By Jeff Andriesse and Greg Fox

Desperate to move on from the 2007-08 season as soon as possible, Jeff Andriesse and Greg Fox summoned all of their friends for a marathon 2008-09 NBA Mock Draft. What becomes apparent is they have pulled off the earliest mock draft in internet history. Also they have no friends. Jeff took the odd numbers, Greg the evens, and they went toe to toe for 10 rounds. Here are the first five.

The Rotowhine.com 2008-09 Fantasy Basketball Mock Draft

ROUND 1

1. LeBron James, CLE
Jeff Andriesse: Should we limit the amount of centers available for these rankings or go with the preferred method of the Yahoos, ESPNs and NBA.coms in which 80 percent of the player pool are centers, including Earl Boykins? I tend to favor limitation on center eligibility, but for the sake of this mock draft let’s assume that all three positions are equal or close to it. Regardless, is there anyone close to LeBron?

2. Chris Paul, NOR
Greg Fox: Owning Paul is the equivalent of being four and walking into a lollipop factory. He is an assists and steals monster and has begun to hit more threes. The best is yet to come.

3. Dwyane Wade, MIA
JA: Couldn’t decide between Paul and Turkoglu, huh? With the third pick, I’m thinking outside the box. Kobe is the safe pick, but he will have a healthy Bynum and Gasol next year eating into his numbers. Can’t you see him coasting just a little? Wade is a big-time injury risk yet is too much of a competitor not to take recent events in Miami to heart. Even if the Heat are awful, Wade will put the team on his shoulders.

4. Kobe Bryant, LAL
GF: I should have known that Jeff would be the only person in the country to screw me over with Wade. That is who I wanted, but thought I could corral him with the fourth pick. Nevertheless, don’t underestimate the selfishness of Kobe Bryant who will keep gunning until his right arm falls off. When he does have flashes of unselfishness, he still manages to produce great all-around numbers.

5. Amare Stoudemire, PHO
JA: 24 & 9, 2.3 blocks (easily a career best), shooting 58 percent from the field and 80 from the line. With many of his teammates soon to be in negotiations for Cocoon III, Amare will be force-fed the ball next year. He’s taken over as the top fantasy center (or at least the most reliable).

6. Dwight Howard, ORL
GF: We all figured that this 6′11″ wrecking ball would have a big year, but who knew he would average nearly 22 points a game? The premier rebounder in the league as well as one of the top percentage shooters from the floor, he just needs to up his free throw percentage to be the clear choice as the #1 center on your draft board.

7. Baron Davis, GS
JA: This was a tough call. I think Baron has become less injury-prone since the playoffs last year when he realized the Warriors are A) fun to play for and B) pretty damn good. But not good enough where he can relax. He’s at the point in his career where he’s going to lay it all out there. The numbers he is putting up this year are mind-bending.

8. Yao Ming, HOU
GF: Ok, so he hasn’t finished any of the last three seasons. I’m still a big Yao guy and I’d like to think the fact that he plans on playing in the Summer Olympics will guilt him into doing everything he can to stay on the floor for the dancing Rockettes in ‘08-09. Let’s not forget that this is the one of the most highly skilled, and in my mind, the best shooting big man (from 8-15 feet) in NBA history… and he’s 7-6.

9. Dirk Nowitzki, DAL
JA: I know what you’re thinking - I wouldn’t want Nowitzki either. But then I look at his numbers and they are damn great, particularly for a percentage league. After my Baron Davis call at #7, I figure I’d peg somebody safe. Dirk is probably the safest, lamest pick out there. But he’ll be 24-9-3.5 with close to a block and a three while shooting near 50 percent from the field and 90 from the line.

10. Allen Iverson, DEN
GF: Iverson is yearly one of the top five fantasy players out there, yet Jeff and I refuse to take him this high. This is an insane practice and I’d now like to display the maturity that we’ve been lacking. Other than LeBron, who else can give you 25-30 points, 7-8 assists, 2 steals, a three and hordes of free throws? A chucker extraordinaire, Iverson is in a great situation in Denver as Carmelo commands at least as much attention.

ROUND 2

11. Josh Smith, ATL
JA: There are plenty of guys who can make a case for the first pick of the second round. I’m taking the one who averages three blocks a game from the forward position. Smith’s percentages are still a drag, but J-Smoov is probably one of the dozen best fantasy players next year regardless.

12. Al Jefferson, MIN
GF: I had to do a double take when I saw that he was averaging 21.4 ppg this season. When was the last time he had less than 28 in a game? Jefferson is no doubt talented and he seems like the kind of guy who enjoys putting up big numbers. What is even more impressive than his 11.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks are his 1.0 steals per contest.

