Player of The Week
Keyontae Johnson, F, Kansas State Wildcats
What a year it has been for Keyontae Johnson. After collapsing mid game while he was at the University of Florida two years ago, Johnson being back, by itself, is an incredible story. But what Johnson has meant to this Wildcats team has been absolutely incredible. He leads the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding and he had an absolutely incredible week. Johnson and the Wildcats started out the week on a rough note losing to TCU by 14. Johnson was outstanding though scoring 18 points and grabbing 9 rebounds. Johnson followed up that performance with another incredible game against bitter rivals Kansas. Johnson scored 24 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, provided 2 assists along with a block and 2 steals. He was the one who sealed the win for the Wildcats when he threw down and ally-oop from Markquise Nowell to take the lead with under 10 seconds to go. He’s 22 years old which is old for NBA prospect standards which might scare some teams, but you could argue if he hadn’t had his heart problems, he would’ve been drafted two years ago. While clearly a great talent it will be interesting to see how NBA teams view Johnson on draft night.
Who’s Hot
Jalen Wilson, F, Kansas Jayhawks
While Zach Edey may be the favorite for the Wooden Award, I think Jalen Wilson is his biggest threat. He has been amazing for the Jayhawks and has replaced all the scoring they lost when Ochai Agbaji left for the NBA over the summer. He’s scoring just under 21 points per game with 8.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He went absolutely insane against Kansas State on Tuesday when he went for a career high 38 points and 9 rebounds. Wilson has raised his draft stock more than anyone in college basketball this season and I think has cemented himself as a first round pick at this point.
Keyonte George, G, Baylor Bears
Every time I watch Keyonte George play, I leave even more impressed by what he can do on offense. He is a true three level scorer and just looks so confident with the ball in his hands and I think he is going to be a special player in the NBA. He’s averaging 22 points in Big 12 play which leads the conference and also is top 15 in rebounding and assists. While not an elite defender yet he is definitely above average and if he can improve that part of his game, I don’t think there is a single team in the NBA that wouldn’t want him.
KJ Adams Jr, F, Kansas Jayhawks
Adams has come out of nowhere to be a surprise difference maker for the Jayhawks early on this season. A staple of Bill Self’s teams over the past several years have been the imposing big man who is able to just bully people in the paint on both ends of the floor. But Udoka Azubuike and David McCormack who have held those roles in past years are gone and it was hard to see who would fill that role for the Jayhawks this season. At just 6’ 7” Adams doesn’t exactly fit that role, but he has been stellar in the middle this year. He’s averaging just over 11 points per game along with 4.5 rebounds and 2 assists. He’s not the big physical defender that Azubuike or McCormack were for Kansas but he’s much better on the offensive end of the floor and is more than capable of defending in the paint.
Who’s Not
Kevin McCullar, F, Kansas Jayhawks
The Texas Tech transfer started off the year really strong for the Jayhawks but has hit a bit of an offensive slump lately. McCullar averaged 12 points per game during non-conference play, but that number has dropped to just 7 since Big 12 play started. He was even shut out completely in a crucial rivalry game against Kansas State. McCullar is still great defensively and is a force on the glass, but he is starting to become a liability on offense. While his draft ceiling is probably only around the middle of the second round if McCullar can’t turn his offensive play around he may drop into undrafted territory.
Daniel Batcho, C, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Batcho is another player that was fantastic in non-conference play but has disappeared since conference play started. Batcho started the year averaging 13.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. But then came Big 12 play and those numbers dropped to 3.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Batcho is only a sophomore so unlike McCullar he still has time to develop but if he wants to go to the NBA this year, he will need to find his early season form again. Coach Mark Adams will be hoping for that too as Texas Tech has had a nightmare 0-5 start in Big 12 play.
Top 5 Defenders (Guards Edition)
1. Dajuan Harris Jr, G, Kansas Jayhawks
Harris plays such a key role for the Jayhawks as he often takes on opponent’s top guards on defense. He’s only 6’ 1” but he plays so much bigger thanks to his 6’ 6” wingspan. This allows him to guard players bigger than him but also means he’s much faster and more agile than a lot of bigger guards. You don’t need to look any further than last night’s game against Kansas State to see how good Harris is. He was matched up against one of the conference top scorers Markquis Nowell for most of the game and was able to hold him to just 4 points.
2. Caleb Grill/Jaren Holmes/Gabe Kalscheur/Tamin Lipsey, G, Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State is one of the best defensive teams in the country and a big reason for that is their group of guards. All four belong on this list but I didn’t want 4/5 players being from the same team so I’m listing them all together. The seniors, Grill, Holmes, and Kalscheur are built similarly at 6’ 4” and between 194-207 pounds. Lipsey, a freshman, is a little smaller at 6’ 2” and 190 pounds. The four are limiting opposing teams to just 29% behind the three point line and help the team inside the top 10 in steals per game averaging just over 10 a game. The three seniors aren’t exactly on NBA draft radars, but Holmes and Kalscheur provide enough on the offensive end to maybe play their way into the second round or end up as a free agent pickup after the draft. Lipsey is a long way away from being NBA ready but has a lot more upside. He won a gold medal with the USA U16 team in the 2019 FIBA Americas Championship alongside stars like Jabari Smith, Jalen Duren, and Amari Bailey so he has played with the best before, but it remains to be seen what his true ceiling is.
3, De’Vion Harmon, G, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Similar to Dajuan Harris, Harmon is another undersized guard with a long wingspan that helps him play bigger than he actually is. Harmon was a top 50 recruit coming out of high school but now in his senior year he hasn’t exactly lived up to the hype. That isn’t to say he hasn’t been good though. He has the talent to be a NBA draft pick and could end up going in the second round but I think his size may scare teams away leading to him becoming a UDFA.
4, Gradey Dick, G, Kansas Jayhawks
The Jayhawks star freshman is known more for his shooting than his defense, but I think he’s surprised a lot of people with how well he has defended. He’s 6’ 8” and you could argue that he is actually a forward, but he’s listed as a guard, and I think will end up playing the 2 in the NBA. Either way he’s got great size and moves very well for someone that big. He’s also a very underrated rebounder and isn’t afraid to jump with anyone for a board. I’m not sure if his defense will translate to the NBA against faster and stronger competition but if it does a team is going to have a jumbo version of a Klay Thompson or Joe Harris like player.
5. Mike Miles Jr, G, TCU Horned Frogs
Another player known more for his scoring than his defense Mike Miles was a guy that could have left for the NBA after last season but chose to come back to TCU and improve his game. While he’s continued to impress with his scoring and playmaking, I think that his defense is what has shown the most improvement so far this year. His size limits who he can matchup with, but he’s got a solid frame and is extremely fast. The size will be a concern for NBA teams but he is a good defender and he’s got enough offensive upside that someone will want to take a chance on him.