Dancing Phoenix

Last March, I was driving home from work listening to JMV, one of the sports talk radio shows in Indiana. One of his guests on the show was Linc Darner, the head coach of the Florida Southern Mocs, who had just led his team to the Division II championship. Little did I know, just a few weeks later, Darner would be named the head coach of Green Bay to replace Brian Wardle, who accepted the head coaching job at Bradley.

I liked the hiring. There is a lot of basketball talent in the state of Indiana, and Darner could help with recruiting in that area since he was a Purdue player in the 1990s. I also liked the style of play he would bring to the table. Recruits love playing in this style and I think he would thrive coaching in a mid-major program like Green Bay. Darner has also won everywhere he has been, which was also a big plus.

However, Green Bay has had major heartbreak the previous three years in the conference tournament. I was beginning to think the Phoenix was a cursed program, constantly getting its heart broken and not having made the big dance in 20 years. Darner had to come in and try to reverse the curse. It would also be a challenge for Darner to get the players to buy into his system after having played in a completely different one under Wardle. The system Darner calls RP40, which stands for Relentless Pressure for 40 minutes. The Phoenix also lost one of its top young players, Daeshon Francis, as well as its entire recruiting class.

I admit, after the first three games under Darner, I was unimpressed. The defense was downright awful, having given up more than 90 points in all three games and more than 100 in two of them. Yes, the team was scoring, but could not stop anyone. The defense was not watchable. Then, Green Bay trailed Division II Minnesota-Duluth 39-38 at halftime at home. Ugh. Green Bay turned it on in the second half and went onto win by 20. The second half output helped the Phoenix to 10 wins in the next 12 games.

After an 18-point loss to Oakland on February 13, the Phoenix stood at 7-6 in conference play, but had five games to end the year at the Resch Center. Green Bay went onto win four of the five. The one thing that changed was the Green Bay defense. If you include the postseason, the Phoenix allowed seven of the nine final opponents at 70 points or fewer. That is a far cry from the first three games of the season.

Green Bay entered the Horizon League Tournament as the No. 4 seed. Green Bay did not play well, but was able to get past Cleveland State. Going against Milwaukee, I honestly did not think Green Bay was going to win. Milwaukee is a talented team, led by senior Matt Tiby and one of the top assist men in the country, Jordan Johnson. After trailing 52-46, the Phoenix used a big run which would lead the Phoenix to 70-61 win.

That would bring the Phoenix to a rematch with Valparaiso. The Crusaders have been a major thorn in the side of Green Bay. Last year, it was Valpo that beat Green Bay in the conference championship and earn the auto bid. Three years ago, the two teams met in the semifinals. With Green Bay ahead by two and after an Alec Brown missed free throw, Valpo dribbled up the court and Ryan Broekhoff buried a fadeaway 3-pointer with a hand in his face to beat the Phoenix 70-69. Then, a week before this past game, Green Bay led by one late in the game, but Valpo's Shane Hammink hit a 3-pointer with two seconds left to break Green Bay's hearts again.

Going into the game, I thought Green Bay had no shot, personally. I know the Phoenix went toe-to-toe with the top seed the week before. But that was in Green Bay and a lot of people thought Valpo was a possible Sweet 16 sleeper. Sound familiar, Phoenix fans? Green Bay knows the feeling, having been the best team in the conference two years ago by a wide margin, but lost to Milwaukee in the semifinals. That Phoenix team and this Crusaders team are very comparable.

We thought it would happen again when Alec Peters caught a long pass and scored on a layup to send it into overtime. I thought Green Bay would be crushed in the overtime period. The Phoenix choked down the stretch during regulation and Valparaiso had all the momentum going into the extra session. But Green Bay showed tremendous heart and toughness in dominating the overtime period and leading the Phoenix to the upset win.

Going into the championship game, I know Wright State is a solid team, but there was just something about this Green Bay team that made me think the Phoenix were not going to lose. This was just a formality. It is like when the Boston Red Sox had terrible luck and could not get past the New York Yankees, but then in 2004 they slayed the beast, coming back from a 3-0 deficit to beat New York. It was just a formality that Boston would beat the St. Louis Cardinals.

Green Bay jumped out to a huge lead and dominated the game. The Phoenix led by as many as 19 points and much like the Valparaiso game, when Wright State tried to make a run to get back into the game, Green Bay always had a response. The Phoenix hits its free throws to seal the deal and make the long overdue trip back to the tournament.

