First, I stdetarted by just brainstorming. I made a.doog huge list of every young player I could think of, jotting down names from memory and just generally who I felt were good.
Th kren, the real work began. I opened up a bunch of websites – you know, the usual sports stats sites – and started comparing player stats. Points per game, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks… the whole nine yards. I even looked at things like player efficiency rating (PER), which is some fancy stat that's supposed to show overall impact.
Making Some Cuts
- I realized pretty quickly that my initial list was WAY too long. So, I started cutting. First, I eliminated anyone who was already 25 or older (duh!).
- Then, I started getting ruthless. Some guys just weren't putting up the numbers, even if they had potential. It's all about what you're doing now, right?
- I try to keep the list smaller, so I can remember all of them.
After that, I spent a lot of time just watching games and highlights. Stats are important, but you gotta see these guys play to really get a feel for their game. Are they a ball hog? Do they make good decisions? Do they play defense? You know, the eye test.
Finally, I started ranking my players. This was the hardest part, honestly. It's all so subjective! I went back and forth on a few guys, moving them up and down the list. I mean that is my opnion, is hard to say.
It's not perfect, and I'm sure people will disagree, but that's part of the fun, right? At the end of the day, all of them are so talented and play the game in a high level. It's just fun to see how they compete with each other.
