All-Time Basketball Draft (Part III)

If you missed them, be sure and check out Part I and Part II before reading the conclusion to our fake all-time OSU hoops draft…

OK, where were we? Oh yeah, here’s Sheets with an essay on his 4th round pick…

Sheets: I believe it was Nolan who referenced a time earlier in the draft when black players were not allowed to compete in NCAA athletics. And yes Nolan, you are correct, there was an ugly history that we cannot repair with just words.

It requires action, and action can only alleviate that crime, not erase it.

I’d like to take everyone back a few years and tell a story, a story that will end up changing that game of basketball and college sports forever…there was a young lad who grew up in the oil rich town of Enid, OK during the Great Depression.

It was during these rough times that the young man developed his strong work ethic and toughness that earned him the nickname of “The Bear.” Our young boy enrolled at Oklahoma A&M in 1949, an especially cold year, A&M was coming off an incredible run of success in basketball and the young man wanted to help continue that success playing for the greatest coach of his day, a man John Wooden referred to as the greatest teacher of the game I’ve ever known.

Our young lad may not have been able to slam dunk the ball or fancily dribble between his legs, but there was no one on the court with better fundamentals or work ethic. If hustle points were a stat our young man would have been the Paul Arizin of his day, or maybe Lew Alcindor to some of you younger fellows. He earned his playing time at Oklahoma A&M and was the team’s leader by his junior year, a great feat back in those days.

Young Donny as his peers called him was also a hit with the ladies, he never had a problem finding someone to dance with at the friday night jubilees, laugh out loud. Donny was an All-American his senior year and in 1951 as a junior lead OAM to the Final Four! As illustrious as his playing career was, it pales in comparison to what he did coaching.

It was Don Haskins who was “color blind” one might say when he was coaching at Texas Western. It was Don Haskins who won the national championship starting five black player against the mighty Kentucky. And it is Don Haskins who I want to be on my team to represent us with class, grace, integrity, and the highest moral standards that winning teams are built on. And more important than winning games, it was Don Haskins that opened the door for players like Bill Russell, Irvin Johnson, and Michael Jordan.

That’s my pick.

Pistols: The most Sheets pick ever.

Amilian: Ironic that a guy starting three white dudes (so far) takes Don Haskins.

Carson: My goodness you guys are early risers. It is a sound strategy though, haven’t had my morning coffee….my draft room is ready now and we are making our selection.

Nolo: Carson, you’re in the media. Can you talk a little bit about why it’s taking you so long to make your pick?

Carson: Joining the dynamic the 1994 Arkansas-esque backcourt of Mo, Glendon, and Tony will be the best center since Country. We know OSU hasn’t replace Reeves, but this guy put together a 4-year career and was one of the few (only?) competent centers OSU’s had since No. 50. And I’m sure he made women at The Strip swoon. The big Swede, Fredrik Jonzen.

Amilian: Nice pick. I’m sure he’s still hitting baseline jumpers somewhere in the world right now.

OKC Dave: His uncharacteristic monster dunk against Cincinnati is near the top of the “I wish this was on YouTube” OSU moments.

Pistols: Nolan is up, then the Mitchell bros. We’re circling “eff it, I’m taking Marcus Smart because he’s one of the five remaining guys I can name” territory for Nolan.

Carson: Fred and Desmond tie for my favorite hometown. “Waxahachie, Texas” and “Uppsala, Sweden” were just meant to be yelled by Larry Reece.

Carson: Nolan, you’ve taken longer than anyone. I had no idea Hot Yoga was so tedious. Oh, and Nick Sidorakis is available…

Poke: So is Keiton. Also, I feel Scott Warner isn’t getting the respect he deserves around here.

Mitchell bros: Repost draft board link please.

Pistols: Are you in shock that you drafted Mattick-Eaton-Adkins in succession yesterday and need to see it in print to truly believe it? Or did you just forget the order of the picks?

