[JNixonParticipant]

#5: Kansas State Wildcats

Frontcourt- The best player in the fold is 6’9 235 Sr. PF/C Curtis Kelly (11.5 ppg, 6 rpg, 2 bpg in 25.4 mpg). Kelly, a UConn transfer, played well last season and looks to breakout a bit more next year. He has a big wingspan, very soft touch, the ability to stretch and make 18 foot shots, great shot-blocking skills, nice presence on post D, and the ability to make some nice moves down low. He has a variety of hooks down low that are unblockable, and sometimes shows intriguing flashes of counter moves. He, like the rest of K-States bigs, needs to work on post D WITHOUT fouling. He also can let situations on the floor get into his head, is mediocre on the glass, and he should improve his lower body strength. Still, I expect Kelly to get 15 ppg and 8 rpg, with another 2 bpg. The starting C will likely be 6’10 280 JUCO transfer Freddy Asprilla. After watching footage of him in some (open gym) workouts, I can put to rest the worries of him being another Luis Colon. He’s pretty skilled offensively and he lets everything come to him. He can face up and make 15 footers, and he has back to basket skills too. He’s not athletic, but he’s big enough for it not to matter much. Look for him to be an 11 ppg, 5 rpg guy as a newcomer. Jordan Henriquez-Roberts will see limited time once again at the C spot. He’s mostly too weak to be effective for more than 5 minute spurts, but he can block shots some. In the PF rotation also will be the 09-10 Big 12 6th Man of the Year Jamar Samuels and ballyhooed Soph. Wally Judge. Samuels is a nice talent, as he’s an athletic and long combo forward who can drain the 3, provide a mismatch down low with his length and quickness, and he can switch anything in P-N-R defense. Samuels has shaky attitude (he literally complains after EVERY call against him), finds himself out of position on D at times which leads to him fouling or giving up some baskets, and he’s not a very good ball-handler. I think 10 or 11 ppg and 5 rpg will be his once again. Wally Judge, at 6’9 245, has intriguing upside and athleticism, but he was a bit too raw last year. He showed some promise, and should be a bit better next year, but nothing about him was polished enough for him to have a big impact. He should be more relaxed and he should adjust to the speed of the game easier now, but he still needs polish. He has the potential to be a Tyrus Thomas-esque player. I expect 7 or 8 ppg, 1 bpg, and 4 rpg next year from Mr. Judge. With Dominique Sutton gone to NC Central to be closer to his kids, 6’6 215 Fr. Shane Southwell will man the SF spot. Southwell defends very well like Sutton did, but he’s a better passer and ball-handler than Sutton ever was. Southwell , who fancies himself as a point-forward, can’t really shoot though and he’s not really a scorer. I look for about 6 ppg from him, while making plays in transition and providing strong perimeter D. The 6’5 tank Victor Ojeleye will do what Chris Merriweather did, play hard on both ends of the floor. He won’t score though. This frontline has big talent, and looks to be better than last year since Asprilla will be a good bit better than Colon was as the starting C. Sutton is a loss, but Southwell and Ojeleye can replace him effectively.

Backcourt- Denis Clemente seriously was the engine that made us go. His speed was otherworldly, he was a dynamite and fearless scorer, a true leader, and he ran the offense extremely well (even though he took some questionable shots) last year. I’m worried about that loss more than anything, and I’ll miss him not playing for us anymore. With Preseason All-American Jacob Pullen (19 ppg, 3.4 apg, 1.8 spg, 40% from deep) in the fold, that loss hurts less. A 6’0 200 Sr. combo guard, Pullen has improved SOOO much since his Fr. season. He is a competitive player who comes through in the clutch, has a very good jump shot, can work without the ball, and is an underrated passer and EXTREMELY underrated defender. He really is one of the best defenders in the Big 12, which is amazing considering his offensive role, but no one ever mentioned it really. With that said, Pullen is not an athlete and his quickness is lacking. He really isn’t more than mediocre as a ball-handler either to make up for it that much. He can play in the NBA, but he’d have to be a bit player in an Eddie House-type instant offense role who is a caretaker as the PG and who tries hard on D. The PG spot will be manned by Pullen unless Soph. Nick Russell and Martavious Irving, or Fr. Will Spradling steps up. Russell has the most natural talent of the 3, as he can play both guard spots, has a solid shot and decent athleticism with nice size at 6’3 190, but he looked nervous and shaky in spot time as a Fr. Irving was a Frank Martin (and fan) favorite because of his effort on D, and he is built like a football player, but he’s not a good offensive player honestly. Spradling can shoot the deep ball and is a steady playmaker, but he’s slow and not strong enough yet. One of them may step up so Pullen can play off the ball more, or Coach Martin will just have to play Pullen on the ball at 1 and run him through screens in a “one pass and go” offense. That seems more likely. The SG spot will be manned by either by Soph. Rodney McGruder or the newcomer Nino Williams. The 6’4 McGruder is a decent shooter who is a surprisingly good offensive rebounder who makes effort plays. He gets lost a bit on the court and sometimes it really pisses Coach Martin off. Still, I think he should be a 8 or 9 ppg scorer next year who provides the same intangibles as last year. Nino Williams is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of none player who is physical and who can defend well. He will have a limited impact next year in backend rotation time. The loss of Clemente hurts, but Pullen will hold down the fort and Coach Martin will use the guard rotation carefully until we figure out the PG situation.

