Preseason Questions: Can Anybody Replace Doug McDermott?
Posted by Henry Bushnell on November 10th, 2014For four years, the college basketball world was blessed with the presence of a true superstar. Despite relatively limited national television exposure and a team that was rarely viewed as a legitimate national contender, Creighton’s Doug McDermott lit up the nation. We were all fortunate enough to witness the three-time first-team All-American’s consistently stunning scoring exploits, competitiveness and savvy, the likes of which were unmatched during his time in Omaha. He became known as Dougie McBuckets for a reason, but his career as a collegian has come and gone. Now, both Creighton and the sport in general are faced with the unenviable task of filling the void.
With Doug McDermott now earning checks that say “NBA” on them, these four guys (Iowa State’s Georges Niang, Wisconsin’s duo of Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker, and Georgia State’s RJ Hunter) are the best candidates to pick up where McDermott left off.
Before we even entertain the thought of replacing him, it’s important to recognize what he brought to the table. Even with all the accolades he earned at Creighton, it’s possible that he was still underrated. We know about his incredible scoring ability (3,150 career points, fifth in NCAA history). We know that he was a prolific three-point shooter (274 career threes on 45.8 percent shooting). We know that he could score from anywhere on the floor, and that he could do so by nearly any means. And we know about his lengthy résumé of awards, records and accomplishments (in addition to three All-America selections, he was the 2014 NPOY).
The thing about McDermott, though, is that he was such a uniquely talented player. He had an innate ability to find open space on the floor, and it was this ability around which Creighton’s offense was strategically structured. His movement was both constant and unorthodox, incisive and smooth. He embodied the phrase “take what the defense gives you.” He used off-ball screens impeccably within the sets, but also spontaneously created space for himself and others, and it was this freedom of motion which made him, and by proxy, Creighton’s offense, impossible to prepare for. He could singlehandedly make a stagnant offense dynamic. Yes, there were other talented players on the roster, but the Creighton offense was largely built to utilize McDermott, and McDermott utilized the Creighton offense.
It is his centerpiece role in the offense and corresponding ability to create space for others that makes him so difficult to replace. Thus it’s pointless and frankly unfair to ask anybody on Creighton’s current roster to try to do so. What this Creighton team instead must do is evolve and form its own identity on the offensive end, one that will be entirely different from the focus of the past four years. It is a tough request of any program to replace a player of his caliber, but it will be next to impossible for head coach Greg McDermott to find another player with the specific talents and influence of his son. It is perhaps similarly unfair to label any other returning player nationally as his potential replacement. That’s because it’s not just a question of finding another great scorer — any candidate must bring to bear some of McDermott’s other unique qualities. Here are the top three national candidates, plus an additional dark horse residing somewhat off the grid.
- Georges Niang, Iowa State – There are actually plenty of similarities here, the primary being that Niang is about as unorthodox as star players come. In fact, he’s probably even more non-traditional than McDermott, which makes him the most likely candidate to replace the former Creighton talisman. Niang is a compact 6’7” in stature, so trying to put a standard positional classification next to his name is foolhardy. He’s played the three, four and five spots for the Cyclones, but Niang is most comfortable on the perimeter with the ball in his hands. He’s powerful and clever driving to the basket, shows a crafty touch in the post, and loves to shoot the long ball. He also lost significant weight during the offseason, giving him improved athleticism and a more durable body. He’ll need to be more consistent on a game-to-game basis, but he has the potential to become this year’s McDermott.
- Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin – Some people love Kaminsky – like, best-player-in-the-nation love him. I’m not as sold on the Badgers’ senior big man, but he is an astoundingly efficient offensive player who, like McDermott, isn’t physically dominant but moves astutely and has a quick and lethal release on his outside shot. At seven feet tall, though, he’s a starkly different player.
- Sam Dekker, Wisconsin – Dekker seems to have the necessary skill set. He has good athleticism and a great shooting touch. But what separates him right now from the game’s best is his lack of assertiveness. He was one of the Badgers’ top two players last year but only had the fourth-highest usage rate on the team. That has to change if a true superstar season is imminent.
- RJ Hunter, Georgia State – The casual fan likely hasn’t heard of Hunter, a 6’6” wing who averaged 18.3 points per game last year while compiling a 122.0 offensive rating. He’s a relentless scorer who, like McDermott, has a quick release and isn’t afraid to use it. He’s a threat in transition or in the half-court, owns limitless range on his shot, and comes off screens in similar fashion. He’s also widely considered a legitimate NBA prospect. Hunter is more of a big guard — whereas McDermott was a forward — but he is a sleeper candidate to burst onto the scene this year and perhaps come close to McDermott’s numbers.
To be clear, none of these four players can be Doug McDermott — that notion is not really up for discussion. But going into this season, each of the above players has a chance to elevate himself into a player who, for at least one season, could rival McDermott’s remarkable production and dominance of the sport.
