2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Breakout Players

Cole Aldrich averaged just 8.3 mpg as a freshman, before becoming one of the best centers in the country this past season.

Jodie Meeks had two unimpressive, injury-plagued seasons before becoming one of college basketball's most electrifying scorers as a junior.

Every season, there are kids that come from college basketball obscurity and burst onto the national scene. Who will have a break out year in 2009-2010?

Ed Davis, North Carolina - 6'10" 225lb: Davis is in kind of the same boat Aldrich was last season. As a freshman, he was a promising prospect that was stuck behind a loaded front line. Davis is long, athletic, and plays with a great deal of energy. He has shown the ability to be one of the better defenders and rebounders in the country, and with the added scoring opportunities with the graduation of Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, and Ty Lawson, it isn't a stretch to think Davis could average 15 and 10 as a sophomore.

Ed Davis could be the next great Tar Heel big man.
(photo credit: Raleigh Durham About)

Kemba Walker, UConn - 6'1" 172lb: Walker was stuck playing behind AJ Price as a freshman. But with Price's graduation, this will be Kemba's UConn team to run. And run they will. The last two seasons, UConn has played a much more controlled pace than you expect from a Jim Calhoun team. Price, Hasheem Thabeet, and Jeff Adrien were all more suited to a slower paced, grind-it-out style. With those three gone, UConn will rely on Walker, Jerome Dyson, and Stanley Robinson to lead them, all of whom could be considered the most athletic player at their positions. UConn is going to press defensively and run offensively, and Walker is going to be the catalyst.

Kim English, Missouri - 6'6" 200lb: Anyone that watched the NCAA tournament (and if you read this blog, that means you) should know what English can do when he gets hot: during a four minute stretch against Marquette in the second round, English hit three threes and scored 15 points. A 6'6" two-guard, English is tall enough to get his shot off over most perimeter defenders, but he also has enough athleticism to survive in the 40-minutes-of-hell style the Tigers play. With guys like Leo Lyons, DeMarre Carroll, JT Tiller, and Matt Lawrence all graduating, expect English to get many more minutes and shots.

Chris Wright, Georgetown - 6'1", 208lb: Wright was a much-hyped recruit coming out of St. John's high school in Maryland, but an injury to his foot severely limited his court time as a freshman. Combine that with playing behind Jonathon Wallace, and last season was essentially Wright's first in the Big East. With that came the growing pains - at times he was brilliant, but overall he had an inconsistent season. He now has a year of experience under his belt, and knowing what to expect in a watered down Big East, Wright should be more comfortable and confident leading the Hoyas.

Wesley Johnson, Syracuse - 6'7", 198lb: Johnson was a player for two years with Iowa State, averaging 12 ppg both seasons. But during his sophomore year, he played on an ankle that required surgery after the season was done. Now that he has had 16 months to get healthy, Johnson will start over in a program looking for their own fresh start. The Orange lost a ton of talent on the perimeter, and Johnson will be expected to shoulder the scoring load from day one. Johnson is a tremendous athlete with a jumper that is very effective when he doesn't fall in love with it - which is what happened during his sophomore season (although, that was most likely a result of his injury). If he can become the player he was as a freshman - attacking the glass, going to the basket, defending - Johnson should put up impressive scoring numbers and thrive playing the back line of the Syracuse zone.

Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson will be counted on to replace the scoring of Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf.
(photo credit: Flagrant Fouls)

Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Washington - 6'9", 240lb: A lot of people are predicting the Huskies to be the best team on the West Coast, and that prediction could very well hold true as U-Dub will field one of the most dynamic back courts in the country. But back court play will only get you so far during the season. Washington will be heading into this year with a gaping hole in their frontline courtesy of Jon Brockman's graduation. Bryan-Amaning will be the guy called upon to fill a lot of those minutes. He has shown signs of being a star-in-the-making during his first two seasons, but both seasons faded down the stretch as his minutes and production tailed off during Pac-10 play. The Huskies, if possible, are going to play an even faster tempo than they did last season, and given Bryan-Amaning's length, athleticism, and face-up game, he should be able to thrive.

