Six college hoops scribes staged an eight-round, snake-style fantasy draft focused on college performance from 1999-2000 onward, selecting seven players and a head coach. Anthony Davis led off, followed by Zion Williamson and Kevin Durant in the top picks, forming a fearsome frontcourt and guard core built on elite college resumes and championship pedigree rather than NBA careers. The piece highlights how college-impact players, not draft stock or pro ceilings, power this fictional roster, with debates about defense, playmaking, and title resumes shaping each pick.

The writeups mix star-power with strategic fit: Davis-Oden anchor a two-way frontcourt, Brunson and Walker provide guard firepower, and the coaching choices (Self, Pitino, Wright) underscore the chess-like side of building a winner in college fantasy. The exercise stakes depth and championship culture over mere upside, delivering a playful yet thoughtful lens on college basketball’s most impactful performers of the last 25 years.

In the end, the draft isn’t just about the NBA futures of these players; it’s about which college performances translate into fantasy points and championships in a hypothetical seven-man grid, with coaching pedigree and historic trophies weighing as much as raw scoring ability. It’s a nostalgic, data-driven sprint through college hoops’ most influential juggernauts.

New Orleans enters 2025-26 with Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones healthy and ready to anchor a potent Pelicans core. The addition of Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey adds burst and shooting, while Kevon Looney brings in-the-paint defense and rebounding. Draft picks Yves Missi and Derik Queen offer upside, and Jose Alvarado provides energy off the bench. If the health trend holds, New Orleans can again contend for a playoff spot in a deep West.

But health remains the variable. An Opening Night absence for Dejounte Murray and a tough early schedule could delay chemistry-building and push the team into a rugged early patch. If the roster stays cohesive and Poole/Bey translate into efficient offense, the Pelicans could reclaim momentum in November and push for a late-season run, despite the absence of a 2026 first-round pick complicating long-term assets.