One of the amusing side effects --- maybe the only amusing side effect --- of conference realignment over the last three years is the thought of former college stars being associated with leagues they had nothing to do with.
Carmelo Anthony, ACC legend. Andrew Bogut, Pac-12 great. Gordon Hayward, Big East star. Acie Law, creator of stellar SEC memories. Derrick Rose, American hero.
(Coming next year, of course, are Juan Dixon and Greivis Vasquez, Big Ten legends. But that can wait another 12 months).
Those are all mildly entertaining, but don't think for a moment conferences won't embrace the the NBA imprint created by their incoming schools. That's why this chart is such a logical offshoot from last night's NBA Draft conference call.
Unlike in that link, players from Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Syracuse are allocated to the ACC. Missouri and Texas A&M players are included in the SEC's tally even if they played their entire careers in the Big 12. Guys from Butler and Xavier count for the new Big East. Memphis and Temple contribute to the American Athletic Conference. On and on it goes, so long as everything matches up with the 2013-14 conference alignment.
So how does it all shake out?
| Conference | 2013 |
2012 |
2011 |
2010 |
2009 |
Total |
| ACC | 9 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 51 |
| Southeastern | 5 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 39 |
| Big 12 |
4 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 31 |
| Pac-12 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 28 |
| American |
2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 19 |
| Big Ten |
5 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 17 |
| Big East |
2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 15 |
| Mountain West |
4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 9 |
| Conference USA |
1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
The ACC is the biggest winner, adding the 11 draft picks its three new schools have had over the last five years. A more subtle winner is the SEC, which is now comfortably the No. 2 conference for NBA Draft selections since 2009 (with a good chunk of that thanks due to John Calipari's work at Kentucky).
Unsurprisingly, the Big East plummets considerably after taking out so many quality programs, falling from 37 picks to 15 --- and a few of those belong to newcomers Butler and Xavier. Meanwhile, the combination of Connecticut, Louisville, Memphis, Temple and others allows the American to check in at fifth on the list.
For those wondering how the ACC's addition of Louisville to offset the departure of Maryland will impact this, the answer is simply not much. Louisville's had four players drafted over the last five years to Maryland's three.
--- Patrick Stevens
Recent Comments