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This year we resurrected the NCAA Tournament Player Pool, gathering up members of the NBADraft.net team and holding a draft of our own on Tuesday night before the NC State/Xavier game. With a name randomizer, we produced an order and went through a snake style draft. The game is based on which of these armchair GM’s squads will score the most points over the duration of the tournament. The scoring is simple, total combined points scored by each team’s players (no rebounds or assists included). Here are the results of the draft, some statistics behind each team and the Final Four that would be most beneficial towards the Player Pool title.

Round 1

1. Jacob: Russ Smith, Louisville
2. Clayton: Nick Johnson, Arizona
3. Dave: Doug McDermott, Creighton
4. Aran: Jabari Parker, Duke
5. Adam: Gary Harris, Michigan St.
6. Mike: Casey Prather, Florida
7. Nick: Melvin Ejim, Iowa St.
8. Matt: Andrew Wiggins, Kansas

Round 2

9. Matt: Nik Stauskas, Michigan
10. Nick: CJ Fair, Syracuse
11. Mike: Michael Frazier II, Florida
12. Adam: Montrezl Harrell, Louisville
13. Aran: Rodney Hood, Duke
14. Dave: DeAndre Kane, Iowa St.
15. Clayton: Scottie Wilbekin, Florida
16. Jacob: Marcus Smart, Oklahoma St.

Round 3

17. Jacob: Jordan McRae, Tennessee
18. Clayton: Jordan Adams, UCLA
19. Dave: Adreian Payne, Michigan St.
20. Aran: Kyle Anderson, UCLA
21. Adam: Shabazz Napier, UConn
22. Mike: Xavier Thames, San Diego St.
23. Nick: Aaron Gordon, Arizona
24. Matt: Tyler Ennis, Syracuse

Round 4

25. Matt: James Bell, Villanova
26. Nick: Perry Ellis, Kansas
27. Mike: Keith Appling, Michigan St.
28. Adam: Joseph Young, Oregon
29. Aran: Markel Brown, Oklahoma St.
30. Dave: Luke Hancock, Louisville
31. Clayton: Georges Niang, Iowa St.
32. Jacob: Jahii Carson, Arizona St.

Round 5

33. Jacob: Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati
34. Clayton: Glenn Robinson III, Michigan
35. Dave: Joe Harris, Virginia
36. Aran: Branden Dawson, Michigan St.
37. Adam: Cleanthony Early, Wichita St.
38. Mike: Marcus Paige, North Carolina
39. Nick: Caris LeVert, Michigan
40. Matt: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

Round 6

41. Matt: Treveon Graham, VCU
42. Nick: Ron Baker, Wichita St.
43. Mike: Chris Jones, Louisville
44. Adam: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma
45. Aran: TJ Warren, NC State
46. Dave: Julius Randle, Kentucky
47. Clayton: JayVaughn Pinkston, Villanova
48. Jacob: Cameron Bairstow, New Mexico

Round 7

49. Jacob: Bryce Cotton, Providence
50. Clayton: Cory Jefferson, Baylor
51. Dave: Cameron Clark, Oklahoma
52. Aran: Terran Petteway, Nebraska
53. Adam: Kaleb Tarczewski, Arizona
54. Mike: Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia
55. Nick: Langston Galloway, St. Joseph’s
56. Matt: James McAdoo, North Carolina

Round 8

57. Matt: Joe Jackson, Memphis
58. Nick: Chasson Randle, Stanford
59. Mike: Patric Young, Florida
60. Adam: Jerami Grant, Syracuse
61. Aran: Darrun Hilliard, Villanova
62. Dave: Ethan Wragge, Creighton
63. Clayton: James Young, Kentucky
64. Jacob: Jarnell Stokes, Tennessee

First Pick

Owner: Jacob Stallard, AAC Blogger

4 Russ Smith 18.3
9 Marcus Smart 17.8
11 Jordan McRae 18.6
10 Jahii Carson 18.6
5 Sean Kilpatrick 20.7
7 Cameron Bairstow 20.3
11 Bryce Cotton 21.4
11 Jarnell Stokes 14.7

