The Bulgarian Brothers – A College Hoops 2K8 & NBA 2K20 Dynasty

[studbucket]

Quote: Originally Posted by Careless Whisper

What a disappointing collapse against Duquesne for the Red Flash. Seemed like an exciting game to watch as a neutral, but frustrating to watch your team drop a winnable non-conference game - and one against Duquesne, nonetheless. You can't wait them all though and this shouldn't hurt too much regarding your NCAA chance, but I bet that certainly hurt. Pretty good stretch for LMU after the Arkansas-Pine Bluff loss. Would have loved to see them score the big upset win over UCLA, but picking up two wins - one over the aforementioned dreaded Dukes - is a good sign.

100% disappointing. The game was theirs for the taking. The Red Flash really need to get more consistent scoring from their backcourt. Maybe Markovic becomes a starter and McGuire becomes a 6th man.

I am very excited for the Drago Derby. I really hope this is the year we get a thriller in that game, not a blowout. LMU looks a lot better this season.

[Tovarich]

The curse of St. Francis continues...

https://sfuathletics.com/news/2025/3...athletics.aspx

[studbucket]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tovarich

The curse of St. Francis continues... https://sfuathletics.com/news/2025/3...athletics.aspx

Oh noo. I mean they are a tiny school, but I guess making the NCAAs was a last big hurrah for them.

[studbucket]

It’s already been 5 weeks and already we’re seeing a number of interesting storylines and changes from last season.

Is it a changing of the guard in the East?
The Bucks are a dynasty and got better this offseason. The Celtics have been stacked for several seasons now. The Cavaliers are the reigning champs. Yet none of them are in the top 4 of the East. Instead, we find the 76ers and three perpetually disappointing teams: Memphis, New York, and Charlotte. In a conference that has 12 of its 16 teams above .500, the competition for playoff spots will be very fierce.

Memphis has surprised everyone by being atop a very strong East and is doing it by surrounding Ja Morant (PG, 95 ovr) with a breakout season from 6^th year SG Dor Pettyjohn (SG, 82 ovr) and enough solid role players to have the third best offense and defense in the league.

Philadelphia has always been a good regular season team, this is no surprise, but it still has to be encouraging for their fans to see them succeed without Embiid and Harris. Ben Simmons (PG, 89 ovr) has become a true MVP candidate and has carried them even with Porzingis (C, 88 ovr) and Robinson (C, 83 ovr) missing time due to injury.

Charlotte has spent the last 2 offseasons dropping offensive stars like De’Aaron Fox and Zach Lavine and adding defensive-focused players. It seems to be paying off as they are finally near the top of the East and Jerry Sparks (PF, 89 ovr) is having the best season of his career.

New York was awful last season. So what changed this year? 1 more year of chemistry and they let Brandon Ingram walk and added a top-10 point guard in the league in Mirko Bosnjak (PG, 89 ovr). The Croatian rookie is already the team’s MVP and is averaging 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists per game. The Knicks look like a true contender and one of the deepest teams in the league.

Jerry Sparks is having a career year and has led the Hornets to a 13-6 record.

Cleveland is performing near or slightly above expectations, so it’s not a disappointment for their fans to see them here. The reigning champs are not having a “come back to Earth” season

Boston seems to be dealing with three problems this year: injuries, age, and attrition. Jayson Tatum (PF, __ ovr) has missed significant time. Damian Lillard (PG, 86 ovr) is good, but slowing down, and the bench is shallower than it has been in past seasons. It’s not time to freak out yet, but it’s possible that Boston’s championship window is getting very narrow.

Milwaukee might have a Giannis problem. With Donovan Mitchell (PG, 91 ovr) joining the team and balling out, Giannis has seen his numbers drop across the board. He’s scoring 8 fewer points per game than last year, and also grabbing 3 fewer rebounds and dishing out 1.5 fewer assists. They’re still a good team, but they are going to need Giannis to get back to his dominant self if they want to win a title.


The West is bad
While the East has 12 teams with winning records and playoff aspirations, the West just barely has 6 teams with a winning record and the middle and the bottom of the conference can’t get out of their own way. Houston is surprisingly good, sitting second at 13-9, but the Suns (7-13), Timberwolves (7-12), and Thunder (10-13) are all multiple games below .500. Only 2 Western Conference teams (Dallas and Denver) have point differentials above 5, while 7 Eastern Conference teams can boast about that.

Sure, the West can turn things around, it’s early, but it’s not a great start. The third place Warriors only have a 1.5 point differential and the Nuggets, Pelicans, and Mavericks have seen their stars miss several games.

Somehow the surprise Houston Rockets are 13-9 and second in the West.

Way-Too-Early All-NBA Teams
We’re only 20 games in, but already some interesting players are stepping up and having the best seasons of their careers. Here’s your unreasonably early All-NBA teams after a quarter of the season.

