How Would the Pac-10 Look if Every Player Stayed Four Years?

After seeing so many terrific players graduate or leave early over the past few years, it’s hard not to think about what might’ve been if all players were required to play four seasons of college ball. So, Montlake Madness is proud to present the first annual Fantasy Four-Year Pac-10 lineups and standings. /

Here’s what the Pac-10 might look like in 2009/10 if every player who’d entered the league since 2006 was still with their team. Take a look below at the starting lineups in reverse order of how I think they’d finish in the Fantasy Four-Year Pac-10 standings. Fantasy Four-Year additions are listed in bold, and, not surprisingly, the three teams receiving the least fantasy help wound up at the bottom of the conference.

Let me know how you think these teams might finish. And, hey, thanks for coming!

Oregon, 10th Place:

C – Michael Dunigan, So.
F – Josh Crittle, So.
F – Joevan Catron, Sr.
G – Tajuan Porter, Sr.
G – Garrett Sim, So. / Malcolm Armstead, So.

This lineup will be the same as this season’s harsh reality for Oregon — their squad includes no fantasy four-year additions. And, just like in the real world, they’re not going to be expected to do anything better than ninth or tenth in the conference.

Washington State, 9th Place:

F – DeAngelo Casto, So.
F – Charlie Enquist, So.
G – Nikola Koprivica, Sr.
G – Klay Thompson, So.
G – Reggie Moore, Fr.

Other than Thompson, this would be a team that struggled mightily to score against a lot of these fantasy squads. Thankfully, Ken Bone will be coaching in the real universe and should be able to fare (a little bit) better in the real Pac-10 than this.

Oregon State, 8th Place:

C – Roeland Schaftenaar, Sr.
F – Daniel Deane, Jr.
G – Seth Tarver, Sr.
G – Calvin Haynes, Jr.
G – Jared Cunningham, Fr.

I don’t know if Haynes will actually start — he was too good off the bench last year. But, for the purposes of this post, I’d rather go with the best five. Whatever lineup they trot out, though, will be much improved in the real world, but would have trouble hanging here in the fantasy four-year Pac-10.

Stanford, 7th Place:

C – Brook Lopez, Sr.
C – Robin Lopez, Sr.
F – Josh Owens, Jr.
G – Landry Fields, Sr.
G – Gabriel Harris, Fr.

The Lopez twins must be feeling like they got a raw deal as their fantasy squad isn’t as good as the team they played on in 2007/2008. That said, just like it did during their two seasons at the school, this Cardinal team would provide matchup problems for nearly every team in the conference.

Arizona State, 6th Place:

F – Victor Rudd, Fr.
F – Rihards Kuksiks, Jr.
G – Ty Abbott, Jr.
G – James Harden, Jr.
G – Derek Glasser, Sr.

This is a small lineup, so maybe Eric Boateng or one of their freshman replaces Kuksiks or Abbott. By the way, is there an easier player to hate than Derek Glasser? He’s the cartoonish douche dude out of an 80’s movie — but in real life. Get this guy a black gi and some blond hair. . . and a crane kick to his chin.

Cal, 5th Place:

F – Jamal Boykin, Sr.
F – Ryan Anderson, Sr.
F – Theo Robertson, Sr.
G – Patrick Christopher, Sr.
G – Jerome Randle, Sr.

An all senior starting group would make this the most experienced squad in our Fantasy Four-year Pac-10. Add the possibility of one of their two new frontcourt additions Markhuri Sanders-Frison or Bak Bak taking Boykin’s spot and this would be a solid, workmanlike team that could compete with anyone.

Washington, 4th Place:

C – Spencer Hawes, Sr.
F – Darnell Gant, So.
F – Quincy Pondexter, Sr.
G – Isaiah Thomas, So.
G – Abdul Gaddy, Fr.

Dawgs would have been more scary last season with a starting lineup of Hawes, Brockman, Pondexter, Thomas and Dentmon. Still, a senior Spencer would be a force to be reckoned with.

Arizona, 3rd Place:

C – Jordan Hill, Sr.
F – Jamelle Horne, Jr.
F – Chase Budinger, Sr.
G – Jerryd Bayless, Jr.
G – Nic Wise, Sr.

To think this was a Sweet 16 team last year without Bayless. This year’s team would be one of the top in the land without even considering their underrated incoming class.

UCLA, 2nd Place:

C – Kevin Love, Jr.
F – Nikola Dragovic, Sr.
F – Tyler Honeycutt, Fr.
G – Jrue Holiday, So.
G – Russell Westbrook, Sr.

Hard to know which freshmen will carve out the most time in UCLA’s strong class this year, but Honeycutt or swingman Mike Moser would be the best bet to find court time with the other four in UCLA’s four-year fantasy lineup.

USC, Fantasy Four-Year Pac-10 Champs:

F – Taj Gibson, Sr.
F – DeMar DeRozan, So.
G – O.J. Mayo, Jr.
G – Dwight Lewis, Sr.
G – Daniel Hackett, Sr.

It goes to show how affected the Trojans have been by early departures that this year’s top returning player, Dwight Lewis, only cracks the starting lineup if the Trojans play an undersized squad. Otherwise, incoming transfer Alex Stephenson starts at PF, pushing Lewis to the bench.

So, there it is. The Trojans earn the slight edge over the Bruins, and Fantasy Four-Year Pac-10 hoops supremacy rests solidly in southern California.

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