by Chris Maynard ([email protected])
As I break down NCAA Tournaments at The College Basketball Nostalgic, I will be creating tourney Super Squads for many universities.
Essentially, these Super Squads will be my ideal 12-man team for that school based on NCAA Tournament performances.
Before I introduce the criteria that I am looking for with each player, let me establish a few rules.
Rule #1: These Super Squads will consist of the last 20 years of NCAA Tournament play, beginning with the 1997 NCAA Tournament.
Rule #2: Super Squads will ideally consist of players who played at least two years in college. With that said, each Super Squad will get “One and Done” freshman.
Rule #3: Each Super Squad will consist of 12 players who satisfy at least 12 of the 15 criteria that I have created for players.
Rule #4: Starting lineups will be chosen based upon which combination I feel gives the Super Squad the most unbeatable threat.
With those simple rules established, here are the types of players whom I am looking for when building a Super Squad.
● The Program: This player is arguably the most important recruit who puts a team over the top, from being a Sweet Sixteen team to a national title contender. This player does not necessary have to be the best player on the team, but his talent is so transcendent that he can be the best player on any given night. In other words, this player has the most transferrable talent to become a superstar at the next level (the NBA).
● The Iceman: This player is the most fearless player on the team, the guy who will have the ball in his hands with the game on the line and be afraid of absolutely nothing. While not necessarily the most talented or athletic player on the Super Squad, this player has the respect of all his teammates because of his competitive fire. This player is often described as a winner. Even if he is not a great shooter, this player is a great scorer.
● The Swiss Army Knife: This player is a jack-of-all trades who can do it all, from handling the ball to hitting the outside shot, from playing and guarding multiple positions on the court to having the ability to score and bang at the rim. This player has a high basketball IQ, even though he may not be the most physically gifted or imposing. This guy is the ultimate glue guy.
● The Piggy Bank: This player is a guy who just gets buckets when getting the ball fed into the post. Think of this player as a power forward or center, possibly undersized, someone who knows how to use his strength and body to score at an efficient clip. This player is unafraid to do the dirty work on the defensive end of the floor.
● The Long Arms of the Law: This player is a big man who alters shot at the rim, effectively moves his feet, and flourishes in the pick and pop game on both sides of the ball. Think of this player as possibly a tall and lanky big who hasn’t quite filled out. This player does not necessarily need many touches on the offensive side of the ball.
● The One and Done: This player is a symbol of the times, a guy who everyone knows would have turned pro out of high school if the option was there. This player figures to be a top-10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and is highly sought out in recruiting circles. On a talent level, this player does things that the majority of college players, even the really good ones, cannot do.
● The X Factor: This player is a bit mercurial. The talent is there, but teammates and fans never know what this player will do on a game-to-game basis. Obviously, this player is a top talent and athlete, however, his competitive fire is not always burning. What is certain is that if this player plays up to his abilities, there is not a more dangerous team in the tournament.
● The Rifleman: This player is instant offense off the bench. When a team is in a scoring funk, this player is brought in the game to infuse some offense. This player can get buckets in a variety of ways, from behind the arc to the midrange to within the paint. This player has irrational confidence in his ability to get buckets.
● The Dean: This player has a mean streak on the court, but is not necessarily dirty, though he can be perceived that way. Physically, he is often a man among boys who is not afraid to mix it up. This player strikes fear in the hearts of opponents. Nothing is easy against this player, who balls out with all he has when in the game. This player is a pit bull on the court, with a heavy emphasis on defense.
● Stretch Armstrong: This player is a stretch big who prefers to play outside rather than inside. This player opens space on the floor and must be respected from the outside as he will hit open jumpers if the defender sags. This player fits in nicely with how basketball is currently being played.
● The 3D Glasses: This player is viewed by the coach in terms of his 3-point shooting and defensive abilities. This player hits threes at a respectable clip and is versatile enough to guard several positions on the floor. Another perfect fit for how basketball is currently played, this player is an ideal option for small-ball lineups.
● The Floor General: This player is a point guard who can score but relishes getting his teammates involved. This player just knows how to play and has the full trust of his coach. This player was born to run an offense. He rarely makes bad decisions and is a personal favorite of his teammates, who want to be on the floor with this player because they know he is going to get them the ball in good positions to score.
● The Coach in Waiting: This player has such a high basketball IQ that he seems to be an extension of the head coach while on the floor. This player is an overachiever who often steadies the ship when things are not going well on either end of the court. Using a plus/minus system, this team is most often on the positive side of the ledger when this player is in the game. This player may be called a floor general or glue guy.
● The Floor Burn: This player is a high-energy, hustle player who disrupts things on the court. He may be considered an agitator, but does not necessarily have to be. This player is a guy that opposing players do not want to guard or be guarded by. This player is clearly someone fans and teammates love to have on their team but hate to play against.
● The Dinosaur: This player is an anachronism, a traditional big man who stays in the paint and gets points with his basket to the rim. Better suited for college basketball in the 60s, 70s and 80s, this player can be quite dominant when used correctly. Typically, this player is in the range of 6’10’’ to beyond 7’. He may be a bit of a stiff or work in progress, but the possibilities are too tempting to pass up and not develop.
With these fifteen criteria in mind, I am excited to build some NCAA Tournament Super Squads in the future.
As I am covering the 1997 NCAA Tournament, the first teams that I will be building Super Squads for will be three of that field's Final Four participants: Arizona, Kentucky and North Carolina.