Malcolm Lee, UCLA - 6'5", 180lb: Lee has been getting a ton of attention during the off-season, and it isn't hard to see why - the kid looks like he could be the second coming off Russell Westbrook. If you remember, Westbrook flew under the radar as a freshman before exploding as a sophomore and becoming the fourth pick of the 2008 draft. Like Westbrook, Lee is a rangy combo guard with outstanding athleticism. He struggled to find minutes in a crowded back court last season, but that doesn't mean that he isn't blessed loads of talent. Lee is still a bit raw, especially on the offensive end, but he has already garnered a reputation for being a play maker defensively. If he is allowed to take some advantage of his outstanding ability to create in the open court, Lee could be a first team all-Pac 10 player.

Can Malcolm Lee follow in Russell Westbrook's footsteps?

Roburt Sallie, Memphis - 6'5", 196lb: Remember what I said about Kim English? If you watched the NCAA Tournament, you know what this guy is capable of. The exact same can be said about Sallie. Sallie spent most of the season on John Calipari's bench, but exploded for 35 points and 10 three's as he carried the Tiger's to a first round win against Cal State Northridge. One of the best shooters in the country, new coach Josh Pastner is going to need a big season out of Sallie, as the NBA Draft and a disappearing recruiting class has left the Tiger's cupboard pretty bare.

Ishmael Smith, Wake Forest - 6'0", 175lb: As a freshman, Ishmael Smith was one of the most promising point guards in the country, averaging 6.0 apg. But something happened over the past two seasons, and that something was named Jeff Teague. Teague dominated the ball during his time in Winston-Salem, forcing Smith into a much less significant role. But that doesn't mean Smith can't play. He is not a great scorer, but what he does well is break down a defense and lead a break. In other words, he can create scoring chances for others, which is going to be so important for a Wake team that doesn't have a lot of polished offensive weapons.

Ashton Gibbs, Pttsburgh - 6'2", 200lb: Pitt will be heading into this season with basically a whole new team. With four starters gone, and two of their top returners out to start the season (Jermaine Dixon's foot injury and Gilbert Brown's suspension), Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker will be basically the only two guys back. Gibbs played a limited role as a freshman for the Panthers, but in those limited minutes he produced. He also had an impressive summer playing for the U-19 World Champions (coached by Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon). Gibbs will be counted upon immediately to produce for the Panthers, and he should be up to the task. He proved his ability to shoot from the perimeter last season, but this year he will be asked to lead this team as a scorer and play maker.

William Buford, Ohio State - 6'5", 185lb: Buford took some time to find a rhythm as a freshman, but once he got comfortable he really started to show some promising signs at the end of the year. Buford is one of the most fluid scorers in the Big Ten. He is so good at reading a defense and coming off of a screen, and is deadly when shooting in the 15-18 foot range. If Buford can expand his ability to slash to the rim, he could prove to be a deadly complement to Evan Turner.

Honorable Mention:

Michael Dunigan, Oregon
Paul George, Fresno State
Demetri Goodson, Gonzaga
Terrence Jennings, Louisville
Larry Sanders, VCU
Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt
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2009-2010 Team Preview: Wake Forest Demon Deacons

2008-2009 Record: 24-7, 11-5 ACC (t-2nd)

Key Losses: Jeff Teague (18.8 ppg, 3.3 apg, 3.5 rpg), James Johnson (15.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 1.4 spg)

Key Returners: Al-Farouq Aminu (12.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg), Chas McFarland (8.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg), LD Williams (8.0 ppg)

Newcomers: Ari Stewart, Konner Tucker, CJ Harris

Wake Forest caught a break when Al-Farouq Aminu decided to return to school.
(photo credit: Slam)

Wake Forest lost Jeff Teague and James Johnson to the NBA after their sophomore season's, but that doesn't mean that the Demon Deacon's off-season was a bust. Dino Gaudio caught a huge break when Al-Farouq Aminu, who many believed could have been a lottery pick this past season, decided to return for his sophomore campaign.

