Player of the Week:
Markquis Nowell, G, Kansas State Wildcats
What a week for Markquis Nowell and the Wildcats. Nowell opened up Big 12 play with a statement going off in a win against West Virginia. Nowell scored 23 points to go along with 10 assists 3 rebounds and 7 steals. Then Nowell went absolutely nuts in a massive upset win on the road against 6th-ranked Texas. He went off for 36 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals. The monster offensive day came against Texas who are one of the best defensive teams in the country. Nowell is a lightning-fast guard who is confident handling the ball and always seems to know where the open man is. His size is going to be a problem for NBA teams as he is only 5’ 8” but there is no doubt Nowell is one of the most skilled guards in the country.
Who’s Hot:
Tre Mitchell, F, West Virginia Mountaineers
Mitchell continued his strong season this week with two strong performances for West Virginia. In the Big 12 opener, Mitchell put up 16 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. A few days later he put up 16 again against Oklahoma State while grabbing 7 rebounds adding a block and 2 steals. While these performances didn’t translate to wins for the Mountaineers, Mitchell has been really impressive and has done a lot to raise his draft stock.
Dajuan Harris Jr, G, Kansas Jayhawks
DaJuan Harris is the unsung hero of this Kansas team. Players like Gradey Dick, Jalen Wilson, and Kevin McCullar get a lot of the spotlight, but DaJuan Harris is one of the best setup guys in the country. In Kansas’ comeback win over Oklahoma State, Harris dished out 9 assists and pulled down 3 rebounds while also contributing 6 points. In last night’s game against Texas Tech, it was Harris’s scoring that was the difference. Harris put up a season-high 18 points going 5-5 from 3-point range. Harris has proven himself as a passer and a solid ball handler but this increase in scoring could be what he needs to land himself on NBA team’s radar maybe not for this upcoming draft but in 2024.
Who’s Not:
West Virginia Mountaineers:
The Mountaineers had an impressive start to the season that had gotten them up to 24th in the AP Poll. However, they have started slowly in their first two Big 12 games. They fell on the road to Kansas State 82-76 and then lost on the road to Oklahoma State a few days later 67-60. While there are no easy games in the Big 12 this year, Oklahoma State is a team that West Virginia should have been able to beat. Turnovers and poor three-point shooting seem to be the downfall of this team right now. They have turned the ball over almost 6 more times than their season average and have shot almost 10% worse from three. Things will not get any easier for Bob Huggins and his team as 4 of their next 5 games will come against top 25 opponents and the one non-ranked opponent will be a tough road test against Oklahoma.
Osun Osunniyi, C, Iowa State Cyclones
Osunniyi was one of the bigger names in the transfer portal this offseason after being a key piece at St Bonaventure for the last four seasons. He tested the NBA draft waters for a little bit before transferring to Iowa State. This season has not been his best, however. His numbers have fallen in literally every category other than free throw percentage. His minutes have been cut since the start of the season dropping from around 19 minutes a game in the first 5 of the season down to about 13.5 in the last 5 games this season. He’s been able to average at least 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in his first four years but that is down to just 2.9 rebounds and 0.5 blocks this season. Those were Osunniyi’s two biggest strengths and with them taking a downturn his NBA stock may be in trouble.
Top 5 Shot Blockers in the Big 12
Moussa Cisse, C, Oklahoma State Cowboys
The reigning Big 12 defensive player of the year it’s no surprise that Cisse is number one on this list. Cisse is not just one of the best paint protectors in the conference but in the entire country. Cisse has a 7’ 5” wingspan which has helped him average 2.7 blocks a game this year. Cisse is a big reason why Oklahoma State has so much success defending the paint. They rank 14th in the country in interior defense limiting opponents to just 42.6% on two-point shots. Cisse is far from a typical NBA center, but his defensive ability will keep him on some NBA team’s radar hoping that they can develop Cisse into a more modern center on the offensive end of the floor.
Daniel Batcho, C, Texas Tech Red Raiders
The French sophomore has taken a big step forward on both sides of the floor this season. Batcho is the anchor for this Red Raiders team on defense. At 6’ 11” Batcho is an imposing presence in the paint. He is averaging 1.8 blocks a game Batcho is probably a more complete player than Cisse although not quite as strong on the defensive end. Batcho is a more complete NBA prospect because he’s shown the ability to step out and shoot jump shots every once in a while. While a small sample size Batcho is 3 for 4 on three-pointers this season. His interior game is of course his strength both on offense and defense, but he may have that extra threat in his game.
Jalen Bridges, F, Baylor Bears
The West Virginia transfer has played a key role for the Bears this season. The team relies on a trio of guards all under 6’ 4” so Bridges’ size and speed at 6’ 7” is key to the Baylor defense. Bridges has turned away 1.2 shots a game on average which leads the team. A year ago, Bridges would have been considered a top 3 and D prospect but unfortunately, his three-point shooting has fallen off a cliff this season. A career 36.7% three-point shooter in his first two seasons’ Bridges is shooting just 17.5% this year. Getting that number back up to where it usually is will help put Bridges back on NBA teams’ radar. To his credit, he has improved offensively in other ways. Bridges has shown the ability to run the floor and score in transition as well as finish around the rim.
Fardaws Aimaq, C, Texas Tech Red Raiders
While he hasn’t played yet this season Aimaq has proven himself more than capable of protecting the paint. Aimaq spent the last two seasons at Utah Valley University and was one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal. In his two years there he averaged 1.7 and 1.3 blocks per game. Aimaq is taking a large step up in competition coming from Utah Valley to Texas Tech but if he proves himself at this level, he will almost definitely draw some NBA interest. Aimaq is a strong scorer in the post and also excels as a rebounder. That combined with his ability on the defensive end of the floor could make him a very capable NBA player.
Zuby Ejiofor, F, Kansas Jayhawks
Ejiofor has not been a key contributor for the Jayhawks in his Freshman season but in the little time he has played, he has impressed as a paint protector. He only plays about 6 and a half minutes per game but averages just under a block per game at 0.8. Having him on this list so early in his career may be a stretch but if he keeps playing at this level and producing those kinds of block numbers, he could be number one on this list.