Player of the Week
[player: Kalib Boone], F, Oklahoma State
Kalib Boone has stepped up massively in the absence of the Cowboys best player Moussa Cisse who has missed the last two games. Boone dropped 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a loss against Texas while also swatting 6 shots. He was equally impressive on the road against K-State putting up 23 points with 3 rebounds an assist and 2 blocks and 2 steals. While the Cowboys list both games Boone shined and with Cisse returning soon Oklahoma State could start to grab some wins.
Who’s Hot
Markquis Nowell, G, Kansas State
The Markquis Nowell hype train has officially left the station. Nowell has taken his game to an unreal level in Big 12 play so far this season. Nowell was the difference maker in the Wildcats OT upset of Baylor on Saturday. He dropped 32 points and dished out 14 assists in the win. He didn’t stop there though as he put up another strong performance against Oklahoma State. He went for 20 points while dishing out 7 assists and grabbing 5 rebounds. He also added two steals in the Wildcats big win.
Kansas State Wildcats
It’s been an absolute dream start for the Wildcats so far. Picked by many to finish dead last in the Big 12, Kansas State is proving everyone wrong so far starting out 4-0 in the Big 12 and have themselves up to 11th in the AP poll. They’ve knocked off three ranked Big 12 teams in West Virginia, Baylor, and Texas and look like the best team in the conference. We’ve already talked about senior leader Markquis Nowell, but Keyonte Johnson can’t be forgotten. He’s the one that actually leads the Wildcats in scoring with 18.4 points per game as well as rebounding averaging 7 a game. I am fully on the K-State hype train they are incredibly fun to watch and I hope their run continues because a K-State vs Kansas matchup for first place would be insane.
Jalen Hill, F, Oklahoma
Grant Sherfield has done most of the scoring for the Sooners this year, but Hill has taken over that role in the past week. Hill had a great day against Iowa State scoring 16 while grabbing 6 boards and dishing out 3 assists. He then one upped that performance by scoring 18 points and grabbing 9 boards in a win over Texas Tech. Oklahoma has been a little one dimensional on offense with Sherfield doing all of the scoring so Hill stepping up like this is a good sign for the Sooners.
Who’s Not
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech continues to underwhelm this season. They’ve started out Big 12 play 0-4 and it won’t get any easier as their next three games are against Baylor, Texas, and Kansas State. If 0-4 turns into 0-7 the Red Raiders tournament hopes will be in serious jeopardy
Dillon Mitchell, F, Texas Longhorns
Dillon Mitchell was one of the top freshmen in last year’s class, but he hasn’t really impressed me much so far. He hasn’t been horrible, but he certainly hasn’t lived up to the hype coming out of high school. Barring some major improvement, I think it would be best for Mitchell to return to Texas instead of going to the NBA draft in the summer. Mitchell is an insane athlete and I think that the talent is definitely there but I think he’s just going to need some more time before he is NBA ready.
5 Most Exciting Players to Watch
Markquis Nowell, G, Kansas State
I already talked about Nowell as the player of the week but he 100% belongs on this list as well. Nowell is so much fun to watch because of the energy he plays with. The super senior is only 5’ 8” but isn’t afraid of anybody. He is constantly attacking the rim and finishing through contact. He also has insane range and pulls up from deep all the time. He reminds me a lot of Kemba Walker when he was at UConn not just because of their play styles but the leadership and heart they show on the floor.
Keyonte George, G, Baylor
Baylor’s star freshman is an absolute offensive weapon. George will no doubt be a first round pick this summer so college fans should enjoy watching him now before he leaves. George can shoot well from anywhere on the floor as well as attack the rim. What I think makes him so fun to watch though is how well he moves. He doesn’t have insane blow by speed or hops that launch him out of the building, but he always looks smooth and perfectly in control with the ball. While not as strong on the defensive end yet he reminds me a lot of Paul George.
Mike Miles Jr, G, TCU
Another one of the conference’s top scorers Mike Miles is having the best offensive season of his college career. Another elite scorer Miles is lightning fast and is able to beat defenders off the dribble with ease. His pull up game is also very strong which makes him an even more dangerous scorer. He’s a bit undersized by NBA standards at 6’ 2” but his game is perfect for the college level. He reminds me a lot of guys like Myles Powell and Markus Howard who were both great high scoring guards in college but who’s games didn’t translate well to the NBA.
Gradey Dick, G, Kansas
Another highly recruited freshman Dick has lived up to the hype so far at Kansas. Dick will also likely be a first round pick in the summer but plays a very different game than the other freshman on this list Keyonte George. Dick is an absolute sharpshooter and one of the best three point shooters in the country. Watching him put on a show from deep has been really fun to watch so far this season and I think he could get even better as the season goes on.
Dajuan Harris, G, Kansas
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I absolutely love watching Dajuan Harris play. Harris is best known for his passing, but he brings a lot more than that to the table. Harris is also one of the Jayhawks best defenders. Undersized at 6’ 1” he plays a lot bigger than that with a massive 6’ 6” wingspan and it shows on defense as he is so hard to get past. He also averages over 2 steals per game. Harris runs the offense for the Jayhawks as well and is always so sure with the ball in his hands and rarely turns it over. Harris is also showing improvement as a scorer this season which should help raise his NBA stock.