This is the league in which we replay the 2009-10 season, with help from the 50 Greatest Players of all time, who make up the draft pool. There will be a two-round draft in the 24-team league, with each team coming away with 2 all-timers (so, technically, it's the Greatest 48 players of all time). It's a worst-to-first draft in both rounds, so New Jersey will have the first pick in rounds 1 and 2, and the LeBrons -- for now -- will pick last in each round. Here are the rules:

    * No WW, Rookies or Trades (and that includes no trading of draft spots).
    * Each team will draft 2 all-time greats. Those players are yours exclusively. You can use any season of your draftees' careers, ABA and NBA alike. To make room for them on your roster, you're the coach/GM: cut any 2 players who don't fit.
    * There will be one all-time great clone: Shaquille O'Neal (the only active player on the 50 Greatest team). Other "clones" will be players who were traded during the season. You can only use players who performed for your team. Let's use the Wizards as an example. The Wizards coach will NOT be permitted to use the 74-game season of Caron Butler; just the 47 he played in Washington.
    * The salary cap will be determined as soon as WIS unveils the 2009-10 players. But, essentially, it will be high enough where all teams will fit under it
    * Divisional/conference alignment will be kept as close to real life as possible. Please find a way to either incorporate the city or nickname of your team when naming your squad. Also, not that the game factors this in, but also try to use an arena that is identified with your team (the Celtics playing in Staples or the Knicks at Boston Garden just seems criminal).
    * Have lots of fun

Here is the official list of the 50 Greatest Players, released in 1996:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/nba_50_greatest.html

Round 1 Picks
1. New Jersey (holleybard) * - Wilt Chamberlain
2. Minnesota (stheo81) * - Michael Jordan
3. Washington (mattdoolin) * - Larry Bird
4. Golden State (all3) * - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
5. Philly (badja) * - Charles Barkley
6. New York (eleibowitz) * - Shaquille O'Neal
7. New Orleans (shawbigred) * - Oscar Robertson
8. Toronto (empdenied) * - Jerry West
9. Memphis (jstewart281) * - Bill Russell
10. Chicago (amerk1180) * - Hakeem Olajuwon
11. Charlotte (Mikee1) * - Moses Malone
12. Houston (chrisvillani) * - David Robinson
13. Miami (flipper) * - Bill Walton
14. Portland (jrolfe)* - John Stockton
15. Oklahoma City (jcred5) * - Robert Parish
16. San Antonio (chewbiedooby) * - Kevin McHale
17. Boston (Poddy) * - Jerry Lucas
18. Utah (ff09) * - Magic Johnson
19. Denver (sappy) * - Wes Unseld
20. Atlanta (gadzooks)* - Elgin Baylor
21. Phoenix (bkeyser) * - Elvin Hayes
22. Dallas (birdparker) * - Nate Thurmond
23. LA Lakers (theyard2) * - Karl Malone
24. Orlando (detlef) * - Patrick Ewing

Round 2 Picks
1. New Jersey (holleybard) * - Julius Winfield Erving
2. Minnesota (stheo81) * - Dave Cowens
3. Washington (mattdoolin) * - Bob Pettit
4. Golden State (all3) * - Willis Reed
5. Philly (badja) * - Clyde Drexler
6. New York (eleibowitz) * - Scottie Pippen
7. New Orleans (shawbigred) * - George Mikan
8. Toronto (empdenied) * - Billy Cunningham
9. Memphis (jstewart281) * - Tiny Archibald
10. Chicago (amerk1180) * - John Havlicek
11. Charlotte (Mikee1) * - Hal Greer
12. Houston (chrisvillani) * - Dave Bing
13. Miami (flipper) * - Isiah Thomas
14. Portland (jrolfe)* - Dolph Schayes
15. Oklahoma City (jcred5) * - Walt Frazier
16. San Antonio (chewbiedooby) * - Sam Jones
17. Boston (Poddy) * - George Gervin
18. Utah (ff09) * - Arizin
19. Denver (sappy) * - James Worthy
20. Atlanta (gadzooks)* - Lenny Wilkens
21. Phoenix (bkeyser) * - Dave DeBusschere
22. Dallas (birdparker) * - Rick Barry
23. LA Lakers (theyard2) * - Pete Maravich
24. Orlando (detlef) * - Earl Monroe

Round 2 Draft times - Friday - 10/29/10

1. New Jersey (holleybard) * - 6:30am EST
2. Minnesota (stheo81) * - 7:00
3. Washington (mattdoolin) * 7:30
4. Golden State (all3) * - 8:00
5. Philly (badja) * - 8:30
6. New York (eleibowitz) * - 9:00
7. New Orleans (shawbigred) * - 9:30
8. Toronto (empdenied) * - 10:00
9. Memphis (jstewart281) * - 10:30
10. Chicago (amerk1180) * - 11:00
11. Charlotte (Mikee1) * - 11:30
12. Houston (chrisvillani) * - noon
13. Miami (flipper) *  - 12:30
14. Portland (jrolfe)* - 1:00
15. Oklahoma City (jcred5) * - 1:30
16. San Antonio (chewbiedooby) * - 2:00
17. Boston (Poddy) * - 2:30
18. Utah (ff09) * - 3:00
19. Denver (sappy) * - 3:30
20. Atlanta (gadzooks)* - 4:00
21. Phoenix (bkeyser) * - 4:30
22. Dallas (birdparker) * - 5:00
23. LA Lakers (theyard2) * - 5:30
24. Orlando (detlef) * - 6pm EST

Not sure when or why Golden State got moved behind Philadelphia, but please correct that.

Philadelphia	27	55	.329	34.0	14-38	7-9	12-29	15-26	34-47-1	40-41-1
Golden State	26	56	.317	35.0	15-37	5-11	18-23	8-33	47-34-1	40-41-1

Posted by all3 on 10/26/2010 12:12:00 AM (view original):
Not sure when or why Golden State got moved behind Philadelphia, but please correct that.

Philadelphia	27	55	.329	34.0	14-38	7-9	12-29	15-26	34-47-1	40-41-1
Golden State	26	56	.317	35.0	15-37	5-11	18-23	8-33	47-34-1	40-41-1

I made a mistake... it happens...

I am excited to get the 24th best player of all time on the same court as the immortal Vince Carter.

how is there no lebron in this league? come on. criminal.

Posted by jstewart281 on 10/26/2010 6:09:00 AM (view original):

Posted by all3 on 10/26/2010 12:12:00 AM (view original):
Not sure when or why Golden State got moved behind Philadelphia, but please correct that.

Philadelphia	27	55	.329	34.0	14-38	7-9	12-29	15-26	34-47-1	40-41-1
Golden State	26	56	.317	35.0	15-37	5-11	18-23	8-33	47-34-1	40-41-1

I made a mistake... it happens...

Thanks for the correction. 

We could add LeBron to the player pool... I'm open to it if everyone else is?

mattdoolin via text "F Larry Bird"

kinda changes the theme doesn't it?  cleveland gets Lebron anyway.

Yea, in retrospect, maybe next time it'd be cool to just expand it to drafting any all-time players (although, maybe limit it to retired players and active players whose teams were not picked, so we don't get any clones).  Or maybe I'm just bitter because my 2nd pick will be pretty worthless.