Top 5 Players in Big 12 Next Year

thebigabd

thebigabd

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1.) Craig Brackins (Iowa State)
2.) Willie Warren (Oklahoma)
3.) James Anderson (Oklahoma State)
4.) Sherron Collins (Kansas)
5.) Cole Aldrich (Kansas)
 
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I'm not sure what my Top 5 would be, but I don't think I could put Brackins at #1, especially ahead of Willie Warren. Brackins is a very good player, but it seems like people feel he is so overlooked because he plays for Iowa State that he gets overrated to compensate for the perception of being underrated (if that makes any sense). Though I understand he has no one on his team to deflect the defense's attention, he isn't an especially efficient scorer for a college big. For a skilled 6'10" player in the Big 12, he isn't a great low post player, and his mid-range game isn't spectacular. All in all I think Brackins is already a very good player with a ton of potential, but I don't think I would take him over Warren or Collins as a college player. Of course, that's just my humble opinion. :)
 
Smash Williams said:
I'm not sure what my Top 5 would be, but I don't think I could put Brackins at #1, especially ahead of Willie Warren. Brackins is a very good player, but it seems like people feel he is so overlooked because he plays for Iowa State that he gets overrated to compensate for the perception of being underrated (if that makes any sense). Though I understand he has no one on his team to deflect the defense's attention, he isn't an especially efficient scorer for a college big. For a skilled 6'10" player in the Big 12, he isn't a great low post player, and his mid-range game isn't spectacular. All in all I think Brackins is already a very good player with a ton of potential, but I don't think I would take him over Warren or Collins as a college player. Of course, that's just my humble opinion. :)
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He's the best player in the league.... He has a very good mid-range game, he can post, he can shoot with range, and he can put the ball on the floor.. Not sure how often you saw him play, but your opinion of him is pretty off....

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZdelSuiYJk[/ame]
 
smash, are you evaluating his ability as a player or his impact on a game/team?

because a good guard has a much greater impact on a team's success than a good big does. at least in college.
 
Whats with all the love for Sherron Collins? In what universe is he a better basketball player than Craig Brackins?
 
thebigabd said:
1.) Craig Brackins (Iowa State)
2.) Willie Warren (Oklahoma)
3.) James Anderson (Oklahoma State)
4.) Sherron Collins (Kansas)
5.) Cole Aldrich (Kansas)
Click to expand...

Hon Mention: Cory Higgins (Colorado), Lacedarius Dunn (Baylor), Mike Singletary (Tech), JT Tiller (Mizzou).
 
I'm with Smash on this one. Brackins, while a top 10 player in the league, is not that good. Very talented, but just makes a lot of mistakes (missing shots, turnovers, etc.)

1) Cole Aldrich
2) James Anderson
3) Damion James
4) Willie Warren
5) LaceDarius Dunn

Close: Collins, Brackins, Elonu, Pittman, Higgins, Tiller, Avery Bradley.

I'd take that top 5 against any conference's top five, by the way. Well, with Collins at point and Dunn on the bench.
 
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thebigabd said:
He's the best player in the league.... He has a very good mid-range game, he can post, he can shoot with range, and he can put the ball on the floor.. Not sure how often you saw him play, but your opinion of him is pretty off....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZdelSuiYJk
Click to expand...

Here is a situational statistics analysis from Draft Express:
Craig Brackins is getting plenty of love these days from various NBA decision makers, but he was obviously not a very efficient player at the collegiate level, as his situational stats indicate. Brackins indeed ranks dead last in overall efficiency (44.3%) of the 24 PFs, which tells us a little bit about his shortcomings, but also quite a bit about how he was utilized at Iowa State.

Brackins ranks last in possessions finished around the basket (which does not include post-ups)—indicating the problems Iowa State's guards in creating easy looks for him around the rim. He shot quite a few jumpers, with mixed results (making just 32%), many of which he had to generate on his own in tough off the dribble situations. He saw a considerable amount of time grinding with his back to the basket in the post—over 10 possessions per game, second amongst all PFs to just Luke Harangody—and only saw moderate success there as well (45% FG).

