Considerations:
*Peak highschool level forms by the end of the nationals arc. Examples: Hinata having decent floor defense, Bokuto completely wiping off his emo states and becoming a true ace, etc.
*Pseudodraft process: I employed a drafting process distributing a main player whom the team will be built around, then a setter whom I feel like can complement them really well, then I stopped the draft, continuing to personally handpick the rest of the team.
*Due to limitations of certain positions, I didn't restrain the the wing spikers to the OH or OPP positions. The positions I chose for each team are: 3 wing spikers, 2 middle blockers, 1 setter, 1 libero.
*Assume that these players entered the same school accordingly, progressing to their current year levels in the series in order, which means they have been playing with each other for that amount of time i.e. the third years have been playing with each other for three years.
Disclaimers:
*The characters who made the tier list are unashamedly biased and arbitrary, but that is what gives hypotheticals like these novelty—all we have to do now is see how each team would fare against each other
*Team-building was slightly geared towards functional synergy more than absolute offensive-defensive balance, what’s the most optimal, or what’s the most thematically accurate (but they were all still considered of course), but admittedly, none of the teams are perfect because of the selection process and limited pool.
*I tried to balance the teams' strength along with dynamics, narrative themes, and a general structure/philosophy/system. I picked from a pool of players whom I think are the most talented, or who have an overall baseline strong enough to support and skill-wise mesh well with a team built around said players, spread across 4 teams.
Team 1
Core: Ushijima, Akaashi
Members: Iwaizumi, Nakashima, Tsukishima, Hirugami, Komori
Analytical, intelligent, and tall middle blockers, floor defense powerhouses in both wing spikers and the libero, a stable setter, and arguably the most devastating and most consistent ace in the series, it feels like we have an upgraded and infinitely more well-rounded version of Shiratorizawa... that's just how overwhelming Ushijima's mere presence is in a team, still carrying his school's philosophy on his back. Ushijima may be a black hole when it comes to offensive pressure, but Akaashi can definitely distribute the ball and organize the offense efficiently and consistently while still being dedicated to the super ace, especially since his other wing spikers can break through blocks in their own ways, and are also threats. The defense of this team is arguably equally high level as the offense both in blocking and receiving as we have two elite read-blockers and the best highschool libero along with both the wing spikers who also have receiving as a core part of their identities. I think this team is offensively and defensively balanced.
Team 2
Core: Sakusa, Atsumu, Kiryu
Members: Osamu, Hinata, Tendo, Komi
Having the heaviest offense-focused/skewed team in this tournament, I can imagine Atsumu having a dopamine overdose given the absurd range of attackers he has at his disposal. Offensively, he has Sakusa's wicked spin, Hinata's speed and unpredictability, his natural synergy with Osamu, and the powerful Kiryu who can easily adapt to whatever crazy antics they pull off and still swing with full force. At the defensive end, we have the guess monster for blocking and a nationals level libero plus the dependable Sakusa for receiving. Admittedly, defense is not the strong suit of this team, but their sheer offensive firepower might just make up for it. Imagine the crazy combination plays and crafty angles Atsumu could force open with this lineup, from lightning fast quicks (imagine two minus tempo attacks coming at you at the same time) from different directions with nasty high ball options too—I think Atsumu is the best setter to facilitate this roster.
Team 3
Core: Bokuto, Oikawa
Members: Goshiki, Asahi, Washio, Kuroo, Nishinoya
I think of this team as the traditional powerhouse. Personally, the wing spikers I gave Oikawa are those whom I think have higher psychological ceilings that he can absolutely bring out. Him instilling confidence in these particular spikers would make this a team to be feared. I'd like to think that Asahi has grown to become a confident, nationals level player, Goshiki is someone with great untapped potential that just needs to be awarded with opportunities, and Bokuto as a complete ace can be wielded by Oikawa maximally. Who better to set to these exceptional players if not him? Also, Bokuto and Oikawa, in canon, have really strong bonds with their setter/wing spiker counterparts with a story built around them, so it'd be interesting to see how those two would be as a duo on the court. Defensively, you have a master of both aerial and floor defense in Kuroo (who's also a great motivator for our other players), and another top-tier, nationals level blocker in Washio. Of course, you can't go and have all these without the guardian deity, Nishinoya, standing guard at the rear (not to take away from Bokuto's and Goshiki's decent receives). I think he would benefit greatly from having two competent middle blockers to narrow the path of the ball more consistently. Again, another very balanced team both offensively and defensively with a high skill floor and an even higher skill ceiling.
Team 4
Core: Korai, Kageyama
Members: Ojiro, Nobuyuki, Suna, Aone, Yaku
In my opinion, a very technically sound team in an understated way. Running the offense, we have an ultra precise setter who has become the best in the series, if I may say so, who also has a range of attackers in his arsenal. There's Hoshiumi the absolute all-arounder who's maxed out in all aspects of the game, Aran who is an athletic freak and one of the strongest offensive pieces in the series easily spiking over three blockers, and Suna who can easily find his way around blockers. Imagine the ever versatile Hoshiumi brewing up all kinds of attacks with Kageyama. Imagine Kageyama's precision further widening Suna's scope/range of attack. Defensively, we have three systems stacked on top of each other—Date Tech, Nekoma, and Kamomedai. Suna is quick on his feet as a blocker, but it pales in comparison to the systematic blocking duo that is Hoshiumi and Aone. Reinforcing the back row is the receiving system of the stable Nobuyuki and one of best liberos in the game, Yaku. This team probably has the greatest overall discipline out of all the teams, with the fewest tactical weaknesses, and the most sophisticated systems.
Final thoughts: I think I failed to completely synthesize new philosophies or even homogenize the philosophies of each team because the philosophy of a single player tended to stand out with me building around it, but I'm still happy with the teams I built.
I can only say so much about the synergies of the teams both functionally and personality-wise... I have longer notes about how they could all mesh well, but I summarized them for this post.
What would the rankings look like? What would a round robin look like? How could their personalities potentially go well together or clash against each other? What would be each team's greatest strengths and weaknesses? It would be interesting to see everyone's takes.
