Since the Buffalo Braves left the Queen City in 1978 for San Diego (and eventually became the Los Angeles Clippers), Buffalonians have had to search for basketball teams to root for. Some fans follow the stars and root for the Lakers or Heat, while others embrace a (somewhat) nearby team like the Raptors or Knicks.
However, there is one basketball team right here in Buffalo. That team is the Buffalo Bulls. These Bulls may not play in Chicago, or anywhere in the NBA for that matter, but we can always imagine. Here is a comparison of sorts to give everyone an idea on who suits up for the blue and white.
Center—Mitchell Watt
NBA Equivalence—Marcus Camby, Portland Trailblazers
Both players tower over just about everybody else on the court.
Camby has never been the best offensive player, but he finishes around the rim, has flashes of brilliance in the post, and his timing is second to none. He has been among the league’s best shot blockers since he entered the league in 1997. He may be getting old, but Camby still fills the stat sheet with blocks and rebounds.
Mitchell Watt is the same way. He’s known on campus at UB as Mitchell “Swatt” for his shot blocking ability. He rebounds formidably and throws down a couple dunks per game, but he’ll never be a 20 PPG player.
Power Forward—Javon McCrea
NBA Equivalence—Amare Stoudemire, New York Knicks
Amare is a freak on the court. He’s constantly matched up against athletes significantly taller than him. Those athletes, however, can’t keep up with Stoudemire. He runs the court like a guard and throws down vicious dunks. Additionally, Amare has been a sensation since he was young—he jumped to the NBA from high school.
Javon McCrea knows what it’s like to be a young phenom. The forward is quite possibly the biggest recruit to ever come to UB. Last year he lived up to the hype and won the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year award. McCrea plays like a guard in a big man’s body. Tall guys can’t stick with him because of his ball handling and passing ability, and little guys can’t handle McCrea in the post. He’s a matchup nightmare for opposing coaches.
Small Forward—Dave Barnett
NBA Equivalence—Luis Scola, Houston Rockets
Luis Scola’s opponents know what he’s capable of, but many fans who don’t avidly follow the sport have never heard of Scola. He is the guy who just consistently produces but stays under the radar. He doesn’t have the flash or highlight reel plays, but he plays with 100 percent effort all the time.
Dave Barnett is the guy diving on the floor like Luis Scola. He doesn’t put up a huge stat line or throw down monster dunks, but he’s athletic enough to shut down the other team’s best player. He never stops pushing himself and he plays unselfish ball.
Shooting Guard—Zach Filzen
NBA Equivalence—Peja Stojakovic, Dallas Mavericks
This comparison derives from the Peja of yesterday, when he was knocking down infinite three-pointers for the Sacramento Kings. The version of Stojakovic who plays for the Mavs now is nothing like his old self. Every real basketball fan knows who Peja is. He had unlimited range in his heyday. Peja was a major reason everybody was afraid of the Kings in the early 2000s.
Zach Filzen shoots the three-ball like nobody else UB has had in recent memory. Filzen hit the second most threes in the NCAA last year. He runs off screens to get free like a maniac, and if you leave him open for a second or two, you’ll pay the price. His stroke is flawless.
Point Guard—Jarod Oldham
NBA Equivalence—Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Westbrook is the second-best young point guard in the NBA (trailing only MVP Derrick Rose). He has the quickness, ball handling, athleticism, and all other physical tools necessary to thrive as a point guard. He can score but he also plays tough defense. Westbrook is still young, though, and he’s trying to establish himself in the league.
Oldham has only played one year for the Bulls, but he showed great signs in his freshman campaign. By the end of the season, he was a great compliment to all-MAC starting point guard Byron Mulkey. Mulkey graduated and now the team belongs to Oldham. He is a lock down defender with freakish athletic tools. He can get above the rim with the best, but Oldham is still trying to develop a consistent jumper and prove himself in the MAC.
Sixth Man—Titus Robinson
NBA Equivalence—Jared Jeffries
Jeffries has turned into a solid player for the Knicks, but he’s never become what everyone expected from him. Jeffries was an impressive college player at Indiana, and he was a lottery pick by the Wizards in 2002. Since then, Jeffries has bounced around the NBA. He’s a good defender but his offensive game is almost non-existent.
Titus Robinson has all the potential in the world. He’s started back-to-back seasons. Now entering his senior campaign, it’s time to see if Robinson can finally fulfill all the potential fans see in him. Robinson is an impressive athlete and a pretty good all-around player, but he’s never been able to put it all together for the Bulls. Fans hope to see more from him this year.
Email: aaron.mansfield@ubspectrum.com
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