Iowa State rarely got out in transition from what we could see (Brackins ranks last in that category), and Brackins rarely saw the ball as a pick and roll finisher or moving off cuts to the rim either, which helps explain his lack of efficiency compared with the Jeff Pendergraphs and Patrick Pattersons of the world.

These are all things Brackins will probably think about when he makes the final decision to return to school or not next year. With that said, Brackins’ excellent skill level still does jump off the page when you see how favorably he ranks in his ability to operate out of isolation sets (being the second most prolific PF in this category, while converting on 49% of his attempts), as well as his ability to make pull-up jumpers (he ranks 3rd).

One thing to keep in mind is that Iowa State is one of the teams that Synergy’s is missing stats for from their much weaker out of conference schedule—they currently have data for about 71% of Brackins’ possessions.
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I don't think that is very far off from what I said.

His numbers are going to deflated because he usually has to create his own shot, but he still isn't very efficient even when you account for the lack of talent around him. 1.26 points per shot isn't a good average for a 6'10" PF in a conference lacking in quality bigs. There are a lot of guards, let alone bigs, who are much more efficient than that. Again, he is a very good player, definitely a Top 5 guy in the Big 12, but he's not the best.
 
thebigabd said:
ok, but I bet Brackins wins POY and gets drafted higher.
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I thought this was Top 5 players in the Big 12, not Top 5 draft prospects. That is a different topic. Brackins is a better NBA prospect than Collins, but college basketball is a different animal. I bet Willie Warren will also be drafted higher than Warren, but that in and of itself wouldn't justify putting him ahead of Brackins just as a college player.
 
thebigabd said:
Whats with all the love for Sherron Collins? In what universe is he a better basketball player than Craig Brackins?
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I take Collins over Brackins every time. Who knows how he would fit on a good team, but we don't have the luxury of that. He plays for Iowa State. And whether he has developed bad habits or has had to deal with being the focal point of defenses...these are fair points, but I don't get to know what he would be like for Kansas or what Collins would be like for Iowa State.

When I watch Collins play, I feel like he picks his spots and tries to make sure everyone on the floor is a threat too. Bottom line is I feel he gives you what you want from a guy at his position. Brackins is productive, and he can contribute in a lot of ways, but I feel like he isn't in an accountable situation at Iowa State. He can kind of do whatever he wants out there, and if Iowa State loses, then everyone just says its not his fault, look at his stats. Plus, I don't think he does enough as a power forward. By that, I mean he spends too much time all over the floor, faced up, taking jumpers. I know that is what makes many people fans of his, but I want my 4 to be tough, physical and, whether he can shoot or not, I want him to know where his bread is buttered. I thing I appreciated so much about Blake was that he didn't turn his sophomore year into a NBA audition tape. He only took jumpers when the shot clock was a factor. He knew he could dominate by consistently fighting down on the block and getting it done.

I can easily see why people would think Brackins was the most diversely talented player in the league (though I probably still wouldn't go that far), but I would probably put him fifth (I know people are gonna kill me for that one). I like Collins, Aldrich, Willie and probably James Anderson ahead of him.
 
In college ball I take Collins over Brackins every time. High level PG's are much more valuable in the college game. Collins showed this year that he is one of the best PG's in the country, imo.

I would put Collins/Warren neck and neck with Aldrich, Brackins, and Anderson close behind.

I think Anderson and Warren probably have the most talent but have to show that they can get it done on both ends consistently for the whole year, if they do then they move to the top.
 
Brackins is an outstanding talent, but he's a little soft to me. Sherron Collins is good, but I think he's a step behind Warren and Brackins talent wise. I think if WW shows any sign of consistency, he's the top guy. If he is up and down like last year than Brackins is the guy.
 
thebigabd said:
That a professional basketball team thinks you have the ability and/or potential to make their team better.
Click to expand...

So you talking college next year in the Big 12 or you talk down the road in the NBA. I'm confused.

Next year in the Big 12 its:

Collins
WW
Aldrich
Brackins
Anderson

With the only player I see being able to overtake Collins is WW if he takes a big leap which is quite possible.
 
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