It was cool to be on Twitter last night and see the congratulatory tweets by people such as former Green Bay standout and current Virginia head coach Tony Bennett, Packers WR Jordy Nelson and former Packers WR Donald Driver, not to mention a good luck tweet by two-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers.

I am an alum and a fan and I am still in shock. I can just imagine how seniors Carrington Love and Jordan Fouse feel. Coming so close the last two years makes this one really sweet. Not a bad way to go out. It is just a shame that Keifer Sykes was not on the team this year.

After 20 years of heartbreak, this one is special. After the game, I had so many thoughts flow through my mind. There was the Broekhoff 3-pointer. Then the loss to Milwaukee after a 16-2 conference season. And then there was loss to Valpo in the championship game after having a late lead last season. I think that having those heartbreaking endings makes this tournament win that much sweeter. Just incredible.

At the beginning of the season, I had my doubt with the style of play and the poor defensive performances. If you were to tell me after the 0-3 start that Green Bay would make the tournament, I would have thought you were crazy. It is a tribute to the coaching of Darner as well as the leadership of Love and Fouse. Green Bay has won eight of its last nine, with its only loss being the last-second loss to Valpo. The Phoenix is peaking at the right time and will be a tough out for whichever high seed Green Bay ends up playing.

This season, I have learned to trust the system. I cannot wait for RP40 to wreak havoc in the NCAA Tournament.

Gard for Big Ten Coach of the Year

On the last post I made about Greg Gard, I had said Gard was the right man for the job after Wisconsin had won three straight to claw back to an even 4-4 Big Ten record and 12-9 overall record. Since then, a lot has changed. Back then, Wisconsin was still not even close to being in the NCAA Tournament picture, despite wins over Michigan State and Indiana. Now, Wisconsin comes into the final weekend of the regular season at 20-10 overall and 12-5 in the Big Ten and are safely in the tournament field. The Badgers have won 11 of 12, with wins on the road against Maryland and Iowa in addition to Michigan State and Indiana. The only loss in the last dozen games was a 12-point setback in East Lansing against Michigan State.

What was a very shaky resume with losses to Western Illinois and Milwaukee at home and to Northwestern on the road has now turned into one of the strongest in the country. A lot of that has to do with the job that Gard has done. When he took over, Wisconsin was struggling to say the least. The Badgers had no offensive flow and the overworked starting unit was not producing. One of the first things Gard implemented when he took over was a transition back to the swing offense, which had been a trademark under Bo Ryan for many years. It took a bit to come together, but eventually the offense started to click. The non-existent bench was getting more playing time and producing. One game, it could be Jordan Hill, who has become a revelation under Gard after not having played much when Ryan was the coach. The next game, it could be Khalil Iverson, like against Iowa and the road game against Illinois. Another game it could be Alex Illikainen like against Penn State. In others, the starters carry most of the load.

Under Ryan earlier this year, the team relied solely on the combination of Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes, and they both were struggling, which is why Wisconsin was not playing well early on. To show you how much Wisconsin has come, in arguably the biggest win of the year at No, 2 Maryland, Koenig and Hayes shot a combined 8-for-25, but Wisconsin won going away, 70-57, being the only team to win at the Xfinity Center this year. Vitto Brown, who has also become a huge part of the winning streak, scored 21 points in the victory. Ethan Happ, the league's leader in steals, has also become a double-double machine and may end up being the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

A month and a half ago, nobody thought Wisconsin would be in the tournament, let alone end up in the top four of the conference like it had in every season under Ryan. Not only will that streak continue, but Wisconsin now has seven consecutive seasons of 12 wins in Big Ten play, the longest streak in the conference. Gard has turned this season around for the Badgers and with a win at Purdue Sunday night, Wisconsin will finish 13-5 in Big Ten play and tie for second in the Big Ten. Considering the shape of the team when he took over and the strength of his conference schedule, he should be a front-runner for not only the Big Ten Coach of the Year, but National Coach of the Year as well.

Indiana fans will bring up Tom Crean for both awards, as Indiana had to endure the loss of one of its top scorers, James Blackmon, Jr. as well as a tough start to the year, losing to a terrible Wake Forest team that is currently 2-16 in the ACC. However, it is no coincidence that Indiana's defense has improved greatly since his injury. Blackmon is terrible on defense to the point where people have thought of him as "lazy" on that end of the court. Yes, Blackmon is a terrific scorer, but his defense is so poor that it offsets his scoring he brings to the team.

