Pre-season All-SEC Teams

[ColumbianHog]

It's a boring time of the year for college hoops fans with the tourney over and all of the signing complete.  Not much to amuse us until the draft in June.  So, how about some way, way early predictions for All-SEC teams?

Here's my take:

          1st Team                    2nd Team                   3rd Team
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PG       R. Steele AL                S. Gaines GA                Q. Robertson AU
SG       C. Lofton TN              P. Beverley AR              J. Crawford UK
SF       T. Mitchell LSU            S. Weems AR               M. Riley  AL
PF       R. Hendrix AL              T. Brown  GA               K. Williams  OM
C        S. Hill AR                     C. Rhodes  MS             D. Curtis  OM


My reasoning:
PG:
  Steele will return to form this season after fully recovering from his knee injury.  Hendrix, Riley, and Gee will give him plenty of weapons.  Look for monster assist numbers and decent scoring.
  Gaines will continue to be a threat both scoring and passing the ball.  Takais Brown will be his go-to guy.
  Robertson will continue to put up nice assist numbers as Auburn improves under Lebo. 
  This was the toughest category to decide.  The SEC is loaded with good point guards this season.  Besides the three above, you have the Smiths at Tennessee, Bradley at Kentucky, Temple at LSU, Gordons at Miss St and Vandy, and Gary Ervin at Arkansas.

SG:
  Lofton locked this up the second he decided to stay for his senior season.  Tennessee will be very, very good with the two Smiths, Crews, and Chism.
  Beverley will only get better in his second season.  An improved inside threat from Steven Hill will open things up for him on the outside.
  Crawford will be looked to for more scoring at Kentucky.  With backcourt mate Ramel Bradley, he should get lots of chances to score.

SF:
  With a depleted LSU squad, look for Mitchell to provide leadership and scoring in bunches.
  Sonny Weems will continue his development in new coach John Pelphrey's uptempo style.  He'll be exciting in the open court and can knock down the 3 ball as well.
  Riley at Alabama will be one of the main beneficiaries of PG Steele...if he can get enough minutes splitting time with Alonzo Gee.

PF:
  Look for Richard Hendrix to step up his game even more with the departure of Davidson.  He'll be a rebounding, scoring, shot-blocking machine.
  Takais Brown has been a bright spot for Georgia lately.  Look for him to team up with PG Gaines for an improved Georgia squad.
  Kenny Williams was solid for Ole Miss last season.  While you could put several others in this spot, I'll give it to Williams because with the lack of support he'll have to perform above his usual level.

C:
  Steven Hill will come out of his shell this season.  Already the front runner for DPOY, he'll improve his offensive game to double digit scoring and be a first team all-sec standout while securing a first-round draft slot.
  Charles Rhodes has been a solid interior player the last several years and will Jamont Gordon still around, I don't look for it to change.  He'll use his wide-body to create space and grab boards.
  It seems like Dwayne Curtis has been around forever.  Like Rhodes, he doesn't have height but makes up for it with width.  He'll bang on the boards and get lots of garbage points on an Ole Miss team without many stars.


Comments?  Flames?

[Beaverfever]

Isn't Charles Rhodes a PF?  I would probably add Mike Mercer (Georgia) at second team SG and move P Bev to third team.  I don't see how you didn't include Jamont Gordon.  He played amazing towards the end of the year.  I'd have him at first or second team pg.  Also watch out for Jodie Meeks.  He will make some noise this year at Kentucky. 

[ColumbianHog]

Isn't Charles Rhodes a PF?  I would probably add Mike Mercer (Georgia) at second team SG and move P Bev to third team.  I don't see how you didn't include Jamont Gordon.  He played amazing towards the end of the year.  I'd have him at first or second team pg.  Also watch out for Jodie Meeks.  He will make some noise this year at Kentucky. 

I thought Rhodes played center.  You may be right.  The SECSports site doesn't distinguish between SF and PF and sometimes says F/C so I made a guess based on my memory which could be wrong.

It was tough picking a PG.  Gordon was right up there but Robertson, Gaines, Bradley, Steele, and JaJuan Smith made it tough to decide.  You copuld almost pull any of those guys out of a hat and be happy to have them.

I almost forgot about Meeks.  He looked real good last year but wasn't very high in any of the statistical columns.  That could definitely change this season.

[ms.sha86]

You have one problem with your list..............Shan Foster isnt on it. Also to me personally you cant put Robertson, Bradley and JaJuan Smith in the same caliber with Gordon and Steele........well maybe Bradley and Im not sure about Gaines. Hes good but he aint in their caliber

[ColumbianHog]

You have one problem with your list..............Shan Foster isnt on it. Also to me personally you cant put Robertson, Bradley and JaJuan Smith in the same caliber with Gordon and Steele........well maybe Bradley and Im not sure about Gaines. Hes good but he aint in their caliber

You're right. Shan Foster is good.  Maybe he replaces Crawford at SG to give Lofton, Beverley, and Foster for SGs.

As far as PGs go, maybe Gordon could replace Robertson.  This was a crowded position.  After looking at the stats again it does look like Gordon is a bit better.  So let's go with Steele, Gaines, and Gordon at PG.  Gaines is a good passer and a good thief. 

[Beaverfever]

Crap is Foster comming back?  I thought he was nba bound.  That sucks.  Yeah if he's comming back you definately have to bump Crawford.  I've never thought that guy was very good.  Kentucky fans don't even like him.

