Rivals Roundtable: McDonald's All-American rosters, bad takes, NCAA changes

The Rivals Roundtable returns this week, as national analysts Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan weigh in on three topics related to college hoops and college hoops recruiting. This week, the duo discusses the impending McDonald's All-American rosters, rule changes they would implement if they had the power and past prospects about whom they were dead wrong.

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Cassidy: The easy choice is No. 16 Asa Newell, but he’ll be moving up in the next update, so I’ll go in a different direction and talk about Tahaad Pettiford. The electric scorer made his final case with a hyper-impressive showing at the Hoophall Classic this weekend and, in a class not exactly overflowing with elite point guards, I think he should find his way into the discussion.

Is he a lock? No, of course not. This question is about borderline cases, after all, but the argument could be made that he’s one of the three or four best point guards in the class in addition to the fact that he is a versatile scorer that gets buckets in every imaginable way.

I just hope the fact that he stayed at New Jersey’s Hudson Catholic instead of bolting for a national power doesn’t work against him. There are few players more exciting to watch, so, selfishly, I’m hoping he makes the cut.

Jordan: I’m going to stay on the same team and go with Robert Wright. I had this conversation with the Baylor staff this week and I believe that Wright is the one guy Montverde can’t afford to lose. They’re No. 1 with all the talent in the world, including No. 1 player Cooper Flagg, but Wright is absolutely the engine that makes it all go for Montverde. His awareness, three-level scoring, ability to change pace and IQ are top tier.

He also boasts nearly a 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio this season. He may miss out on the Golden Arches because his team has too many players that will make the game, but he absolutely deserves to be in Houston.

Cassidy: I would have been indigent if somebody told me Michael Beasley would be anything less than a multi-year NBA All-Star when he was in high school or, for that matter, college. I remember going to bat for the former No.1-ranked player when people suggested drafting Derrick Rose over him was a smart play. Turns out, they were right and I was wrong.

In the end, Beasley lacked the size and motor to dominate the glass the way he did in college, which affected his scoring as well. I don’t know if I was blind to it because of the eye-popping production and versatility or what, but I was dead wrong nevertheless. Some of his off-court stumbles certainly didn't help, but I remain a little shocked that he didn’t become a star in the NBA.

Jordan: Man! I vividly remember talking about Samardo Samuels saying that he was going to be the next big thing. I loved his combination of size and strength and his mentality that he could score at will. He just never materialized after going undrafted when he declared after his sophomore season at Louisville.

I feel like this was right around the time when fours were transitioning over to being more lean and fluid with elite ball handling ability and play making ability. Still feel like he could’ve been a star, or maybe that’s just me not wanting to be wrong? Who knows.

Cassidy: I would immediately move some of these nonsensical neutral-site games onto college campuses. I understand the business of the sport, but we’ve lost the plot. Why is Ohio State playing UCLA in a mostly empty arena in Atlanta? Who exactly is that for? I’m not talking about preseason tournaments, obviously, those are mostly fun and a nice vacation opportunity for fans. I’m talking about one-off showcase games that seem to actively work against one of college basketball’s biggest selling points: in-arena atmosphere. There are way too many early-season neutral site games that feel impossibly sterile when they could be moved to campus and pack a big-game feel

Jordan: Easy call, I’m expanding the NCAA tournament. That’s right, I’m going from 68 to 96 and I’ll be considered a genius for it. With the added teams we’re eliminating snubs and giving mid majors more of an opportunity to get at-large bids. Last season 32 of the 36 at-large bids went to Power Five programs. I could stop right there. I mean, c’mon! Plus, who doesn’t want more March Madness!