Indiana also has a lot of weapons, even without Blackmon. Having a McDonald's All-Amercian in Thomas Bryant helps, as does having one of the best players in the conference in Yogi Ferrell. Indiana also has a number of solid role players, such as Colin Hartman, OG Anunoby, Robert Johnson and Max Bielfeldt. The cupboard was hardly bare.

Wisconsin had to replace three players who are now in the NBA as well as Traevon Jackson and the heart and soul of last year's team, Josh Gasser. Obviously it would take some time to gel without five of their top seven players from last year, but early in the season, Wisconsin was almost unrecognizable on offense. That was until Gard became the coach and went back to the swing.

Crean and Indiana also has benefited greatly from the unbalanced schedule in the Big Ten. Every Big Ten team plays five teams twice and eight teams once to make up the conference schedule. Most people would agree that the five best teams in the Big Ten are Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue and Maryland (in any order). Wisconsin has had to play the other four teams in that group of five twice. Every single one of them. Indiana has had to play just one of those teams on the list twice......Wisconsin. That is it. The Hoosiers also avoided playing at both Maryland and Purdue. The five teams Indiana had to play twice were Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Minnesota. It is entirely possible that three of those teams will play on Wednesday in the Big Ten Tournament. Wednesday is reserved for the bottom four teams in the Big Ten, so congrats on your Big Ten championship, Indiana, but don't expect me to be impressed. Indiana's conference strength of schedule is 94th in the country, far and away the worst in the Big Ten and one of just three teams in the conference with an overall strength of schedule of at least 100. Wisconsin, on the other hand, has the 15th toughest conference strength of schedule in the country, which is the toughest in the Big Ten. Their overall strength of schedule is seventh in the country, far and away the toughest in the conference.

Crean deserves credit for winning the Big Ten, but in my opinion, Gard has done the best job out of any coach in the Big Ten and maybe the country. What he has done to turn around the season has been nothing short of remarkable and will soon get the interim tag taken off.

Greg Gard is the right man for the job

Despite a modest 5-4 record under interim head coach Greg Gard, the Wisconsin Badgers are in a good spot with Gard at the helm. At first, I was not convinced that Gard could be "the guy," but I am becoming more and more convinced.

Gard's first game was a victory against Green Bay, but has started just 4-4 in conference play. However, the Badgers improve each and every game, which is all you can ask for with Wisconsin being one of the more inexperienced teams in the nation. Despite having four juniors in the starting lineup, only Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes had much playing time before this year. Add in eight freshmen, which is tied for the most in the nation, and you have a recipe for an up and down season, which is what has gone on so far. After starting out 1-4 in the Big Ten, the Badgers have won three consecutive games, including wins over No. 4 Michigan State and No. 19 Indiana. After having seven of its first nine losses by six points or less, the Badgers have learned to win the close games, winning the last three games by a combined 10 points.

Gard has an unlikely mentor in Michigan State head coach and Hall of Fame finalist Tom Izzo. Gard and Izzo have become friends over the years and if anyone knows what Gard is going through, it is Izzo. Former Michigan State head coach Jud Heathcoate retired following the 1994-95 season and Izzo, the associate head coach, took over and the rest is history. I am not saying that Gard will turn out to be Tom Izzo because saying that would be ridiculous as Izzo has been to a number of Final Fours and has a national championship.

People always want to look for a proven coach, whether that be at a high major or mid major, but many of those guys want to stay put. People mention Tony Bennett since he has ties to the area and he went to school at UW-Green Bay, but getting him would be a pipe dream. Not only does Bennett and his family love where he is at, but he also signed an extension this past offseason in an effort to keep him from going to Wisconsin this offseason.

Also, sometimes people just are happy where they are. One of the only other people I have seen possibly linked to Wisconsin is Northern Iowa's Ben Jacobson. However, he, like Bennett signed a big extension this past offseason. He seems to really like it at Northern Iowa and would be tough for the Badgers to lure him away.

With all of these coaches likely wanting to stay at their respective places and the fact that Gard has done as well as anyone could have with such an inexperienced roster. With the Badgers playing really well right now, I do not see any team that will want to play the Badgers down the stretch this season and a lot of that has to do with the coaching of Gard. There is no doubt that Gard will be and should be the coach going forward.