Nolo: I was REALLY hoping you guys would forget about Smart. I could be picking my fourth straight OSU player who went to my high school right now. Instead, I’ll go with a big man who averaged 19 and 8 his senior year despite playing with a young squad for a coaching staff in need of an intervention. This included a 37-point, 20-rebound performance and a game winning 3 ball against a guy you Okies call “Kid Clutch” who just couldn’t finish him off. I don’t know who Fredrik Jonzen is, but I’m sure this guy would eat his lunch both literally and figuratively. I’m going with Mario Boggan.

Carson: Boggan would definitely head butt Jonzen.

OKC Dave: As long as you don’t face the big men of Marist you’re in fine shape with Boggan.

Mitchell bros: That team was so sad and uninspired. Played like zombies most of the time.

Nolo: If you think any of Sean’s teams tried to win an NIT game you’re fooling yourself.

Carson: Was kinda wondering if his 19 and 8 would fall to me. Darn

OKC Dave: Boggan is also on the All-OSU-Message-Board-Fans-Get-My-Name-Wrong Team: Keaton Page, Zach/Zack Robinson, Mario Boggans. Who else?

Carson: Ricky Fowler, Herschel Simms, Terrell Harris.

Pistols: The Zach/Zack thing kills me. I just don’t understand why that’s difficult. Shawn/Sean Lewis as well…

OKC Dave: If anyone drafts David Monds, Eddie Sutton will show up to your house and punch you in the face.

Carson: I don’t know how Tony Allen never OJ Mayo-ed David Monds and forced him to transfer. He was a clubhouse cancer.

Mitchell bros: We’ll take former classmate of mine, Brian Montonati.

Carson: Best pick you have made so far. Montonati was a more athletic Thunder-version Nick Collison. He just made plays every time he was on the floor.

Pistols: Fine, I’ll take the rich man’s Montanati, somebody who scored more points than Tony Allen, had more boards than James Anderson, and posted more assists than John Lucas. My homeless, destitute, in-the-ICU man’s LeBron: Chianti Roberts.

Carson: That couldn’t be more misleading: Tony, Lucas, and James played seven years COMBINED. Chianti played four. But whatever, loved Chianti. He could play and guard every position. Knew he wouldn’t fall to me.

Amilian: I’ve instructed all my players to foul Chianti on every shot he takes.

Poke: *Consults OSU media Guide. Sees Ed Odom scored 24.2 as a senior in 79-80. Takes him.*

OKC Dave: I was hoping he’d fall to me. My assistant GMs are crunching numbers…my picks coming up soon.

OKC Dave: I’ll go with a guy more known for his NBA achievements than his days in Stillwater…he only spent a year in orange but he averaged 15 points, 5 boards, and 5 assists while shooting 38% from three. But on top of that, he played excellent defense.

I think Michael Jordan said it best: asked how much Starks’s defense bothered him, Jordan said: “He played well defensively, really bodied me up. He got me in tough positions where I really couldn’t get the shots where I wanted. A couple of them I forced, just because I was out of rhythm. You have to credit his defense.”

As the Beastie Boys said, “I’ve got heart like John Starks”.

My other pick is a 6-11 behemoth in the low post that averaged 15 points and 8 boards in 1998? Yes please. Brett Robisch.

Carson: $&@! Dave took not one, but TWO players I had queued.

Amilian: Ahhhhhhh I was wanting Robisch to be my big. Why does OSU never acknowledge Starks?

Poke: I was going to take him 6th but we’re reaching the end of my OSU knowledge and I’m afraid he won’t get past Nolan. Big Country grabs a board, passes to Doug who lobbs to Markel Brown. He’s more athletic than anyone on any of your teams.

OKC Dave: Markel just got so excited he dribbled the ball off his foot. (I kid, Markel…I kid).

Poke: Don’t need him to dribble it, just need him to bounce it off Mattick’s head.

Carson: Markel will wear the nicest Jordans but he would be a deer in headlights amongst the greats. And don’t ever challenge Desmond’s athleticism like that. He’ll hang on the rim a little longer, and do a 360 as he lets go for that.