13. Shawn Marion, MIA
JA: Hey, I enjoy putting up big numbers myself. It’s just that I’m just 5-11, 170 with the vertical leap of a cruise ship. Nobody really asks any numbers of me. Many fantasy owners asked a hell of a lot out of Shawn Marion this year, and he hasn’t delivered. While I like what he’s doing lately in Miami, his destination next season is unknown. If he gets to a comfortable situation, he could get a lot of his numbers back up to normal. At this point in the second round, he provides good value. Miami will probably sign him, and he can do his thing as the #2 guy to Wade - maybe average 17 and 10 with two-plus steals, a block, a three and good percentages.

14. Gilbert Arenas, WAS
GF: I seriously doubt that a year off from basketball will temper his enthusiasm for dropping 30 points a night. I give Arenas about 20 games before he decides to stop blending back in and takes every Wizard shot in crunch time. He didn’t have microfracture surgery, so why shouldn’t he be 100 percent? He may be titched in the head, but for points, free throws, threes and steals you can’t do much better.

15. Deron Williams, UTA
JA: You had to bring up Arenas, didn’t ya? I was thinking about where he should go next year. I’m curious to see how gimpy he is… and also where he is, since the Wiz were better without him. On to Williams, averaging a 19 and 10 (assists)… it is hard to bypass Nash at this point, but next year Williams is also a sure thing who is shooting above 50 percent. Nash is getting older. Williams has yet to hit his prime. As the President of the Deron Fan Club, I’m sure you won’t argue this selection.

16. Rudy Gay, MEM
GF: I do think Williams is the best real life purnt guard in the league, but needs to steal the ball a little more for fantasy superstardom. I’m going to switch gears and go with the seven-category Gay at #16. Since the preposterous Gasol trade, Memphis games have been over by the first possession, but Gay continues to dazzle. Already a 20-point scorer, I expect all of his numbers to rise, particularly his rebounds (6.1) and blocks (0.9) per game. Hopefully, this freak athlete will remain hungry and continue to improve.

17. Steve Nash, PHO
JA: Now that’s a gutsy call in the second round with Gay. Mr. Nash still has a few good years left in him. Even if he apes his ‘07-08 numbers - 17.3-3.5-11.4 with 2.1 threes, 50.9 percent from the field, 90.0 from the line - he’s a point guard you can build your fantasy roster around. He has logged a ton of miles though.

18. Gerald Wallace, CHA
GF: You can probably only count on him for 65 games tops, but they will be 65 incredible ones. This season he is producing 2.2 steals and 1.0 blocks to go along with his other terrific averages and owners unrightfully remain disappointed in his block totals. He also now drills more than one three per game and gets to the foul line at a high clip. Crash will give you first round value at a fraction of the cost.

19. Tim Duncan, SAS
JA: Will Wallace be the first NBA player ever required to wear a helmet? I need him to be great the rest of the way for me, thanks for the jinx. Duncan hasn’t tailed off much this year. In fact, his rebounds are up and he’s shooting over 72 percent from the line (good by his standards). If he was a borderline first-rounder before this season, is he a steal this late?

20. Andre Iguodala, PHI
GF: You certainly can’t get hurt with the 20, 10 and more than 2 blocks you’ll get out of Duncan, but when it comes to upside, Iguodala still has plenty. I would imagine that most of his owners are somewhat disappointed in his ‘07-08 campaign. He’s currently at 19.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.7 blocks, more than a three per game and lots of free throws; not too pedestrian in my book. And in three of his four full NBA seasons, he has not missed a game.

ROUND 3

21. Marcus Camby, DEN
JA: Camby’s full season this year (so far), playing nearly 36 minutes per game, can’t be ignored. He’s averaging career highs in rebounds (13.8!!!) and blocks (3.8). His scoring and field goal percentages are down, and the spectre of his injury history hovers over everything he does. But the opportunity to grab a guy who can single-handedly help dominate two categories is too great to let slip any farther.

22. Carmelo Anthony, DEN
GF: As a guy who has owned Camby on several occasions, his new-found health annoys me to no end. Teammate Anthony has pretty much coasted through the regular season, a la King James in ‘06-07, and is still averaging 25.8 points and 7.5 rebounds. A slightly more motivated Carmelo in ‘08-09 could be off the charts. He has increased his shot blocking and is knocking down more threes, but doesn’t drive the lane with the same zest as he has in the past, thus lowering his free throw attempts.