Your way-too-early All-NBA first team

Way Too Early First Team

Donovan Mitchell	Luka Doncic	Ben Simmons	Jerry Sparks	Nikola Jokic
PG, Milwaukee Bucks	SG, Dallas Mavericks	PG, Philadelphia 76ers	PF, Charlotte Hornets	C, Denver Nuggets
35 ppg, 3 rpg, 7 apg	33 ppg, 10 rpg, 12 apg	31 ppg, 6 rpg, 9 apg	32 ppg, 12 rpg, 3 apg	25 ppg, 10 rpg, 9 apg

Way Too Early Second Team

Darius Garland	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Devin Booker	Anthony Davis	Deandre Ayton
PG, Cleveland Cavaliers	SG, Miami Heat	SG, New Orleans Pelicans	PF, Los Angeles Lakers	C, Golden State Warriors
30 ppg, 2 rpg, 11 apg	30 ppg, 5 rpg, 8 apg	35 ppg, 5 rpg, 6 apg	27 ppg, 11 rpg, 3 apg	21 ppg, 15 rpg, 1 apg

Way Too Early Third Team

Mirko Bosnjak	Trae Young	Ja Morant	Giannis Antetokounmpo	Karl-Anthony Towns
PG, New York Knicks	PG, Atlanta Hawks	PG, Memphis Grizzlies	PF, Milwaukee Bucks	C, Minnesota Timberwolves
30 ppg, 5 rpg, 9 apg	31 ppg, 2 rpg, 10 apg	29 ppg, 5 rpg, 8 apg	22 ppg, 10 rpg, 6 apg	21 ppg, 10 rpg, 4 apg

Honorable mentions

1. Trevor Merchant, PG, Detroit Pistons (26, 10, 8)
2. Seth Valsin, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder (28, 3, 10)
3. Bruno Radja, PG, Boston Celtics (26, 4, 11)
4. Jameer Trammell, SG, Orlando Magic (26, 4, 4)
5. Milos Jeffers, SG, Los Angeles Lakers (26, 4, 3)
6. R.J. Barrett, SG, Washington Wizards (25, 4, 3)
7. Rayjon Tucker, SG, Houston Rockets (26, 4, 4)
8. Pascal Siakam, PF, Miami Heat (23, 6, 4)
9. John Collins, PF, Philadelphia 76ers (23, 8, 2)
10. Kristaps Porzingis, C, Philadelphia 76ers (21, 9, 1)
11. Bam Adebayo, C, Phoenix Suns (20, 9, 3)
12. Jaren Jackson Jr, C, Charlotte Hornets (20, 7, 1)

Standings
Below are the league standings. Storylines that didn’t get top billing include:

• So far the Ayton (C, 90 ovr), Pressley (PG, 85 ovr), and MPJ (SF, 82 ovr) Warriors are doing OK. They aren’t dominant, but are third in the West as all 3 are scoring around 20 points per game.
• Detroit and Miami are hanging around above .500, but are going to need to step things up in a big way if they want to truly be title contenders.
• While Hawaii isn’t actively terrible, they’ve definitely come back to earth after last season, largely due to a step down in their defensive quality.
• Seattle, Portland, and the Clippers are once again in a race to the bottom, though the Clippers don’t have their first round (New Orleans does), but they have the Knicks’ and Raptors’ picks.

Notable Transactions and Injuries

• Michael Porter Jr (SF, 82 ovr) will miss most of November with broken ribs. This is a tough blow for the Warriors as he was their big offseason signing.
• Zion Williamson (PF, 94 ovr) broke his nose and will miss a few games, though he may need to wear a mask for the next 1-2 months.
• The Timberwolves will miss having Rui Hachimura (PF, 82 ovr) until mid December with a high ankle sprain.
• The Kings have lost big man Reid Ziri (C, 81 ovr) for most of the season due to a dislocated patella.
• Reigning DPOY Jonathan Issac (SF, 86 ovr) is out for over a month with a pulled calf.
• The Nuggets saw another star go down as Bradley Beal (SG, 85 ovr) will be out until Christmas with left knee tendinitis.
• Luka Doncic will need to be even more amazing as Joel Embiid (C, 90 ovr) will be out for a month with a calf injury.
• The Sonics are awful and will be even worse with James Harden (SG, 84 ovr) out until March with a torn meniscus.