Pistols: I seriously cannot believe you guys haven’t taken Marshall Moses. That’s my pick.

OKC Dave: Desmond and Markel are taking notes…

Nolo: **Marshall checks in and immediately picks up his 4th foul**

Sheets: CRAP!!!!

OKC Dave: Can’t speak a bad word about Moses. He’s way up there on the all-heart team.

Amilian: If Moses would have played in an offense where he could have been our primary 4, he would have been taken much, much earlier.

Amilian: We’re having more fun with this than Byron Houston sitting in his car in a parking lot.

OKC Dave: The first thing I did when I brought him in was buy tinted windows.

Carson: Amazing he couldn’t get on the floor his first year and half, then evolved into a rapping, tattooed Kevin McHale with his low post moves.

OKC Dave: Little-known fact: Kyle’s trio of Ivan, Chianti, and Marshall have never hit a shot beyond eight feet.

Carson: I don’t think Moses or Ivan could dunk, either.

Pistols: My solution to the not hitting shots outside of eight feet: #15. My solution to none of my big men being able to dunk: #34.

Nolo: I don’t know about Ivan, but Marshall can go between his legs and jam, windmill, ect. Seen it all.

Carson: Never in a game setting. The youtube clips in HS made you think he could, but the only dunks I can remember him pulling off were when he had a running start and no one in his way.

Nolo: I guess Kyle should have taken Torre Johnson.

Poke: Flemmings still on the board.

Carson: Thank goodness he transferred. Roderick Fleming is another all-message board misspelled namer.

Carson: Is Mitchell double-checking his family tree to see if he had a relative on the back-to-back national title teams?

Mitchell bros: Settle down ladies, here you go.

Sheets: Great video quality.

Carson: I can’t wait to see mythological Le’Bryan be reduced to tears once my team is done with him.

Nolo: I’m out of quality big guys I’ve heard of but I already have scoring from the perimeter and down low, so I’ll go with a defensive stopper who can guard any position 2-5 at the college level. A guy who National POY Adam Morrison called the best defender he had ever faced. Marcus Dove.

Sheets: Nolan, I hate you.

Carson: Keep in mind we are building a team. Not an all-star team that plays no defense.

Which is why I couldn’t take Victor with my Rajon Rondo clone Mo Baker running point. Since I have crunch-time scoring with Tony & low post scoring with Fred, I’ll take the best shot-blocker in school history. This guy was Ibaka-like. Also keep in mind we are drafting a player at his apex. This man holds the school record for blocks in a season (85. Five more than second place, 15 more than third).

Andre Williams.

Pistols: When you have to justify a pick by leading with “keep in mind we are building a team,” that’s probably not good.

OKC Dave: Does Serge play offense with his elbows like Andre did?

Carson: Just stating facts for the vitriol that is spewed after every pick and for the voters at home.

Sheets: When I drafted Bob Kurland, I thought what could you do in the baskeball world bigger than playing in the NBA, and I decided that I wanted someone who would pass up that honor to do something greater, play for team USA.

When i drafted Donny, I thought what is bigger than playing for team USA, and i decided that integrating the game couldn’t be topped. Now i’m not topping integrating the game, but I’m going to stray away from the game for a little bit and try to think more of what is something that an all-conference player could do that would show his selflessness.

How about fighting for his country in WWII? How about skipping all the partying and glamour in college and go over sees to try to stop the horrendous acts taking place in Europe and Asia? How about drafting the power forward who personally shot Adolf Hitler and then came back to Oklahoma and won the 1946 national championship.

I’ll take Sam Aubrey, a sturdy power forward who could bang on the block down low and also had a killer outlet pass. If ole Sam could manage his way around the war, I think he will have no problems dealing with anyone trying to drive into the paint.

Carson: *googles Sam Aubrey*

OKC Dave: Does Melvin Sanders have his own locker room on your team?

Pistols: Well that won the draft.

Sheets: Yea I’m going to have to come up with someone for him to room with on road trips. I’m building a team that will be successful on and off the court over here.  My team is color blind.

