2015 NBA Mock Draft: Who Said Centers Were Irrelevant?

You know how this thing goes by now...

Tune in at 6:30 PM CT to ESPN for live coverage of the NBA Draft.

Now, it's mocking time!

1. Minnesota Timberwolves - C Karl-Anthony Towns (Kentucky)

Towns is not surprised.

Karl-Anthony Towns goes from being one of the only people to stay at the University of Kentucky for multiple years to attending the University of Kevin Garnett where he'll pick up some tips from one of the best Power Forwards of the last twenty years. I like his odds at success as long as he avoids problems with his feet. The Timberwolves have begun a youth movement that they hope to keep together for a very long time with three first-rounders from 2014 (Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine and Adreian Payne) plus they still have the #1 overall pick from 2013 (Anthony Bennett) although, he's widely rumored to be on the trading block. Add Towns to the mix and you have a future playoff team (though likely not for another season, give Towns time to adjust). There are many sources out there already stating that this is Minnesota's pick and I feel very comfortable in not blowing the #1 pick as I did last year (Dante Exum).

2. Los Angeles Lakers - C Jahlil Okafor (Duke)

(Grant Halverson, Getty Images)
Okafor has no relation to Emeka Okafor but, he'll also be selected 2nd eleven years later.

Who said Centers were a dying breed of little importance? The second pick is also a Center and the player who I believe is the surest thing in the draft (I thought he'd go #1 since he graduated high school). L.A. will welcome Okafor with arms wide open since they never want to have to start Robert Sacre for 18 games ever again. Sacre has plenty of skills but, the only thing he excels at are his bench celebrations.

The Lakers don't have any specific needs other than "players" and Jahlil Okafor is one of the best ones of those in the 2015 draft and he won't impede on Kobe's thirty shots per game so, he's a perfect match.

3. Philadelphia 76ers - PG Emmanuel Mudiay (China)

(Kelly Kline)
The only player with first-round potential to come out of China, Mudiay's stock is filled with questions.

The Sixers have their big men of the future (Nerlens Noel & Joel Embiid) and they have Robert Covington as a temporary place holder at Small Forward. This leaves them with a glaring need at one specific position and that is Guard. Mudiay is tall enough and enough of a scorer that he could manage to play as the Shooting Guard in case Philly still thinks they have something in either Tony Wroten or Isaiah Canaan. This move would not catapult the Sixers out of the top ten of the draft next year (only Embiid's health could potentially do that) but, it does get them one step closer and one season away from Sam Hinkie looking like a mad genius.

4. New York Knicks - PG D'Angelo Russell (Ohio State)

Mike Munden/AP
Russell is just the type of player the Knicks need.

Phil Jackson's stint in New York may only be a season long but, it's gone terribly after one 17-65 season and the team fell out of the top three picks during the draft lottery. Not a good look so far but, at pick #4 some future All-Star is bound to be available and Russell just happens to be the best player available and the perfect fit on an unidentifiable Knicks roster. Last season's one hyped draft pick (SF Cleanthony Early) did not pan out whatsoever and Tim Hardaway Jr.'s sophomore NBA season was a disaster. Carmelo Anthony needs a teammate of some substantial value because as Lebron James has just proven, you cannot win a championship by yourself. Russell is the most NBA-ready Point Guard in this year's draft and would add offense that nobody outside of Anthony currently possesses in New York.

5. Orlando Magic - SF Justise Winslow (Duke)

(USATSI)
Winslow's stock took a major jump when he outperformed teammate Jahlil Okafor during the 2015 NCAA Tournament.

Tobias Harris is as good as gone and rumor has it that the team picking #4 (the Knicks) are the most likely suitors for the Small Forward. This would leave Orlando with "How could you be" Moe Harkless in the starting lineup. They need a better backup plan in case the inevitable happens, Winslow is the best fit for Orlando's scheme as he is a good all-around player and Orlando loves their defense. With the questionable hiring of three-time failure Scott Skiles, it's unlikely this team is competing for a championship any time over the next 3-4 years but they've built quite the nucleus to reach the next step (playoffs) in a weaker Eastern Conference. A lineup of Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo, Justise Winslow, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic' is very exciting to most and shouldn't have any problem avoiding being in this same draft position next off-season.

It wouldn't be a proper discussion about the Magic if I didn't heartlessly diss Scott Skiles once every five minutes.

6. Sacramento Kings - PF Kristaps Porzingis (Spain)

Is that basketball even a real basketball? Did they set this up or was it an in-game dunk? So many questions for Kristaps.

Get ready for the obvious European comparison... Kristaps is the weaker, faster Dirk Nowitzki. The only thing missing from his game is any type of moves in the post, something that has made Nowitzki a future hall of famer. Porzingis needs some polishing but, his outside shooting is something rarely seen from players of his height. If he ever does find a way to get out of the post, watch out because this is a steal. The one thing that worries is if he does get selected by Sacramento, what are the chances this team that is currently in a huge disagreement with their head coach on the future of their one All-Star can do the right thing and give enough to time to Porzingis and/or the coaching help he needs early on. They are the most unstable franchise in basketball right now, don't let the down years for the Lakers and Knicks and boldness of the Sixers fool you.

7. Denver Nuggets - SF Mario Hezonja (Spain)

Victor Salgado / FCB
Back-to-back players from Spain! 

New Nuggets head coach Mike Malone is the former coach of the Kings, current Kings head coach George Karl is the former Nuggets coach and now both teams are taking players from Spain? Who started emulating whom in this scenario? Mario Hezonja is rumored to be a very hard player to coach as he ditched his team in Spain after multiple disagreements with the head coach overseas. His attitude does affect his play at times but, typically talent prevails in these types of situations. I mean... look at J.R. Smith. He's still in the NBA and an integral piece on a team's roster. The Nuggets are coming off of a depressing season and probably don't want to deal with another headcase but, I still think they take Hezonja as this is a team that has had luck with foreign prospects previously (Jusuf Nurkic, Danilo Gallinari and Evan Fournier). Hezonja is also just like J.R. Smith in his extreme inconsistencies but, when he gets hot, he can actually play defense (something Smith rarely does). Gary Harris did not live up to the hype his rookie season and the Nuggets could use another player with the same capabilities as Harris to build a more dynamic offense. In steps Mario Hezonja and problem solved!