[ms.sha86]

Yea Shan is coming back. Hell be a senior next year. So youre dont hav to worry about him hanging 30 on your team too much longer.
Another thing M. Riley AL is a guard SG so he cant be there. Ill say youll have put a Crawford/Riley and whoever can get it done gets it. You can put A.Gee Al in the small foward spot. So Ill say....
      1st Team                    2nd Team                   3rd Team
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PG       R. Steele AL             J.Gordon MissSt             S. Gaines GA
SG       C. Lofton TN            P. Beverley AR               J. Crawford UK/M.Riley AL
SF       T. Mitchell LSU         S. Weems AR                 A. Gee  AL
PF       R. Hendrix AL            T. Brown  GA                 K. Williams  OM
C        S. Hill AR                  C. Rhodes  MS               D. Curtis  OM

But that is just based on who we have returning. Im sure some of these wont make thist and some incomers will.........

[KentuckyFan]

With Legion coming in and Meeks being the most talented player on the UK roster, I think Crawford's state won't improve, if anything, they might drop a little.  I'd say about 15 PPG for him, Bradley will score a little less as well, with Meeks scoring about 12 PPG and Legion probably 7-8.  UK might have one of the best backcourts, but I don't see any of them making all-SEC.

[hawgwild1087]

I bet Wayne Chism from Tennessee will be somewhere on that list next year.

[brooks74]

Mitchell is a very good player at LSU, but Weems could have a big year when you combine having a year of experience at the D-1 level and playing in an offense that lets him run the floor which is the best part of his game. 

[cal34]

If we are playing uptempo this year and Weems plays like he did during the SEC tourney then he will probably be first team.

[ms.sha86]

Who is Weems and what team dose he play for?

[msudawgs64]

Isn't Charles Rhodes a PF?  I would probably add Mike Mercer (Georgia) at second team SG and move P Bev to third team.  I don't see how you didn't include Jamont Gordon.  He played amazing towards the end of the year.  I'd have him at first or second team pg.  Also watch out for Jodie Meeks.  He will make some noise this year at Kentucky. 

I thought Rhodes played center.  You may be right.  The SECSports site doesn't distinguish between SF and PF and sometimes says F/C so I made a guess based on my memory which could be wrong.

It was tough picking a PG.  Gordon was right up there but Robertson, Gaines, Bradley, Steele, and JaJuan Smith made it tough to decide.  You copuld almost pull any of those guys out of a hat and be happy to have them.

I almost forgot about Meeks.  He looked real good last year but wasn't very high in any of the statistical columns.  That could definitely change this season.

Rhodes is listed as a F/C on our site, he plays center primarily though, Gordon plays the point. 

[ColumbianHog]

Who is Weems and what team dose he play for?

Surely ye jest?

[ms.sha86]

Why didnt you answer me? Who is Weems and what team dose he play for?

[bd93]

Why didnt you answer me? Who is Weems and what team dose he play for?

Are you serious?

[ColumbianHog]

Why didnt you answer me? Who is Weems and what team dose he play for?

Sonny Weems.  Small forward for your Arkansas Razorbacks.

SEC All-tournament team selection.

[ms.sha86]

Okay I know him by Sonny Weems. Not just Weems. Also he dosent have that big of a name. Its not like I didnt know who Chris Lofton, Shan Foster, Ronald Steele , Glen"Big Baby" Davis and some of the Florida's starting 5 was. No discrdit to him. But he dosent have a "NAME"

[yraciv]

Okay I know him by Sonny Weems. Not just Weems. Also he dosent have that big of a name. Its not like I didnt know who Chris Lofton, Shan Foster, Ronald Steele , Glen"Big Baby" Davis and some of the Florida's starting 5 was. No discrdit to him. But he dosent have a "NAME"

I disagree, but I could probably name the starting line up off the top of my head for most SEC teams last year.

[ColumbianHog]

Okay I know him by Sonny Weems. Not just Weems. Also he dosent have that big of a name. Its not like I didnt know who Chris Lofton, Shan Foster, Ronald Steele , Glen"Big Baby" Davis and some of the Florida's starting 5 was. No discrdit to him. But he dosent have a "NAME"

His name will be bigger after this season.

[ms.sha86]

Yraciv maybe youre into basketball no matter what team it is. Some people only know there teams and BIG names from other teams that you always hear. Sometimes they player might not have a big name  but he always plays good when he playes your team.

[ColumbianHog]

Yraciv maybe youre into basketball no matter what team it is. Some people only know there teams and BIG names from other teams that you always hear. Sometimes they player might not have a big name  but he always plays good when he playes your team.

ms.sha86,
  Just out of curiousity, are you a Hog fan?  If not, what team do you root for?

[ms.sha86]

Im not a tru Hog Fan. Im a Vandy Fan 1st and formost. Then a Bama fan. After that im a Arky Fan. After that Im a whoever I feel like rooting for fan.

[Beaverfever]

Im not a tru Hog Fan. Im a Vandy Fan 1st and formost. Then a Bama fan. After that im a Arky Fan. After that Im a whoever I feel like rooting for fan.

Complicated

[ColumbianHog]

Im not a tru Hog Fan. Im a Vandy Fan 1st and formost. Then a Bama fan. After that im a Arky Fan. After that Im a whoever I feel like rooting for fan.

Ok.  That's cool.  Good to know what your perspective is.