2019 NBA Mock Draft 1.0 (Draft Day)

1.New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson, small/power forward (Duke)
2.Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant, point guard (Murray State) 
3.New York Knicks: R.J. Barrett, shooting guard/small forward (Duke)
4.New Orleans Pelicans: Jarrett Culver, shooting guard (Texas Tech)
5.Cleveland Cavaliers: Cam Reddish, shooting guard/small forward (Duke)
6.Phoenix Suns: Darius Garland, point guard (Vanderbilit)
7.Chicago Bulls: Coby White, point/shooting guard (North Carolina)
8.Atlanta Hawks: De'Andre Hunter, small forward (Virginia)
9.Washington Wizards: Jaxson Hayes, center (Texas)

10.Atlanta Hawks: Sekou Doumbouya, small/power forward (France)

11.Minnesota Timberwolves: Nassir Little, small forward (North Carolina)

12.Charlotte Hornets: Rui Hachimura, small/power forward (Gonzaga)

13.Miami Heat: P.J. Washington, power forward (Kentucky)

14.Boston Celtics: Bol Bol, center (Oregon)

15.Detroit Pistons: Tyler Herro, shooting guard (Kentucky)

16.Orlando Magic: Gogo Bitadze, center (Republic of Georgia)

17.Atlanta Hawks: Romeo Langford, shooting guard/small forward (Indiana)

18.Indiana Pacers: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, point/shooting guard (Virginia Tech)

19.San Antonio Spurs: Brandon Clarke, power forward (Gonzaga)

20.Boston Celtics: Matisse Thybulle, shooting guard (Washington) 

21.Oklahoma City Thunder: Nic Claxton, power forward/center (Georgia)

22.Boston Celtics: Luka Samanic, power forward/center (Croatia)

23.Memphis Grizzlies: Keldon Johnson, small forward (Kentucky)

24.Philadelphia 76ers: Cameron Johnson, small forward (North Carolina)

25.Portland Trail Blazers: Ty Jerome, point/shooting guard (Virginia)

26.Cleveland Cavaliers: Kevin Porter Jr., shooting guard (USC)

27.Brooklyn Nets: Dylan Windler, small forward (Belmont)

28.Golden State Warriors: Mfiondu Kabengele, center (Florida State)

29.San Antonio Spurs: Bruno Fernando, center (Maryland)

30.Milwaukee Bucks: Jontay Porter, center (Missouri)

The Best and Worst of Tim Allen

“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of “Toy Story 4” star Tim Allen.

Films starring Tim Allen that I've seen:
The Santa Clause 
Toy Story
Jungle 2 Jungle 
Toy Story 2
Galaxy Quest
Buzz Lightyear of Space Command: The Adventure Begins
Big Trouble
The Santa Clause 2
Christmas with the Kranks
Wild Hogs 
Toy Story 3

Best Performance: Galaxy Quest (1999)
Allen brought a sense of self-awareness and killer wit to the role of Jason Nesmith-the spotlight hog who served as the lead on popular sci-fi series "Galaxy Quest"-in this clever parody of Star Trek.

Worst Performance: Wild Hogs (2007)
While some would argue it was sooner, I'd pinpoint Wild Hogs as the exact moment where Allen lost his fastball. Whatever everyman likability he brought to his past roles was replaced by a soul-sucking blandness that kills every joke before it even gets a chance to land.

Best Film: Toy Story (1995)
All three previously released Toy Story movies are sensational, but nostalgia pushes to the original to the front of the pack. Toy Story is the first movie I remember truly loving as a kid and as I've grown older, that feeling has only intensified. With its huge heart, large collection of memorable characters and constant laughs, it achieves a rare level of magic that's a joy to behold.

Worst Film: Wild Hogs (2007)
My apologies to the dads out there who recently saw this on TNT and were delighted by all the kooky hijinks this group of suburban, middle-aged bikers get into on their journey out west, but Wild Hogs didn't make me laugh a whole lot. It's the type of broad comedy that's just innocuous enough to not be completely tortuous yet still has enough cringeworthy moments to go down as a relatively painful watch overall.  

Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Yesterday” star Kate McKinnon. 