Aminu has a shot to be a special player for Wake. Combining excellent athleticism, body control, length, and a ton of energy, Aminu's potential leaves NBA scouts drooling. The problem is that Aminu is still too dependent on his tools. Last season he excelled when he was able to use his athleticism to his advantage - getting out and running the floor, crashing the offensive glass, or cutting to the rim, but when he was forced into half-court isolation situations, he was much less effective. The biggest problem is Aminu is stuck between being a power forward and small forward. He has the quickness to play on the perimeter on both ends of the floor, but unless his jumper, his handle, and his decision making and understanding of the game improves he will have to play the four. To be honest, he reminds me a bit of where James Johnson was after his freshman season (although Johnson who was two years older at the time, was probably a bit more advanced). With Teague and Johnson gone, Wake's season will depend on how well Aminu develops.

Wake will once again have one of the better front lines in the ACC. In addition to Aminu, the Demon Deacons return four guys standings 6'11" or taller. The best of the group is Chas McFarland. A starter the past two seasons, McFarland's role on the offensive end will expand this season. The seven footer has always had a really nice touch in the paint, with range out to the three-point line. His post moves are decent, and he is about what you would expect from an average seven-footer on the glass and blocking shots. The biggest issue McFarland has is decision-making and ability to pass out of the post - he turned the ball over almost two times per game last season despite playing just over 20 minutes per. If he is going to see his offensive workload increase, he needs to cut down on his mistakes.

The other three bigs are senior David Weaver and sophomores Ty Walker and Tony Woods. Woods and Weaver are the two that will probably see the most playing time. They are both essentially the same player - big, strong kids that will grab a few rebounds, block a few shots, dunk the ball when they are near the rim, and provide Gaudio with a lot of muscle up front. Walker has the most upside of the three, as he is athletic and very long, even for someone listed at 7'0". An excellent shot blocker, Walker was not strong enough to handle the physicality of major college basketball as a freshman. If he puts on some strength, he could become an excellent defensive presence at this level.

Perhaps the most important player for the Demon Deacons this year will be Ishmael Smith. Ish had an excellent freshman season, but over the last two years has seen his numbers tail off with Teague on the team. Now that he is a senior, Smith will have the ball in his hands a majority of the time. Looking at this roster, the Demon Deacons don't have a ton of guys that can create their own shots. Smith averaged 6.0 apg as a freshman, and Gaudio is going to count on his ability to create shots for his teammates, be it on the break or in the half court. Joining Smith in the starting back court will be LD Williams. Williams' role on this Demon Deacons team is as a hustler and a defender. There are not many players in the country with the overall athletic profile that Williams has, which makes him an excellent defender and a terror on the break.

Gaudio will add two freshman to the mix this season. The most highly touted recruit is Ari Stewart. Stewart, a 6'7" small forward that loves to run the floor and can jump out of the gym, will excel in the open court for Gaudio. Stewart's another guy that is still relies a bit too much on his tools, but he is more of a wing than Aminu as he has range out to the three-point line. CJ Harris is the other recruit. Harris is a lead guard, but it will be intriguing to see where Gaudio plays him as a freshman. Harris is a heady player with a high basketball IQ that gets praised for his leadership abilities and unselfishness. But he is also an excellent scorer and much less of a play maker than a guy like Ish Smith. Harris could be the next in the line of scoring point guards from Wake (Randolph Childress, Justin Gray, Taron Downey, Jeff Teague)?

One of Wake's biggest weaknesses last season was their lack of a consistent perimeter shooter. As a result, defenses were able to slough off their man, clogging the lane at times. Two guys - junior Gary Clark and sophomore JuCo transfer Konner Tucker - have the potential to fill that role.

Outlook: I like this Wake Forest team. They have a number of athletes playing different positions, a lot of size on the inside, and an underrated senior point guard. The problem is that unless Aminu realizes his potential this season, Wake is going to be without a go-to scorer. While they will no doubt be a tough defensive team and a pleasure to watch on the break, if you can slow them down I'm not sure they are going to be able to score in the half court. If Aminu can become that go-to scorer and Smith can regain the form he showed as a freshman, Wake could be a top 25 team. If not, they might be an NIT team. I'd lean toward the former, with Wake racking up 20 wins and a 10 seed come March.
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