MSU Red Cedar Message Board

Team 1: The ENTIRE 2000 NC team.

Cleaves
Bell
Smith
MoPete
Draymond Green

Jason Richardson
Zach Randolph
Drew Neitzel
Shannon Brown
Alan Anderson

Hard to leave Hutson off, but I think the heart of the final 4 drive that year with Anderson was about him more than anyone else, especially in the NCAA's

G Cleaves
G Bell
G Richardson
F Peterson
C Suton

G Lucas
G Brown
F Green
F Morgan
C Davis

The only reason Randolph isn't on there is he didn't stick around too long. It was tough not including Ager, Neitzel, nor Smith.

How is Neitzel a pure PG? He spent his last 2 years playing SG at MSU. Hell, the entire 2006-2007 season all he did was run around screens, catching, and shooting (very well, I must add). He was a SG in a PG's body.

Okay, not pure PG, but I think he'd be much more content just playing the point and being a catalyst, rather than the top dog. I'm thinking of the top 5 I'd want on the floor together so I'm probably overanalyzing it.

That team would slaughter people and leave their families sobbing in the corner, lying in pools of their own piss.

First team:

Cleaves
Brown
Mo-Pete
Z-Bo
Smith

2nd team:
Neitzel
Bell
Smith
Hutson
Green

First players out: suton, Davis & Lucas

I dont think randolph should be on there, hes great in the NBA but he was 1 and done and he avg like 8 ppg.

Randolph and Lorbek were two of the most complete big men Izzo has brought on board to date.
Lorbek would have helped himself by staying longer but Randolph made the right decision.

Truth be told Bell, Neitzel, Lucas and even Taylor were probably all "better" PG's than Cleaves technically.
Better shooters, ball handlers, passers but none had Cleaves leadership intangibles.

It depends on what your criteria is. I based my list on what team I would pick if I was starting a team.

For instance: I wouldn't pick Paul Davis over smith or Hutson. You win with players like Smith and Hutson. Lucas is a boarder line second teamed but if I was starting a team I would rather have neitzel. I think neitzel was hurt by playing on some teams which really didn't have much his junior and senior years.

Some Michigan State fan/genius game designer needs to make a game where every player from the Izzo era is rendered accurately, both physically and in terms of style of play. I'd donate $500 to a kickstarter campaign and then play it religiously.

I think Davis was MSUs best scoring big man but I would rather have Hutson, smith, z-bo, and maybe even suton on my team.

They were all superior rebounders and better defenders.

Maybe I am too hard on him because he had the most natural talent he just never worked and developed it and wasn't a "tough" player IMO. He did have some great games I the tourney as an underclassmen though.