8. Detroit Pistons - PF Trey Lyles (Kentucky)

Andy Lyons/Getty Images North America
With a name like Trey, you'd think he'd be able to hit threes better than going 4-for-29 at Kentucky.

Much like Orlando at pick #5, the Pistons are going to make a choice here based on a large chunk of their team's focus almost certain to leave in big-man Greg Monroe's testing free agency. With Detroit more than set in talent at the Guard position (Reggie Jackson, Brandon Jennings, Spencer Dinwiddie, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jodie Meeks), they are guaranteed to be thinking big at pick number eight and Trey Lyles is big in size, big in hype and big in talent. Once Detroit acquired Ersan Ilyasova in a trade, this pick was pretty much locked in. There could still be another big man that fancies the Detroit Pistons but, Lyles is the top on my remaining-big-men draft board (an oddly specific draft board).

9. Charlotte Hornets - PG Cameron Payne (Murray State)

Jenny Rohl/The News
Small college Point Guards succeeding is nothing new (Damian Lillard)

An exquisite passer, little was known about Payne before the drafting process began and now that everybody is at least semi-familiar with Payne, his stock is the fastest rising in the draft. Charlotte doesn't absolutely need another Point Guard with Kemba Walker having that position on lockdown for a few more years but, Mo Williams has already been rumored as a potential Cavalier so, Michael Jordan's team will need another guy who can dish it out on the bench. With the addition of Spencer Hawes via Lance Stephenson trade, the team has already picked up a scorer. Add him to an improving, second-year P.J. Hairston and Charlotte should be in the postseason as an eighth-seed at minimum.

(Plus, Charlotte just traded for Nicolas Batum and dumped Noah Vonleh/Gerald Henderson. WHAT?)

10. Miami Heat - SF Stanley Johnson (Arizona)

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press
"Replacing Lebron? Bring it on." - probably what Stanley Johnson is saying in this photo.

The Heat just barely missed the playoffs last season and somehow lucked out by getting the tenth pick in the lottery instead of surrendering the eleventh pick to Philadelphia as part of a trade in which the pick was top-ten protected. Now, Miami has a good chance at getting a player who should be ready for their rotation on day one. Stanley Johnson is a Forward who can step in for Luol Deng if he indeed leaves via free agency. The Heat are dealing with a lot of off-season drama right now as Dwyane Wade's next contract is uncertain to be with Miami, Chris Bosh recovers from a blood clot, Goran Dragic likely becomes the highest paid Point Guard in team history and Udonis Haslem's contract is more of a nuisance than ever as his glory days seem to be behind him. Ultimately, I think we'll be looking at a very similar team to the one Pat Riley and crew ended last season with plus they'll add a kid who is just 19 going on 20, leaving Miami with a brighter post-Wade future. 

11. Indiana Pacers - C Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky)

(USATSI)
Cauley-Stein lucks out and falls to a team that only missed the playoffs due to one star's injury who is now healthy.

Stick with me on this one... Say THIS INCREDIBLY BALLSY TRADE ACTUALLY HAPPENS, all of a sudden Indiana has a spot in the starting lineup for Cauley-Stein (if they want him to start) and they'd have Nicolas Batum coming off a terrible season alongside Paul George. I don't think there's any real chance Larry Bird and I share the same thoughts but if that trade and this pick happens plus Indy adds a Point Guard in free agency (not a great one, just not Donald Sloan), they'd probably be back in the Eastern Conference Finals. I'm still not sure who would say no to that deal.

UPDATE: Nicolas Batum has been traded to Charlotte for Gerald Henderson and Noah Vonleh. My pick has not changed here.

12. Utah Jazz - PF Myles Turner (Texas)

Eric Gay/AP
Look at that wingspan. He could probably play multiple jazz instruments at the same time, which is great considering Utah is quite well-known for their underground Mormon jazz scene.

Utah's bench is absolutely horrible. There are some quality young players worth keeping past next season like Alec Burks, Trey Burke, Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert plus they still have last year's two first rounders, the disappointing Dante Exum and Rodney Hood. Outside of those core seven? Not a whole lot to brag about. This team desperately needs to add a big man for their bench even though they were much more successful after the Enes Kanter trade. Myles Turner is another guy with an incredible wingspan (Utah might want to make sure the Bucks don't trade up for him) that would be quite the compliment to the emerging superstar Rudy "Stifle Tower" Gobert. 

13. Phoenix Suns - C Frank Kaminsky (Wisconsin)

Current Phoenix Center Alex Len has developed a jump shot but, why not go all in and take a Center who can hit threes?

The curious case of Frank Kaminsky is either going to bomb out or ball out at the NBA level. I don't see him working out just "okay", it's an incredibly low floor or an incredibly high ceiling for the former Badger with two final four trips under his belt. He has his own unique move just like Dirk Nowitzki's step-back jumper only, Frank "The Tank"'s unique motions moves him forward for an off-balance yet mostly accurate layup. Phoenix has taken some weird chances on players since hiring Jeff Hornacek (remember the three-guards experiment?) and Kaminsky just seems like the type of chance Phoenix is willing to take.

14. Oklahoma City Thunder - SF Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Arizona)

Speaking of unique movements, I introduce you to Hollis-Jefferson's pre-free throw shimmy.

If Oklahoma City's best backup plan once/if Durant gets hurt is Kyle Singler, then they won't be as deep into the championship hunt as people assume they will. OKC already has all the offensive firepower one could ask for from their bench and Hollis-Jefferson is very weak in that field but much stronger on defense. The way the Thunder played late in the season without Durant was they ran very little of their offense through the Small Forward position and weren't a total train-wreck. Plus, despite that awkward looking free throw motion, the man shot 70% from the line in the 2014-15 season. A safe play for Billy Donovan's first season coaching the Thunder.

15. Atlanta Hawks - SG Devin Booker (Kentucky)

photo courtesy of kentuckysportsradio.com
Devin Booker is the shooter that Atlanta needs more of on their bench in case of a Kyle Korver emergency.

