"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it. Go out there and get busy." -Dale Carnegie
HEY, here's a couple guys I have seen a couple times this season and liked a lot. Solid players that are a little under the radar unless you're really dorky like me.
Ashton Gibbs, Pitt--This guy's a sophomore. Played a nice limited role on their great team last year. Led the Big East in 3p% last year. Played on the under-19 USA team this summer. I like the kid. He's very business like. No flash. He comes off screens and motion and shoots. Doesn't have a machine like jump shot, but the thing find the bottom of the net constantly. He's very efficient. Scores a lot of points without taking a lot of shots. Defends and handles. Had 25 in the dome at Syracuse on Saturday, to knock Cuse from the undefeated ranks. As Big Monday's start to get going, I imagine Pitt will be on TV a little more frequently. So keep an eye on this guy as the season progresses. But he's the kind of guy I like to watch. Efficient and tough. A guy who is out there to win.
Klay Thompson, Washington State--Coach Tony Bennet left for greener pastures at UVA, where he gets to his butt handed to him every night in the ACC, and lose out to every high level recruit but it hasn't hurt Thompson. This kid can get up and down. He's long and athletic and shoots the rock from deep. He might be leading the nation in scoring for all I know. All I know is I have watched him twice this season and liked what he does. He's a bit of glider and floater at times, meaning he checks out until he gets the ball in a position where he can score. But Washington State has been surprisingly resilient, and they are off to a good start. But Klay Thompson has a solid game. He's big enough to shoot over most guys. He'll stick the 3's that he needs to make. And he's not afraid to get into the key and knock some guys around. In a crummy PAC-10 year, he should shine.
Wesley Johnson, Syracuse--Get used to seeing this guy. He's gonna be playing in the NBA next year. This guy is nasty. I saw him early in the season and asked my buddy why Shawn Marion was playing for Syracuse. I immediately saw him and thought "very Matrix like." I still haven't seen enough of him to totally gush about him. But he can fill a lane. Finishes at the top of the box. Gets in passing lines. Block shots. Plays pretty hard from what I have seen. We'll see if he can keep up his current pace. Big East season is a grind. But this guy is one of those big time guys I think. Watch him a couple times, so when he goes 4th in the lottery this June, you'll be up to date on what he brings to a team.
Rotnei Clarke, Arkansas--This guy's making a run for my favorite player. He's trying to de-thrown Gordon Hayward. I watched this guy last night play Texas. I watched him a couple times last year as a freshmen and thought he was only okay. I was wrong because this guy is a player. He's a tremendous scorer and plays with a lot of guts. PURE SHOOTER. He shoots the crap out of it and doesn't hesitate to throw his body around. He plays with a lot of energy and isn't afraid to take the big shot. He's definitely worth your time. He's gonna be a good player for a couple more years.
Gordon Hayward, Butler--The reigning "JC's favorite player," he's picked up where he left off from last year pretty well. He has a great feel for the game. Plays hard and lets the game come to him. Would like to see him be more aggressive. Great scorer. Great rebounder. Great team defender. Winner. As much as I like him, it's hard to buy stock in him at the next level. Despite tremendous feel, and decent size, his athleticism is gonna be a major question mark. He definitely will be evaluated though. But for now, check him out. He's a great player to watch. Moves without the ball. Active.
Jimmer Fredette, BYU--Another guy whose raising up the charts of my favorite players. As a matter of fact, he might be number 1 right now. This guy can PLAY. Wow. I watched that BYU-Arizona game where he put 49 on Sean Miller's guys. That was spectacular. I wish I was there. That was a game. I have never seen anyone shoot the rock like this guy. When I first saw him shoot, I was like "holy crap that's like Mark Price and Larry Bird!" He's got this great stroke. And he was pouring them in from all over the court. Most were barely hitting the net. This guy is a BIG TIME scorer. He might be leading the nation along with Klay Thompson for all I know. But I am gonna keep tabs on this guy, because unlike Hayward, I think this guy can play in the pros. I think he is a little better than Redick. Jimmer is a 2, but I think he's got enough handle to be a 1 in the pros. Always a tough task but. This guy is nasty. Watch him.
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