My thoughts on the Alabama game

It has been nearly a week since Wisconsin opened its 2015 season with a 35-17 loss to Alabama and reading around the web, you'd think the Badgers had lost to Florida A&M. Even talking heads such as Tom Dienhart from the Big Ten Network gave the Badgers a grade of a "D" for their performance against the Crimson Tide. Hell, he even gave a higher grade to Indiana, which barely beat the mighty Southern Illinois Salukis last week. Despite an 18-point loss, there were plenty of positives from the game. Obviously, there are things the Badgers will have to work on, but plenty of good things came from this game.

I'll start out with the negatives from the game because of the chicken littles came out in full force after the game. First of all, the offensive line play was obviously not very good in run blocking. However, that is to be fully expected considering the unit has three new starters and has had to battle through constant injuries throughout the offseason and has very little chemistry. It does not help that the makeshift offensive line had to go up against arguably the best front seven in all of college football in the opener. However, the offensive line will only improve as the season goes on. The chemistry will only improve each week. Last year, Ohio State's offensive line looked terrible early in the season, especially in the loss to Virginia Tech, but by the end of the season ended up as one of the best units in the nation. I am not saying Wisconsin's offensive line will improve to be one of the top units in college football, but I think that the Badgers will end up with one of the better offensive lines in the Big Ten once again.

Wisconsin also struggled with defending the run. Alabama's Derrick Henry rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns on just 13 carries. That's the bad news. The good news is that the Badgers will not face a running back or offensive line as good as Alabama's until Indianapolis against Ohio State if the Badgers were to win the Big Ten West. One of the biggest problems was the tackling. Some of that was bad angles and some was inexperience and just whiffing. The loss of senior captain Michael Caputo really hurt the run defense as he is another man in the box for run defense. Leon Jacobs and T.J. Edwards, the two new inside linebackers, struggled a bit going against the big Alabama offensive line, but they will improve. It also did not help that the Badgers were breaking in a new defensive line.

And finally, Wisconsin struggled defending the middle of the field. The loss of Caputo really hurt. His leadership would have been a huge help for the youngsters in getting players in position. This needs to be corrected in order to make a return trip to Indianapolis.

And now, for the positives from the game and what better way to start it off by mentioning the solid performance by the much-maligned Joel Stave? I basically told everyone who would listen that Stave would have a good season. He made me look pretty smart week one. He looked more confident and accurate. People complained about him not making many throws down the field. He took what the defense gave him. Was he supposed to force the ball downfield to appease you? I liked the fact that he was able to get the running backs involved in the passing game. That had lacked in the Gary Andersen era. Alex Erickson also was impressive. Stave will eventually get Tanner McEvoy involved. I also liked what I saw from Austin Traylor, who had stone hands a season ago.

The Wisconsin outside linebackers may be the best tandem of linebackers in the Big Ten. Vince Biegel was his usual solid self once again and Joe Schobert played great. Schobert played great, even against Alabama All-American tackle Cam Robinson. The outside linebackers are the least of Wisconsin's worries going forward.

Also, the play of the cornerbacks was impressive, especially junior Sojourn Shelton. As a sophomore, Shelton had a major sophomore slump after a solid freshman season. Shelton made some great plays on the ball to break up passes. One play specifically sticks out in the first half when Jacob Coker had a receiver open deep downfield. Shelton, who was initially beaten, recovered to break up the deep pass.

And finally, the coverage teams were fantastic. Alabama averaged less than 12 yards per kick return. Considering all the athletes on Alabama's roster,

I expect to see improvement as the year goes on and it starts tomorrow with a game against Miami of Ohio. The Redhawks are coming off a 26-7 win over Presbyterian, but only led 13-7 after three quarters. Miami has problems in the front seven, so Wisconsin should be able to run the football, no matter who the running back is. If they cannot, then it might be time to start worrying a little bit. But despite an 18-point loss last Saturday, there were plenty of positives for the Badgers.

Flashback Friday: The last time Wisconsin faced Nick Saban

When Wisconsin meets No. 3 Alabama on Saturday, it will mark the first time Wisconsin has played against a Nick Saban coached team since 1999 when the Badgers feasted on Michigan State mistakes to blow out Saban's Spartans 40-10.

It was October 23, 1999, and No. 11 Michigan State came into Camp Randall Stadium a hungry bunch. The Spartans had started 6-0, but were beaten soundly by Drew Brees and Purdue the prior week in West Lafayette 52-28. They had the nation's best rushing defense, allowing just 1.3 yards per carry. The Spartans also had one of the best receivers in college football, Plaxico Burress, who would end up being a top 10 pick in the NFL Draft.

