Perry Ellis, 6-9 freshman forward, Kansas: The highly regarded prospect from Wichita made his presence felt on both ends with 15 points and 8 rebounds.
Ellis could prove to be an excellent compliment to Jeff Withey, as he is lengthy, athletic, a good interior passer and doesn’t try to over-assert himself on the offensive end.
Withey and Ellis have the potential to become one of the nation’s premier starting frontcourts.
Archie Goodwin, 6-5 freshman guard, Kentucky: Being a versatile guard who can handle, along with Ryan Harrow feeling under the weather, Goodwin played a team-high 37 minutes against Maryland.
Although he wasn’t terribly efficient (3-for-9), he chose opportune times to use his speed and quickness to slash to the rim, made solid decisions with the ball in his hands (though he did have 3 turnovers) and played with fiery intensity. Goodwin will likely be the vocal leader of this Kentucky team on the court, and how well he embraces the challenge could go a long way toward the team’s success. Calipari would like to see him become more aggressive on the glass, especially on the defensive end.
Mason Plumlee, 6-10 senior forward, Duke: Plumlee did what he does best – played with strength and aggression around the hoop on his way to 19 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks.
For Duke to reach its potential this season, Plumlee will have to display this type of aggression against higher quality opponents than Georgia State, whom the Blue Devils beat 74-55.
He will get that chance in Atlanta, that’s for sure.
Pierre Jackson, 6-1 senior point guard, Baylor: A blur with the ball, Jackson is poised for a big season for the Bears.
Through two easy wins, the electrifying guard is averaging 19.5 points, 9.5 assists and 2.5 steals. Jackson will have to lead this young Baylor squad for it to be competitive this season. He is playing and speaking as if he’s ready to do so.
Doug McDermott, 6-9 junior forward, Creighton: The smooth forward is in the chase for the Naismith Player of the Year because there aren’t many forwards who possess his skill level, savvy and IQ on the court, especially at the offensive end.
McDermott opened the year with a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds in a 20-point win over North Texas.
Talib Zanna, 6-9, junior forward, Pittsburgh: Zanna was as efficient as he could have been on the interior, hitting 10-of-12 shots for an even 20 points. His 2 rebound total is concerning, but hopefully for Pittsburgh’s sake he had an off game on the glass and is more aggressive going after loose balls in future contests.
Steven Adams, 7-0 freshman center, Pittsburgh: Adams started alongside Zanna and had an efficient first outing.
He scored 8 points on 4-5 shooting and to go along with 8 rebounds, 4 blocked shots and 1 turnover.
A New Zealand native who grew up playing rugby, Adams will have to embrace aggression on the court this season as he battles stronger and more mature players. His development is crucial to Pittsburgh’s Big East hopes.
Aaron Craft, 6-0 junior point guard, Ohio State: Craft ran the Buckeyes’ offense efficiently (7 assists) and scored 20 points on 6-of-9 FG and 5-of-7 from 3-point distance.
Consistency has been the key for the junior lead guard throughout his career on both ends of the court, but this season he will be relied upon to score the ball with a bit more aggression.