I am thankful for many things, such as my family, my health, my opportunity to serve my country and of course my friends. I am also grateful for the sport of basketball. I am especially grateful when basketball is being played at a high level, the way it has been played for the last few weeks during the early portion of the college season. Through the first month of the season we as fans have been treated to a smorgasbord (MONEY WORD!) of amazing play. While November is usually the meat of both the college football and NFL season, the outstanding play of a handful of promising young talents has captured the attention of many.
Jabari Parker
Andrew Wiggins
Julius Randle
Aaron Gordon
Joel Embiid
Those are the names of freshmen. They are also the names of the top ranked prospects currently playing in college basketball. They are the names of the five individuals that if healthy come seasons end, will certainly highlight a loaded NBA draft class. Both Jabari Parker (22 ppg/8 Rebs) and Julius Randle (20 ppg/13 Rebs) have outright destroyed the competition. Neither seems to be phased by the attention they have received from the media or the opposing teams. They have delivered every time out thus far. Andrew Wiggins (16 ppg/6 Rebs) looks as composed and explosive as many predicted he would, while Embiid (8 ppg/ 8 Rebs) and Gordon (13 ppg/9 Ast) have remained in their lane and operated efficiently around the basket.
This potential draft class also includes sophomore sensations Marcus Smart (20 ppg/3.5 Ast), Mitch McGary (9 ppg/7 Rebs), Kyle Anderson (10 ppg/ 8 Ast/ 9 Rebs) and Gary Harris (17 ppg/4 Rebs). It will also include seasoned veteran Doug McDermott (25.7/5 Rebs), quite possible the heir apparent to Dirk Nowitzki, as a big man that can flat out shoot. This class has the potential to rival the 84, 96 and 03 Draft Classes, which included Michael Jordan (84) Hakeem Olajuwon (84), Allen Iverson (96), Kobe Bryant (96), LeBron James (03) and Dwyane Wade (03). This class could yield as many as 12 future NBA All Stars and a hand full of hall of famers.
Over the course of the last month all of the aforementioned players have managed to not only live up to the hype, they are destroying it. Which should make for a entertaining rest of the season. I only mentioned the premier players, several others are also simultaneously climbing up in to the national spotlight and NBA draft board. Players such as Michigan's Nik Stauskas (20 ppg/3 Ast) and Duke's Rodney Hood (21 ppg/ 4 Rebs) can get overshadowed by their more famous teammates, but are both top notch talents as well. This season appears to not only be about the greatness of individual players, but the impressive teams they all belong to.
The race for the National title is wide open right now. If I were to choose a Final Four based off of what I have seen, Michigan State, Duke, Oklahoma State and Louisville are the early favorites. They can't rest on their bums though, because Kansas, Arizona and Kentucky are all right there too. The Elite programs are back in the national spotlight for all the right reasons, with talented players. If they can all put it together, we will be in for a treat.
If November is any indication of what we have to look forward to, we may end up with the most difficult decision for National Player of the Year, college basketball has seen in decades. We may also see one of the best tournaments ever. Unlike in certain seasons where marquee players can sometimes find themselves playing on average teams, every elite talent is playing for a team that is either expected to win their conference title or at least compete for it. All of that, combined with the constant auditions for bright lights of the NBA and we are on the verge of something historic.
Enjoy Your Turkey Day and be sure to partake of the Basketball Feast.
Draft Fanatic.
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