Lists are one of the best aspects about sports, especially in a sport with such a wide range as college basketball. Compiling a list of top 100 players is not an easy task but CBS Sports this week released one for the 2012-13 season. These type of lists are bound to to trigger debates among the fans, and as expected, there are some interesting picks and omissions from the Big Ten. A handful of players certainly deserve to be on the preseason list based on their body of work over the last couple seasons: Cody Zeller (Indiana), Christian Watford (Indiana), Deshaun Thomas (Ohio State), Aaron Craft (Ohio State), Trevor Mbakwe (Minnesota), Rodney Williams (Minnesota), Trey Burke (Michigan), Tim Hardaway Jr. (Michigan), Keith Appling (Michigan State), Branden Dawson (Michigan State), Tim Frazier (Penn State), and Brandon Paul (Illinois).
There are however, a few interesting selections especially if you consider some others from the B1G who were left out. Before we jump into the discussion about those players, the basis of evaluation for this list is up for judgment. It could be the best 100 players in terms of talent or it could also mean that these players purport to add the most value to their respective teams. Their teams’ performance last season could have also impacted the selection committee. Keeping those points in mind, let’s jump into the B1G players on this list that could potentially be replaced by some of their fellow conference counterparts.
Victor Oladipo (#84 on the list from Indiana) vs. Drew Crawford (Northwestern)
Oladipo averaged 10.8 PPG last season and clearly showed his athleticism on the court as the Hoosiers revived their program under Tom Crean. His ferocious dunk during the Kentucky game on ESPN was essentially his coming-out party. Regardless of his diverse offensive game, he was still the third scoring option on the team (at best) last season and will continue to play that role this year. If you take away Oladipo from Indiana’s squad this season, they may not necessarily be a top five team but will still be considered a strong Final Four contender.
If the overall contribution to their team this season is used to evaluate the players, then Northwestern’s Drew Crawford may have a better case to be on this list over Oladipo. Crawford averaged 16.1 PPG and 4.7 RPG while shooting 41% from beyond the arc last season. Crawford was clearly the second scoring option for the Wildcats after John Shurna but he will undoubtedly be the heart and soul in Evanston this season. He will also have to pick up the best offensive player on defense as NU tries to make the postseason after falling short again last season.
The edge only goes to Drew Crawford because he means more to his team than Oladipo. Sure, Northwestern may not sniff the NCAA tournament again and Indiana might just win it all. But from a value perspective, Crawford’s contributions will be worth more than Oladipo especially considering the youth on the Wildcats. Take away Crawford from Northwestern and Dave Sabolewski is the only key returning player who is used to Bill Carmody’s offense. Jarod Swopshire will add value but he will still play second fiddle to Crawford. On the flip side, Indiana is loaded with talent on the offensive end and Oladipo’s defensive presence may not necessarily outweigh Crawford’s overall importance when comparing their values to their respective teams.
Gary Harris (#74 on the list from Michigan State) vs. Sam Dekker (Wisconsin)
Harris was ranked the 25th best high school recruit by Rivals and will play a key role for Tom Izzo. Branden Dawson may not be 100% until midway through the season and Harris will have the opportunity to earn some minutes as the defensive stopper and will certainly impress Spartan fans with this offensive skills. But the key offensive option for Michigan State will be Keith Appling building upon his 11.4 PPG from last season and should control the offense after the departure of Draymond Green. Sophomore guard Travis Trice should be able to contribute with his 41% shooting from beyond the arc. With a healthy Dawson, Harris may be the third best player on this squad.
Wisconsin freshman Sam Dekker, on the other hand, may just end up surprising the whole league. Badger fans have been raving about the phenom and Bo Ryan usually does not recruit players who are ranked #13 in the nation by Rivals. Forget recruiting a top talent like Dekker, he has been eager to be part of Badger basketball for a while now. Dekker’s offensive skills fit perfectly within Ryan’s swing offense, as he can hold his own in the paint and certainly has the shooting range which is an important asset for big men in Ryan’s offensive schemes. Former Badgers such as Jon Leuer flourished in Madison because they could shoot but could also drive to the hoop — two skills that Dekker already possesses as a freshman. There is also no obvious offensive leader on the Badgers after Jordan Taylor’s exit. Ryan Evans averaged 11 PPG last season but shot less than 30% from the three-point range. Jared Berggren averaged 10.5 PPG but may not be consistent to carry the offensive load. Therefore, Dekker has the opening to step in and not only contribute immediately, but also emerge as the best player on the Badgers.
If a freshman from the Big Ten has to be on this list, Dekker may get the slight nod over Harris. But at the end of the day, neither has played a single minute of college basketball, so the argument is only based on their respective team’s composition during the preseason.
Just because Crawford and Dekker may be the best players on their respective teams does not mean Oladipo and Harris do not deserve to be selected in the top 100. Based on the body of work so far, an argument could be made about the Big Ten selections and omissions. Similar arguments can be made about other players on this list but that’s for another day.