Round 1 (West) - Cali advances

A Cali squad loaded with elite PG’s took out a Pacific Northwest team led by Brandon Roy and Carlos Boozer.

With the NCAA Basketball Tournament right around the corner, I decided to create an NBA State Tournament to see which states are producing the best players.

Serious bragging rights are at stake!

Do certain states excel at producing certain positions? Which states have the most talent per capita? Most importantly, who’s going to win it all?

Help me decide by voting for each matchup, and we’ll crown an NBA State Champion right around the time of the NCAA Championship game.

NBA State Tournament Rules: - To qualify, players must have played in at least one NBA game this season (Sorry Brand & Oden) and be on a current NBA roster. - Players are affiliated with the state they graduated High School in rather than the State born in. (Information courtesy of: Basketball-Reference.com). Key differences will be noted. - There are 16 total “Teams” separated into 4 Regions. - Teams are seeded using this formula: Total population (rounded to the nearest million) x 1/2 + Total # of current players. - Smaller states are merged together until they total 16+ active players. - Rosters of 12 are chosen for each team. - Vote for which team you think would win in a 7 game series on a neutral court. - 1st Round Polls are open for 7 days ONLY before a winner is declared. - New 1st Round Matchup posted every 3 days. - After voting, please comment on which team you picked, how many games to win, and why.

#1 Seed

West Region

California (42 players)

Total Population = 36,553,215

PG: Jason Kidd / Gilbert Arenas / Andre Miller

California is loaded with elite point guards! Here is a sweet commercial that Jason Kidd did for Nike, where he explains how his game was honed on the streets of Oakland, learning from “Hook” Mitchell and “The Glove.” Kidd gives Gary Payton a lot of credit for his success, and he’s carried the East Bay PG torch nicely. Of course, Mr. Triple-Double has plenty of talent behind him. Gilbert Arenas won’t like coming off the bench, but if he accepts the role, he could be vital to California’s success. If not, Cali can turn to the seasoned vet Andre Miller. And with Jordan Farmar waiting in the wings, their future looks bright at this position.

SG: Baron Davis / Brent Barry

Cali has so much talent at the point that I decided to move Baron Davis over to shooting guard. Can you imagine Baron and Kidd playing together? That’s fast paced hoops at its finest! Davis is strong enough to defend shooting guards and Kidd is one of the greatest rebounding guards ever, so their size shouldn’t be an issue. I gave Brent Barry the nod over guys like Childress and Stevenson because he’s a proven winner and a superb team player. He’ll get plenty of open threes to knock down on this squad.

SF: Paul Pierce / Tayshaun Prince

Paul Pierce and Baron host Magic’s charity game together, so you know they’ll have a lot of fun playing on the same team. The Truth gives Cali three guys who can drop 30 points on any given night, and his ability to get to the line and make clutch shots will be huge. Tayshaun Prince was born and raised in Compton, where he led Dominguez high school to two California state titles. He’s one of the most underrated all-around performers in the league, and his defense and versatility will be huge for this squad. The only problem is finding enough minutes for him behind Paul Pierce.

PF: Drew Gooden / Matt Barnes / Amir Johnson

Power forward is the weakest position for California. Drew Gooden has his limitations, but he understands his role and tries not to do too much. He’s not a great shot-blocker, but his ability to crash the offensive glass is a big plus. Matt Barnes plays a lot of power forward for the Warriors, so he seems like a good fit for this Cali squad that will also want to run and gun. Amir Johnson has been so impressive recently that I’m giving him the nod as my 12th man. The Collins brothers have more beef and experience, but Amir is a freak athlete with a ton of potential.

C: Tyson Chandler / Chuck Hayes

Tyson Chandler followed in Tayshaun’s footsteps by leading Dominguez high to three straight state titles. The guy can run the floor with the best of them and will get plenty of alley-oops from Kidd and Baron. He plays with a lot of passion and is a great anchor on the defensive end. I’m going with Chuck Hayes over Leon Powe as my undersized backup center. His offensive game leaves a lot to be desired, but he’s a fantastic rebounder and is more than willing to bang.

Just missed the cut: Josh Childress, DeShawn Stevenson.

Childress is similar to Prince, but not quite as good. I like his game, but Barry is a better shooter and Barnes can play power forward, so J-Chill is the odd man out. Stevenson is valuable because he’s a very physical defender, but he’s not very versatile and he can’t shoot it like Bones Barry.

Everyone else: Aaron Afflalo, Trevor Ariza, Bruce Bowen, Jarron Collins, Jason Collins, Austin Croshere, Jared Dudley, Jordan Farmar, Jason Hart, Ryan Hollins, Eddie House, Casey Jacobsen, Jason Kapono, Mark Madsen, Darrick Martin, Dominic McGuire, Kevin Ollie, Scot Pollard, Leon Powe, Gabe Pruitt, Craig Smith, Kirk Snyder, D.J. Strawberry, Robert Swift, Jacque Vaughn, Luke Walton, Dorell Wright, Nick Young.

Team analysis:

As expected, the California squad is loaded with talent. Their top 6 players are incredibly gifted, but with 42 active players to choose from, I thought their depth would be a little stronger. They have several All-Star point guards to run the show, and all of them are incredibly strong (both mentally and physically). This team will be fantastic in transition, but they could be vulnerable in the halfcourt game. They lack a dominant low-post scorer, but Davis and Pierce are both dangerous when posting up. One area of concern is that Arenas’ ego could get in the way and cause problems, but this is a veteran squad that knows how to win. Another concern is their lack of frontcourt depth. If Chandler gets in foul trouble, California could be very vulnerable in the paint. Still, they’re one of the teams to beat in this tournament.