Amilian: Looking at the media guide, it appears nobody has taken the school’s leading rebounder (rebounds per game). He averaged a double-double for his career and led the Big 8 three consecutive seasons in rebounding from 1972-1974. Andy Hopson to round out my starting 5.

Poke: Was really hoping he would fall to me. Dude had 11 games in his career where he grabbed 20 boards or more next closest in the books has two games of 20 or more. 3 ppg sure, but so what with 14.4 rebounds per game.

Amilian: As much as I’d like to add some depth down low, I need to go best available right here. I could spend more time browsing through the media guide to make a decision based on career stats, but Corey Williams is my guy. Recent Oklahoma State squads have had trouble at the point guard position, so I have no problem adding a backup to Vic. Two Sweet 16 appearances and a second round draft pick by…da Bulls. He’s a winner.

Carson: My first favorite player. I pretended I was Corey at the playground. I had him in my sights.

OKC Dave: Vic was a Corey Williams clone. Nice late-round pick.

Sheets: I’m going to round out my team with a slasher, something I desperately need. I’ll take Joe Atkinson, a 6-7 guy with extreme athleticism who averaged 18-8 and also had 80 blocks in 84. The Portland Trail Blazers felt the same way when the drafted him in 1985.

Sheets: Quick question, will we be playing with a darned 3 point line, if so I’ll need extra practice time to adjust.

Mitchell bros: Nope, no 3s, and no dunks either.

OKC Dave: You’ll need to have a 4-H member hold up placards to represent a shot clock as well.

Sheets: Shot clock?

Carson: Since my starters are playing 40 min. and running you guys out of the gym, you will resort to Hack-a-Andre. I have an answer for that: Darwyn Alexander and his 90% free throw shooting (Jr. Season) Also, he’s 6th all-time in assists and top 20 in points for a career.

Nolo: Pawnee Pistol. My team is built perfectly for Ford’s system. We’ll be wetting up 3 balls over you guys all day long while Don and the Bobs wonder why my guys are wearing such baggy shorts. I’m giddy.

OKC Dave: Ford has a system?

Carson: I’m glad Dave made the joke so I didn’t have to. That was a layup.

Poke: Roll out ball on court……clap……….”we’re young”………..repeat.

Sheets: Shooting 28% from the 3 point line won’t do much good when your heads are spinning from all the cutting that my Henry Iba motion offense is doing en route to shooting 73% from the field.

Mitchell bros: Our final selection in the fake OSU draft is a 6’3″ guard/center(!), from Southeast High, OKC, …these unis are unfreakinbelievable, btw…the dude on the far left, Mmmmmaaaaatttttttt Ccccccclaaaark!

Carson: What an amazing picture. You can still see Matt out and about in OKC. His name is all over the media guide. Solid career.

Sheets: My team’s shorts won’t be near that long.

Pistols: You know who said “man, we sure could use fewer collegiate point guards that have quarterbacked teams to a Final Four”? Right, nobody. Give me one of the two guys to do it since the color television was invented: Andre Owens.

Carson: Great pick. The original #35 was a floor general.

Poke: I have no clue who is even available.

Nolo: I’m still available 🙂

Carson: Frans Steyn is still on the board….

Poke: Leroy Combs – 82-83 season he had 500 points 200 rebounds 40 steals and 40 blocks.

Carson: Dave, Prentiss Elliott would be a nice addition to The Jailbirds. Elite athleticism.

OKC Dave: Olus Holder (1974-78). 11th all-time leading scorer, 5th all-time leading rebounder. one of only four players with 1000 points and 800 rebounds (Houston, Reeves, McFarlin).

Carson: All good natured ribbing aside, that was fun fellas. Let’s hope Ford can figure things out & they eventually put Cursive Cowboys back on the uni’s.

…and that’s the conclusion of our draft. I hope you enjoyed reading it half as much as we enjoyed conducting it. Vote below for your favorite team.

Part 1 | Part 2

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