Hoops League Season 6 Mock Draft 1.0

Hoops League Season 6 Mock Draft 1.0

1. Arizona 122: Skylar Murphy, F, Michigan St.

The 122’s biggest two needs are three-point shooting and a solid forward, and Murphy addresses both. Gozie Nwosu was simply inconsistent at the SF spot, so Murphy would likely start there from day one. A high potential forward with a great shooting touch and stellar rebounding, Murphy won’t necessarily save the franchise but is a step in the right direction, and could be akin to Antony King in Atlanta this past season.

2. Vancouver Summit: James Murray, C, Hawai’i

It’s a shooter’s league in modern times, and Vancouver had only two players (Jordan Covington, Darren Taylor) who shot 40% or above from beyond the arc this past season. Murray, the college MVP, should solve that and a slough of other problems for the Summit. He plays well on both ends and can absolutely take over games on offense, which should alleviate the burden on Taylor. He can play the four or the five, such that if Melo Hayes returns in the off-season, he’ll make a devastating tandem with the veteran center, and if not, he can take over the starting gig right away.

3. New York Empire: Alpha Imagine, F, Florida A&M

The Empire’s time to shift to win-now mentality is coming, so it’s entirely possible they deal this pick away. That said, if they keep it, Imagine could be the missing piece of the puzzle for New York. He’s got arguably the best defensive skills in the draft (only Bart Jett has a reasonable claim against him), and he proved in Florida A&M’s quixotic run to the title game that he can provide scoring when needed. Imagine could start at the four while Yeetus McGeetus or Jesus James shifts to the bench, infusing the Empire with much needed defense at the forward slot. His shooting is raw, but his stroke has potential.

4. Atlanta Activists: Bart Jett, C, Jacksonville

The Activists appear to be on the cusp of the playoffs, and very nearly snuck in with a late run at the East’s #4 seed. The weakest link in the starting lineup was probably second year forward W.R. Asher at the PF spot, and Bart Jett seems a reasonable upgrade at that spot. Jett would likely play the five while All-Star Zach Vega plays the four. The Jacksonville star provides top-drawer defense that Atlanta has been missing for years, as well as desperately needed rebounding help. A Rahm-One-King-Vega-Jett lineup is young and scary for the rest of the league.

5. San Diego Surf: Marcus San Pedro, F, Jacksonville

The two Jacksonville stars go back-to-back as San Diego nabs an upgrade at the SF spot. Lamarr Chambers is clearly a superstar, but he needs help, help that San Pedro should provide from day one. The Jacksonville forward is far and away college’s most HLA-ready player, with a strong shooting touch, great rebounding and fine defense. He profiles as a catch-and-shoot player with solid defensive chops who should help the Surf in their quest to build a winner.

6. St. Louis Archers: D’Vontay Friga, G, Texas Tech

The Archers proved with their late season collapse that they need guard help in the worst way; one cannot reasonably expect to make the playoffs with Prince Spalding playing meaningful minutes. Enter Friga, arguably the best player on college’s best team. He’s a dynamic scorer capable of playing the one or the two, though the Archers might be tempted to play him at the three sometimes. He’s an instant upgrade over Jarred Anderson as the sixth man, since he will likely play behind Joey Bas and Tyler Gaines. Given that he’s so valuable, the Archers may fetch a handsome sum by dealing this pick for a veteran guard or some other asset instead. It seems an injustice, after all, to relegate one of college’s finest to a sixth man position.

7. Portland Roses: Kerry Edwards, G, Boston College

Portland looks likely to lose Swiss Army Knife guard King Ntilikina this coming offseason, leaving Javaun Hicks as the only active guard on the roster behind Vun Brunson and Rajah Rose. Edwards should fill a big hole for the Roses on the bench; a pass-first guard with strong defense for a player his age, he can facilitate as Brunson does with ease.

8. Indiana Overdrive: Sham Morant, G, Koality College

Due to losing both Kyron Hickman and Sage Jackson this offseason, the Overdrive need guard help in the worst way. Morant may be a bit of a reach here, but the Koality College gunner is a scoring machine, something Indiana will lack with Hickman gone. He won’t do much of anything besides get buckets, but he figures to be one of the premier bucket-getters from his class, at least from the get-go.

9. San Francisco Quakes: Danny Dingus, F, Hawai’i

With Car Lo possibly leaving, and the depth chart behind him consisting of Tristen Ewer and Daws 20, the Quakes could use some forward help. Enter Dingus, who slips this far to the benefit of San Francisco. Primarily an inside player, Dingus provides decent defense and rebounding with strong finishing abilities, hopefully off the bench. He’s also got a pretty high ceiling, such that he could develop into a Justin Taylor-esque player in time.

10. Chicago Blues: Benz Buckets, F, Loyola

The Blues may be needing to fill huge holes this offseason, depending on the FA decision of Walter Yensid. Regardless, as they sit here now, Buckets is a solid pickup for them. Though Riley Losleben re-signed and James Ketch remains a solid prospect, forward depth is clearly Chicago’s main problem, particularly with Kwanzy Iceberg looking likely to leave in the coming offseason. Buckets is a solid shooter and a surprisingly good rebounder, but is pretty raw outside of that. He's likely a G League stash selection here.

11. Houston Cosmos: Davion Oreo, C, Austin

Regardless of whether the much-predicted Houston fire sale comes to pass, it is high time the Cosmos start picking for the future. Oreo is raw, but extremely talented, a player in the vein of G League nightmare Bobby Bob. He’s got a high ceiling, as evidenced by his tournament play, and Houston needs a successor to Maxwell Goodson/Tyler Moore sooner or later.

12. Miami Tides: Casey Lowery, F, South Carolina

Since the departure of Lamarr Chambers, the Tides have been in wont of a backup forward; Kimani White was not the answer, so perhaps Lowery will be. He played well in the tournament for SoCo, raising his stock slightly. No one will mistake him for a superstar; he doesn’t do anything spectacularly, nor does he have a high ceiling. But, in the vein of King Ntilikina, he does a little bit of everything fairly well, which is exactly what the Tides want of him.

13. Los Angeles Stars: King FlxmeGxd, G, Topeka College

There’s really not much the Stars need, given that their entire core has agreed to re-sign once again. Their most notable loss is Kyle Mason, the journeyman guard who is calling it quits after this season, so they grab his replacement here. FlxmeGxd won’t do much besides pass, but he also will not turn the ball over, a key to keeping the Stars up in games. He’s got the potential to develop into a decent two-way guard.

14. St. Louis Archers (via Boston Charms): Zahir Catlett, G, Raleigh

Catlett would perhaps have been projected higher if he performed better during the tournament, but as it stands, he falls to the guard-parched Archers here at 14. He is an upgrade over Prince Spalding if the Archers decide to keep him in the majors, but more likely is the scenario in which he is stashed in the G League and developed into a reliable bench spark plug. St. Louis may trade this pick, however.