The "Must Watch" Players of College Basketball

It's easy to feel the need to watch the players who will be top picks in the NBA draft in June (Markelle Fultz, Dennis Smith, Lonzo Ball, Josh Jackson), and while these guys are great and their potential is off the charts, there are a number of players at the collegiate level who are awesome to watch, now.

Marcus Keene, PG, Central Michigan

This one is for all the people who missed out on watching Kay Felder last year. Oh, and those who want to see the first 30 ppg scorer since the 1997 season. 

Listed at 5'9", Keene leads the NCAA in scoring at 30.3 ppg (6.4 more than the next highest scorer), and that number is only trending upwards. In just the last week, Keene has netted games of 50 and 41 points, leading the Chippewas to three straight wins. 

Granted, Keene is not playing against elite competition, but his numbers are pretty efficient, and his team is 14-7 (4-4 in conference). He's shooting 47% from the field, 39% from three (where half of his attempts come from), and dishes out 5.2 assists per game.

For some perspective, in his National Player of the Year season, Jimmer Fredette averaged 28.9 ppg, on 45%, 39%, and 4.3 apg.

If you need more reasons to watch Keene, his team ranks 3rd in the nation in three pointers made and attempted, and 4th in points per game, so you'll see a lot of points from Keene, and the Chippewas (and probably the other team, too). Or, if you prefer NBA comparisons, he's the MAC's version of Isaiah Thomas.

Tacko Fall, C, Central Florida

While Keene lacks a bit of height, Fall is quite the opposite. In fact, Fall is nearly two whole feet taller than Keene, standing at 7'6".

First reason to watch, how often do you get to see a 7'6" person? Let alone on a basketball court, and as one of the most efficient players in the country.

Fall is shooting 76% from the field (yes, you read that right), and averaging a double-double with 12.6 points and 10.1 rebounds in just 26.6 minutes per game. Earlier this year, Fall recorded a 17 and 17 game, on a perfect 8-8 from the field.

Of course, shooting a high percentage is expected when you can dunk without jumping. But, he can dunk without jumping!!! That should be enough reason to watch Fall play. Comparison wise, there hasn't been a 7'6" NBA player since Yao Ming, and I'm not ready to draw that line yet.

Lauri Markkanen, PF, Arizona

Markkanene is kind of a hybrid between Keene and Fall. Now I know that sounds ridiculous, especially because he's from Finland (yes, Finland), but hear me out.

Being seven feet tall helps in becoming the first NBA prospect ever from your home country, but Markkanen is far from just another big man. As a true freshman this year at Arizona, Markkanen is averaging 16.8 ppg, to go along with 7.6 rebounds per game. Now here's the best part, he's shooting 50%, from three. 

*Insert stereotypical "he's a european guy who only shoots threes" comment*

While about half of his field goal attempts come from beyond the arc (like Keene), Markkanen has proven that he thrives against tough competition. Since the beginning of conference play, his averages have increased to 17.7 ppg, and 8 rpg, on a scorching 60% from three point range.

Markkanen has been climbing the draft boards recently, and is the highest rated prospect on this list, but he is still far from a household name, and on one of the hottest teams in the country. In NBA terms, he's college's Kristaps Porzingis, but more efficient.

Caleb Swanigan, PF, Purdue

The B1G has been in a bit of a slump as a whole this year, but the conference still has a handful of players worth watching. From strictly highlights, many would think that freshman sensation Miles Bridges is the best player in the B1G, but that would be overlooking the potential National Player of the Year.

Swanigan had a solid freshman season a year ago, averaging a shade over 10 ppg, and just over 8 rpg, but opted to return to school for his sophomore campaign. Not only did he come back for year two, he did so with a purpose. Halfway through B1G play, Swanigan has nearly doubled his ppg (18.5), and leads the nation in rebounding (12.7 rpg).