Other Standout Performances

• Seth Valsin (PG, 84 ovr) made sure everyone knew that this is his team now in OKC as he logged 46 minutes in an overtime win in Hawaii for their season opener. He had 37 points and 17 assists in those minutes and was supported by Kevin Durant’s (SF, 84 ovr) 33 points.
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SG, 86 ovr) outdueled the new look Bucks with a 42, 6, and 10 performance to start the season.
• Luka Doncic (SG, 93 ovr) picks up right where he left off from his MVP campaign with 49 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists in the first game of the season.
• Trevor Merchant (PG, 91 ovr) opened the season with 43 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists in a big win on the road at Boston.
• In their first matchup since De’Aaron Fox joined the Raptors, the Hornets destroyed the hosts, 132-76. Jerry Sparks (PF, 89 ovr) played like a man with a point to prove, humiliating Fox and friends with a 43 and 16 statline.
• Darius Garland (PG, 88 ovr) had the highest scoring game of the season’s first week, dropping 50 on the SuperSonics.
• With Zion missing some games with a broken nose, Devin Booker (SG, 94 ovr) decided he had to win games himseles and scored 51 points in a win over the Nets. The he kept his cape on and dispatched the then-undefeated Heat by dropping 59.
• After scoring 25 points in his first 4 games, Mirko Bosnjak (PG, 89 ovr) scored 28, 39, and 40 points in the 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th games of the season. The 24-year-old Croatian rookie has been even better than Knicks fans expected and has led them to a 6-1 record so far.
• The Boston Celtics scored 162 points over the struggling Timberwolves as Damian Lillard (PG, 85 ovr), Bruno Radja (PG, 89 ovr), and Cam Reddish (SF, 82 ovr) combined for 123 points as they won with only 5 minutes played from Jayson Tatum (PF, 89 ovr) as he exited with a sprained knee.
• Ja Morant (PG, 94 ovr) dropped 51 points in a close win over the Pacers.
• The Honu are struggling and fell to the Wizards as R.J. Barrett (SF, 86 ovr) scored 52 points and helped Washington get the win with 43 team points in the 4^th.
• Ever since Donovan Mitchell (PG, 91 ovr) showed up, he’s been the man in Milwaukee this year and Giannis’ numbers are down across the board. But the Greek Freak (PF, 97 ovr) showed up bug in a win over Portland, with a 30, 18, and 10 triple-double.
• Jerry Sparks (PF, 89 ovr) and Donovan Mitchell had the best showdown of the season so far, as both dropped 53 points in a game where the Bucks pulled out a thrilling 149-139 victory at home.
• Ben Simmons (PG, 89 ovr) is thriving without Embiid – he’s scoring 10+ more ppg than last year – and he dropped 50 points in a win over the Raptors.
• Luka Doncic recorded his 7^th triple-double in 14 games with a 49, 13, and 12 performance in a win over the Magic.
• In a game where Tatum was hurt, Lillard was only 6-14, and his team needed help, Bruno Radja (PG, 89 ovr) scored a career-high 50 points. Unfortunately, his Celtics lost to the Honu by 16 as Tyler Herro had 36 points and Markelle Fultz had 15 assists.
• Trevor Merchant had a 42, 10, and 10 triple-double in a Detroit win over the Trail Blazers. With Kawhi Leonard (SF, 83 ovr) and Marvin Bagley III (C, 86 ovr) both scoring less than 15 points per game, Detroit really need Merchant to be transcendent.
• Things are tougher without Embiid, but Luka keeps finding a way for the Mavericks to win. The latest was an in-state win over the Spurs thanks to a 33, 15, and 18 triple double that also included 4 steals.
• Zion Williamson (PF, 94 ovr) has been back from injury for a bit over a week and he announced his return with a 31 point and 25 rebound performance against the Kings.
• Ben Simmons and Luka Doncic are your Players of the Month as both have been dominant and made our way-too-early All-NBA teams.
• The Rookies of the Month were New York’s Mirko Bosnjak (PG, 89 ovr) and San Antonio’s Ashton Uthoff (SG, 79 ovr).

[studbucket]

There’s a lot of AI slop on the internet today, and I’ve taken pride in writing everything in this dynasty myself. I’ll always tell you if something isn’t from me, and today it’s not.

I was messing around with NotebookLM and printed this entire forum thread to PDF and uploaded those PDFs into it as a data source. I created a few things, but one was to have it create a Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo podcast about the brothers.

I didn't plan for it to address this forum thread as a fictional universe, but it did, and it's kind of funny. So enjoy this "podcast" about the last 6 years of happenings here. I likely won’t do this often, but I found it enjoyable.

----------------

Bill Simmons: Alright, welcome back to The Bill Simmons Podcast. It is Tuesday, late morning here in Los Angeles, and I’ve got my guy, my pal, the thinking man’s podcaster, Ryen Russillo. Russillo, what’s good?

Ryen Russillo: What up, Bill? Just trying to make sense of this whole Bulgarian Brothers thing. We went deep on the trades last time, and now we gotta process six years of college hoops and NBA… it’s a lot, man. It’s like trying to figure out who won the battle of Cannae after the fact.

Bill: (Laughs) Perfect analogy. So, for the uninitiated, we’ve been diving into this online dynasty – “The Bulgarian Brothers” – College Hoops 2K8 meets NBA 2K20, run by this dude “studbucket.” And it’s wild, Russillo. We’re talking about two fictional Bulgarian brothers, Ognyan and Kostadin Dragomirov, coaching college ball and this whole separate NBA universe evolving based on trades and draft classes that are manually imported. It’s deep, like, “remember when people played Strat-O-Matic?” deep.

Ryen: Deeper. Because this has a narrative. This “studbucket” guy is crafting a whole story here. So, let’s set the scene. We’re jumping into the deep end of the pool, 2019 rolls into 2020. What are the big picture things we need to know?

Bill: Right. So, the brothers, Oggy and Dinko – we’ll call them that for short – they’re grinding in the NCAA. Dinko’s at St. Francis University (the one in Pennsylvania, which apparently some forum dude got real sensitive about), and Oggy starts at Northern Colorado, then jumps to Stetson, and eventually lands at Loyola Marymount out in LA. Both are trying to build their programs, land recruits, make the tournament. It’s the classic climb. Meanwhile, the NBA is a whole separate beast. We saw those massive trades – Kawhi to Toronto, Paul George bouncing around LA, Lillard to Boston, Embiid to Dallas, Butler to Golden State – the league landscape has been flipped.