2019 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Cornerbacks

50.Trae Waynes (Vikings)
49.J.C. Jackson (Patriots)
48.Quincy Wilson (Colts)
47.James Bradberry (Panthers)
46.Darqueze Dennard (Bengals)
45.Justin Coleman (Lions)
44.Robert Alford (Cardinals)
43.Bradley Roby (Texans)
42.Mike Hilton (Steelers)
41.Patrick Robinson (Saints)
40.Jaire Alexander (Packers)
39.Kenny Moore (Colts)
38.Joe Haden (Steelers)
37.Janoris Jenkins (Giants)
36.Malcolm Butler (Titans)
35.Brandon Carr (Ravens)
34.Tre'Davious White (Bills)
33.Desmond Trufant (Falcons)
32.Josh Norman (Redskins)
31.Ronald Darby (Eagles)
30.Kendall Fuller (Chiefs)
29.Adoree' Jackson (Titans)
28.Steven Nelson (Steelers)
27.William Jackson III (Bengals)
26.Trumaine Johnson (Jets)
25.Pierre Desir (Colts)
24.Denzel Ward (Browns)
23.Nickell Robey-Coleman (Rams)
22.Richard Sherman (49ers)
21.Marcus Peters (Rams)
20.Xavier Rhodes (Vikings)
19.Xavien Howard (Dolphins)
18.Marlon Humphery (Ravens)
17.Jonathan Joseph (Texans)
16.Bryce Callahan (Broncos)
15.Jason McCourty (Patriots)
14.Prince Amukamara (Bears)
13.Marshon Lattimore (Saints)
12.Kareem Jackson (Broncos)
11.Byron Jones (Cowboys)
10.Aqib Talib (Rams)
9.Kyle Fuller (Bears)
8.A.J. Bouye (Jaguars)
7.Desmond King (Chargers)
6.Darius Slay (Lions)
5.Patrick Peterson (Cardinals)
4.Jalen Ramsey (Jaguars)
3.Casey Hayward (Chargers)
2.Chris Harris Jr. (Broncos)
1.Stephon Gilmore (Patriots)

2018-19 NBA Year-End Awards

MVP: Kawhi Leonard (Raptors) (26.6 PPG, 49.6 FG%, 37.1 3P%, 85.4 FT% 7.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG)
Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden have received a ton of MVP buzz thanks to the consistent excellence they displayed running their team's uptempo offenses. Those guys may have stuffed the hell of the stat sheets on a near nightly basis, but did the presence of either of those guys truly transform their team? Kawhi Leonard changed the fortunes of a Raptors squad that had been a punchline for nearly a decade due to their annual collapses in the playoffs by re-establishing himself as the league's best two-way player after essentially sitting out the entire 2017-18 season. The Board Man that's about to get paid also averaged career highs in points and rebounds per game during this magical season that ended with his team lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Honorable Mentions: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), James Harden (Rockets), Paul George (Thunder)

Coach of the Year: Mike Malone (Nuggets)
The 2018-19 NBA season truly was a master class in coaching. Mike Budenholzer brought the Bucks from perennial fringe playoff contenders to the top of the Eastern Conference, Nick Nurse helped a team shed its reputation as postseason chokers in his 1st season as a head coach, Nate McMillan kept the Pacers on track after Victor Oladipo ruptured his quad in late January, Steve Clifford snapped a seven year playoff drought in Orlando and Doc Riverfs guided a Clippers squad with no true star and a constantly fluctuating roster to the playoffs in the ultracompetitive Western Conference. As worthy as all of these guys are, the work Mike Malone did impressed me the most. Leading a youth-driven Nuggets team that saw several huge changes to their rotation and battled injuries to key contributors (Gary Harris, Will Barton, Paul Millsap) all season long to a 54-28 record-which was good enough for 2nd place in the West and 4th best in the entire league- was a staggering accomplishment for a team that had been merely decent in the prior few seasons.
Honorable Mentions: Mike Budenholzer (Bucks), Nick Nurse (Raptors) Doc Rivers (Clippers)

Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert (Jazz) (9.0 DRPG, 2.3 BPG, 0.8 SPG, 5.7 DWS)
2018-19 was business as usual for the league's best rim protector. The Stifle Tower once again anchored the Jazz's elite defense (2nd in defensive rating) by making the paint a very uncomfortable place for opponents. He finished in the top 2-5 in nearly every defensive category (defensive rebounds, blocks, defensive win shares, individual defensive rating) that measures the effectiveness of an interior player and was pivotal in making Quin Snyder's club the physical thorn in the side that wears down most of their opponents.
Honorable Mentions: Myles Turner (Pacers), Paul George (Thunder), Andre Drummond (Pistons)

