What the Ruck? Copeland questions Prather ranking

You could ask 50 different people and get 50 different variations; Derek Rucker’s rankings of the top 15 players in the NBL is an unenviable task.

But according to former great Lanard Copeland, there’s one player who deserves more recognition – Casey Prather.

The Brisbane Bullets star began the season slowly, averaging just 13 points in his first nine appearances, but from there, was dominant.

He finished the year as the league’s third top-scorer and was lights out from beyond the arc, named in the All-NBL Second Team.

According to Copeland, Prather is worthy of a ranking in the top five, only behind Bryce Cotton, Kendric Davis, Matt Hurt and Montrezl Harrell.

Rucker had the three-time NBL champion at number 10.

“Casey Prather would have probably been in my fifth spot, because he was just so dominant,” Copeland said on NBL Now.

“Any time the Brisbane Bullets won, it was because he was shooting the ball at 40 per cent from the three-point line, just automatic.

“He just got so much better throughout the year and he led that team.”

One player the pair didn’t disagree on was Bryce Cotton, as the five-time MVP reclaimed the number one rank from mid-season leader Parker Jackson-Cartwright.

“Bryce has had a fantastic year ... Derek’s one, two (Davis), three (Hurt), it was a given,” Copeland continued.

“He (Rucker) has a hard job, because you’re not going to satisfy everybody.

“Somebody’s going to have a gripe, somebody’s not going to be happy, but he puts his heart and soul into this top 15.

“He’s done a very good job.”

View Rucker’s top 15 below.