On the other side, Wisconsin came into the season with high expectations. But after rolling over Murray State and Ball State by a combined score of 99-20, Wisconsin was upset by lowly Cincinnati and lost a home date to Michigan in consecutive weeks. After four weeks, Wisconsin was unranked and sitting at 2-2. But there was hope for Wisconsin as freshman Brooks Bollinger, taking over for the injured Scott Kavanagh nearly rallied the Badgers to beat Michigan. The following week, Wisconsin trailed No. 12 Ohio State 17-0 in Columbus before the Badgers scored 42 consecutive points to blast the Buckeyes 42-17 and turn their season around. That win started a nine game winning streak to end the season, including three out of the first four being against ranked opponents. The last of those three games against ranked foes was against the Spartans.

Trying to solve Michigan State's vaunted run defense would be Ron Dayne, who started out a front runner for the Heisman, but after a crucial fumble in the end zone against Cincinnati and disappearing in the second half against Michigan, Dayne's Heisman hopes were fading fast. He rebounded with great games against Ohio State and Indiana before the showdown with the No. 1 rush defense.

Star cornerback Jamar Fletcher had his own issue to worry about: how to slow down Burress. Two weeks prior, Burress had a school-record 255 yards receiving in their 34-31 victory over rival No. 3 Michigan.

Both key matchups were won by Wisconsin in a big way. A big, big way. On Wisconsin's second play from scrimmage, Dayne rumbled for 18 yards, the longest run Michigan State had allowed all season. Two plays after that, Dayne broke loose for a 51 yard touchdown to give the Badgers a 7-0 lead and set the tone for the game. The Great Dayne ended up rushing for 214 yards on 34 carries and added two scores en route to breaking Archie Griffin's Big Ten record for most career rushing yards. As a team, Wisconsin rushed for 301 yards.

While Dayne was running roughshod over Michigan State's defense, Fletcher was locking up the Spartans' All-American wide receiver. Earlier in the week, Fletcher asked to guard Burress. He did not disappoint as Burress only had five receptions for 58 yards and was a complete non-factor. Fletcher also caught two passes of his own, both in Spartans territory setting the Badgers up to add to a big lead.

When the dust settled, Wisconsin rode Dayne to a big win over mistake-prone Michigan State 40-10. That win was the 66th for Barry Alvarez, which made him the all-time winningest coach in Wisconsin football history.

I doubt Wisconsin will have the sort of win tomorrow, but a "W" sure would be nice as the Badgers will play in perhaps their biggest regular season non-conference game ever.

An Ode to Bo Ryan

As many now know, legendary Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan has announced that he will retire at the conclusion of the 2015-16 season. I knew that Ryan was going to retire relatively soon, but I was still in shock about it. It just seemed like Bo was going to coach forever.

Ten years ago, football head coach Barry Alvarez announced that he would retire at the end of the end of the 2005 season. This is a similar situation this year with Ryan. Alvarez hand picked his successor in Bret Bielema. He was (and still is) the Badgers AD, so he could do that without going through a coaching search. Ryan stated his support for Associate Head Coach Greg Gard to be his successor.

Back in 2001, I remember coming home from school and being so upset upon hearing Wisconsin, led by Brad Soderberg, losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Georgia State. I had no idea who would take over the team. Wisconsin was a decent program. but far from the force it became under the direction of Ryan. The Badgers had gone to the Final Four in 2000, but most consider that a fluke. Wisconsin decided to hire Ryan, who had gone a modest 30-27 in his two seasons at Milwaukee, but it was major progress for a program that had not had back-to-back winning seasons in nearly a decade.

Nobody thought that the Badgers would be where they are today back 15 years ago. Nobody. But that is exactly what he did. He has won four Big Ten championships, including winning his first year when the Badgers had eight scholarship players. Wisconsin had not won a Big Ten championship since 1947, but Ryan won it in each of his first two seasons.

But Ryan was always considered "underrated" by many up until the 2013-14 season. Wisconsin was always considered a good program under Ryan, but never a top program. The Badgers had only made the Elite 8 once in Ryan's 12 years at Wisconsin. The Badgers had consistently made the Sweet 16, but could not get over the hump. Most people thought Wisconsin would have a typical Wisconsin year in 2013-14.....a nice season, finish about fourth in the Big Ten and then lose in the Sweet 16. Then Frank Kaminsky came along. Wisconsin started out 16-0, but lost five of six and many thought the Badgers would struggle to make the tournament. But Bo turned that team around en route to a matchup with Arizona in the Elite 8. 