Rookie of the Year: Luka Doncic (Mavericks) (21.2 PPG, 42.7 FG%, 32.7 3P%, 71.3 FT% 6.0 APG, 7.8 RPG, 1.1 SPG)
Trae Young's sensational play over the last couple months of the season was almost enough for him to steal this honor away from Doncic, but the Mavs small forward put together a more complete rookie campaign than the Hawks point guard. The 20-year old showed his EuroLeague dominance was no fluke by routinely taking over games and flashing a big time shotmaking ability that resembled a battle-tested vet. Not to mention, his stepback 3's are already among the prettiest in the league.
Honorable Mentions: Trae Young (Hawke), Deandre Ayton (Suns), Collin Sexton (Cavaliers)

Most Improved Player: Pascal Siakam (Raptors) (16.9 PPG, 54.9 FG%, 36.9 3P%, 78.5 FT%, 6.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.8 BPG)
This award is designed to reward improbable underdog stories like this. Siakam went from relatively insignificant role player to a key starter that served as an offensive X-factor on a championship-winning season in the matter of 1 season. Based on what he showed in his inargual season as a starter, there's no reason to believe that this efficient, well-rounded player won't continue to improve and be a pillar of this Raptors team for years to come.
Honorable Mentions: D'Angelo Russell (Nets), De'Aaron Fox (Kings), Buddy Hield (Kings)

Sixth Man of the Year: Montrezl Harrell (Clippers) (16.6 PPG, 61.5 FG%, 64.3 FT%, 6.5 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 0.9 SPG)
With the possible exception of Lou Williams when he was in the middle of one of his patented scoring explosions, no member of this scrappy Clippers squad made opponents more uneasy than Harrell. His physicality, craftiness around the rim and relentless motor provided the Clippers with a  true terrorizer on the floor for a little over 26 minutes per night. The Clippers unlikely success this past season wouldn't have happened without productive, hard-nosed guys like Harrell on the roster and bulldogs like him should help the team in their pursuit of star players this summer.    
Honorable Mentions: Lou Williams (Clippers), Domontas Sabonis (Pacers), Terrence Ross (Magic)

All-NBA Team
1st team:
Guard: Stephen Curry (Warriors)
Guard: James Harden (Rockets)
Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
Forward: Kawhi Leonard (Raptors)
Center: Joel Embiid (76ers)

2nd team:
Guard: Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers)
Guard: Kyrie Irving (Celtics)
Forward: Paul George (Thunder)
Forward: Kevin Durant (Warriors)
Center: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)

3rd team:
Guard: Kemba Walker (Hornets)
Guard: Russell Westbrook (Thunder)
Forward: Blake Griffin (Pistons)
Forward: Anthony Davis (Pelicans)
Center: Nikola Vucevic (Magic)

All-Defensive Team
1st team:
Guard: Marcus Smart (Celtics)
Guard: Eric Bledsoe (Bucks)
Forward: Paul George (Thunder)
Forward: Kawhi Leonard (Raptors)
Center: Rudy Gobert (Jazz)

2nd team:
Guard: Klay Thompson (Warriors)
Guard: Jrue Holiday (Pelicans)
Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
Forward: Draymond Green (Warriors)
Center: Andre Drummond (Pistons)

3rd team:
Guard: Russell Westbrook (Thunder)
Guard: De'Aaron Fox (Kings)
Forward: P.J. Tucker (Rockets)
Forward: Kevin Durant (Warriors)
Center: Myles Turner (Pacers)

All-Rookie Team
1st team:
Guard: Trae Young (Hawks)
Guard: Collin Sexton (Cavaliers)
Forward: Luka Doncic (Mavericks)
Forward: Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)
Center: Deandre Ayton (Suns)

2nd team:
Guard: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Clippers)
Guard: Landry Shamet (76ers/Clippers)
Forward: Marvin Bagley Jr. (Kings) 
Forward: Kevin Knox (Knicks)
Center: Mitchell Robinson (Knicks)