The Hawks new uniforms are nice but, they haven't erased a disappointing Eastern Conference Finals exit due to injury-after-injury where they were forced into playing with their lack of depth (NYPD only partly to blame in the grand scheme of Atlanta basketball). Kent Bazemore might not just be the towel-waving 12th man he was in the bay area but, he's still not a guy I'd want as the first option off the bench at Shooting Guard. If Devin Booker can steal that role from him, hopefully Atlanta can avoid the return-to-earth season everyone and their mothers are expecting. Booker is a kid who I don't believe to be the ready for the big stage just yet but, we're halfway through the first round and chances are 50-50 on whether or not a team is drafting a serious member of their team for years to come. (Just look at Adreian Payne whom Atlanta selected and gave up on halfway through his rookie season last year).

16. Boston Celtics - SF Kelly Oubre (Kansas)

KU Athletics Photo
Somewhere Oubre the rainbow, Kelly goes up for a dunk.

What is it with Boston taking guys named Kelly? The Red Sox have had Kelly Johnson and now roster Joe Kelly, the Celtics already Kelly "Turn your arm and rip the shoulder off" Olynyk and now I have them taking Kelly Oubre of the elite Kansas program under Bill Self. Current Boston Small Forward Jae Crowder had a breakout near the end of last season and was very much a factor in their playoff berth but, when he left the floor Boston had nowhere to turn that wouldn't stop the offensive production. Jonas Jerebko is not the answer. Luigi Datome is not the answer. Gerald Wallace is only the answer to one question and that is "who does Boston most want to get rid of?". Kelly Oubre is not a guaranteed good professional player but, he should be able to fill in for some minutes in Brad Stevens' rotation.

17. Milwaukee Bucks - SG Rashad Vaughn (UNLV)

At just eighteen years old, Vaughn is another project for Jason Kidd to work on.

Milwaukee needs a shooter. Rashad Vaughn is a good shooter. He's also a super raw talent and Milwaukee has been eating up the raw-talent lack-of-experience players since the "Fear the deer"-era. John Henson, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Michael Carter-Williams have all gone from showing flashes of greatness to being quite valuable starters and role players under Jason Kidd and Rashad Vaughn already has the jump shooting and rebounding down AT AGE EIGHTEEN! If they could get some better defense out of the kid and maybe make him pass every now and then, watch out Eastern Conference because Milwaukee's hype is not just empty hype. 

18. Houston Rockets - PG Jerian Grant (Notre Dame)

hoopscience.it
Something tells me Jerian Grant is a more offensive-minded Patrick Beverley and Houston already has the defensive version of that.

Houston was all sorts of hampered by injuries in the postseason and still managed to make it to a lopsided Western Conference Finals. Jason Terry simply cannot be the player he wants to be anymore at 37-years old and he has a career in broadcasting or as an analyst all wrapped up for him once he decides to hang up the phone on his very good career. For the moment, he is still a Houston Rocket though but, I don't see that changing Houston's pick here of a Point Guard who resembles Patrick Beverley (their starting Point Guard) on defense and is a much better passer than him as well. Grant would be the perfect fit in Houston's starting lineup even though he will likely only be a valuable bench-warmer during the upcoming season. 

19. Washington Wizards - SG R.J. Hunter (Georgia State)

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
You've probably seen this shot before.

Ronald Jordan Hunter was a virtual unknown until he gave his father a heart attack and promptly wrapped up the season in Baylor sports disappointments. It was phenomenal entertainment and the world was introduced to the coach's son, an otherwise likely second rounder or even un-drafted free agent steal. R.J. is definitely a one-trick pony right now (he likes to shoot and he does it well) and Randy Wittman will want him to cover the weakest offensive player on the opponent's lineup because Hunter's defensive game is a complete liability and he's only there to temporarily replace departing free agents like Rasual Butler and Paul Pierce. Washington is eyeing another top four finish next year and they won't be able to do that if they allow their offensive game to falter at all.

20. Toronto Raptors - PG Delon Wright (Utah)

(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
"Stop hitting yourself with the ball, Justise! Justise! Justise! Stop hitting yourself with the ball!"

Toronto is losing sixth man of the year Lou Williams because somebody is always guaranteed to overpay the guy coming off a sixth man of the year trophy and it's almost never the team that keeps him out of the starting lineup. Delon Wright already has some secondhand idea of what the NBA is like from his brother, Trailblazers Forward Dorell Wright. I'd compare Delon to last year's #6 pick, Marcus Smart of the Celtics. He is a defense-oriented player with a jumper that needs some developing otherwise, he's a lock-down defender who's bound to impress in his rookie season. The Raptors will need to look elsewhere to replace Lou Williams' fourteen points per game but, this is the backup Guard they should want and need. They'll be a team of freak athletes in a few years with Bruno Caboclo, Wright and Terrence "Tyrannosaurus" Ross likely still in the future plans.

21. Dallas Mavericks - SF Sam Dekker (Wisconsin)

(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Dekker was all smiles in the final four this March when his team beat seven of this year's draft prospects.

Dallas is absolutely screwed in the upcoming 2015-16 season unless they find a way to attract LaMarcus Aldridge away from San Antonio or they think of some deal involving draft picks (which they clearly have had no problems dealing under Mark Cuban) and getting a Guard in return. Otherwise, this team is absolutely not contending next year with dust flying off of Dirk Nowitzki and both Monta Ellis and Rajon Rondo 100% gone. With all of that said, if they do choose to make a pick, Sam Dekker is still out there and is high on some team's boards. Personally, I just don't see this guy being the next Gordon Hayward, the next Shawn Marion or even the next James Jones. He just does not have enough redeemable qualities outside of being willing to be a team player (which in the case of Matthew Dellavedova is really all you need in certain games but, as we saw in the Finals, it is not a good permanent plan). Dekker can shoot but the inconsistencies in his all-around game are too inconsistent for him to even be in consideration as a first-rounder. Dallas is used to making poor choices that cost them so this move will hurt very little if it does backfire. 

22. Chicago Bulls - PF Bobby Portis (Arkansas)

(AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
What? I didn't think it was THAT surprising of a pick?

