What Could Have Been - March Madness 2009 Edition

If you're a college hoops junkie (like we at Academics at Athletics are), there probably has been a time during this year's N.C.2.A. (I had to say that, just because Doug Gottlieb INSISTS in saying that every dang time anyone else just says "N.C.Double.A.") when you've wondered to yourself..."How would the tournament look if no guys ever left to go pro early out of college or high school?"

The thought is enticing. It's like..."Man, what team would KG be on?" And then you realize he's about as old as Jaime Moyer. "Oh, snap! Where would Kobe have gone to college?" Uh...he's won like 13 titles and would have played college ball in the 80's. "Wasn't LeBron supposed to go to Ohio State?" He's played six years in the pros. Not even close.

Aside from the fact that this exercise reminds us how fast we have aged, we at Academics on Athletics have done a bit of research to create the "What Could Have Been Elite 8" of March Madness 2009. We welcome any miscues to be pointed out by our readers. Our research methodology is based on including every current legitimate NBA player and the remaining players are filled out by either points per game or obvious starter/star if adding up the figures omits an obvious guy. Our research concluded there were a pretty solid nine teams before the parody drops off, so we've included an extra "elite" team. While Louisville or Pitt may have been able to compete with these teams, none of them had a guy that would have made their team any better this year.

So, here we go, ladies and gentlemen: Your 2009 What-Could-Have-Been March Madness Elite Nine, in random order.

MEMPHIS:
G Derrick Rose
G Tyreke Evans
F Chris Douglas-Roberts
F Shawne Williams
F Robert Dozier
TEAM NOTE: Interesting squad...3 guys from the team that choked the championship, plus arguably the best frosh this year plus the only frosh that truly went in the '06 draft. Really hard to detect their winning potential. Undoubtedly, ridiculous talent pool.

OHIO STATE:
G Mike Conley, Jr.
G Daequan Cook
F Evan Turner
F Kosta Koufos
C Greg Oden
TEAM NOTE: This is a scary team. If Greg Oden is healthy and rocking, a hard-to-argue vote for National Champions.

UCONN:
G AJ Price
G Jerome Dyson/Kemba Walker
F Jeff Adrien/Stanley Robinson
F Andrew Bynum
C Hasheem Thabeet
TEAM NOTE: This team is scary just because Bynum is arguably one of the best centers in the NBA, and to put him between Thabeet's heighth and Adrien's linebacker body? I would not want to take a step in that lane. When you really sit down and think about it, this goes down as one of the best college basketball teams ever. Ever.

KANSAS:
G Sherron Collins
G Mario Chalmers
G Brandon Rush
F Julian Wright
C Cole Aldrich
TEAM NOTE: Last year's title team with additional talent. Dangerous if you could get these 5 guys to play together.

ARIZONA:
G Brandon Jennings
G Marcus Williams
G Jerryd Bayless
F Chase Budinger
F Jordan Hill
TEAM NOTE: Ties Memphis with most guys who have left to pro early (3), they must be included. But which one of these guys has done ANYTHING? Even worse is trying to imagine them playing together. We love you Chase and will go to any volleyball game you play in.

DUKE:
G Jon Scheyer
G Gerald Henderson
F Kyle Singler
F Josh McRoberts
G Nolan Smith/Greg Paulus
TEAM NOTE: We know, we know. You hate Duke. We do too (especially after limping around against Nova). But Seth Curry is transferring to Duke, and our loyalty is back. Really, you throw in McRoberts and his thunder-jams to this team, and anyone would realize he just shoulda stayed in school. This would have made a very interesting team.

UNC:
G Ty Lawson
G Wayne Ellington
F Tyler Hansbrough
F Brandan Wright
F Deion Thompson
TEAM NOTE: With Ty Lawson at the point, it don't matter who yo momma is, you are a national contender. Kid is ridiculous. The Brandan Wright thing would be interesting. Would that put Ed Davis on JV? Depth GALORE and hard to argue they wouldn't take home the cake.

UCLA:
G Russell Westbrook
G Darren Collison
F Josh Shipp
F Alfred Aboya/Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
C Kevin Love
TEAM NOTE: Sounds sexy at first glance, but there is substance too...and a lot of Final Four experience.

TEXAS:
G DJ Augustin
G AJ Abrams
F Kevin Durant
F Damion James
C Dexter Pittman
TEAM NOTE: One of the top 5 players in the NBA over the next decade, plus a truly competent backcourt (the secret ingredient for any NCAA champ), and you can't not include them. Pittman could clean up after everyone, too.

To cap this segment off, we at Academic on Athletics have made our prediction for the "What Could Have Been 2009 National Champions". While Ohio State looks really tempting, we can't ignore UNC's off-the-charts-depth and UCONN's -- and you can repeat this -- PERFECT TEAM. A dynamite backcourt (Price and Dyson), a diaper dandy on the bench ready to go off at any point, and a front court of....let's just put it this way...would YOU want to enter a lane comprised of Jeff Adrien, Andrew Bynum, and Hasheem Thabeet all about to eat your lunch? Well...maybe Scottie Reynolds would be up to that challenge...

Posted by The Sideline Sidekick

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