Ryen: And the Bucks, Bill. We can’t forget the Bucks. Giannis is ascending. We know they win the title in 2020 in this universe. That sets the stage for everything else.

Bill: Exactly. So, over the next five years – 2020 to 2025 – we see Oggy and Dinko have their ups and downs. Dinko seems to have some good recruiting classes at St. Francis, even gets a Coach of the Year award. There’s talk about him building a real squad. Oggy, he’s making moves, getting to bigger programs, facing tougher competition in the WCC at LMU. There’s this whole brotherly rivalry, the “Drago Derby” games. The forum guys are eating it up, debating who’s having the better career.

Ryen: And it’s not just about the brothers. This “studbucket” guy is tracking top NBA prospects, high school kids, coaching changes, all of it. He’s building this interconnected basketball world. We see guys like Jarek Kickert (aka Tyler Hansbrough) and Jerry Sparks (aka Michael Beasley) dominating in the early years of the college sim. Then you’ve got new names coming through, guys getting drafted into the NBA from their college teams. The fans in the forum are waiting for one of the brothers to produce an NBA player.

Bill: It’s almost like a GM simulator but with a coaching narrative. And the forum reactions are gold. You’ve got guys picking favorites, making predictions, even taking surveys to influence the story. It’s a whole ecosystem.

Ryen: So, a quick rundown: Six years, two coaching careers in the NCAA with tournament hopes and recruiting battles, and a completely reshaped NBA with massive trades and the rise of the Bucks. Got it. Now, let’s get into the fun stuff.

Dinko and Oggy

Bill: Alright, segment one, we’re talking Mount Rushmore. But not of presidents, Russillo, we’re talking the four biggest single-game victories for either Oggy or Dinko in this whole saga so far. And this is tough because we don’t have every box score, we’re going off the narrative and the forum buzz. Ryen, you've been following this Bulgarian Brothers dynasty as closely as anyone. We gotta do it – the Mount Rushmore of their victories. Just four, gotta agree, and the definition of "great" is loose, baby.

Ryen: Simmons, I've been prepping for this like it's a Celtics-Lakers Game 7. The amount of regular season and post-season grind these two have put in… it’s a lot. Four feels almost criminal, but alright, let's try to carve these legends in stone.

I’m looking at this and the early picks feel… obvious, right? Like the low-hanging fruit that’s actually prime for picking. Dinko’s 2021 NCAA Tournament first-round shocker as a 15-seed knocking off 2-seed Providence, 62-60? A 15 over a 2 in the Big Dance? That’s not just a win; that’s an earthquake. It’s got to be chiseled in granite immediately.

Bill: One hundred percent. That’s our Bill Walton smoking weed in the locker room after winning a title. Pure, unadulterated March Madness chaos. And for Oggy, his 2020 Big Sky Tournament Championship, 86-56 over Portland State. Okay, Portland State wasn’t a powerhouse, but that was his ticket punched to the NCAA Tournament for the first time with Northern Colorado. You remember the early Oggy narrative – always chasing, always proving. That felt like a huge step. Those are our first two, no debate.

Ryen: Agreed. Those are locked in. Now, here’s where it gets… well, like trying to pick your favorite kid after they’ve all just hit game-winners. We’ve got so many flavors of greatness here. Let’s talk upsets. Dinko’s 2022 NCAA Tournament first-round demolition of 4-seed UConn, 101-88 in double overtime. A 13-seed mauling a 4, in double OT, led by Noah Almond’s double-double? That’s got all the drama you could ask for.

Bill: It’s a monster win, Ryen. The double overtime, the higher seed getting absolutely cooked by a mid-major. It’s the kind of game that makes casual fans suddenly care about college hoops. But we already have the Providence upset for Dinko. Do we want to double down on the "giant killer" narrative for him, or look at other facets of their careers?

Ryen: That’s fair. What about the rivalry games? The Drago Derbies. Dinko dominated early, but Oggy finally snapping that streak in 2022, 71-63 over St. Francis? After three straight beatdowns, that had to feel like Moses parting the Red Sea for Oggy. The narrative there is so thick you could spread it on toast.

Oggy finally beats his brother

Bill: The narrative is undeniable. The older brother finally getting one over the younger, after being in his shadow. It’s the Spoelstra finally beating LeBron storyline, but with actual blood relation and way less complaining to the refs. But is a non-conference rivalry win, as emotionally satisfying as it was, Mount Rushmore material compared to, say, a conference championship?

Ryen: See, now you’re talking my language. Stakes matter! Dinko clinching the NEC regular season title in 2024 with an 83-75 victory over Mount St. Mary's. That’s the culmination of a whole season’s grind. Regular season titles might not get the same hype as March, but they represent consistent excellence. And the sources mention Dinko's Red Flash being truly dominant that year, going 23-6. That win sealed it.

Bill: Consistent excellence is key, I agree. And Dinko's teams have often been at the top of the NEC. But we already have the massive Providence upset for him. Does that single regular season clincher outweigh the emotional impact of Oggy finally conquering his brother? It’s the David and Goliath, or in this case, Goliath finally getting a pebble from David’s slingshot.

