The 2018-2019 college basketball season tips-off in less than a week and this year could be one of the most exciting seasons we have seen in some time. In the past several years the sport has been dominated by stand-out Freshman talent, but what about the guys that stayed an extra year to complete their goal of winning a National Championship or simply coming back to work on their craft?
ACC
Ky Bowman from Boston College comes to find in the 17-18 season he averaged 17.6 PPG, 4.7 APG, 6.8 RPG, while shooting 36.2 percent. The star Junior guard could have turned pro last year but decided to come back to peruse a potential NCAA tournament bid, which would be the Eagles first appearance since 2009. Expect Bowman to be a top 5 scorer in the ACC as he was last year.
Luke Maye from UNC is another guy to watch out for this year. Last year the star-studded forward averaged a double-double with 16.9 PPG, 10.1 RPG, while shooting 43 percent from 3 and 50 percent from the field. The Senior returnee has big expectations this year as Sports Illustrated named him the Preseason ACC player of the year and the Associated Press named him to the Preseason All-American First Team.
Big 12
Jarrett Culver from Texas Tech might be one of the most underrated players in the country. Last year he averaged 11.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.1 SPG, while shooting 38.2 percent from 3. Culver also helped the Red Raiders go to the Elite for the first time in program history. Culver last year was one of the best defensive players in the Big 12 he was 2nd in Defensive rating at 93.4 and 3rd in Defensive Win Shares at 2.3. Tech lost a lot of talent from a year ago but expect him to produce big numbers as the Red Raiders go dancing for 2nd year in a row.
Dean Wade/ Barry Barry Brown Jr from the Kansas State Wildcats are one of the best duo’s in the country. These two senior studs have K-State as Final Four contenders this season and are predicted to finish 2nd in the Big 12. Last year Wade averaged 16.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.5 SPG while shooting 55 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3. Brown Jr also had a great season, last year he put up 15.9 PPG, 1.8 SPG, 3.2 APG. Expect these two great players to have K-State make a deep run in March and return the Wildcats to their first Final Four appearance since 1964.
Big Ten
Carsen Edwards from Purdue is one of the best players in the country. Last year he brought home the Jerry West Award which awarded to the nation’s best Shooting Guard. In 17-18 Edwards averaged 18.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.8 APG, while shooting 40.6 percent from 3. Also, was ranked in the top 10 in Player Efficiency rating, Effective Field Goal percentage and was top 3 in Win Shares and Offensive Box Plus/Minus in the Big Ten.
James Palmer from Nebraska is also one of the most underrated players in the nation. The 6’5 200-pound Shooting Guard averaged 17.2 PPG, 3 APG, and 4.4 RPG last season. Palmer was first in the Big Ten in free throws made/attempted, and was 5th in PPG. Nebraska has had a sup-par history in the NCAA tournament only making it 7 times in its programs history and its most recent appearance was in 2014. Expect Palmer to lead the charge and send Husker nation dancing this season.
Pac-12
Kris Wilkes/Jaylen Hands from UCLA both decided to take their names out of the NBA draft and come back to school. These two former McDonalds All-Americans have something to prove this season as they lead the Bruins in a down year for the Pac-12. Last year Wilkes averaged 13.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 1.7 APG and Hands put up 9.9 PPG, 2.6 APG, 3.4 RPG, while shooting 37.4 percent from 3. Sports Illustrated has the Bruins finishing 2nd in the Pac-12, but they will go as far as these two can carry them. UCLA has a lot of talent coming in, but don’t be surprised if these two future NBA draftees make a run in the post-season.
SEC
Grant Williams from Tennessee had a break-out year last season earning him the SEC player of the year award. Williams averaged 15.2 PPG, 6 RPG and was ranked in the top 10 in Win Shares, Player Efficiency Rating, and Box Plus/Minus in the SEC. Williams propelled the Volunteers to its first tournament appearance since 2014 and they predicted to finish 2nd in the SEC this year by Sports Illustrated. Last season was unforeseen but the Volunteers bring back their two best players and have high expectations in Knoxville.
Daniel Gafford from the University of Arkansas is one of the best players in the SEC and has NBA written all over him. Last season Gafford averaged 11.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG, while shooting 60.5 percent from the field. He ranked 1st in block percentage at 11.5, 2nd in BPG at 2.2 and 4th in Player Efficiency Rating in the SEC. Currently the Razorbacks are predicted to finished in the bottom 4 in the SEC, but expect Gafford to contribute to their win totals and become a 1st team All-SEC this year.
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