Reading Chad Ford’s annual column highlighting the potential NBA prospects in each region of this year’s tournament got me thinking about which tournament region from the recent past had the most NBA talent. Of course it wouldn’t be any fun if we didn’t set it up like a tournament though, so that’s what I’m here to do. Originally, I wanted to take the best region from each of the past 16 tournaments, but I could only get full roster information back to 1997, so we’ll do the past 12 years. Either we can give four teams a bye, or we can add four regions which look to be the second best squads from their year. Pat, let me know what you think. Each region’s roster will consist of eight-man rosters in order to reward depth. Lastly, to make it more interesting, a player can only appear on one tournament roster. For each player, preference will be given to their final seasons in college. For instance, Shane Battier’s first option is to be on a 2001 team, his senior year, but if there is a better region team from 2001, then Battier is back in the player pool for 2000 – and if he doesn’t make it there, he’s eligible for ’99… Pat and I will come to a consensus on the winner’s of each matchup in the tournament, and we’ll be factoring in a player’s success over his entire NBA career. 

Below are the prospective rosters for each year, if there’s a clear cut winner I’ve only included one roster, but there are several years where the rosters would seem to be very close in talent, so I’ve put them in a rough order of how I’d rank them, and we can determine which ones make it to this fictional dance. Looking forward to getting Pat’s thoughts. 

? – If eligible
* – Would-be replacement of ? player 
… – Possible that team could become ineligible depending on certain players

2008
Midwest – Mario Chalmers, O.J. Mayo, Michael Beasley, Darrell Arthur, Roy Hibbert, Brandon Rush, Darnell Jackson, Bill Walker

West – Russell Westbrook, Jerryd Bayless, Courtney Lee, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Kevin Love, DaMarcus Nelson, De’Andre Jordan, Joe Alexander

2007
South – Ramon Sessions, Mike Conley, Daequan Cook, Brook Lopez, Greg Oden, Javale McGee, Robin Lopez, Acie Law IV

East – D.J. Augustin, Nick Young, Jeff Green, Kevin Durant, Roy Hibbert (?), Kyle Weaver, Jared Dudley, Brendan Wright, Gabe Pruitt*

Midwest – Aaron Brooks, Thaddeus Young, Carl Landry, Marreese Speights, Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Anthony Morrow, Corey Brewer

2006
Washington D.C. – Rajon Rondo, Brandon Roy, Rudy Gay, Josh Boone, Hilton Armstrong, Dee Brown, Shannon Brown, Paul Davis 

 2005
 Syracuse – Raymond Felton, Danny Granger, Charlie Villanueva, David Lee, Al Horford (?), Sean May, Joakim Noah (?), Randy Foye, Kyle Lowry*, Corey Brewer*

Chicago – Deron Williams, Ramon Sessions (?), Daniel Gibson, Brandon Bass, Craig Smith, Sean Williams, Glen Davis, Luther Head, Jared Dudley* (?), Channing Frye*

Albuquerque - Chris Paul, Nate Robinson, Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow (?), Ronny Turiaf, Jarrett Jack, Francisco Garcia, Adam Morrison, Arron Afflalo*

2004
East Rutherford – Chris Paul (?), Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson, David Lee (?), Renaldo Balkman, Delonte West, Joey Graham, Tony Allen, Rodney Carney*, Andre Emmett*

Atlanta – Deron Williams (?), Raymond Felton (?), Luol Deng, Andre Igoudala, Jason Maxiell, Chris Duhon, Francisco Garcia (?), Luther Head (?), Channing Frye* (?), Shelden Williams*, J.J. Redick*, Royal Ivey*, Rashad McCants* (?), Salim Stoudamire*, P.J. Tucker*

Phoenix – Ben Gordon, Josh Childress, Charlie Villanueva (?), Hakim Warrick, Emeka Okafor, D.J. Strawberry, Rafael Araujo, Julius Hodge, * …

2003
South – T.J. Ford, Ben Gordon (?), David West, David Lee (?), Emeka Okafor (?), Steve Blake, Josh Childress (?), Matt Bonner, Royal Ivey* (?), David Harrison*, Anthony Roberson*, Maurice Ager*

West – Deron Williams (?), Kirk Hinrich, Andre Igoudala (?), Ronny Turiaf (?), Chris Kaman, Kyle Korver, Chris Duhon (?), Jason Maxiell (?), Ike Diogu*, Matt Carroll*, Luke Walton*, Nick Collison*, Brian Cook*

East – Jameer Nelson (?), Delonte West (?), Josh Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Hakim Warrick (?), Marquis Daniels, Francisco Garcia (?), Tony Allen (?), Luis Flores*, Reece Gaines*…

Midwest – Devin Harris (?), Dwyane Wade, Maurice Williams, Kelenna Azuibuke, Chuck Hayes, Luke Ridnour, Travis Diener, Steve Novak, Keith Bogans*

2002
East – Devin Harris (?), Dwyane Wade (?), Caron Butler, Tayshaun Prince, Emeka Okafor (?), Ben Gordon (?), Chris Wilcox, Steve Blake (?), Jarvis Hayes*, Chuck Hayes* (?), Juan Dixon* (?), Travis Diener* (?), Keith Bogans*, Andre Emmett* (?)