Ryen: Okay, okay, the heartstrings are being tugged. What about other high-stakes games? Oggy’s back-to-back Atlantic Sun Tournament Championships in 2022 and 2023. Winning your conference tournament, especially for a smaller program like Stetson, that’s your golden ticket. He did it twice. That shows he can coach under pressure, get the job done when it matters most. And in 2022, they beat Jacksonville 76-73. Jacksonville was a tough opponent in that conference.

Bill: Those are significant achievements, no doubt. Turning Stetson into a consistent tournament team? That’s building something. But again, we’re trying to carve four faces into a mountain. Are those conference tournament wins more iconic than a massive NCAA Tournament upset or finally beating your brother after years of getting torched?

Ryen: Let’s flip the script a bit. What about Dinko’s 2022 NEC Tournament Championship, an absolute beatdown of Monmouth, 82-53? Not just winning, but dominating in the final to get back to the NCAA Tournament after the Providence magic. That screams sustained success and a team firing on all cylinders when it counted most.

Bill: "Dominating" is a good word. It wasn't a squeaker; it was a statement. It says, "Yeah, we might be a mid-major, but we're coming for you." Especially after the high of the Providence upset, to come back and handle your conference like that shows real maturity in the program.

Ryen: Exactly! It’s not just about the one-off upset; it’s about building a program that consistently competes and wins when the pressure is highest. And three straight NEC tournament titles shows that consistency. The 2022 win over Monmouth was the most decisive of those.

Bill: Okay, I’m leaning that way for Dinko’s second spot. The Providence upset for the sheer shock value, and the dominant NEC Championship to showcase sustained success. Now for Oggy’s second. We’ve got the first NCAA Tournament bid via the Big Sky title, and the breakthrough Drago Derby win. Which one carries more weight in the overall narrative?

Ryen: It’s tough. The first NCAA Tournament bid is program-defining. It sets a new ceiling. But the Drago Derby win… that’s personal. It fuels the rivalry, it gives Oggy a moment of bragging rights after years of his brother having the upper hand. And the fans were invested in that storyline.

Bill: The fan investment is a good point. This dynasty is built on that brotherly competition. Oggy finally getting that Derby win in 2022, after Dinko had won the first three? That’s a turning point in their head-to-head story.

Ryen: So, let’s try this revised Mount Rushmore:

1. Dinko: 2021 NCAA Tournament First Round upset over Providence (62-60)
2. Oggy: 2020 Big Sky Tournament Championship over Portland State (86-56)
3. Oggy: 2022 Drago Derby win over St. Francis (71-63)
4. Dinko: 2022 NEC Tournament Championship over Monmouth (82-53)

We’ve got the seismic NCAA Tournament upset for Dinko, Oggy’s first taste of the Big Dance, Oggy finally conquering his brother, and Dinko showing his program’s strength with a dominant conference title win. Each brother has two, and we’ve hit on upsets, rivalry, and sustained success.

Bill: I think that’s it, Ryen. It’s in granite. The Providence upset was just too historically significant, the Big Sky title launched Oggy, the Derby win was pure narrative gold, and the Monmouth beatdown showed Dinko’s program was a force. We wrestled with the UConn upset, and those other conference titles for both, but these four feel like they resonate the most within the story of the Bulgarian Brothers. Mount Rushmore officially under construction. Now, who gets the prime spot in the middle? That’s a debate for another day. We’re onto NBA royalty.

Highlights from the win over 2 seed Providence

Ryen: Alright, Bill, time to put on our historian hats. Where do these Milwaukee Bucks, who’ve won titles in 2020, 2023, and 2024, and lost in the 2021 Finals, with Giannis winning four straight MVPs during this stretch… where do they fit in the pantheon of NBA dynasties?

Bill: This is fascinating because we have to blend pre-2019 reality with this alternate universe. So, before 2019, the Bucks had Kareem and Oscar, a great team, but not a prolonged dynasty. Then they had some good teams, but nothing truly dominant. So, going into 2019, the Bucks don’t have a historical dynasty pedigree.

Ryen: It’s tough, Bill. Because when you say “dynasty,” you’re talking about sustained dominance, multiple titles, and usually a stretch where they are the team to beat year in and year out. Think about the Lakers in the 80s, the Bulls in the 90s, the early 2000s Lakers again, the Spurs… even the Warriors more recently. Those teams had that aura.

Bill: Right. And those Bulls, six titles in eight years? That’s the gold standard. The Showtime Lakers, five in nine. The Duncan Spurs, five in fifteen. Even the Kobe-Shaq Lakers, three straight. The Warriors, three in four, then five Finals in a row. So, where do these Bucks stack up against that level of sustained, relentless winning? They got three in five years there.

Ryen: Three in five is impressive, no doubt. And Giannis winning four straight MVPs is just absurd. That puts him in a very small club historically. But when you look at those other dynasties, they often had multiple all-time level talents. The Bucks, in your rundown, it's mostly been Giannis and then really good supporting pieces like Middleton and that Capela acquisition. They didn’t necessarily have that second über-superstar for a prolonged stretch.

