This article is part of our Draft Kit series.
I have long believed that the draft is the best part of any fantasy league. Everyone is engaged, hope is in the air and there is plenty of smack talk. Mock drafting is even better because everyone wins. We are offering a series of fantasy college basketball mock drafts at the FCBL Zone, which also runs college fantasy hoops leagues. If you'd like to join us, please do so. We have conference specific drafts set up for the next few weeks (Wednesdays and Sundays). You can show off your college basketball knowledge, and everybody wins. Recently, we had our first mock draft. We drafted players from Tier 1 conferences (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, Pac 12, and SEC). There were just five of us, so I've attached the top 50 with some comments after every pick. I drew the fifth pick, so every pick on the fives and sixes is mine.
1 Doug McDermott Creighton, F, SR
2 Marcus Smart Oklahoma State, G, SO
3 Bryce Cotton Providence, G, SR
4 Jahii Carson Arizona State, G, SO
5 Andrew Wiggins Kansas, G, FR
6 Jabari Parker Duke, F, FR
7 Tim Frazier Penn State, G, SR
8 Dwight Powell Stanford, F, SR
9 Isaiah Austin Baylor, C, SO
10 Julius Randle Kentucky, F, FR
In most drafts, McDermott and Smart will be the first two picks in one order or another. For McDermott, there is little question that he can score against just about anyone, but will
I have long believed that the draft is the best part of any fantasy league. Everyone is engaged, hope is in the air and there is plenty of smack talk. Mock drafting is even better because everyone wins. We are offering a series of fantasy college basketball mock drafts at the FCBL Zone, which also runs college fantasy hoops leagues. If you'd like to join us, please do so. We have conference specific drafts set up for the next few weeks (Wednesdays and Sundays). You can show off your college basketball knowledge, and everybody wins. Recently, we had our first mock draft. We drafted players from Tier 1 conferences (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, Pac 12, and SEC). There were just five of us, so I've attached the top 50 with some comments after every pick. I drew the fifth pick, so every pick on the fives and sixes is mine.
1 Doug McDermott Creighton, F, SR
2 Marcus Smart Oklahoma State, G, SO
3 Bryce Cotton Providence, G, SR
4 Jahii Carson Arizona State, G, SO
5 Andrew Wiggins Kansas, G, FR
6 Jabari Parker Duke, F, FR
7 Tim Frazier Penn State, G, SR
8 Dwight Powell Stanford, F, SR
9 Isaiah Austin Baylor, C, SO
10 Julius Randle Kentucky, F, FR
In most drafts, McDermott and Smart will be the first two picks in one order or another. For McDermott, there is little question that he can score against just about anyone, but will he be able to shoot so efficiently against Big East opponents rather than Missouri Valley teams? Smart is a linebacker-sized point guard. Cotton was a bit of a surprise at the third pick. The senior guard for the Friars provided 19.7 points last year, but I prefer to take scorers who provided rebounds and/or assists in the first round. Cotton will also likely play fewer minutes with a deeper Providence team, which will hurt his production. There are no similar questions about Jahii Carson, who should be the best fantasy player out of the Pac-12. With the mid-round picks, I took the two best freshmen on the board (who don't go to Kentucky). It remains to be seen how often Wiggins and Parker will call their own numbers, but I am relatively confident that they will put up decent numbers. Tim Frazier returns from an ACL tear. In 2011-12, he averaged 18.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists, which are certainly first-round numbers. Powell should be the most productive big out of the Pac 12, and Isaiah Austin is clearly the top center on the board. The first of many Wildcats to be selected finished up the round as Julius Randle was selected. It is sometimes hard to figure which Kentucky freshman will be the most productive, but Randle is as a good guess as any.