23. Carlos Boozer, UTA
JA: A lack of shot blocking drops Boozer to the third round, but for a combination of points, rebounds and field goal percentage he is sublime. His 1.3 steals this season are nice as well. Boozer is capable of 22-23 and 11 next year… you can’t say that about too many guys.

24. Kevin Garnett, BOS
GF: There is no doubt that some poor sap (such as the Whine Cellar author in ‘07-08) will take KG in the first round. The move to Boston showed many the incredible effect a competitor like Garnett can have on a team. For fantasy purposes, he has officially become, in the immortal words of Isiah Thomas, just another good guy. Twenty, 10 and close to 2 blocks are still reasonable goals.

25. Paul Pierce, BOS
JA: Kevin Garnett in the middle of the third round is certainly a jolt to the senses. Pierce, playing some excellent all-around basketball himself, is another once-mighty stat-sheet stuffer who has caught the winning bug. Despite the arrival of Garnett and Ray Allen, and despite the propensity for the Celtics blowing out every other opponent, The Truth has still managed to average 20.3-5.3-4.6 this season while hitting 1.8 threes, grabbing 1.3 steals and shooting 84.4 percent from the line. Inconsistent, yes. But as a fantasy force, he’s not dead yet.

26. Brandon Roy, POR
GF: Stop being a baby, he’ll be dead in a minute. Roy, the centerpiece of an up-and-coming Portland squad (at least until Oden is healthy), has not succumbed to the foot ailment that was supposed to shelve him for long periods of time. Already one of the top all-around players in the game, he is capable of 20, 5 and 5 in his sleep. That is his bottom. He is realistically capable of averaging 22, 6 and 6 with a three and plenty of free throws.

27. Pau Gasol, LAL
JA: Unless his brother Marc doesn’t come out of nowhere and surpass him next year, Pau is the best Gasol in the league. I think he’s a notch above Kwame Brown too, but that’s just me. Pau is enjoying his new environs, and earns bonus points for allowing me to use the word ‘environs’ in a sentence. His stats will be tempered by the Kobe/Bynum factors, but if Gasol is center-eligible next year in your league, he’ll produce. He’s shooting 58.3 percent from the floor thus far as a Laker.

28. Tracy McGrady, HOU
GF: On par with recent Sasquatch sightings as reported in The Globe, McGrady’s back has held up this season. A healthy T-Mac is still one of the best fantasy options out there. There is not a statistic that he will shy away from, including turnovers. When Yao Ming is shelved, his numbers are out of this world. Seventy games out of him in ‘08-09 is a real possibility.

29. Chris Bosh, TOR
JA: Bosh seems prone to the bumps and bruises the last few years, which is a little disconcerting. Still, he is shooting 85.6 percent from the line, where he averages over eight attempts per game. Shooting 50 percent from the floor, averaging close to 23 points and grabbing nine boards - all of it together is too good to pass up at this point in the draft.

30. Vince Carter, NJ
GF: I truly dislike Carter in real life, but he is a numbers hound. He has been playing hurt all year, but I can’t remember the last time he wasn’t playing hurt. With a little hunger and a touch of pride, he could approach his mind-blowing 2006-07 statistical season.

ROUND 4

31. Caron Butler, WAS
JA: After Arenas went down, Butler was one of the best fantasy options in all of the NBA. His propensity for injury drops him a bit, but if Arenas signs elsewhere, Butler could provide second-round value. And 91.6 percent from the line? Beautiful.

32. Joe Johnson, ATL
GF: It’s amazing that we’ve selected Arenas and Butler ahead of the best fantasy player in Antawn Jamison, another guy we’ll never take. It seems like Johnson shoots 5-for-17 every night, but he is somehow averaging 21.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists with a zillion threes. He actually seems to be producing more with Mike Bibby at the point. A solid value pick in the fourth round, but he must up his putrid .417 shooting percentage from the floor.

33. Chauncey Billups, DET
JA: A sure-thing point guard in the fourth round seems about right. He’s the mark of consistency. He’s also shooting a career-best 44.6 percent from the field, for what it’s worth.

34. Chris Kaman, LAC
GF: I’ve been debating Kaman and teammate Elton Brand for the past 10 minutes. Both will eat into each other’s stats, but the blonde bombshell will definitely qualify at center and should still put up enormous rebounding and blocks numbers.

35. Danny Granger, IND
JA: If we redrafted for this season, the K-Monster might have gone second behind LeBron. I would really like to redraft this year. Anyways, you gotta love the jump that Granger made this season. Can more improvement be on the way? He does a little bit of everything and shoots very well from the line (.865).