Bobby Portis fits perfectly in Chicago's roster once they trade PF Taj Gibson (something they've been attempting to do for months). Gibson is a rare talent but, he's not a starter and therefor, not an absolute necessity to Chicago's playoff hopes next season. Bobby Portis is the better scoring, less defensive version of... okay, there is no comparing Portis to Gibson but, I'm just trying to help Chicago fans get some idea of the player they are drafting and an exact NBA comparison is not coming to mind. SEC basketball is not on the same planet as SEC football though so, temper your expectations for last year's SEC Player of the Year.

23. Portland Trailblazers - PF Kevon Looney (UCLA)

(Brandon Choe/Daily Bruin)
I hope Kevon has a strong NBA career just so I can start using the phrase "Looney bin" in an NBA context.

With the addition of Noah Vonleh while I was typing up this mock, the chances of Looney landing in Portland have been slightly lowered BUT I stand by this decision as it is highly possible LaMarcus Aldridge is never ever ever getting back together with Portland. This leaves the Blazers with a gaping wound in their hearts and a need at the backup Power Forward position with Noah Vonleh potentially slotted into the starting lineup. In steps Kevon Looney, a forward that could guard both Small and Power Forwards and can explode offensively in the most random of games (much like Portland's Center Meyers Leonard). 

24. Cleveland Cavaliers - PG Tyus Jones (Duke)

Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports
Tyus Jones would become the Cavalier with the most recent championship-winning experience if they chose him.

Cleveland needs to just keep asking themselves one question all off-season with each player they add to the roster and that question is "Would we have won the championship if we had had this player on our roster against Golden State?" and with Tyus Jones, the answer is "we probably could have taken the Warriors to seven at least". Jones is a game-changer whenever he gets an open shot at hitting a three. He is a much better shooter than Iman Shumpert and only time will tell on whether or not he can avoid the inconsistencies that plagued J.R. Smith's first (and probably final) Finals appearance. Lebron would feel a lot less lonely if he could have had a better shooter at Point than Matthew Dellavedova.

25. Memphis Grizzlies - C Dakari Johnson (Kentucky)

David Richard / AP
Johnson is the most widely-referenced player that should not have left Kentucky due to inexperience.

Dakari is a great first name. Dakari is also a first-round basketball talent and the only reason his stock is this low is because most experts don't believe he received enough playing time as a Wildcat stuck behind Willie Cauley-Stein but, talent is talent and Kentucky is Kentucky. Memphis will more than willing to open up their offices for a proper backup to All-Star starter Marc Gasol. Besides, Kosta Koufos' contract is up and does anybody truly believe Kosta Koufos' job is completely secure? No. 

26. San Antonio Spurs - SG Olivier Hanlan (Boston College)

Associated Press
The Spurs need to take a Shooting Guard eventually. Hanlan is the unexciting type of pick they love making.

Marco Belinelli is not going to replace Manu Ginobili once the long-time Spur decides to retire. Olivier Hanlan probably won't either but, it never hurts to take a chance in the draft when you're always in the postseason no matter what moves you do or do not make. If Hanlan does anything in the 2015-16 season, it'll be due to rest or injuries for players of higher importance. I have no idea what Hanlan's pro future looks like but, I can't imagine him to be a name we really care about in two years let alone a decade like Ginobili but hey, teams were wrong on Manu also.

27. Los Angeles Lakers - PG Terry Rozier (Louisville)

Bob Donnan - USA TODAY Sports
A shoot first Point Guard? Kobe might not like this.

With L.A. needing all types of players and already having taken Jahlil Okafor at #2, I see them going after a Guard with their second first-rounder. Jeremy Lin is likely departing because why wouldn't he? Byron Scott never played despite Lin giving his best production since his Knick days. Terry Rozier is sort of the Shabazz Napier of this year's draft, a shooting first Point Guard for the most part that has won a championship in college as a starter. His transition to the NBA will not be easy but, if he can play above the Gary Neal line (a thing I just made up), he'll always have a spot on an NBA roster.

28. Boston Celtics - PF Montrezl Harrell (Louisville)

Montrezl is another Louisville Cardinal with championship experience. What a coincidence!

Easily the most explosive dunker in the draft, Harrell just loves playing the game of basketball. He might be the player with the most on-court effort exhibited on a game-to-game basis. The one problem with him is if he ever stops being the carefree athletic freak that he is or injures himself, his game will be completely destroyed. The Celtics don't have the greatest big men in the league (Bass, Olynyk, Sullinger) and drafting another 6'8'' Power Forward halfway through the draft would not hurt.

29. Brooklyn Nets - C Mouhammadou Jaiteh (France)

Photo by: Jean-Philippe Carlier
He's 6'9" and that's about the extent of public knowledge on France's Mouhammadou Jaiteh

There's at least one pick in the first round that nobody sees coming. Last year that choice was Bruno Caboclo to the Raptors. This year I think the Nets are going to do something shocking with their last first-round choice until the world is overtaken by robots and Mouhammadou Jaiteh is enough of a mystery man with just enough whispers of hype that I could see somebody taking a chance on him. Brook Lopez probably isn't staying for very long so even the roster math admits it is a possibility.

30. Golden State Warriors - PF Christian Wood (UNLV)

Ethan Miller/Getty Images
It was at this moment that Wood dropped the most embarrassing flatulence of his young life.

The defending champions never NEED another first-rounder on their roster but, the Warriors could certainly use one with David Lee announcing his plans to sign elsewhere in free agency along with the total lack of big games from big men in the Finals. Festus Ezeli is a keeper and Bogut is a nice tutor with a much shorter future in Golden State but, they can't do it by themselves just like Curry and Klay won't get the opportunity to pass through a bunch of teams crippled by injury all while hitting every one of their shots. It's never as easy one year later and Golden State needs Christian Wood to at least give them a chance at winning back-to-back.

Best of luck to all of your teams and may you all avoid drafting a Jonny Flynn over a Stephen Curry! 

All-Star Update and A Quick Recap Of The Lebron Finals

The #1 seed out of the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors are your 2014-15 NBA Champions!!!

and now that that's out of the way, LEBRON. What? You want to hear more about how the Warriors had an all-time great season? "Too bad" shouted every sports network, "now enjoy the What is Riley Curry doing today? segment and accept the 23.5 hours of discussing some false drama between Lebron and David Blatt". Thank god the draft is around the corner.