11 Jarnell Stokes Tennessee, F-C, JR
12 Noah Vonleh Indiana, F, FR
13 Dakari Johnson Kentucky, C, FR
14 Adreian Payne Michigan State, F-C, SR
15 Andrew Harrison Kentucky, G, FR
16 Johnny O'Bryant LSU, F, JR
17 Wayne Selden Jr. Kansas G
18 James McAdoo North Carolina, F, JR
19 Fuquan Edwin Seton Hall G-F SR
20 DeAndre Kane Iowa State, G, SR
Centers are hard to find and the lack of one can ruin a fantasy college basketball season. We had three pivotmen go off the board in the first four picks of this round. Stokes is as talented as any big man in the nation, but the Volunteers play at a glacial pace under coach Cuonzo Martin. Noah Vonleh may have been a bit of a reach with so many talented freshmen still available. The McDonald's All-American has a lot of offensive potential, but the Hoosiers have some interesting returning pieces. Like Stokes, Johnson is a very talented big man, but he may not even start for the Wildcats if he is behind Willie Cauley-Stein on the depth chart. Adreian Payne improved nicely last year for the Spartans and should be a key to Michigan State's offense. I went with yet another freshman, Andrew Harrison, the point guard of the twin combination for Kentucky. I followed him up with my first upperclassman in O'Bryant. If he can stay healthy, he should be a double-double machine. With their starting unit gone (mostly in the NBA), the Jayhawks will have plenty of time for Selden, a 6-foot-5 guard who is another five-star prospect. The last three picks of this round were very strong. McAdoo has a season under his belt in which he was one of the main men for the Tar Heels. Expectations may be more in line for the 6-9 junior and he could exceed the 14.4 points and 7.3 rebounds he provided in 2012-13. Edwin is a solid scorer who has improved in each of his three seasons with the Pirates. Kane is the season's most intriguing transfer. Iowa State is a transfer haven and Kane provided 15.1 points and 7.0 assists for Marshall last season.
21 Spencer Dinwiddie Colorado, G, JR
22 Ryan Anderson Boston College, F, JR
23 C.J. Wilcox Washington, G, SR
24 Cleveland Melvin DePaul, F, SR
25 Kyle Anderson UCLA G-F SO
26 Davante Gardner Marquette, C, SR
27 Akil Mitchell Virginia, F, SR
28 C.J. Fair Syracuse, F, SR
29 Eric Moreland Oregon State, F, SR
30 Joe Harris Virginia, G, SR
Scorers flew off the board to start the middle round of the draft. Dinwiddie averaged 15.6 points for the Buffaloes, Anderson gave 14.9 points and 8.0 rebounds to the Eagles, and Wilcox downed 16.7 points for the Huskies. Cleveland Melvin has been a scorer since he arrived at DePaul. Even though the Blue Demons don't win much, they do have fantasy value. I went with Anderson because I love forward-eligible players who can pass, then followed up with my center. Gardner may come off the bench again for the Golden Eagles. If he even gets a slightly uptick in minutes, he could be a quality fantasy center. Mitchell is a solid double-double man for UVA, while Fair could be a steal at this point. He was productive for the Orange last year and should be the main man in his junior season. This draft took place before Moreland was suspended for half of the season. The second Cavalier went off the board with Harris, a solid scoring point guard.
31 A.J. Hammons Purdue, C, SO
32 D.J. Newbill Penn State G-F JR
33 Marshall Henderson Mississippi, G, SR
34 Karvier Shepherd TCU, C, FR
35 D'Angelo Harrison St. Johns, G, JR
36 Angus Brandt Oregon State, F-C, SR
37 Semaj Christon Xavier, G, SO
38 Aaron Gordon Arizona, F, FR
39 Cory Jefferson Baylor, F, SR
40 Kadeem Batts Providence, F, SR
41 Olivier Hanlan Boston College, G, SO
42 Justin Cobbs California, G, SR
43 Andre Hollins Minnesota, G, JR
44 Jordan Adams UCLA G-F SO
45 Gary Harris Michigan State, G, SO
46 Aaron Harrison Kentucky, G, FR
47 Jordan Bachynski Arizona State, C, SR
48 Joel Embiid Kansas, C, FR
49 Kasey Hill Florida, G, FR
50 Dez Wells Maryland G-F JR