Prior to the season, Bo Ryan's father Butch passed away. Every year, Bo and Butch went to the Final Four. But in the first season following Butch's death, Wisconsin had a chance to go to the Final Four on March 28. That day would have been Butch's 90th birthday. Wisconsin won 64-63 to give Bo Ryan his first Final Four appearance.

I did not think in my lifetime that the Badgers would play in a college football or basketball national championship game, but that is exactly what happened this past season. Wisconsin knocked off Arizona once again to get to the Final Four, which set the table for the arguably the biggest win in school history. Kentucky was 38-0 and Wisconsin was 35-3. Sam Dekker drained a step back 3-pointer to put the Badgers ahead for good to end Kentucky's undefeated run and get revenge for the Final Four game the year before.

When I was 12 years old, there was no way I thought the Badgers would make it to the championship, but that just shows how far Bo has brought this program.

In this day and age when one-and-dones are the way to go, Ryan has had two players in his tenure leave early, Devin Harris and Sam Dekker, who both left after their junior years. But for the most part, Ryan has done it the old fashioned way, with player development. Kaminsky is a prime example. He started two games in his first two years, and in neither year did he average more than five points per game. He improved to become a first team All-Big Ten player his junior season and was the West Regional's Most Outstanding Player. Then came his senior season. Kaminsky averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in becoming the first Wisconsin player to ever win the Naismith, Wooden and Oscar Robertson Awards. For as much as he improved from his sophomore to junior years, he improved even more between his junior and senior years. He helped the Badgers reach the NCAA title game for the first time since 1941.

Jordan Taylor is another player who improved greatly, and ended up becoming an All-American his junior season at Wisconsin. There are numerous other examples, but these two are probably the most prime examples.

And finally, he is great at turning teenagers who come into Wisconsin as freshmen into men by the time they leave school. Player after player is coming up and telling how Ryan has influenced them and helped them become the man they are today. That is even more important than how he is as a coach on gamedays. 

There are so many great memories with Bo. It is incredible how far the program has come since he took over the program. I do not know how the Badgers can sustain the success, but I have a feeling Greg Gard (if he is indeed hired) will be up to the challenge. With all of the success and accolades on and off the court, one thing is for sure: He will certainly be missed. Not only at Wisconsin, but in the Big Ten and the country as well...

Mock NBA Draft

Draft day is finally upon us and my Minnesota Timberwolves have the first overall pick for the first time in franchise history. I have not made an NBA mock since 2011 (the only reason I remember was because it was the draft with the Morris twins), so I have decided to make one now since the Wolves are picking first...

1) Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Kentucky

Towns has the highest upside in the draft, in my opinion. He is kind of like a Kevin Garnett, who the Wolves drafted No.5 overall 20 years ago. If Minnesota gets anything close to Garnett in Towns, it will have been a good pick. The Wolves have struggled on defense and Towns will help be an anchor down low. Nikola Pekovic will also be out until at least January and who knows how many games he will play when does come back.

2) Los Angeles Lakers: Jahlil Okafor, C, Duke

If I were LA, I would take D'Angelo Russell here, but I am not. Okafor likely will be the pick here, which will bring up a debate whether he and 2014 first round pick Julius Randle can play together. I have my doubts, which is why I would select Russell. Okafor is the best offensive big to come out in years, but his defense is not very good, to put it nicely. If he improves his defense, though, and that is a big if, then he will be one of the best centers in the NBA.

3) Philadelphia 76ers: D'Angelo Russell, PG, Ohio State

I am a big Russell fan. I think he is the second best player in this draft. After trading Michael Carter-Williams during the season, point guard has become a major hole in the 76ers starting lineup. Granted, Philadelphia is probably the least talented team in the NBA, so it could go in any number of directions. They are rumored to be selecting Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis, but that may just be a smokescreen. One of the things that worries me about Russell is that he tended to disappear against better competition. However, the potential is there for Russell to be a big-time guard for many years.

4. New York Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia

His stock has soared the past few weeks. It is to the point where I believe this is a four person draft and New York will take the last remaining of the four. He was even in discussion to go to LA and No. 2. Orlando is also rumored to be really high on Porzingis, and may try to trade up with Philadelphia to take him. He is a typical European big man, who is a stretch four. He runs the floor well and it is not easy to find a seven footer with his type of athleticism. The Knicks could also take Emmanuel Mudiay here.