Bill: That’s a good point. Middleton’s great, but he’s not Pippen, he’s not Kobe, he’s not even Manu or Draymond in terms of consistent, year-to-year second banana status on a dynasty. And they had those playoff hiccups, right? Losing to the Warriors in seven in ‘21 after Middleton got hurt, then the Nets in ‘22, and that shocking second-round exit in ‘25 after being up 3-0. Dynasties usually don't cough up 3-0 leads, Ryen. That’s more Atlanta Hawks territory.

Ryen: (Chuckles) Harsh, Bill. But fair. And those losses matter. When you think of those all-time dynasties, they usually steamroll through the playoffs. They might have a tough series here or there, but they don't have those head-scratching early exits in their prime. The fact that this Bucks team, with a four-time MVP Giannis, couldn't consistently make the Finals every year in that stretch… it raises some questions.

Bill: Totally. It’s like, were they a great team, or were they on the verge of a true dynasty that just… didn’t quite get there? They won the title in 2020, went 16-1 in the playoffs, that was dominant. But then the Middleton injury in ‘21… that’s a big what-if. What if they win that one? Then you’re talking about potentially back-to-back.

Ryen: Exactly. Those little things can change the narrative. And then winning again in 2023, that’s huge. But the fact that they had those other stumbles… it prevents them from being in that top tier of dynasties.

Bill: Okay, so if we’re doing tiers… you’ve got your untouchable Bulls, maybe the Shaq-Kobe Lakers. Then you’ve got your next level – the Bird Celtics, the Duncan Spurs, the peak Warriors. Where do these Bucks fit? Are they in that conversation?

Ryen: I think they’re a level below that… for now. They had the dominant player in Giannis, who was unbelievable,and they won multiple titles. That puts them in a significant category. But those surprising playoff losses keep them a step behind those true, sustained juggernauts. Maybe think of them in the conversation with, say, the early 90s Pistons – back-to-back champs, really tough, defined an era in the East, but didn't have that prolonged run of dominance. Or maybe even the Heatles – two titles in four years, LeBron at his peak, but also some Finals disappointments.

Bill: Hmm, the Bad Boy Pistons and the Heatles… I see that. They had the star power, the championships, but also those moments where you thought, “They should have won more.” And the Heatles, of course, had that Finals stinker against the Mavs. These Bucks, they got the two against Dallas, which is good for the narrative there.

Ryen: Right. So, if I had to rank them based on this 2019-2024 stretch in your… uh… “Dragoverse”… I’d put them in that second or third tier of modern dynasties. Definitely a championship-caliber team with a generational talent in Giannis, who was just historically great.But the consistency of those top-tier dynasties just wasn't quite there in that timeframe.

Bill: So, not quite in the Bulls-Lakers-Spurs-Warriors stratosphere, but a very, very good run with multiple championships and a dominant force. A team that will be remembered, but maybe with a few “what ifs” attached. That feels right. Okay, Ryen, we gotta take a quick break. On the other side, we’re gonna talk about possible coaching destinations for the Dragomirov twins.

Giannis, Capela, Middleton, and the Bucks

Ryen: Okay, Bill, it’s draft time. We’re each getting four picks, alternating, of our favorite potential future coaching destinations for Oggy and Dinko. Gotta take at least one NBA and one NCAA team each. Who’s got the first pick?

Bill: I’ll take the first pick. With the first overall selection in the “Where Should the Bulgarian Brothers Coach Next?” draft, I am going with… the Boston Celtics.

Ryen: Interesting! Why the Celtics?

Bill: Look, Oggy ends up at LMU in LA. He’s got that West Coast connection. But the Celtics, they’re a storied franchise. They have a passionate fanbase. Imagine a gritty, Eastern European coach like Oggy coming in there, bringing a different kind of toughness. Plus, in this universe, Lillard is there. Maybe that partnership thrives under a new coaching voice. It’s a high-pressure job, but if Oggy can handle the bright lights of LA, he can handle Boston.

Ryen: Okay, I’m on the clock. With my first pick, I’m going NCAA. I’m taking… the Pittsburgh Panthers for Dinko.

Bill: Makes sense! Dinko’s an “adopted Bulgarian son” of Pittsburgh. There’s that connection to the city from his Duquesne days. It’s a program with a decent history, a passionate local fanbase. If he can build something special at St. Francis, a move back to Pittsburgh to coach the Panthers has a great narrative. It feels like a natural progression.
Alright, my second pick, I’m staying in the NBA. I’m going with… the Dinko and the Charlotte Hornets.

Ryen: Oh boy. Risky.

Bill: Hear me out! They’ve been unremarkable in this universe. Maybe they need a culture change. We saw Jerry Sparks drafted there, but things haven’t clicked. Dinko seems like a no-nonsense guy. Imagine him going into Charlotte, lighting a fire under that organization. Low expectations, chance to build something from the ground up in the NBA. Plus, we’ve got RolePlayer in the forum hoping one of the twins gets that HC job there. It’s got that underdog feel.

Ryen: Okay, I’ll bite. For my second pick, I’m going back to NCAA. I’m taking… a major Big Ten program – let’s say Michigan for Dinko.

Bill: Ooh, a blue blood! Why Michigan?