Game 1: Warriors win 108-100 in overtime.

This game's regulation was fantastic. Overtime was like slowly watching your hometown being overtaken by the neighboring town that you have a rivalry with. Kyrie Irving fractured his left knee cap and was out for the remainder of the series. The Cavaliers didn't have a chance in overtime and were likely done playing competitive basketball. I was of the mindset that if Cleveland won even one game in the 2015 Finals, David Blatt should be able to take the Coach of the Year award away from Steve Kerr even though it has already been awarded to Kerr.

Game 2: Cavaliers win 95-93 in overtime.

At least my original prediction is still in play! This was another phenomenally well-played basketball game and Lebron's triple-double (39 Points, 16 Rebounds, 11 Assists) was the easily the most impressive performance between the two teams.

Game 3: Cavaliers win 96-91.

Well... I was wrong. We were almost all wrong. The Cavaliers actually led the series thanks to Blatt, James and Matthew Grit-elladova. It was a really wild two day span in sports history.

Game 4: Warriors win 103-82.

Oh no, please don't get boring on us, incredible series. I don't think I can handle watching an outmatched team watch helplessly as a baby-faced man chewing on his mouth-guard constantly and Squidward's house (Curry and Klay Thompson) hit every single shot. Game 4 felt like a fall back into reality which is that Cleveland is minus two All-Stars and Golden State is super friggin' talented.

Game 5: Warriors win 104-91 and take a 3-2 series lead.

I regret ever getting my hopes up. This was a good game but, it never really felt like Cleveland had a chance in this one because Stephen Curry responded EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. 37 points for Curry should have been his case for MVP but, he disappeared in pretty much every other game of the series, only hitting shots when his team already had a sizable lead.

Game 6: Warriors win 95-87 and win the NBA Finals.

Lebron went for 32-18-9 in this one and was a lock for MVP if the voters would have been able to get their heads out of their posteriors. Instead, Andre Iguodala (who was completely unremarkable outside of some nice defense and two 20-point games) somehow got the votes in one of the worst travesties to ever happen in a championship in the three major sports. It was a disgusting abuse of the word "Valuable" somehow meaning the award should automatically go to the winning team when the Warriors played team basketball and did not have a superduperstar performance whereas, Lebron made the most out of a lottery team and won two games in the NBA's highest stage.

It was a good ride, White Board:NBA Playoff Edition. I just wish some series were a bit less predictable. 

Now that the NBA season is over, it's time for 2 months of nothing but baseball and we are in the midst of one of the best baseball seasons since McGwire and Sosa's home run chase. There are new prospects being brought up pretty much every day now with huge names like Carlos Correa and Joey Gallo tearing apart the majors and smaller names like Marlins southpaw Justin Nicolino going seven shutout endings this past Saturday against the Reds. Seemingly every night there is at least one game that should capture the casual baseball fan's interest and it is a seriously exciting time in the MLB.

One thing that has not changed unfortunately, is the All-Star Game becoming a complete joke with Royals fans and bandwagoners riding off of their feel-good World Series vibes and punching eight of their nine players into the starting lineup as of last week. The Royals are a good team with 4-5 deserving All-Stars, don't get me wrong but, this is ridiculous and I feel like something should be done about it since the winner of the All-Star game is the league that will have home-field advantage in the World Series.

Despite all of the nonsense going on in Kansas City, I will be going with the current results of All-Star voting for my All-Star starter picks here. I'm simply here to figure out how the rest of the rosters might fill out and pick my own rotation based on the results of the season through the first day of Summer, June 21st.

Current American League Starting Lineup
Catcher - Salvador Perez (KC)
1st Baseman -Miguel Cabrera (DET)
2nd Baseman - Omar Infante' (KC)
3rd Baseman - Mike Moustakas (KC)
Shortstop - Alcides Escobar (KC)
Outfielders - Mike Trout (LAA), Alex Gordon (KC), Lorenzo Cain (KC)
Designated Hitter - Kendrys Morales (KC)

Who SHOULD be the AL All-Star Reserves & Pitchers
C - Russell Martin (TOR) and Stephen Vogt (OAK)

Typically, there are always two backup Catchers for both All-Star teams and Russell Martin has been a game-changer for Toronto this season. He's making contact (something he didn't do in his previous stint in the AL East), he's hitting for power (10 home runs) and he's still one of the fastest Catchers in baseball at an advanced age for fast Catchers (32). Vogt has broken out of his previously-average shell. The Athletics' Catcher/1st Baseman was losing out on playing time last season to now-Rays C John Jaso and now-White Sox C Geovany Soto. If Vogt were missing from Oakland's lineup, they would be the worst team in baseball record-wise even though the Phillies are still probably the worst team.

1B - Prince Fielder (TEX) and Albert Pujols (LAA)

 (Mark J. Terrill, AP)
Prince is the king Ranger in Texas and their lone Star.

Prince Fielder might actually beat out players like Matt Harvey and Jose Iglesias for Comeback Player of the Year. After a just okay season in Detroit, Fielder was swapped with Ian Kinsler (another perennial All-Star candidate) and spent one disappointing, injury-filled losing season in Texas. With Fielder healthy and third in the AL in batting average (.340), the Texas Rangers look like a respectable baseball team again. Pujols is also having a comeback season, only his comeback is simply a return to 35-homer power that he was severely missing since signing with Anaheim before 2012. 21 home runs are a lock for an All-Star berth nowadays as long as you're hitting above .220 and Pujols is hitting .271 (slightly above average) so I say, lock him in unless he injures himself.

2B - Jason Kipnis (CLE) and Dustin Pedroia (BOS)

Where was this Jason Kipnis last season?! He's batting .345 (2nd in AL), has an on-base percentage of .423 (2nd in AL) and leads the American League in WAR (4.4) through June 21st. I don't care if you are a Royals fan, voting for Omar Infante' (.229, .237 and 0.2 in those same categories) over this man is pure evil and you should be banned from voting in any ballot (that's right, I'm throwing politics under this new law!) for life.

Screw you, Royals fans.

Dustin Pedroia has recovered from a very average season for most second basemen (awful for his high standards) and has rediscovered his ability to hit towering homers over the green monster in left. nine home runs and a very nice .307 average later and Pedroia is the lone Red Sox representative in Cincinnati this July.

