability. On offense, his breaks off the line of scrimmage are marveling and while his routes could be crisper, he makes sure to catch the ball. On defense, it's his feet once again that are most impressive, sticking with defenders all around the field. I really like the idea of having Duncan on the turf in some way, shape, or form if I'm Dan Hawkins.

Oops!

Nobody's perfect, but my goodness, after 6 months the worldwide leader in sports still can't remember who coaches the great and all-mighty Kentucky?

Way To Go Tigers!

Another coaching vacancy filled with a motivated, qualified, blue and grey blooded mastermind. Let's do this!

LARRY PORTER