Ryen: Both brothers have shown they can recruit and win at their levels. If either of them has sustained success, a big-time program will come calling. Michigan has the history, the resources, the national profile. Imagine Dinko, who seems to build strong, disciplined teams at St. Francis, taking over a program like Michigan with access to top-tier recruits. It’s the next logical step in the coaching ladder.

Bill: My third pick, I’m sending Oggy to the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Ryen: Interesting! Oggy’s already in the WCC at LMU, so there’s familiarity.

Bill: Exactly. If Oggy continues to do well at LMU, Gonzaga is the obvious step up in that conference. They’ve built a national powerhouse. Imagine Oggy taking over from Few (in this hypothetical future) and maintaining that level of success, maybe even getting them that elusive national title. It’s a program with a winning culture, a strong recruiting base.

Ryen: Okay, my third pick, I’m staying in the NCAA. I’m keeping Oggy in Cali with UCLA.

Bill: A big Pac-12 program for Oggy, given his LA connection.

Ryen: Right. If he’s already in Southern California, and if UCLA needs a coaching change, it’s a natural fit. Storied program, great recruiting territory, the chance to compete for national championships. It’s the kind of job that would be a huge step up from LMU.

Bill: Okay, my final pick… I’m going NBA again and sending Dinko to the Orlando Magic.

Ryen: They’ve had some high draft picks in this universe. Why Orlando?

Bill: They seem to be rebuilding. They’ve got young talent. Imagine Dinko going in there, known for building a strong program at St. Francis, and molding this young Magic team into a contender. It’s a chance to put his stamp on an NBA franchise without the immediate pressure of a title contender.

Ryen: And for my final pick…Oggy goes to Georgetown!

Bill: The Hoyas!

Ryen: I mean, come on, the history there speaks for itself – Ewing, Mourning, the Big East glory days. But let's be honest, they haven't been that Georgetown in a while, right? That's where a guy like Oggy, who isn't afraid to shake things up and clearly wants that next level challenge, could really make his mark. Big East, major recruiting area, and a program with the bones to be great again – it's a chance for him to not just win a conference, but to bring a sleeping giant back to national relevance, which is exactly the kind of high-stakes, high-reward situation a coach with his drive seems to crave.

Bill: Love it. Eight potential destinations, a mix of NBA and NCAA, some personal connections, some blue bloods, some rebuilding projects. The future of the Bulgarian Brothers coaching careers remains unwritten!

Some AI slop of Dinko and Oggy at Pitt and Georgetown

Bill: Alright, Russillo, time for the prestigious, highly coveted… Isiah Thomas Award for Worst NBA Trade in the Bulgarian Brothers Universe. And we’ve seen some doozies, haven’t we?

Ryen: We have. Where do we even begin? There were so many major moves, you know some of them had to backfire.

Bill: Let’s look back at some of those “blockbuster” deals. The Clippers tearing it all down to get Kawhi… did that even result in a title for them in this universe? We know Kawhi eventually gets traded again to Toronto and then Detroit. That whole Clippers experiment feels like it could be in the running.

Ryen: It has to be up there. Trading five consecutive first-round picks is highway robbery if you don’t win big. Then flipping Kawhi later? Oof. But what about the Heat trading for Blake Griffin? It was called a “huge upgrade” at the time, but then Griffin gets traded to Washington pretty quickly after. That’s a lot of assets for a short-term rental.

Bill: Good call. That Heat-Griffin one feels very… “panic move” territory. What about LeBron going to OKC as part of that mega-trade where the Lakers got Jeffers and Valentine? LeBron in OKC with KD… on paper that’s insane, but did it actually work out? Or did it just create a logjam and weird chemistry issues? That had “potential disaster” written all over it.

Ryen: The potential for egos clashing on that OKC team is astronomical. You’ve got LeBron, you’ve got Durant… who’s running the show? That’s definitely a contender. Any other stinkers jump out? What about when Toronto made that big deal with the for Kawhi? Was he still the same guy? Overpaying for past production is always a recipe for disaster.

Bill: That Raptors trade feels like a classic example of a team hoping a name brand will solve their problems. It rarely works out. Okay, so we’ve got the Clippers trading the farm for Kawhi only to trade him later, the Heat’s short-lived Blake Griffin experiment, the potential LeBron-KD disaster in OKC, and the Raptors unloading it all for Kawhi.

Ryen: If I had to pick one… I’m leaning towards the Clippers trading all those picks for Kawhi and then not winning anything significant with him before trading him away. That’s the kind of trade that can cripple a franchise for years. The opportunity cost of those lost draft picks is massive.

Bill: I’m with you on that. The Isiah Thomas Award for Worst Trade in the Bulgarian Brothers Universe goes to the Clippers for the Kawhi Leonard trade. They mortgaged their future for a player who ultimately didn’t lead them to the promised land and was eventually moved. That’s tough to swallow.

Ryen: Brutal. Alright, Bill, this has been a wild ride through the Bulgarian Brothers universe. Six years of hoops, tons of trades, and potential dynasty debates.

Bill: It really is a rabbit hole, Russillo. But a fascinating one. Thanks for diving in with me.

Ryen: Anytime, Bill.

