PCTI7 Draft Recap & Analysis

I can't remember the last time there were more surprises in a draft since Sabin constructed the Kittens in PCTI3.  A few reaches, a few drops, and a couple new faces had this draft in flux before it started.

No sense in wasting time, let's dive in.

Final Rosters:

Team Sabin

• Round 1: Abe Stephen
• Round 2: The Actor
• Round 3: S. Donley
• Round 4: Spotlight
• Round 5: Stickman
• Round 6: Wes

The Brats

• Round 1: Big Brat Carney
• Round 2: Dan The Brat
• Round 3: Koala Beas
• Round 4: TP
• Round 5: Hops
• Round 6: Rainbowbrat

Grades by Pick:

• Abe Stephen (Sabin)-A.
• Abe is the consensus top player in PCTI and there is no reason to dive into the details or make a debate about it.  On top of being the most skilled and decorated, he's also a top teammate that does a lot of his damage without requiring the ball, and his dedication to ball and player movement sets a high standard.  Abe fills many roles for TS and this pick is a can't miss.
• The Brat Carney (Brats)-B+.
• Wilson sets the tone by letting everyone know the theme of his squad and snatches up a top big in PCTI with The Brat.  You know what you're getting with BC each year, but putting him alongside Wilson frees him up to play his favorite (and best role) which is high scoring trash man. The Brat's best PCTI's have come when he's playing a backup scoring role and set his sites on leading the league in offensive rebounds, blocks, and snap outs.
• Dan the Brat (Brats)-C+.
• Hard to give a higher grade with top PG and #2 overall player The Actor still on the board, but clearly Wilson's higher level education focuses more on chemistry than skill. With this pick, it's clear The Brat's are trying to re-create the magic of one of PCTI's top teams from PCTI5, one that handed Abe his first loss.  A lot has been made of DTB's Abe-stopping reputation and whether or not it will hold true, one could almost guarantee he will be looking forward to the showdown.
• The Actor (Sabin)-A.
• Huge value with one I consider slightly behind Abe for top player in PCTI.  You have to give credit to Sabin for sticking with his BPA mindset, not worrying about potential chemistry issues and having confidence in The Actor's ability to run the show.  With this pick you now pair three of PCTI's most athletic, top scorer's and hardest working players all on the same squad. The Act has been quiet this offseason which means he's playing a lot of basketball and probably doing it at a high level.  Act will run the show of what could be a very highpowered offense.
• The Koala (Brats)-B+.
• Wilson was good with whoever was left of the top two combo guards, and came out with the Koala who made one of the biggest draft day statements with his antics last night. With Beas you get one of the most complete players in PCTI, a guy who's motor never stops, crashes the boards relentlessly, gets in the greatest defensive stance most have ever seen, knocks down both 3's and mid-rangers, and has a closet quality post game that he keeps in his back pocket if necessary.  Above all else, this was a huge chemistry win for the Brats who now have PCTI's top 4 biggest snots all on one squad.  
• C*ck Strong (Sabin)-B+.
• The Brat made reference to Donley getting dangerously close to the dreaded "underrated" status in PCTI, and he couldn't be more accurate.  Sabin gets one of his favorites, a guy that brings everything to a team Sabin never could--bulk, good looks and interior strength. The beauty of getting CS in this slot is you're guaranteed for 8 ppg, 6 rpg, defensive and offensive versatility (who else in PCTI can score inside and out and guard inside and out effectively)?  Most people don't play well in their home turf, but I would almost guarantee that this guy will.
• TP (Wilson)-B.
• Hard to give a higher grade when the only thing you know about an unknown player is he's fresh off his ACL recovery.  If healthy, the rumor is he will bring one key quality to the Brats, and that's his uncanny ability to perform at a high level on the offensive glass, one of PCTI's most underrated statistics.  Pairing him with fellow offensive windex main BC will give The Brats two active, athletic big men that can make things happen. Conditioning needs to be a key focus the next few months for this grade to get higher.
• Spotlight (Sabin)-B+.
• Spotfall is over, and what a value this is.  Spot led PCTI in 3-point shooting last year at 39%, and in the last few years has also added a pull up jumper and ability to finish in traffic to his arsenal.  To get be able to PCTI's top shooter (yes that's right) this late is a huge win for Sabin, and putting him on a team where he will be able to run free is going to be tough for The Brats to stop. Spot and I have a game this weekend in Hells Kitchen together, so I will provide further analysis after that.
• Hops (Brats)-B+.
• Missing out on Spot by 1 and having Stickman on the board this late is a tough pill to swallow, but neither of them fit The Brat system quite like Hops.  You could actually make a case that the mindset of this team would not have been complete without him, and this rounds it out.  Hops performance as free safety/defensive captain last year earned him All-Tournament Team selection, and by God was it warranted.  You won't find a slower person cover more ground and be all over the court more than he was last year, and under his great friends leadership, don't be surprised if he doesn't flaunt that ability even more.  
• Stickman (Sabin)-A.
• This is an easy grade getting a guy of the Stickman's skill level this late in the game. Valid reasons for the fall (baby, a year away, losing record, conditioning and basketball related concerns) but what The Stick brings to a team does not properly reflect his PCTI winning %.  Formerly the Bruise, he is an unfortunate true post player that has been forced to play in a guards game.  What really is holding him back is how little he plays, but knowing how competitive he is, he will find a way to re-invent himself and re-establish himself as one of PCTI's top players.  The Stick will give his team what he always does--that element of toughness and strength that everyone knows can't be matched.  If he plays enough and gets some of his on-court strengths back (passing out of the post, mid-range jump shooting, and on the ball defense) this pick could end of being a back breaker for The Brats. Bruise was in PCTI's upper echelon the first three years, and I'll guarantee he finds a way to get back on there.
• Rainbow (Brats)-A.
• Wilson finally gets an A with his last pick... This A is both a pick on adding quality in the locker room (only because he's playing with guys of a similar mentality) and on the court.  I'm calling it right now that Rainbow's unorthodox style will rival Donley for potential most improved/underrated and also has the potential to rival Spotlight's position as top 3 point shooter.  He just completed a half marathon and is in top physical condition... If not properly game planned for, Rainbow and his Crash Brothers (TP, BC, JG) could do a game changing amount of damage on the O-Boards.  Great pickup.
• Wes (Sabin)-F.
• Bad value to get in this slot unless you're looking for someone to try and take out the oppositions sixth best player.  The "Danny Stopper" has taken it upon himself to slow one of PCTI's worst scorers, only issue is Dan the Brat has had his two top scoring years since Wes became more active in this role.  On a lighter note, the Wes Farewell Tour will bring some nostalgia to some, which pushes this grade up to a potential F+.

Overall--From a skill level and best player available perspective, there's no question Sabin gets the victory.  He did not miss on any picks, and really didn't have any that were debatable.  The team is locked and loaded on all cylinders.

Wilson clearly was going for chemistry, and you have to give the guy credit for the culture he's built the two years.  He wants to re-create the magic from Denver, and he was able to get the cornerstones to be able to do that. 

One thing is for sure, this PCTI is going to be a battle, and I see it going 7 games.

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