25 Most Intriguing Players in college basketball
Back by popular demand (or at least an absence of protest), I present my annual Most Intriguing Lists previewing the season in college basketball. Today's list, the 25 Most Intriguing Players:
1. Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin. He's everything that is Wisconsin basketball: not terribly cool, but terribly effective. Like most of the best Badgers over the years, he has steadily built himself from role player into star – it didn't come quickly or naturally. But now Frank The Tank is the best-shooting big man in college basketball – and maybe the best big man, period. He had a stay-or-go decision to make with the NBA in April, and he came back because, as he said, "I absolutely love college. Call me Joe College if you please." Call him the Most Intriguing Player in college, too.
2. Jahlil Okafor, Duke. Could be Mike Krzyzewski's best big man since Carlos Boozer or Elton Brand. The superbly skilled and talented Okafor has a pro-ready offensive game and needs only to polish his defense and embrace his inner mean streak to be a first-year dominator. The question is whether he can take the Blue Devils farther than last year's one-and-done lottery pick, Jabari Parker. (Short answer: He'd better, or something went terribly wrong.)
3. Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky. If you are considered the best player in John Calipari's armada of 2015 NBA draft picks, you are a great player. Even if he doesn't get a ton of minutes and shots in Kentucky's proposed platoon system, he will get a ton of attention in opposing film sessions. If Towns doesn't leave campus in the spring with a national title, it will be a surprise.
4. Marcus Paige, North Carolina. There is plenty on the point guard's slight shoulders. He's tasked with leading the Tar Heels out of a two-year slump, in which they failed to finish in the top two of the ACC, failed to win an ACC tournament title and failed to reach the NCAA tournament Sweet 16. And the brainiac junior also is tasked with being the erudite face of a program that has become a national laughingstock because of an 18-year academic scandal that undercut the school's previously strong reputation. Is he up to all that?
5. Ryan Boatright, Connecticut.
My lasting image from the 2014 NCAA tournament: the 6-foot (ha) Boatright getting up into every opposing point guard and violating his personal space all game, every game. He was a tormentor, relentless and crafty and fearless, challenging every dribble and disrupting the entry into every offensive set. If the Huskies are going to repeat their improbable run of last spring, Boatright will have to be all that and more without running mate Shabazz Napier. We know Boatright can guard; can he be a big-time scorer and leader, too?
6. Montrezl Harrell, Louisville. Surprised a lot of people by coming back for his junior season, and his return makes the Cardinals a top-10 team. Relentless motor and high basketball IQ make him a Rick Pitino favorite. Has worked to extend his shooting range to where it will suit him best in the NBA, but Louisville will need him soaring and banging inside again to craft a fourth straight 30-win season and make a run at its first ACC title.
7. The Harrison Twins, Kentucky. Andrew and Aaron Harrison were labeled The Problem during last year's underachieving regular season – right up until they became The Answer. At the last instant, the light bulbs blinked on and the Harrisons took off – Andrew running the team unselfishly, Aaron making a historic succession of huge shots to carry the Wildcats to the brink of a national title. Their return to school for a sophomore season makes Kentucky the prohibitive favorite – if they play like the postseason Harrisons and not the regular-season Harrisons of a year ago.
8. Fred VanVleet, Wichita State. Cleanthony Early was the greatest talent on the Shockers' 35-1 team of a year ago, but VanVleet was the heartbeat. The wily, unflappable point guard was chosen the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, not Early. VanVleet set the Shockers' relentless tempo defensively and was a model of unselfishness offensively. This year it will be time to assume more of a scoring role if Wichita State is going to continue its remarkable roll of the past two seasons.
9. Yogi Ferrell, Indiana. To apply a Yogi Berra quote to Yogi Ferrell, it's getting late early. Suddenly the hotshot recruit is a junior, and the shine is wearing off his collegiate career. Ferrell was a key part of the No. 1-seeded Hoosiers who stumbled in the Sweet 16 in 2013, and an even bigger part of last year's bust that failed to make the NCAA tournament. Now people are pointing fingers at him for a lack of leadership after an offseason filled with off-court problems at Indiana – including Ferrell's own arrest for underage drinking and possession of a fake ID. Can he win back the hearts of IU fans and bring back a program going the wrong direction in a hurry?
10. Stanley Johnson, Arizona. Guys like Johnson don't come around very often – a 6-foot-7, 245-pound baby bull with enough athleticism who can play wherever you want him, including the backcourt. He can be a shooting guard, a wing forward, a power forward – no wonder they call him "Stanimal" in Tucson. Johnson will be expected to make the same kind of instant impact that Aaron Gordon made last year in helping the Wildcats to 33 wins, with the hope of going at least one more round than that team did and reaching the Final Four.
11. Cliff Alexander, Kansas. Bill Self has had his share of one-and-done guys – some more successful (Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid and Ben McLemore) than others (Josh Selby) during their brief stopover in Lawrence. Alexander figures to be the next one, and might have company in classmate Kelly Oubre. But Alexander may be the more important piece, providing an interior presence the Jayhawks have always used to great advantage. If the Chicagoan plays up to his billing, Kansas won't drop from its customary place in the top 10.
12. Joshua Smith, Georgetown.
Spent the offseason selling shoes at Nordstrom back home in Washington after being declared academically ineligible for the second half of last season and being sent home for the summer. We'll see whether the attitude adjustment sticks for a gifted, oft-overweight senior who has struggled with self-discipline his entire college career – first at UCLA and now at Georgetown. He's down to his last chance – and if he blows it, he probably takes the Hoyas' NCAA tournament hopes down with him for the second straight year.