[studbucket]

The NEC regular season kicks off very early this year with a pair of conference games before a multi-week break:

After a frustrating loss to Duquesne, the team rebounded with a 20 point domination of La Salle and then followed it up with a big-time victory over #25 Pittsburgh. They held NBA prospect Jakob Hutchinson (C, 84 ovr) to just 15 points on 2-14 shooting and Erwin Willingham had 15 points for the victors, leading St. Francis to a 6-1 record and giving them wins over Pitt and Penn State this season.

Long Island also only had a single loss, theirs to Pitt and has a conference win under their belt already as they defeated Fairleigh Dickinson. They aren’t as deep as last year’s fantastic team, but they are still quite talented. Their trio of Rich Pritchard (PG, 69 ovr), Dallas Perry (PF, 79 ovr), and Wilson Barrow (SG, 77 ovr) combines for 36 points per game. They play at a very high tempo, but don’t score as much as they did last season. They are very solid defensively and only allow 60 points per game to their opponents.

The Blackbirds’ biggest weakness is at center, where Comerlee McBride (C, 49 ovr) looks very overmatched despite being a 7-footer. No other Blackbird starter is over 6’7”, but they make up for it by being good shooters. The Red Flash need to be eager to attack the basket and use their post players. It would be great if Chris Thompson could have another monster game.

This was a close and great contest from the top two teams in the NEC and started out with a 20-19 scoreline halfway through the first half. Louie Carlisle and Chris Thompson led the way for St. Francis while Dallas Perry had scored 8 points for the visitors already. Most of the Red Flash’s scoring had come from being crafty and drawing fouls: there were lots of pump fakes. However, every time St. Francis has the chance to go up by 5 or 6, they make a mistake and allow Long Island to get to within a point.

Dinko didn’t to mix things up, or maybe he was forced to because of foul trouble for Thompson and Hailey, but he put in some better ball handlers and focused on defense. This got the Red Flash up 37-30 and then a Harlan Cesar block and a Valdez 3 makes it a 10 point game.

We enter halftime with the Red Flash up 42-35 as the hosts are shooting 72% but have 11 turnovers. Dallas Perry had 15 points for Long Island while Louie Carlisle had 11 for the hosts.

Dinko mixed things up in the second half, starting Jameel Clinton at the 2 hoping his defensive size would help. It didn’t as Long Island cut the lead to 2, then tied it up a few minutes later at 51-51. St. Francis was just not making their shots and have allowed Long Island to get back in the game.

From there, you could see Dinko had instructed his team to slow things down and be more purposeful with their gameplay and they worked their way to a 68-64 lead with 4 minutes left. Dinko had kept messing with the lineup, and it seemed like he may have been tinkering too much, but he clearly still hadn’t found a group he was happy with yet.

With 2 minutes left a pair of Thompson free throws extended the lead to 8, and Dinko found himself thinking “let’s not repeat Duquesne”. The nearly did due to a number of dumb turnovers, but ultimately won 74-71 to start off conference play with a win against a tough opponent.

The Red Flash were 4-5 from three. They definitely need to take more and Dinko needs to mix up his gameplan and lineups. St. Francis also took 11 fewer shots than Long Island due to turnovers.

Chris Thompson only had 14 points and 2 boards, it wasn’t a great game for him due to annoying defense from Long Island. Bobby Valdez had 12 points, Taj Hailey had 11, and Louie Carlisle finished with 11, having not scored in the second half. Erwin Willingham did have 7 assists for St Francis.

For Long Island, Wilson Barrow had 19, Perry had 16, and Pritchard had 15: the usual suspects played well.

Around the NCAA

• Oggy and LMU played 2 games and then worked out a great schedule that gave them the entire early signing period off.
  • The first game was a loss to Northern Colorado 81-87. Lucious Estrada had 28 points.
  • They then won over fellow former Northern Colorado coach Kudjo Legans and San Jose State. Immanuel Kahrimanovic led the way with 21, 3, and 5 in the 77-74 win. Reid Christensen had 15 and 7 as well.

Around the NBA

• Victor Oladipo’s (SG, 83 ovr) 39 points bested DeAndre Ayton’s (C, 90 ovr) 35 points and 20 rebounds in a Phoenix win over Golden State.
• Memphis easily beat Brooklyn thanks to Ja Morant’s (PG, 95 ovr) 49 points and 10 assists.
• The Hornets continue to thrive as Jerry Sparks (PF, 89 ovr) leads them to a 123-112 win over the Heat with 42 points.
• Despite dropping 46 points and grabbing 20 rebounds, Zion Williamson (PF, 94 ovr) and the Pelicans lost to the lowly Sonics by a single point.
• Ben Long (SF, 83 ovr) had a career high 40 points for the Pacers, but they fell to the Bucks thanks to Donovan Mitchell’s (PG, 91 ovr) 48 points.

[kibaxx7]

I just might have to steal that podcast feature with Bill and Ryan. That was brilliant.

[studbucket]

Quote: Originally Posted by kibaxx7

I just might have to steal that podcast feature with Bill and Ryan. That was brilliant.

It took a bit of prep and training the AI, but I enjoyed the output. LMK if you have questions.