Hypothetical - NBA All star added to NCAA team, win Championship? - Page 2

bort411 · #11 03-14-2007, 02:24 AM

I guess no one remembers USA basketball's performance in international play in the last several years. 12 All-Stars couldn't beat college-caliber international teams. What makes anyone think that one will make that much of a difference?

ZServe · #12 03-14-2007, 02:43 AM

Sorry, thought you had included Nash in your locks. But I stick to my general point that you are far overrating the effect it would have. I do not think Corpus Christi would have more than a slim chance to win the title even if they replaced their best guy with Kobe, let alone be a lock.

Michael Davis · #13 03-14-2007, 02:55 AM

First off, not sure why you are getting criticized for the list; it looks like you just took the last year's NBA all-stars.

Anyways, put just about any of these guys on one of the best 20 teams or so and they become mortal locks. Probably the very best of them (Kobe, Garnett, LeBron) could make any team a contender. And probably the very best big men have an advantage.

But no, most of these guys would not make the weaker NCAA squads a lock. Even looking at a team like Michigan State, putting Kobe on that team might make them ONE of the favorites, but it doesn't make that team any better than an extremely deep Florida or UCLA squad.

Look, a guy like Kevin Durant isn't really that far off from being one of these all-stars that you call a lock. His team is a 4 seed with an outside chance of winning it all. There is nobody that you could replace him with that would make his team a lock.

And as for the Albanys and Miamis of the tourney, yes, the great NBA players would immediately make them top level teams with a good chance, but nothing more.

If the NCAA tournament were somehow a best-of-seven affair, the NBA stars would have a better chance. But as it is, relatively weak squads with solid outside shooters and a commitment to team defense can give anybody a good run.

-Michael

TheNoodleMan · #14 03-14-2007, 03:09 AM

I don't think any of these guys are going to make a low seed a lock to win the NCAA title. A box and one is pretty effective on guys who don't have help.

Pudge714 · #15 03-14-2007, 03:44 AM

Guys,
The better question is who on the list is better than Kevin Durant?

lippy · #16 03-14-2007, 04:56 AM

I think looking at 2003 is really important. Syracuse was basically Carmelo and Hakim Warick. Carmelo was obviously an insane individual talent and carried them past a STACKED Kansas team in the championship.

HajiShirazu · #17 03-14-2007, 06:58 AM

Half of those guys aren't THAT much better than oden or durant. Then again, both of those teams are favorites to win anyway so they wouldn't need a big improvement. That is the problem - better teams probably have a player that is close to a NBA starter anyway so they wouldn't be helped that much.
Nobody is a lock with only one nba player. Nobody is going to come out and score 50 every game with 30 dimes in a 40 minute game with a 35 second shot clock.

mattsey9 · #18 03-14-2007, 08:23 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with the Steve Nash comment.

The locks I suggested were beacause they are dominant players at the NBA level, and can create their own offense all by themselves. That is the key.

So yes, if Kobe was on Texas AM CC, they would win the Championship.

[/ QUOTE ]

Were that the case, David Robinson would have won a couple of titles for Navy, and Shaquille O'Neal would have led LSU to victory. Having individual talent is great, but it's still not a guaranteed formula for victory.

fanmail · #19 03-14-2007, 09:59 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Guys,
The better question is who on the list is better than Kevin Durant?

[/ QUOTE ]

I was just about to say that. I think OP argument is silly at best. Because if he really believes that, then obviously Texas is a lock to win because they have a player who is probably as good as many of those all-stars.

DrewDevil · #20 03-14-2007, 10:22 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I agree with the Steve Nash comment.

The locks I suggested were beacause they are dominant players at the NBA level, and can create their own offense all by themselves. That is the key.

So yes, if Kobe was on Texas AM CC, they would win the Championship.

[/ QUOTE ]

Were that the case, David Robinson would have won a couple of titles for Navy, and Shaquille O'Neal would have led LSU to victory. Having individual talent is great, but it's still not a guaranteed formula for victory.

[/ QUOTE ]

Those guys got miles better once they were in the NBA and it was full time. How much better is Wade now than he was in 2004 with Marquette? I think you're underestimating how good you have to be to make the all-star team. Hard to think of any college player who would definitely have made the NBA all-star team with his college skills. Maybe Alcindor, Magic, Bird.