3B - Josh Donaldson (TOR) and Manny Machado (BAL)

I'd like to credit myself with the Josh Donaldson MVP campaign that's about to begin if Toronto makes the postseason. Donaldson has been one of the best hitters in baseball, churning out an incredible 56 runs, 46 RBI's and a .302 average. Unlike some of the other AL power hitters (Cabrera, Cruz, Bautista, etc.), Donaldson also has a great glove and should be in competition for the Golden Glove Award at the hot corner, ultimately losing to Manny Machado again. Machado was always thought to be a tremendous defensive player and any offense that came with him would just be a nice added bonus (think Brooks Robinson as a best-case scenario). Instead, Machado has dodged injury this season and just absolutely crushed major league pitching, especially in the last few weeks. He's on pace for a 20/20 season and is batting .305. Baltimore certainly welcomes this unexpected skilled batting eye. 

SS - Jose Reyes (TOR)

Alright, alright, alright... Let me explain this one. Jose Reyes might not simultaneously drop every person's jaw once they see his stat-line but comparative to Jose Iglesias (the only other AL shortstop worth putting on the team who's team has also had success), he's way more experienced and is likely to get the edge from the AL manager who puts the bench together due to Reyes' reliability. Besides, a .287 average is still a good and while Iglesias bats .323, he's still the ninth hitter in Detroit's lineup most nights and has only knocked in nine runs. Reyes gets the slight edge.

OF - Adam Jones (BAL) and George Springer (HOU)

(USATI)
George Springer is bringing the retro feel of winning baseball back to Houston.

Adam Jones is a consistent force of an offensive player who will likely never win an MVP but, is on a smooth path to a fourth consecutive All-Star Game if he keeps up his Torrii Hunter-like stats. Don't test his fielding ability either. George Springer is like both of those two plus strikeouts plus a few more home runs in his first full season in the majors (12 home runs, 14 stolen bases). Springer has not yet put together a full 162 major league games and he has 32 home runs through 143. "Uh oh" exclaimed the rest of the AL West. 

DH - Nelson Cruz (SEA)

Unlike every season since the end of the home run/steroid-era, we actually have a competition of viable All-Star candidates at the Designated Hitter position. With Kendrys Morales already projected in the starting lineup, Nelson Cruz (.315-19-44), Alex Rodriguez (.282-14-40) and Morales (.289-8-45) are all respectable All-Star choices while batters like David Ortiz (.236-10-31), Victor Martinez (.228-2-19) and Kennys Vargas (.221-4-11) have not been even close to the players I thought they would be halfway through the season. I give the backup DH spot to Cruz because his transition from Baltimore to Seattle has somehow not affected him one teeny tiny bit. His stats basically match many of Ortiz's prime years around this time.

Pitching Staff - bold indicates All-Star Game starter
Chris Archer (TB) 1st All-Star appearance
Dellin Betances (NYY) 2nd All-Star appearance
Zach Britton (BAL) 1st All-Star appearance
Wade Davis (KC) 1st All-Star appearance
Sonny Gray (OAK) 1st All-Star appearance
Felix Hernandez (SEA) 6th All-Star appearance
Dallas Keuchel (HOU) 1st All-Star appearance
Andrew Miller (NYY) 1st All-Star appearance
Glen Perkins (MIN) 3rd All-Star appearance
David Price (DET) 5th All-Star appearance
Chris Sale (CWS) 4th All-Star appearance, 1st All-Star Start
Huston Street (LAA) 3rd All-Star appearance

If you came here looking for me to say anyone besides Chris Sale is the hottest pitcher in the American League, you came to the wrong blog. Pitching is weird because most of these pitchers will only pitch two to four more times before the All-Star break and in any one of those two to four performances, they could absolutely obliterate their shot at an All-Star cameo. What I'm trying to say is, don't take this as an absolute "THESE GUYS MUST BE IN" list but, it's just the players who's performances and statistics suggest should be in Cincinnati that week based on their performances three weeks prior, that's all.

Current National League Starting Lineup
Catcher - Buster Posey (SF)
First Baseman - Paul Goldschmidt (ARI)
Second Baseman - Dee Gordon (MIA)
Third Baseman - Matt Carpenter (STL)
Shortstop - Jhonny Peralta (STL)
Outfielders - Bryce Harper (WAS), Matt Holliday (STL) and Norichika Aoki (SF)

Who should be the NL All-Star reserves & Pitchers
C - Yadier Molina (STL) and Derek Norris (SD)

I'll be the first to say that Yadier Molina has gotten a lot of undeserved votes for the All-Star Games of the past but, this year he has at least earned a bench spot with a batting average just under .290 and the fact that he still plays defense like he's Yadier Molina or something. Meanwhile in San Diego, Derek Norris and his impressive beard are on a bit of a cold spell but, that has not made me forget that he has the most impressive power numbers of anyone at the position in the NL (9 homers, 41 RBI, 36 runs). It's not the most competitive position in the National League and the right guy is getting all of the votes (Buster Posey) so, I wouldn't be overly surprised to see someone with a better eye for the ball so far like Nick Hundley sneak his way into the lineup via managerial decision.

1B - Anthony Rizzo (CHC), Joey Votto (CIN) and Freddie Freeman (ATL)

Could you imagine the backlash from Cincinnati if Votto did not make the All-Star Team after his many years of being the face of the franchise? (no offense to Todd Frazier but, he's not the one making all of the team's payroll). Anthony Rizzo and Paul Goldschmidt appear to be in a First Basemen-only stolen base battle (12 for Goldy, 10 for Rizzo) and their homer totals are quite close as well (18 for Gold, 15 for Riz). Rizzo is a starter at six other positions offensively in the National League if he learns how to play them in time for the big game. Freddie Freeman gets in based on this giant cult-following he has out of Atlanta and the fact that he's not too shabby of a baseball player either. (He might also be the most boring good hitter in baseball, there I said it.)

