Marshall-Era Shockers as Team USA

[Kel Varnsen]

Guards:
Fred Van Vleet
Ron Baker
Malcolm Armstead
Joe Ragland
Tekele Cotton
Toure Murry

Forwards:
Carl Hall
Cleanthony Early
Zach Brown
Ben Smith
JT Durley

Center:
Garrett Stutz

That's my 12 deep roster. I think it says a lot that a lot of us are including Brown, a rising sophomore, in our lists. That's how good this kid will be.

Unless one of you means Derek Brown, in which case, you are under the influence of a controlled substance.

[Dan]

Good call on Ben Smith. He and Wessel are similar in being undersized forwards, but Ben can shoot the rock. I'd take WuDrWu's lineup with Smith over Wessel.

[WuDrWu]

We have very similar teams. I had a hard time choosing between Ragland and Armstead. Why did you go with Ragland? Armstead being about 20 lbs bigger made me feel he could deal with the rough international play better than Joe. I disagree on Wessel. He's no where athletic enough to guard international SFs and not big enough to effectively guard PFs at that level. I went with Morris because the teams already stacked a guards, but very thin on big men. Stutz or Hall going down with an injury or foul trouble would leave very few options. Morris is a big strong guy that won't get pushed around by physical PFs at the international level.

Of course I have no problem with anyone choosing (insert player here) over Wessel. I chose Evan because he can battle, is brilliant and wins.

I chose Ragland because, well, I've seen Joe the last couple of years and he's huge. I haven't seen Mal but it's a close call no doubt. Joe's playing at a higher level in Europe, Mal is tearing up Russia.

[60Shock]

perhaps after one or two more years, but, other than possible potential, it is way to early to even consider Zack Brown or Shaq in this line-up.

[Dave Stalwart]

Marshall has made it really hard to do lists like this. He produces such consistently good players over and over again that the list just ends up being a list of your current favorites.

Maybe a better question for me is, "which players that we've already seen will remain on Marshall's all time roster?" For example, I am pretty sure Fred will make every dream list I ever think up, but I'm not sure that Garrett Stutz will, even though he is my obvious favorite center right now.

I guess that wasn't the intent of the question. It's just something I thought of.

I have little doubt that Fred, Ron and Cle will make every list ever. I don't know if anyone else is as safe.

[WuShock16]

Maybe a better question for me is, "which players that we've already seen will remain on Marshall's all time roster?" For example, I am pretty sure Fred will make every dream list I ever think up, but I'm not sure that Garrett Stutz will, even though he is my obvious favorite center right now.

I would be pleasantly shocked if we have future players who top Fred, Ron, and Cle at their respective positions. Those are really high bars that those guys have set. The 3 and the 5 positions remain to be seen.

[wufan]

Yes, Fred, Ron, and Cle are/were All-American's. They should be held in the same esteem as Cleo, Cliff, and Antoine. Dave and X probably separated themselves a little from the run of the mill AA.

[1979Shocker]

I would be pleasantly shocked if we have future players who top Fred, Ron, and Cle at their respective positions. Those are really high bars that those guys have set. The 3 and the 5 positions remain to be seen.

The 5 is a wide open position under Marshall. He's had players that were good on offense at the 5, but not good on defense (Stutz) and he's had players that were good on defense at the 5, but not offense (EO). And then there are the players that have played the 5, but would have been better suited to play the 4.

[Dave Stalwart]

The 5 is a wide open position under Marshall. He's had players that were good on offense at the 5, but not good on defense (Stutz) and he's had players that were good on defense at the 5, but not offense (EO). And then there are the players that have played the 5, but would have been better suited to play the 4.

Which means the best is yet to come...at the 5, that is.

[ShockerPhi]

Which means the best is yet to come...at the 5, that is.

Looking at you, Isaac Humphries...

[Dave Stalwart]

Looking at you, Isaac Humphries...

He's taking a really long time to commit. For a guy who is going to play for us this season, he sure is missing an awful lot of practice. :)

[ShockdaWorld]

Isaac isn't eligible to be on this team as a foreign player. :) And while I would be more surprised for him to be here this season than for him not to be, I do still believe we're in the lead for his services the following season.

[60Shock]

It is a big decision and we can only hope he makes right one that is best for him. And hopefully, he will chose the Shockers.

[_kai_]

So many people, actually everyone I think, left off Clevin. Come on now, that has to just be an oversight. If you carry 3 PG's, I think it has to be Fred, Rags & Clevin. Clevin to mix it up and have a PG that scores with range. Don't need Malcolm when you have Fred and Joe who are better guards of that type imo.

[wufan]

I prefer Mal over Joe and Joe over Clevin.

That said, in season 1 under HCGM, the PG was Matt Brauer for 2/3 of the season and Gal Mekel for 1/3. Season 2 and 3 had Clevin. Season 4 was about 50/50 Joe Ragland and Toure Murry. Season 5 was all Rags. Season 6 was Malcolm Armstead. Season 7-9 was Fred. That's a hell of a run!