After a break in order to spend time with family and get some important school work done, I am back on the blogging grind! However, the format will start to change, as with the number of games there are every day, a pure recap is too time consuming and doesn’t give me the chance to go in depth on games and players I like. So, the blog is going to become a little more free form. I am just going to follow my inspiration! Today will be a few player highlights!

Some Player’s I’ve Loved Watching So Far

Kam Jones

The man who has been arguably the best player in the country so far is so fun to watch. After playing in the shadow of his counterparts in Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro, he finally got to take the leadership role, and has not disappointed. What I have been most impressed by has been his ability to know his role in individual games. Some games, they need him to be an alpha scorer, and he is, such as the 28 point game @ Maryland, but in others they need him to control the offense and find other shots, and he has done a great job of that, with multiple games where he had more than 10 assists and he’s averaging 6.3 on the season.

Johni Broome

The other player with an argument to be the best player in the country right now is this man, and he is leading in my opinion. He has had 4 straight games with 20+ points and 10+ rebounds, 3 of which came against Iowa State, UNC, and Memphis, ranked teams. He is leading the power conferences with 12.9 rebounds per game, while also shooting 35% from three on almost 4 attempts per game. That is nothing short of unreal. Auburn is my #1 team in the country right now, and if he keeps playing this way, that may not change for a while. Did I mention that he also averages 3.1 blocks and 3.3 assists per game? Yeah, he does it all. He also plays with a sense of casualness that makes it even more impressive, as if he’s just playing in his backyard.

Donovan Dent

Speaking of players who play smooth and casually, Dent’s game is so smooth it is beautiful to watch. After losing the other two guards in his trio last season for New Mexico, he has had to step into a larger role this season, and has done it spectacularly. He is averaging 18.6 points and 8.3 assists, with an assist rate that is second in the country. He doesn’t shoot many threes, but is a crafty finisher, shooting over 50% on the season. I highly suggest you watch a New Mexico game at some point this year, because they are just such a fun program to watch play, and it’s always high quality ball.

Ryan Nembhard

The leader for Gonzaga’s offense, former Creighton point guard, has been a sensational game manager this season, leading to the Zags strong start. He only averages 10.6 points a game, and shoots 40% from the field, but that isn’t where his impact is made. He plays 35 minutes a game, and averages 10.8 assists per game! Everything they do runs from him, and despite not shooting well from the field, he does shoot 45% from three on 2.5 attempts per game, which makes the defense respect him on the perimeter, making his job as a playmaker even easier. He’s a player who is easy to overlook, but once you recognize his impact, it makes Gonzaga basketball even more spectacular to watch.

See you tomorrow (hopefully!)