Average Scorer: 18.9

Average Seed Drafted: 9

Conference Split: 2 AAC, 2 Big 12, 2 SEC, 1 Pac 12, 1 Big East

Optimal Player Pool Final Four:  New Mexico, Providence, Oklahoma St., Tennessee

Breakdown

Assigned the first selection, Jacob went with the leading scorer from last year’s championship team and the AAC Player of the Year. After that, he mainly stuck with high scorers from underdog teams. The boldest choices were McRae and Stokes, who have a play-in game on Wednesday night that determine whether they move onto the 2nd round. The highest average scorer bar none, what would be best for his team would surely be damaging to a vast majority of brackets. Though, it would make for a very interesting NCAA Tournament.

Second Pick

Owner: Clayton Crowe, SEC Blogger

1 Nick Johnson 16.2
1 Scottie Wilbekin 13
4 Jordan Adams 17.2
3 Georges Niang 16.5
2 Glenn Robinson III 13
2 Jayvaughn Pinkston 14.2
6 Cory Jefferson 13.5
8 James Young 14.5

Average Scorer: 14.8

Average Seed Drafted: 3

Conference Split: 2 Pac 12, 2 Big 12, 2 SEC, 1 Big Ten, 1 Big East

Optimal Player Pool Final Four:  UCLA, Iowa St., Arizona, Kentucky

Breakdown

Clayton spread his team out with some solid scorers, with many of his top picks being on deep experienced teams. He hit the west coast for two of the most promising Pac 12 offerings and got a very solid value in Georges Niang in the 4th round. Did a great job of keeping players alive for possible Elite 8 runs and really covered the bases.

Third Pick

Owner: Dave Ray, Big 12 Blogger

3 Doug McDermott 26.9
3 DeAndre Kane 17
4 Adreian Payne 15.8
4 Luke Hancock 11.7
1 Joe Harris 11.7
8 Julius Randle 15
5 Cameron Clark 15.3
3 Ethan Wragge 10.5

Average Scorer: 15.5

Average Seed Drafted: 4

Conference Split: 2 Big 12, 2 Big East, 1 Big Ten, 1 AAC, 1 ACC, 1 SEC

Optimal Player Pool Final Four: Kansas, Iowa St., Creighton, Kentucky

Dougy McBuckets has been one of the premier scorers in college basketball for what seems like a lifetime and Dave is hoping he goes out blazing. Even picking up his teammate, 3-point specialist Ethan Wragge, a Creighton title run would probably give him a landslide victory. Why the Kansas pick for the owner who avoided choosing anyone from the South region? Well, they are the highest seeded Big 12 team, of course 

Fourth Pick

Owner: Aran Smith, President/CEO

3 Jabari Parker 19.3
3 Rodney Hood 16.4
4 Kyle Anderson 14.9
9 Markel Brown 17.1
4 Branden Dawson 10.4
12 TJ Warren 24.8
11 Terran Petteway 18.1
2 Darrun Hilliard 14.3

Average Scorer: 16.9

Average Seed Drafted: 6

Conference Split: 3 ACC, 2 Big Ten, 1 Big 12, 1 Big East, 1 Pac 12

Optimal Player Pool Final Four: UCLA, Villanova, Nebraska, Duke

Breakdown

With Jabari Parker currently at the top of his big board, Aran was elated to grab him with the 4th pick. His 2nd choice of Rodney Hood just confirms, he likes the Dukies to go far this March. Swooping up TJ Warren leading into a nice play-in performance and even going for Terran Petteway, hard to say he did not go out on a limb at least a tad. We know he will be going Cameron Crazy in hopes of winning this Player Pool, that is for sure.

Fifth Pick

Owner: Adam Ganeles, ACC Blogger

4 Gary Harris 17.1
4 Montrezl Harrell 14.2
7 Shabazz Napier 17.4
7 Joseph Young 18.6
1 Cleanthony Early 15.8
5 Buddy Hield 16.8
1 Kaleb Tarczewski 10.1
3 Jerami Grant 12.2

Average Scorer: 14

Average Seed Drafted: 4

Conference Split: 2 AAC, 2 Pac 12, 1 ACC, 1 Big Ten, 1 Big 12, 1 Big East

Optimal Player Pool Final Four:  Syracuse, UConn, Oregon, Wichita St.