2019 NFL Position Rankings: Top 35 Outside Linebackers

35.De'Vondre Campbell (Falcons)
34.Brooks Reed (Cardinals)
33.Clay Matthews (Rams)
32.Matthew Judon (Ravens)
31.Alex Anzalone (Saints)
30.Dante Fowler Jr. (Rams)
29.Kyler Fackrell (Packers)
28.Shaquil Barrett (Buccaneers)
27.A.J. Klein (Saints)
26.Sean Lee (Cowboys)
25.Aaron Lynch (Bears)
24.Whitney Mercilus (Texans)
23.Shaq Thompson (Panthers)
22.Bradley Chubb (Broncos)
21.Kyle Van Noy (Patriots)
20.Leonard Floyd (Bears)
19.Nigel Bradham (Eagles)
18.Za'Darius Smith (Packers)
17.Matt Milano (Bills)
16.Anthony Barr (Vikings)
15.Terrell Suggs (Cardinals)
14.Dont'a Hightower (Patriots)
13.Thomas Davis (Chargers)
12.T.J. Watt (Steelers)
11.Preston Smith (Packers)
10.Lorenzo Alexander (Bills)
9.Darius Leonard (Colts)
8.Leighton Vander Esch (Cowboys)
7.K.J. Wright (Seahawks)
6.Ryan Kerrigan (Redskins)
5.Chandler Jones (Cardinals)
4.Lavonte David (Buccaneers)
3.Jadeveon Clowney (Texans)
2.Von Miller (Broncos)
1.Khalil Mack (Bears)

The Best and Worst of Tessa Thompson

“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of “Men in Black: International” star Tessa Thompson.

Films starring Tessa Thompson that I've seen:
Dear White People
Selma
Creed
War on Everyone
Thor: Ragnarok
Annihilation 
Sorry to Bother You
Creed II
Avengers: Endgame

Best Performance: Creed (2015)
Sincere, deep-rooted emotion has made both Creed movies standouts in the sports drama genre and all three leads (Thompson, Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone) have equally contributed to the   poignancy that drives this era of the Rocky franchise. Thompson brings a very believable  combination of strength, vulnerability, courage and fear to her role as Bianca, an up-and-coming singer suffering from progressive hearing loss that develops an unlikely romantic relationship with Adonis Creed (Jordan).

Worst Performance: Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Over half of the above titles are elevated by Thompson's charm and ace comic timing. Sorry to Bother You is the only comedic role she's had thus far where those qualities didn't shine through. Her performance as Detroit, the artist girlfriend of protagonist Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield), is a terrible one-note joke about the phoniness and lack of self-awareness that many creative people have in spades.

Best Film: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Outside of the baffling disappointment of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, Marvel has been in a hell of a groove over the past couple years. As much as I love Black Panther and the last two Avengers movies, Thor: Ragnarok is the peak of this era for me by far. Thanks to Taika Waititi's abstract sense of humor, a vibrant color palette that evokes the atmosphere of a comic book and a terrific cast that perfectly sells this goofy material, Ragnarok becomes the superhero behemoth's most entertaining and delightfully strange product to-date.

Worst Film: Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Boots Riley is a smart guy and he deserves some credit for making something that is a true original from start to finish. However, a bold, unique narrative isn't enough to cover up the poorly-constructed jokes and unfocused, hyperactive attempts at social/political commentary that ultimately sink this capitalism satire.

Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Toy Story 4” star Tim Allen. 

2019 NFL Position Rankings: Top 25 Inside Linebackers

25.Brandon Marshall (Raiders)
24.Jake Ryan (Jaguars)
23.Kwon Alexander (49ers)
22.Denzel Perryman (Chargers)
21.Elandon Roberts (Patriots)
20.Zach Cunningham (Texans)
19.Cory Littleton (Rams)
18.Eric Kendricks (Vikings)
17.Wesley Woodyard (Titans)
16.Todd Davis (Broncos)
15.Jayon Brown (Titans)
14.Blake Martinez (Packers)
13.Myles Jack (Jaguars)
12.Jordan Hicks (Cardinals)
11.Danny Trevathan (Bears)
10.Avery Williamson (Jets)
9.Joe Schobert (Browns)
8.Demario Davis (Saints)
7.Jaylon Smith (Cowboys)
6.Benardrick McKinney (Texans)
5.Zach Brown (Eagles)
4.C.J. Mosley (Jets)
3.Deion Jones (Falcons)
2.Luke Kuechly (Panthers)
1.Bobby Wagner (Seahawks)