36. Elton Brand, LAC
GF: I like the Granger pick. If only he were as good as Dunleavy. Brand is a big-time player and he should be completely recovered from his torn achilles prior to training camp. He’s been good for about 20 and 10 with 2.5 blocks for a long time. And did I mention that he lives on the foul line and has consistently shot well over 50 percent from the field over his career?

37. Manu Ginobili, SAS
JA: It will be interesting to see where people grab Brand and Kaman next year. Somehow Cuttino Mobley will be better next year than this year. Ginobili might be worse next year (how could he not?) but his dominance recently suggests that he’s worth at least a fourth-round look.

38. David West, NOR
GF: Ginobili was in my Kaman/Brand debate… he certainly can’t be much better next season. West has come into his own this year, posting 20 and 10s like they’re going out of style. He shoots a pretty good percentage from the floor and the line and has surprisingly good block totals.

39: Monta Ellis, GS
JA: He doesn’t hit threes but shoots 53 percent from two. Ellis is one rising star, perfect for the end of round four. His numbers since Feb. 1? 24.9 points, 5.5 boards, 4.5 assists, 1.5 threes, 60 percent from the floor. I need a glass of water.

40. Mo Williams, MIL
GF: Ellis has been ridiculous. Equally as ridiculous over the past two months has been Williams, who has been putting up huge numbers from the point guard position. His 3-point shooting is improving and he is one of the best rebounding guards there is.

ROUND 5

41. Kevin Durant, SEA
JA: Durant will most certainly raise his numbers next year, but it appears his days of statistical dominance are farther into the future than previously envisioned. He is barely shooting 40 percent as of this writing, and that has to change. Still, he’ll break 20 points per game and offer good across-the-board production in year two.

42. Jason Kidd, DAL
GF: Even though he looks like he’s 50, Kidd will be 35 next season and will be motivated to help Dallas get out of the Western Conference. He barely cracks double figures in scoring (11.0), but he still averages 10.3 assists and a mind-boggling 7.7 rebounds.

43. Michael Redd, MIL
JA: When next year arrives, and we no longer have Redd in the team we share, he’ll be better than ever. This season has been a series of hiccups for the southpaw. He never found a groove and his scoring has slipped to a still-not-shabby 23.6 per game. Still one of the better shooting guards out there.

44. Jason Richardson, CHA
GF: It has taken Richardson some time to acclimate himself with his new team and his numbers in ‘07-08 have suffered. Still, he is averaging better than 20 points, a shade under 3 threes per game and a decent amount of steals and blocks. His numbers in ‘08-09 will surely rise across the board.

45. Rashard Lewis, ORL
JA: Lewis has surprised no one with his play this year, which is a good thing. His three-point shooting is a huge boost to any fantasy team, and you’ll have to live with the rest of his numbers - perhaps maxing at 20 and 6 with over a steal a game next year.

46. Andrew Bynum, LAL
GF: I don’t even care that there are 11 other all-stars on the Lakers. The manchild oozes talent out of his 290 lb. frame. Even if his points (13.1) and rebounds (10.2) don’t rise because of the existence of the talented Gasol, Bynum will still average better than 2 blocks and rank among league leaders in field goal percentage.

47. Antawn Jamison, WAS
JA: Ok, I’ll bite. Did you know Jamison is averaging only 21.4 points, 10.3 boards and 1.5 threes? I swear. Maybe he really is a fifth-round pick. This slot will certainly depend a lot on whether Gilbert Arenas is a Wizard next year. If not, Antawn is a solid No. 2 fantasy forward. His boards are way up this year - he’s easily en route to a career high in that category. He’s shooting a career-low 43 percent, however.

48. Kevin Martin, SAC
GF: I just stared at Martin’s free throw numbers for five minutes with a vacant expression on my face and still can’t believe he attempts more than 9 per game. He shoots 86 percent from the stripe, averages 23.1 points and nearly 2 threes per night. Without Mike Bibby and often without the missing link Ron Artest, he could conceivably be in store for his best year.

49. Hedo Turkoglu, ORL
JA: At this point we have to assume that Turkoglu’s season isn’t a fluke. He’s averging nearly 20 points, over six boards and a shade under five assists while hitting 2.1 threes and canning 83.6 percent of his free throws. If he’s playing way over his head, this is probably too early… but if he can keep this up, he’s a steal this late.

50. Andrew Bogut, MIL
GF: The name Turkoglu, who barely got off the bench for me two years ago, just sent a chill down my spine. When he was drafted, I thought Bogut’s ceiling was 14 points and 10 rebounds per game. He’s just about at
those levels, but what I didn’t expect was the 1.8 blocks. He seems to be a hard worker intent on improving his craft. The center position will soon start to get thin.

Coming next week: Rounds 6-10.