5. Orlando Magic: Justise Winslow, SG/SF, Duke

For me, if they are not able to trade up, I think this pick will come down to Winslow against Mudiay. But Orlando selected Elfrid Payton in the first round a year ago, so I think Winslow will be the selection. He is one of the more athletic players in the draft and can knock down the 3. He came up big in the NCAA Tournament, especially against Utah when the Utes made a run to cut into a big Duke lead. Mario Herzonja could also be a pick here.

6. Sacramento Kings: Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, Congo

Darren Collison is the point guard right now and he is a good one, but it is hard to pass up a talent like Mudiay.. Rudy Gay and Demarcus Cousins are rumored to be on the trading block, so I could see the Kings taking Herzonja or Stanley Johnson here. Mudiay was the No. 1 pick at this time last year, but backed out of a commitment to SMU to play in Congo. He is one of those guys who could go anywhere from 4-7, but I have him going to Sacramento.

7. Denver Nuggets: Mario Herzonja, SG/SF, Croatia

Denver is rumored to be trying to trade point guard Ty Lawson, so if Mudiay falls to the Nuggets at pick seven, it is a slam dunk that he is the pick. The Nuggets like Herzonja and is a good fit for the new Mike Malone offense. He has a lot of potential and I don't see him falling past eight at the latest, but I have him going to Denver.

8. Detroit Pistons: Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona

Detroit is looking at the small forward position at No. 8. If Herzonja is there, Detroit would take him, but I have them going with Johnson. He has a ton of potential. He has great size for the position, even by NBA standards. Sam Dekker had a great workout with the Pistons and could be another option for them, if they pass on Johnson.

9. Charlotte Hornets: Frank Kaminsky, PF, Wisconsin

Charlotte traded away Gerald Henderson and last year's first rounder Noah Vonleh to Portland for Nicolas Batum, which opens the door for the Hornets to select Kaminsky, the 2014-15 National Player of the Year. The Hornets are rumored to really like him. Kaminsky is one of the best shooters in the draft and has some great post moves. In the Final Four, he was the best player on the court,and he went up against Towns and Okafor, the likely first two picks. The two weaknesses for Kaminsky is that he needs to get stronger to go up against big-time low post players and he also is pretty old for a prospect (he is 22), which makes scouts wonder how much better he can become/

10. Miami Heat: Myles Turner, C, Texas

I am not sold on Hassan Whiteside being able to sustain the type of success he had this year. I do believe he would be a solid rotational big man. Turner is very athletic and has a nice jump shot. He is very raw, but has a lot of potential.

11. Indiana Pacers: Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky

Roy Hibbert is falling out of favor with the Pacers and Larry Bird is a big fan of Cauley-Stein's. Cauley-Stein is all defense as he anchored the best defense in modern history this past season at Kentucky, but his offense is virtually non-existent. He also was exposed a bit in the Final Four against Frank Kaminsky, but Frank the Tank did that to a lot of players.

12. Utah Jazz: Trey Lyles, PF, Kentucky

Lyles is an intriguing prospect in the fact that he is a bit of an unknown considering he was playing out of position this past season with Kentucky surplus of big men (as evidenced by three going in the top 12 here). He is one of those players that could go anywhere in the teens. I think Utah takes Cauley-Stein if he is here, but they settle for another Kentucky big man.

13. Phoenix Suns: Sam Dekker, SF, Wisconsin

Dekker is one of those prospects who no one knows for sure where he will be taken. I have seen him as high as eight and have seen him go to Miami a number of times. Many times over his career Dekker would stand at the 3-point line and jack up three pointers. If Phoenix gets that Dekker, then he is second round prospect. But if they get an attacking Sam Dekker like in the NCAA Tournament, especially the North Carolina game, then they are getting a potential steal here at 13. His biggest weakness is his shooting consistency. Everyone saw what he is capable of in the NCAA Tournament, but he needs to do it more consistently. If he does that, he will end up being one of the best players in the draft.

14. Oklahoma City Thunder: Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky

Booker is one of the best shooters in the draft. Oklahoma City could also go with Cameron Payne, but shooting guard is a troubled spot for the Thunder and Oklahoma City could use a great shooter like Booker.

