With the NBA season slowly ticking on, it’s only natural that attention will flick towards the collegiate level to scope out the next potential rookie stars.
Of course, guessing who the next breakout star will be is like guessing who will win the TwinSpires.com Kentucky Derby. Here we cast our eyes over the best prospects in the big 12.
Number 5. Courtney Ramey, Texas Longhorns
We kick off our list of the best prospects in the big 12 with a look at Courtney Ramey. He isn’t raved about all that often in draft talk. A lot of that is probably because he happens to be in one of the most evenly balanced teams in the Big 12. The Longhorns happen to have six players that average over eight points per game.
That said, Ramey does measure up to be the best player out of those six. He’ll not only harness hopes of a pro career but with a 45% three point conversion, he might dream of being one of the best three point shooters in the NBA. That percentage is testament to Ramey’s hard work too; it’s a massive improvement over the 31% from last year. He’s a damn good defender too.
Number 4. Austin Reaves, Oklahoma Sooners
Austin Reaves isn’t a name that everyone is familiar with; he is somewhat sneaking under the radar as one of the best prospects in the Big 12 this year. Unlike Ramey, his three point shooting is inconsistent although it looks like it could click at some point and, to be fair, it’s hardly stopping him putting up good numbers.
His 18.3 points per game makes him the Sooners’ leader; that’s true of the rebounds and assists category too. Last year he was all about shooting; now the guard is turning into a much better all round player. The NBA surely awaits.
Number 3. Davion Mitchell, Baylor Bears
Davion Mitchell is the first of two Bears we mention in this list. He’s arguably been the surprise package of college basketball this season. Last year it was his stellar defense that earned him rave reviews; it’s pretty much all he brought to the court. His offensive side of the game has come on leaps and bounds throughout this campaign though.
Now, not only does he form part of the best college backcourt right now but his ability to combine that solidity with a points per game of 14.1 is something seriously impressive. Throw in the fact that his playmaking is moving in the right direction too and his stock is threatening to take off.
Number 2. Jared Butler, Baylor Bears
We mentioned Mitchell being part of the best backcourt in the country. Well, the other player in that is Jared Butler.
Mitchell is good. Butler is better; he is the clear-cut leader of a team that has overperformed in every way this season and his stats back that up. Not only does he sit on 16.9 points per game but he’s shooting 54.9% from the field and a blistering 44.4% from behind the arc.
Every single statistic of note is on an upward curve from last season albeit his rebounds of 3.3 per match is pretty tight to the 3.2 he posted last year.
Other stats, however, are showing sharper improvement with his 4.8 assists particularly noteworthy. In addition to all of that, Butler shows great leadership qualities and never goes hiding in the big moments. It’s a mentality that will serve him well.
Number 1. Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State Cowboys
Topping our list of the best prospects in the Big 12 is Cade Cunningham. Cunningham was by far the most exciting freshmen heading into this season. Even so, very few would have expected him to perform like he has.
His performances are a big part of the reason that the Cowboys are exceeding their expectations too. To date he has put up 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest.
Everything he does is top drawer; it seems ridiculous to say given his tender years, but it almost feels like he doesn’t have any flaws in his game.
He is strong in defense, sinks points with ease and shows great intelligence on the court to link up with teammates. He could get called very early in the upcoming draft; he’s that good.
There you have it, the best prospects in the Big 12. Who did we miss?