Midwest – T.J. Ford (?), Kirk Hinrich (?), Josh Howard (?), Udonis Haslem, Drew Gooden, Kyle Korver (?), Josh Childress (?), Darius Songaila, Matt Bonner* (?), Luke Ridnour* (?), Luther Head* (?), Brian Cook* (?), Fred Jones*, Nick Collison* (?), Mario Austin*, Royal Ivey* (?), Frank Williams* 

South – Chris Duhon (?), Maurice Williams (?), Mike Dunleavy, Jared Jeffries, Carlos Boozer, Jay Williams, Matt Carroll (?), Dahntay Jones, Daniel Ewing*…

2001
Midwest – Kirk Hinrich (?), Gilbert Arenas, Richard Jefferson, Troy Murphy, David West (?), Josh Howard (?), Luke Walton (?), Drew Gooden (?), Darius Songaila* (?), Nick Collison* (?), Brian Cook* (?), Frank Williams* (?), Marcus Haislip*, Loren Woods*, Rodney White*,  Vincent Yarbrough*

East – Chris Duhon (?), Kyle Korver (?), Tayshaun Prince (?), Shane Battier, Reggie Evans, Mike Dunleavy (?), Jason Kapono, Earl Watson, Matt Barnes*, Jay Williams*, Brian Scalabrine*, Dan Gadzuric*

West – Jameer Nelson (?), Jamaal Tinsley, Joe Johnson, Jared Jeffries (?), Jason Collins, Jannero Pargo, Steve Blake (?), Chris Wilcox (?), Jarron Collin*, Mike Sweetney*, Juan Dixon* (?), Paul Shirley*, Casey Jacobsen*

South – Royal Ivey (?), Roger Mason Jr., Jason Richardson, Udonis Haslem (?), Zach Randolph, Matt Bonner (?), Brendan Haywood, Charlie Bell (?), Melvin Ely*, Dan Dickau*, Joe Forte*

2000
East – Kirk Hinrich (?), Quentin Richardson, Shane Battier (?), Mike Miller, Carlos Boozer (?), Udonis Haslem (?), Drew Gooden (?), Sam Dalembert,  Mike Dunleavy* (?), Desmond Mason*, Speedy Claxton*, Matt Bonner* (?), Bobby Simmons*, Biran Cook* (?), Nick Collison* (?), Fred Jones*, Jay Williams* (?), Donnell Harvey*

Midwest – Jamaal Tinsley (?), Jason Richardson (?), Tayshaun Prince (?), Jamaal Magloire, Jason Kapono (?), Morris Peterson, Kyle Korver (?), Earl Watson (?), Marquis Daniels* (?), Etan Thomas*, Matt Barnes* (?), Steve Blake* (?), Charlie Bell* (?), Jason Hart*, Juan Dixon* (?), Keith Bogans* (?), Marcus Fizer*, Mamadou N’Diaye*

1999
East – John Salmons, Corey Maggette, Shane Battier (?), Kenyon Martin, Elton Brand, Brian Cardinal, Michael Ruffin, Chris Mihm, Steve Logan*

Midwest – Andre Miller, Jason Terry, Tayshaun Prince (?), Richard Jefferson (?), Lamar Odom, Jamaal Magloire (?), Wally Szcerbiak, Eduardo Najera, Morris Peterson* (?), Malik Allen*, Charlie Bell* (?), Scott Padgett*, Eric Chenowith*

South – Baron Davis, Steve Francis, Michael Redd, Ron Artest, Etan Thomas (?), Desmond Mason (?), Earl Watson (?), Matt Barnes (?), Juan Dixon* (?), Jason Hart* (?), Jerome Moiso*, Rodney Buford*, Lavor Postell*, Erick Barkley*

1998
East – Earl Boykins, Vince Carter, Richard Hamilton, James Posey,  Antawn Jamison, Eduardo Najera (?), Morris Peterson (?), Brendan Haywood (?), Charlie Bell* (?), Dan Dickau* (?), Jake Voskuhl*, Mateen Cleaves*, Tyrone Nesby*, Khalid El-Amin*

South – Baron Davis (?), Larry hughes, Shane Battier (?), Elton Brand (?), Jamaal Magloire (?), Desmond Mason (?), Nazr Mohammed, Earl Watson (?), Kenny Thomas*, Jason Hart* (?), Etan Thomas* (?), Scott Padgett* (?), Trajan Langdon*, Will Avery*

Midwest – Cuttino Mobley, Paul Pierce, Ron Artest (?), Brad Miller, Raef LaFrentz, Brian Cardinal (?), Mark Madsen, Lee Nailon, Jarron Collins* (?), Ansu Sesay*, Greg Buckner*, Lavor Postell* (?), Felipe Lopez*

1997
West – Brevin Knight, Andre Miller, Eduardo Najera (?), Keith Van Horn, Tim Duncan, Jamaal Magloire (?), Nazr Mohammed (?), Michael Olowakandi, Ron Mercer*, Michael Doleac*, Mark Madsen* (?), Bryce Drew*, Loren Woods*

East – Chauncey Billups, Vince Carter (?), Tim Thomas, Antawn Jamison (?), Kenny Thomas (?), Jason Collier, Malik Allen, Alvin Williams, Shammon Williams*, Sean Marks*…

Midwest – Bobby Jackson, Wally Szczerbiak (?), James Posey (?), Kenyon Martin (?), Danny Fortson (?), Ruben Patterson, Marc Jackson, Ira Newble, Greg Buckner* (?), Kelvin Cato*, Michael Ruffin*, Jelani McCoy*

Southeast – Mike Bibby, Jason Terry (?), Paul Pierce (?), Raef LaFrentz, Brad Miller (?), Brian Cardinal (?), Anthony Johnson, Jacque Vaughn, Scott Pollard*, Austin Croshere*, God Shammgod*, Sarunas Jasikevisius