Most of Swanigan's freshman season production was in the paint as a back to the back post player opposite fellow Purdue big man Isaac Haas, but Swanigan has added a reliable perimeter jumper that has made him a nightmare to defend for opponents. While he is far from a volume three point shooter (like Keene or Markkanen), Swanigan shoots the deep ball at a 50% clip, and is averaging more than a make per game in conference play.

Whether or not his Boilermakers can win the B1G will likely play a major role in whether or not Swanigan receives POTY recognition, but his numbers are certainly worthy of the recognition.

There aren't many bruising bigs left in the NBA, but the best comparison I can think of for Swanigan is Zach Randolph with three point range.

Luke Kennard, SG, Duke

Lost among the ups and downs of what has been Duke basketball's 2016-17 season has been the outstanding play of Luke Kennard. 

The sophomore shooting guard is probably the 4th most talked about player on the Blue Devils roster, due to draft hype (or tripping...), but is having by far the best season of any Duke player. After showing promise as a freshman (11.8 ppg), Kennard has nearly doubled that to 20.4 ppg this season. Most impressively he has increased his percentages at the same time, going from 42% to 54% from the field, and even more impressively, 32% to 47% from beyond the arc.

Kennard has been even more efficient since the start of ACC play, against the best conference competition in the country. His already impressive three point shooting has skyrocketed to 55%, to go along with 59% from the field. Just this past weekend, Kennard lit up Wake Forest for 34 points on just 14 shot attempts (including 6-6 from deep), in the Blue Devils comeback win.

Despite all this, Kennard is barely cracking the top 20 in most NBA Mock Drafts, but he play-style and ability reminiscent of a left-handed Klay Thompson.

Is the B1G Super Competitive? Or Just Mediocre?

Just a year ago, the B1G sent as many teams to the NCAA tournament (seven) as any conference in the country for the second year in a row, but as we near Feburary, at best, the B1G would hope that five teams from the conference would receive a bid. This begs the question, is the entire conference (minus Rutgers of course) good enough to be on the bubble? Or, are the majority of the schools just mediocre?

During non-conference play , the B1G only won five games against Top 25 opponents, and two of those (Syracuse 13-9, Texas 8-12) find themselves far from the Top 25 at this point in the season. 

Also of note, the only team that won games against the Top 25 teams that are still ranked (Kansas and North Carolina), Indiana, has also sustained losses to IPFW, Nebraska, and a 30 point drubbing on the road against Michigan.

As it stands, only four B1G teams have less than six losses, and those same four teams are the only teams to have an above .500 record in conference play. Of the remaining 10 teams, nine of them have records of 4-4 or 3-5, including the Hoosiers.

The only real suggestion that the conference has just gotten better top to bottom, is the apparent emergence of Northwestern, who looks poised to make their first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament come March. The Wildcats are 17-4, and 6-2 in B1G play, and only play the top three teams in the conference in a combined four games this season with only two on the road.

Of course, Northwestern's apparent success could be a product of a mediocre B1G this season, but for Northwestern's sake (and the rest of the B1G), we'll just have to wait and see.

As for the rest of the conference, right now the only "locks" for the tournament are Maryland (18-2, 6-1), Wisconsin (17-3, 6-1), Purdue (17-4, 6-2), and the aforementioned Wildcats. 

After the top four, Michigan (14-7, 4-4) and Indiana (14-7, 4-4) seem most likely to make a push for March, but they have just one win away from home between the two of them. That wouldn't be so bad in a regularly strong B1G, but both teams have looked pitiful on the road at times. Michigan shot a dismal 19.2% from the field earlier this year at South Carolina, lost in overtime at 11-10 Iowa,and lost by nearly 20 on the road against an Illinois team that has looked far from a powerhouse. For the sake of the Hoosier fans, we'll just say read above for their road resume, but they do have the only road win between the two schools (albeit it was at Penn State...).

It is still possible that in the last month or so of conference play a few teams go on runs and the B1G is again well represented in March, but as it stands, the conference could see its least number of teams in the Big Dance since 2010 when only five teams represented the conference in March.

