One of my biggest inspirations for writing is Fox Sports' Mark Titus (formerly of Grantland and The Ringer). Back in his Grantland days, he used to do a column called "Triangle All-Stars," in which he would highlight five players who all fit a specific mold. Some of those categories included good players on bad teams, lefties, spot-up shooters, players with suffixes, and player with unique jersey numbers. In his writing, Titus perfectly blended entertainment and insight--frequently infusing analysis on lesser-known players with humor and his distinct narrative voice. Here is my tribute to those columns--and since I don't make any money off of this, I figured I could get away with imitating his structure and adding my own twist.
Weight lifting doesn't always equate to success in basketball--after all, one of the fifteen greatest players of all time failed to bench press 185 pounds at the NBA combine. At the collegiate level, we see plenty of younger guys struggle to put on muscle. In 2015, Kentucky's Willie Cauley-Stein earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, despite a Q-Tip-like frame. A year later, Duke's Brandon Ingram made an All-ACC team, but he appeared to be just as repulsed by bicep curls as both Cauley-Stein and KD. And even this year, the Utah Utes have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament, but their freshman point guard Rylan Jones literally looks like he couldn't get into a YMCA without parental supervision. So bulk isn't everything--but still, evidence suggests that it can be helpful in dominating basketball games (see: Leonard, Kawhi; James, LeBron). Thus, this post goes out to the most physically intimidating guys in the country.
Jahmi'us Ramsey, G, Texas Tech
Texas Tech have struggled some in close games (they lost by three at both Oklahoma State and Kansas, and they fell short by two points in a home game against Kentucky), but I still buy them as national title contenders. For as long as Chris Beard has been in charge, the Red Raiders have played a menacing defense that unhinges opponents by taking away ball screens. But it's their flourishing offense that could propel a likely under-seeded team to a deep run in March. Per Bart Torvik, the Red Raiders rank 16th nationally in offensive efficiency since the start of January. Much of their ascension stems from the play of the well-built Ramsey. Coming out of high school, most scouting reports penned him as an down-hill, attacking guard that would use his density to draw fouls. He hasn't gotten to the rim off the dribble as much as I expected, but his off-ball cutting produces easy looks at the basket. But the most surprising part of Ramsey's season has been his long-distance shooting. Currently averaging 2.4 makes at a 45.5% clip, the floodgates open when he steps into a catch-and-shoot three. Recently, he has shown a penchant for creating space to take (and make) threes with his change-of-direction quickness. The freshman has demonstrated some deftness in passing out of dribble-drive situations, but he still has more turnovers than assists on the year; if Ramsey can clean up the mistakes and improve upon playmaking for others, Texas Tech could match the heights of the 2019 team.
Isaac Okoro, F, Auburn
At 6'6", 225 pounds, the freshman Okoro profiles more as a power wing, but I'm going to pair him with Ramsey in the backcourt to make a somewhat realistic lineup (remember, the goal here is brute force over spacing). A furious leaper, Okoro has already delivered a collection of dunks that leave your mouth agape.
That grab-and-go dunk against Alabama calls to mind images of Thor descending from the sky when he breaks the grip of the Goddess of Death in Ragnarok. No wonder Auburn has been out of sorts in the last three games that Okoro has missed. As enthralling as Okoro can be on offense, his defensive aptitude separates him from most freshman wings. Per Synergy, he ranks in the 89th percentile in isolation defense. When he cuts off opponents' driving lanes, he flips his hips so swiftly that you'd think he’d generate a Super Bowl halftime show controversy. Just look at how he stays in front of Arkansas' Jalen Harris, strong-arming him out of position before throwing up his massive arm to contest the shot. His timing is so pure: With his unique combination of strength and agility, Bruce Pearl can sic him on any player who heats up, regardless of size or position.
Yves Pons, F, Tennessee
When Pons immigrated to Knoxville from France, he arrived on campus as a bit of an unknown; his mixtape showcased a player with unreal athleticism that belied his lack of refined basketball skills. I lived in Knoxville for four years (love that city so much), one of which was Pons' freshman season. I remember a sort of mythology surrounding him. Despite boasting a build like Gaston, rumors circulated that he never lifted weights before moving to the States. Speculation spread on just how long he had been playing basketball, some saying early high school, some saying late high school (I still don't know the correct answer). No one knew when it would happen, but Vols fans held out hope that one day, everything would click for their French Unicorn. I mean, I can't blame them--his bounce is NBA-ready But during his first two seasons in Tennessee Orange, Pons couldn't stay on the floor. Defense was never an issue--from day one, he flashed the versatility to guard multiple positions. In certain spots, Rick Barnes used Pons to initiate the point of attack, pressuring point guards the length of the floor. However, offensive weaknesses glued him to the pine (he saw his minutes gradually dip over the course of the year; they decreased from 18.7 per game in the non-con to 5.3 per game by the time the SEC and NCAA Tournaments came). Much of last season, Pons played on the perimeter, where he usually just camped out in the corner and quickly got rid of the ball as soon as it was passed to him. His dribble appeared loose and he only hit 7 of the 25 three pointers he attempted. But this year, Barnes has optimized Pons by playing him more on the block. He still pops out to the three-point line on occasions (3.5 3PAs per game), but playing on the wing is not his first option. In his modified role, he has posted career highs in points (11.1), rebounds (5.1), and three-point percentage (32.9%). Here's a bold prediction: he will be a first round pick whenever he leaves Knoxville--his development has encouraged me that much.
