The college basketball season is just getting started, but the talent of several of the nation’s top players is evident. Which players are going to rise above the rest and land on the top tier of the All-America teams? There are the best five candidates:
Devonte Graham, Kansas Jayhawks
The two-guard last season while Frank Mason ran the point for Kansas, Graham is taking on a lot of responsibility by agreeing to move to point guard. His teammates will need to help him some with ballhandling duties, but as long as Graham doesn’t get too overloaded or overwhelmed with ballhandling, he should be able to do all the things he excels at. He is a capable shooter, an energetic transition force, and most of all, an elite defender with ample experience in college. Few players in the country will be smarter at both ends of the floor, and fewer players will be better leaders than Graham should be for Kansas. The Jayhawks have already beaten Kentucky this season, and Graham’s defense was not a merely peripheral part of the project. Graham won’t be a statistical monster, but he will be one of the most influential players in college basketball.
Marvin Bagley, Duke Blue Devils
The dynamic athleticism, the overwhelming length near the basket as a rim-protecting defender, the explosive game which translates into so many components of basketball, and the coaching of Mike Krzyzewski should all combine to make Bagley one of the more lethal big men in college basketball and – by January – an unholy terror who rules the Atlantic Coast Conference despite being a freshman. No player has more upside than this one, or at least a lot of NBA Draft experts are likely to say. Bagley will also not get too much attention from opposing defenses because the other teammates on his Duke roster will draw their fair share of attention.
Miles Bridges, Michigan State Spartans
The man who shocked a lot of experts by deciding to come back for a sophomore season was widely regarded as being a lottery pick if he had left school last year. Bridges has a good handle, above-average shot, noticeable physicality, and positional versatility. He has a good basketball IQ in service of a specimen’s body under the guidance of legendary Tom Izzo. All the ingredients are there for Bridges to flourish, much in the same way Bagley can thrive at Duke on a similarly loaded roster.
Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
This is not the most athletic guy. This is not the guy with the big vertical leap or the incredible length or the towering size or the dazzling quickness with an ability to play above the rim. Colson doesn’t do any of those things. He knows where to be on the court. He uses footwork and body positioning to get rebounds and close off drives by opposing players. He has a crafty low-post game and a very good three-point shot. Colson frustrates opponents with his intelligence and work ethic. He beats opponents to spots and always seems to know what other players will do half a second before they make the move.
Grayson Allen, Duke Blue Devils
The man who threw down 37 points on Tuesday against Michigan State is primed for a huge year of big shots, big plays, crunch-time success, and an ACC championship for Duke. If the Blue Devils reach their expectations, Allen getting first-team All-America will be a lock.
We’ve already see the value that Allen brings to the table. Not only did he have the 37-point outburst against Michigan State, he also scored 18 against Utah Valley and 22 against Elon. On the season, he’s averaging 25.7 points per game, 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists while hitting at least four three-pointers in every contest. He looks like a player that has matured from last year’s antics. If he keeps it up and stays away from the shenanigans (read: tripping, tantrums, etc.) he’ll be one of the first team All-Americans this year.
The 2018 March Madness futures are out. There has been plenty of news to keep up with in the offseason but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest college basketball betting lines right here.
