The loyal readers talked about this team needing a center. Instead I went off the board and picked Gerald “Crash” Wallace and Josh “J-Smoove” Smith. Does it warm my heart to hear about a 24-year-old athlete with chronic back worries? Heck, no. The importance of position eligibility is highlighted well here. Also, it sure seems tough to pick at the end of a 12-team draft this year. A champion can come from any position in the draft order, but with this mock draft, the going’s been pretty tough.

Round 6, Pick 1: Emeka Okafor, PF/C, Charlotte Bobcats

On the plus side…

Emeka came to the league as a big-time rebounder and shot-blocker. That much should never change. He should be good for ten boards and two “Get that shiznit outta here’s” a game. When Okafor was drafted in 2004, the whispers were all about his back. Last year it was an ankle injury that forced him to miss 56 games. Everything I have read so far says he has fully recovered and the ankle should not cause any ongoing problems.

He is still very raw on the offensive end, but on the strength of his offensive rebounding alone, he should be good for the 13-15 ppg he has put up in his first two years in the league.

On the flip side…

Okafor’s shooting could conceivably be worse than Allen Iverson’s this year. Not exactly what I need from my center spot. He stands 6-foot-10 and plays close to the basket. For that reason alone, he should shoot at least 48-49%. Speaking of shooting, he fires his share of blanks from the charity stripe as well. He is not going to help me win FT% like Sarge’s centers might do for his teams, but hopefully he had lots of time to work on his free throws while injured.

Time will tell how Okafor fits into the Bobcats’ offensive sets. Certainly the opportunity is there for Adam Morrison to make an impact in his rookie year. Gerald Wallace is looking to get paid next year, and the team still sports up-and-comers Ray Felton and Sean May. Grabbing two proven scorers in Ray Allen and A.I. as well as Richard Jefferson, looks like the right thing to do if you plan on a guy like Okafor to be your top center.

The final score…

With Dennis deciding to wreck his percentages by taking Baron Davis, the opening to win blocks in a roto league is there. This team could win blocks week in and week out right now, and I still have power forward and another center spot to fill.

To beat the readers/commentors to the punch, yes, it seems early to take a flier on Okafor. But the drop-off in the center spot is crazy steep after him in my opinion, and I will save the sleepers for another round or two if I can.

Other team members:

1.12. Ray Allen, SG, Seattle Supersonics
2.1. Allen Iverson, PG, Philadelphia 76ers
3.12. Gerald Wallace, SG/SF, Charlotte Bobcats
4.1. Josh Smith, SG/SF, Atlanta Hawks