2B - Yunel Escobar (WAS)

After a certain controversy in Toronto near the end of the 2012 season, I never thought I'd have to mention or hear Escobar's name ever again. Alas, here we are in 2015 and the former Brave/Ray/Blue Jay is the baseball equivalent of whatever Chris Pratt is in movies right now (Okay, definitely not that big but his stock is also rising). An unfathomable .331 batting average and .381 on-base percentage are basically the stats everybody originally thought he'd get five or six years ago when he only put up stats even closely resembling these his rookie season of 2007. Apparently, Escobar's prime is now on a playoff contender with the only goal being a World Series victory.   

3B - Todd Frazier (CIN) and Nolan Arenado (COL)

The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar)
Todd Frazier looking happy after an opening day home run followed by 22 more.

Todd Frazier is not just an All-Star based on where the game is taking place, he's an All-Star based on he is putting up career numbers that cannot possibly go unnoticed despite being on a shipwreck of a fourth-place team. If "Flava Fraz" stays on his current pace, he'll not only top 30 home runs for the first time, he'll eclipse 45 HOME RUNS. That was an unimaginable total just a season ago for any baseball player. Nolan Arenado is right there with Machado as the best defensive third baseman and quite possibly, best defensive player(?) in baseball. Just like Machado, he too is a mammoth of a hitter with 17 homers and a .284 batting average. He's about to win his third Gold Glove in three seasons and Colorado better dump Tulowitzki's contract on someone or else they could lose Arenado due to overall cheapness. 

SS - Troy Tulowitzki (COL)

Speaking of Tulo, he was the only Shortstop I thought was a clear candidate for the backup Shorstop role and he's guaranteed to make the roster any time he can stay healthy this deep into a season (which is all too rare).

OF - Giancarlo Stanton (MIA), Justin Upton (SD) and Andrew McCutchen (PIT)

GIANCARLO SMASH! Giancarlo has smashed 25 home runs to be exact (He leads the majors). Justin Upton, previously only a powerful bat with little usage of his base-running talent, has gone from being a home run or a strikeout every at-bat in Atlanta to lowering his strikeout rate, keeping the power totals on pace for around 25 homers and 85 RBI's and stealing 14 bases through 71 games compared to the eight he stole in 2014. Maybe it has something to do with the coaching in San Diego or maybe Justin Upton is finally ready to achieve his high praise he got early on in his career. Andrew McCutchen started out dinged up and with a bat made of newspaper as he could not hit anything through the first 5 weeks of the season. Six weeks later and McCutchen has returned to his old ways and despite lower-than-average stats in pretty much every category, the now-dreadless Pirate still has the respect of his peers and that should result in another All-Star Game for the seven-year pro.

I really hope we get to see Giancarlo smash in the Home Run Derby again as well.

Pitching Staff - bold indicates All-Star Game starter
Santiago Casilla (SF) - 1st All-Star appearance
Aroldis Chapman (CIN) - 4th All-Star appearance
Gerrit Cole (PIT) - 1st All-Star appearance
Jacob deGrom (NYM) - 1st All-Star appearance
Zack Greinke (LAD) - 3rd All-Star appearance
Jason Grilli (ATL) - 2nd All-Star appearance
Cole Hamels (PHI) - 4th All-Star appearance
Mark Melancon (PIT) - 2nd All-Star appearance
Shelby Miller (ATL) - 1st All-Star appearance
Francisco Rodriguez (MIL) - 6th All-Star appearance
Trevor Rosenthal (STL) - 1st All-Star appearance
Max Scherzer (WAS) - 3rd All-Star appearance
Drew Storen (WAS) - 1st All-Star appearance

A pretty dull pitching staff when it all boils down to seven spots being filled by Closers like Melancon, Grilli and Casilla. Scherzer may have just had the two best starts back-to-back ever in baseball's history (and that's a very, very long history) but, Cole's stats are Jurassic World dinosaur-sized currently and he may never have a chance to start an All-Star Game again whereas, Scherzer has been putting up his numbers fairly consistently to this point of his still-young career.

Don't think I forgot about the 34th man vote for the last spots on each roster!
American League
Texas Rangers P Yovani Gallardo
Oakland Athletics P Scott Kazmir
Minnesota Twins P Kyle Gibson
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim P Hector Santiago
Cleveland Indians P Corey Kluber
National League
Chicago Cubs 3B Kris Bryant
Los Angeles Dodgers OF Joc Pederson
Arizona Diamondbacks OF A.J. Pollock
Los Angeles Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez
San Francisco Giants 2B Joe Panik

Now, those are all duels that I'd like to see. How about you?

20 Awesome Things That Have Happened Since June 10th, 1995

6-10-1995: Andy Todd is born (Hey, that's me!) at an unreasonably large 9 pounds and 3 ounces. The world was never the same.

Photo Credit: Jake "Rabid" Raflik
Nothing Was The Same.

Since June 10th of 1995, a ton of things have happened but, I narrowed this down to 20 things because I'm not yet ready to write the oral history on the Andy Todd era of America and it's the 20th anniversary of that day. I'm totally ready to talk about 20 random awesome things (in no specific order) that have happened since that date though and accompany it with photos that I just unearthed from the deepest files of something resembling a treasure chest (only with the treasure being memories, which is the corniest thing I've ever thought in my life up to this point) in my basement. As the universe celebrates a completed second decade of Todd-dom, here are a bunch of things that may or may not have happened thanks to me (just think of the butterfly effect only, the thing that could have altered everything being my death somehow resulting in us shooting laser beams out of cat's eyes by now).

Speaking of which,

1. Saturday Night Live invented Laser Cats.

I have only played laser tag once in my life and it was awesome. If the lasers had no affect on anybody whatsoever and cats were suddenly making laser sound effects, there would be a larger affinity for cat videos on the internet and cats in general than there already is. Would the cats chase their own projectile laser dots? Absolutely! What a time to be alive that would be!

Here's a photo of myself playing a game of Trouble against my (non-laser charged) cat, a bobblehead of Brett Favre and a miniature statue of a bear that plays for the St. Louis Rams because I was ten and what type of social life is a ten year old supposed to have?

2.

The above embarrassing sequence took place in 2003 and ended up costing the New Orleans Saints a playoff spot but, it was just so incredible that it has stuck in my mind as probably my favorite football sequence to ever occur. I mean any touchdown with tons of laterals and no time on the clock is already an all-timer highlight but, John Carney missed the extra point and lost the game? Hilarious. Heartbreaking. Awesome.