The Not Talked About Stars of the NBA

Often times teams have players that are crucial to the team's success, and go unnoticed by the casual fan, until that team makes national headlines. Take the Spurs' Danny Green, Kyle Korver prior to his All-Star appearance in 2014-15, the Cavs' Tristan Thompson, the list goes on. But what about the players that are performing at an almost All-Star level that get swept aside? The "best of the rest", or guys who play in smaller markets on teams not constantly televised by ESPN or TNT.

Here's a lineup of guys with some pretty outstanding statistical lines that are not talked about nearly enough.

Point Guard: Isaiah Thomas

I know, I know, this guy was almost a starter on the Eastern Conference All-Star team this year, but his stats are out of this world. Oh, and he's 5'9" (or so the roster says). The Celtics point guard has his team just 1.5 games out of the 2 seed in the East, and is 2nd in the league in scoring behind the other guy who got snubbed from starting the All-Star game.

So why is he not talked about enough? Well for starters (pun intended), he should be starting the All-Star game. If that's not enough, he's making his case for the best 6'0" and under guard in NBA history. Now I know what you're thinking, no way he's better than Allen Iverson. Well at least this year, he has been. Thomas is averaging 28.9 points per game, shooting 46% from the field, 38% from three, dishing out 6 assists a night, and is doing all of it in 34 minutes per game. Now, in Iverson's best years for each of those categories, he averaged 31.4 ppg, shot 46% from the field, 36% from deep, and dished out 7.9 apg. Slight nod to Iverson right? Wrong, Iverson averaged 41 minutes per game for his career and 3.6 turnovers (Thomas only turns it over 2.5 times a game).

So yes, the media and fans are taking notice and talking about Isaiah, but even now they should be talking about him more. He's nothing less than incredible, and again, FIVE FOOT NINE.

Shooting Guard: Eric Gordon

The former 7th overall pick has struggled to find his footing in the league, that is, until he made his way to Houston and offensive guru Mike D'Antoni. Gordon is 2nd in the NBA in made three pointers behind only Stephen Curry, and doing so at a 39% clip. He's also scoring his most points per game (17.4) since the 2010-11 season, in only 30 minutes per game.

Most impressively, he's doing all of this coming off the bench on a team that is just 3.5 games back of the San Antonio Spurs for the 2 seed in the Western Conference. Now, some people may see his 42% shooting percentage and worry, but more than half of Gordon's attempts come from beyond the arc, inside the arc he's shooting a respectable 47%.

Obviously, some of Gordon's resurgence is thanks to D'Antoni's analytics crazy offense, but playing the role as well as Gordon has is definitely worth talking about.

Small Forward: Gordon Hayward

There's been very little talk about Gordon Hayward since his half court game winning buzzer beater just missed winning Butler a national title. He's not even the most talked about member from that team that's now in the NBA (ok, it's hard to top Brad Stevens...). But now in his seventh season (what?!?!), Hayward is the leader of a young Utah Jazz team that is the best team that no one talks about.

Hayward is averaging 21.8 ppg and leading his Jazz squad to just a game back of the 4 seed in the West. Sure, Hayward isn't on the level of the NBA's elite small forwards, but not everyone can be Lebron James, Kevin Durant, or Kawhi Leonard. Hayward's numbers this year are comparable or better than the likes of Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, and his team is in a much better position.

Who knows, maybe the Jazz will be the NBA's Butler sometime in the near future.

Power Forward: Jabari Parker

After his injury shortly after the start of his rookie season, many basketball fans had already settled the debate of Parker vs. Andrew Wiggins (the top 2 picks of the 2014 NBA Draft), as Wiggins won the Rookie of the Year award. But fast forward a year and a half, to a healthy Jabari, and it's time to reopen the debate.

As the less talked about half of what is becoming a fearsome front-court duo in Milwaukee, Parker is averaging 20.4 ppg, on 49% shooting, and 40% from beyond the arc. Wiggins on the other hand is scoring 22 ppg, on 45% shooting and only 35% from deep. Jabari also holds the edge in rebounds, assists, and steals.

