Tyler and his franchises whooped for joy when it was determined that the league's top player, Hall of Famer Naf Naf, was leaving the championship Oklahoma City Lariats. But a couple of hours later, that glee turned sour when the league's next-most dominant team, Charleston, claimed Naf Naf in the draft.
FREE AGENTS NUMBER 14
Defending champ Oklahoma City was stunned by free agency, losing Naf Naf, but Dallas and Los Angeles each lost the services of top-notch forwards, with the Big One losing Pap Smearz and Sven Marquardt departing from the Demons.
THE DRAFT
Following the making of a solid rookie crop and the announcement of free agents, these were the Most Valued Players of the 30 in the Season 41 MBA draft.
GREAT
Guard Naf Naf (HOF)
Forward Pap Smearz
Forward Sven Marquardt
Forward Doo-Rag Dripp (rookie)
Guard Bingo Bango (rookie)
Forward Wawa Wewa (rookie)
GOOD (in no particular order)
Guard Con Gusto (rookie)
Center Carga Larga (rookie)
Guard Walt White
Guard Norman Conquest (rookie)
Guard Brownie McShytles (rookie)
Guard Meat Pants Masterson (rookie)
Forward Poodle "Stix" Jackson (rookie)
Guard Mel A. Noma
Center Steve "Drunk Uncle" Bromberger
Guard Lapiz Lapiz Boligrafo
NOTE: It's Dobby, not Dooby Squatpump for Milwaukee. Dobby is very particular about that.
CHARLESTON, SAN JOSE HAVE BEST DRAFTS
CHARLESTON: The East champs were disappointed to get knocked out of the playoffs in the semis by Seattle, but came back with a vengeance by securing the services of Hall of Famer Naf Naf, making them the instant favorites for Season 41. They also grabbed one of the top rookie forwards in Wawa Wewa and longtime MBA guard Walt White who can provide instant punch off the bench.
SAN JOSE: Two of their picks were among the top six players in the draft. They snagged veteran forward Sven Marquardt and one of the top rookies, forward Doo-Rag Dripp.
WORST DRAFT BELONGS TO MILWAUKEE
While virtually every other team in the MBA secured at least one player in the Great or Good category, Milwaukee came up empty in that regard.
IMPROVEMENTS/DEPROVEMENTS
BEST IMPROVEMENTS
--Chicago guard Amazing Pelton Crane added a block on 5 while improving his free throwing.
--Dallas' veteran center Naceg Gecan got tougher against the pass and improved his dribbling.
--San Jose bench forward Ape Con Myth got appreciably better on his short shot, against the pass and dribble and on the offensive boards, was cut anyway, then picked up by Philadelphia where he will start for the first time in his career.
--Second-year guard Akbar Zagobia, acquired by Oklahoma City from Los Angeles in a trade, strengthened his already-strong defensive rebounding by two numbers.
--Star forward Pap Smearz, also picked up by Oklahoma City in the draft, added a good on 10 from medium, the area in which he has the highest tendency to shoot.
MOST NOTEWORTHY DECLINES
-- Hall of Fame guard Hrundi V. Bakshi of Los Angeles, one of the top 3-point shooters of all time, lost his 3-point tendency. He may find himself on the bench in favor of rookie Bingo Bango, who can hit the three with frequency.
-- Hall of Fame center Max Payne of Oklahoma City, the most honored center of all time, lost a block in a sweet spot, lost a point against the dribble and got worse in both passing and dribbling. He was a league leader in blocks and steals last season.
-- Chicago's most valuable player, forward Reckless Abandon, lost a "good" on 7 down low.
-- Forward Sven Marquard, now of San Jose, lost a denied shot on 8.
-- Point guard Baskets Weaver of Milwaukee, one of the league's top assist men, lost a point off his passing ability.
-- Steady Milwaukee forward Danke Shame got worse in defensive rebounding and in passing.
-- Milwaukee center Ugatta Noluvfer Spikie added a foul on 9 and lost a defensive rebounding point. The foul hurts.
JUST ONE TRADE, BUT KIND OF NOTEWORTHY
Oklahoma City traded backup center Yo Noid to Los Angeles for second-year guard Akbar Zagobia. The improved Noid will start for The Big One, and Zagobia, a 6-4 top-flight defender and rebounder, slides right into the defending champions' starting lineup.
THE SKINNY ON THE ROOKIES, CLASS OF SEASON 41
Nobody truly spectacular in this 16-man group, but three are outstanding and at least 6 more are very good. Actually, there is not one bum in the lot, supported by the fact that for the first time in MBA history, not one rookie ended up in the cut pile and 7 of the 16 will be starters.
Because even some of the top rookies are blocked from the starting lineup by an overflow of talent, the Rookie of the Year race will be wide open.
Here is this reporter's ranking of the rooks. Jesse, however, is not sure about Bango's high rank.
1. Doo-Rag Dripp, 6-7 forward, San Jose -- Accurate as hell from short and low, good defender, rebounder.
2. Bingo Bango, 6-4 sharp-shooting guard, Los Angeles -- Arrives just in time to replace Hall of Famer Bakshi.
3. Wawa Wewa, 6-7 forward, Charleston -- Superb defender, great passer, wonderful shooter but doesn't shoot a lot.
4. Norman Conquest, 6-2 guard, Chicago -- Great ball-handler, maybe best guard defender in league. But can he score?
5. Brownie McShytles, 6-1 guard, Philadelphia -- Can't hit the trey, but deadly from medium and short. Decent D.
6. Poodle "Stix" Jackson, 6-7 forward, Philadelphia -- Good rebounder, solid defender, questionable scorer down low.
7. Santo Thomas, 6-7 forward, Chicago -- Weak rebounder, OK defender who should be a solid scorer for the Gale.
8. Con Gusto, 6-4 guard, Sacramento -- Good size, passer, defender and shooter. Fouls too much. Will start at point.
9. Carga Larga, 6-11 center, Seattle -- Fell into Stampede's lap in cut draft. Good on boards and shooting. Fouls.
10.Meat Pants Masterson, 5-11 guard, Dallas -- Diminutive guard should provide scoring punch off the pines.
11.Dobby Squatpump, 7-0 center, Milwaukee -- Big man will be solid back-up with solid rebounding and defense.
12.Bougainvillea "Bush Man" Hedge, 6-8 forward, Chicago -- Will never be a star, but not too shabby for a sub.
13.Faku Sosume, 6-7 forward, Los Angeles -- Killer shot from medium on in, but will foul you 31 percent of the time.
14.Al A. Orden, 6-8 forward, Dallas -- Good around the bucket but likes to take the 3-pointer...which he can't hit.
15.Cat Timol, 5-10 guard, Dallas -- Smallest rookie plays bigger, ball-handles well, can shoot the medium shot.
16.Enrico "Little Rico" Bendello, 6-10 center, Philadelphia -- Nothing spectacular, but pretty damn good for No. 16.
THE SEASON 41 SCHEDULE
NEXT UP; BREAKING DOWN THE TEAMS AND PREDICTIONS
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