AP Top 25: Arizona, Alabama, Duke
Soldiering on with the AP Top 25...
10. Arizona Wildcat point guard Mustapha Shakur's career in Tucson probably hasn't turned out the way he envisioned it. He's been a solid player for coach Lute Olson, but hasn't quite lived up to his press clippings, and threw his hat into the NBA draft ring despite a rather pedestrian junior season in which he showed little improvement from the year before.
He withdrew his name, however, and returns for his senior year as a major key to Arizona's success. Hassan Adams and Chris Rodgers have graduated, and despite losing a lot of points and rebounds, the Cats are perhaps better off -- Rodgers was constantly in and out of Olson's doghouse, and Adams had his share of discplinary and even legal problems. Ivan Radenovic, Marcus Williams, and Chase Budinger -- who Olson reportedly has said is the most talented player he's ever brought to U of A -- should provide plenty of production. Shakur's job will be to play within the system and make sure everything runs smoothly.
It's not a given. Shakur has appeared unhappy at times in his career, and the temptation will be there to try to do too much to bolster his pro stock. That's something that the Wildcats can't afford.
11. Alabama Ronald Steele is another point guard who withdrew his name from the 2005 draft and decided to return for another season. Whereas Shakur seems to be looking for any way to get off of campus, however, Steele appeared to be just testing the waters. He doesn't carry the chip on his shoulder that his counterpart at Arizona does, and so his return is categorically a good thing.
Steele broke out as a sophomore, nearly doubling his scoring average to 14.3, while average nearly four rebounds and better than four assists per game. His return, paired with that of Jermareo Davidson, a power forward who decided to come back for his senior season, gives Alabama something few teams in America have: a true inside-outside offense. Steele is an all-America candidate at the lead guard spot, and Davidson can more than hold his own in an SEC filled with strong power players.
The Crimson Tide are a unique squad in that they only return five players from a year ago, and yet they are being touted by many as a potential Final Four team. That speaks volumes about Steele and Davidson.
12. Duke If you're looking for a player who few are talking about but who is primed for a stellar season, try Duke's DeMarcus Nelson. I believe the 6'3" junior never fully recovered from an injury suffered in the second week of the season that cost him ten games. That injury may have cost the Devils a national championship, as it further shrunk Coach K's notoriously short rotation, leaving J.J. Redick out of gas by the end of the year. Nelson is the third scorer the Devils needed last year, but he seemed out of rhythm after the injury.
Nonetheless, he managed to average seven points last year, and with Redick gone, he could more than double it this campaign. Throwing a monkey wrench into the works is that sophomore point guard Greg Paulus will miss the first few weeks of the season, at least, with a broken bone in his foot. Coach K has handed primary ballhandling responsibilities in practice to freshman Jon Scheyer, and has said he's hesitant to have Nelson run the point -- even though he's capable of it -- because he doesn't want to mess with his game. If Nelson has to bring the ball up and initiate the offense, it may disrupt his scoring rhythm. Scheyer's ability to be the lead guard right off the bat may be a big key to getting Nelson off to a good start -- a necessity for Duke's season.
10. Arizona Wildcat point guard Mustapha Shakur's career in Tucson probably hasn't turned out the way he envisioned it. He's been a solid player for coach Lute Olson, but hasn't quite lived up to his press clippings, and threw his hat into the NBA draft ring despite a rather pedestrian junior season in which he showed little improvement from the year before.
He withdrew his name, however, and returns for his senior year as a major key to Arizona's success. Hassan Adams and Chris Rodgers have graduated, and despite losing a lot of points and rebounds, the Cats are perhaps better off -- Rodgers was constantly in and out of Olson's doghouse, and Adams had his share of discplinary and even legal problems. Ivan Radenovic, Marcus Williams, and Chase Budinger -- who Olson reportedly has said is the most talented player he's ever brought to U of A -- should provide plenty of production. Shakur's job will be to play within the system and make sure everything runs smoothly.
It's not a given. Shakur has appeared unhappy at times in his career, and the temptation will be there to try to do too much to bolster his pro stock. That's something that the Wildcats can't afford.
11. Alabama Ronald Steele is another point guard who withdrew his name from the 2005 draft and decided to return for another season. Whereas Shakur seems to be looking for any way to get off of campus, however, Steele appeared to be just testing the waters. He doesn't carry the chip on his shoulder that his counterpart at Arizona does, and so his return is categorically a good thing.
Steele broke out as a sophomore, nearly doubling his scoring average to 14.3, while average nearly four rebounds and better than four assists per game. His return, paired with that of Jermareo Davidson, a power forward who decided to come back for his senior season, gives Alabama something few teams in America have: a true inside-outside offense. Steele is an all-America candidate at the lead guard spot, and Davidson can more than hold his own in an SEC filled with strong power players.
The Crimson Tide are a unique squad in that they only return five players from a year ago, and yet they are being touted by many as a potential Final Four team. That speaks volumes about Steele and Davidson.
12. Duke If you're looking for a player who few are talking about but who is primed for a stellar season, try Duke's DeMarcus Nelson. I believe the 6'3" junior never fully recovered from an injury suffered in the second week of the season that cost him ten games. That injury may have cost the Devils a national championship, as it further shrunk Coach K's notoriously short rotation, leaving J.J. Redick out of gas by the end of the year. Nelson is the third scorer the Devils needed last year, but he seemed out of rhythm after the injury.
Nonetheless, he managed to average seven points last year, and with Redick gone, he could more than double it this campaign. Throwing a monkey wrench into the works is that sophomore point guard Greg Paulus will miss the first few weeks of the season, at least, with a broken bone in his foot. Coach K has handed primary ballhandling responsibilities in practice to freshman Jon Scheyer, and has said he's hesitant to have Nelson run the point -- even though he's capable of it -- because he doesn't want to mess with his game. If Nelson has to bring the ball up and initiate the offense, it may disrupt his scoring rhythm. Scheyer's ability to be the lead guard right off the bat may be a big key to getting Nelson off to a good start -- a necessity for Duke's season.
posted by H.S. Slam, Ph.D at 11:22 PM
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