13. Georges Niang, Iowa State. From the silent "s" on the end of his first name to his crafty all-court game, there is nothing conventional about Niang. A capable outside shooter, deceptively effective driver, willing rebounder and savvy passer, the 6-foot-8 junior can stuff a stat sheet on any given night. How he goes, so go the Cyclones.
14. Chris Walker, Florida. He's making a habit of missing the start of the season. Last year, the five-star recruit didn't play until February after a lengthy NCAA eligibility investigation. This year, he's suspended the first two games for a violation of team rules. When Walker does hit the court, Gators fans are expecting to see the athletic freak who showed only glimpses of his potential last year. If he maximizes his physical gifts, Walker will be a force and Florida will not fall back too far after last year's Final Four run.
15. Jerian Grant, Notre Dame. He was the leading scorer and assist man for the Fighting Irish when he abruptly left school last December, dismissed for a semester for academic dishonesty. Without him, Notre Dame plummeted to its first losing record since 1999. He's back now, and will be as high-usage as any player in America. If the Irish are going to make an impact in the ACC, it will be behind floor general Grant.
16. Caris LeVert, Michigan. Gifted athlete played a supporting role his first two years in John Beilein's system. Now he's ready for a star turn. LeVert was hardly destined for that role, though – he was a mid-major recruit ticketed for Ohio until John Groce left to go to Illinois. That led him to Michigan, where he's blossomed into arguably the best two-guard in the nation.
17. Myles Turner, Texas. After a brief hiatus, Rick Barnes got back in the business of landing mega-recruits with the signing of the 6-foot-11 Turner. His arrival coincides with the return of a veteran nucleus and could give the Longhorns their best team in several years. According to family folklore, Turner's feet grew from size 14 to size 17 in a matter of just a couple of weeks when he was entering high school. His talent caught up shortly thereafter.
18. Tyus Jones, Duke.
Mike Krzyzewski didn't just get the top big man in the class of 2014; he also got the top point guard in Jones. He's good enough to push senior Quinn Cook to the bench, although the two likely will play together at times as well. Expect Jones to lead the Blue Devils in assists and steals right away. He led Duke in minutes played in two exhibition games.
19. Terran Petteway, Nebraska. Hair and beard combination makes him look like a Biblical shepherd, but he's a thoroughly modern playmaker at off-guard. In a system that thrives on defense and tempo control, Petteway has the leeway (and responsibility) to take plenty of shots on the offensive end. He's a streak shooter with occasionally shameless shot selection – but he's also a huge reason why the Cornhuskers made the NCAA tournament last year for the first time in 16 years, and are in the preseason top 25 this year.
20. Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga. Like a lot of Gonzaga players over the years, Pangos made an instant impact as a freshman and really hasn't shown any statistical growth since then. Now a senior, he will be the leader of a team many expect to finally crash the Final Four after years of being very good but not great. The urgency is there. Will the delivery be there as well?
21. Wesley Saunders, Harvard. Best player on the first Ivy League team to be ranked in the preseason in 40 years. Father was a Big Ten football player and uncle played in the NFL, but Saunders found his niche on the hardwood – and then the Californian turned down several Pac-12 schools to go across the country to a college with scant basketball success or profile. He's been a vital part of the first NCAA tournament victories in school history – and there may be more to come this season.
22. Branden Dawson, Michigan State. Enigmatic senior now has the opportunity to be the Spartans' star. Is he up to the challenge on a nightly basis? The physical forward could dominate for stretches of games, or perhaps for a few games at a time, but then would disappear for long stretches. After returning from a broken hand last year he took charge, averaging 15.7 points and 8.1 rebounds in the postseason. With an inexperienced supporting cast, Dawson will in large part dictate whether Michigan State remains among the Big Ten elite or slips back.
23. Delon Wright, Utah. You're forgiven if you haven't heard of him – but that will change this season. The 6-foot-5 point guard led Utah in scoring, assists, steals and blocks, and was second in rebounding. He considered going pro but opted to return to school, and because of that the Utes have a great shot at their first NCAA tournament bid since 2009 and their first tourney victory since 2005.
24. Keifer Sykes, Green Bay. The best little man from a little college in the game. The 5-11 senior averaged 20.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists last year for a Phoenix team that should have made the NCAAs but bombed in the Horizon League tournament semifinals. Keep an eye on him and on Green Bay this year. You'll be entertained.
25. A.J. Hammons, Purdue. You could call him the biggest tease in college basketball. The 7-foot junior has an NBA body and the ability to dominate – but there are times when the biggest player on the floor will disappear. Matt Painter has worked to tap into Hammons' inner beast, and if he locates it the Boilermakers may be ready to reverse their steady slide into irrelevance.
Just missed the list: Willie Cauley-Stein and Tyler Ulis, Kentucky; Tyler Haws, BYU; Terry Rozier, Louisville; Sam Dekker, Wisconsin; Shannon Scott, Ohio State; T.J. McConnell, Arizona; Le'Bryan Nash, Oklahoma State; Juwan Staten, West Virginia; Trevor Cooney, Syracuse; JayVaughn Pinkston, Villanova; Treveon Graham, VCU; Nic Moore, SMU; Matt Carlino, Marquette; Chasson Randle, Stanford; Kennedy Meeks, North Carolina; Tony Parker, UCLA; Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia.
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