Right here, right now the whole NBA is being disbanded. You’ve got the first draft pick for NBA-2 and have to choose one guy to lead your team for the next three years. Who is it?
Scott: Not really going out on a limb here, but LeBron James. What more can you ask for? Yes, Dwyane Wade’s a stud, but you take away an inside presence like [Shaq] O’Neal, and you see the result in the standings. James can take a team full of washed-up big men (aside from Varejao, and maybe Gooden) and no point guard and put up the second best record in the East. Oh, and my second draft pick would definitely be a point guard. I haven’t seen one of those in Cleveland since Mark Price was stroking from the free throw line. Those were the days...
Dave: I’m going to go with Dwight Howard. And this was BEFORE the sticker-dunk thing. There are probably better individual players right now, but the things he does at age 21 already scare me. He’s got the body, he’s got the skills, and he knows how to use them. Plus whatever you think of the value system he puts forward there’s no doubt it’s keeping his head screwed on straight. I want this guy on my team... bad.
Tom: LeBron James is my freak of choice. He's only 22 and heading into some prime years. If it was the next six years, no question, but even the next three should see LeBron's game continue to rise. It may even rise to where no one else can reach. Now quit countin' your money, 'Bron and get ballin'!
Dennis: The next three years, huh? Then free agency snags him away? Hmm... I'll have to go with the mature Kobe Bryant that has been showing himself lately. Bryant does it all, even passing the ball. He's good for at least five or so dime drops and that whole ballhog thing should go away. Bryant also rebounds at a good clip, hits threes, is a clutch player and the thing that makes him stand out from someone like LeBron James, Kobe who is EXCELLENT on offense is just as every bit as good defensively. He's been on the NBA All Defense first team numerous times and it'd be easy to build around a player as dynamic as Kobe.