Breakdown

He waited until the last choice to grab an ACC player, though Adam chose some of the top scoring guards out there before than. Unfortunately, he will lose either Harrell or Early by the Sweet 16, though he gets a nice return if they get there. Have to say, if his Final Four were to happen, am not sure too many people would believe that Wichita St. would be the only one seed to get there. It may be his choice of Oregon, though I think Adam’s Optimal Final Four is the coolest one in the group.

Sixth Pick

Owner: Michael Visenberg, Contributor

1 Casey Prather 14.2
1 Michael Frazier II 12.9
4 Xavier Thames 16.8
4 Keith Appling 12.3
6 Marcus Paige 17.4
4 Chris Jones 10.3
1 Malcolm Brogdon 12.6
1 Patric Young 11.1

Average Scorer: 13.5

Average Seed Drafted: 3

Conference Split: 3 SEC, 2 ACC, 1 AAC, 1 Big Ten, 1 MWC

Optimal Player Pool Final Four:  Florida (obviously), North Carolina, San Diego St., Louisville

Breakdown

What was this guy thinking? Put all of his eggs in the Florida basket, has a couple guards potentially playing each other in the Sweet 16 and had the lowest average scorer by a pretty decent margin. This front running joker will need a miracle to win this thing! He must think the tournament could turn into complete anarchy, besides the #1 overall team. Not much of a strategy, really. Better luck next year (we will see)?

Seventh Pick

Owner: Nick Coppola, Pac 12 Blogger

3 Melvin Ejim 18.1
3 CJ Fair 16.7
1 Aaron Gordon 12.1
2 Perry Ellis 13.6
2 Caris LeVert 13.3
1 Ron Baker 13.1
10 Langston Galloway 17.5
10 Chasson Randle 18.7

Average Scorer: 15.4

Average Seed Drafted: 4

Conference Split: 2 Big 12, 2 Pac 12, 1 ACC, 1 Atlantic 10, 1 Big Ten, 1 MVC

Optimal Player Pool Final Four:  Stanford, Iowa St., Arizona, Michigan

Breakdown

Nick went with four forwards than four guards. His last three picks are sweet shooters with hopes of driving home some tourney upsets, even maybe #1 Wichita St. proving doubters wrong. Will unfortunately have to lose either Ejim or Galloway as he hopes they both reach their anticipated Sweet 16 match-up. Still could have some nice match-ups and the potential for some leading scorers, as well as up and comers, advancing deep.

Eighth Pick

Owner: Matt Misichko, Big Ten Blogger

2 Andrew Wiggins 17.4
2 Nik Stauskas 17.5
3 Tyler Ennis 12.7
2 James Bell 14.5
2 Frank Kaminsky 13.6
5 Treveon Graham 15.7
6 James McAdoo 14.2
8 Joe Jackson 14.3

Average Scorer: 15

Average Seed Drafted: 4

Conference Split: 2 ACC, 2 Big Ten, 1 AAC, 1 Atlantic 10, 1 Big 12, 1 Big East

Optimal Player Pool Final Four:  Kansas, Villanova, Wisconsin, Michigan

Breakdown

Matt definitely chose a team Canadians have to love, with his first 3 choices hailing from the Great White North. Unfortunately, two of them may play each other in the Sweet 16 with a possible KU/Syracuse match-up. His Optimal Final Four would be entirely made of 2 seeds, which would more than likely be an interesting first. Also might be one of the last times we see Andrew Wiggins get chosen this late, as he dropped into Matt’s lap for the final pick of the first round. All in all, he is hoping to ride these 2 seeds to the number 1 spot in the Player Pool.

Look out for updates for the Player Pool standings, will be providing them after every weekend up until the tournament Finals. Which team is the favorite? What players were snubbed in the draft? Feel free to comment, enjoy the March Madness and will get you an update once the Sweet 16 is decided!

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