Ballin' is a Habit: Mitchell Watt

This is an interesting year for the crop of elite dunk specialists. While it certainly won't be a "down year" in the world of POSTERIZATION, there is no household-name leading the charge. With the departure of Derrick Williams and Travis Leslie to the NBA, and the season-ending injury for Missouri's Laurence Bowers, we are still looking for our superstar dunker, but there are certainly a solid group of guys who could fit the bill.

But maybe that is what's great about the slam dunk. Sometimes it comes out of nowhere. Did anybody expect Indiana's Tom Pritchard to jump that far? Did anybody know Drew Gordon could extend his arms that far? and heaven forbid, did Bill Raftery expect Jerome Lane to "Send it in" quite like that?

By now you should all be aware that B.I.A.H is the foremost expert in the field of college basketball dunks, slams, jams, rim-rockers and gym-jammers. If you need more proof, just. check out our POSTERIZED page at the top.

During the 2011-2012 season, B.I.A.H will be the only place you need to visit for all the above-the-rim action.

Rodney Williams - 6'7" forward, Minnesota

Of all the candidates on this list, I believe Sir Rodney as all the tools to finish the year as the best dunker in this class. If you aren't familiar with Mr. Williams, then you should be ashamed of yourselves. No member of this list as as much highlight footage as Sir Rodney. He threw down at least three #POSTERIZED-worthy dunks last year, all of which was completely different and unique. He drives the the basket hard, has explosiveness off of one or two feet, and can finish in a variety of fashions. Williams' isn't known for flashy fast-break finishes, but if the Golden Gophers swing the ball quickly on offense and find Williams in the corner, look out, because an open baseline path to the basket quickly turns into a runway for the "Rodney Williams Express Shuttle", now making stops in Duluth, St. Cloud and Red Wing, Mondays through Fridays.

C.J Fair - 6'8" forward, Syracuse

You wouldn't think C.J. Fair is a six-foot-eight forward based on the way he moves up and down the floor. The Syracuse sophomore is long and athletic and can get up in a hurry. It's quite possible that he's the best dunker in the Big East, and he always plays with intensity and a smile on his face. Plus, he knows how to get Dickie Simpkins excited, and that's always entertaining to see.

Andre Roberson - 6'7" guard, Colorado

It could be argued that Roberson is the most athletic player in the country. His freshman campaign was overshadowed due to the presence of Corey Higgins and Alec Burks, but with those two players gone, Roberson should be the center of attention for the Buffs. Like C.J. Fair, Roberson is long, lanky, and can get up in a hurry. If you give him a lane to the basket, he will make you pay, just ask Jacob Pullen.

Mitchell Watt - 6'10" forward, Buffalo

The Buffalo big-man will be this season's resident power-dunker. He is not a guy you want to stand in front of when he gets the ball in the high-post. Watt isn't necessarily a "hulking" power forward, but he has a big frame and long limbs to boot. Watt sparked a viral phenomenon with his heel-flick reverse jam at the 2010 Midnight Madness, and even helped to market the 2011 Midnight Madness event at Buffalo. But don't think that he is just a novelty act. This guy can dunk, and you certainly don't want to be on the wrong end of it.

Shay Shine - 6'2" guard, High Point

You don't expect six-foot-two guards at a low-major schools schools to be able to posterize people as badly as Shay Shine does. Shine is 6'2" and he made SportsCenter's Top Plays TWICE, for dunking over 6'10" centers. It's not like Shine just dunked over these guys, he straight-up put them up on a wall like a FatHead. Sure, he hasn't shown off too much creativity, but if you can mean-mug a guy who has eight inches on you, us fans don't care much for creativity.

Deuce Bello - 6'4" forward, Baylor

The Baylor freshman has yet to posterize anybody on the college stage, but you can't browse mixtapes on YouTube without stumbling over a highlight reel of Bello's spectacular dunks. He's been mentioned as being one of the top-20 dunkers in THE ENTIRE WORLD. that's ridiculous considering he's barely a freshman. But from the looks of the Moonlight Madness event in October, I think it's safe to assume that Bello will become a frequent visitor to the B.I.A.H POSTERIZED series.

Tony Mitchell - 6'6" forward, Alabama

Tony Mitchell is only six-foot-six, yet plays like a bruising power forward who can run the floor like a speedy point guard. He has a nice blend of power, speed and technique. Alabama's fast break execution is very entertaining to watch, and Mitchell is a key reason why. With the departure of Georgia's Travis Leslie, Mitchell should be considered a candidate as the best dunker in the SEC.

Jared Cunningham - 6'4" guard, Oregon State

he had arguably the best tip-jam of the 2010-2011 season. His dunk was so unbelievable that Kevin Calabro, the play-by-play announcer, literally blew a gasket. Sure, he only had one highlight-reel play last season, but Sweet-God, it was out of this world. Cunningham is long, lean, has some serious hops, and he continues to improve every time we see him play. But the scary thing is that Cunningham is going to be even better this season. Don't be surprised if you see his name on the Pac-12 All-Conference First Team at the end of the season.

Kenny Gabriel - 6'8" forward, Auburn

Yes it's true, Auburn is terrible at basketball. But, the Tigers do feature one of the best big-man dunkers in the country in Kenny Gabriel. It's likely that you didn't see him play last year because, like I mentioned, Auburn sucks. But if you see Auburn on TV this season, make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the six-foot-eight rocking the headband and arm-sleeve, elevating to the rim.

LeBryan Nash - 6'7" forward, Oklahoma State

Like Deuce Bello, LeBryan Nash has yet to log a poster-dunk at the collegiate level, but we have more than enough evidence to indicate that he will be a frequent member of B.I.A.H POSTERIZED. Nash is big, strong, and has a serious vertical. But he's not just a power-dunker. He can get creative, and sometimes, that creativity will make a good dunk great.

Honorable Mention:
Terrence Jones - 6'9" forward, Kentucky
Thomas Robinson - 6'10" forward, Kansas
Darius Johnson-Odom - 6'2" guard, Marquette
Pierre Jackson - 6'2" guard, Baylor
Kyle Kuric - 6'4" guard, Louisville
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