Theo John, F, Marquette
Throughout Steve Wojciechowski's tenure at Marquette, the Golden Eagles have carried this reputation of a team that runs and guns on offense but slacks and slumps on defense. Well, Theo John is here to disprove and dismantle that label. In 2017, Marquette ranked 165th in the nation in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency. They stumbled further to 182nd in 2018. But these last two years since John has entered the starting lineup? Forty-fifth and fiftieth, respectively. His presence in the paint provides a deterrent to drivers--the Golden Eagles place in the top 60 in opponent 2-point field goal percentage, opponent field goal percentage at the rim, and block percentage at the rim (info from hoop-math.com). Sometimes, John gets caught hunting for blocks, but when he connects, his play often produces instant offense. Also, by all accounts, John is an awesome teammate, perfectly content to star in his own role--a good quality to have when your team's best offensive strategy is to give Markus Howard the ball and get out of the way.
Oscar Tshiebwe, F/C, West Virginia
Tshiebwe serves as the original inspiration for the All-Weight Room team, as I wrote in my National Player of the Year post from early January. The Mountaineers' recent skid (losers of four of their last five) has mirrored an icy slide down a mountain of fake snow in Winterpark (folks who have tried to ski on the east coast know what I'm talking about)--and their chances of a top 3 NCAA Tournament seed are slipping away. But I still want to give credence to Tshiebwe's freakish footwork. It's not the flashiest play, but rarely do you see such a gigantic man who's so light on his feet in the college game. Tshiebwe has a pretty good chance to go in the late first or early second round, should he declare. But I really hope for the sake of the sport that we get to see him rule over the Big 12 as a sophomore. Honorable mentions: Derek Culver (Tshiebwe's Bash Brother at WVU), Anthony Edwards (Georgia), Emmitt Williams (LSU), Udoka Azubuike (Kansas), Matt Mitchell (San Diego State), Jalen Smith (Maryland), Marcus Evans (VCU), Ryan Daly (St. Joseph's), Kamar Baldwin (Butler),
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One of my biggest inspirations for writing is Fox Sports' Mark Titus (formerly of Grantland and The Ringer). Back in his Grantland days, he used to do a column called "Triangle All-Stars," in which he would highlight five players who all fit a specific mold. Some of those categories included good players on bad teams, lefties, spot-up shooters, players with suffixes, and player with unique jersey numbers. In his writing, Titus perfectly blended entertainment and insight--frequently infusing analysis on lesser-known players with humor and his distinct narrative voice. Here is my tribute to those columns--and since I don't make any money off of this, I figured I could get away with imitating his structure and adding my own twist.
I've lost count of the amount of discussions I've had with people over jersey numbers--I don't know why, but some numbers just make athletes look better. For example, when LeBron went to Miami, he switched from 23 (an objectively legendary basketball number) to the sleeker number 6. It represented a new direction with a no-nonsense quest for a title. Although it took a humiliating Finals loss to get there, he soon captured his first Larry O'B and blossomed into the League's best player, all with 6 on his back.
Personally, I'm quite attached to the number 3. I played linebacker for my high school's football team, and right before my senior year, I more and more front-seven players at the collegiate level started wearing single digits numbers. In particular, I fell in love with UNC's All-ACC defensive tackle Marvin Austin, who wore number 9.
And he inspired me! I switched from 34 (pretty boring) to 3, and I still--somewhat embarrassingly--love the number ten years later.
But even a good player can make an ugly number cool (think Alvin Kamara rocking 41 for the Saints). So in the spirit of Titus's article from five years ago, here's some love for the impact players who sport some unorthodox digits.