#4 Seed

West Region

Washington (12 players) +

Oregon (6 players) +

Alaska (1 player)

Combined Population = 10,899,357

PG: Jamal Crawford (WA) / Nate Robinson (WA) / Damon Stoudamire (OR)

Jamal Crawford led his high school to the Washington state title in ‘98 and was Washington’s Player of the Year in ‘99. He can score in a variety of ways and he’s not afraid to take big shots. While he’s not a pure point, he’ll have the advantage of playing alongside Brandon Roy. Crawford’s defense (or lack thereof) will be one of the keys for the Pacific Northwest team. Former Washington Husky star Nate Robinson joins his Knicks teammate in the backcourt. Lil’ Nate is a super sparkplug off the bench, but he’s still developing his point guard skills. Damon Stoudamire provides this relatively young team with a much-needed veteran presence.

SG: Brandon Roy (WA) / Jason Terry (WA) / Rodney Stuckey (WA)

Brandon Roy has quickly established himself as one of the top all-around players in the league. Portland made a smart move in not letting this kid leave the Pac-NW, because he’s going to have a long successful career. Jason Terry is a solid combo guard, and he’ll be relied on heavily as the leader of the 2nd unit. The Jet can score in bunches, but he may have to focus a lot of his time and energy on guarding opposing point guards. I’m a big Rodney Stuckey fan, so I gave him the roster nod over Martell Webster. He’s no Brandon Roy, but he still has a ton of talent.

SF: Mike Dunleavy (OR) / Ime Udoka (OR)

They’re not flashy, but Dunleavy and Udoka form to give this team a solid small forward combo. Mike D’s ballhandling and passing skills could prove to be a major asset, freeing up Crawford, Roy, and Terry to play off the ball when need be. However, Dunleavy has trouble matching the physicality of other forwards, and this team is already pretty weak up front. Ime Udoka can help out in that department: he’s a solid rebounder and a rugged defender. Honestly, I would probably opt for Udoka over Dunleavy in crunch time.

PF: Marvin Williams (WA) / Brian Scalabrine (WA)

This team lacks big bodies, so Marvin will have to play big minutes at power forward. This could be a problem, because he’s a very poor rebounder and not an intimidating defensive presence. While Marvin is quite athletic, there’s a lot of room for improvement in his game. Without a doubt, he’s the biggest X-factor for the Pac-NW squad. Brian Scalabrine gives this team a backup big man who can shoot, but if he has to play big minutes, that’s not a good sign.

C: Carlos Boozer (AK) / Michael Doleac (OR)

Boozer is a bit undersized for center, but I had to slide him over to avoid starting Michael Doleac. He may have some trouble guarding bigger players, but Booze is still a beast around the basket. He’ll also have some great pick-and-roll partners in Roy and Terry. Unfortunately, Boozer will probably have to play 40+ minutes every night for the Pac-NW squad to stay competitive. Doleac is a big body with a decent jumper, but that’s about it. I don’t need to tell you how big the drop-off between Boozer and Doleac is.

Just missed the cut: Spencer Hawes (WA), Martell Webster (WA).

Hawes and Webster were teammates at Seattle Prep high school, and their games are still developing. This team could use a 7-footer with skills, but it doesn’t seem like Hawes is ready for the NBA yet. Webster hasn’t lived up to the hype since being drafted #6 overall in 2005. He had to sit behind Ime Udoka in Portland last season, and Udoka knocks him off this squad as well.

Everyone else: Aaron Brooks (WA), Dan Dickau (WA), Fred Jones (OR), Luke Ridnour (WA), Salim Stoudamire (OR).

Team analysis:

The state of Washington has produced some very talented players in recent years, with Brandon Roy leading the way. This team is loaded with combo guards who can score, but their frontcourt depth is horrible. Thank Alaska for Carlos Boozer, because this squad would be in a lot of trouble without him. Still, they lack a man in the middle who can block shots, which could be their downfall. Mike D and Marvin Williams are solid offensive players, but I question how much they would really help this team. I would like to see them play three guards (Terry, Crawford, and Roy) and go with a super small lineup by moving Udoka over to power forward. That would help them utilize their quickness and 3-point shooting ability, and they could score a lot of points by doing so.

NBA State Tournament

Round 1

West Region: #1 vs. #4

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Poll Ends: Sunday, March 2nd @ 11:59pm PST

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My pick:

in 5 games

The Pacific Northwest squad has a solid ratio of 1.74 NBA players per million (4th best in the tournament), but they drew a tough break by having to face the largest state (and the one with the most active players) in the 1st round. Still, the team from Washington, Oregon & Alaska won’t go down without a fight. I could see the Cali squad getting two blowout wins, two close wins, and one close loss. The Boozer vs. Chandler battle in the paint is intriguing, but this matchup is all about the guards. You could have Terry, Crawford, and Roy on the court at the same time as Kidd, Arenas, and Baron. Roy has proven that he can hold his own, but he can only guard one of those studs. Terry and Crawford can score, but can they contain California’s guards on the other end? The big mismatch here is at small forward, where Pierce & Prince would straight dominate Dunleavy & Udoka. The Pacific Northwest region is on the rise, but they can’t hang with the big boys just yet.

Click here for South Region matchup #1: (1) Alabama/ Georgia vs. (4) Louisiana/ Mississippi.
Click here for South Region matchup #2: (2) Florida vs. (3) North Carolina/ South Carolina.