Introduction
With the Super Mario Bros. Movie out and the NBA playoffs starting, I feel this is the right time to build a hypothetical team with characters from the Mario universe.
Most of the characters were around during the release of Mario Hoops 3-on-3 in 2006, but some characters on this roster did not debut yet, so it is more based on their abilities and how they would translate to Hardwood.
Starters:
Point Guard Mario:
Yes, we are starting out with the title character himself. Mario would easily be the point guard due to his all-around abilities. Even though he is undersized, his vertical and versatility would be a huge boost in the backcourt.
Mario is also mobile and would be able to use his size and agility to cut through defenders and use his inhuman vertical to make easy shots and dunk over his opponents. He would also be valuable as a perimeter defender due to his vertical and quickness.
Mario would easily fit the combo guard position due to his versatile and unique skill set despite his lack of size.
Shooting Guard Luigi:
Having Luigi as a two guard would make sense to pair with Mario. Much like Mario, Luigi has an all-around skill set, but would fit more as a scoring guard. Mario and Luigi would essentially function like the splash brothers Steph Curry and Klay Thompson on the Warriors.
His biggest weakness would be his timidness, which would scare him off from taking shots. However, he does have the ability to make magic happen by doing the bare minimum.
Luigi would also function as an off-guard somewhat due to his mobility and quickness, making it harder to track him down. He is being chased around by ghosts in his mansion after all.
Small Forward Princess Peach:
If there is any character who would be a perfect fit as a wing player, it would be the damsel in distress herself.
Peach is a highly technical character who is classified as a three-point shooter, even though she has a deep arsenal as shown in the main series and other spinoffs.
Peach also has a unique ability to float, which will help with her shooting and driving the lane when needed. She will also be a great help defender when double-teaming and guarding the perimeter.
However, Peach is the damsel in distress which will work against her in 1-on-1 scenarios. However, this might be to her benefit because Peach knows there are others to bail her out when she is under siege.
Power Forward Rosalina:
Rosalina has a unique skill set that would help her on both sides of the floor. She is over seven feet tall and would have a strong three ball.
She would also be tough to defend against thanks to her ability to float and use her height to block and reach out for steals.
However due to her size, Rosalina is not quick and would need to launch outlet passes to her teammates. Also, she would be vulnerable as a perimeter defender and would need to guard the paint like Rudy Gobert.
Center Donkey Kong:
If there is any character who can man the center position, it would be Donkey Kong. His strength, power, and determination are all key strengths that would help the team.
DK is also mobile for someone his size, which will help on the boards and cover for Rosalina’s lack of quickness.
However, Donkey Kong’s main weakness is his intelligence. He would be pressured into mistakes if is double-teamed or overpowered. DK would need someone like Rosalina to help him inside and show him who to guard and what to do.
Bench players:
6th man and Backup Wing Daisy:
Daisy is the perfect energy character off the bench and would provide a spark to her teammates through her high motor. She is tailored to be a wing player and replaces Luigi or Peach in order change the momentum of a game.
She does have similar abilities to Peach, except Daisy is more willing to take chances and be more aggressive on both sides of the floor. Daisy is a character who will get under her opponent’s skin through her play style and tomboy attitude, forcing the opposition into mistakes.
However, Daisy’s personality is a double-edged sword. She can be flustered when things go south for her.
Backup Point Guard Yoshi:
Yoshi is another character who would provide a spark off the bench. His speed, aerial ability, and range would be major assets to help the team go on a deep run.
Yoshi would have an unstoppable jump shot, due to his ability to float in the air and shoot over opponents. His floating ability and long tongue would be useful on defense in order to block shots making steals.
However, Yoshi would be able to overpower stronger opponents due to his lack of length and size. Yoshi’s defense number would look good on paper, but outside of that he would be an easy target on the defensive end.
Backup Big Man Waluigi:
Waluigi is a tall and lanky character who would be a huge asset on defense. Despite his lack of athleticism, he is crafty and would be a nightmare on defense.
His length would be a huge asset in blocking shots and making steals. Waluigi would be able to box out other guys with this long wingspan and take away scoring options with ease.
His major weaknesses are his athleticism and intelligence. Waluigi is dumb as a rock and needs Wario to be brains of the duo to maximize his potential. He must to have someone competent to help him in order to get the most out of his abilities like Rosalina or Mario.
Backup Center Funky Kong:
Funky Kong is another Kong who could man the center much like Donkey Kong. Unlike DK, he is smart and can outfox his opponents in the paint and is agile for his size.
Funky Kong would be a great character to put on the floor in clutch scenarios. He can outsmart others 1-on-1 and maintain his composure even in tense situations.
However, Funky Kong is a lesser-known character who knows how capable he is when it comes to athletics. That is why he is on the bench is because his athletic ability is a question mark, but I think that he can a clutch player if he truly knows what he is doing.
Conclusion
I think this is a good mix of solid scoring options and strong defenders who can guard the paint and perimeter, and good plug and play characters who can fit into certain positions and keep the flow of the game going.
This team has solid shooters in Peach, Yoshi, and Daisy, and solid interior scorers in Rosalina, Mario, and Donkey Kong on offense.
The defense is solid as well with Rosalina and Waluigi with height and length to box out defenders entering paint and make timely steals, perimeter defense in Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi who can go up to block shots, and the Kongs (Donkey Kong and Funky Kong) who can use their strengths to keep attackers from going inside.
This is a balanced and solid nuts and bolts team overall with minimal weaknesses. Every character has their skills they accel in and can help counteract each other's weaknesses.
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