Overview- Frank Martin is a great coach. He is intense, smart, a great in-game strategist, a great teacher and mentor, and a guy who has players that take on his personality. K-State will defend and rebound, show great athleticism and versatility, have 2 potential 1st team Big 12 guys in Kelly and Pullen, and an extremely deep frontline. Clemente will be gone, but Pullen will play well again. Pullen will have a Scottie Reynolds-esque Sr. season, and I think Kansas State will be a Final 4 team.

[JoeWolf1]

No doubt, K-State is a very good team, but I think the improvment of Wally Judge will have a lot of impact on their season. He has the potential to be a beast on the defensive end and really impact any opposing post player who is in his area. He’s not going to score on anything more than offensive rebounds and wide open lanes around the goal anytime soon, but he always played up against KU last season so I think he could be a gamer, although still inconsistant. If he can get the hang of playing consistant defense at a college level year, his athleticism will be very hard for a lot of teams to handle.

[JoeWolf1]

No doubt, K-State is a very good team, but I think the improvment of Wally Judge will have a lot of impact on their season. He has the potential to be a beast on the defensive end and really impact any opposing post player who is in his area. He’s not going to score on anything more than offensive rebounds and wide open lanes around the goal anytime soon, but he always played up against KU last season so I think he could be a gamer, although still inconsistant. If he can get the hang of playing consistant defense at a college level year, his athleticism will be very hard for a lot of teams to handle.

[JNixonParticipant]

Yeah it was weird that Judge always played his best against Kansas. He’s not polished enough to truly emerge full-fledged offensively with all the guys in the fold (anything over 8 ppg would be super impressive), but I agree he should provide rebounding and shot-blocking at a significantly higher level than last year.

[JNixonParticipant]

Yeah it was weird that Judge always played his best against Kansas. He’s not polished enough to truly emerge full-fledged offensively with all the guys in the fold (anything over 8 ppg would be super impressive), but I agree he should provide rebounding and shot-blocking at a significantly higher level than last year.

[JoeWolf1]

Yeah, I’d be pretty shocked if he put up over 8 ppg, but I could see his rebounds being closer to 6 or 7 just because he is a live body, a very confused one at times last year, but I think he’ll be the same kind of player he was in the tourney 5.5 pts 5.5 rbs but improved to a 7 pt 7 rb player. I think the Big 12 is gonna be real competitive next year at the top with some middle teams like TTU and CU being good enough to knock off some top teams.

[JoeWolf1]

Yeah, I’d be pretty shocked if he put up over 8 ppg, but I could see his rebounds being closer to 6 or 7 just because he is a live body, a very confused one at times last year, but I think he’ll be the same kind of player he was in the tourney 5.5 pts 5.5 rbs but improved to a 7 pt 7 rb player. I think the Big 12 is gonna be real competitive next year at the top with some middle teams like TTU and CU being good enough to knock off some top teams.

[sammybuckeye13Participant]

But I don’t see them being top 5…seems like nobody might be playing their true position on this team which can be very problematic and their success really hinges on the development of a few players. Of the teams you have ranked below K-State (I can’t remember much of 6-15) I would take, say, Ohio State over them, as they’re bringing back 4 very experienced starters and adding a guy in Sullinger who you know will be a definite impact player from day 1 doing what’s expected of him.

[sammybuckeye13Participant]

But I don’t see them being top 5…seems like nobody might be playing their true position on this team which can be very problematic and their success really hinges on the development of a few players. Of the teams you have ranked below K-State (I can’t remember much of 6-15) I would take, say, Ohio State over them, as they’re bringing back 4 very experienced starters and adding a guy in Sullinger who you know will be a definite impact player from day 1 doing what’s expected of him.

[JNixonParticipant]

Lol I very seriously doubt Ohio State will be a better team than Kansas State. Kansas State is a bit better at nearly every position on the floor except SF, and PF is even a push too.

And Kansas State does have players playing their natural position, not sure how that made sense. Jacob Pullen is the only player that MAY not be playing his true position, and even he played PG as a Fr. Also, Wally Judge is the only guy who MIGHT have a small effect on the way the team plays based on his development, and even he won’t likely play a really huge role.

[JNixonParticipant]

Lol I very seriously doubt Ohio State will be a better team than Kansas State. Kansas State is a bit better at nearly every position on the floor except SF, and PF is even a push too.

And Kansas State does have players playing their natural position, not sure how that made sense. Jacob Pullen is the only player that MAY not be playing his true position, and even he played PG as a Fr. Also, Wally Judge is the only guy who MIGHT have a small effect on the way the team plays based on his development, and even he won’t likely play a really huge role.

[jas225Participant]

Just curious as to where Pitt is in your rankings.

[jas225Participant]

Just curious as to where Pitt is in your rankings.

[JNixonParticipant]

There are coming up. I have them tomorrow at #4

[JNixonParticipant]

There are coming up. I have them tomorrow at #4

[OhCanada-Participant]

Jacob Pullen is a scoring gaurd. A SG in a PF’s body. Kansas State is better then Pitt IMO.

[OhCanada-Participant]

Jacob Pullen is a scoring gaurd. A SG in a PF’s body. Kansas State is better then Pitt IMO.

[midwestbbscoutParticipant]

is a beast…..he is going to be a breakout star this year….

[midwestbbscoutParticipant]

is a beast…..he is going to be a breakout star this year….

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