Grant Sherfield, G, #52, Wichita State
Sherfield is next in the line of bullheaded point guards for the Shockers. Largely considered a fringe top-75 prospect, the freshman entered the season with no expectations--but with his unrelenting on-ball defense, he quickly earned a role playing 20+ minutes a game. When I think of Gregg Marshall and Wichita State, I envision an old school, lunch-pale type of program--the kind of program that would tell a freshman guard you have to earn a number that's more aesthetically pleasing. Well, Sherfield has answered the call. In addition to his defensive gifting, the stocky guard overpowers defenders to score at the rim and also shows off touch to drain a silky floater. A capable facilitator, he ranks 13th in assist percentage in the American Athletic Conference. Here's to hoping he keeps 52 for his entire career. Other notable #52s: Kuba Karwowski (Utah State), Kur Kuath (Oklahoma)
MaCio Teague, G, #31, Baylor
After years of volatile guard play, Scott Drew now has four guys who operate effortlessly off of each other: Jared Butler spearheads the offense, Davion Mitchell serves as the defensive stopper, Devonte Bandoo rains a monsoon of threes off of the bench, and Teague does a little bit of everything else. Despite a low release, Teague can find a rhythm and start hitting from beyond the arc. When he's cooking, he knocks down the long ball both by spotting up and curling off of screens. More impressively, he perfectly perceives the moment, knowing when a three-point bomb can propel momentum and puncture the hopes of his opponent. Teague also finds open teammates, rebounds like someone bigger than 6'3", and fits perfectly into Baylor's switchable defense that excels at both running foes off the three-point line and denying the ball inside. What's wild is that this dude was playing in the Big South two seasons ago (he redshirted last year, per transfer rules). Quick--name a Big South school without looking it up. If you thought of UNC-Asheville, congrats, because Teague started his career in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He went from rocking Teva's and sipping Pernicious IPAs (ok, probably not) to dominating for the nation's best team. Other notable #31s: Kellan Grady (Davidson), Scottie James (Liberty), Nick Rakocevic (Southern California), Nathan Mensah (San Diego State)
Saddiq Bey, F, #41, Villanova
I don't know how Villanova always has an endless supply of big wings/forwards that can drain threes, but as someone who cheers for 322nd best shooting team in the country (sadly not a joke), I'm jealous from now until infinity. Some may have predicted a Bey breakout from his tape last season. As a freshman, he converted on 37.5% of his three-point attempts, averaged just over 8 points per game, and logged the highest offensive rating on the team (123.1) of any Wildcat to play over 1,000 minutes. But due to the arrival of two top-15 prospects in Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Bryan Antoine, I pictured Bey functioning more as an ancillary piece. Yeah, that was a bad assumption. Out of all the spectacular shooters Jay Wright has coached, I'm not sure I've seen one who is better with a hand in his face than Bey. It does not matter how closely you contest his shot. Bey will spray you like he's Miles Morales graffitiing a New York subway tunnel. The sophomore currently averages over 15 points per game, hitting 45% of his shots from long distance. Other notable #41s: Jack White (Duke), Jeriah Horne (Tulsa)
Joey Brunk, F/C, #50, Indiana
Brunk might not be the best player in the country to wear 50 (shout out to Trevion Williams), and 50 might not even be that unique of a jersey number (shout out to David Robinson and Tyler Hansbrough). But the man deserves recognition for flat out epitomizing pure, unadulterated Indiana basketball. Here's one of the best headlines I've seen this season: "Brunk, Blue-Collar Indiana Out-Tough Michigan State." Some notable excerpts: "Brunk loves the weight room more than most college kids love social media." "Indiana has guys who are faster, stronger, taller and more talented than Brunk. Nobody expected Butler to tank after Brunk transferred from the Bulldogs to Indiana last spring. Nobody expects Brunk to play in the NBA. But 19 games into this season it’s reasonable to wonder if Brunk’s blue-collar orneriness is spreading through the locker room of this IU team." "Brunk is an Indiana kid who wanted to play basketball at Indiana. That is a key part of Miller's blueprint for this program." Have a look at his style of play: No flash. No gimmicks. Just focus, fundamentals, and footwork. I have no facts to back up this theory, but there is a 99.9% chance that those three characteristics find their root in multigenerational Larry Bird worship in the Brunk family. Other notable #50s: Trevion Williams (Purdue), Austin Wiley (Auburn), Austin Phyfe (Northern Iowa), Will Baker (Texas)
Luka Garza, F/C, #55, Iowa
In my National Player of the Year post, I waxed poetic about the man with the best eyebrows this side of Luke Maye. So instead of rehashing that, here's something I've noticed about the number 55: its appearance has actually become commonplace in the college game. Almost every game I watch, I notice another guy wearing the double-nickel. For most of the "other notables," I had to dig deep into mid-majors and role players; but that's not the case for this one. Memphis' Precious Achiuwa looks like a lottery pick and leads the nation in defensive rating. Washington has cratered into soot since the suspension of their reliable point guard Quade Green. Michigan projects as a tournament team due in part to the early-season shooting of Eli Brooks. Even North Carolina's Christian Keeling has found a groove, scoring 14 and 13 points, respectively, in contests against Florida State and Duke this past week. Play us out, Sammy! Coming off the bench: Tanner Kuhse, #00, Saint Mary's; Chase Johnson, #40, Dayton; Jacob Young, #42, Rutgers; Tomas Woldentensae, #53, Virginia; Russell Tchewa, #54, Texas Tech |
AuthorRiley Davis Archives
June 2021
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Photo used under Creative Commons from MarsInOrbit