Be sure to visit The College Basketball Nostalgic often to see your school's Super Squad.
Essentially, these Super Squads will be my ideal 12-man team for that school based on NCAA Tournament performances.
Before I introduce the criteria that I am looking for with each player, let me establish a few rules.
Rule #1: These Super Squads will consist of the last 20 years of NCAA Tournament play, beginning with the 1997 NCAA Tournament.
Rule #2: Super Squads will ideally consist of players who played at least two years in college. With that said, each Super Squad will get “One and Done” freshman.
Rule #3: Each Super Squad will consist of 12 players who satisfy at least 12 of the 15 criteria that I have created for players.
Rule #4: Starting lineups will be chosen based upon which combination I feel gives the Super Squad the most unbeatable threat.
With those simple rules established, here are the types of players whom I am looking for when building a Super Squad.
● The Program: This player is arguably the most important recruit who puts a team over the top, from being a Sweet Sixteen team to a national title contender. This player does not necessary have to be the best player on the team, but his talent is so transcendent that he can be the best player on any given night. In other words, this player has the most transferrable talent to become a superstar at the next level (the NBA).
● The Iceman: This player is the most fearless player on the team, the guy who will have the ball in his hands with the game on the line and be afraid of absolutely nothing. While not necessarily the most talented or athletic player on the Super Squad, this player has the respect of all his teammates because of his competitive fire. This player is often described as a winner. Even if he is not a great shooter, this player is a great scorer.
● The Swiss Army Knife: This player is a jack-of-all trades who can do it all, from handling the ball to hitting the outside shot, from playing and guarding multiple positions on the court to having the ability to score and bang at the rim. This player has a high basketball IQ, even though he may not be the most physically gifted or imposing. This guy is the ultimate glue guy.
● The Piggy Bank: This player is a guy who just gets buckets when getting the ball fed into the post. Think of this player as a power forward or center, possibly undersized, someone who knows how to use his strength and body to score at an efficient clip. This player is unafraid to do the dirty work on the defensive end of the floor.
● The Long Arms of the Law: This player is a big man who alters shot at the rim, effectively moves his feet, and flourishes in the pick and pop game on both sides of the ball. Think of this player as possibly a tall and lanky big who hasn’t quite filled out. This player does not necessarily need many touches on the offensive side of the ball.
● The One and Done: This player is a symbol of the times, a guy who everyone knows would have turned pro out of high school if the option was there. This player figures to be a top-10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and is highly sought out in recruiting circles. On a talent level, this player does things that the majority of college players, even the really good ones, cannot do.
● The X Factor: This player is a bit mercurial. The talent is there, but teammates and fans never know what this player will do on a game-to-game basis. Obviously, this player is a top talent and athlete, however, his competitive fire is not always burning. What is certain is that if this player plays up to his abilities, there is not a more dangerous team in the tournament.
● The Rifleman: This player is instant offense off the bench. When a team is in a scoring funk, this player is brought in the game to infuse some offense. This player can get buckets in a variety of ways, from behind the arc to the midrange to within the paint. This player has irrational confidence in his ability to get buckets.
● The Dean: This player has a mean streak on the court, but is not necessarily dirty, though he can be perceived that way. Physically, he is often a man among boys who is not afraid to mix it up. This player strikes fear in the hearts of opponents. Nothing is easy against this player, who balls out with all he has when in the game. This player is a pit bull on the court, with a heavy emphasis on defense.
● Stretch Armstrong: This player is a stretch big who prefers to play outside rather than inside. This player opens space on the floor and must be respected from the outside as he will hit open jumpers if the defender sags. This player fits in nicely with how basketball is currently being played.
● The 3D Glasses: This player is viewed by the coach in terms of his 3-point shooting and defensive abilities. This player hits threes at a respectable clip and is versatile enough to guard several positions on the floor. Another perfect fit for how basketball is currently played, this player is an ideal option for small-ball lineups.
● The Floor General: This player is a point guard who can score but relishes getting his teammates involved. This player just knows how to play and has the full trust of his coach. This player was born to run an offense. He rarely makes bad decisions and is a personal favorite of his teammates, who want to be on the floor with this player because they know he is going to get them the ball in good positions to score.
● The Coach in Waiting: This player has such a high basketball IQ that he seems to be an extension of the head coach while on the floor. This player is an overachiever who often steadies the ship when things are not going well on either end of the court. Using a plus/minus system, this team is most often on the positive side of the ledger when this player is in the game. This player may be called a floor general or glue guy.
● The Floor Burn: This player is a high-energy, hustle player who disrupts things on the court. He may be considered an agitator, but does not necessarily have to be. This player is a guy that opposing players do not want to guard or be guarded by. This player is clearly someone fans and teammates love to have on their team but hate to play against.
● The Dinosaur: This player is an anachronism, a traditional big man who stays in the paint and gets points with his basket to the rim. Better suited for college basketball in the 60s, 70s and 80s, this player can be quite dominant when used correctly. Typically, this player is in the range of 6’10’’ to beyond 7’. He may be a bit of a stiff or work in progress, but the possibilities are too tempting to pass up and not develop.
With these fifteen criteria in mind, I am excited to build some NCAA Tournament Super Squads in the future.
As I am covering the 1997 NCAA Tournament, the first teams that I will be building Super Squads for will be three of that field's Final Four participants: Arizona, Kentucky and North Carolina.
Be sure to visit The College Basketball Nostalgic often to see your school's Super Squad.
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