15. Atlanta Hawks: Kelly Oubre, SF, Kansas

DeMarre Carroll is a free agent this offseason, so Atlanta could use a small forward. He has a lot of potential. He needs to gain strength, but he has the potential to put Atlanta over the top in the Eastern Conference.

16. Boston Celtics: R.J. Hunter, SG, Georgia State

Boston is a candidate to trade up. They have plenty of picks. Boston's problem is that it has no stars, but has a bunch of solid players. Hunter was not considered a top prospect before the season, but has launched himself into the first round, even with a subpar season by his standards. He was constantly being double and triple teamed and tended to force shots, which was a big reason why his percentages are not great this year. But make no mistake about it, Hunter is one of the best shooters in the draft and could help Boston out right from the start.

17. Milwaukee Bucks: Cameron Payne, PG, Murray State

Milwaukee is looking to unload Michael Carter-Williams in order to move up, which tells be they are not all that pleased with him after being acquired from Philadelphia. Milwaukee has a nice young nucleus and Payne would a good piece to add to the puzzle.

18. Houston Rockets: Tyus Jones, PG, Duke

It is no secret that Houston wants a point guard. They are reportedly interested in Toronto's Greivis Vasquez and have been linked to Jones, among other point guards. I think they decide on Jones over Jerian Grant to try and help the Rockets get back to the Western Conference Finals and beyond.

19. Washington Wizards: Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas

Washington is surprised to see Bobby Portis here. He is the best player available. He has great size as a power forward. They need a big man to go along with a lethal backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal.

20. Toronto Raptors: Kevon Looney, PF, UCLA

Looney is a very talented big man who, in my opinion, should have stayed in school another year, but has a great deal of potential. He has a solid mid range shot and has potential to be very good at the defensive side of the floor as well.

21. Dallas Mavericks: Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame

Rajon Rondo and J.J. Barea are both free agents and Monta Ellis declined his option,  so he is also a free agent, which leaves Dallas with Devin Harris at point guard. I am a huge Harris fan, but he is on the wrong side of 30, so there needs to be new blood to come in at the position and I think Dallas addresses that with its first rounder.

22. Chicago Bulls: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF, Arizona

He is limited on offense, but the potential is there. He has done well in workouts and is a great defender. New coach Fred Hoiberg will have a solid piece to build around.

23. Porland Trail Blazers: Justin Anderson, SG/SF, Virginia

After the trade of Nicolas Batum to Charlotte, I have the Blazers replacing him with another wing. I don't see Gerald Henderson as the answer for them. Montrezl Harrell could be another guy they take with LaMarcus Aldridge headed to free agency and unlikely to re-sign in Portland.

24. Cleveland Cavaliers: Montrezl Harrell, PF, Louisville

With Kevin Love opting out, making him a free agent, both of Cleveland's power forwards are free agents. I do believe that the Cavaliers will re-sign one of the two, but I don't think they will re-sign them both. Harrell would be a terrific pick for the Cavs as they try to return to the NBA Finals.

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Jarell Martin, PF, LSU

Zach Randolph is getting up there in age, so a power forward would make sense. Martin could sit and play behind Randolph and be ready to play in a few years.

26. San Antonio Spurs: Delon Wright, PG, Utah

Tony Parker is getting up there in age, so an heir apparent would be a wise choice. Gregg Popovich is also still the coach for San Antonio and would help turn Wright into a big-time performer.

27. Los Angeles Lakers: Rashad Vaughn, SG, UNLV

Vaughn's stock has risen in recent weeks, so he could very easily be picked in the top 20. The Lakers get a potential steal here. Vaughn is a big-time player who could learn under Kobe Bryant in his final years with the Lakers and then row with players like Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and projected second pick Jahlil Okafor.

28. Boston Celtics: Cliff Alexander, PF, Kansas

There is no guarantee that this pick will be made by Boston tonight, but as it is right now, I will have them taking Alexander. He has lottery pick potential, but has not put it all together.

29. Brooklyn Nets: Terry Rozier, PG, Louisville

I like Rozier as a prospect and Deron Williams turns 31 tomorrow and has been on the decline for years. The Nets grab Rozier in hopes of pushing Williams for the starting spot or at the very least, be a capable backup.

30. Golden State Warriors: Chris McCullough, PF, Syracuse

McCullough is a perfect fit for Golden State's up tempo offense. He is lethal in the open court and as young player, it would be beneficial if he is able to sit back and not have to contribute right away. His season ended early due to a knee injury.