The college basketball season has finally arrived. No more speculation, no more practice notes. It’s all about opening day on Friday, as the best players in the country begin to show their skills and integrate their talents into their teams. Which players are in position to be great not just in the first several weeks of the season, but throughout January and February and then into March Madness? Here are the shooting guards which should stand tall in the backcourt.
Grayson Allen – Duke
The player who has been a magnet for controversies due to tripping multiple opponents over the past few seasons is nevertheless a silky-smooth scorer who glides easily around the court and puts a lot of pressure on an opposing defense. Allen can slither through tight spaces with a thin and responsive physical frame. He possesses good instincts and, after a season of being in the media spotlight for the wrong reasons, might be ready to play at a higher level, intent on silencing his critics while also avoiding needless sideshows. Allen should be able to play well this season, surrounded by high-end talent and knowing a lot more about how to handle himself in the bright-light world of major college basketball. If last season was a step back, this should be a step forward.
The Blue Devils have had a very easy start to the season as they’ve played Marist and Grand Canyon so far (winning both games handily). Things are about to get far more interesting when they take on No. 3 Kansas on Tuesday in one of the biggest games of the young college basketball season.
Josh Hart – Villanova
The nimble and intelligent Hart has so many of the qualities Allen does. The only slight question is that with a lot of Villanova’s production now gone from last season’s team – chiefly point guard Ryan Arcidiacono and big man Daniel Ochefu – Hart might not be quite as ready to take over games as Allen. However, that seems like nitpicking at this point. Hart definitely has an understanding of where to be on the floor. He put himself in the right spots at the right times for Villanova last season, en route to the national championship. He is a trustworthy player, someone who should be able to make personal adjustments and thrive on the court.
De’Aaron Fox – Kentucky
Unlike Allen and Hart, Fox is a first-year player. Kentucky’s first-year players were solid but not spectacular last season, leading to a loss before the Sweet 16, an unusually early exit for the Wildcats. Fox is going to be looked to as the answer to the Wildcats’ limitations, the man who can take this team back to the Final Four. Only time will tell, but enough people believe in Fox to rate Kentucky as a top-five team in preseason polls. That says something in itself.
The Wildcats got their college basketball season started with a very easy win over Stephen F. Austin. Their next game will also be an easy one – a matchup with Canisius – before they get their first challenge of the season. They’ll square off with No. 12 Michigan State on Tuesday night in one of the biggest early games of the year. Fox will have to shine for the Wildcats to get the win.
Jalen Adams – Connecticut
This is a player who is best known for hitting a 70-foot shot to save Connecticut from defeat in the American Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinals against Cincinnati last March. Connecticut eventually won the game in overtime and made the NCAA Tournament. Had the Huskies not won that game, they might not have reached March Madness. In terms of the daily flow of the season, though, Adams was very inconsistent. He’s hoping to put the pieces together this season, and with a bright young coach in Kevin Ollie guiding him, the chances of meaningful growth are pretty good.
Tyler Dorsey – Oregon
The Ducks are a Final Four contender this college basketball season, and that’s because they have some dynamic players. Dillon Brooks is one, and Dorsey is the other. The fact that Dorsey has Brooks as a teammate means he’ll get his fair share of scoring opportunities. Defenses have to be mindful of Brooks, so Dorsey will get ample chances to break down defenders in one-on-one situations.
Oregon will get their first big test of the season with a visit to Baylor in their next outing. We’ll see if Dorsey can carry them to a big win on the road.