Parker's team is also closer to a playoff spot (currently 9th in the East), and upon the return of Khris Middleton, could easily make some noise come playoff time.

Center: Rudy Gobert

The Stifle Tower has been just as important for the league's least talked about really good team as Gordon Hayward. His scoring numbers might not be as pretty (12.8 ppg) as some centers, but he is certainly just as effective.

Gobert leads the NBA in blocks per game (2.5) and defensive rating (97.8 per 100 possessions), is 2nd in the league in FG% (66%), is 4th in offensive rating (127.1 per 100), and 5th in rebounds per game (12.6).

We can only hope that the Jazz match up with the Warriors in the playoffs so fans can see for themselves what's brewing in Utah. The Jazz already have wins over all but two of the teams in the West currently in a playoff spot.

Is Duke REALLY Missing Coach K?

Don't get me wrong, Kryzewski is probably the greatest college basketball coach of all time, and his absence certainly hurts the team, but is that really the issue for Duke right now? Maybe they just aren't an elite team this year.

The Blue Devils have no shortage of offensive talent, Grayson Allen, Luke Kennard, and Jayson Tatum are phenomenal. However, there are two major factors that seem to be being over looked about this year's Duke team: Depth and parity.

Since the start of conference play, the Blue Devils have struggled to compete with the other top teams in the ACC (parity). However, much of this is due to a lack of production from anyone not named Luke Kennard or Jayson Tatum (and sometimes Matt Jones).

One of the key issues for Duke has been Grayson Allen, and I'm not talking about his tripping addiction. The pre-season Player of the Year favorite has also hit a bit of a rough patch performance wise, during ACC play Allen's scoring has dropped to 13.2 ppg, and is shooting only 25% from beyond the arc.

Some of Allen's struggles have been masked by the production of Kennard and Tatum (combined 35.9 ppg, 51% FG), but with very little offensive production from big men, the Blue Devils need all three stars to produce consistently.

Speaking of the big men, Amile Jefferson (8.8 ppg in ACC play) is a great role player, but he just doesn't have the elite size or athleticism that Duke needs to reach the next level. On the other hand, freshman Harry Giles does have the size and athleticism Duke needs, but the very limited time Giles has spent on the court over the past two years has shown early on since his return from injury.

The other little talked about factor in Duke's "struggles" this year is the parity not only in college basketball nationwide, but specifically in the ACC. Including the Blue Devils, six ACC teams are currently in the top 20, and two more have been as high as 20 at earlier points in the season.

More directly, three of Duke's five losses have come to teams currently in the top 15, and the other two on the road at 15-4 Virginia Tech and at the hands of an incredible individual performance by future lottery pick Dennis Smith (32 points and 6 assists) and NC State.

So what does this all mean for the Blue Devils as they head into February in an unfamiliar place in the middle of the pack in the ACC?

First, these losses are not the end of the world. With the exception of the most recent loss to NC State at home, all of Duke's losses have been against quality teams on the road.

Second, a run deep into March is far from out of the question. With Coach K set to return in a couple weeks, the steady improvement of Harry Giles, the likely return of Grayson Allen to his usual level of performance, and the ever-growing chemistry of this team with its now healthy pieces (except for their coach), this team has the talent to simply outscore anyone, and probably the best collegiate coach of all time.

Third, maybe the expectations were set to high. Of course every team wants to win a national title every year, and Duke often has a better shot than most teams, but last year's team lost in the Sweet Sixteen, and lost arguably their best player in number 2 overall pick Brandon Ingram. It's easy to get swept up in the hype of highly touted freshman, but the last several years have shown the importance of experience and chemistry, and those things take time.

Lastly, don't put all the blame on Coach K's surgery. However unlikely it may be that Duke would have dropped Monday night's game at home against NC State had Kryzewski been on the sideline, the Blue Devils had already dropped two contests with Coach K with the team. Since his surgery the losses have come more often, but that is partially due to an increase in level of competition. This team is just now getting healthy, and has only shown spurts of how good they can really be (take a look at their second half against Miami from this past weekend).