2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Power Forwards

The season is fast approaching. The first games are on Nov. 9th, and the BIAH live blog during ESPN's season kickoff is just two weeks away. So with just a week until actual games are played, we figured the best way to finish up our 2008-2009 season previews is to give you our Top 10 players at each position. You know how much we love a good Top 10 list here.

A few caveats. First, we're talking about how good these guys are as college players, not how well they project as a pro. Second, while it may be too much power for me, I am making the executive decision on what "position" a player is (and it may not necessarily be what he is listed as on a roster). Third, I am not putting the freshman in the list. As much as I've read about these guys and as many Youtube clips as I have watched, I have yet to see many of them play a real game (the all-star games don't count), and I don't think that I could give an accurate assessment until I see them play. Lastly, I love me a good argument, so if you think someone is too low or too high or the wrong position, leave a comment and let me hear about it.

Here are the point guards.
Here are the shooting guards.
Here are the small forwards.
There are the power forwards.

Best Freshman:

• Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech
• DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky
• Mouphtaou Yarou, Villanova
• Renardo Sidney, Mississippi State
  

Best of the Rest:

• Samardo Samuels, Louisville
• Luke Babbitt, Nevada
• Kenneth Faried, Morehead State
• Stanley Robinson, UConn
• Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech
• Deon Thompson, UNC
  

Top 10:

• 10. Matt Howard, Butler: Howard is a guy that doesn't get a lot of press playing for Butler. But make no mistake, Howard is as good as any four in the country. Howard is what you might refer to as a land warrior - he isn't going to outquick or outjump anyone in the country, but he is so strong. An excellent rebounder with a solid back to the basket game, Howard's strength offensively is his ability to seal and hold position in the post. He is the rock for a talented Butler team.
  


• 9. Damion James, Texas: A lot was expected out of James last season, but he didn't quite live up to the hype he received in the preseason. A big reason for that is James was asked to play more minutes on the perimeter with the emergence of a big front line for Texas. The biggest strength of James' game is his ability to rebound the ball on the offensive end and how well he cuts to the basket and finishes at the rim. His back to the basket game is decent, but playing more minutes on the perimeter will limit his touches inside. James is dangerous offensively because he is not only able to shoot the ball, but he has some ability to put the ball on the floor and go around a bigger defender. James is forever a tweener - not really big enough to be a four, but lacking the true perimeter skills to be a three.
  


• 8. Lazar Hayward, Marquette: Last year, all anyone talked about when it came to Marquette was their guard play. While those three were definitely talented, Hayward might have been the most valuable player on the roster as the only real big man. Hayward, who is a converted small forward, in dangerous because of his perimeter skills. Without much in the way of a post game, Hayward does his damage shooting the ball and taking advantage of the mismatches when a big forward guards him on the perimeter. Also an excellent rebounder, expect big numbers out of Hayward this year as Marquette's go-to player offensively.
  

Lazar Hayward is counting to be counted on heavily by Marquette.
(photo credit: ESPN)

• 7. Devin Ebanks, West Virginia: Ebanks is as raw as a prospect comes. In terms of tools, there are few forwards that match him. He has the wingspan of an albatross, can run the floor, has above average athleticism, and plays hard. All of that made him an excellent defender and rebounder, especially on the offensive end. But the rest of his game still needs to be developed. His ball handling ability is not much more than the one or two dribbles it takes to for to get to the rim. His jumper was so inconsistent last year that he himself actually decided that he would not longer shoot outside jumpers. But with Alex Ruoff gone, and an offseason of developing his skills, Ebanks should be ready to turn into one of the best forwards in the Big East.
  


• 6. Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest: Aminu is another guy I'm not completely sold on. Right now, he relies almost exclusively on his tools. He is long, athletic, plays with energy, and has excellent body control. Last year he was at his best when he was able to get out in the open court and outrun the defense. His skills were quite raw, however. While his handle and his jump shot no doubt improved with an off-season of working out, Aminu has a long way to go before he can be considered "talented" skillwise and a threat in the half court. All that said, we are talking about a guy that averaged 12.9 ppg and 8.2 rpg on a team with a big front line, Jeff Teague, and James Johnson. Imagine what he will do as the first offensive option.
  

Al-Farouq Aminu will need to rely on more than just athleticism this season.
(photo credit: freewebs)

• 5. Trevor Booker, Clemson: Booker is one of the best athletes in the country. While there are a number of guys at the power forward position that have more talent than Booker, there are few that play with his aggressiveness and determination. Every second he is on the court, he is going hard - whether it is defensively, posting up, hitting the glass, cutting to the rim. Booker seems to have an endless supply of energy. He doesn't have the best back to the basket game, relying heavily on his physical tools (strength holding position, jumping over a defender) to score. Where he has become more effective, and where he needs to improve to make it at the next level, is in his perimeter game. If he can continue to get better putting the ball on the floor and getting to the basket and keep improving his jump shot, Booker has a shot at winning the ACC player of the year award.
  


• 4. Greg Monroe, Georgetown: Monroe is the perfect fit for the Princeton offense that JTIII likes to run. Standing 6'11", Monroe has the offensive skills of a point forward. He can use the dribble to get to the basket, he can knock down a perimeter jumper, and he has excellent court vision and passing instincts. There are really three aspects of his game that Monroe needs to improve to become a dominant forward in the Big East. He needs to improve his ability with his right hand - he struggles dribbling and finishing in that direction. He needs to improve his strength and toughness in the paint offensively, defensively, and on the glass. Most importantly, he needs to be able to assert dominance on a game. There are few players with the talent that Monroe has, but how many times last season did you find yourself thinking "Greg Monroe has taken this game over"?
  


• 3. Craig Brackins, Iowa State: Brackins, at the college level, is a match-up nightmare. Standing 6'10", Brackins has the ball handling and the quickness to get by bigger defenders that try to come out and guard him on the perimeter. If you don't guard him, or if a smaller, quicker defender is on him, Brackins is a very dangerous shooter out to about 17 feet. Where Brackins has really developed during his first two seasons is with his toughness and his aggresiveness. He came with 17 rebounds of averaging a double-double last season, and has the makings of what could turn into a solid back-to-the-basket game.
  


• 2. Patrick Patterson, Kentucky: Patterson proved last season to be one of the most dominant and efficient players in the country. Patterson's just 6'8", but his length, his athleticism, and his strength make him so difficult to handle on the block. He has a solid righty hook and an above average turn around jumper, but his ability in the post centers around how good he is at establishing position. He seals hard, and really understands how to use his body to hold off his defender. He showed some improved ball skills last season, and if he can develop a consistent jumper this season, Patterson will be near unstoppable this year.
  

Harangody's biggest improvement during his career has been his jumper.
(photo credit: basketme)

• 1. Luke Harangody, Notre Dame: If there is an argument against Luke Harangody as the best power forward in the country, I cannot think of it. The guy can average 25 and 12 this year, and I won't be surprised. By now, you should know Gody's game. An underwhelming athlete, Gody struggles going against bigger opponents with his back to the basket. But over the course of his career, the big fella has developed an excellent face-up game. He has developed range out beyond the three point line (and showed NBA three point range during the draft process). The biggest improvement in his game is his fitness - Gody looked as svelte and in shape as he ever has during the draft process.