Another semi-relevant photo of myself with a human foot in a bar for Halloween 2012.

3. On December 11th, 2008, Google Chrome is publicly released and internet searches became faster than ever. It is now the most popular browser worldwide and has made us forget whatever Internet Explorer was. Also, how handy is that bookmarks bar? super handy.

Speaking of hands, it took two to grip this giant cookie at Miller Park. I'm pretty sure eating it was a two man job as well.

4. Sixteen years ago this week, Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers is released. It's one of the greatest albums ever with hits like "Scar Tissue" (my favorite song of all-time), "Otherside", "Californication", "Around The World" and "Road Trippin'". The album cover is fantastic, the music is fantastic and I have yet to hear of anyone who dislikes this album.

Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers

There appear to be three CD's laying in the chair with me. One of them is definitely Madonna's Music and the others are indistinguishable thanks to the photo-taker's over-zooming.

5. This happened...

and let's face it, he was right. Even if it wasn't "one of the best videos of all-time", it was still better than anything Taylor Swift has ever done.

I too owned a pair of sunglasses at one point.

6. Breaking Bad Seasons 1-5, Friends Seasons 2-10, Seinfeld 7-9, The Office Seasons 1-9, Friday Night Lights Seasons 1-5 and Freaks & Geeks' lone season. There has been a ton of television output since June 10th, 1995 and a lot of it has been awful but, when a show like one of these hits... it is real and it is spectacular.

Did I forget to mention how great Rugrats was? Because it was also great unlike my ugly sweater in this picture.

7. The new national anthem, "Ignition (Remix)" by R. Kelly was released.

My favorite era of music videos is the era when everybody wore sports jerseys.

Here I am prior to attending a Brett Favre monk graduation.

8. March 2nd, 2012, Project X comes out to theaters and becomes a cult-classic bro-film in the way that Animal House was for the 70's and 80's teenagers. While it will probably age poorly and there is no deeper meaning to the film than what is presented, it is a consistent adrenaline rush without any breaks in action. Critics hate it but, millennials are more likely to put this film in their DVD/Blu ray collections.

And what a great soundtrack also.

On the topic of celebrations, here I am on the fourth of July, 1997 at a merry-go-round in a place believed to be Neillsville, Wisconsin looking fresh in my backwards-facing baseball cap.

9. The Will It Blend? Blendtec Blender series hosted by Tom Dickson on Youtube.

Tom Dickson is a marketing genius for coming up with this series of videos. Random objects being blended is like explosions for people who don't like the surprise element of explosions. There have been 137 different episodes of Dickson blending things like the Apple Watch, a Justin Bieber doll, and even skis. The answer is almost always "Yes, it blends!" which is something my current blender is missing the capability to do to a pair of skis.

"Come on dad, stick the phone in the blender! I need to know if it will blend or not!"

10. Kobe Bryant scores 81 on the Toronto Raptors.

I've seen this video like thirty times and it never gets old. How did Kobe do some of the things he did on the basketball court? He's probably one of the more underrated shooters in NBA history while also being one of the more over-hyped players after his prime is now long gone. His greatness will be overshadowed by Shaq and Lebron when we revisit his career (Shaq for the first half of his career and Lebron for the second) but, he'll always have that night against the Raptors.

I could never score 81 with Kobe in a video game. Those were even better than video game numbers.

11. The Starbucks Frappucino becomes a popular drink after being invented two days before I was born. Coincidence? Yeah, probably.

Speaking of Frappucinos, there are 6 new flavors being released now in honor of the drink's 20th anniversary.

Caramel Cocoa Fluster

Cinnamon Roll

Cotton Candy

Cupcake

Lemon Bar

Red Velvet Cake

Those all sound disgusting minus the red velvet cake and to be honest with you, I'm almost sort of tired of red velvet cake and it's whole trend of popping up in desserts. I think most will stick with their current flavors over the new, flashier menu items.

Let's just assume I was hopped up on caffeine and thought putting myself in a cabinet of sorts was a funny idea for about five seconds before it became uncomfortable.

12. #15 Mercer upset #2 Duke in basketball, Appalachian State defeated Michigan in a football game and #11 George Mason made a final four (2006). Those are three of the best stories in college sports history and unless you're a Duke or a Michigan fan, you love them all.

Speaking of being upset, the teacher was very upset that day that I wouldn't take off the mascot's head. 

13. The game Cards Against Humanity was born. This is probably the best game of any type we, as a society, have created. It's Apples to Apples for horrible people and nearly every answer works for any question or fill-in-the-blank statement.

The one time I've won this game.

14. Wisconsin's own Matt Stoltz has biked halfway across the USA, with another half in the plans, as he visits every MLB stadium for a good cause. Here is the Biking For Baseball website for more information. 10 stadiums down, 20 to go.

I've only made it to two stadiums in my youth thus far, Miller Park and Target Field. This photo was taken before I got my leg stuck in the railing for a half inning. The Brewers are 3-11 lifetime in games I attend.

15. Weird Al Yankovic turned Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" into "Amish Paradise" and reclaimed the throne for comedians in music.

Scooby-Doo pj's for life, livin' in an A-Todd paradise.

16. The Red Sox came back from 0-3 down to the Yankees in a 7-game series to win four games to three.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
One of the greatest, probably THE greatest series in playoff baseball history.

I too was quite the ball player in my youth.

17. The 2003 NBA Draft class featuring future hall-of-famers Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony. The NBA would not be anywhere near the same today if this draft had not happened. It's the most fascinating class since 1984.

Can you name them all?

At the draft combine, my coordination was graded as an F by all thirty teams.

18. The U.S. got Osama Bin Laden. Didn't expect something serious to come up in this post now did you? Well, it happened and it was a load off of everyone's minds.

Here's a photo of myself hiding behind a napkin at Golden Sands Speedway. Why? I don't know.

19. Sepp Blatter stepped down from FIFA. I don't have any interest in soccer but, this story was intriguing to me and now, any chance of interest is completely absent.

Here I am trying out Mead School's new (at the time) playground instead of giving any shits about soccer.

20. I created this blog, something I am actually responsible for.

And that's more glorious than this photo.

You're welcome, America.